Quotes about the Bible (Part 1)

"The wise man has got to know his God. That is the goal of all our Bible study."
Stephen Motyer
Unlock The Bible, 1990

"The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts."
A.W. Tozer (Aiden Wilson Tozer) (1897-1963)
American Pastor and Writer
The Pursuit of God, 1948

Howl, Fir Tree, For The Cedar Is Fallen

Zechariah 11:2

When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its scabbard-let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp-let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.

Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

[C.H. Spurgeon - Morning and Evening, Sept. 26]

The Joyful Father!

This is a lengthy but worthwhile sermon about grace preached by John MacArthur. May your knowledge of the grace of God deepen as you search the scriptures and discover all the riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Blessed

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

(Psalms 1:1-3 ESV)

A Perfect World

"Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."
-- 1 Corinthians 13:9-12

We are still like little children, knowing so little of God's work, grumbling and complaining when things don't go our way, struggling to keep up with doing what's right, trampling through mud in an imperfect world. But one day, we will understand completely, there will be no more confusion and complaints, and we will walk on streets of transparent gold in a perfect world (Rev. 21:21).

Let's Think Long-Term

Have you learned to take a long-term look at your short-term problems?

Whenever something frustrating happens, don't immediately become upset. Instead, ask yourself if this problem is really worth getting aggravated over: is this a five minute problem, a five hour problem, a five month problem, or a five year problem?

For example, if you can't find where around your house you left your car keys, don't let that steal your love, joy, peace, or patience. Being five minutes late to most things is not worth losing your joy. Similarly, if you're stuck in a traffic jam, don't let that ruin your Fruit of the Spirit. It's not worth getting upset and uptight about a ten minute delay on your way to work. Indeed, ten minutes is nothing compared to all of eternity.

Also, remember that God may be using your short-term problem for a long-term purpose. That's why James 1:2-4 says, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. God will work through your current trials and difficulties in order to produce lasting benefits such as faith, perseverance, and spiritual maturity. That's why it's important to take a long-term look at your short-term problems.

Give Thanks!

Thankfulness depends on what is in your heart, not what is in your hand.

Most people have no trouble finding things to complain about: traffic is slow, gas is too expensive, the weather is bad, prices are too high. Yet in every single situation, that same person also has a lot to be thankful for: he can drive, has a car, has a shelter to be protected from the weather, and has the money to purchase necessary items.

Your circumstances may not be all that great, but wherever you are it is God's will that you give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As a Christian, that is possible because no matter what your circumstances are, you can always thank God for deliverance through Christ (see 2 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 7:24-25).

Indeed, the Israelites knew that thanksgiving was so important that part of the official duty of the tribe of Levi was to thank God: They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord (1 Chronicles 23:30). They had heart of thankfulness and were instructed to be thankful regardless of what happened that day.

The psalmist wrote: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). Notice that we can't even enter God's gates unless we're thankful.

It certainly is possible to live giving thanks to God the Father for everything (Ephesians 5:20), because thankfulness depends on what is in your heart, not what is in your hand.

Suffering