Quote (Duckling @ Aug 1 2022 06:16pm)
I'm eternally grateful to recognize Christ as our Lord & Savior, and the power of prayer as it has on my soul.
My coming to Christ in the past year has certainly been what I have been lacking. I grew up with a holy background from one side of my parent's family, but am I safe to say that my generation and beyond has sort've pushed it to the side due to all the affluence of modern life? No excuses, just an honest recognition.
Welcome to The Family!
Might I suggest the following books, they have helped me in my walk with Christ and to make sense of the numerous theological/eschatological topics that arise in our daily lives. Feel free to share yours, as well!
"The Problem of Pain" - Addresses many of the challenging topics concerning suffering. Quote: "The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word “love”, and look on things as if man were the centre of them.”
"Mere Christianity" - Addresses Christianity compared to the world and much more. Quote: "A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.”
both by C.S. Lewis
"The Imitation of Christ" - A Proverbs style book from the 14th Century. Many sentiments concerning faith / who we are versus unbelievers, etc. Quote: "All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace.”
Thomas a Kempis
"Orthodoxy" - The poetry of Christianity versus the lostness of modernity. Quote: "Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind.”
G.K. Chesterton
"Calvin on Self-Denial - from The Institutes of Christianity" (free to download in Apple Bookstore) - Does very well in describing the life / theology of a Christian in relation to sacrifice/self-denial. Quote: "We are not our own: therefore, neither our own reason nor will is to rule our acts and counsels. We are not our own: therefore, let us not make it our end to seek what may be agreeable to our carnal nature. We are not our own: therefore, as far as possible, let us forget ourselves and the things that are ours. On the other hand, we are God’s: let us therefore live and die to Him (Rom 14:8). We are God’s: therefore, let His wisdom and will preside over all our actions. We are God’s: to Him, then, as the only legitimate end, let every part of our life be directed (Rom 14:8; 1Co 6:19). O, how great the proficiency4 of him who, [when] taught that he is not his own, has withdrawn the dominion and government of himself from his own reason that he may give them to God! For as the surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves, so the only haven of safety is to have no other will, no other wisdom, than to follow the Lord wherever He leads"
John Calvin
This post was edited by WizardKiller on Sep 25 2022 08:01pm