Quote of the Day

Whatever may be the grievous circumstances in which I am placed, or the injustices of others from which I am suffering, if my God says, 'Fear not', I ought surely to be brave and strong. If we can only get firmly fixed in our hearts the truth that the Lord's hand is in everything that happens to us, we have found a balm for all our woes, a remedy for all our ills. When friends fail us and grow cold, when enemies triumph and grow confident, when the smooth pathway upon which we have been travelling suddenly becomes rough, stony and steep - we are too apt to look askance at the visible second causes, and to forget that our God has forseen every trial, permitted every annoyance, and authorized each item of discipline...the soul that has learned the blessed secret of seeing God's hand in all that concerns it, cannot be a prey to fear; it looks beyond all second causes, straight into the heart and will of God, and rests content because He rules.

Susannah Spurgeon

Quote of the Day

We may if we please, confine our study of Scripture to what is immediately edifying, skimming lightly over all pages which do not serve a direct purpose of devotion, and ignoring every difficulty which does not yield to the faculty of practical insight, to the power of spiritual sympathy with the mind of the Spirit, which the thoughtful Christian necessarily acquires in the habitual excessive of bringing Scripture to bear on the daily needs of his own life.  This use of Scripture is full of personal profit, and raises no intellectual difficulties.  But it does not do justice to the whole Word of God.  It cannot exhaust the whole mind of the Spirit.  It is limited for every individual by the limitations of his own spiritual experience.  Reading the Bible in this way, a man comes to a very personal appreciation of so much of God's truth as is in immediate contact with the range of his own life.  But he is sure to miss many truths which belong to another range of experience, and to read into the inspired page things from his own experience which involve human error.  In this way he becomes narrow, and full of prejudice, which prevent him from seeing that the Bible is larger than his knowledge of it, and that other men whose needs are different from his may be quite in the right in getting things out of the Scripture which he does not know, does not need, and is inclined to call false or dangerous.  

William Robertson Smith

(Disclaimer:  his stance in his writings on higher criticism is wrong)

Quote of the Day

Noah is referenced in Hebrews 11 as demonstrating faith, which in its most basic form  is: having as the "footing of our expectations" (substance of our hope) what has not been seen but what has been promised and revealed to us by God's Word.

Don Lambert

Quote of the Day

    It is habitual with some persons to spy out the dark side of every question or fact: they fix their eyes upon the “waste places,” and they study them till they know every ruin, and are familiar with the dragons and the owls. They sigh most dolorously that the former times were better than these, and that we have fallen upon most degenerate days. They speak of “shooting Niagara,” and of all sorts of frightful things. I am afraid that a measure of this tendency to write bitter things dwells in almost all of us at this present season, for certain discouraging facts which cannot be ignored are pressing heavily upon men’s spirits. The habit of looking continually towards the wildernesses is injurious because it greatly discourages; and anything that discourages an earnest worker is a serious leakage for his strength. Perhaps a worse result than honest discouragement comes of depressing views, for they often afford an apology for indifference and inaction. The smallest peg suffices to hang an excuse upon when we are anxious to escape from the stern service of faith. “I pray thee have me excused,” is a request which was supported in the parable by the flimsiest of pretences, and discouragement makes one of the same sort. The sluggard’s argument is on this wise,-”I will not attempt the work, for it is far too heavy for my poor strength. I fear the times are ill adapted to any special effort; indeed, I am not quite certain that success will ever attend the general work.” It is therefore a dreadful thing when the Christian church begins to be discouraged, and means must be used to stay the evil. Such means we would use this day. Lo, we lift the standard of the divine promise. “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people,” sounds out like a silver trumpet in the front of the host. Be encouraged, O ye of the faint heart; there are no more difficulties now than there were of old. The cause is no more in jeopardy than it was a thousand years ago. The result, the end, the consummation of all things is absolutely certain: it is in his hand who cannot fail, therefore be of good courage, and in waiting upon the Lord renew your strength.
 

C. H. Spurgeon

Quote of the Day

 God often comforts us, not by changing the circumstances of our lives, but by changing our attitude toward them.

 

S. H. B. Masterman

Quote of the Day

A Thanksgiving

For all Thy blessings given there are many to thank Thee, Lord,

But for the gifts withholden I fain would add my word.

For good things I desired that barred me from the best,

The peace at the price of honour, the sloth of a shameful rest;

The poisonous sweets I longed for to my hungering heart denied,

The staff that broke and failed me when I walked in the way of pride;

The tinsel joys withheld that so content might still be mine,

The help refused that might have made me loose my hand from Thine

The light withdrawn that I might not see the dangers of my way;

For what Thou hast not given, I thank Thee, Lord today.

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

He's helping me now--this moment,

Though I may not see it or hear,

Perhaps by a friend far distant,

Perhaps by a stranger near,

Perhaps by a spoken message

Perhaps by the printed word;

In ways that I know and know not

I have the help of the Lord.

