"I want to stay in the habit of 'glancing' at my problems and 'gazing' at my Lord."
Joni Eareckson Tada
Showing posts with label quotes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quotes. Show all posts
Monday, August 16, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Quote - Infected with a most dreadful, fearful, soul-killing disease!
"The whole race of mankind, in consequence of the fall, is infected with a most dreadful, fearful, soul-killing disease!
You are infected with it yourself!
It is in your nature, and its effects are manifested in your conduct! Its seat is in the heart--which has become deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked!
This malignant disease has spread over every faculty of the soul!
The understanding is darkened--so that you cannot see your dreadful state!
The conscience is defiled--and no longer warns of evil!
The will is powerfully biased to evil--and chooses what God abhors!
The affections are earth-bound--and set on forbidden things!
The imagination has become sensual--and only employed in evil!
The reason is debased--and calls darkness, light; and light, darkness!
The memory is depraved--and has become a storehouse of iniquity!
The whole soul is paralyzed, polluted, and diseased!
Satan has got possession--and endeavors to lead you to hell in a false peace!
You are naturally . . .
unfit for heaven,
at enmity with God,
exposed to His wrath,
cursed by His law,
condemned by His word,
traveling to perdition,
and ripening for damnation!
You cannot . . .
deliver yourself from sin's dominion,
cleanse yourself from inherent defilement,
or escape the righteous judgment of God,
by anything that you can do.
You are . . .
without strength,
blind to your everlasting welfare,
and a hater of God!
You . . .
were born a sinner,
have lived transgressing,
and dying in such a state,
will be banished into irremediable woe!
This is your state, reader--whoever you may be!
This is your situation--however you may have lived!
This is your condition--whatever you may think!
Have you ever seen yourself in this situation?
Have you ever felt this to be your case?
Have you ever trembled on account of it--and sought a remedy?
If not, this is the very worst symptom of your disease!
You are . . .
insensible of your wretched condition,
under a spiritual derangement,
and madness is in your heart!
But if you have discovered your malady,
if you have felt sin to be really a dreadful disease,
if you are seeking for a remedy;
then I rejoice in being able to direct you to one that is provided, which may be obtained freely, and will certainly heal you!
God, who is rich in mercy, for the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sin--has devised a way in which He can manifest Himself as a just God and a Savior! He has provided a suitable and glorious remedy for lost, ruined, and undone sinners! This remedy will . . .
heal the wounded,
cleanse the filthy,
sanctify the unholy,
justify the condemned,
liberate the captive,
and save the lost!
It gives . . .
peace to the distressed,
direction to the perplexed,
riches to the poor,
sight to the blind,
hearing to the deaf,
strength to the weak,
wisdom to the foolish,
and life to the dead!"
James Smith, from God's Remedy for Man's Malady
You are infected with it yourself!
It is in your nature, and its effects are manifested in your conduct! Its seat is in the heart--which has become deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked!
This malignant disease has spread over every faculty of the soul!
The understanding is darkened--so that you cannot see your dreadful state!
The conscience is defiled--and no longer warns of evil!
The will is powerfully biased to evil--and chooses what God abhors!
The affections are earth-bound--and set on forbidden things!
The imagination has become sensual--and only employed in evil!
The reason is debased--and calls darkness, light; and light, darkness!
The memory is depraved--and has become a storehouse of iniquity!
The whole soul is paralyzed, polluted, and diseased!
Satan has got possession--and endeavors to lead you to hell in a false peace!
You are naturally . . .
unfit for heaven,
at enmity with God,
exposed to His wrath,
cursed by His law,
condemned by His word,
traveling to perdition,
and ripening for damnation!
You cannot . . .
deliver yourself from sin's dominion,
cleanse yourself from inherent defilement,
or escape the righteous judgment of God,
by anything that you can do.
You are . . .
without strength,
blind to your everlasting welfare,
and a hater of God!
You . . .
were born a sinner,
have lived transgressing,
and dying in such a state,
will be banished into irremediable woe!
This is your state, reader--whoever you may be!
This is your situation--however you may have lived!
This is your condition--whatever you may think!
Have you ever seen yourself in this situation?
Have you ever felt this to be your case?
Have you ever trembled on account of it--and sought a remedy?
If not, this is the very worst symptom of your disease!
You are . . .
insensible of your wretched condition,
under a spiritual derangement,
and madness is in your heart!
