In the New Testament, you will read of two types of knowledge. One is the acquiring of information, while the second is transformational—you learn it and apply it. Paul told Timothy about a group that was “ever learning (knowledge) but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” They knew stuff—the first type of knowledge, but it did not affect them—the second type of knowledge.
Some disciple-makers pass along the knowledge that has yet to transform them like an apologist who defends the faith but is not changed by it. Or the struggling believer who knows bunches about God and the Bible but has yet to “get out of the boat” to activate (apply) their knowledge by walking on the water.
Paul began his religious career learning a lot about the Bible, and then God knocked him off his donkey, starting a new way of thinking (Read: applying) about all his learning that he had previously acquired. I talked about this weakness with some disciplers here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-448-the-insufficient-method-of-giving-verses-to-counselees/
The shocking and inspiring story of Sophie Ottaway.
Watch the full interview here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-490-sophie-ottaway-engineered-at-birth-to-be-a-girl/
Focus on the Cause, not the Effect, so you can remove the cause and not be affected by the effect.
A local church’s worship value is not primarily about the music but the lifestyle because you never ask, “Are you worshiping?” The reason is that we worship all the time. God made us for worship—wired us for worship, you could say.
Worship is part of what it means to be image-bearers. Who could do otherwise? The better question is, “What or whom do we worship?” https://lifeovercoffee.com/three-characteristics-of-a-fantastic-local-church/
Whenever a person chooses sinful anger, he is, in effect, giving the other person control over him. It’s counterintuitive. In his anger, he is like a marionette, a puppet on a string.
Anger toward someone is the total submission of their thoughts, attitudes, emotions, and behaviors to the other person. It is not self-control, as governed by the Spirit of God, but someone out of control or under the control of another spirit. https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-110-help-for-the-angry-person/