He's keeping me now--this moment,

However I need it most,

Perhaps by a single angel,

Perhaps by a mighty host,

Perhaps by the chain that frets me,

Or the walls that shut me in;

In ways that I know or know not

He keeps me from harm and sin.

He's guiding me now--this moment,

In pathways easy or hard,

Perhaps by a door wide open,

Perhaps by a door fast barred,

Perhaps by a joy withholden

Perhaps by a gladness given;

In ways that I know and know not,

He's leading me up to heaven.

He's using me now--this moment,

And whether I go or stand,

Perhaps by a plan accomplished

Perhaps when he stays my hand,

Perhaps by a word in season

Perhaps by a silent prayer;

In ways that I know and know not,

His labor of love I share.

Annie Johnson Flint

Quote of the Day

It is a vain idea of ours, to suppose that if our circumstances were altered we should

be more at rest. My brother, if you cannot rest in poverty, neither would you in

riches; if you cannot rest in the midst of persecution, neither would you in the midst

of honour. It is the spirit within that gives the rest, that rest has little to do with

anything without. 

Charles Spurgeon

Quote of the Day

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."   I have read the 1st and 2d verses of the 12th chapter of Hebrews....Here in this wonderful 12th chapter of Hebrews, God calls the roll of the champions.  The champions are at the race.  There is a big crowd of them, a great throng......After God names the champions He say, "Now, you are in the race."  Remember you have to be a Christian to get in the race, but if you are already a Christian you are in the race.  And listen! Jesus is your Manager...He has arranged for the race.  He has mapped out the course for you.  He has fixed the race track for you.  He has put you on it.  He has told you about the champions that have won before.  You have a great crowd of witnesses here.  But these witness can't do anything for you except to encourage you.  All they can do is to tell you it can be done....Boys and girls, don't play to the grandstand.  Look to Jesus.  Jesus is the only one who can help you.  All the saints who have gone on before can only encourage you....God says you are compassed about by a great cloud of witnesses, but they can't win for you...you must put your eyes on Jesus in the race.

....Then He says, "I want you to win this race, and I will tell you how to do it.  There are three things you must do:  First, Look to Jesus.  That is essential! Put your eyes on Him!  Second, Lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset you.  Third, Run the race with patience."  "Lay aside the weight."  I don't know whether I am right about this.  It may not be taught here, but it is true anyway.  A great many people carry weights that are not actual sins.  Some people carry the weight of ignorance.  There is nothing that weighs a person down more than ignorance.  It is not a sin to be ignorant.  But it is a sin to stay ignorant...Suppose I should run down the street in this town with a jug of whiskey in one hand and a grindstone under the other arm.  Suppose I say to myself, "Now, I ought not to have this jug of whiskey.  It is a sin to carry this jug of liquor.  It is wrong .  I am going to throw it down."  I throw the jug of liquor down.  But I have the grindstone.  I say, "I will carry the grindstone; there is nothing wrong with that."  The jug of liquor is a sin.  The grindstone is a fault.   I drop the sin - that is  a good thing.  But sometimes a fault will hold one down almost as bad as a sin......A great many people delight themselves in their faults.  A girl said to me one time, "Everybody thinks I am angry when I am not angry."  Well, listen young lady, if that is so, then it is just the same as far as effect is concerned as if you were angry.  It may not be exactly the same as far as your character is concerned, but it is just the same in its effect and influence......If you have a style about you that hurts your testimony, get rid of it.  It is wrong to keep it.

Bob Jones Sr.

Quote of the Day

The best training is to learn to accept everything as it comes, as from Him whom our soul loves. The tests are always unexpected things, not great things that can be written up, but the common little rubs of life, silly little nothings, things you are ashamed of minding (at all). Yet they can knock a strong man over and lay him very low.

Amy Carmichael

Quote of the Day

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance..."(2Pe 1:5-6 NET)

We're not persevering if it's not difficult.

- Don Lambert

Quote of the Day

Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected.  In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink.  Indeed, if they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad.  In the same way, the disciple must receive his portion form God every day.  If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his heart on his accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God.  Where are treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God.  Hoarding is idolatry…….Anxiety creates its own treasures and they in turn beget further care.  When we seek for security in possessions we are trying to drive out care with care, and the net result is the precise opposite of our anticipations.  The fetters which bind us to our possessions prove to be cares themselves…It is not care that frees the disciples from care, but their faith in Jesus Christ.  Only they know that we cannot be anxious (vs. 27).  The coming day, even the coming hour, are placed beyond dour control.  It is senseless to pretend that we can make provision because we cannot alter the circumstances of this world.  Only God can take care, for it is he who rules the world.  Since we cannot take care, since we are so completely powerless, we ought not to do it either.  If we do, we are dethroning God and presuming to rule the world ourselves.

 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer