Ten Things I Wish Jesus Hadn T Said

This is a book about ten of the most significant uncomfortable teachings of Jesus. These are teachings that Christians don't like to think or talk about. They are clear imperatives from Jesus that are, for the most part, ignored by the majority of believers.

Only when we have a healthy realization of our spiritual needs can we understand how surrender brings peace and freedom. With honesty and humility, Kuligin examines ten of Christ's difficult sayings and offers practical advice for following Christ. Blended into each chapter are personal anecdotes, a healthy quantity of biblical support, and reflections from historical figures.

With honesty and humility, this book examines ten of Christ's difficult sayings and offers practical advice for following Christ.

We want to follow the teachings of Jesus, but what are we supposed to do when those teachings seem too hard or too easy? Even worse, what are we supposed to do when they contradict each other?

Jesus never said that following him would be easy. We’ve read the words countless times: “Love your enemies,” “You cannot serve both God and money,” “Take up your cross and follow me.” Theoretically we believe them. But do we engage what Jesus says in a way that prompts action? The truth we avoid talking about is that being a follower of Jesus is terribly inconvenient—a pain in the neck at times—because it cuts across so many of our natural desires. But there is an even greater danger in avoiding what Jesus says. If we harden our hearts to the teachings of Jesus, we will never find true happiness. In this powerful new book, author Steve Timmis calls all believers to consider ten sayings of Jesus that reveal where our affections lie. He reminds us that Christians are called to abandon, not cherish, the ways of the world and reject, not pursue, the things that afford us status, prestige, and pleasure. As followers of Jesus we must grapple with what it means to follow him, and accept his verdict on what constitutes the good life—no matter how counter-cultural it may seem. Doing so will powerfully reorient our hearts.

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

Things I Wish Jesus Hadn't Said focuses on two groups of Jesus' messages. One group comprises those sayings which make it hard to be a Christian. The other includes those which seemingly make it easy. The "hard" or "tough" sayings of Jesus sere and scorch, challenge and demand. They call us to accountability, responsibility, and action. These are the sayings of the Sermon on the Mount, to the Rich Young Ruler, to the adulteress about to be stoned. These are sayings G. K. Chesterton was possibly recalling when he said, "Christianity, even when watered down, is hot enough to boil all of society to rags." These sayings do not let us off the hook. The easy sayings seem to contradict and counter the hard sayings. I wish he hadn't said them because they confuse and allow us wiggle room with the hard sayings. They let us off the hook from spiritual, ethical, and moral obligations. They are susceptible to misinterpretation and more vulnerable to exploitation for personal, or national, agendas. They are easily ripped from context, manipulated, and distorted to allow excuses for behavior denounced in Jesus' tough sayings. Some examples are "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34), "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town" (Matthew 10:11-15), and "the poor you will always have with you" (Matthew 26:11)