GEMS

As I read books and listen to preachers and others speak, occasionally I read or hear a gem of truth that is so outstanding and powerful  that it merits being remembered and shared with others. Watch this link for new gems as I unearth them. 

Freedom or Tyranny

“When a government fears its people you have freedom. When the people fear their government you have tyranny.” — Thomas Jefferson

Equality

“One also finds in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to want to bring the strong down to their level, and which reduces men to preferring equality in servitude to inequality in freedom”
Alexis De Toqueville

Who’s Upsidedown?

‎”Scripture says the early Christians ‘turned the world upsidedown’ Acts 17:6. In our generation the world is turning the church upsidedown.” From John MacArthur’s 2010 3rd edition of his book, Ashamed of the Gospel, a book well worth reading.

Crucified to the World

My desires seem especially to be after weanedness from the world, perfect deadness to it, and that I may be crucified to all its allurements. My soul desires to feel itself more of a pilgrim and a stranger here below, that nothing may divert me from pressing through the lonely desert, till I arrive at my Father’s …house.” –

David Brainerd  18th century American missionary to Native Americans in the New York/Pennsylvania area.  Died at the age of 29.

Don’t Worry

Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” When God says no, there is a reason…and it is a good one.

God’s doing something upriver that you just can’t see yet. It’s always tough when something we want doesn’t happen, but the best thing about God is, He’s got your best interests in mind.  anon.

Charles Spurgeon

An American tourist visiting England in 1888, preparing to sail home the next week, took his last long awaited opportunity to hear the famous Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s preach in his church.

Upon arriving just before the service began, he was deeply disappointed to find the church packed with no room for him.  An usher noting his disappointment as he was turning to walk away, leaned of his desire and  led him to the front of the auditorium to an empty seat in the first row.

After the service was over, as the tourist was leaving the church,  the usher found him again and asked him what he thought of his pastor, Spurgeon.

The tourist replied.  “I didn’t see Spurgeon.  I only saw Jesus.”

Apathy

“Everywhere there is apathy. Nobody cares whether that which is preached is true or false.  A sermon is a sermon whatever the subject.”     Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Refusing to worship God

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” ~CS Lewis

True humility

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.       C.S.Lewis

Lunatic or Lord!

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a good moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
C.S. Lewis

How to avoid a broken heart

   

‎”Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;… avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket–safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. ” -C.S. Lewis, “The Four Loves”

Who gets the credit?

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.-

Harry Truman

Fear and Faith

“FEAR puts your circumstances between you and God, 
  FAITH puts God between you and your circumstances.”

my sister, Carolyn Sherman, shared this on Face Book

Running Over

The optimist says, the cup is half full. The pessimist says, the cup is half empty. The child of God says; My cup runneth over. –Anonymous

Majors and Minors

Don’t “Major on the Minors” or you’ll “Minor on the Majors!” – Karl Bastian

Contentment

“Christian contentment is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord and to be totally at His disposal in the place He appoints, at the time He chooses, with the provision He is pleased to make.”        Randy Alcorn

Diplomats or Prophets

“We who preach the Gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We are not diplomats, but prophets and our message is not compromise but an ultimatum.”   

 AW Tozer in Man The Dwelling Place of God 1966

“Cocooning Ourselves”

Throughout this year we will be emphasizing the social graces, things that will heighten your effectiveness for the Gospel’s sake. This morning we’re talking about “cocooning” ourselves. We go from our personal vehicle to our cell phone to our computer, and we can go throughout a day surrounded by people and yet not really involved with them. These “things” can keep us isolated from others (which is rude, thoughtless and uncaring). They can feed the feeling of self-importance and de-emphasize the worth of others (Philippians 2:3).

Introduction to a daily chapel message at Bob Jones University by President Stephen Jones

I am pleased that the  emphasis on  practical Christian living that I received from Dr. Bob Jones Sr. in chapel over fifty years ago  is still being emphasized by the Founder’s great-grandson, Dr. Stephen Jones. who is the current president of Bob Jones University.

Our Happiness?

“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.” – C.S. Lewis