(Stowell) When was the last time you prayed for the eternity of the doctor who runs the local abortion clinic or the marchers in the annual gay-rights parade?
(Stowell) Did it ever occur to you that His plan just might be better than your's?
(Stowell) Many are concerned that if they commit themselves as fully devoted followers, Christ will threaten the treasury. He probably will. We either let Him be the Master of our money, or our money will master us
(Stowell) The nets God calls us from are not always sinful or degrading. He calls us away from everything that stands between us and Him. He is looking for netless hands in a fully devoted follower. It is to a Person- the the God of the Universe- that I surrender all that I presently am, all that I will be, and all that I now or ever will possess. This is the essence of following. It is not a project. It is a Person. It is not a task. It is a tribute to the worthiness and trustworthiness of Christ and His cause. It is that and that alone
(A Rogers) There are three kinds of people in the world: those who are afraid, those who don't know enough to be afraid, and those who know their Bibles
(C. Stanley) You can never outgive God
(Rogers) Have you ever thought about the fact that God loves us one by one. He sees me;He knows me; He wants me. Even though we are really just specks on a globe that is no more than a grain of sand compared to the size of the universe, the great God who runs the universe is concerned about you as though that was His only thought
It has often been said that sharing your faith is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread
(Rogers) God does business with those who mean business
(Wiersbe) The most expensive gift in the world: God's gift of eternal life
(Wiersbe) We have God's " unsearchable riches" that can never be fully understood or completely exhausted
(Wiersbe) When a day begins, you never really know for sure how it will end
(Wiersbe) Commenting on Luke 19:10 (a) a man becomes a child (b) a seeking man becomes found(c) a small man becomes big (d) a poor man becomes rich (e) the host becomes the guest
(Wiersbe) The important thing is not how much ability you have but how faithful you are to use what you have for the Lord. Faithfulness now is preparation for blessed servicer then
(A W Tozer) Nothing twist and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God
(Wiersbe) Jonah looked on Nivevah and hoped it would be destroyed, while Jesus looked at Jersusalem and wept because it had destroyed itself
(Wiersbe) Instead of praying for the people, the priest were preying on the people
(Wiersbe) His outline of Luke 19:28-48: preparation(28-36) ,celebration(37-40),lamentation(41-44), denunciation(45-48)
(Stowell ) Many of our choices involve a choice between what is better and what is best
(Stowell) Fully devoted followers leave the path of their followership littered with the nets they have shed for the supreme worth of the One they follow
(Stowell) None of us is exempt from the potential to fall
(Stowell) Let's face it. It is rarely the large, instinctive moves that put our lives, relationships, and sense of well-being in jeopardy. It is more often the small moments of self-management that slowly but surely detour our lives from what they might have been, Only eternity will reveal the tremendous loss as we realize that instead of accumulating treasures in heaven, we chose to follow the impulses of the flesh and pile up treasures here that are meaningless there
Saturday, April 30, 2011
043011
(Stowell) When the God of the universe became a man, He chose to come in the form of a servant.It is a staggering thought that out of all the attributes He could have chosen, He chose humility
(Stowell) If we could only learn to see tragedy as a platform to demonstrate the power of God's glory through us, we could have a far greater impact on our world than we do
(Stowell) When our anger, rhetoric, and political practices contradict the spirit and standards of Christ and overwhelm our sense of compassion for the lostness of the perpetrators of social deprivation, we no longer display the uniqueness that a follower of Christ is intended to express
(Stowell) When we are committed to following, Christ will take us to places we have never been before and will teach us to see people as we have never seen them before. The harvest is composed of people who are not like us, not from where we are from, and not going where we are going
(Billy Sunday) You can't take it with you;even if you could it would melt where some of you are going
(A. Rogers) You'll never have spiritual life until you first admit you are spiritually dead
(A Rogers) There will be no peacocks in heaven
(Lowell Davey) The crowd said, " He is finished". Christ said, " It is finished"
(Ray Stedman) True worship is simply the honest expression of your heart to God
( Charles Stanley) Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness
(A. Rogers) Four ways to know the will of God for your life: (1) The Will Principle((Rom 12:2);(2) The Word Principle(Ps 119:105;(3) the Wisdom Principle( James 1:5); the Walk Principle(Prove 3:6). The will of God is not a blueprint that He lays out before you to study from beginning to end. It's more like a scroll that you unroll, and God shows you a step at a time. God doesn't direct you as you stand still. He leads you as you move out. Its hard to steer a ship that's not moving. You must be seeking the face of God in order for Him to guide you by His eye
(Charles Spurgeon) God does not permit His children to sin successfully
(Wiersbe) Christianity isn't a judge punishing a criminal; it is a loving Father dealing with His disobedient children to bring them willingly to the place of surrender
(Wiersbe) Guilt is to the conscience what pain is to the body; it tells us that something is wrong and must be made right, or things will get worse, the waters of chastening will only get deeper, and the storm will increase
(Alexander Maclaren) God's kiss of forgiveness sucks the poison from the wound of sin
(Wiersbe) God in His grace forgives us, but God in His government says, " you shall reap what you have sown"
(Wiersbe outline of Ps 32)
The blessing of acceptance(1-2)
The folly of impentitence (3-4)
The way of deliverance(5-7)
The joy of obedience(8-11)
(Stowell) If we could only learn to see tragedy as a platform to demonstrate the power of God's glory through us, we could have a far greater impact on our world than we do
(Stowell) When our anger, rhetoric, and political practices contradict the spirit and standards of Christ and overwhelm our sense of compassion for the lostness of the perpetrators of social deprivation, we no longer display the uniqueness that a follower of Christ is intended to express
(Stowell) When we are committed to following, Christ will take us to places we have never been before and will teach us to see people as we have never seen them before. The harvest is composed of people who are not like us, not from where we are from, and not going where we are going
(Billy Sunday) You can't take it with you;even if you could it would melt where some of you are going
(A. Rogers) You'll never have spiritual life until you first admit you are spiritually dead
(A Rogers) There will be no peacocks in heaven
(Lowell Davey) The crowd said, " He is finished". Christ said, " It is finished"
(Ray Stedman) True worship is simply the honest expression of your heart to God
( Charles Stanley) Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness
(A. Rogers) Four ways to know the will of God for your life: (1) The Will Principle((Rom 12:2);(2) The Word Principle(Ps 119:105;(3) the Wisdom Principle( James 1:5); the Walk Principle(Prove 3:6). The will of God is not a blueprint that He lays out before you to study from beginning to end. It's more like a scroll that you unroll, and God shows you a step at a time. God doesn't direct you as you stand still. He leads you as you move out. Its hard to steer a ship that's not moving. You must be seeking the face of God in order for Him to guide you by His eye
(Charles Spurgeon) God does not permit His children to sin successfully
(Wiersbe) Christianity isn't a judge punishing a criminal; it is a loving Father dealing with His disobedient children to bring them willingly to the place of surrender
(Wiersbe) Guilt is to the conscience what pain is to the body; it tells us that something is wrong and must be made right, or things will get worse, the waters of chastening will only get deeper, and the storm will increase
(Alexander Maclaren) God's kiss of forgiveness sucks the poison from the wound of sin
(Wiersbe) God in His grace forgives us, but God in His government says, " you shall reap what you have sown"
(Wiersbe outline of Ps 32)
The blessing of acceptance(1-2)
The folly of impentitence (3-4)
The way of deliverance(5-7)
The joy of obedience(8-11)
Friday, April 29, 2011
042911
(Stowell) Character leaves a legacy - it is transferrable to succeeding generations. It makes others believe that they can achieve a life marked by character and excites others to grow
(Stowell) How would you know a follower of Christ if you saw one? He or she would bear a resemblance to Christ in character and conduct
(Stowell) Christ rescues us from a life of heading the wrong way
(Is 26:5 The Message paraphrase) Those who lived high and mighty He knocked off their high horse
(Charles Stanley) God's peace is the inner sense of contentment and quietness, regardless of life's circumstances. It is stedfast confidence in our faithful, immutable heavenly Father. It is the presence of joy in the midst of unhappiness that surpasses all human understanding. It is based on the fact that the God is a holy,omnipotent, and never-changing God who lives within us. His peace is complete, adequate, and sufficient for anything we face. Peace with God is the fruit of onesness with God
(Wiersbe) There can be no true peace apart from righteousness, and there can be no righteousness apart from God's salvation in Christ
(Wiersbe) Resurrection is not reconstruction. God does not reassemble the body and give it life
(Wiersbe) The unjust shedding of blood pollutes the land( Numbers 35:29-34;Psalms 106:34-39) and invites the judgment of God
( David McCasland) Today, when plans are shattered, do our minds dwell on the circumstances or on the Lord? Is 26:3-4 is an anchor for our souls in every storm of life
(Frances Havergal) Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blessed,
Finding as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest
(Daily Bread) When we put our problems in God's hands, He puts His peace in our hearts
(Stowell) Christ calls us not to safety, but to service. Followers of Christ focus on people and their needs regardless of the consequences
(Stowell) The only entity of true value and worth on he earth is people. Authentic followers of Christ focus the attention of their lives on the spiritual potential and destiny of mankind. Is there a greater cause?
(Stowell) A career is not your calling. It is where you fulfill your calling as a follower of Christ
(Stowell) Nothing in life is more important than Christ and His cause. All of life's decisions and attitudes are formed by this dynamic
(Stowell) The ongoing question is, " Is my commitment to the spiritual needs and eternal destiny of others closer to Christ's responses now than it has been in the past, or does life still revolve around me and my concerns?"
(Stowell) How would you know a follower of Christ if you saw one? He or she would bear a resemblance to Christ in character and conduct
(Stowell) Christ rescues us from a life of heading the wrong way
(Is 26:5 The Message paraphrase) Those who lived high and mighty He knocked off their high horse
(Charles Stanley) God's peace is the inner sense of contentment and quietness, regardless of life's circumstances. It is stedfast confidence in our faithful, immutable heavenly Father. It is the presence of joy in the midst of unhappiness that surpasses all human understanding. It is based on the fact that the God is a holy,omnipotent, and never-changing God who lives within us. His peace is complete, adequate, and sufficient for anything we face. Peace with God is the fruit of onesness with God
(Wiersbe) There can be no true peace apart from righteousness, and there can be no righteousness apart from God's salvation in Christ
(Wiersbe) Resurrection is not reconstruction. God does not reassemble the body and give it life
(Wiersbe) The unjust shedding of blood pollutes the land( Numbers 35:29-34;Psalms 106:34-39) and invites the judgment of God
( David McCasland) Today, when plans are shattered, do our minds dwell on the circumstances or on the Lord? Is 26:3-4 is an anchor for our souls in every storm of life
(Frances Havergal) Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blessed,
Finding as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest
(Daily Bread) When we put our problems in God's hands, He puts His peace in our hearts
(Stowell) Christ calls us not to safety, but to service. Followers of Christ focus on people and their needs regardless of the consequences
(Stowell) The only entity of true value and worth on he earth is people. Authentic followers of Christ focus the attention of their lives on the spiritual potential and destiny of mankind. Is there a greater cause?
