070411

(James Dobson)  In retrospect, commenting on  what he perceived as an             " unanswered prayer" : "Ultimately, I realized that it would have been most unfortunate if the Lord had granted my request in that instance. He loved me enough to turn me down even when   I  was demanding my own way. Others have  also lived lived to regret what they asked for or to whisper ever so quietly, " Thank you Lord for not answering that prayer"

(Dobson) Admittedly, most of our spiritual frustrations over " unanswered" prayers do not end with an  enlightened, " Oh, now I see what you were doing, Lord!". We just have to file them under  the heading "Things I don't understand", and leave it there. In those instances, we should be thankful that He does what is best for us whether or not it contradicts our wishes. Even a reasonably good parent sometimes says  " no  " to a child's demands.

070311

(James Dobson) Your arms are too short to box with God. Don't try it. The human intellectual apparatus is pitifully ill-equipped to argue with the Creator. New agers don't agree. How preposterous!  We human beings hardly qualify as gods-even piddly ones. Despite our intense efforts to understand ourselves, we have learned very little about living together harmoniously or even what makes us tick

(Dobson ) Peace is what we call that brief moment between wars when people stop to reload

(Dobson) The best-trained and most respected secular psychologists and psychiatrists still believe that man is basically good----that he only learns to do evil from society. Thus the most basic characteristic of human nature has been overlooked by those specifically trained to observe it

(Dobson) Errors riddle much of what we think and believe. Many scientific text books of one hundred years ago seem like joke books today. Most of what was believed in ages past was palpably wrong.

(C. Swindoll) Spiritual erosion is slow, silent, and subtle

Secret sin is an oxymoron

(Swindoll) How easy it is to traffic in unlived truth

(James Dobson) If human intelligence and perception are undependable in assessing everyday reality, how much less capable is it of evaluating the unfathonable God of the universe. The arrogance of mankind in ignoring or challenging the wisdom of the Almighty is shocking at times

070211

(Robison) Servanthood is the key to genuine spiritual success and significance. At no other time than when we serve others does our meaning and purpose in life become more clear and more Christ-like. Real success is measured by the degree you care and share. Servanthood should be a  life-long attitude, not just a temporary response to a crisis .  Mercy is not something we intend; it is something we extend. Servanthood is a function of mercy.It stems from a genuine desire to seek the best for others, to put their interests before our own, and to exercise authentic love

(Robison) Faith in God transcends self-interest and self-fulfillment. Faith in faith descends into self-reliance and self-assurance. 
                                                                                                                        (Robison) The sad fact is that great " success" brings the greatest temptations and battles one can imagine. Look at how many have failed after gaining so much. Muhammed Ali stated a few years ago,  " I had the world in my hands and it was nothin' "  Few things  can destroy a person as quickly as the pressures and temptations that often accompany great " success"  Just look at the athletes,entertainers, business people, politicians, and sadly, even ministers. All were " successful" in their public life, but failures in their privte and personal lives.
                                                                                                                        ( Robison) The Christian has nothing to prove, only Someone to please

(Robison) Our culture teaches us from our earliest days to look out for # 1, to pamper ourselves,  and to encourage self-actualization, self-awareness, and self-esteem. As a result, we have become self-absorbed, self-concerned, and self-consumed. We have also become supremely unhappy and unfulfilled.. The whole of history contradicts our society's emphasis on self-and self- satisfaction

(Paul Kellerman)  The only path to genuine happiness and fulfillment is through service to others. It is only as we give ourselves away that we can truly discover ourselves

(Robison) Early in America's history, the church had cultural auntenticity it had earned by serving

(Robison) It is sad to note that political activists did  far more to secure civil rights for minorities than did the church

(Ron Schumann) The old  adage that  "  time heals all wounds"  is a myth. Time does not heal grief; it simply spreads the loss across time

(Charles Stanley) Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice

(A. Rogers)  The most glorious fact in the universe is that men may know God personally. The saddest fact is that so few have availed themselves of this opportunity

(Our Daily Bread) No one is hopeless whose hope is in God

(James Robison) When Christ stated that " the greatest among you shall be your servant", He did not mean greatest in recognition, appreciation, or admiration. He meant great in impact and effectiveness for eternity. Only by the legacy we leave can the true impact of our lives be guaged

( Robison) Speaking of William Wilberforce: " He was a non-conformist in a day of enforced conformity. He was a genuine reformer and a man of unswerving principle in a day of blatant compromise "

(Thomas Chalmers)  Speaking of William Wilberforce: "  He was one of those who had the  knack of losing every battle on his way to winning the war"

(Dolly Madison) Love doubles our joy and halves our grief

(James Robison) Genuine love is innately sacrificial, sees the opportunities, not the obstacles, is tenaciously persistent and boldly active , cannot be faked, has a certain air of authenticity about it, and does not  give in when the going gets tough

( Robison) In the end, the worst that evil can do is no match for the best that love in action can accomplish

