Quotes

My Mother sent these to me this morning.

Love through me, Love of God,
Make me like Thy clear air
Through which unhindered, colors pass
As though it were not there.

Powers of the love of Good,
Depths of the heart Divine,
O Love that faileth not, break forth,
And flood this world of thine.

Amy Carmichael

In the first part of this poem about (Him making us as clear air that color can pass through), It made me think about what we are here on earth for. We are here to bring glory to the Father & to bring others to the Father. When people look at us they should not see us, they should see the Father and His beauty. When they are seeing the Lord through us, the Love of the Father will be able to come out and touch those around us.

Would it not be strange if a universe without purpose accidentally created humans who are so obsessed with purpose?
Sir John Templeton

:)

Devotional from today (Thinking)

My Sister and I are reading these devotional posts of Elizabeth Elliot's and discussing what we learn. I found the first section sad and ( convicting? thought provoking?). Are we teaching people to communicate? Do I find I have brought trouble to my own mind, will, or emotions by careless speech? Am I practicing self-control & working on thoughtful, purposeful communication?!

It reminded me of some verses:
Proverbs 10:19 - In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
Ecclesiastes 5:3 - For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by a multitude of words.
Proverbs 22:23- Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tounge keepeth his soul from troubles.


Careless speech can be confusing, harmful and cause misunderstandings. I know I've thought I was being helpful explaining something in great detail when all I did was confuse by talking too much. Oh that I will practice what I know I should do.

.http://www.backtothebible.org/devotions/authors_attic/elliot
Thinking / Speaking

Question-and-answer is a vanishing art. We are so drowned and smothered and deafened by panels, dialogues, rap sessions, discussions, talk shows, and other such exercises in the pooling of ignorance that, far from developing the art of asking questions and giving answers, we have very nearly lost it altogether. The time allotted for a program must, it seems, be filled--it doesn't much matter with what.

When is the last time you heard a clear, short question asked and a straight answer given? My heart sinks when it is announced that, following the lecture, there will be time for discussion. People put up their hands, but it turns out that it is not information they are after at all. They want the floor. They go on and on.

I was one of the panel of experts (i.e., married women) discussing the subject of marriage in a college women's dormitory a few years ago. Afterward there were lots of questions. But it was hard to figure out just what the questions were. Here is one of them (verbatim--I did not make this up. It was taped and then transcribed): .

* Um--like--um--I have a couple questions. Do you think--like--that--uh--do you think a woman could have a call just to be--like--a wife, but not--like--not just to be a wife--like, say, you know--if you're gonna be personal--like--my own engagement--like--I have a gift of--you know--a talent in music, you know--like--I mean, I know you're not saying--like--you know, especially in that case, I mean, you're saying more like--you have--like--I think our greatest thing in common probably is--um--is that--you know--is the dedication to serve God--you know--in the desire to, to follow--you know--to do his leading and--like--neither of us, you know, and especially in this kind of life you don't have a blueprint of what you--what he's gonna be doing necessarily, you know--and I'm just kinda concerned because like--you know--I've even thought about that cause I've kinda had a conflict--you know--growing up that way--you know--I'm talented musically--you know--so therefore I should probably look for somebody that's talented musically but he--he likes it--you know--I mean, he doesn't understand it totally but I'm sure we could live happily together with it, you know, but I don't expect him to have a--you know--yearning to go to all the Beethoven concerts or anything--you know--but I mean--I've heard of very happy marriages where--you know--there's quite different--you know--interests--you know--there.

(I apologize for not knowing the rules of punctuation for this kind of English.) Nobody on the panel knew what the girl was asking. She was confused--that came through loud and clear, but she might have seen through some of the fog simply by making the effort to clarify and shorten her question.


Sometimes I have been tempted to tell the audience that only questions of twenty-five words or less will be entertained. But I don't want to put people off any more than I can help.

William Strunk, Jr., in his wonderful little book, The Elements of Style, gives this advice:

To air one's views at an improper time may be in bad taste. If you have received a letter inviting you to speak at the dedication of a new cat hospital, and you hate cats, your reply, declining the invitation, does not necessarily have to cover the full range of your emotions. You must make it clear that you will not attend, but you do not have to let fly at cats... Bear in mind that your opinion of cats was not sought, only your services as a speaker. Try to keep things straight.


