One thing is certain: the call of Christ is always a promotion. Were Christ to call a king from his throne to preach the gospel to some tribe of aborigines, that king would be elevated above anything he had known before. Any movement toward Christ is ascent, and any direction away from Him is down.

God dwells in His creation and is everywhere indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them.

But the sons of this world have not God; they have only each other, and they walk holding to each other and looking to one another for assurance like frightened children.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Fear is a painful emotion that arises at the thought that we may be harmed or made to suffer. As long as we must trust for survival to our ability to out look or out maneuver the enemy, we have every good reason to be afraid. Fear is torment. To know that love is of God and to enter into the secret place leaning upon the arm of the Beloved, this and only this can cast out fear.

To fear and not be afraid- that is the paradox of faith.

The good news isn't that God is victorious. How can He not be victorious? The good news is we can be victorious, too.

What is of man uses manipulation to conform. What is of #God uses implantation to transform.