(Robison) We must be clear about the identity of the enemy. It is not the people;it is the force of evil that holds them in bondage

(Robison) For all intents and purposes, Saul was a Middle Eastern terrorist who thought he was doing God a service by trying to destroy everything and everyone connected with the church of Jesus Christ. In the name of religion, he was filled with hatred. He watched approvingly as an innocent man was stoned to death. If we want to break the power of evil in this world, it's going to take a Stephen-like commitment to love other people. The difference  between mere religion and  genuine faith in God is our undeniable expression of love

(Robison) God has never given us an assignment without the resources to fulfill it

(Robison) Commenting on what Chinese interpreters told staff of Life Outreach International about the government's assessment of their ministry: " What Chinese leaders were saying was that these people are strange. They're not typical capitalists from the West. These people love us, they love our people, they love our children, they want to help "

( Robison) Commenting of LOI's ministry  and impact in China: " If they never gave us a chance to talk about the love of God, we would still love them and do everything we could to help them. We would still do our best to show them God's love in action"

(Warren Wiersbe) One of the most common problems I encounter with discouraged Christians is that of  a spiritual inferiority complex
( Wiersbe)  I have never made spiritual gifts a test of fellowship. The deity of Christ, Yes! Spiritual gifts are  tools to build with, not toys to play with and not weapons to fight with

( Wiersbe) Four foundational facts about spiritual gifts: (1) they are very important;(2) they are governed by the Word of God;(3) they are varied;(4) they are given for the good of the whole church, not for the magnifying of individuals.

(Wiersbe)  The proper use of spiritual gifts will result in humility, harmony, and growth. Improper use will result in their opposites. We are to discover, develop, and discipline our gifts

(James Dobson)  Commenting on John chapter 11: " The Master was not really late at all. He only appeared to be overdue. He arrived at the precise moment necessary to fulfill the purposes of God, just as He always does. It is extremely important to recognize that He is never actually late. His time table is simply different from ours and it is usaully slower . As long as I know that He loves me and that He never makes a mistake, why should I not be content to rest in His protection? God's economy of time and energy is  different  from ours. Obviously there is  no " tyranny of the urgent"  in God's scheme of things. He acts according to His own ordered schedule

( James Dobson) Mozart died penniless  at thirty-five, being unable to attract any interest in his compositions. His most valuable possession at the time of his death was a violin worth about two dollars. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave, and no one attended his funeral. Who was it that said that life was fair?

It has been said that the only thing in life that is fair   is Snow White's complexion

It has also been said that the only truly committed men in America are those in asylums and prisons

(James Dobson)  Commenting on the deaths of Jim Elliott , Oswald  Chambers, Peter Marshall, and Dietrich Bonhoffer : " Why would God invest such extraordinary ability in those whose lives would be abbreviated by death?
I simply do not know . What conclusions can we draw from these seeming contradictions, except to " let God be God? ".  He does not explain Himself  to man. We can say with confidence that while His purposes and plans are very different from ours, He is infinitely just and His timing is always perfect. He  intervenes at just the right moment for our ultimate good. Until we hear from Him, then, we would be wise not to get in a lather. For reasons that are impossible to  explain, we human beings are incredibly precious to God. One of the most breathtaking concepts in all of Scripture is the revelation that God knows each of us personally and that we are in His mind both day and night-there is simply no way to comprehend the full implications of this love. Why would He care about us-about our needs, our welfare, our fears? His concern for us mere mortals is ultimately inexplicable to us"

070211

(James Robison in 2002) relating America's decline to the parable of the prodigal son: " As a nation I believe we are somewhere on the road between the father's estate and the pigpen" Rhetorical question: If he was right in 2002, where is America now?

(Robison) Freedom's only hope for the future lies in our ability to recognize the dangerous drift of our culture toward relativism and selfishness, and then our willingness to turn from the error of our ways and acknowledge and adhere to the absolutes. Unless we re-engage with these timeless, rock-solid principles, our future is dim

(A. Rogers) No one  goes to Hell unloved, unreproved, or unwarned

(Rogers) Everytime God says, Thou shalt not" He is simply saying," Don't hurt yourself"

(Thomas Sowell,political columnist) Are public opinion polls the way to determine the truth?If so, we can outsource our thinking to Gallup and Zogby

(Original source unknown )  Salvation is not something you achieve, it is something you receive;it is  not your merit but His  mercy ; not your doing but His dying;  your trying but your trusting; not your conduct but His cross; not your attainment but His atonement;  not your goodness but His grace

(Charles Stanley) If you don't try to lead your children to Christ, others will try to lead them to trust in someone else or something else

(Stanley) While faith is a deeply, personal affair, God never meant it to be a solitary affair. We usually love speaking about what gives us joy. God is our joy so He should also be our tongue

(James Robison) We must make the government  our servant or we will become its slave

(Robison) The absolutes speak for themselves. The truth is self-evident and irrefutable. Heb 12:27 says when things are shaken that can be shaken, that which cannot be shaken will remain

