I met°hard word a man who carried a Bible°hard word everywhere he went, he said°hard word that he walked with Jesus°hard word.
He did not°hard word call himself°hard word a preacher°hard word, but he talked mostly in Bible°hard word verses. I took no offense°hard word at that, but my romantic°hard word partner was somewhat°hard word agitated°hard word by it.
I must agree with her on one count: he did use a lot of words to say very little. He seemed to have taken inspiration°hard word from a certain type of low church ⚙️ "High Church" is the bells-and-smells°hard word formal°hard word liturgy°hard word of an ancient and hierarchical°hard word church. "Low Church" is just a man with a bible°hard word and a voice. preacher°hard word, who can spend°hard word an hour talking about six lines of the Bible°hard word 💭 the Catholics°hard word have 3 readings in their Sunday services. the Jews°hard word, never to be outdone°hard word, do seven ... in the original°hard word Hebrew°hard word. Many of the Protestant°hard word denominations°hard word can only find time for 1 reading, and not°hard word say very much interesting in that time.
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He was of a persuasion°hard word that suffering leads one closer°hard word to the LORD, so one should strive°hard word to live a life full of suffering. This may not°hard word be as°hard word wrong as°hard word some readers°hard word may think it is, but I find it the conclusion°hard word of flawed°hard word logic°hard word.
It may be true that one must suffer in order to know the LORD.
It may be true that the LORD's°hard word presence is more easily reached by those in suffering.
But one must not°hard word treat°hard word it like opiates°hard word; living for nothing but the joy of suffering.
And one must not°hard word reach the point where one loves the suffering more than the LORD.
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There are those who are called to a life of asceticism°hard word. But it is best if they know it comes at a cost°hard word; to themselves°hard word and those around them.
One might think that it is good that they live a life away from others; a hermit°hard word in the woods, or at least a celibate°hard word monk°hard word in a mostly-silent°hard word commune°hard word.
✨ of those things that cannot°hard word be spoken-of°hard word: do not°hard word speak of them.