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

Grace of God and Tombstones

 

Bradford (1510  - 1555)

"'There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford."  said John witnessing a fellow prisoner being lead to execution.  After his two year imprisionment he and John Leaf(Lease) were themselves taken to Newcastle Prison where they were chained to a stake in preperation for their own execution.  Turning to Leaf, Bradford said,

 "Be of good comfort brother; for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night!"

Tombstones

Two different reactions to death

"If we desire to end our days in joy and comfort, let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes. To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine: it is no easy matter. But to die well is a matter of every day. Let us daily do some good that may help us at the time of our death. Every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin, that so when death comes, we may have nothing to do but to die. To die well is the action of the whole life.";
Richard Sibbes, Puritan (1577-1635)


On his deathbed, the cattleman asks,
"What's that you always say Rafe?"
"Tis a poor thing to fear the inevitable"
"Who said it Rafe?"
"Someone who wasn't dying."
Louis L'amour - Crossfire Trail

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)

Dead Men Do Tell

John Newton, Clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa,

was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,

preserved, pardoned and appointed to preach the Faith he had

long laboured to destroy.

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

Who sees you?

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him. "Before Philip called you, when your were under the fig tree, I saw you." (John 1:47-48)

May Jesus say of us, "Behold, here is one indeed, in whom is no deceit!"

Current Favorite book line of all time.

"An Upright Man willing to run considerable risk."

That would look nice on a tombstone.