(Peter Lorimar) Train your tongue to offer solace, your heart sympathy, and your hand mercy

(Soren Kierkegaard) Mercy has converted more souls than zeal and eloquence
or learning or all three together

(Pierre August Renoir) Nothing costs so little, goes so far, or accomplishes so much as a single act of mercy

070211

(James Robison) Some people will not even allow themselves to be seen with a person who is perceived to be part of another group--even with those whose beliefs are the same. Instead, they separate themselves based on petty disagreements over the interpretation of certain passages of Scripture, or they dismiss one another on the basis of whatever label will most effectively discredit the other party. God help us

(Spurgeon) God's plan has always been, and always be,  that we must bear the cross, then wear the crown

(Charles Stanley)  Can you imagine what would happen to the church if more believers took God at His Word and appropriated the power of the Holy Spirit?

(Stanley) When Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness, it was spirit-to Spirit combat

(Stanley) Christ always knows when to show us compassion and when we need correction or rebuke. He always gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want

(Stanley) Perhaps Peter's most compelling characteristic was his willingness  to be taught and to be changed

(A. Rogers) It is totally foolish to talk about loving Jesus without loving what Jesus loves--the church If you are not connected to the body of our Lord on earth, you are not right with Him. A church is a sheep shed

(Rogers) In his commentary on the church in Mt. 16: " The saving confession of the church, the sovereign construction of the church, the spiritual composition of the church, and the  supreme commission of the church "

(Rogers) We are the custodians of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a blessing and what a responsibility!

(Our Daily Bread) In light of eternity, what one believes is far more important than what one achieves

(James Robison) The ultimate characteristic of the early church that seems to have been forgotten  is that everyone in the church had  nothing that possessed them. Our contemporary society and ,sadly, much of the contemporary church,
has succombed to the siren song of materialism and individualism

(Robison) The Holy Spirit is not something to be contained but Someone who overwhelms and overflows us

(Malcolm Gladwell, author of the book " The Tipping Point")  Small changes can produce big results; changes at the margin can have a big effect; the efforts of a few, key individuals can tip widespread changes

(James Robison) We must stop infighting over doctrinal differences and start  "outfighting"  our common enemy-the forces of evil. We must move beyond the past-- and into the future with bright hopes and new dreams

(Robison) Repentance is the fulcrum upon which cultural transformation hinges
Pride, stubbornness, and self-centeredness are like a dam that keeps the river of life from flowing through us. Repentance is a decision of the will that opens the flood gates and release the transforming power of God. Like trees planted along a river, the outgrowth of repentance is life-fruitfulness

(Robison) The pathway to a better future will not be established by enacting the right bills, electing the right politicians, initiating the right reforms,or restoring the right priorities. Genuine cultural solutions can only emerge when people are willing to commit themselves to upholding the absolutes and are willing to turn away from everything that stands in the way. It will only be accomplished by a work of repentance and redemption in individual hearts and minds--accepting a redemptive mind-set

070111

Despite its membership in the bird family, an ostrich can't fly-but it can outrun a horse

(Richard Halverston)  Jesus does not want you to become a Christian; He wants you to become a new creation. There is a vast difference between the two

(James Robison) Some of the meanest people on the planet are not only members of church organizations, they are  often leaders within their churches and denominations! Some assassinate  one another with their words, misrepresentations, accusations-even using the Bible as a weapon of unholy warfare. Far too often in the history of the church, Christian leaders and "defenders of the faith" have used the Bible to destroy the reputation of others. Instead of demonstrating unity in the spirit for the entire family of God to emulate, some leaders refuse to interact with one another. It sometimes seems that they are more interested in building their own little empires than in building up the body of Christ. As a result, the Christian community suffers and fails to grow into full maturity.

070111

(Ray Stedman) Nothing can replace a child who leaves this world too soon-- the memories, the joys, and the sorrows remain for a lifetime in the heart of a bereaved parent. But Job knew his Redeemer and he knew that his children, though snatched from this life, would survive death and corruption and would see God and their father Job once more

(Stedman) The only answer that we are given to the question of human suffering is that all we endure takes place against a backdrop of Satan's demonic challenge to God's righteous government of creation. The answer is given to us, the reader; it was never given to Job while he lived on this earth

(Stedman) God never let go of Job, and Job never let go of God. The relationship emerged stronger than ever because of the suffering Job endured. It was a relationship that produced change and growth in Job

(Stedman)  The lesson of the book of Job is that testing purifies us and reveals the gold of God's character within us. Romans 8:28 could be the triumphant song of Job

(A Rogers) Job discovered that a relationship is more important than a reason for pain. When we don't have the reason, we have just God. Job was submerged in suffering. But he learned of the sovereignty of God, of the sympathy of God, and of the sufficiency of God. He learned that God is enough

(Sim Kay Tee ) Scientists have been able to identify nineteen million species. These figures alone attest to the genius and crweativity of God