(Stowell) A career is not your calling. It is where you fulfill your calling as a follower of Christ
(Stowell) Nothing in life is more important than Christ and His cause. All of life's decisions and attitudes are formed by this dynamic
(Stowell) The ongoing question is, " Is my commitment to the spiritual needs and eternal destiny of others closer to Christ's responses now than it has been in the past, or does life still revolve around me and my concerns?"
Thursday, April 28, 2011
042811
(Stowell) Eternity is the only reality that can resolve life's insoluable delimmas. Followers of Christ view all life-its good times as well as bad- through the lens of eternity. The worth and value of every activity and involvement is ultimately not measured by the bang it create on this side, but rather by the benefit it contributes to our eternal home. Followers have the marks of eternity clearly evident on every endeavor
(Stowell) Followers of Christ can reduce all of life questions to, "What is it my Father in heaven wants for my life in this moment?" Does the expanding character of Christ in my life become by far the most important element of my existence?
(Stowell) Integrity measures the activities of life by the standard of truth. Integrity is far more than telling the truth. It means living a life that is consistent with the truth, whether in public or in private. Its opposites are hyprcrisy and duplicity
(Stowell) Compassion listens, contemplates life from another's point of view, knows no barriers of color or culture, and clearly seeks to bless others rather than to be blessed
(Stowell) Followers of Christ can reduce all of life questions to, "What is it my Father in heaven wants for my life in this moment?" Does the expanding character of Christ in my life become by far the most important element of my existence?
(Stowell) Integrity measures the activities of life by the standard of truth. Integrity is far more than telling the truth. It means living a life that is consistent with the truth, whether in public or in private. Its opposites are hyprcrisy and duplicity
(Stowell) Compassion listens, contemplates life from another's point of view, knows no barriers of color or culture, and clearly seeks to bless others rather than to be blessed
042811
(Stowell) Jesus Christ came to our planet and proceeded to take the machete of divine wisdom and cut through the underbrush of ou fallenness, forging fresh,new paths. No aspect of our lives is exempt. He leaves nothing untouched.
042811
(Joe Stowell) Tells the story of a letter from then- NY Governor Martin Van Buren to President Andrew Jackson appealing to him to maintain the status quo of the canal systems versus the railroads. In his letter he states," As you may well know, Mr. President, railroad carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of fifteen miles per hour. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speeds"
(Stowell) We are often deceived into thinking that what we have grown accustomed to is best. Beware of becoming smugly satisfied with the spiritual status quo which, in essence, says, " this is good enough. I think I'll stay right here" . Going into a fixed orbit about Christ means stifling any further impulse of movement toward Him. Orbital Christians contradict the very essence of what it means to be followers of Christ. Fully devoted followers are involved in a passionate pursuit of Christ that is never satisfied with stagnancy. Becoming an orbital Christian is alluring because it is more comfortable and less challenging. And besides we can always take satisfaction in the fact that there are others whose orbits are farther out than ours. Refusing to deorbitize ourselves denies the essence of who we are in Christ. Following Christ is a call to resume the adventure-regardless.
(Stowell) Christ seeks to radically alter the essence and expression of both the content and the context of our lives. Christ seeks to take us back to our intended glory as the pinnacle of His creation and to show us life the way it was meant to be. He is undaunted in His pursuit of this purpose
(Stowell) Nowhere is the radicaltransforming leadership of Christ more evident than in the Sermon on the Mount. The underlying tenet is that all of life must be viewed beyong the boundaries of this present world. Eternity is the benchmark by which every earthly issue is measured. He toppled the ever-prevalent notion that externals reflect who are what we really are. He took us beyond action and held His listeners accountable for attitudes and thoughts. He put everyting in paradigms never taught before
(Stowell) No one Christ meets is exempt from His care and compassion, regardless of one's status or position
(Stowell) Christ was never intimidated by the prevailing norms of behavior or the power of the leaders
(Stowell) Christ, the transformational Leader, imposed on the fallen world the culture of eternity. He was aware that eternity is the real forever world. He never lost His sense of reality and how life was meant to be lived. Christ's world is the real world
(Stowell) Christ acts in our lives on the point of change that is most strategic. Not surprisingly, this will often be the point of our greatest resistance. There is no price too high to pay to experience the privilege of walking with Him! Deep within us is the desire to live life the way is was meant to be, not the way we have made it. What could be good or valuable enough to put between Christ and you? He is the One worth the unsettling adjustment of tampering with the key components of our lives.
(Stowell) We are often deceived into thinking that what we have grown accustomed to is best. Beware of becoming smugly satisfied with the spiritual status quo which, in essence, says, " this is good enough. I think I'll stay right here" . Going into a fixed orbit about Christ means stifling any further impulse of movement toward Him. Orbital Christians contradict the very essence of what it means to be followers of Christ. Fully devoted followers are involved in a passionate pursuit of Christ that is never satisfied with stagnancy. Becoming an orbital Christian is alluring because it is more comfortable and less challenging. And besides we can always take satisfaction in the fact that there are others whose orbits are farther out than ours. Refusing to deorbitize ourselves denies the essence of who we are in Christ. Following Christ is a call to resume the adventure-regardless.
(Stowell) Christ seeks to radically alter the essence and expression of both the content and the context of our lives. Christ seeks to take us back to our intended glory as the pinnacle of His creation and to show us life the way it was meant to be. He is undaunted in His pursuit of this purpose
(Stowell) Nowhere is the radicaltransforming leadership of Christ more evident than in the Sermon on the Mount. The underlying tenet is that all of life must be viewed beyong the boundaries of this present world. Eternity is the benchmark by which every earthly issue is measured. He toppled the ever-prevalent notion that externals reflect who are what we really are. He took us beyond action and held His listeners accountable for attitudes and thoughts. He put everyting in paradigms never taught before
(Stowell) No one Christ meets is exempt from His care and compassion, regardless of one's status or position
(Stowell) Christ was never intimidated by the prevailing norms of behavior or the power of the leaders
(Stowell) Christ, the transformational Leader, imposed on the fallen world the culture of eternity. He was aware that eternity is the real forever world. He never lost His sense of reality and how life was meant to be lived. Christ's world is the real world
(Stowell) Christ acts in our lives on the point of change that is most strategic. Not surprisingly, this will often be the point of our greatest resistance. There is no price too high to pay to experience the privilege of walking with Him! Deep within us is the desire to live life the way is was meant to be, not the way we have made it. What could be good or valuable enough to put between Christ and you? He is the One worth the unsettling adjustment of tampering with the key components of our lives.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
042711
(Stowell) The " what you see is what you get" attitude almost always refers to some personal deficiency we have decided not to deal with
(Stowell) How many church members does it take to change a light bulb? "Change?!......Who said anything about change?!"
(Stowell) How many church members does it take to change a light bulb? "Change?!......Who said anything about change?!"
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
042611
(Stowell) We live in a society full of people who live in a ghetto of one. More and more, we choose to cultivate techonological relationships in cyberspace
042611
(Ray Stedman) Yes, the universe is vast and we are small-but we are not insignificant. There is something unaccountably grand about human beings, some hidden specialness that God placed inside us, a glorious and impenetrable mystery
(C. Stanley) God knows our situation. He never forgets us, even when our trials make it seem as though He does.
(Stanley) True satisfaction in life flows out of fulfilling the purpose for which we were created-to enjoy an intimate relationship with God
(Rogers) Most people today are just interested in making the world a better place to go to hell from
(Wiersbe) the snare of popularity and the fear of man has brought ruin to more than one servant of God
(Wiersbe) In the Christian life, a hypocrite is somebody who tries to appear more spiritual than he or she is.These people know they are pretending, and they hope they will not be found out. Their Christian life is only a shallow masquerade. Hyprcrisy does to the eyes what yeast does to dough: it puffs it up.
The remedy for hypocrisy is to forget about what people may say and do and fear God above. It is not important that men praise our name on earth, but it is important that God acknowledges us in heaven
(Walter Scott) What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive
(Wiersbe) The way people treat the Holy Spirit is the way they treat the Son of God
(Wiersbe) Jesus did not deny that we have certain basic needs . He only affirmed that we will not make life richer by acquiring more of these
(Mark Twain) defined civilization as a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities
(Wiersbe) If suddenly you inherited a great deal of moeny, would it create a problem for you? Or would you simply praise God and ask Him what He wanted you to do with it?. There are perils with prosperity. It can create snares and temptations and give you a false sense of security. People who are satisfied only with things money can buy are in great danger of losing the things money cannot buy. Wealth cannot keep us alive when our time comes to die, nor can it buy back the opportunities we missed while we were thinking of ourselves and ignoring God and others
( Henry Thoreau) That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest. A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone
(Wiersbe) The greastest tragedy of Luke 12:13-21 is not what he left behind, but what lay before him:eternity without God. God is not impressed with our money. Wealth can be enjoyed and employed at the same time if our purpose is to honor God. How tragic when people are rich in this world but poor in the next
(Corrie Ten Boom) Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength
(Wiersbe) There is a great difference between making a living nd making a life
(Wiersbe) The problem is not His little power, for He can do anything;the problem is our little faith
(Wiersbe) Worry is destructive, deceptive, and deformative
(Wiersbe) When you are living " in the future tense" it is difficult for the things of the world to ensnare you.
(Wiersbe) God's judgment will be fair. It will be based on what the servant knew of God's will
(Wiersbe) How tragic that men today can predict the movements of the heavenly bodies, split atoms, and even put men on the moon, but they are blind to what God is doing in the world. Our educated world possesses a great deal of scientific knowledge but not much spiritual wisdom. They know how to get to the stars, but they don't know how to get to heaven
(Joe Stowell) Christ often leads us into and through crisis situations so that we become convinced of His reality and presence on our lives. Followers view crisis as opportunities to experience Him more fully
(C. Stanley) God knows our situation. He never forgets us, even when our trials make it seem as though He does.
