Jojo Agot's Blog

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5: 20

I marvel at this cutting remark that Jesus hurled at the religious leaders of His day. How can he, a mere son of a carpenter in the eyes of the locals, lash biting words at the entire religious system of the Jews?

Once again, I am amazed at the way Jesus preached. He doesn’t mince words when it comes to the truth. He was not preaching to please a crowd. He was declaring the full counsel of God and He did it fearlessly, as if the sensibilities of His hearers were just secondary to the urgency and truth of His message. [Read more...]

Charles Spurgeon on learning how to shut up:

Priceless as the gift of utterance may be, the practice of silence in some aspects far excels it. Do not think me a Quaker. Well, be it so. Herein I follow George Fox most lovingly; for I am persuaded that most of us think too much of speech, which after all is but the shell of thought. Quiet contemplation, still worship, unuttered rapture, these are mine when my best jewels are before me. Brethren, rob not your heart of the deep sea joys; miss not the far-down life, by for ever babbling among the broken shells and foaming surges of the shore.

The Pharisees’ idea of fasting was to deprive the flesh in order to strengthen the spirit. They were focusing on the wrong thing. Jesus was telling them that fasting is not about depriving yourself. Rather, it is about desiring [Jesus] more. [Joey Bonifacio, The Mystery of the Empty Stomach]

The idea of preferring Jesus over anything else baffles the mind. I must admit that for the longest time I thought of fasting as nothing more than legalistic self denial: to beat the flesh so the spirit can be strengthened, to deny my cravings so I could tell my body that he is not the most important part of me. [Read more...]