Book Review - "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers"

Okay, this is not really a "book review" - it's more me sharing with you some of the most thought provoking quotes from the latest book I have read. I will say, however, that I read this book in 2 days - and it is now on my list of "I'm sorry, I don't lend this book out - too many personal notes. But, I will buy you a copy of your own if you need me to!" :0

Favorite quotes from "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers - Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America" by Dan Merchant (get ready...there are quite a few)!

"Are we trying to fit Jesus into what we're doing as people, as a country? Or are we trying to fit into what Jesus is doing?"

"It's too easy to sit back and criticize things you don't know about and much more difficult to search for truth - and, yes, I'm applying that to myself first."

"I had to admit there have been far too many instances where my selfishness, impatience, ignorance, arrogance - you name it - has pushed people farther away from God rather than closer to Him."

"Our tendency to reduce the gospel of Jesus to a couple of isolated issues, our willingness to oversimplify this complex life just so we can be right and win an argument is, as a smart person would say, antiethical to Jesus' teachings."

"And when I realized all my objections were fear-based, I tried to talk my mind into believing that there was something to this I just didn't understand yet...and the fear must be confronted. Maybe I'd understand later, but staying home because I was afraid of the unknown, afraid of the adventure, or really, afraid of what God might be trying to teach me, would not be acceptable."

"It is confusing to outsiders how we can be selective in the biblical truths we choose to emphasize."

"In First John it talks about how Jesus came in "truth and grace". Seems like we might be a little heavy on the "truth" and a little light with the "grace"."

"We only partially grasp it, but rather than admit our failings we build in excuses for our behavior and simplify His lessons until we have permission to be inert. We'd rather sit back and be right than admit how screwed up we are. We'd rather be right than make the effort to grow closer to Him."

"Besides, if God calls you to do something, go - He probably knows something you don't know."

"...we allow ourselves to be ruled by fear instead of being guided by faith - "

"As happens with God ideas they become what they are supposed to become, not what you think they are going to become."

"You know what EGO means? Edging God Out."

"It's hard to know what God's will is for us because our will kind of likes to run the show."

"The only thing strident arrogance is good for is hardening hearts, fostering resentment, and creating animosity."