Quoteworthy, On Prayer

"I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the people these little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives."
--Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

Wow. And probably true.

-J

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! --Luke 11:11-13

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

This tune by J.S. Bach is quite common, especially in weddings. But have you ever heard the words? It was originally written in German, but the translation reads:

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy Wisdom, Love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls, aspiring,
Soar to uncreated light.

Word of God, our flesh that fashion'd,
With the fire of life impassion'd,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying, round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings!
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.

Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.

Isn't that beautiful? I love the imagery of Jesus as the fulfilling joy of our desires. And God as 'uncreated light.' And His breath infusing us with the fire of life. And Hope guiding us. And drinking from deathless springs of joy. It truly is lovely. I hope you enjoyed it too.

-J

Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty.
He wraps Himself in light as with a garment;
He stretches out the heavens like a tent
And lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
And rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds His messengers,
Flames of fire His servants.
He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved...

May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
May the LORD rejoice in his works--
He who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
Who touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to Him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.
--Psalm 104:1-5, 31-34, NIV

A Good Reminder...

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
~Attributed to both T.H. Thompson and John Watson

Found I needed this today. Pretty sure that says something not great about me, but at least God sent the reminder... ;-)

-J

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. --Colossians 3:12-13, NIV

Quoteworthy - The Fool vs. The Wise

The Scriptures spend much time--and an entire group of books [i.e., the Wisdom Literature]--discussing the topic of wisdom. The contrast is constantly drawn, especially in Proverbs, of the wise vs. the fool. It seems this idea crept into Persia at some point, and came back out in the form of this Persian proverb:

He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; shun him.
He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child; teach him.
He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep; wake him.
He who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise; follow him.

God's truth. Man's words. Good stuff.

-J

Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
--Proverbs 14:7-8, NIV

(c) 2009

Blah, Blah, Blah...*wink*

I'm having a blah day. I didn't sleep well--no idea why. I don't feel great either--for no definable reason. Mentally, I'm slumped and emotionally, I'm drained. I'm not BAD...I'm just BLAH.

So I was pretty encouraged when this quote popped up on my google home page today: Only the mediocre are always at their best. - Jean Giraudoux

I feel a lot better now, as I am definitely not at my best, and I definitely don't want to be mediocre.

Then, I decided to figure out who Jean Giraudoux was. I did a quick search, and discovered that he was a French novelist/dramatist who lived through WWI and died toward the end of WWII. And then I ran across this quote...

When you see a woman who can go nowhere without a staff of admirers, it is not so much because they think she is beautiful; it is because she has told them they are handsome.

...and I chuckled. And I found that laughter really is good medicine. The smile on my face has made me feel better already.

On my way,
-J

(c) 2009

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. --Proverbs 17:22, NIV

And just because it cheered my heart to remember The Hope of All The Earth...

For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.
Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled.
O You who hear prayer, to You all men will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins, You forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts!
We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple.
You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, Who formed the mountains by Your power, having armed Yourself with strength, Who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.
Those living far away fear Your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades You call forth songs of joy.
You care for the land and water it; You enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so You have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the desert overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. --Psalm 65, NIV

Quote & Note

Ran across this, and in light of next week's big event (No, that's not the end of daylight savings time. I mean the ELECTION--here in the USA, at least.), I thought I would plant this thought:

Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.
--Margaret Thatcher

I would like to kindly recommend that we each review that philosophy, and then vote it.

Thanks for indulging this political moment.
Smiles,
-J

(c) 2008

Deep Thoughts? Maybe...

I have feature on my Google homepage that is intended to be funny. They post inane thought under the title "Things to Ponder." Think "Deep Thoughts by Hal Lindsey " from the early 90s and you'll have the idea.

However, recently they spoofed this quote from Shakespeare's As You Like It:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

With this:
If the entire world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

Well, it's actually an excellent question. And the answer is quite easy:
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. --Ephesians 3:10-11

Did you know that your life--and in this passage, specifically the mystery of the Church--is being played out on a stage for all the angelic beings (good and bad) to witness? It is designed so that they may recognize the wisdom of God.

It seems that this then begs a question: Are they recognizing His wisdom in my life? I don't know about you, but some days, I'm ready for the next part of the play to start, a tiny 'refresh' moment where I can get my 'motivation' right and properly prepare my 'lines.' So today...I'm declaring the start of Act II! :-)

Not play-acting, but an actor in God's play,
-J

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. --Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV

(c) 2008

Quoting Someone I Actually Know

Usually my 'Quoteworthy' moments are famous--often dead--people that I have never met. In many cases, that is great, since meeting dead people is not on my list of things to do in this life.

