More than Nice

Because Steve Basney is preaching this morning (We will be blessed!) I've been free to be studying and praying about Sunday January 4 and the Sundays after that. God has been working strongly in me about a series of messages focused on the themes found in the book The Dangerous Kind.

The first chapter, "Living Dangerously in A Perilous Time," reminds us of the ongoing present day spiritual battle that God calls us to. Sometimes Christians are seduced into thinking that all the great acts for God are intended for other more important people, and that we just do "nice" things sometimes, like anyone else. Just being a "good neighbor" for example might be enough for the likes of us.

But that's not what God says. For example, in 2nd Corinthians 5:16, it says that we don't "know anyone in a purely human way." And in chapter 6 verse 7 the Lord speaks to us of "weapons of righteousness." There's something more going on here than simple human kindness.

To prepare for next week, we're studying the passage of scripture you'll see at the bottom of this blogpost. Also, if you are willing, begin reading and praying over Graeme Sellers' book The Dangerous Kind. You can download the first chapter here, or listen to a sample of Graeme Sellers teaching by clicking this link.

2 Corinthians 5:16–6:10 16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 6:1 Working together with Him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.” 2 For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation. 3 We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. 4 But as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardship, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the message of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; as deceivers yet true; 9 as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look—we live; as being disciplined yet not killed; 10 as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything.

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