The Fire I Came to Bring

Mercy Not Sacrifice

SCRIPTURE Hosea 6:6 / Matthew 9:13 (NIV) "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." REFRAIN God wants mercy, not sacrifice. QUOTE Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "Jesus did not come to change God's mind about us. It did not need changing. Jesus came to change our minds about God — and about ourselves — and about where goodness and evil really lie." ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Come As You Are

SCRIPTURE Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." REFRAIN I come as I am and find grace here. QUOTE George MacDonald, from Unspoken Sermons "The Son of God suffered unto death, not that men might not suffer, but that their suffering might be like His." ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

God Was Never Angry

SCRIPTURE Ephesians 1:9–10 (NIV) He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. REFRAIN I was loved before anything went wrong. QUOTE Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "Jesus never punished anybody. Yes, he challenged people, but always for the sake of insight, healing, and restoration of people and situations to their divine origin and source." ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

She Is All of Us

SCRIPTURE Acts 1:14 (NIV) They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. REFRAIN I receive what God offers and hand it on. QUOTE Richard Rohr, from The Universal Christ "If Christ and Jesus are the archetypes of what God is doing, Mary is the archetype of how to receive what God is doing and hand it on to others. Mary is the Great Yes that humanity forever needs for Christ to be born into the world." ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Consent

SCRIPTURE Revelation 3:20 (NIV)  "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." REFRAIN God waits for my yes. QUOTE Denise Levertov, from Annunciation "The engendering Spirit did not enter her without consent. God waited. She was free to accept or to refuse, choice is integral to humanness. She did not cry, 'I cannot. I am not worthy,' Nor, 'I have not the strength.' She did not submit with gritted teeth, raging, coerced. Bravest of all humans, consent illuminated her. The room filled with its light, the lily glowed in it, and the iridescent wings. Consent, courage unparalleled, opened her utterly." ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.