Forthright Magazine http://forthright.net/ Straight to the Cross Invite someone to become a subscriber to Forthright Magazine http://forthright.net/ COLUMN: HANDS-ON FAITH Windows into God by Barry Newton http://tinyurl.com/7dvquwn In the foreword to Francis Schaefer's 30th anniversary edition of "The God Who Is There," James Sire writes: "You feel as you read The God Who Is There that this man knows the God who is there, not as an abstraction but as one with whom personal encounter characterizes the relationship." Such words compel us to explore further. We desire to understand God more clearly. As helpful as secondary sources can sometimes be, Jesus' authoritative teachings, "You have heard that it was said...but I say unto you...," provide us with windows into God himself. Whatever the rules are, they are not just rules. They are windows into God. As the only one who came from the Father and who reveals the Father to us, no wonder he taught with authority! Through the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' commands and definitive declarations about life illuminate how to live congruously with the God who is there. Jesus' counsel provides us with the opportunity to be shaped by God and drawn ever closer to his heart. Imagine jettisoning the religious games people play. Imagine wanting what God wants. Don't just imagine living the life Jesus describes with God, embrace it. ---- Read this article online, write your reaction, and read others' comments as well. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/7dvquwn You can help get the word out. Here's how: http://www.forthright.net/editorial/lend_a_hand.html