A little reading

I am in heaven. I found out that John Stott ministries puts out a free daily excerpt from his various books EACH DAY. My inbox was stuffed over the weekend with all sorts of interesting theological thoughts. I will only share a few of the greater thoughts and quotes here.

"Greatness in the kingdom of God is measured in terms of obedience. " – John R.W. Stott

"Chrysostom saw this responsibility to pray for our enemies as 'the highest summit of self-control'. Indeed, looking back over the requirements of these last two antitheses, he traces nine ascending steps, with intercession as the topmost one.
-First, we are not to take any evil initiative ourselves.
-Secondly, we are not to avenge another's evil.
-Thirdly, we are to be quiet, and
-fourthly, to suffer wrongfully.
-Fifthly, we are to surrender to the evildoer even more than he demands.
-Sixthly, we are not to hate him, but (steps 7 and 8) to love him and to him good.
-As our ninth duty, we are 'to entreat God Himself on his behalf'."

"The fundamental warning Jesus issues is against *practising your piety before men to be seen by them*. At first sight these words appear to contradict his earlier command to 'let your light shine before men, that they may see...' (5:16). In both verses he speaks of doing good works 'before men' and in both the objective is stated, namely in order to be 'seen' by them. But in the earlier case he commands it, while in the later one he prohibits it. How can this discrepancy be resolved? The contradiction is only verbal not substantial. The clue lies in the fact that Jesus is speaking against different sins. It is our human cowardice which made him say 'Let your light shine before men', and our human vanity which made him tell us to beware of practising our piety before men. A.B.Bruce sums it up well when he writes that we are to 'show when tempted to *hide* and 'hide when tempted to *show*. Our good works must be public so that our light shines; our religious devotions must be secret lest we boast about them. Besides, the end of both instructions of Jesus is the same, namely the glory of God. Why are we to keep our piety secret? It is in order that glory may be given to God, rather than men. Why are we to let our light shine and do good works in the open? It is that men may glorify our heavenly Father." - John R.W. Stott from THE MESSAGE OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT or The Christian Counter-culture.

"And whatever you do, do it to the glory of God"