But if you have discovered your malady,
if you have felt sin to be really a dreadful disease,
if you are seeking for a remedy;
then I rejoice in being able to direct you to one that is provided, which may be obtained freely, and will certainly heal you!
God, who is rich in mercy, for the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sin--has devised a way in which He can manifest Himself as a just God and a Savior! He has provided a suitable and glorious remedy for lost, ruined, and undone sinners! This remedy will . . .
heal the wounded,
cleanse the filthy,
sanctify the unholy,
justify the condemned,
liberate the captive,
and save the lost!
It gives . . .
peace to the distressed,
direction to the perplexed,
riches to the poor,
sight to the blind,
hearing to the deaf,
strength to the weak,
wisdom to the foolish,
and life to the dead!"
James Smith, from God's Remedy for Man's Malady
Monday, July 12, 2010
Quote - Seek Wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-4)
"You shall find this to be God's usual course: not to give His children the taste of His delights till they begin to sweat in seeking after them."
Richard Baxter
Richard Baxter
Monday, July 5, 2010
Quote - I Will Go With You
"There’s a story told, from Civil War days before America’s slaves were freed, about a northerner who went to a slave auction and purchased a young slave girl. As they walked away from the auction, the man turned to the girl and told her, “You’re free.”
With amazement she responded, “You mean, I’m free to do whatever I want?”
“Yes,” he said. “And to say whatever I want to say?” “Yes, anything.” “And to be whatever I want to be?”
“Yep.” “And even go wherever I want to go?” “Yes,” he answered with a smile.
“You’re free to go wherever you’d like.”
She looked at him intently and replied, “Then I will go with you.”
Jesus has come to the slave market. He came to us there because we could not go to him. He came and purchased us with his blood so we would no longer be a slave to sin but a slave to Christ, which is the essence of freedom.
And now there’s no freer place to be in life than going with him—with the One who is himself our true liberty."
Tullian Tchividjian, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels
With amazement she responded, “You mean, I’m free to do whatever I want?”
“Yes,” he said. “And to say whatever I want to say?” “Yes, anything.” “And to be whatever I want to be?”
“Yep.” “And even go wherever I want to go?” “Yes,” he answered with a smile.
“You’re free to go wherever you’d like.”
She looked at him intently and replied, “Then I will go with you.”
Jesus has come to the slave market. He came to us there because we could not go to him. He came and purchased us with his blood so we would no longer be a slave to sin but a slave to Christ, which is the essence of freedom.
And now there’s no freer place to be in life than going with him—with the One who is himself our true liberty."
Tullian Tchividjian, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels
Monday, June 28, 2010
Quote - Trust God
"Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence."
Augustine
Augustine
Monday, June 7, 2010
Quote - The End of a Nation
“Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can’t give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody. And when half of the people get the idea they don’t have to work because the other half’s going to take care of them, and when the other half get the idea it does no good to work because somebody’s going to get what I work for. That, dear friend, is about the end of any nation.”
Adrian Rogers, from the sermon "God's Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom"
Adrian Rogers, from the sermon "God's Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom"
Monday, April 19, 2010
Quote - Remember Lot's Wife! (Luke 17:32)
"Our Lord's use of the mistake of Lot's wife was to teach the peril of desiring to save things out of the world—lest in doing so we lose all. "It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."
The inference from our Lord's use of the incident would seem to be that she was appalled at the thought of leaving and losing all her beloved possessions, and paused in her flight and looked back, with the hope that possibly she might yet run back and snatch some of the ornaments or gems—something, at least, from the awful destruction. "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt!"
We should not miss the lesson which our Lord Himself teaches us from the tragic fate of this woman. We cannot have both worlds! Lot's wife could have escaped with her husband and her daughters—but she could escape only by resolutely and determinedly leaving everything she had in Sodom. Her love for her possessions, cost her her life.
Just so, there are thousands today, to whom God's message comes, "Run for your lives! Do not stop anywhere in the plain. And do not look back! Escape to the mountain, or you will die!" They somewhat desire to follow Christ—but their love for the world is so intense that they cannot give it up—they cannot renounce it. They must decide, however, which they will renounce—Christ or the world. They cannot keep both!
In Lot—we have an example of one who was almost lost—and yet saved. In Lot's wife—we have an example of one who was almost saved—and yet lost. She was lost because she loved the world. She looked back, lingering there until it was too late to escape.
