Dear Friends,
Today I want to offer you some wise and insightful thoughts which (to the best of my knowledge!) I have never sent out before. Some from current authors, some from antiquated authors – but all very insightful and helpful. I find that reading the insights of people past and present helps widen our perspective and make us realize that godly wisdom runs through the entire 2000 year history of the church, passed down to us from men and women, and from people of different countries, cultures, ethnicities and continents. Therefore I have added some notes regarding each author. Enjoy.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot (1927-1956) wrote this phrase in his journal, before he was martyred in the jungles of Ecuador by members of the Huaorani (Auca) tribe, along with four other missionaries – Ed McCully, Roger Youdarian, Pete Flemming, and Nate Saint, on January 8, 1956.
“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.” “If you can trust God to save you for eternity, you can trust him to lead you for a lifetime.” David Platt (1978- ) presently pastor of the 8,000 member McMcLean Bible Church in Vienna Virginia, and best-selling author of the book, “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.”
“I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God’s thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.” George MacDonald (1824-1904) was a Scottish Congregational minister, and pioneer in the field of modern fantasy literature. He was one of the biggest influences on the thought, faith, and writings of C. S. Lewis.
“Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin.” “We should be so joyful from God’s grace that others would respond by saying, ‘I wish I had your God.'” “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Francis Chan (1967- ) is a popular contemporary Chinese-born best-selling author and teacher, who pastors the Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley California. Francis also founded “Eternity Bible College” in 2004, and has served as a board member on several Christian social justice organizations including “Children’s Hunger Fund,” “Gospel for Asia,” and “Care for Children.”
Today I want to offer you some wise and insightful thoughts which (to the best of my knowledge!) I have never sent out before. Some from current authors, some from antiquated authors – but all very insightful and helpful. I find that reading the insights of people past and present helps widen our perspective and make us realize that godly wisdom runs through the entire 2000 year history of the church, passed down to us from men and women, and from people of different countries, cultures, ethnicities and continents. Therefore I have added some notes regarding each author. Enjoy.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot (1927-1956) wrote this phrase in his journal, before he was martyred in the jungles of Ecuador by members of the Huaorani (Auca) tribe, along with four other missionaries – Ed McCully, Roger Youdarian, Pete Flemming, and Nate Saint, on January 8, 1956.
“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.” “If you can trust God to save you for eternity, you can trust him to lead you for a lifetime.” David Platt (1978- ) presently pastor of the 8,000 member McMcLean Bible Church in Vienna Virginia, and best-selling author of the book, “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream.”
“I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God’s thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.” George MacDonald (1824-1904) was a Scottish Congregational minister, and pioneer in the field of modern fantasy literature. He was one of the biggest influences on the thought, faith, and writings of C. S. Lewis.
“Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin.” “We should be so joyful from God’s grace that others would respond by saying, ‘I wish I had your God.'” “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” Francis Chan (1967- ) is a popular contemporary Chinese-born best-selling author and teacher, who pastors the Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley California. Francis also founded “Eternity Bible College” in 2004, and has served as a board member on several Christian social justice organizations including “Children’s Hunger Fund,” “Gospel for Asia,” and “Care for Children.”
“Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is, just do the next thing. God will meet you there.” “Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.” “Leave it all in the hands that were wounded for you.” Elisabeth Elliot, (1926-2015) was born in Brussels, Belgium, met her first husband Jim Elliot (above) at Wheaton College. He was martyred only three years after their marriage. After his martyrdom by the Auca Indians, Elisabeth returned to the jungles of Ecuador two years later, built a rustic shack, and with her daughter Valerie, ministered to the tribe who killed her husband and friends. Her book, “The Savage, My Kinsman” which chronicles her time there, is an amazing read. So are “Through Gates of Splendor” and “Shadow of the Almighty.”
“Remember this, had any other condition been better for you than the one which you are in, divine love would have put you there.” “Ah! What a mercy it is that it is not your hold of Christ that saves you, but His hold of you!” “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.” Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), British Baptist preacher often cited as the best ever. His preaching kept crowds of up to 5,000 spellbound even at 19! He also started and taught at a college for pastors, started a large orphanage, an almshouse (home for needy widows), wrote commentaries, books on prayer, preaching, and practical Christianity, devotionals, magazine articles, and dabbled in poetry and writing hymns. Printed copies of his sermons sold 25,000 copies weekly. Though he could have been one of the richer men in London, he used the money from his books and sermons to build the 5000 seat Tabernacle he preached in, build and fund the orphanage, and the almshouse, and donate good quality Christian literature into the hands of poor pastors throughout England.
