The patience of Jesus
- Is it possible for us to have the patience of Jesus?
Ben states the pattern: Jesus calls people to true things with patience, John the Baptist's 'brood of vipers' directness being the exception, and grows exasperated only with those who know the truth and refuse it. He plugs the Bob Eisenlauer complaint line, (515) 517-0085, for counterexamples. Grace observes, 'We are not Jesus, and we don't have his patience.' They ask whether Christians can share Jesus's patience, Ben says yes, though it requires extreme humility, and they work a clean-your-room example with the girls: reminding and inviting beats lecturing, and Jesus expects people to take a principle and apply it rather than demanding specifics.
More on Humility
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The New Testament case for human shaping
- What does the New Testament actually say about spiritual authority and submission?
Ben walks the New Testament texts: Hebrews 13:17 ('obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls') presumes a soul-watching laborer, not a rule-maker;…
From No. 600 · Rage The Elephant
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How to tell your voice from God's: the Bible test and leniency
- How can you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking?
Ella distills the question: how do you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking? Her first answer: we have a Bible — what God is telling you is probably already in it ('Ben's gonna have a proud papa moment').
From No. 597 · Maybe A Word From God
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Evaluating the event: Elijah, Josiah, the sign of Jonah, the donuts test
- How do we tell whether a church element has become the thing itself rather than pointing to Jesus?
The hosts work through evaluation tools for curated experiences: Elijah didn't ask God to repeat the fire, and Jesus refused to repeat signs for the Pharisees ('you get the sign…
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Dear LFTP: the untidy grandchildren's home
- How can I tell my son's family that visiting their untidy home increases my anxiety without offending them?
Mike reads a letter from a grandmother anxious about her son's untidy home; the hosts diagnose persnickety-vs-oblivious wiring (Ben's sock-on-the-floor example, Martha), advise…
From No. 589 · There Must Be A Reason