Father of the Inklings

The command to "turn the other cheek," which we considered earlier as Let people injure you without retaliating, is actually a two-part command. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Some of the commands are more difficult to write about, and personally for me to feel that I have laid hold of in a helpful way, than others. This is one of those. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

All the Commands are subject to misunderstanding, overemphasis, and underemphasis. The Commands of Jesus can be taken so out of context and misapplied, that they can even become false gods and idols that blind vision from the true nature of the Commands. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Giving comes in many forms. The least important may be financial giving. That is not to say that financial generosity is unimportant, only that it may be far down the list of virtues emphasized in the New Testament. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

As we have noted before, many of Jesus' specific words must be broadened to incorporate the fullness of what he intended as Commands of obedience upon his followers. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

This may appear on the surface to be identical with the first command: Obey my Commands. From Jesus' conversation with the man we call the "rich young ruler," however, the inference can be made that Jesus is specifically speaking of the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Judy and I try to live by a maxim which is simply stated: If you are not part o f the problem, and not potentially part of the solution, stay out of it. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

Jesus often couched his teachings in the form of metaphors and parables for the curious purpose, if we are to take him at his word, of preventing those who are not in earnest about obeying him from understanding him. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.

Foolishness and wisdom are mirror opposite traits about which it is easy to make several wrong assumptions. The most serious of these is the assumption that both are somehow inborn. 

From The Commands of the Apostles by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands of the Apostles and other books by Michael Phillips.

Giving, for many Christians, is founded on legalistic obligation based on the Old Testament tithe. It is doubtful, however, that a strong case can be made in the New Testament for the perpetuation of the tithe as commonly taught. 

From The Commands by Michael Phillips. Read by Michael Kimball. More information on this and similar writings may be found at Father of the Inklings. Visit Amazon to purchase The Commands and other books by Michael Phillips.