(Stanley) True satisfaction in life flows out of fulfilling the purpose for which we were created-to enjoy an intimate relationship with God
(Rogers) Most people today are just interested in making the world a better place to go to hell from
(Wiersbe) the snare of popularity and the fear of man has brought ruin to more than one servant of God
(Wiersbe) In the Christian life, a hypocrite is somebody who tries to appear more spiritual than he or she is.These people know they are pretending, and they hope they will not be found out. Their Christian life is only a shallow masquerade. Hyprcrisy does to the eyes what yeast does to dough: it puffs it up.
The remedy for hypocrisy is to forget about what people may say and do and fear God above. It is not important that men praise our name on earth, but it is important that God acknowledges us in heaven
(Walter Scott) What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive
(Wiersbe) The way people treat the Holy Spirit is the way they treat the Son of God
(Wiersbe) Jesus did not deny that we have certain basic needs . He only affirmed that we will not make life richer by acquiring more of these
(Mark Twain) defined civilization as a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities
(Wiersbe) If suddenly you inherited a great deal of moeny, would it create a problem for you? Or would you simply praise God and ask Him what He wanted you to do with it?. There are perils with prosperity. It can create snares and temptations and give you a false sense of security. People who are satisfied only with things money can buy are in great danger of losing the things money cannot buy. Wealth cannot keep us alive when our time comes to die, nor can it buy back the opportunities we missed while we were thinking of ourselves and ignoring God and others
( Henry Thoreau) That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest. A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone
(Wiersbe) The greastest tragedy of Luke 12:13-21 is not what he left behind, but what lay before him:eternity without God. God is not impressed with our money. Wealth can be enjoyed and employed at the same time if our purpose is to honor God. How tragic when people are rich in this world but poor in the next
(Corrie Ten Boom) Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength
(Wiersbe) There is a great difference between making a living nd making a life
(Wiersbe) The problem is not His little power, for He can do anything;the problem is our little faith
(Wiersbe) Worry is destructive, deceptive, and deformative
(Wiersbe) When you are living " in the future tense" it is difficult for the things of the world to ensnare you.
(Wiersbe) God's judgment will be fair. It will be based on what the servant knew of God's will
(Wiersbe) How tragic that men today can predict the movements of the heavenly bodies, split atoms, and even put men on the moon, but they are blind to what God is doing in the world. Our educated world possesses a great deal of scientific knowledge but not much spiritual wisdom. They know how to get to the stars, but they don't know how to get to heaven
(Joe Stowell) Christ often leads us into and through crisis situations so that we become convinced of His reality and presence on our lives. Followers view crisis as opportunities to experience Him more fully
Monday, April 25, 2011
042511
(Stowell) Understanding a personal relationship with Christ begins by realizing that it is a supernatural,non-material experience
(Stowell) Our heart is control central. It is the only fully independent entity in our entire existence, It is the core of who and what we are. It is the real authentic me. After all the layers of the external camouflage have been removed, my heart is the naked reality of what I really am This is the place where Christ wants to meet us and He won't meet us anywhere else. He wants to know and fellowship with the real you. Every heart that has opened to Him is better by far for having done so.
(Stowell) Our heart is control central. It is the only fully independent entity in our entire existence, It is the core of who and what we are. It is the real authentic me. After all the layers of the external camouflage have been removed, my heart is the naked reality of what I really am This is the place where Christ wants to meet us and He won't meet us anywhere else. He wants to know and fellowship with the real you. Every heart that has opened to Him is better by far for having done so.
042611
(Phillip Brooks) Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness
(Wiersbe) Persistence in prayer is not an attempt to change God's mind but to get ourselves to the place where God can trust us with His answer
(Wiersbe) Because God loves us and knows us, we never need to be afraid of the answers He gives us
(Wiersbe outline of Luke 11:1-12) The priority of, the pattern of, the persistence of, and the promises of prayer
(Wiersbe) It is impossible to be neutral in the spiritual war for neutrality means standing against Him. We must make a choice, and if we choose to make no choice, we are really choosing against Him
(Oswald Chambers) Neutrality in religion is always cowardice
(Wiersbe) Each of us is controlled either by light or darkness
(Wiersbe) Reputation is what people think you are;character is what God knows you are
(Wiersbe) What a tragedy when "ministers" of God's Word create more problems for people who already have problems enough. A pastor friend of mine prays daily. "Lord, help me today not to add to anybody's problems
(Wiersbe) Unfortunately, what some people call " Bible study" is too often just a group of unprepared people exchanging their ignorance
(Wiersbe) Hypocrites do not want their sins exposed;it hurts their reputations
(Wiersbe) Persistence in prayer is not an attempt to change God's mind but to get ourselves to the place where God can trust us with His answer
(Wiersbe) Because God loves us and knows us, we never need to be afraid of the answers He gives us
(Wiersbe outline of Luke 11:1-12) The priority of, the pattern of, the persistence of, and the promises of prayer
(Wiersbe) It is impossible to be neutral in the spiritual war for neutrality means standing against Him. We must make a choice, and if we choose to make no choice, we are really choosing against Him
(Oswald Chambers) Neutrality in religion is always cowardice
(Wiersbe) Each of us is controlled either by light or darkness
(Wiersbe) Reputation is what people think you are;character is what God knows you are
(Wiersbe) What a tragedy when "ministers" of God's Word create more problems for people who already have problems enough. A pastor friend of mine prays daily. "Lord, help me today not to add to anybody's problems
(Wiersbe) Unfortunately, what some people call " Bible study" is too often just a group of unprepared people exchanging their ignorance
(Wiersbe) Hypocrites do not want their sins exposed;it hurts their reputations
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter/2011
The quote below is one of my all-time favorites:
(Ray Stedman) The secret of humanity is open to everyone who opens his or her heart to the Son of Man, the Perfect Man. He alone has penetrated the depths of the human spirit. He alone reestablishes the lost relationship with God that enables us to be what God intended us to be. He alone saves and restores what was lost in the fall, in the entrance of sin into the world. He alone can restore the marred, distorted image of God in our lives. All the possibility of a fulfilled humanity is available to anyone in whom the Spirit of God dwells.All that you deeply want in the innermost recesses of your heart, you can be. I'm talking about the deepest, most inexpressible yearnings of your heart-your desire to be connected to God, to know Him and to be known by Him;your desire to have your life count for something in the eternal scheme of things;your desire to be clean and whole and forgiven. Jesus makes it possible for you to fulfill God's best for you, so that you will be mature and Christ-like,filled with love, forgiveness, wholeness, and good works. The great mystery of the ages, the great questions that have been raised by the philosphers and thinkers about our great but horribly flawed human race-all that has been answered by the entrance of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, into our humanity
(Ray Stedman) The secret of humanity is open to everyone who opens his or her heart to the Son of Man, the Perfect Man. He alone has penetrated the depths of the human spirit. He alone reestablishes the lost relationship with God that enables us to be what God intended us to be. He alone saves and restores what was lost in the fall, in the entrance of sin into the world. He alone can restore the marred, distorted image of God in our lives. All the possibility of a fulfilled humanity is available to anyone in whom the Spirit of God dwells.All that you deeply want in the innermost recesses of your heart, you can be. I'm talking about the deepest, most inexpressible yearnings of your heart-your desire to be connected to God, to know Him and to be known by Him;your desire to have your life count for something in the eternal scheme of things;your desire to be clean and whole and forgiven. Jesus makes it possible for you to fulfill God's best for you, so that you will be mature and Christ-like,filled with love, forgiveness, wholeness, and good works. The great mystery of the ages, the great questions that have been raised by the philosphers and thinkers about our great but horribly flawed human race-all that has been answered by the entrance of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, into our humanity
Saturday, April 23, 2011
042311
(Stanley) Never mistake religious dogmatism and man-made tradition for genuine spirituality
(Wiersbe) The greatest argument for the priority of prayer is the fact that our Lord was a man of prayer. Effective prayer is the provision for every need and the solution for every problem. It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth. Prayer is asking God to use us to accomplish what He wants so that His name is glorified and His will is done. I must test all my personal requests by these overruling concerns if I expect God to hear and answer my prayers
(Wiersbe) The greatest argument for the priority of prayer is the fact that our Lord was a man of prayer. Effective prayer is the provision for every need and the solution for every problem. It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth. Prayer is asking God to use us to accomplish what He wants so that His name is glorified and His will is done. I must test all my personal requests by these overruling concerns if I expect God to hear and answer my prayers
042311
(The Message paraphrase of Lk 11:23) This is war and there is no neutral ground
(Poem) What will you do with Jesus,neutral you cannot be?;
Some day your heart will be asking, what will He do with me?
(The Living Bible paraphrase of Lk 11:46) For you crush men beneath impossible religious demands
(Stanley) Oftentime, God's greatest blessings come as a result of our willingness to do something that appears to be very significant. Our obedience always blesses others. When we obey God, we will never be disappointed. Even when our expectations do not line up with God's purposes. His ways never end up disappointing us
(Poem) What will you do with Jesus,neutral you cannot be?;
Some day your heart will be asking, what will He do with me?
