The Walk

"I have taught all men repentance and remission of sins,

according to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

For that Gospel I am here,

with a cheerful mind and courage,
ready to suffer death.
What I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood."

John Huss at the stake to be burned -- 1415

Of Two Evils, Choose Neither

Vote how you will, but pray about it.
Enough said, by me.

During the General Election of 1880, a gentleman having written to express his deep regret that Mr. Spurgeon “should have descended from his high and lofty position as a servant of God, and preacher of the everlasting gospel into the defiled arena of party politics,” the Pastor replied...

 Read the rest at BaptistGadfly

The Library

Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folk have lent to me.
     - Anatole France, 1844 - 1924

A collection of good books, with a soul to it in the shape of a librarian, becomes a vitalized power among the impulses by which the world goes on to improvement.
     - Justin Winsor, 1878

The library is not only a diary of the human race, but marks an act of faith in the continuity of humanity.
     - Vartan Gregorian

When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that American society has found one more way to destroy itself.
     - Isaac Asimov, 1920 - 1992

The public library is the most dangerous place in town.
     - John Ciardi, 1916 - 1986

All quotes are courtesy of Uncle Mark and some quote place he subscribes to.

Acquitted

By the righteousness of faith we are acquitted from sin, 

and by the righteousness of works we are acquitted from hypocrisy.       

Thomas Manton - Puritan (1620-1677)

Packed with Reality

"If we do not preach about sin and God's judgment on it, we cannot present Christ as Savior from sin and the wrath of God. And if we are silent about these things, and preach a Christ who saves only from self and the sorrows of this world, we are not preaching the Christ of the Bible. Such preaching may soothe some, but it will help nobody; for a Christ who is not seen and sought as a Savior from sin will not be found to save from self or from anything else."
J. I. Packer

For Whom Shall We Mourn

Here is an appropriate response to the Tiller tragedy by Vision Forum Ministries:

(click on the text below to view the complete article)

George Tiller is dead. For whom shall we mourn?

First, we mourn for the many children he murdered whose names will never make headline news, but whose murder were painful, violent, and bloody at the hands of this man. Second, we mourn for the future children who may be killed as a result of the way the pro-abortion movement will capitalize on this unlawful killing. Third, we mourn for a nation that has broken covenant with God, and that is deserving of God’s just wrath for its complicity in child sacrifice.

Finally, our mourning must lead us to prayer for the Church. God forbid that the blood of the innocent would be on our hands. If we would humble ourselves before the Lord and simply refuse to tolerate abortion in our own ranks, who knows what great things might be lawfully done, with God’s blessing, to bring murderers like George Tiller to an appropriate and earthly justice?

We must not only stand for the truth,
but we must stand for it in a holy manner,
and not as proud persons do;
we must observe that rule,
"Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you
a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear" (I Peter 3:15).
We must not bring passion into God's cause
nor must our lives give our tongues the lie. (Richard Sibbes 1577 - 1635)

Richard Sibbes is Dead

Born over 400 years ago Richard Sibbes, "The Sweet Dropper", dedicated his life to God and the edification of the believers and followers of Christ.

“When struggling against the corruptions of our own hearts,

buffeted by temptations, and mourning over the weakness of our faith,

and the coldness of our love,

let us still remember, that Christ will not break the bruised reed,

nor quench the smoking flax.

As Captain of our salvation, he combats

and conquers our rebellious inclinations,

as well as our outward and spiritual adversaries,

and hath furnished us with the shield of faith, wherewithal to defend ourselves,

and enable us to repel the fiery darts of the devil."

(Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed, 1630)

In Need of Pardon

“O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father;
I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak
and imperfect performance of the duties of this day.
I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins,
but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin,
and they stand in need of pardon.”
“ I have sinned against heaven and before Thee in thought, word, and deed.
I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws.
I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought to have done
and committing what I ought not.
I have rebelled against the light, despising Thy mercies and judgment,
and broken my vows and promise.
I have neglected the better things.
My iniquities are multiplied
and my sins are very great.
I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, detestation and loathing
and desire to be vile in my own eyes
as I have rendered myself vile in Thine.
I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins
for the sake of Thy dear Son and only Savior Jesus Christ
who came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Thou gavest Thy Son to die for me.”

"Make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight,
and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding,
and help me thoroughly to examine myself
concerning my knowledge, faith, and repentance,
increase my faith, and direct me to the true object,
Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life, ..."