There is a picture of an artist sitting on an ocean rock which had been left bare by the retreating waves. There he sat, sketching on his canvas the beautiful scenery—sky, earth, and sea—all unconscious that the tide had turned and had cut him off from the shore and was rapidly covering the rock on which he sat. The tempest, the waves, the rising sea were forgotten, so absorbed was he in his picture. Even the cries of his friends as they shouted from the shore were unheard.
So men grow absorbed in this world, and perceive not the torrents of judgment onrolling, and hear not the calls of friends warning them of their peril. So they stand—until overwhelmed with the waves of destruction!"
J.R. Miller, "The Outcome of Lot's Choice"
The inference from our Lord's use of the incident would seem to be that she was appalled at the thought of leaving and losing all her beloved possessions, and paused in her flight and looked back, with the hope that possibly she might yet run back and snatch some of the ornaments or gems—something, at least, from the awful destruction. "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt!"
We should not miss the lesson which our Lord Himself teaches us from the tragic fate of this woman. We cannot have both worlds! Lot's wife could have escaped with her husband and her daughters—but she could escape only by resolutely and determinedly leaving everything she had in Sodom. Her love for her possessions, cost her her life.
Just so, there are thousands today, to whom God's message comes, "Run for your lives! Do not stop anywhere in the plain. And do not look back! Escape to the mountain, or you will die!" They somewhat desire to follow Christ—but their love for the world is so intense that they cannot give it up—they cannot renounce it. They must decide, however, which they will renounce—Christ or the world. They cannot keep both!
In Lot—we have an example of one who was almost lost—and yet saved. In Lot's wife—we have an example of one who was almost saved—and yet lost. She was lost because she loved the world. She looked back, lingering there until it was too late to escape.
There is a picture of an artist sitting on an ocean rock which had been left bare by the retreating waves. There he sat, sketching on his canvas the beautiful scenery—sky, earth, and sea—all unconscious that the tide had turned and had cut him off from the shore and was rapidly covering the rock on which he sat. The tempest, the waves, the rising sea were forgotten, so absorbed was he in his picture. Even the cries of his friends as they shouted from the shore were unheard.
So men grow absorbed in this world, and perceive not the torrents of judgment onrolling, and hear not the calls of friends warning them of their peril. So they stand—until overwhelmed with the waves of destruction!"
J.R. Miller, "The Outcome of Lot's Choice"
Monday, April 12, 2010
Quote - He Doesn't Need Us But Works Through Us
"All of David's successful conquests are explained in this way: "The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went." Again we discover that the history of David is not about what David did for God, but about what God did for David!
The grace of God for man is too often turned into the idea that it is man who does heroic feats for God. Our humanistic dream is that we may do great things for God. We shall give our genius, our talents, and our strength to him...Yet the theme of grace is what he does for us!
The Almighty is not in a tight spot, needing men to come to his rescue. It is we who, in every hour and emergency of life, stand in need of the Lord to uphold and to deliver us. It is tragic when readers of Scripture barely notice the historical record, "The Lord gave victory to David," but rather bolster their humanistic theory that "David surely gave the Lord's cause a boost in his day."
Walter Chantry, David: Man of Prayer, Man of War, quoted in Start Here
The grace of God for man is too often turned into the idea that it is man who does heroic feats for God. Our humanistic dream is that we may do great things for God. We shall give our genius, our talents, and our strength to him...Yet the theme of grace is what he does for us!
The Almighty is not in a tight spot, needing men to come to his rescue. It is we who, in every hour and emergency of life, stand in need of the Lord to uphold and to deliver us. It is tragic when readers of Scripture barely notice the historical record, "The Lord gave victory to David," but rather bolster their humanistic theory that "David surely gave the Lord's cause a boost in his day."
Walter Chantry, David: Man of Prayer, Man of War, quoted in Start Here
Monday, April 5, 2010
Quote - A Godly Woman
"The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge–that of being a godly woman. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other kind of women–beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career woman, talented women, divorced women, but so seldom do we hear of a godly woman–or of a godly man either, for that matter.
I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need woman, and men, too, who would rather be morally right that socially correct."
Peter Marshall, "The Keepers of the Springs"
I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need woman, and men, too, who would rather be morally right that socially correct."
Peter Marshall, "The Keepers of the Springs"
Monday, March 29, 2010
Quote - The Best Career
"Home is the true wife's kingdom.
Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there. In the last analysis, home happiness depends on the wife.
Her spirit gives the home its atmosphere.
Her hands fashion its beauty.
Her heart makes its love.
And the end is so worthy, so noble, so divine, that no woman who has been called to be a wife, and has listened to the call, should consider any price too great to pay, to be . . . the light, the joy, the blessing, the inspiration, of a home.
The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.
A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love's lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling."
J.R. Miller, "Secrets of a Happy Home Life"
Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there. In the last analysis, home happiness depends on the wife.
Her spirit gives the home its atmosphere.
Her hands fashion its beauty.
Her heart makes its love.
And the end is so worthy, so noble, so divine, that no woman who has been called to be a wife, and has listened to the call, should consider any price too great to pay, to be . . . the light, the joy, the blessing, the inspiration, of a home.
The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.
A true mother is one of the holiest secrets of home happiness. God sends many beautiful things to this world, many noble gifts; but no blessing is richer than that which He bestows in a mother who has learned love's lessons well, and has realized something of the meaning of her sacred calling."
J.R. Miller, "Secrets of a Happy Home Life"
Monday, March 22, 2010
Quote - Up the Down Escalator
"In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan describes life as a never-ending downward escalator. In order to follow God, we have to sprint back up the escalator - and put up with all the perturbed glances and harsh words of those we bump into along the way. If we're not encountering any opposition, it's probably because we're just going with the crowd."
Alex and Brett Harris, Start Here
Alex and Brett Harris, Start Here
Monday, March 15, 2010
Quote - The Purpose of God's Provision
"God is not glorified when we keep for ourselves (no matter how thankfully) what we ought to be using to alleviate the misery of unevangelized, uneducated, unmedicated, and unfed millions. The evidence that many professing Christians have been deceived by this doctrine is how little they give and how much they own. God has prospered them. And by an almost irresistible law of consumer culture (baptized by a doctrine of health, wealth, and prosperity) they have bought bigger (and more) houses, newer (and more) cars, fancier (and more) clothes, better (and more) meat, and all manner of trinkets and gadgets and containers and devices and equipment to make life more fun.
They will object: Does not the Old Testament promise that God will prosper his people? Indeed! God increases our yield so that by giving we can prove our yield is not our god. God does not prosper a man's business so he can move from a Ford to a Cadillac. God prospers a business so that 17,000 unreached peoples can be reached with the gospel. He prospers a business so that twelve percent of the world's population can move a step back from the precipice of starvation. "
John Piper, from Desiring God
They will object: Does not the Old Testament promise that God will prosper his people? Indeed! God increases our yield so that by giving we can prove our yield is not our god. God does not prosper a man's business so he can move from a Ford to a Cadillac. God prospers a business so that 17,000 unreached peoples can be reached with the gospel. He prospers a business so that twelve percent of the world's population can move a step back from the precipice of starvation. "
John Piper, from Desiring God
Monday, February 22, 2010
Quote - Our Real Self
"We have a beautiful prayer at the close of Psalm 19: "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." There could be no higher standard of life, than is set for us in this prayer.
The conduct may be blameless--while the thoughts are stained with sin. It is easier to keep our acts without fault--than to keep our feelings, our desires, and our affections pure. We may do no outward act of cruelty or unkindness; while our hearts may be full of jealousies, envies, and all selfishness. We are to seek that our thoughts be so white and clean--that they will be acceptable in God's sight.
The prayer covers our words, our thoughts, and our meditations; each a closer test than the one before. It is a great thing to be faultless in speech--but perfect grammar is not enough. Our words may be beautiful and graceful--and yet our thoughts may be full of hypocrisy, of deceit, of all evil! The prayer here is that our thoughts may please God. This is a higher spiritual attainment, than merely faultless words.
Then, a still higher test of life--is our meditation. Meditations are our deepest thoughts, the quiet ponderings of our hearts. Meditation is almost an obsolete word in these times of hustle and bustle. The word belongs rather to the days when men had much time to think--and think deeply. We meditate when we are alone, when we are shut away from others. Our minds then follow the drift of our own desires, dispositions, and imaginations. If our hearts are clean and good--our meditations are pure and holy. But if our hearts are evil and unclean--our meditations are of the same moral quality. Thus, our meditations are an infallible test of our real self. "As a man thinks in his heart--so is he." Proverbs 23:6
This prayer is, therefore, for a life of the highest character--one acceptable to God, not only in words and thoughts--but also in meditations. Such a life, everyone who loves God and would be like God--should seek to live!"
