August Quotes

Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.

-Benjamin Franklin 

Arrogance doesn’t come from having convictions; it comes from having the wrong convictions about how to treat people who don’t share them with you. Humility doesn’t come from not having convictions; it comes from having the right convictions about the importance of gentleness and respect.

-Unknown

There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep and still be counted as warriors.

-A. Rich

We live in a culture that exalts human autonomy above God's sovereignty and sets the individual’s freedom of expression above God's law.

-Paul Washer

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

-Winston Churchill

Ministry is… 

Giving when you feel like keeping; 

Praying for others when you need to be prayed for; 

Feeding other souls when your own soul is hungry; 

Living truth before people even when you can’t see results; 

Hurting with other people even when your own hurt can’t be spoken; 

Keeping your word even when it’s not convenient; Being faithful when your flesh wants to run away.

-Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Trust is earned, respect is given, loyalty is demonstrated. Betrayal of any one of those is to lose all three.

-Unknown

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

-Elizabeth Stone

Rest in this—it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to obey, follow, move, respond, or what have you.

-Jim Elliot

It is sweet to know that our tears are understood, even when words fail. Let us learn to think of tears as liquid prayers, and of weeping as a constant dropping of importunate intercession which will surely wear its way right into the very heart of God's mercy, despite the stony difficulties which obstruct the way. My God, I will "weep" when I cannot plead, for You hear the voice of my weeping! 

-Charles Spurgeon

In the pursuit of joy through suffering, we magnify the all-satisfying worth of the Source of our joy. God himself shines as the brightness at the end of our tunnel of pain. 

-John Piper

Loving one’s enemies leads disciples to the way of the cross and into communion with the crucified one. 

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We should learn to look at the blemishes and faults of others--only through the eyes of love, with sympathy, patience, and compassion. We do not know the secret history of the lives of others around us. We do not know what piercing sorrows have produced the scars we see in people's lives. We do not know the pains and trials which make life hard, to many with whom we are tempted to be impatient. If we knew all the secret burdens and the heart-wounds which many keep hidden beneath their smiling faces--we would be patient and gentle with all people.

 -J. R. Miller

Faith is neither a trust nor a belief in the unknown, but the firm knowledge that God is God, that He is true to His word, and, that what He has promised He will bring to pass.

R.J. Rushdoony

I have learned that breezes are always the precursors to wind. And winds usually push in storms. And we all know Who can calm storms. 

-D. Harrison

Reminders to Live By

It's not often that we pull out the book of Ecclesiastes and quote from it, yet it carries some deep wisdom from a man who desired and gained it early in life, but maybe should have applied it (a little) more to himself.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time (Eccl. 1:9-10, NIV).

Here is stated the theme of Ecclesiastes and the heart-cry of the author, King Solomon. Perhaps many of us could relate to the same thoughts today. There truly is nothing new, whether good or bad, that has not already existed beforehand. Our lives are just a dash on the timeline of eternity, so there is no way we would end up seeing something new that has not already been. Whether a heinous sin or the mountain-top joy, mankind and God have seen it already. Do not be surprised at God's greatest blessings, for He gave them to others long before you. Don't be shocked by the revelation of the depth of man's depravity. God's mercy began in the Garden and has been forgiving ever since.

There is a time for everything... (Eccl.3:1)

There really is, you know. Each event is appointed by God, and in some ways regardless of your integrity or folly, His events will unfold until the end of time. Not all good follows one another, and neither does the bad. But it is interspersed throughout our life as He sees fit to grow us. We wonder how the blessings could get any better, or we wonder when the darkness ends, but both do, each in their own time.

I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God (Eccl.3:12-13).

Nothing better. Those are strong words. But do balance them out with the rest of Scripture, too. ;) The principle remains. God desires us to find pleasure and happiness and good in our work. In fact, that's His blessing--His gift to us. He desires that our prospering should lead to happiness and the doing of good, and personal satisfaction. Yet that personal satisfaction is based on the God who gave it, so the glory is His.

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Eccl.4:10, 12).

Companionship is necessary for thriving as a Christian. To survive as a Christian, friendship is not necessary, but God did not mean for us to survive. We were made to thrive, and we imitate the Trinity when we desire friendship. The help, defense, and loyalty of a friend cannot quickly be repaid. How easy it is to be loyal to one's own flesh and blood, but the real test comes when we stand not just with those who are our own flesh, but also with those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all (Eccl.9:11).