(The Living Bible paraphrase of Lk 11:46) For you crush men beneath impossible religious demands
(Stanley) Oftentime, God's greatest blessings come as a result of our willingness to do something that appears to be very significant. Our obedience always blesses others. When we obey God, we will never be disappointed. Even when our expectations do not line up with God's purposes. His ways never end up disappointing us
042311
(David Wells) What is true and what is right have lost their hold upon our society. We have lost our understanding of ourselves, as moral beings. In our private universe, as in that which is public, there is no center
(Robert Bork) Wherever one looks, the traditional virtues of this culture are being lost, its vices multiplied, its values degraded-in short, the culture itself is unraveling. We have taken the concept of "liberty" and turned it into "radical individualism"-a refusal to admit limits to the gratification of self. We live in a culture that has come to believe that pleasure can be maximized only by freedom from authority
(C S Lewis) Now, today, this moment, is our choice to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it
(C.Stanley) None of us fully lives up to our spiritual potential. We all have room to grow
(C. Stanley) More than four hundred times in the Scriptures, the Lord says we are not to fear, but to enjoy peace. Apart from Jesus there is no peace
(C. Stanley) Rewards are not limited to the hereafter. When we follow the principles of Scripture, we enjoy the blessings of obedience. When one knows and serves God, every product of his or her life will be rewarded, either in this life or in heaven. God watches over all our ways, and He has promised to perfectly reward us. Obedience always brings blessing
(C. Stanley) God is always inviting people to come to Him. He is doing everything He can to bring as many as possible into His dearly loved family
(C. Stanley) No one knows the hour Jesus will descend from the clouds in great glory. But make no mistake. He is coming
(Wiersbe) Heaven will be perfect praise and service in a perfect environment. What will that service be? We are not told, nor do we need to know now. It is sufficient that we know what God wants us to do today. Our faithfulness in life prepares us for higher service in heaven
(Wiersbe) Heaven is more than a destination;it is a motivation. The assurance of heaven must not lull us into complacency or carelessness, but spur us to fulfill our spiritual duties
(Wiersbe) The word " shortly" in Rev 22:6 means "quickly come to pass". When John's prophecies begin to be fulfilled, they will happen very quickly, There will be no delay
(Wiersbe) Scripture is its own best interpreter
(Wiersbe) Decisions determine character; character determines destiny
( D L Moody) Beware of being so heavenly minded you are of no earthly good
(Wiersbe) Whatever God starts, He will finish
(Joe Stowell) It is a scary commentary on life that, left to ourselves, we self-destruct
(Charles de Gaulle) Cemetaries are filled with indispensible people
(Joe Stowell) At the end of life on our own, Christ remains as the only viable option
( John Mandeville) Things change, plans fail. Jesus will be there still
(Ray Stedman) True faith is never shaken by circumstances
(C. Stanely) Anytime God requires us to face trials and tribulations, He always provides the courage to meet the demand. Defeat is never a viable option for the person of courage. People of courage refuse to look for ways of escape. They know their success lies with an unshakeable God. Courageous people recall past victories and God's faithfulness. Courage is the result of having the right attitude. Geuine courage refuses to yield to inner fears or outward difficulties. You can always face your enemies head on when you stand on the promises of God's Word. A courageous person applies resources at hand in creative ways.Mere man cannot penetrate or defeat God-centered faith! A courageous person confronts an opponent with confidence that will ultimately succeed. As children of the sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees. Faith is believing that God will do as He has promised. Faith is living in the confidence that God is supremely faithful to keep His word
( Stanley) God would much rather have our loving obedience than our empty sacrifice
(A. Rogers) What we need is not great faith but faith in a great God
(Wiersbe) Every decision of a Spirit--led person has to be in the will of God and for the glory of God
(Wiersbe) Whenever you step out by faith to fight the enemy, there's always somebody around to try to discourage you
(Wiersbe) When we walk by sight, we calculate everything from the human perspective and this always leads to discouragement; but when we walk by faith, God comes into the equation, and that changes the results. People of faith obey God no matter what the circumstances are
( J. Hudson Taylor) All God's greats have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them
(Wwersbe) While there are many applications of a Bible passage, there is only one basic interpretation
( Wiersbe) Great leaders take the risk and open the way so that others can share in the victory
(Wiersbe) It has well been said that there are people who make things happen,people who watch things happen, and people who don't know anything is happening
(Wiersbe)
Blessed is the leader who recognizes that he is second in command
(Daily Bread) Courage will follow when faith takes the lead
(Stowell) True followers of Christ have a growing and deepening relationship with Him and are in the process of radical transformation because of the influence of Christ. True followers do not remain the same. Following Christ, at the very heart of it all , is a relationship with Him who highly values intimacy with us and works to enable it and empower it. Following Christ means to give Him the highest priority as the supreme relationship of life out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed
(Robert Bork) Wherever one looks, the traditional virtues of this culture are being lost, its vices multiplied, its values degraded-in short, the culture itself is unraveling. We have taken the concept of "liberty" and turned it into "radical individualism"-a refusal to admit limits to the gratification of self. We live in a culture that has come to believe that pleasure can be maximized only by freedom from authority
(C S Lewis) Now, today, this moment, is our choice to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it
(C.Stanley) None of us fully lives up to our spiritual potential. We all have room to grow
(C. Stanley) More than four hundred times in the Scriptures, the Lord says we are not to fear, but to enjoy peace. Apart from Jesus there is no peace
(C. Stanley) Rewards are not limited to the hereafter. When we follow the principles of Scripture, we enjoy the blessings of obedience. When one knows and serves God, every product of his or her life will be rewarded, either in this life or in heaven. God watches over all our ways, and He has promised to perfectly reward us. Obedience always brings blessing
(C. Stanley) God is always inviting people to come to Him. He is doing everything He can to bring as many as possible into His dearly loved family
(C. Stanley) No one knows the hour Jesus will descend from the clouds in great glory. But make no mistake. He is coming
(Wiersbe) Heaven will be perfect praise and service in a perfect environment. What will that service be? We are not told, nor do we need to know now. It is sufficient that we know what God wants us to do today. Our faithfulness in life prepares us for higher service in heaven
(Wiersbe) Heaven is more than a destination;it is a motivation. The assurance of heaven must not lull us into complacency or carelessness, but spur us to fulfill our spiritual duties
(Wiersbe) The word " shortly" in Rev 22:6 means "quickly come to pass". When John's prophecies begin to be fulfilled, they will happen very quickly, There will be no delay
(Wiersbe) Scripture is its own best interpreter
(Wiersbe) Decisions determine character; character determines destiny
( D L Moody) Beware of being so heavenly minded you are of no earthly good
(Wiersbe) Whatever God starts, He will finish
(Joe Stowell) It is a scary commentary on life that, left to ourselves, we self-destruct
(Charles de Gaulle) Cemetaries are filled with indispensible people
(Joe Stowell) At the end of life on our own, Christ remains as the only viable option
( John Mandeville) Things change, plans fail. Jesus will be there still
(Ray Stedman) True faith is never shaken by circumstances
(C. Stanely) Anytime God requires us to face trials and tribulations, He always provides the courage to meet the demand. Defeat is never a viable option for the person of courage. People of courage refuse to look for ways of escape. They know their success lies with an unshakeable God. Courageous people recall past victories and God's faithfulness. Courage is the result of having the right attitude. Geuine courage refuses to yield to inner fears or outward difficulties. You can always face your enemies head on when you stand on the promises of God's Word. A courageous person applies resources at hand in creative ways.Mere man cannot penetrate or defeat God-centered faith! A courageous person confronts an opponent with confidence that will ultimately succeed. As children of the sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees. Faith is believing that God will do as He has promised. Faith is living in the confidence that God is supremely faithful to keep His word
( Stanley) God would much rather have our loving obedience than our empty sacrifice
(A. Rogers) What we need is not great faith but faith in a great God
(Wiersbe) Every decision of a Spirit--led person has to be in the will of God and for the glory of God
(Wiersbe) Whenever you step out by faith to fight the enemy, there's always somebody around to try to discourage you
(Wiersbe) When we walk by sight, we calculate everything from the human perspective and this always leads to discouragement; but when we walk by faith, God comes into the equation, and that changes the results. People of faith obey God no matter what the circumstances are
( J. Hudson Taylor) All God's greats have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them
(Wwersbe) While there are many applications of a Bible passage, there is only one basic interpretation
( Wiersbe) Great leaders take the risk and open the way so that others can share in the victory
(Wiersbe) It has well been said that there are people who make things happen,people who watch things happen, and people who don't know anything is happening
(Wiersbe)
Blessed is the leader who recognizes that he is second in command
(Daily Bread) Courage will follow when faith takes the lead
(Stowell) True followers of Christ have a growing and deepening relationship with Him and are in the process of radical transformation because of the influence of Christ. True followers do not remain the same. Following Christ, at the very heart of it all , is a relationship with Him who highly values intimacy with us and works to enable it and empower it. Following Christ means to give Him the highest priority as the supreme relationship of life out of which every other relationship and activity is defined and directed
Friday, April 22, 2011
042211
(Stowell) Perhaps the greatest self-deceit is to tell ourselves that we can be self-sufficient. We keep searching for something that can only be found in a restored relationship with God, but the very thing we are searching for we refuse to find
(Stowell) There is a haunting sense inside us that there is Someone somewhere who could finally show us a more fulfilling, more meaningful life
(JoeStowell) relates the story of John Herman interviewing Clarence Darrow toward the end of Darrow's life and asking him how he would sum up his life.Darrow, an athiest who had spent much of his life ridiculing the Bible, walked over to a coffee table, without hesitation, picked up a Bible, and said that Luke 5:5 summed up his life. " I have toiled all the night and have taken nothing". He then closed the Bible, put it back on the table, looked Herman straight in the face, and said : " I have lived a life without purpose, without meaning, without direction. I don't know where I came from and I don't know what I am doing here. And worst of all,I don't know what's going to happen to me when I push out of here "
( Wiersbe) If I thought baptism saved people, I would soak them all night
(Wiersbe) The death of Christ was vicarious,violent, vile, voluntary, and victorious
(Kenneth Tynan) A critic is a man who knows the way but can't drive the car
( Stowell) No one yet who has followed Christ without compromise has become disillusioned or found His ways to be disappointing
(Stowell) We are too easily seduced by the external qualities of charisma,competence , and credentials. When God chooses leaders, He chooses those who have a heart to follow Him( I Sam 16:6-7)
( Stowell) All of us will spend our whole life following: the issue is who or what we will follow
(Stowell) tells the story of a friend who asked him if he had tried the garlic diet. Stowell asked him how much weight could be lost on this diet. His friend replied,:"Not much. But your friends just stay farther away, and you look smaller from a distance.
( Old saying) After all is said and done, there's usually a lot more said than done
(Stowell) There is a haunting sense inside us that there is Someone somewhere who could finally show us a more fulfilling, more meaningful life
(JoeStowell) relates the story of John Herman interviewing Clarence Darrow toward the end of Darrow's life and asking him how he would sum up his life.Darrow, an athiest who had spent much of his life ridiculing the Bible, walked over to a coffee table, without hesitation, picked up a Bible, and said that Luke 5:5 summed up his life. " I have toiled all the night and have taken nothing". He then closed the Bible, put it back on the table, looked Herman straight in the face, and said : " I have lived a life without purpose, without meaning, without direction. I don't know where I came from and I don't know what I am doing here. And worst of all,I don't know what's going to happen to me when I push out of here "
( Wiersbe) If I thought baptism saved people, I would soak them all night
(Wiersbe) The death of Christ was vicarious,violent, vile, voluntary, and victorious
(Kenneth Tynan) A critic is a man who knows the way but can't drive the car
( Stowell) No one yet who has followed Christ without compromise has become disillusioned or found His ways to be disappointing
(Stowell) We are too easily seduced by the external qualities of charisma,competence , and credentials. When God chooses leaders, He chooses those who have a heart to follow Him( I Sam 16:6-7)
( Stowell) All of us will spend our whole life following: the issue is who or what we will follow
(Stowell) tells the story of a friend who asked him if he had tried the garlic diet. Stowell asked him how much weight could be lost on this diet. His friend replied,:"Not much. But your friends just stay farther away, and you look smaller from a distance.