Americans dearly love to be polled for opinion. They feel that they ought to have opinions, to "hold views," on everything, and polls give them a chance to let fly. It is interesting to note how small a percentage of those polled admit to having "No opinion."


If the answer is Yes, say Yes. If it's No, say No. (The Bible will back me up here.) If it's I don't know, say that--if you possibly can! My daughter had a classmate in the seventh grade who, when asked a question by the teacher, never raised his chin off his hand, but looking into space said glumly, "I don't know." To a second question he replied, in the same laconic tone, "I don't know that either." I couldn't help wanting to know which boy that was. I liked him. It was discouraging for the teacher, I'm sure, that he didn't know, but it was not nearly so discouraging to hear him say so in three words as it would have been to hear three hundred words which came to the same thing. Every day in the mass media we have to listen to palaver, twaddle, and balderdash which, when interpreted, means "I don't know."


Some people are constitutionally incapable of admitting they don't know. "Well, let's just say I don't know the answer to that one," a woman once said to me.

Great people, however, can often disarm us completely with a candid acknowledgment such as Samuel Johnson's when asked by an indignant woman whatever made him define pastern as he did in his lexicon. "Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance!"

The Quechua Indians of Ecuador have a way of dropping the corners of their mouths, thrusting out their chins, and gazing off across the treetops, saying "Hmm hmm?" which is supposed to convey the impression that the matter is a mysterious one which they are in on but which would really be beyond you. At other times they come up with ineluctable answers like the one a missionary got when he wanted to know the name of a tree with yellow flowers on it. The Indian studied the tree for a little while, shading his eyes with his hand, and then said earnestly, "Well, I'll tell you, Senor Eduardo. That tree over there, the one you point to, the tree with the yellow flowers on it--that tree, Senor Eduardo...we call The Yellow Flower Tree."


The late W. H. Auden once appeared on a television interview and it was delicious to see his interviewers thrown completely off balance by the clarity and the brevity of his answers. They had their questions carefully worked out and the timing approximated, but long before the show was over they were casting about for new questions. ; } When they asked if he thought of poetry as a means of self-expression, he said, "No, not at all. You write a poem because you have seen something which seems worth sharing with others." The ideal reaction from the reader is, 'I knew that all along, but I never realized it.' He could, I am sure, have lectured for an hour on that one subject, but he didn't. He had a sense of occasion.


"You will be living in Oxford, England, Mr. Auden. Do you expect to be teaching there?"

"No."

"You won't be teaching. (Pause.) Well, Mr. Auden, as you move into the more--shall we say--mellow years, would you say that you have any unfulfilled ambitions?"

"No."

One of my unfulfilled ambitions was to hear a simple answer on a TV talk show. Thank you, Mr. Auden.

Last few weeks

Time moves so quickly. It seems like I am usually trying to catch up with all of the things that are going on. We had a group come over the other night to go carol around the neighborhood and then go to our house for cake, games, hot chocolate, and fellowship. It was a wonderful evening! We celebrated my birthday along with a friend of mine that I have known since I was 8 years old. It was great! Since then my family and I have been trying to get ready for our family that is coming into town for Christmas, and all of the things that go along with that. I love this time of year, the chilly air, relatives, lights, Snow, and parties. I love to get together with the brethren and fellowship. My family with another family is also putting together a Barn Dance for New Years Eve. We are so excited! I have to say though, I have never called so many gyms, community centers, or churches. Dad and I were both calling places these last few days trying to figure things out. As usual everything will come together at the end, it always works out that way. :) Sigh. I have been thinking back on this last year though and all of the changes that have taken place. All of the new brothers and sister in the Lord I have met, and fellowshipped with. All of the friends that are now in college, married, and starting a family. It is amazing how quickly something can change. When we had some of our friends over to go carol through the neighborhood, and fellowship with, I was sitting in one of the rooms looking at all of the groups talking, laughing and enjoying themselves. We have all changed so much, but at the same time, we are still ourselves. It is like watching a family grow up and seeing them mature together as well as individually. It brought to memory the verse that says Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 He (the Lord is perfecting His children, and I have been blessed to see it). I was thinking about it again this morning and read: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good work, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. He desires us to walk worth of the vocation which He has set before us. I am seeing my family in the Lord do just that and I am richly blessed by their willingness to be molded by the Lord.

