Prayer Note #70: Love instead of Anger, Fear, Violence, & Cruelty

“Lord, I live in a world of anger, fear, violence, and cruelty.  It is hard for me not to be swept away and molded by these ugly passions that swirl around me. . . ."

Pastor Note #142: Violence & Cruelty in America: Who Is My Neighbor?

"This is a time when followers of Jesus must unwaveringly insist on love of neighbor as a core social value, a value that requires action.  Followers of Jesus in America must assert themselves in making love of neighbor, with its firm rejection of cruelty and violence, the centerpiece of our engagement with the wider society." (click link to read the full essay)

Quote of Note #223: The Human Destructive Inclination toward the Stranger

"We know what our race does to strangers. Man destroys or enslaves every species he can. Civilized man murders, enslaves, cheats, and corrupts savage man. Even inanimate nature he turns into dust bowls and slag-heaps." C. S. Lewis (click link to read full quote)

Prayer Note #69: A Prayer (Drawn from Colossians 3:12-14)

Grant that I might be a living embodiment of Christ’s saving, healing, redeeming love in this broken world.

Quote of Note #220: In the Face of Trials

"Almost anything that happens to us may be woven into the purposes of God. It may lengthen our cords of sympathy. It may break our self-centered pride. The cross, which was willed by wicked men, was woven by God into the tapestry of world redemption." ML King

Quote of Note #218: Love Without Limits

"Somehow we've developed the mind-set that to love one person or group, we have to hate another person or group. So we direct our love toward the groups we're part of--our families, our denominations, our political parties, our ethnic groups--and feel free to hate anyone outside these boxes." J. Perkins (to read the full quote, click link below)

Quote of Note #217: Our Own Resurrection

"Thou wilt come to raise my body from the dust, and re-unite it to my soul, by a wonderful work of infinite power and love, greater than that which bounds the ocean's waters, ebbs and flows the tides, keeps the stars in their courses, and gives life to all creatures." A. Bennett

Quote of Note #215: God’s Participation in our Lives–Prayer

"God commands us to pray, God participates in our affairs and our needs, our cares and in our distresses, in our expectations, and in everything." K. Barth

Quote of Note #214: The Superficial Faith of Christian Nationalism

"[Christian Nationalism] leads to superficial Christianity rather than to sincere faith and deep discipleship." Wright & Bird