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(Stowell) Our passions were never intended to focus on ourselves.They were designed to give us energy to contribute to God's glory. Passion, pride and pleasure are God-given and good in themselves. But unless they are submitted to God's control, they will flow in destructive channels that not only rob us of their God-intended enjoyment, but cause us to damage ourselves and others. Just as there is no significance outside of Christ, there is no fulfillment of these inner drives apart from Him  
                                                                                                          ( Westminster Short Catechism) The chief end of man is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever

(Augustine) Sin comes when we take a perfectly natural desire or longing or ambition and try desparately to fulfill it without God

(Stowell) The world is the way it is because we are the way we are

(Stowell) Much of life consists of a choice between between short-term gain and long-term loss versus short-term loss and long-term gain

(Stowell) Pride is probably the greatest irony of our fallenness: the very thing we intended to catapult ourselves upward is the thing that brings us low

(Stowell) Humility does not mean passivity

(Stowell) defines career as " an avenue whereby we glorify Christ and  advance His kingdom by your influence "

(Stowell) Defines servanthood as our willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the best for another person. It is the priority of using what we have to enable, empower, and enhance the lives of others around us. The heart of the truly liberated is, " What can I do to help? How can I use my life and resources to serve you?"

(Stowell) The five S's of Phil 2:6-8: selfless, surrender, sacrifice, servanthood, suffering

( J L Packer) The Christian mission on earth is not unrelieved, heroic misery

(Stowell) God never wastes the sacrifice and suffering of His saints. His divinely ordained deep water are always on purpose and with purpose

(Stowell) Whatever or however, in time God will provide affirmation for faithful servants. For some it may mean waiting for the glorious affirmation of when Christ says, " Well done, good and faithful servant "  as we step across the threshhold to the other side

( J Allen Blair) Life is what  we allow Jesus Christ to make it

( Blair) It has been said  that absence makes the heart grow fonder. If that is true, there must be a lot of people who love the church

(Blair) Without the Blood, what is the Gospel"

( Cal Thomas) Political correctness is another name for censorship

(Cal Thomas) I read the NY Times and my Bible each day to know what each side is doing

( Mart De Haan) Failure to forgive is to forfeit the joy of being  in freedom because we choose to hide behind past failures. Who do we think we are? God Almighty? God forgives us, But we don't! Are we greater than God? It is as though we are saying in effect," I know You have forgiven me, Lord, but I have  higher standards than You do. "

( Mart De Haan)  commenting on 1 John 5:14-15: " He was saying that when our requests line up with His own heart and will, He will give us what we ask for. We are to leave with Him the " hows" and the " whens" of His answers

( Mart De Haan) God sometimes is lovingly saying something to us through the voices, accusations, and criticisms of others. The real truth about us is probably far worse than any of our human enemies could ever know.

( Cal Thomas) Commenting on abortion and euthanasis:" It isn't death that needs assistance,it's life . Why does a guilty murderer enjoy more protection under the law than an innocent unborn child?

(Thomas) Why are we so surprised when  so many kids turn to illegal substances, considering  many have been drugged since childhood?

(Cal Thomas, in 2001) Census data shows public schools have become the second likeliest place in Americ for violent crimes to occur

(Barbara Bush) Your success as a family, our success as a nation, depends not on what happens in the White House, but what happens in your house

( Cal Thomas) Did we really think that " no fault" divorce would bring no consequences to children who take their parents rejection personally?

( Cal Thomas) Which eulogy would you rather be said at your funeral- your boss extoling your dedication at the office or your child praising you for your dedication to their life?

( Cartoon by Wayne Stayskal) One child whispering to another, " there isn't a smut filter I can't override "

( Wiersbe) After stating he was not a good swimmer, he  told how he once asked a life guard  how his stroke was and the life guard  responded, " When did you have it?"

( Cal Thomas) Quality time with children is quantity time

( Dave Branon) Commenting on how to worship God: Meditate on His attributes, contemplate His names, and  dwell on His identity