Discover how obeying Jesus can be both possible and joyful.
"Rejoice always." "Don't be afraid." "Give cheerfully."
What do we do when God's commands sound impossible? Most of us find opt-outs and excuses, or pretend we're doing better than we are.
Author Jonty Allcock calls this "the madness of our lives" and "the slavery of the impossible".
There is a better way. What if obedience could be a life-giving joy rather than a job, a delight instead of a duty?
In this book, Jonty shows us that by facing up to the impossible commands of Jesus, we come to the end of our own will and determination, and end up at Jesus' feet. We find ourselves in the hands of a God who can do all things. Where we fail to obey, there is grace. Where we succeed in obeying, there we find the miracle of the Spirit active within us.
This book takes us through four steps - I can't, I'm sorry, please help and let's go - that will help us look to ourselves less and depend on God more, enabling a spirit-led joyful obedience.
By impossible, I mean impossible
Lazarus, come out
Four steps
Impossible commands:
1: Love God (with all your heart, soul, strength, mind)
2: Rejoice in the Lord always
3: Don’t be afraid
4: Be perfect
5: Devote yourself to prayer
6: Love one another
7: Give cheerfully
8: Serve wholeheartedly
9: Keep meeting together
10: Make disciples
| Contributors | Jonty Allcock |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781784983345 |
| Format | eBook |
| First published | June 2019 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
Here is an encouraging and digestible book about obedience! Grounded in Bible truth, these chapters give not just an argument but a call that's clear and full of hope. The biblical path to obedience is plainly laid out, with the necessary first step: "I can't." But what a blessing to consider the subsequent steps that in fact lead us to obey: "I'm sorry"; "Please help"; and "Let's Go." I'm grateful for this call to follow the Lord Jesus with joyful obedience.
This is one of those unusual Christian books that speaks with the earthy voice of the practical pastor and—at the same time—with the careful tones of the skilled theologian. So much good and meaty theology informs the realistic practicality! I hope this book will prove widely useful.
There are usually two human responses to the difficult commands of Scripture: we come away either overwhelmed or dismissive. Either we despair at the way we fall short or try to water them down so as to fit our most comfortable behavior. But this book offers a different way—a more biblical way. God did intend for us to obey, otherwise he wouldn't have repeatedly told us to do these things. And yet he has always provided a way, in Jesus, for us to fulfill what seems impossible. This book is exactly what Christians like me need, who both see our inadequacies and God's tall orders. Jonty Allcock offers a pathway of grace-fuelled obedience, a pastoral word to the tired, discouraged, lazy, and indifferent. God's people need this word and God has raised up this pastor and this book to be that word.
To illustrate how great this book is I’ll let you into a little secret; I never ‘dog ear’ my books. I like them to be in good condition and look nice. But this book is filled with such good content that I had no choice. I’ve highlighted, I’ve dog eared the pages and I even bent the spine!... continue reading