A Portion of George Washington's personal prayers

Back in the Valley

Let the wife make the husband glad to come home,
and let him make her sorry to see him leave.
Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

My wife and children were glad to see me come back down the mountain. The mountain top is a good place to get your bearings, see where you are, and where you need to go, but life is lived in the valleys and I wouldn't change that for anything.

I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is
neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God. Amen.
Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

If A Woman Plows...

If a woman plows, the ox will start to cry and not work properly.

~ Nalim (Bhutan)

My wife says this is why she won't touch the lawn mower.

Never Get Caught

"Many of us Christians have become extremely skillful

in arranging our lives so as to admit the truth of Christianity

without being embarrassed by its implications.

We arrange things so that we can get on well enough without divine aid,

while at the same time ostensibly seeking it.

We boast in the Lord

but watch carefully that we never get caught

depending on Him."

A.W. Tozer

BORED

Mr. Eddie Eddings of Facets of Grace and Calvanistic Cartoon Fame reawakened an interest in reading Tozer. So blame him if reading this makes you pick up a copy of The Pursuit of God.

Man is bored,

because he is too big to be happy with that which sin is giving him.

God has made him too great,

his potential is too mighty."

A.W. Tozer

Tombstone

A good character is the best tombstone.

Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you

when forget-me-nots have withered.

Carve your name on hearts,

not on marble.

Charles Spurgeon

Brushfires of Freedom

Minute Man, c.1929

"Honor, justice, and humanity, forbid us tamely to surrender that freedom which we received from our gallant ancestors, and which our innocent posterity have a right to receive from us."
~Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking up Arms, 6 July 1775)

"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men."
~Samuel Adams "The Father of the American Revolution"

Why We Homeschool, Part 2

The lovely daughter and I went to a Daddy/Daughter Dance with

our Church.

Here we are before leaving home.

She smiled and talked all night long.

On the way home we listened to the Christian Music Station.

The song was playing, "...there will be a day with no more fears,

no more tears...",

my daughter interrupted with, "Not for everyone, dad."

I asked her what she meant and she went on to explain that for many people they would not be with God in heaven, they would be in hell.

Then the conversation moved to the importance of spreading the

Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone.

This is why we homeschool.

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ...that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them... loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, Deuteronomy 11:18-22

Ellery's Laws Circa 1993

Once upon a time, I was in college. In my sophomoric wisdom I wrote the following rules for life. Some still apply.

1. There are a lot of people in this world who are going to hell and I have to do something about it.

2. When thou knowest not what thou speakest of, thy mouth is best used for chewing. U.M.S.

3. Everything in life is a game. It is just that some games in life are more serious than others.

4. "Follow the money. When someone says, "It's not the money," it's always the money." R.L.

5. Life is too short to be suckin' lemons.

6. There are no guarantees in this life, only threats.

7. Life is tough, get over it.

8. Being single is not a curse. It just feels like one.

9. You only get to call it a date if the girl lets you hold her hand. You only get to have sex with her if she is your wife.

10. Love without action is nothing. Love is a choice, and is rarely easy.

Justice and Robbery

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?

Saint Augustine

Let Us Pray

It is a common temptation of Satan

to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer

when our enjoyment is gone;

as if it were of no use to read the Scriptures when we do not enjoy them,

and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer.

George Muller

Democrat says Welfare is a Narcotic

State of the Union 1935
President Franklin D. Roosevelt

The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber.

To dole our relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is in violation of the traditions of America.

The Federal Government must and shall quit this business of
relief.

I am not willing that the vitality of our people be further sapped by
the giving of cash, of market baskets, of a few hours of weekly work cutting grass, raking leaves, or picking up papers in the public parks.

We must preserve not only the bodies of the unemployed from destitution but also their self-respect, their self-reliance, and courage and determination.

The CATO Institute has an interesting article on this subject. WELFARE AND THE CULTURE OF POVERTY by William A. Niskanen

Faith and Cool Hair

I just finished reading a biography of the Prussian George Muller(1805-1898), father to 10,000 orphans in Bristol, England. Here are a few quotes from the man.

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" means, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

My wife and I had the grace to take the Lord's commandment in Luke
12:33 literally: 'Sell that ye have and give alms.' We never regretted
taking that step. God blessed us abundantly as He taught us to trust in Him
alone. He never failed us."

"A servant of God has but one Master."