However, every once in awhile, someone I actually know personally says something really great, profound, and/or noteworthy. I received one of those today from my ever-increasingly-profound-and-wise uncle. (It was actually his son who I referred to in yesterday's post.)

In a note from him, I received this gem:

Funny--the water never parts in the desert, just at the promise line.

That'll make you think, and then go, "Yeah. I agree; that's true." And later, the nice twist in the wording will hit you, and you'll appreciate it even more. At least that's what happened to me.

Hope it blesses,
-J

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. --Romans 5:1-6

(c) 2008

Quoteworthy

Just ran across this beauty, and thought I would share:

"To choose suffering makes no sense at all; to choose God's will in the midst of our suffering makes all the sense in the world." --Oswald Chambers

Well said, brother. You are one wise man.
-J

On Lincoln and Wisdom

Abraham Lincoln. A man of reserve, courage, and wisdom. How did he gain such discernment, such skill in living and administering (for that is what wisdom is)? Perhaps this will help to clarify:

'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.
--Abraham Lincoln

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
--Proverbs 17:28, NIV

Clear?

;-)
-J

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known. --Proverbs 14:33

Quoteworthy

Proof That Democracy Is Alive And Well in America:
"Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship." --Harry S Truman

There you have it! :-) Keep that in mind the next time you have to visit the DMV...
-J

Brain Fodder

Here's a quote I heard this week:

It is not enough that we do our best. Sometimes we have to do what is required. -Winston Churchill

Whatcha think?
-J

Quoteworthy

There must be more to life than having everything. -Maurice Sendak

I have have no idea who this guy is. However, I'm pretty sure he's echoing another, more familiar sage: Solomon. Isn't that what the whole book of Ecclesiastes is about?

There is more to life, and it's Jesus.

Joyously living in Christ,
-J

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
--Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV

(c) 2008

Quote on Aging

No wise man ever wished to be younger. --Jonathan Swift

[And, I might add, no wise woman did either. She just wanted to LOOK younger! :-D]

With crinkles starting around my eyes,
-J

(c) 2008

Nice Quotes On What It Takes...

Ministry is giving when you feel like keeping,
Praying for others when you need to be prayed for,
Feeding others 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 is not convenient.
It is being faithful when your flesh wants to run away.
-Author Unknown

Ministry: Doing what you cannot do with what you do not have for the rest of your life.
-Dr. Bill Lawrence, Prof. Em. at Dallas Theological Seminary

Blessings,
-J

Why A Fool And His Folly Are Rarely Parted

The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -Herbert Spencer

I have no idea who Herbert Spencer is. I didn't even try to look him up. This quote can stand on its own, as it echos messages from the book of Proverbs!

One dictionary defines folly as, "a foolish action, practice, idea, etc.; absurdity." When we don't let people experience the results of their foolish actions, they cannot and will not learn to not do those foolish actions.

It brings to mind a catch-phrase often bantered around in the parenting realm: natural consequences. Often, parents must present consequences to their children that do not naturally flow from their behavior. But frequently, children can learn not to repeat an action simply by experiencing the outcome of those choices; these are natural consequences.

It seems to me that often God lets us experience natural consequences so that we can learn to part ways with our folly. I'll give just one example: credit cards. Need I say more? Some of you probably use these as the tool they were designed to be. But for some of us, digging out of the trap of easy money we fell into when we started using credit cards is God's method of helping us depart from our folly. I'm really ready to be separated from both my folly and my consequences! But sometimes, to really learn to forsake our foolishness, the consequences need to drag on...and on... But someday, I will be completely free from foolishness, possessing the wisdom found in the mind of Christ! When God writes His children's stories, there are happy endings!

I just wanted to share with you what I felt was an apt quote for our generation. When we shield people from the consequences of their actions, we do what God doesn't--doom the world to her folly.

Seeking wisdom,
-J

Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public squares;
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me.
Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,
since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me [wisdom] will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."
-Proverbs 1:20-33, NIV

(c) 2008

Quoteworthy

The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.
-Carl F. Henry, as quoted in the NTM calendar, April

-J

Aspirations

I aspire to this:

A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her. -Maya Angelou

Just thought I'd share,
-J

Isn't This So True?

...The best framework for the Lord God to do His most ideal work is when things are absolutely impossible and we feel totally unqualified to handle it. That's His favorite circumstance. Those are His ideal working conditions....Time after time, He brings us to our absolute end and then proves Himself faithful. That, my friend, is not only the story of my life, it's the story of the Bible in a nutshell.

-Charles R. Swindoll
Great Days with the Great Lives

Just Ran Across This...

Here's a little quote that is making me eat recently uttered words:

One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy. -Elisabeth Elliott

Wowser. The middle part got me, "...If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there..." Might need to reeval my list...

-J