( Old saying) After all is said and done, there's usually a lot more said than done
042211
(Stowell) A Christ-follower's journey is simple in the sense that the complexity of life is reduced to the single question, "Where is Christ on this issue?" The follower has a certain and singular focus:Christ. Amid the tensions of a dozen voices telling us what to do and how to live, He is the one voice that captures the attention of our hearts. Followers are liberated from the tyranny of the push-and-shove of outside influences that vie for control. The issue is settled: I'm a follower;it's just that simple. Following Christ not only simplifies life, but also fills the follower with a riveting sense of wonder and awe. Christ is a most unusual and intriguing Person. He will take us to places and unveil perspectives that we have never known. His clarity of truth and arresting wisdom captures the attention and imagination of followers
(Stowell) The libraries and bookstores are jammed with books that deal with "self-help"- many written by people who get rich, ironically, by helping you help yourself. The management section is packed with books on how to be a leader. I have seen only one of how to be a follower. I have yet to hear of a seminar on following. The trouble with follower-ship is that it os on a collision course with a culture in which the prominent goals are power,position,autonomy, and control. Interestingly, God crafted us to follow We are designed for a reflective following relationship to our Creator
(Stowell) The libraries and bookstores are jammed with books that deal with "self-help"- many written by people who get rich, ironically, by helping you help yourself. The management section is packed with books on how to be a leader. I have seen only one of how to be a follower. I have yet to hear of a seminar on following. The trouble with follower-ship is that it os on a collision course with a culture in which the prominent goals are power,position,autonomy, and control. Interestingly, God crafted us to follow We are designed for a reflective following relationship to our Creator
Thursday, April 21, 2011
042111
(Polycarp) Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has never done me wrong.How can I blaspheme my King who saved me? His final prayer before his execution: " I bless Thee that Thou hast granted unto me this day and hour, that I may share, among the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Thy Christ, for the resurrection to eternal life
(Stowell) Following is always filled with a sense of uncertainty. Even so, getting to know Him as He really is proves that He is eminently worth following: We find that any risk in the process of following Christ is worth the reward . Over the past two thousand years millions havae followed Him, and not one has ever ultimately been disappointed
(Stowell) Following is always filled with a sense of uncertainty. Even so, getting to know Him as He really is proves that He is eminently worth following: We find that any risk in the process of following Christ is worth the reward . Over the past two thousand years millions havae followed Him, and not one has ever ultimately been disappointed
042111
(Joe Stowell)
If Christianity is dull and boring,if it is a burden and not a blessing, then most likely we are involved in a project,not a Person;a system, not a Savior; rules rather than a relationship. We are prone to embrace the forms and functions as though they were the essence. But they are only expressions;He is the essence
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without descipleship, and Christianity without descipleship is always Christianity without Christ
(Joe Stowell) With every thought, choice, and response to life, fully devoted followers move toward proximity and intimacy with Christ. And what of us who have decided that we are close enough and simply go in orbit around Christ? This holding pattern is particularly comfortable when we note that others are orbiting farther away than we are. But to be a follower means Christ is the all-consuming center of our experience toward whom we are moving. Life is like a galaxy. There is always something at the center that defines and directs everything else that moves around it. As the sun is to our solar system, so the Son should be to our existence. For many Christians, Christ is relegated to one of the tracks circling whatever it is that we have substituted in the center. Christ followers refuse to have anything in the center but Him. The closer we get to Him at the center of our universe, the more of Him we reflect. Few are bent toward following Him unconditionally. And that makes all the difference in the world- in our little world and the larger world around us.
If Christianity is dull and boring,if it is a burden and not a blessing, then most likely we are involved in a project,not a Person;a system, not a Savior; rules rather than a relationship. We are prone to embrace the forms and functions as though they were the essence. But they are only expressions;He is the essence
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without descipleship, and Christianity without descipleship is always Christianity without Christ
(Joe Stowell) With every thought, choice, and response to life, fully devoted followers move toward proximity and intimacy with Christ. And what of us who have decided that we are close enough and simply go in orbit around Christ? This holding pattern is particularly comfortable when we note that others are orbiting farther away than we are. But to be a follower means Christ is the all-consuming center of our experience toward whom we are moving. Life is like a galaxy. There is always something at the center that defines and directs everything else that moves around it. As the sun is to our solar system, so the Son should be to our existence. For many Christians, Christ is relegated to one of the tracks circling whatever it is that we have substituted in the center. Christ followers refuse to have anything in the center but Him. The closer we get to Him at the center of our universe, the more of Him we reflect. Few are bent toward following Him unconditionally. And that makes all the difference in the world- in our little world and the larger world around us.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
042011
(F B Meyer) There is no grudging in God's benevolence
(J.Stowell) God calls us to follow-wherever, whatever, whenever
(J. Stowell) All of life ande its outcomes rise and fall on whether or not we will choose to be the leader of our own destiny or a follower of Someone wiser and better fit to lead. Unfortunately, when it comes to life choices that matter most, we resist yielding control. We don't want to give the impression we are unable to figure out life for ourselves. We afre like people who refuse to stop and ask directions when they are lost
(J.Stowell) Following Christ singularly,wholly, and without compromise should be the all-consuming center point of our existence
(Is 46:12/The Message paraphrase) I've said it, and I''ll most certainly do it. I've planned it, so it is as good as done
(Ray Stedman) Humankind is temporary, just like grass. The human race is utterly impotent and helpless, stumbling toward oblivion
(Charles Stanley) We grow old but God never does. He is the Ancient of Days"
(Charles Stanley) According to some estimates, almost thirty percent of the Bible concerned future events at the time it was written
(Wiersbe) God assures His people that He will carry them from the womb to the tomb. How comforting it is to know that our God cares for us before we are born(Ps 139:13-16), when we get old(Is 46:4), and each moment in between
(Annie Johnson Flint) Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting,availing;
Thy Father both thee and thy load will upbear
(J.Stowell) God calls us to follow-wherever, whatever, whenever
(J. Stowell) All of life ande its outcomes rise and fall on whether or not we will choose to be the leader of our own destiny or a follower of Someone wiser and better fit to lead. Unfortunately, when it comes to life choices that matter most, we resist yielding control. We don't want to give the impression we are unable to figure out life for ourselves. We afre like people who refuse to stop and ask directions when they are lost
(J.Stowell) Following Christ singularly,wholly, and without compromise should be the all-consuming center point of our existence
(Is 46:12/The Message paraphrase) I've said it, and I''ll most certainly do it. I've planned it, so it is as good as done
(Ray Stedman) Humankind is temporary, just like grass. The human race is utterly impotent and helpless, stumbling toward oblivion
(Charles Stanley) We grow old but God never does. He is the Ancient of Days"
(Charles Stanley) According to some estimates, almost thirty percent of the Bible concerned future events at the time it was written
(Wiersbe) God assures His people that He will carry them from the womb to the tomb. How comforting it is to know that our God cares for us before we are born(Ps 139:13-16), when we get old(Is 46:4), and each moment in between
(Annie Johnson Flint) Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting,availing;
Thy Father both thee and thy load will upbear
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
041911
Lighter moment baseball quotes(cont):
(Yogi Berra) Little Leage baseball is good. It keeps the parents off the streets
(Satchel Paige) I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in awhile I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation
(Yogi Berra) Ninety percent of the game is half mental
(Whitey Ford) The way to make coaches think you're in your shape in the spring is to have a good tan
(Bill Veeck) If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off
((Yogi Berra) The others teams could make trouble for us if they win
(Eddie Bane) I think I threw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just didn't get there as fast
(Yogi Berra) Third base ain't so bad if nothin' is hit to you
(Dick Allen,commenting on artificial turf) If a horse won't eat, I don't want to play on it
(George Will) All I remember about my wedding day in 1947 was that the Cubs lost a doubleheader
(Curt Flood) The funny thing about those uniforms is that you hang them in the closet and they get smaller and smaller
(Charlie Lau) There are two theories about hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works
(Bob Uecker) The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it quits rolling and then pick it up
(Yogi Berra) Think! How you gonna think and hit at the same time?
(Sandy Koufax on Roberto Clemente) He's the strangest hitter in baseball. Figure him out one way and he'll kill you another
(Yogi Berra) Slump? I ain't in a slump. I just ain't hittin'
(Ken Singleton) A man told me once to walk with the Lord. I'd rather walk with the bases loaded
(George Brett on third baseman Jamie Quirk) He looks like a greyhound , but runs like a bus
(Cincinnati Gazette editorial,1879) The baseball mania has run its course.It has no future as a professional endeavor
(Joe Stowell) Fully devoted followers are like mirrors in motion
(Joe Stowell) Followers of Christ escape the boredom and drudgery of a system of rituals and regulations ; instead they continually rejoice in the constant discovery of the intriguing Person of Christ
( I Cor 9:19/The Message paraphrase) I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide variety of people
(I Cor 9:22/The Living Bible paraphrase) Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him abnout Christ and let Christ save him
( Numerous writers) God blesses us so that we may bless others
(C. Stanley) It is an amazing thing that God has promised to reward us richly for doing nothing but what we should do
(Warren Wiersbe, quoting an old proverb) He who does not teach his son to work teaches him to be a thief
(Augustine, commenting on the Old and New Teataments) The New is the Old concealed; the Old is the New revealed
(Warren Wiersbe) I Cor 9:11 enunciates a basic principle of the Christian life: If we receive spiritual blessings, we should in turn share material blessings
(Wiersbe) If each believer practiced Mt. 6:33, there would be plenty of money for missions, manpower for service, and the work of the Lord would prosper
(Wiersbe) What a paradox: free from all men, yet the servant of all men!
(Wiersbe) It is unfortuante that the phrase " all things to all men" has been used and abused by the world and made to mean what Paul did not intend it to mean. Paul wasn't a chamelleon who changed his message and methods with each new situation. Nor was Paul a compromiser who adjusted his message to please his audience. He was an ambassador, not a politician! He simply adapted his approach to different groups. Paul did not have a "stock sermon" for all occasions. It is worth noting that our Lord followed the same approach. Jesus was flexible and adaptable, and Paul followed his example. Neither Jesus or Paul had an inflexible " evangelistic formula" that was used in every situation. It takes tact to have contact. To immature people, Paul's lifestyle probably looked inconsistent. In reality, he was very consistent, for his overriding purpose was to win people to Jesus Christ. Consistency can become a very legalsitic thing, and a man can become so bound by man-made rules and standards that he has no freedom to minister. He is like young David trying to battle in Saul's armor. Paul's ministry was not compromise, but rather total abandonment to the higher law of love. Paul followed the example of the Savior and humbled himself to become the servant of all.