Psalm 18:1-36

This passage of scripture reminded me what our Lord has done, and what He has promised to continue to do for the sake of His children. May His Word bless you today.

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of the ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears.

David begins the passage above describing the strength and trustworthiness of our Lord. Then he talks about how hard it was to endure the trial he had been in. He was human & he was afraid. David knew from experience who he needed to put his trust in, so He cried out to the Lord for help. This next passage is full of David's testimony to the Lord's answer.

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because He was wroth. There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under His feet. And He rode upon cherub, and did fly: yea, He did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His pavilion round about Him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before Him his thick clouds passed, hail stones, and stones and coals of fire. Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot out lightenings, and discomfited them. then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of the many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also upright before Him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyesight. (Interesting that David would repeat this verse) With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful: with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down the high looks. For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. ( A promise that I claim; He will enlighten my paths). For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him. For who is God save the LORD? of who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

God faithfully keeps his promises. He promises to care for us. It never ceases to amaze me that He cares so much for me. He loves us all so much that He gave His only son, to redeem our lives.

New blogger..:)

My brother now has a blog. :) http://aj-life.blogspot.com/ He is just getting started so there isn't a lot on there yet, but you should check it out. He loves to take pictures, and if you visit you will see that he is good at it as well. I am sure there will be more pictures here as well, so keep visiting. :)

Communication...

I read Christian brother's blog this morning and he had a new post about communication. It is very good, and if you get a chance you should read it http://micahdavid.blogspot.com/2005/11/lets-talk.html. His post reminded me of somethings. Last year I did a speech on communication and the lack there of. My friend found a quote for me that went like this: "60% of all communication is miscommunication". Why is that? I think Micah has it right on with what he is saying in his post - "Let's talk. We have forgotten how to communicate with the brethren . We have begun to think all life is fast pace, large groups, computer screens, and telephones. We have forgotten how to sit with a person, or two people and just talk. To tell them what the Lord is doing, can do, and what we are learning from that."

We are afraid to share with our brothers and sisters in Christ and our fear and disobedience is robbing them from the blessing of seeing Christ being manifest through us. I wrote someone a few weeks ago about this very subject and we were talking about being willing to make ourselves vulnerable, for the Lord's sake. He said, it was hard to make yourself vulnerable to criticism, misunderstanding, and just plain old judgment, but once you have you are richly blessed. The brethren can comfort you when you need comfort, sharpen you when you are getting off track, and encourage you that you are not the only one out there with struggles, heart aches, and on going lessons. We as a body of believers need to go back to the basics and learn to love each other as the body of Christ. We cannot do this if we don't know each other, and we have to communicate to get to know each other. Thanks Micah for bring out some great points and making me think about this again.

I long to know my sister and brothers in Christ. To see what the Lord is teaching, blessing and bringing them through. I desire the Lord to use me to bless them, and the only way that is going to happen is if, I get to know them. I would highly recommend going to read Micah's post if you have not yet. May the Lord richly bless you all.

A

Morning and Evening / Dec 1

I 've been talking with a group of young ladies and this concept came up over and over again just this last week. So when I read 'Morning & Evening' this a.m., I was richly blessed. It is during the trials of our lives we can grow the most, we bless those around us (if we let the Lord use the trial), & that God can be glorified through our obedience. Our Father in heaven puts us into the trial and when it is time He will bring us out. Child of God do not yearn to be out of the fiery situation, learn from it, embrace it, learn what He has brought thee here to learn. God holds the moments in His hands; let Him place us where He wills.

December 1
Morning Verse "Thou hast made summer and winter." Psalm 74:17

My soul begin this wintry month with thy God. The cold snows and the piercing winds all remind thee that He keeps His covenant with day and night, and tend to assure thee that He will also keep that glorious covenant which He has made with thee in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to His Word in the revolutions of the seasons of this poor sin-polluted world, will not prove unfaithful in His dealings with His own well-beloved Son. Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord's sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction! How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to Him, and in Him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of His promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg in summer and have nothing.

