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Tutti frutti (3)
'... Be fruitful ...' Genesis 1:28
Remember when Jesus was arrested and Peter does an audition for 'Kung Fu Panda'; crisscrossing the air with his samurai sword? Or what about Saul holding the coats of the religious thugs as they throw the boot into Stephen's face. Or Thomas and his world record-breaking bout of disbelief? What would the church today look like if God hadn't pulled these boys up on their mistakes?
We'd have youth leaders cutting off the ears of rowdy delinquents, vicars booting in the brains of their lay readers and there'd be no Easter eggs because no one would believe Jesus is alive. God the gardener pruned these not-so-nice qualities out of our faith heroes for His, their and our good.
'We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way' (Hebrews 12:11 NCV).
What child looks forward to an ear bashing from their Dad? But in order to grow up they need to leave their childish ways behind.
Peter spent hours and hours in the presence of God so by the time he's writing his letters in the New Testament he's no longer the ninja assassin but an expert in submitting to authorities above him. Saul becomes Paul, writer of the best stuff defending Christians as opposed to persecuting them. These two Bible heavyweights prove that when God prunes you, everyone benefits.
written by Bob Gass
'... Be fruitful ...' Genesis 1:28
Remember when Jesus was arrested and Peter does an audition for 'Kung Fu Panda'; crisscrossing the air with his samurai sword? Or what about Saul holding the coats of the religious thugs as they throw the boot into Stephen's face. Or Thomas and his world record-breaking bout of disbelief? What would the church today look like if God hadn't pulled these boys up on their mistakes?
We'd have youth leaders cutting off the ears of rowdy delinquents, vicars booting in the brains of their lay readers and there'd be no Easter eggs because no one would believe Jesus is alive. God the gardener pruned these not-so-nice qualities out of our faith heroes for His, their and our good.
'We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right way' (Hebrews 12:11 NCV).
What child looks forward to an ear bashing from their Dad? But in order to grow up they need to leave their childish ways behind.
Peter spent hours and hours in the presence of God so by the time he's writing his letters in the New Testament he's no longer the ninja assassin but an expert in submitting to authorities above him. Saul becomes Paul, writer of the best stuff defending Christians as opposed to persecuting them. These two Bible heavyweights prove that when God prunes you, everyone benefits.
written by Bob Gass
