That’s impossible.  I need faith for that.  Faith is a gift from Above, not something I exercise, like a muscle.  The starting place for fresh faith, is fresh conviction of sin.  I cannot convict myself of my sin, cannot make myself repent, and I get zero credit for doing anything in a Gospel-centered way –…

to unconditionally love others.  If I’m not experiencing unconditional love from Jesus and myself, I’m not going to be unconditionally loving others, including my enemies.  I can tell if I’m feeling unconditionally loved by Jesus and myself, by noticing how I unconditionally love others: grace-giver or grace-robber.  Grace-giver: enjoying others, Jesus, and His plan for…

to lose everything.  I mean e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  Health.  Savings.  Job.  Home.  Reputation.  Spouse.  Kids, adult kids, grandkids.  Various means could do it, but imagine the worst.  Living under a bridge, homeless, alone.  Or in prison for life.  Or a padded cell in an institution.  Immediate family and extended family all dead, or say, hopelessly estranged, somehow,…

unless I’m confident I know what’s best, for me/others.  Also impossible to be frustrated, fearful, discouraged, unless I’m confident I know what’s best for me/others.  Ditto for analyzing/critiquing. A dumb-sheep-believer is never intense.  Only shepherd-believers have this problem.  Dumb-sheep believers trust their Shepherd to know what’s best, so they have amazing peace and amazing joy. …

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”   I don’t want to be independent/self-confident/willful/agendafied/proud/self-reliant, but how do I not be that way?  How can I renew my mind, so I’m not that way? By reading Scripture?  Maybe.  By praying?  Maybe.  By hearing the Gospel proclaimed over and…

but commanded to be perfect.  Cheap grace challenges us, calls us to be faithful.  Grace commands us to be perfect, and has the perfect solution for our failure.  The Cross.  The Gospel is not merely about salvation, but also about sanctification – how we live as followers of Jesus. Challenges to be faithful, appeal to…

is by comparing ourselves to others, instead of to Jesus, the Standard, the Perfect One.  “Be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect,” commanded Jesus.  Wait, that’s impossible!  Bingo.  Impossible to enter the Christian life, and impossible to live the Christian life.  I need the convicting work of Jesus’ Spirit 24/7, not just for…

Intensity about my performance, reputation, somebodiness.  Only shepherd-believers experience this, are passionate about failure-avoidance, excellence at all costs.  Dumb-sheep-believers are completely liberated about losing all they have, becoming nobodies, losers, being pitied by all. Only shepherd-believers are competitive, passionate about their favorite sports teams, need to feel good about themselves based on performance, are critical/judgmental…

never feels the weight of the world on its shoulders.  But a dumb sheep trying to be a shepherd, feels very alone facing a to-do list.  Up to me.  Pressure to succeed.  Agenda.  Striver.  Suppressed fear of failure, humiliation, being pitied, maybe ridiculed.  A dumb sheep content to be a dumb sheep, never experiences fear,…