Greg Gordon Quotes

We can see clearly that the end of following Christ wholeheartedly is to share, very possibly, in his very end. We can have great confidence that multitudes of fellow pilgrims have won the contest, fought the good fight, and endured martyrdom before the watching hosts of heaven.

The crowds were just crying out, "Crucify him, crucify him" with unified rage and intent. And in the backdrop of this rejection of the Son of God, the New Testament Church was beginning to form and write letters to encourage each other in the faith.

Jesus teaches us to bless our enemies (Matthew 5:44) To bless those who curse us (Luke 6:28). To "never avenge yourselves" (Romans 12:19). When we truly forgive someone, we need to come to the place where we can bless them and desire God's blessing also on their lives.

Soon we will be in heaven and that opportunity will be over, let us not regret that we could have loved the brethren more.

The early Church was birthed and sustained in almost constant persecution and pressures

God does not look to find those who are the elites and those who are the most skilled. Rather He looks for the weak and insignificant who trust in Him. God uses broken pots and vessels, He uses imperfect people who trust in a perfect God. Thus all men will know that it is God who has manifested His power and glory through a brother or sister. It is realized then that it was not the work of men but the work of God.

If we can accept those who disagree with us, who are hurt and full of misunderstandings, we must treat them like Christ himself and love them as part of his body. No matter even how brethren can be used of the enemy even to sow discord, we must love such brethren for in the end we could be in a similar situation. No one is better we all need each other, God is not on the side of one of his children but loves all equally and desires to see all grow in him and become more like His Son Jesus.

Ignatius was the third bishop of Antioch and was discipled by John the Apostle himself. The Apostle John, who passed on the true faith of Jesus Christ through letters such as 1 John, passed on the faith, once delivered to the saints, to Ignatius.

Faultfinders will not be able to humble themselves to repent of their own sins because they are too busy looking at the sins of others.

Leaders in the body of Christ must be humble and broken from the Lord's hand to be truly useful in His kingdom.

Many fall into the trap of championing the exact theology of a saint from the past, which can have errors and imbalances, and then they perpetuate these problems into the modern Christian world. Such believers are sadly being guided more by their zeal and reading of past saints than by their personal walk with the Lord and the guidance of the Spirit of God in their lives.

Insecurity and jealously can be a cause of someone having a critical spirit towards others. Focusing on men and not the Lord can cause one to be critical of every flaw of others. Satan is also the "the accuser of the brethren" (Revelation 12:10) and sadly can work through or use believers to accomplish his work of tearing down. Those who are habitual fault-finders, constant critics of people and situations usually are sick in the body and full of tension and stress. The Scriptural solution to any of us even struggling in this area is clear: "stop passing judgment on one another" and that we can start to love others in the body of Christ, uplifiting them, edifying them and building them up.

Even the Son of God trod this path of martyrdom for the sins of all mankind, and all who suffer in a similar manner are simply following in his very steps, identifying with his sorrow over a lost world that he willingly died for.

One area that I now consider safe to follow after any past hero of the faith is in their personal devotion and relationship to Jesus Christ. Each of these men knew God. They spent much time with God. The reason I put our thoughts in this direction is that from personal devotion and walking with God comes our callings and gifts. That is the place where God calls us into his purpose and will for our lives.

Are you full of the Holy Spirit? Then you will be full of mercy, kindness and love.

God allows us to have a personal relationship with himself and he forgives and loves us as children. If God forgives our such great sins against his Son should we not forgive such little sins against ourselves?

Believers saw it as a holy battle, a spiritual warfare at its height. Believers saw themselves in a spiritual war with demons and did not see flesh and blood. When being persecuted they had pity and love for the persecutors.

Some read biographies of famous Christians to try to short-cut themselves into a deeper walk with the Lord and successful ministry. They think: "If I just copy some of their techniques, beliefs, and quotes, I will have their success." Such thinking, though, creates men who trust in the past work of other believers, living out of their zeal instead of tapping into the actual power of God which these men had. True men of God are only signposts to point the way. Their sign should point to heaven, to the Lord himself.

The hordes of demonic activity at times can take advantage of those who are wounded by others in the body of Christ. When we allow any hurt we can be used of the enemy to sow discord into God's work and His body.

What causes believers to become critical? Believers become negative through at times sin they have committed (Romans 2:1) or unforgivenness towards another (Hebrews 12:15). Another reason is the individual is not thinking heavenly minded but is being more influenced by the worlds thinking (Romans 12:2).