It takes quite a spine to turn the other cheek. It takes phenomenal fortitude to love your enemy. It takes firm resolve to pray for those who persecute you. (with reference to Matthew 5) Rob Bell More Quotes by Rob Bell More Quotes From Rob Bell Like a mirror, God appears to be more and more a reflection of whoever it is that happens to be talking about God at the moment. Rob Bell mirrors reflection talking We can choose the way of compassion, the way of forgiveness, the way of generosity. Or we can choose other paths and those have very real consequences in the world. This is absolutely crucial. Rob Bell generosity compassion real For many people, God is primitive, behind, trying to drag everything back to some prehistoric era as opposed to spirit, force, love, drawing us into a better future, which to me is - that story has done something in me and I've seen it do things in other people. Rob Bell drawing trying people Before anything else, you have received breath - the gift of life itself. The first word about you is GIFT. Rob Bell gifts-of-life breaths firsts Everybody is following somebody. Everybody has faith in something and somebody. We are all believers. Rob Bell believer following have-faith The lesson that has been hardest for me to learn: there is nothing to prove. Rob Bell hardest prove lessons I believe that God is with you, that there is a presence. I believe this God is for you. I don't think the universe is a cold, dead place that is indifferent. Rob Bell cold believe thinking Look at the size of the universe and look at what we're discovering about string theory. There's a wide-eyed sense of we're just getting started here. Rob Bell strings size looks Doctrine is a wonderful servant and a horrible master. Rob Bell doctrine masters wonderful You want people who are both great fans and supporters and believers of your work and people who are also ruthlessly honest. People who will tell you the truth about it. Over the years I've picked up some friends and I know who to show what to and they'll give me the proper read. Rob Bell giving people years I got into pastoring because of the art form. I started a church, but I felt the art form needed to be freed for all people. A particular religion over others was never interesting to me. I wanted to talk to people about what it means to be alive and what it means to be human. Rob Bell mean people art When we deny the spiritual dimension to our existence, we end up living like animals. And when we deny the physical, sexual dimension to our existence, we end up living like angels. And both ways are destructive, because God made us human. Rob Bell angel spiritual animal Many people confuse religion with God and walk away from them both. The point isn't Christianity, the point is being a Christian. Rob Bell christianity christian people Hope. People want hope. We crave hope. We long for hope. Hope has been present since the very beginning. And almost in the worst situations of human history, you often find the greatest amount of hope. The very nature of the situation, the way stepped-on people created within them even more hope than when things were going fine. Hope has always been around. Rob Bell worst-situation long people Do we get what we want? Yes, we get what we want. God is that Rob Bell yes-we-can despair winning Any time someone makes you feel guilty about how you are living, that is part of the old system (pre-Christ). Rob Bell guilty feels christ I think the church needs – I think this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are. Rob Bell church people thinking We often rush through the experiences that have the greatest shift. Rob Bell inspiring The thought of the word church and the word marketing in the same sentence makes me sick. Rob Bell marketing sick church The cross is Gods way of taking away all of our accusations, excuses, and arguments. Rob Bell argument way jesus