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” “Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties. When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow the stronger. Let it be so with us.” Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) was an Irish missionary who founded a mission in Dohnavur, India, 30 miles from its southernmost tip. In her lifetime she rescued over 1,000 abandoned young girls, or young girls trafficked into temple prostitution. In 1918 she added a home for young boys who had been born to such women. She never married and served in India for 58 years without ever taking a furlough. In order to respect Indian culture she wore Indian clothes, ate Indian food, gave her rescued children Indian names, and even dyed her pale skin darker with dark coffee. Responding to a lady considering life as a missionary, and asking what it was like, Carmichael wrote: “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.” (Thus the title of Elisabeth Elliot’s biography about her life, “A Chance to Die,” which should be required reading!) Desperately lacking funds for the home at one point, she prayed a desperate prayer: “Do anything, Lord, that will fit me to serve Thee and help my beloveds.” Later that day she fell into a 6 foot pit, dislocated her ankle and broke her leg, leaving her essentially bedridden the last two decades of her life. Yet, her injury was also the answer to her prayer, as her lack of mobility gave her time to write books (35 of them). The money from their sales funded much of the home's expenses from that time forward.
“Remember this, had any other condition been better for you than the one which you are in, divine love would have put you there.” “Ah! What a mercy it is that it is not your hold of Christ that saves you, but His hold of you!” “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.” Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), British Baptist preacher often cited as the best ever. His preaching kept crowds of up to 5,000 spellbound even at 19! He also started and taught at a college for pastors, started a large orphanage, an almshouse (home for needy widows), wrote commentaries, books on prayer, preaching, and practical Christianity, devotionals, magazine articles, and dabbled in poetry and writing hymns. Printed copies of his sermons sold 25,000 copies weekly. Though he could have been one of the richer men in London, he used the money from his books and sermons to build the 5000 seat Tabernacle he preached in, build and fund the orphanage, and the almshouse, and donate good quality Christian literature into the hands of poor pastors throughout England.
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” “Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties. When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow the stronger. Let it be so with us.” Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) was an Irish missionary who founded a mission in Dohnavur, India, 30 miles from its southernmost tip. In her lifetime she rescued over 1,000 abandoned young girls, or young girls trafficked into temple prostitution. In 1918 she added a home for young boys who had been born to such women. She never married and served in India for 58 years without ever taking a furlough. In order to respect Indian culture she wore Indian clothes, ate Indian food, gave her rescued children Indian names, and even dyed her pale skin darker with dark coffee. Responding to a lady considering life as a missionary, and asking what it was like, Carmichael wrote: “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.” (Thus the title of Elisabeth Elliot’s biography about her life, “A Chance to Die,” which should be required reading!) Desperately lacking funds for the home at one point, she prayed a desperate prayer: “Do anything, Lord, that will fit me to serve Thee and help my beloveds.” Later that day she fell into a 6 foot pit, dislocated her ankle and broke her leg, leaving her essentially bedridden the last two decades of her life. Yet, her injury was also the answer to her prayer, as her lack of mobility gave her time to write books (35 of them). The money from their sales funded much of the home's expenses from that time forward.
“Abundance isn’t God’s provision for me to live in luxury. It’s his provision for me to help others live. God entrusts me with his money not to build my kingdom on earth, but to build his kingdom in heaven.” Randy Alcorn (1954-2021) was born in Portland Oregon. He was the founder of “Eternal Perspective Ministries” and author of more than 60 books which have sold over 12 million copies. Randy spent his life speaking up, for and ministering to, the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, and unsupported people. His books include, “Heaven,” “The Treasure Principle,” “If God is Good,” “Safely Home,” and “The Grace and Truth Paradox.” He is known as a man of integrity who lived what he preached.
“I do not always feel His presence, but God’s promises do not depend upon my feelings, they rest upon His integrity.” R.C. Sproul (1939-2017) was born in Pittsburgh, PA. He was a highly gifted man physically and intellectually. When he was in the 6th grade he was playing baseball with young twenty-somethings, later being offered a full scholarship to play baseball for the University of Pittsburgh, hoping one day to play for the Pirates. Yet, instead, he ended up accepting an athletic scholarship to play at Westminster. At one point his freshman year, he went to buy some cigarettes (Lucky Strikes) at a vending machine on the campus. A star of the football team was in the room studying his Bible with a friend. They called R. C. (who had never seen “a Bible Study”) over. One of them turned his Bible to Ecclesiastes 11:3 and told R.C. to read the verse. It says, “If a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place that it falls there will it lie.” Sproul would later state that he is probably the only person in church history ever converted by that verse! It “cut me in two,” for he saw himself as that tree. Though a church attender, he was spiritually dead, fallen, rotting, and decaying. He left that room, returned to his dorm room, knelt beside his bed, and was overwhelmed by what he called, “transcendant forgiveness” and “the tender mercy of God” and “the sweetness of His grace.” He became a Presbyterian minister and seminary professor, probably best-known for his prolific speaking and writing ministry, with thousands of articles and over 60 books. Most were written in defense of Reformed or the Grace-centered theology of the Protestant Reformers. He also founded “Ligonier Ministries.” He was a lover of art, history, philosophy, literature, architecture, film, and music, playing the piano from an early age and learning the violin when he was 63 years old.
Hope that was helpful! Pastor Jeff
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