(Yogi Berra) Little Leage baseball is good. It keeps the parents off the streets
(Satchel Paige) I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in awhile I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation
(Yogi Berra) Ninety percent of the game is half mental
(Whitey Ford) The way to make coaches think you're in your shape in the spring is to have a good tan
(Bill Veeck) If you get three strikes, even the best lawyer in the world can't get you off
((Yogi Berra) The others teams could make trouble for us if they win
(Eddie Bane) I think I threw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just didn't get there as fast
(Yogi Berra) Third base ain't so bad if nothin' is hit to you
(Dick Allen,commenting on artificial turf) If a horse won't eat, I don't want to play on it
(George Will) All I remember about my wedding day in 1947 was that the Cubs lost a doubleheader
(Curt Flood) The funny thing about those uniforms is that you hang them in the closet and they get smaller and smaller
(Charlie Lau) There are two theories about hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works
(Bob Uecker) The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it quits rolling and then pick it up
(Yogi Berra) Think! How you gonna think and hit at the same time?
(Sandy Koufax on Roberto Clemente) He's the strangest hitter in baseball. Figure him out one way and he'll kill you another
(Yogi Berra) Slump? I ain't in a slump. I just ain't hittin'
(Ken Singleton) A man told me once to walk with the Lord. I'd rather walk with the bases loaded
(George Brett on third baseman Jamie Quirk) He looks like a greyhound , but runs like a bus
(Cincinnati Gazette editorial,1879) The baseball mania has run its course.It has no future as a professional endeavor
(Joe Stowell) Fully devoted followers are like mirrors in motion
(Joe Stowell) Followers of Christ escape the boredom and drudgery of a system of rituals and regulations ; instead they continually rejoice in the constant discovery of the intriguing Person of Christ
( I Cor 9:19/The Message paraphrase) I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide variety of people
(I Cor 9:22/The Living Bible paraphrase) Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him abnout Christ and let Christ save him
( Numerous writers) God blesses us so that we may bless others
(C. Stanley) It is an amazing thing that God has promised to reward us richly for doing nothing but what we should do
(Warren Wiersbe, quoting an old proverb) He who does not teach his son to work teaches him to be a thief
(Augustine, commenting on the Old and New Teataments) The New is the Old concealed; the Old is the New revealed
(Warren Wiersbe) I Cor 9:11 enunciates a basic principle of the Christian life: If we receive spiritual blessings, we should in turn share material blessings
(Wiersbe) If each believer practiced Mt. 6:33, there would be plenty of money for missions, manpower for service, and the work of the Lord would prosper
(Wiersbe) What a paradox: free from all men, yet the servant of all men!
(Wiersbe) It is unfortuante that the phrase " all things to all men" has been used and abused by the world and made to mean what Paul did not intend it to mean. Paul wasn't a chamelleon who changed his message and methods with each new situation. Nor was Paul a compromiser who adjusted his message to please his audience. He was an ambassador, not a politician! He simply adapted his approach to different groups. Paul did not have a "stock sermon" for all occasions. It is worth noting that our Lord followed the same approach. Jesus was flexible and adaptable, and Paul followed his example. Neither Jesus or Paul had an inflexible " evangelistic formula" that was used in every situation. It takes tact to have contact. To immature people, Paul's lifestyle probably looked inconsistent. In reality, he was very consistent, for his overriding purpose was to win people to Jesus Christ. Consistency can become a very legalsitic thing, and a man can become so bound by man-made rules and standards that he has no freedom to minister. He is like young David trying to battle in Saul's armor. Paul's ministry was not compromise, but rather total abandonment to the higher law of love. Paul followed the example of the Savior and humbled himself to become the servant of all.
Monday, April 18, 2011
041811
(Wiersbe) God chastens us for our profit so that we might share in His holy character
(Wiersbe) God's grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace
(Wiersbe), quoting from a conversation with a friend:" Why is there so little preaching and teaching about heaven? I guess its because many of us have it so good on earth, we just don't think about heaven
(Wiersbe) God today is shaking things. Have you read your newspaper lately? Do not be distracted or frightened by the tremendous changes going on around you. While others are frightened, you can be confident
Some "lighter moment" baseball quotes I read in an AARP magazine:
(Tim McCarver) Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn't score many runs
(Joe Adcock) Trying to sneak a ptich past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster
(Wiersbe) God's grace does not fail, but we can fail to take advantage of His grace
(Wiersbe), quoting from a conversation with a friend:" Why is there so little preaching and teaching about heaven? I guess its because many of us have it so good on earth, we just don't think about heaven
(Wiersbe) God today is shaking things. Have you read your newspaper lately? Do not be distracted or frightened by the tremendous changes going on around you. While others are frightened, you can be confident
Some "lighter moment" baseball quotes I read in an AARP magazine:
(Tim McCarver) Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I ever saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn't score many runs
(Joe Adcock) Trying to sneak a ptich past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
041211
(Joe Stowell) For most of us, Christianity has become has been formed in paradigms of a system in which earthly leadership is paramount. We are led to believe that if we relate successfully to the structure, we are doing well in our Christianity-especially if we serve well enough to become leaders. If we have heard about following at all, it is usually in terms of earthly persons, codes, and institutions.. Christianity has become more of a ritual and less of a relationship, more of a system and less of a Savior who like a shepherd leads us
(Hebrews 12:16/ The Message paraphrase) Watch out for the Esau syndrome
(Heb 12:10/ The Living Bible paraphrase) God's correction is always right and for our best good
(C S Lewis) He who lusteth after ham and eggs hath already committed breakfast in his heart
(Ray Stedman) I believe we are in those times when everything that can be shaken is being shaken. Every human institution can be shaken and will be shaken.Even now, we are facing the times when God is going to allow everything to be shaken that can be shaken. In this entire , vast universe of ours, only one thing exist that cannot be shaken.The Kingdom of God, His rulership over our hearts, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our hearts, can never be shaken . What is being shaken and tested today is phoniness and deception. What cannot be shaken is truth and fauith. The things that cannot be shaken will remain, even when all else crumbles and falls.
( Charles Stanley) Grace enables us to serve, not to sin
(Wiersbe) One of the best ways to develop endurance and encouragement is to get to know the godly men and women of the Bible who ran the race and won
( Wiersbe) The mystery of the divine and human natures of Christ is too profound for us to understand fully
(Wiersbe) On the cross Christ suffered for all the sins of the world
(Wiersbe) Chastening is the evidence of the Father's love. Satan wants us to believe that the difficulties of life are proof that God does not love us, but just the opposite is true. We can be sure His chastening hand is controlled by His loving heart
(Wiersbe) A child who does not subjection to authority will never become a useful,mature adult
(Hebrews 12:16/ The Message paraphrase) Watch out for the Esau syndrome
(Heb 12:10/ The Living Bible paraphrase) God's correction is always right and for our best good
(C S Lewis) He who lusteth after ham and eggs hath already committed breakfast in his heart
(Ray Stedman) I believe we are in those times when everything that can be shaken is being shaken. Every human institution can be shaken and will be shaken.Even now, we are facing the times when God is going to allow everything to be shaken that can be shaken. In this entire , vast universe of ours, only one thing exist that cannot be shaken.The Kingdom of God, His rulership over our hearts, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our hearts, can never be shaken . What is being shaken and tested today is phoniness and deception. What cannot be shaken is truth and fauith. The things that cannot be shaken will remain, even when all else crumbles and falls.
( Charles Stanley) Grace enables us to serve, not to sin
(Wiersbe) One of the best ways to develop endurance and encouragement is to get to know the godly men and women of the Bible who ran the race and won
( Wiersbe) The mystery of the divine and human natures of Christ is too profound for us to understand fully
(Wiersbe) On the cross Christ suffered for all the sins of the world
(Wiersbe) Chastening is the evidence of the Father's love. Satan wants us to believe that the difficulties of life are proof that God does not love us, but just the opposite is true. We can be sure His chastening hand is controlled by His loving heart
(Wiersbe) A child who does not subjection to authority will never become a useful,mature adult
Monday, April 11, 2011
041111
(Wiersbe) Lazy preachers and teachers who steal material from others instead of studying and making it their own will have much to answer for at the Judgment Seat of Christ
(Wiersbe) It comes as a shock to some church members that you cannot manage a local church the same way you run a business. There is a wisdom of this world that works for the world, but it will not work for the church, The church that imitates the world may seem to succeed in time, but it will turn to ashes in eternity. The church in Acts had none of the " secrets to success " that seem important today. Yet they turned the world upside down! Though the church must be identified with the needs of the world, it must not imitate the wisdom of the world
(Wiersbe) We must not let our personal preferences become divisive prejudices. In fact, the preacher I may enjoy the least may be the one I need the most
(Dennis Fisher) We should be careful not to put our Christian leaders on a pedestal. Instead, let's appreciate how God is using a variety of spiritual leaders for His honor and glory. Le this be our prayer:" Lord, give us wisdom. We know it is good to follow the example of godly leaders, but help us not to think so highly of them that we worship them instead of you. Amen" Each person has his place in God's service , but only God deserves the glory
( Joe Stowell) Life is a search for a voice we can trust- a single voice that puts the cacophony of all other voices of contradictory input and advice into quiet perspective, a voice that settles the loudness around us and speaks peacefully, yet clearly and confidently- a voice we can follow. Jesus Christ is that voice.
(Wiersbe) It comes as a shock to some church members that you cannot manage a local church the same way you run a business. There is a wisdom of this world that works for the world, but it will not work for the church, The church that imitates the world may seem to succeed in time, but it will turn to ashes in eternity. The church in Acts had none of the " secrets to success " that seem important today. Yet they turned the world upside down! Though the church must be identified with the needs of the world, it must not imitate the wisdom of the world
(Wiersbe) We must not let our personal preferences become divisive prejudices. In fact, the preacher I may enjoy the least may be the one I need the most
(Dennis Fisher) We should be careful not to put our Christian leaders on a pedestal. Instead, let's appreciate how God is using a variety of spiritual leaders for His honor and glory. Le this be our prayer:" Lord, give us wisdom. We know it is good to follow the example of godly leaders, but help us not to think so highly of them that we worship them instead of you. Amen" Each person has his place in God's service , but only God deserves the glory
( Joe Stowell) Life is a search for a voice we can trust- a single voice that puts the cacophony of all other voices of contradictory input and advice into quiet perspective, a voice that settles the loudness around us and speaks peacefully, yet clearly and confidently- a voice we can follow. Jesus Christ is that voice.
