Father of the Inklings

In one way or another, all the commands hit us between the eyes. If we are paying attention. This is their design. 

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.

One of the fascinating exchanges in the New Testament is recounted in the eighth chapter of Mark's gospel. In it we get a picture of Jesus' frustration with the disciples for not applying themselves to understand. To grasp it, we have to remember the storm at sea that took place after the feeding of the five thousand. 

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.

One of the helpful benefits in focusing on the Commands is that it immediately shatters our preconceptions about spirituality. The Commands act as a giant screen to weed out superficiality and false priorities. 

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.

Ours is a lethally superficial age. In an era of superhuman technological achievement, the facility to think judiciously is on the endangered skills list. Our computerized culture has rendered us dependent on machines to do our thinking for us. 

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.

There may be those who wonder, when reading some of the Commands: When did Jesus ever say that? I don't remember reading those words in the New Testament. 

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.

As the church expanded and the hub of its missionary outreach shifted north to the cosmopolitan Antioch, one church leader remained in Jerusalem. That man was James, the Lord's brother. 

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.

It is now time to consider the third most frequently given group of Commands that Jesus gave behind Watchfulness and Courage which were considered earlier. That is a group of related exhortations that might be summed up as: Listen with understanding and discerning insight. These we will consider as four related commands: Listen, Listen carefully, Be clear-minded, thoughtful, mentally diligent, and, Apply yourself to think, learn, understand. 

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.

The companion volume to this, The Commands, opened with the command from Jesus: Obey my commands. This same exhortation is urged by the apostles in a hundred different ways. 

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.

The Gospel does not come to us one-dimensionally. The teachings of Jesus, while epitomizing simplicity itself, are also intriguingly complex. The intertwining mix of "spiritual" and "temporal" commands is constantly in play. The moment we get too spiritual, Jesus hits us with the parable of the Good Samaritan, urging us simply to be good and take care of people. Not a word in the story about getting the man saved or taking him to church...just Go and do the same. Yet the moment we begin thinking that kindness toward our fellow man is enough, there is Jesus telling Nicodemus he must be "born again." 

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.

When Paul enumerates the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13, the familiarity of his words obscures what an astonishing attribute he begins with: Love is patient. 

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.