Father of the Inklings

COA #87 - Clothe Yourself With Humility

Humility is a quality of character and an attribute of Jesus' being that we can wear. 

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.

COA #86 - Do Not Be Covetous, Greedy, Or a Lover of Money

If we are brutally honest with ourselves, our response to the commands reveal the state of our spiritual condition. 

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.

COA #85 - See Through God Eyes By Developing the Mind of Christ

To see though anyone else's eyes requires looking in the same direction they are...When Jesus said, "Behold,"...he was talking about another kind of vision--inner vision. 

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.

COA #84 - Be Pure

It would make an interesting experiment to attempt to identify the single principle of spirituality that the world vilifies, mocks, and rejects more than any other. Many options leap to mind: righteousness, authority, obedience, humility. Another possibility may surprise us--purity. 

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.

COA #83 - Pray for Wisdom and Walk in Wisdom

Of the many commands we have considered, which are those at the top of the list? Which are those that incorporate all the others into them? We immediately recognize Christlikeness as a recurring signature tune of the commands. Obviously, obedience is the doorway into the Christlikeness God desires to develop within us. 

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.

COA #82 - Seek God's Will and Live by It

The question we are about to pose may at first glance seem simplistic, almost a cliche, like something from an old-fashioned salvation tract. Let us try, however, to listen to the words with fresh insight, and bring the question all the way inside. Let us see what it might have to tell us about ourselves. What are you living for? 

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.

COA #81 - Put On the Character of Christ

There are many secondary aspects of God's will that are good, right and scriptural elements of spirituality with which we should be concerned. We do well to understand these, and to pray for God to develop them within us... But what is God's primary will for his people...What is it that God wants to do in your life, and in mine, above all other things? 

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.

COA #80 - Speak Not to Flatter, Impress, or Please Men

Let us pose a probing question. The more personal layers of the onion we peel off in formulating an answer may reveal startling, even shocking, truths about ourselves. 

How much of our speech is subtly laced with the hidden desire to impress? 

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.

COA #79 - Speak to Edify, Encourage and Bless One Another

The final two commands of this section are intrinsically related, yet they point in opposite directions. Speech will always build up or tear down someone. These last two commands identify the two objects of that building or tearing--others or ourselves. 

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.

COA #78 - Do Not Quarrel

The injunction against quarreling is fascinating to find among the commands, not because it comes as a surprise, but because of how completely accepted it is in the body of Christ. Is there any more commonplace relational dynamic in the church than this? 

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.