Friday, April 8, 2011
040811
(Wiersbe) It is faith in Christ that gives us victory.We do not fear the enemies, for He has already conquered them
(J. Hudson Taylor) It is not by trying to be faithful, but in looking to the Faithful One that we win the victory
(Wiersbe) You re not running the race to please people or to get fame. You are running the race to please Jesus Christ
(Wiersbe) I am afraid that some " sharing times" do more harm than good as well-meaning people exchange their " spiritual ignorance"
(Wiersbe) We cannot be approved unless we are tested
(Wiersbe) God chose us who trust Him as His elect
(Wiersbe) True Bible separation is balanced;we flee sin, but we follow after righteousness. If we are not balanced, then we will be isolated instead of separated. It is a sad thing when true believers are isolated because of a false view of separation
(Wiersbe) A servant's purpose is not to win arguments but to win souls
(Ray Stedman) God's judgment is true and it is relentless. He is not the bit impressed by the works we do in the flesh. Only what is done in the spirit will last
(Charles Stanley) No one will quibble with God's judgment
(A. Rogers) Christianity isn' believing something, it's receiving Someone
( A. Rogers) The natural man does what comes naturally. The spiritual man does what comes supernaturally. The carnal man does what comes unnaturally. He is deformed, dependent, and divisive
( Wiersbe) G. Campbell Morgan was a wonderful British Bible teacher. He had four sons; all became ministers. Someone asked one of his grandsons if he would become a minister and he replied ' " No, I plan to work for a living "
(Wiersbe) Maturing Christians want to be enlightened and edified, not entertained
(Wiersbe) When immature Christians, without spiritual dsicernment, get into places of leadership in the church, the results will be disastrous. They often talk big and live small
( Wiersbe) A mature believer uses his gifts to build with, while an immature believer uses gifts as toys to play with or as trophies to boast about
( Wiersbe) Why compare preachers or statistics? Gos is the source of the growth; no man can take the credit
(Wiersbe) What men may think of our ministry is not important;what God may think is of supreme inmpotance. Our reward must not be the praise of men, but the " Well done" of the Lord of the harvest
(Wiersbe) The church does not belong to the preacher or the congregation. It is God's church. I have seen churches try to build on a famous preacher or a special method or a doctrinal emphasis they feel was important, but these ministries simply did not last.
(J. Hudson Taylor) It is not by trying to be faithful, but in looking to the Faithful One that we win the victory
(Wiersbe) You re not running the race to please people or to get fame. You are running the race to please Jesus Christ
(Wiersbe) I am afraid that some " sharing times" do more harm than good as well-meaning people exchange their " spiritual ignorance"
(Wiersbe) We cannot be approved unless we are tested
(Wiersbe) God chose us who trust Him as His elect
(Wiersbe) True Bible separation is balanced;we flee sin, but we follow after righteousness. If we are not balanced, then we will be isolated instead of separated. It is a sad thing when true believers are isolated because of a false view of separation
(Wiersbe) A servant's purpose is not to win arguments but to win souls
(Ray Stedman) God's judgment is true and it is relentless. He is not the bit impressed by the works we do in the flesh. Only what is done in the spirit will last
(Charles Stanley) No one will quibble with God's judgment
(A. Rogers) Christianity isn' believing something, it's receiving Someone
( A. Rogers) The natural man does what comes naturally. The spiritual man does what comes supernaturally. The carnal man does what comes unnaturally. He is deformed, dependent, and divisive
( Wiersbe) G. Campbell Morgan was a wonderful British Bible teacher. He had four sons; all became ministers. Someone asked one of his grandsons if he would become a minister and he replied ' " No, I plan to work for a living "
(Wiersbe) Maturing Christians want to be enlightened and edified, not entertained
(Wiersbe) When immature Christians, without spiritual dsicernment, get into places of leadership in the church, the results will be disastrous. They often talk big and live small
( Wiersbe) A mature believer uses his gifts to build with, while an immature believer uses gifts as toys to play with or as trophies to boast about
( Wiersbe) Why compare preachers or statistics? Gos is the source of the growth; no man can take the credit
(Wiersbe) What men may think of our ministry is not important;what God may think is of supreme inmpotance. Our reward must not be the praise of men, but the " Well done" of the Lord of the harvest
(Wiersbe) The church does not belong to the preacher or the congregation. It is God's church. I have seen churches try to build on a famous preacher or a special method or a doctrinal emphasis they feel was important, but these ministries simply did not last.
040811
(Adrian Rogers) Many believers are high on sentiment and low on sacrifice
(Warren Wiersbe) tells the story of attending a conference and meeting a man wearing two name tags. He asked him why and the man replied he was having an identity crisis
(Wiersbe) We don't test teachers by there popularity, education, or skills. We test them by the Word of God
(Wiersbe) Christ death and resurrection proves that suffering leads to glory and that seeming defeat leads to victory
(Warren Wiersbe) tells the story of attending a conference and meeting a man wearing two name tags. He asked him why and the man replied he was having an identity crisis
(Wiersbe) We don't test teachers by there popularity, education, or skills. We test them by the Word of God
(Wiersbe) Christ death and resurrection proves that suffering leads to glory and that seeming defeat leads to victory
Thursday, April 7, 2011
040711
(James Dobson) Never assume that God's silence or apparent inactivity is evidence of His disinterest. Let me say again, feelings about His inaccessibility
mean nothing! Absolutely nothing! The Lord is at work in His own unique way even when prayers seem to echo back from an empty universe
(Bible Knowledge Commentary) Failure to praise God for His blessings is a step toward forgetting God and then disobeying His commands
( Julie Link) It helps us to remember that the journey, not just the destination, is important to God. He uses it to humble us, test us, and show us what is in our hearts
( Phillips translation of 2 Tim 3:17) False teaching is as dangerous to the spiritual life as blood poisoning is to the body
( Ray Stedman) One way or the other , God will use us for His purposes. It is really completely up to us what kind of vessel we choose to be
mean nothing! Absolutely nothing! The Lord is at work in His own unique way even when prayers seem to echo back from an empty universe
(Bible Knowledge Commentary) Failure to praise God for His blessings is a step toward forgetting God and then disobeying His commands
( Julie Link) It helps us to remember that the journey, not just the destination, is important to God. He uses it to humble us, test us, and show us what is in our hearts
( Phillips translation of 2 Tim 3:17) False teaching is as dangerous to the spiritual life as blood poisoning is to the body
( Ray Stedman) One way or the other , God will use us for His purposes. It is really completely up to us what kind of vessel we choose to be
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
040611
(James Dobson) I have heard many sermons based on the life of Job, but the source of Job's most intense frustration-his inability to find God- has been often overlooked
((James Dobson) When going through the "why?" experiences of life, be careful that frustration does not deterioriate into anger and a sense of abandonment and finally, the spirit begins to wither. Satan then drops by for a little visit and whispers, " He is not there. You are alone!"
(James Dobson) Some of the most bitter,unhappy people on earth are those who have become estranged from the God they no longer understand or trust. The great danger for people who have experienced heartbreaking tragedy is that Satan will use their pain to make them feel victimized by God. What a deadly trap that is!
(James Dobson) The Lord can be trusted even when He can't be tracked.Of this you can be certain
(Dobson) In my forty-three years of professional counseling, I have seen few other circumstances that equal the agony of a shattered faith. It is a crisis brewed in hell
( Rogers) An unsaved person leaps into sin and loves it; a saved person lapses into sin and loathes it
(James Dobson) Satan can be expected to show up at the moment of greatest discouragement, whispering his wicked thoughts and taunting the wounded believer
(Sam Venable) Spring is so close you can smell the lilac on her breath
(Sam Venable) Quoting a friend: " I was born with a black thumb. I inherited it from my mother. She was a serial killer of plants"
(James Dobson) We must learn not to depend too heavily on our own ability to comprehend the inexplicable circumstances in our lives
(Dobson) I find it irritating when certain theologians throw around simplistic platitudes. It is better to acknowledge that we have been given too few facts to explain all the heartache in an imperfect, fallen world and that undestanding will have to await the coming of the sovereign Lord who promises to set straight all accounts and end all injustice
((James Dobson) When going through the "why?" experiences of life, be careful that frustration does not deterioriate into anger and a sense of abandonment and finally, the spirit begins to wither. Satan then drops by for a little visit and whispers, " He is not there. You are alone!"
(James Dobson) Some of the most bitter,unhappy people on earth are those who have become estranged from the God they no longer understand or trust. The great danger for people who have experienced heartbreaking tragedy is that Satan will use their pain to make them feel victimized by God. What a deadly trap that is!
(James Dobson) The Lord can be trusted even when He can't be tracked.Of this you can be certain
(Dobson) In my forty-three years of professional counseling, I have seen few other circumstances that equal the agony of a shattered faith. It is a crisis brewed in hell
( Rogers) An unsaved person leaps into sin and loves it; a saved person lapses into sin and loathes it
(James Dobson) Satan can be expected to show up at the moment of greatest discouragement, whispering his wicked thoughts and taunting the wounded believer
(Sam Venable) Spring is so close you can smell the lilac on her breath
(Sam Venable) Quoting a friend: " I was born with a black thumb. I inherited it from my mother. She was a serial killer of plants"
(James Dobson) We must learn not to depend too heavily on our own ability to comprehend the inexplicable circumstances in our lives
(Dobson) I find it irritating when certain theologians throw around simplistic platitudes. It is better to acknowledge that we have been given too few facts to explain all the heartache in an imperfect, fallen world and that undestanding will have to await the coming of the sovereign Lord who promises to set straight all accounts and end all injustice
Sunday, April 3, 2011
040311
(C.Stanley) If our behavior as God's children does not differ from that of unbelievers, we will leave this world as dark as we found it
(A.Rogers) You don't make Him Lord. He is Lord already. You just recognize it
( The Daily Bread) Listening may be the most loving thing you can do today
(James Robison) In the end, the worst that evil can do is not match for the best that love in action can accomplish
(James Robison) The influence of Christian missionaries from years ago stopped the aggressive spread of Islam as it sought to seep southward throughout southern Africa
(James Robison) Denoninationalism has as much potential to damage pepole as rascism or any other " ism" does
(A. Rogers) Five of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of the Bible are:(1) the fulfilled prophecies (2) the Bible's wonderful unity (3) the longevity and preservation of the Bible (4) the historic and scientific accuracy (5) the power of the Bible to transform lives
(A. Rogers) Eternal life is not something you get when you die. It is something you get when you believe
(James Dobson) If you think God is obligated to explain Himself to us, examine the following scriptures: Pr 25:2;Is 45:15;Dt 29:29;Eccl 11:5; Is 55:8-9. Clearly, the Bible tells us we lack the capacity to grasp God's infinite mind or the way He intervenes in our lives. How arrogant of us to think otherwise. Clearly, unless the Lord chooses to explain Himself to us, which often He does not, His motivation and purposes are beyond the reach of mortal man. What that means in practical terms is that many of our questions-especially those that begin with the word why- will have to remain unanswered for the time being. We will not have the total picture until we meet in eternity. Until that time, we must learn to accept this partial understanding.