Week of Thanksgiving / Barn Dance

This Thanksgiving weekend went fast. :) Since Wednesday I've been running, which has been fun. I got off Wednesday at noon, which made it great for going to do some shopping. That evening I helped my family make pies for Thanksgiving dinner, clean house,& got the vegetable platter put together.

Thursday – Thanksgiving. We had two young people come be with us for the day, because they're in college and couldn't go all the way to New York with their folks & visit relatives. We also had a gentleman that just started coming to church with us this year. He doesn't have family near the area. The young people are a lot like my family : lots of fun, a little bit loud, and full of love. The older gentleman hadn't been to our house before so my friend decided that she was going to see if she could make him feel more at home, & she did an excellent job! I think by the time he left, he felt a lot more comfortable and had enjoyed the afternoon. The young people hung around until later in the evening and we all played games and laughed a lot. A joyful heart is good like a medicine. We should all be very healthy. :)

The next day was Friday, the day of the Barn Dance. If you have not read my other barn dance posts you need to. It will explain a barn dance. (to read it click on the header for this post and it will bring you to the barn dance post). I'm always amazed at how much fun it is. We had this one in a gymnasium, which was so much better than outside. It was definitely too cold to dance outside! The ocassion was for 3 young ladies that had birthdays this last month. It went really well. The dresses as usually were amazing. I got there at one in the afternoon, so I could help decorate, girls with their hair, & dresses. It was a riot in the girl’s bathroom; hoop skirts everywhere,( you have to realize that hoop skirts with crinoline take up a lot of room. Once you are in one you take up 3 times as much space as you usually would, if not more.) :) there were also dresses hanging on stalls, cabinets littered with hair accessories, makeup, and pins. :) There were girls one right after the other lining the walls, waiting to get changed, their hair done, or just watching the mess going on. I am sure that we were hilarious to watch. I never got to actually stop and just watch everyone, but from what I could see going on around me, it was amusing. After we were all ready, we went out to learn some of the dances, or visit. I had a wonderful time visiting with the people that were wandering, or as the evening progressed, the people I danced with. I really enjoyed getting to know some of my sisters in the Lord better! I met a neat couple from Virginia. They were my age and been married for about a year. They had a little girl that was adorable.
We had a competition during the last dance, to see whose circle could dance the longest. It was invigorating & tiring. ;) It was my favorite dance and the young man I danced with knew what he was doing, so he could actually make the part where you spin around fast go faster. I love to spin! We had a fabulous group;as a matter of fact it was so good, we won. Lol… The gentleman were wonderful gentlemen as usual. They checked on all the young ladies to make sure we weren't going to fall over, and then went to get us water. It was a perfectly wonderful night. During one of the dances, (this one is done in long lines) the young man that I was dancing with started doing a jig (or at least I think that is what you would call it. I do not know a lot about dances). It was neat to watch! He was fast!! :) I got to dance with my little brothers, and father again which is always so special. I love the fact that the families are the focus and everything is done as family groups! The little children are included for almost everything. It is the way it ought to be. We ended up going till sometime after midnight, and I was personally ready to stop. We all helped clean (it is amazing how much more quickly it goes, when there are so many helping). What a blessing! We all started to leave about then. Some of the families had to travel two or more hours home. I am so glad that they were able to make the trip. I can now connect faces to blogs that I've read, or people that I have heard about.

My funny, but crazy brother decided that it would be fun to go home and watch a movie after we got done cleaning. I do not know how he does it. Anyway, he had a friend come over after and they watch Chariots of Fire. I tried to watch it with them and made it about 30 minutes and had to desert them. I could not keep my eyes open anymore.

Saturday, we all slept in, which was wonderful. There was a bunch to clean up from the night before, such as our clothes, hair stuff, food containers, and so on. All of that stuff was basically in piles in the house, or still in the car. We spent the afternoon doing that. My brothers and 2 of our friends then went to see a group in Springfield that does improvisation. We had a great time. We went to get coffee afterward, need I say more. :) My family even got home and into bed rather early compared to the rest of the recent evenings.

