"We must fight to cherish the kingdom above all "other things"- that is our first and most constant battle.... We are a "third soil century." In the parable of the soils, Jesus says that the seed is the Word. He sows his urgent Word of kingdom power. But instead of taking it up as our sword (or bearing fruit), we "are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful" (Mark 4:18-19)... The crying need of the hour is to put the churches on a wartime footing. Mission leaders are crying out, "Where is the church's concept of militancy, of a mighty army willing to suffer, moving ahead with exultant determination to take the world by storm? Where is the risk-taking, the launching out on God alone?"(-James Reapsome Evangelical Missions Quarterly) The answer is that it has been swallowed up in a peacetime mentality... We will never know what prayer is for until we know that life is war."
-Let The Nations Be Glad, John Piper
Hey, this is a SWEET posting. Just wanted to let you guys know that. These words resonated through my head all day and then some, especially thinking about being a "third soil generatoin," how the cares and riches of the world so easily choke me and make me unfruitful. AND, what a SWEET PICTURE!! Very fitting for the posting.
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