The Thinking Christian – November/December 2024 FrontLine

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“Paul affirms the significance of our topic when he prays for the saints in Philippi. ‘And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment [the ability to perceive and discern]; that ye may approve [a testing process] things that are excellent’ ” - P&D

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A Key Discipline: Observe Without Judgment

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“It is to observe quietly and humbly and then, when appropriate, to ask clarifying questions. And more often than not, I have been encouraged and even challenged by these clarifications. ” - Challies

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Gut Check: The Value of “Leemers”

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“I’ve been told that ‘Leemers’ is a term used by naval aviators to describe a gut feeling that something is wrong, even if there’s no definitive proof…. it’s a brilliant concept and something we need to consider in our work.” - Phil Cooke

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On the Will of God: My Most Common Pastoral Counsel

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“God wants us to live. He wants us to make our own decisions. He provides the boundaries of his will in those matters the Bible makes clear, but then leaves it to us to operate according to wisdom and desire.” - Challies

Discussion

What Does “Train Up” Mean in Proverbs 22:6?

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“Over the years, the verse has held as a precious promise to parents that if they do everything right, their kids will turn out right. It has also been used as a guilty club to beat up parents who are feeling defeated over the choices of a rebellious child. Both responses are a misinterpretation and a misapplication of the text.” - P&D

Discussion

How To Say “No”

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“until we start staying no to some things, we’ll never have time to pursue the really important things.” - Phil Cooke

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