Two-fer

Todd Bolsinger posted recently under the title, The Gospel and the Church. Here's the money-quote:

You see, once we understand that The Good News is not about you and I GETTING to heaven, but instead about God bringing heaven to us through Jesus, then we’ll understand that the very purpose of the church (the body of Jesus on earth today) is to continue, through the Holy Spirit, the very same Kingdom ministry of Jesus.

And Aron Gahagan at Some Thoughts prays against pride:

Lord, you said that if I have the faith of a mustard seed I could say to a mountain, be rooted up and cast into the sea; I stand now at the foot of Mt. Pride, and my faith wavers. The mountain blocks my view, and I pray that it would be drowned in the sea of your greatness and power. Show me yourself, Lord, that I would tremble in lowest humility. I ask this for your glory and my joy, and on account of what Christ accomplished. “I ask great things of a great God.” In His name and for His sake, Amen.