Your swiftness, strength, resources, wisdom, or intelligence do not guarantee success or good outcomes. God is sovereign, and life has it's own rewards and consequences, so do not think that just because you are wise that you will be prosperous. Life does not always happen that way.

God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Eccl.12:14). 

Death is promised to all who are here before the Lord returns. It is certain and no man can reverse it, regardless of how they try. The Lord commands the souls of men, and He takes them when He will. For believers, their works will be tried by fire, but their is no judgment to their souls. That has been paid by Christ. For those outside of Him, they will suffer the second death. Solomon ends his book with a warning, but with a hope, as well. Fear God and reverence His word. So no matter which direction life takes you, you have God by your side.

Psalm 88

No words today, except those from Scripture. Here's a Psalm to read; it's not one most people post anywhere, but it's Scripture regardless. It'll make you think about life and about God. Blessings to you all!

Psalm 88

O Lord, the God of my salvation,

I have cried out by day and in the night before You.

Let my prayer come before You;

Incline Your ear to my cry!

For my soul has had enough troubles,

And my life has drawn near to Sheol.

I am reckoned among those who go down to the pit;

I have become like a man without strength,

Forsaken among the dead,

Like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom You remember no more,

And they are cut off from Your hand.

You have put me in the lowest pit,

In dark places, in the depths.

Your wrath has rested upon me,

And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah.

You have removed my acquaintances far from me;

You have made me an object of loathing to them;

I am shut up and cannot go out.

My eye has wasted away because of affliction;

I have called upon You every day, O Lord;

I have spread out my hands to You.

Will You perform wonders for the dead?

Will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah.

Will Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave,

Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?

And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

But I, O Lord, have cried out to You for help,

And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

O Lord, why do You reject my soul?

Why do You hide Your face from me?

I was afflicted and about to die from my youth on;

I suffer Your terrors; I am overcome.

Your burning anger has passed over me;

Your terrors have destroyed me.

They have surrounded me like water all day long;

They have encompassed me altogether.

You have removed lover and friend far from me;

My acquaintances are in darkness.

A Bigger Picture, Part Three

The assignment I'm sharing here today is one question from a larger assignment. I was required to read Mark 5:21-43 and then note the differences and similarities between the stories of Jarius and the woman who had been sick for 12 years. See if you can find the comparisons and contrasts before reading my answers. It's a bit challenging at first, but the more you think about it, the easier it is. Enjoy! :)

Mark 5:21-43 (NASB)

When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Himand touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of heraffliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the powerproceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, they came from the house of thesynagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!”(which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

	Jairus	Bleeding Woman
1	a man	a woman
2	goes to Jesus for help publicly	goes to Jesus for help privately
3	Likely well-to-do financially	Spent all she had on medical doctors
4	Needed healing for daughter	Needed healing for herself
5	Daughter gets worse and dies	Woman  suffers more and gets worse
6	Wanted Jesus to place hands on daughter	Wanted to touch Jesus herself
7	Led the crowd	Followed in/with the crowd
8	Daugher  had shorter sickness	Sick for 12 years
9	Weaker faith	Strong faith
10	Wailing and mourning for girl	Silent suffering
11	Girl lying down	Walking/standing to get to Jesus
12	Called “little girl” by Jeuss	Called “daughter” by Jesus
13	Family all around her	No one else with her (that we know of)
14	Outward sickness/death	Inward bleeding
15	Pleaded verbally for daughter’s healing	Silently touched Jesus’ clothing
16	Daughter 12 years old	Sick for 12 years
17	Only 3 disciples witnessed	Witnessed by crowd
18	Daughter healed after death	Healed before death
19	Jesus laughed  at by mourners	Jesus scoffed at by disciples
20	Synagogue ruler	Poor woman
21	Daugher’s physical healing	Woman’s faith healed her
22	Falls at Jesus’ feet while pleading	Falls at Jesus’ feet while trembling
23	No internal dialogue recorded	Internal dialogue recorded
24	Saw Jesus in the crowd	Heard about Jesus
25	Daughter dies first	Instantaneous healing
26	Jesus questions the crowd as to who touchedHim	Jesus questions mourners as to why they were wailing
27	Jesus went up to dead girl	Went up to Jesus herself
28	Jesus healed girl by speaking	Jesus healed her by power leaving His body
29	Ordered not to tell anyone	Healing observed by crowd
30	No apparent fear of Jesus’ presence	Trembled with fear