J.R. Miller, "Amusements"
The conduct may be blameless--while the thoughts are stained with sin. It is easier to keep our acts without fault--than to keep our feelings, our desires, and our affections pure. We may do no outward act of cruelty or unkindness; while our hearts may be full of jealousies, envies, and all selfishness. We are to seek that our thoughts be so white and clean--that they will be acceptable in God's sight.
The prayer covers our words, our thoughts, and our meditations; each a closer test than the one before. It is a great thing to be faultless in speech--but perfect grammar is not enough. Our words may be beautiful and graceful--and yet our thoughts may be full of hypocrisy, of deceit, of all evil! The prayer here is that our thoughts may please God. This is a higher spiritual attainment, than merely faultless words.
Then, a still higher test of life--is our meditation. Meditations are our deepest thoughts, the quiet ponderings of our hearts. Meditation is almost an obsolete word in these times of hustle and bustle. The word belongs rather to the days when men had much time to think--and think deeply. We meditate when we are alone, when we are shut away from others. Our minds then follow the drift of our own desires, dispositions, and imaginations. If our hearts are clean and good--our meditations are pure and holy. But if our hearts are evil and unclean--our meditations are of the same moral quality. Thus, our meditations are an infallible test of our real self. "As a man thinks in his heart--so is he." Proverbs 23:6
This prayer is, therefore, for a life of the highest character--one acceptable to God, not only in words and thoughts--but also in meditations. Such a life, everyone who loves God and would be like God--should seek to live!"
J.R. Miller, "Amusements"
Monday, February 15, 2010
Quote - None of us would want to have our hearts photographed!
"Having loved His own who were in the world--He loved them unto the end!" John 13:1
A friend is one who loves--and does not cease to love. Christ having loved His people--loves them unto the end.
One quality of true friendship, is trust. What could be more sacred than this comfort of feeling safe with a person, absolutely safe? That is the kind of friend Jesus is. You may always feel safe with Him. You may confess all your sins to Him. You may tell Him all your faults and your failures--how you denied Him the other night, how you failed to be true to Him, and all the evil thoughts of your heart; and He will be just as tender and gracious--as if you never had sinned! He loves unto the end!
None of us would want to have our hearts photographed, and the picture held up before the eyes of our neighbors! We would not want even our best friends to see a full transcript of our secret life--what goes on within us:
the jealousies,
the envyings,
the bitter feelings,
the impure thoughts,
the meannesses,
the selfishnesses,
the suspicions,
the doubts and fears!
Yet Christ sees all this unworthy inner life--He knows the worst that is in us--and loves us still! We do not need to hide our weaknesses from Him. He never withdraws His love. We may trust Him absolutely and forever!"
J. R. Miller, "When the Song Begins"
A friend is one who loves--and does not cease to love. Christ having loved His people--loves them unto the end.
One quality of true friendship, is trust. What could be more sacred than this comfort of feeling safe with a person, absolutely safe? That is the kind of friend Jesus is. You may always feel safe with Him. You may confess all your sins to Him. You may tell Him all your faults and your failures--how you denied Him the other night, how you failed to be true to Him, and all the evil thoughts of your heart; and He will be just as tender and gracious--as if you never had sinned! He loves unto the end!
None of us would want to have our hearts photographed, and the picture held up before the eyes of our neighbors! We would not want even our best friends to see a full transcript of our secret life--what goes on within us:
the jealousies,
the envyings,
the bitter feelings,
the impure thoughts,
the meannesses,
the selfishnesses,
the suspicions,
the doubts and fears!
Yet Christ sees all this unworthy inner life--He knows the worst that is in us--and loves us still! We do not need to hide our weaknesses from Him. He never withdraws His love. We may trust Him absolutely and forever!"
J. R. Miller, "When the Song Begins"
Monday, February 8, 2010
Quote - A Booklover
"I ate them like salad, books were my sandwich for lunch, my tiffin and dinner and midnight munch. I tore out the pages, ate them with salt, doused them with relish, gnawed on the bindings, turned the chapters with my tongue! Books by the dozen, the score and the billion. I carried so many home I was hunchbacked for years."
From Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
From Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Monday, February 1, 2010
Quote - Say Goodbye to Our Small Ambitions
"It is time to say goodbye to our small and self-oriented ambitions, and to abandon ourselves to the cause of Christ and his gospel. God has a plan that will determine the destiny of every person and nation in the world, and it is unfolding here and now as the gospel of Christ is preached and the Holy Spirit is poured out. Is there anything more vital to be doing in our world? Is it more important than our jobs, our families, our pastimes-yes, even more important than the comfort and security of familiar church life. We need to recapture the radicalism of what Jesus said to the young man who wanted to return and bury his father: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60)."
The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
HT: Take Your Vitamin Z
The Trellis and the Vine, Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
HT: Take Your Vitamin Z
Monday, January 25, 2010
Quote - It is the student who must learn the lesson!
"People sometimes think that salvation imparts . . . godly virtues, fine qualities of Christian character, lovely traits of disposition, and elements of spiritual beauty-without any cost or effort to the believer himself!
Christ's followers are transformed--old things pass away, and all things become new. Those who believe in Him--are fashioned into His image. But these blessings do not come easily. The heavenly graces are not put into our life--as one might hang up lovely pictures on the walls to adorn a home! They must be wrought into our life in a sense, by our own hands. We must work out our own salvation, although it is God who works in us, both to will and to work.
For example, patience is not put into anyone's life--as one brings in a piece of new furniture. You cannot merely receive patience as a gift from God. Patience is a lesson to be learned--through long and watchful self-discipline. Christ is the teacher--but you are the student, and it is the student who must learn the lesson! Not even Christ will learn it for you--to spare you the effort. Nor can it be made an easy lesson for you. It costs to grow patient, and you must pay the price yourself!
The same is true of all the elements of a godly and worthy character.
We are always at school in this world. God is teaching us the things we need to learn. The lessons are not easy--sometimes they are very hard! But the hardest lessons are the best--for they bring out in us the finest qualities, if only we learn them well.
Those, therefore, who find themselves in what may seem adverse conditions, compelled to face hardship, endure opposition, and pass through struggle--should quietly accept the responsibility; and, trusting in Christ for guidance and strength, go firmly and courageously forward, conscious that they have now an opportunity to grow strong, and develop in themselves the qualities of worthy and noble character!"
J.R. Miller, Strength and Beauty
Christ's followers are transformed--old things pass away, and all things become new. Those who believe in Him--are fashioned into His image. But these blessings do not come easily. The heavenly graces are not put into our life--as one might hang up lovely pictures on the walls to adorn a home! They must be wrought into our life in a sense, by our own hands. We must work out our own salvation, although it is God who works in us, both to will and to work.
For example, patience is not put into anyone's life--as one brings in a piece of new furniture. You cannot merely receive patience as a gift from God. Patience is a lesson to be learned--through long and watchful self-discipline. Christ is the teacher--but you are the student, and it is the student who must learn the lesson! Not even Christ will learn it for you--to spare you the effort. Nor can it be made an easy lesson for you. It costs to grow patient, and you must pay the price yourself!
The same is true of all the elements of a godly and worthy character.
We are always at school in this world. God is teaching us the things we need to learn. The lessons are not easy--sometimes they are very hard! But the hardest lessons are the best--for they bring out in us the finest qualities, if only we learn them well.
Those, therefore, who find themselves in what may seem adverse conditions, compelled to face hardship, endure opposition, and pass through struggle--should quietly accept the responsibility; and, trusting in Christ for guidance and strength, go firmly and courageously forward, conscious that they have now an opportunity to grow strong, and develop in themselves the qualities of worthy and noble character!"
J.R. Miller, Strength and Beauty
Monday, January 11, 2010
Quote - Have we lost His transcendence?
"Christ is one of the 'family' now. I often wonder if God recognizes His own son the way we've dressed him up, or is it dressed Him down? He's a regular peppermint stick now, all sugar-crystal and saccharine when He isn't making veiled references to certain commercial products that every worshiper absolutely needs."
From Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
From Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Monday, January 4, 2010
Quote - How Does God See Them?
"How dare we reject a person whom God has accepted? Indeed, the best way to determine what our attitude to other people should be is to determine what God's attitude toward them is. This principle is better even than the golden rule. It is safe to treat others as we would like them to treat us, but it is safer still to treat them as God does. The former is a ready-made guide based on our fallen self-centeredness, while the latter is a standard based on God's perfection."
John Stott
John Stott
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