Dear Friends,
Someone several years ago was putting together a profile page about me and they asked me if I had a favorite quote I could share.
I hate questions like that.
I mean, really. How can anyone be expected to review all the various quotes they’ve heard or repeated over the years (making sure they don’t miss any) and then somehow, on the fly, priority rank them until they have settled on their number one all-time favorite quote?
In the end, I gave them one. I’m still not sure it’s my absolute favorite, but it’s a good one.
But before I share it with you, here are a few that were runners up.
“If the gospel is not the answer to your problem, you don’t understand your problem.”
Larry Crabb
Man, I remember the spot in the road where I heard him say that. I pulled over and wrote it down. I was brand new to Twitter, and it was one of my very first tweets ever. I still come back to that quote often. The gospel is the power of God until salvation (another great quote). Whatever issue you’re facing today, the gospel has something to say about it.
And speaking of that, here’s a longer quote I repeat (and sing) to myself over and over again.
When Satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God the just is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me.
Charitie Lees Bancroft
If you asked me about my favorite hymn (another impossible question to answer) I would put Before The Throne Of God Above somewhere in the top five. And verse two is… well, it’s Romans 8:1, sung loud and strong.
Here’s another favorite quote that reminds me that there is a big difference between biblical Christianity and moralistic therapeutic deism. It’s a quote from Michael Horton, but its roots go back to Donald Grey Barnhouse:
“What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over half a century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was also broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia (the city where Barnhouse pastored), all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am,” and the churches would be full every Sunday…where Christ was not preached.”
Wow. I mean, just wow.
Here’s the quote that I ultimately identified as my “favorite” for my profiler. It’s been in more than a few of my sermons over the years.
“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.”
-Dr. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones
As always, the Doctor has the correct diagnosis and the proper prescription.
For years, I refused to read a book of non-fiction without a highlighter in my hand. Today, I’m glad for that practice. I can pick up books I’ve read and find lots of sentences or paragraphs that have been formative in my life and in my thinking.
Are there quotes from outside of scripture that God has used powerfully in your life? Quotes that have been seminal in your thinking?
Pass them along. On Facebook maybe. Or Twitter. Or over lunch. You give someone a great gift when you pass along some of the ideas that have helped shape your life.
BLast ’22
You remember seeing all the teenagers with the bright orange shirts last Sunday in church? That came at the end of a packed Blast 22 weekend. The weekend included a lot of activity and fun.
There was time spent in games of skill.
There was something that involved marshmallows.There were hundreds of plastic Easter eggs filled for the upcoming Resurrection Rally.There were service projects.There was ice skating.There was a spectacular Bake Sale that raised $750 for the upcoming missions trip to St. Louis.There was time spent in worship and in the Word.In all, a great weekend with a great group of young people! Thanks to all who played a part in making it a life impacting memorable weekend for the students.This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.
Next Friday night is Good Friday. Our service will start at 7:00 pm on April 15.
The next day is our Resurrection Rally for kids, featuring an Easter egg hunt.
And of course, on Easter morning, we’ll gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
Don’t forget. This Sunday is your last opportunity to bring any spare plastic eggs to donate to the cause. Bring them with you Sunday and add them to the collection basket you see in the lobby at church.
WOMEN’S SPRING GATHERING | APR 25
Last week, I wrote this:
“Ladies, plan not to attend the Women’s Gathering happing on April 25.”
Actually, what I meant to say was this:
“Ladies, plan now to attend the Women’s Gathering happening on April 25.”
One letter can make quite a difference! Congratulations to the eagle eyed readers who caught my typo.
Here again is the info about the upcoming Gathering event!
LET’S LEARN THE 6 DAYS OF CREATION
Tomorrow night, our kid’s ages five to fifth grade will be getting together to learn about how God created the heavens and the earth. KIDS CONNECT will include singing, crafts, games, teaching, snacks, and playing outside!!!Again, here are all the deets!
Who: 5 y/o-5th grade (friends are welcome)
Dates: April 7, 14, 21, 28
Time: 5:00-6:30 (drop off begins at 4:55)
Jesus says there is a connection between keeping His commandments and abiding in His love. But just which commandments is He talking about? Do we earn His love through obedience? We continue our study of the Farewell Discourse in John 15 this Sunday.
See you in church.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
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