(A.Rogers) You don't make Him Lord. He is Lord already. You just recognize it
( The Daily Bread) Listening may be the most loving thing you can do today
(James Robison) In the end, the worst that evil can do is not match for the best that love in action can accomplish
(James Robison) The influence of Christian missionaries from years ago stopped the aggressive spread of Islam as it sought to seep southward throughout southern Africa
(James Robison) Denoninationalism has as much potential to damage pepole as rascism or any other " ism" does
(A. Rogers) Five of the greatest proofs of the inspiration of the Bible are:(1) the fulfilled prophecies (2) the Bible's wonderful unity (3) the longevity and preservation of the Bible (4) the historic and scientific accuracy (5) the power of the Bible to transform lives
(A. Rogers) Eternal life is not something you get when you die. It is something you get when you believe
(James Dobson) If you think God is obligated to explain Himself to us, examine the following scriptures: Pr 25:2;Is 45:15;Dt 29:29;Eccl 11:5; Is 55:8-9. Clearly, the Bible tells us we lack the capacity to grasp God's infinite mind or the way He intervenes in our lives. How arrogant of us to think otherwise. Clearly, unless the Lord chooses to explain Himself to us, which often He does not, His motivation and purposes are beyond the reach of mortal man. What that means in practical terms is that many of our questions-especially those that begin with the word why- will have to remain unanswered for the time being. We will not have the total picture until we meet in eternity. Until that time, we must learn to accept this partial understanding.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
040211
(Robison) The home , for good or bad, is a child's first classroom
(Robison) If we move away from the foundation of the nuclear family as it has been preserved since the beginning of humanity, we are building our houses on sand, and they will not stand
(Robison) Any attempt to legislate equality of outcomes or to impose a one-size-fits-all standard on society is misguided and simply will not work. As a nation, we should be doing everything we can to remove barriers that hold people back, but it will always be the responsibility of the individual to make the most of his or her opportunities
(Robison) his definition of true justice: the principle of right action in conformity to truth
(The Message paraphrase of Ps 19:4) Unspoken truth is spoken everywhere
(A. Rogers) It always amazes me how quickly people change when they leave church
(The Daily Bread) Creation is the canvas on which God has painted His character
(M R DeHaan II ) Until we rest entirely on what Christ has done for us, we will never find assurance of our salvation
( M R DeHaan II) Without the love of God for those who disagree with us, all the theology and logic in the world is the kind of noise that will push ourselves and others away from Christ rather than toward Him. Since truth divides what is real from what is merely imagined, it is sometimes not possible to pursue truth without division
(Prayer of M R DeHaan II) Father in heaven, please give us a heart to accept as much understanding as you want us to have, enough humility to acknowledge what You alone understand, and enough love to respect the brothers and sisters who have come to a different conclusions than we have.
( Abraham Lincoln) You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they would and should do for themselves
( Robison ) Rather than seeking to solve the dire problems we find in the world today, far too many Christians are busy defining their theological positions or living their lives as if they are oblivious to what's going on all around them
(Robison) Too many Christians have fallen for the notion that Christianity and politics do not mix. This perspective may be based partly on a misinterpretation of " be separate from the world". Whatever its source, I believe this "withdrawal syndrome" that prevails among Christians and other decent citizens is mistaken and dangerous. If we don't stand up for absolute principles, who will? Some people refuse to participate because they believe that politics is a " dirty business" that is beneath their dignity. But in a free country, politics is nothing more or less than the process of deciding who is going to run the government and how. If its a " dirty business", its because the " clean " people have abandoned the process and let the " dirty" people take over.
(Robison) If we move away from the foundation of the nuclear family as it has been preserved since the beginning of humanity, we are building our houses on sand, and they will not stand
(Robison) Any attempt to legislate equality of outcomes or to impose a one-size-fits-all standard on society is misguided and simply will not work. As a nation, we should be doing everything we can to remove barriers that hold people back, but it will always be the responsibility of the individual to make the most of his or her opportunities
(Robison) his definition of true justice: the principle of right action in conformity to truth
(The Message paraphrase of Ps 19:4) Unspoken truth is spoken everywhere
(A. Rogers) It always amazes me how quickly people change when they leave church
(The Daily Bread) Creation is the canvas on which God has painted His character
(M R DeHaan II ) Until we rest entirely on what Christ has done for us, we will never find assurance of our salvation
( M R DeHaan II) Without the love of God for those who disagree with us, all the theology and logic in the world is the kind of noise that will push ourselves and others away from Christ rather than toward Him. Since truth divides what is real from what is merely imagined, it is sometimes not possible to pursue truth without division
(Prayer of M R DeHaan II) Father in heaven, please give us a heart to accept as much understanding as you want us to have, enough humility to acknowledge what You alone understand, and enough love to respect the brothers and sisters who have come to a different conclusions than we have.
( Abraham Lincoln) You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they would and should do for themselves
( Robison ) Rather than seeking to solve the dire problems we find in the world today, far too many Christians are busy defining their theological positions or living their lives as if they are oblivious to what's going on all around them
(Robison) Too many Christians have fallen for the notion that Christianity and politics do not mix. This perspective may be based partly on a misinterpretation of " be separate from the world". Whatever its source, I believe this "withdrawal syndrome" that prevails among Christians and other decent citizens is mistaken and dangerous. If we don't stand up for absolute principles, who will? Some people refuse to participate because they believe that politics is a " dirty business" that is beneath their dignity. But in a free country, politics is nothing more or less than the process of deciding who is going to run the government and how. If its a " dirty business", its because the " clean " people have abandoned the process and let the " dirty" people take over.
Friday, April 1, 2011
040111
(Robison) Although our intent might be to stand up for character, righteousness, and virtue,if we forget to temper confrontation of wrong with a balance of forgiveness,mercy, and love, our best intentions can easily do more harm than good. Does the confrontationm result in redemption and restoration or in defamation and destruction?
(James Robison) A careful study of the Bible reveals that people with great depth of character often had very real weaknesses
(James Robison) commenting on the dangers of experiencing " real success": When the almost indescribable sense of euphoria settles in and when the accolades, praise, and appreciation of other people are heaped on us, we are thrust into a conflict in which the subtlities and seductive potential of the enemy defies anything we can imagine, Beware the dangers of intimacy with God being interrupted, judgment being diminished, and discernment being short-circuited
(Wiersbe) We all know cases of people who have studied themselves stupid
(Wiersbe) Natural abilities are not necessarily the same as spiritual gifts
(Robison ) I have learned to seek people out who are courageous enough to confront and challenge me. I have learned to love my enemies because they will tell me the "real" truth. While they may be trying to hurt me, they actually help me because I took their accusations to God in prayer
(Robison ) Leadership develops from the inside out
(G. Alan Bernard) The respect that leadership must have requires that one's ethics be without question. A leader not only stays above the line between right and wrong; he stays well clear of the gray areas also
(James Robison) A careful study of the Bible reveals that people with great depth of character often had very real weaknesses
(James Robison) commenting on the dangers of experiencing " real success": When the almost indescribable sense of euphoria settles in and when the accolades, praise, and appreciation of other people are heaped on us, we are thrust into a conflict in which the subtlities and seductive potential of the enemy defies anything we can imagine, Beware the dangers of intimacy with God being interrupted, judgment being diminished, and discernment being short-circuited
(Wiersbe) We all know cases of people who have studied themselves stupid
(Wiersbe) Natural abilities are not necessarily the same as spiritual gifts
(Robison ) I have learned to seek people out who are courageous enough to confront and challenge me. I have learned to love my enemies because they will tell me the "real" truth. While they may be trying to hurt me, they actually help me because I took their accusations to God in prayer
(Robison ) Leadership develops from the inside out
(G. Alan Bernard) The respect that leadership must have requires that one's ethics be without question. A leader not only stays above the line between right and wrong; he stays well clear of the gray areas also
040111
(Peggy Noonan) In a president, character is everything. You can hire clever,you can hire pragmatic, you can hire policy wonks. But you cannot buy courage and decency. You can't rent a strong moral sense. A presidengt must bring those things with him. He must have a vision of the future he wants to create... But a vision is worth little if a president does not have the character, the courage, and the heart to see it through
(James Robison) Think of all the talented people whose lives have been ruined by a lack of character- a foolish lapse of judgment, a loss of self-control, an erosion of integrity, an inability to keep their lust at bay, an inability to tell the truth, the succumbing to pride, ambition, and greed
(Steven Berglas) People with extraordinary talent may achieve extraordinary success for a time. But success is often more dangerous for them than failure would have been . If they do not possess the bedrock character to withstand success, they may be headed for disaster. Successful people run the risk of falling prey to one or more of the four A's: arrogance,adventure seeking,aloneness or adultery. Each consequence is a terrible price to pay for weak character, and each has the capacity to undo whatever good the person may otherwise have accomplished
(Robison) Leaders ncannot separate their private lives from their public performance. What they are in the privacy of their own room will certainly effect what they are among the people. Ultimately their character flaws will be revealed- either through success or adversity
(James Robison) Think of all the talented people whose lives have been ruined by a lack of character- a foolish lapse of judgment, a loss of self-control, an erosion of integrity, an inability to keep their lust at bay, an inability to tell the truth, the succumbing to pride, ambition, and greed
(Steven Berglas) People with extraordinary talent may achieve extraordinary success for a time. But success is often more dangerous for them than failure would have been . If they do not possess the bedrock character to withstand success, they may be headed for disaster. Successful people run the risk of falling prey to one or more of the four A's: arrogance,adventure seeking,aloneness or adultery. Each consequence is a terrible price to pay for weak character, and each has the capacity to undo whatever good the person may otherwise have accomplished
(Robison) Leaders ncannot separate their private lives from their public performance. What they are in the privacy of their own room will certainly effect what they are among the people. Ultimately their character flaws will be revealed- either through success or adversity
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