Sunday was very restful and a really nice day. I talked to a few of my sisters in the Lord about what the Lord has been doing in our lives. It is fascinating that so many of us are dealing with the same things. I think it has to be the fact that we are all so busy with the holidays and the things that go with them. We all in different words basically said that we were having to constantly, persistently remind ourselves to be faithful in our time with the Lord, and stay focused on Him first. It is so encouraging to know that there are sisters in the Lord that understand what you are going through and are willing to share what they are going through. We can then all pray for one another and lift one another up by sending verses, notes, or giving each other a call if the chance should come up. The Lord has been good to me, by giving me this body. He is faithful, even when I am not.
After our church activates were over; verses, orchestra, bells, and choir. A group of us went to one of the family homes for chili and pictures of the barn dance. It was great getting to see picatures of things I missed. The pictures turned out beautifully and it looked like everyone had a good time. The people that took the pictures knew what they were doing, because they were perfect. The photographers captured what was taking place during each part of the evening. Fabulous…. After we looked at the 398 pictures!!!..... (if I have that amount wrong there, I am sorry. I think that was what they told me the amount was. : ) We all spent most of the evening eating and played a few family games. In all it was a busy but unforgettable weekend, and I came away richly blessed.:)

Quote on Attitudes

I received these from a lady that is ministering in China right now. They blessed me, and thought they might bless you all as well.


" I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Maya Angelou quotes ( American Poet, b. 1928)

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... We are in charge of our Attitudes. "
Charles R. Swindoll quotes


" Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character for it will become your destiny."
Frank Outlaw quotes

" Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be"
George Sheehan quote


" The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."

" Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.
Mary Anne Radmacher quotes

" There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love.
Washington Irving quotes


" Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength."


" The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be"
Marcel Pagnol quotes


Love comes when manipulation stops; when you think more about the other person than about his or her reactions to you. When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be vulnerable.

I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.
Pietro Aretino quotes

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
Winston Churchill quotes

One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering. "

" The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. "

You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you. "

You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.

Trusting God

My Mother sent me some great quotes and verses that blessed me this morning and I wanted to share them with you all.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Job 13:15

Behold , I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 4:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Thee I bring my care,
The care I cannot flee;
Thou wilt not only share,
But bear it all for me.
O loving Saviour, now to Thee,
I bring the load that wearies me.
Francis R. Havergal

He that lays his affairs and himself on God hath no pressing care; no care but the care of love, how to please, how to honor his Lord. And in this, too, depends on Him, both for skill and strength; and, touching the sucess of things, he leaves that as none of his to be burdened with, casts it on God, and since God careth for it, they need not both care. His care is sufficient. Hence springs peace, inconceivable peace.
Robert Leighton

Your afflictions are not eternal, time will end them, and so shall ye at length see the Lord's salvation; His love for you sleepeth not, it is still working for you; His salvation will not tarry nor linger; and suffering for Him is the nobelest cross out of Heaven. Your Lord hath the choice of ten thousand other crosses, besides this, to excersize you withal; but His wisdom and His love hath chosen this out for you, beside them all; and take it as the choice one, and make use of it. Let the Lord absolutely have the ordering of your evils and troubles, and put them off you, by recommending your crosss and your furnace to Him, who hath the skill to melt His own metal, and knoweth well what to do with His furnace.
Samuel Rutherford

Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith!
1John 5:4

What is victory over the world? It is to trust and then obey what God has said. It is to cut off as far as we may, every hold which everything out of God has over us; to study wherein we are weak, and there seek in His strength to be made strong. Be your temptation the love of pleasure, it is to forgo it, if of food to restrain it, if of praise of men, to put forward others rather than yourself, if of being right in the sight of men, be content to be misjudged, and keep silence; if of self-indulgence, use hardness; if display, cut off the occasion, and give to the poor; if of having thy own will, practice submission of it to the wills of others.


Brother Rutherford knew of what he spoke; see a short bio below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Brief Life and Times of Samuel Rutherford
by William Carson
Before and During his Exile
Rutherford was born about the year 1600 near Nisbet, Scotland. Little is known of his early life. In 1627 he earned a M.A. from Edinburgh College, where he was appointed Professor of Humanity. He became pastor of the church in Anwoth in 1627.
Anwoth was a rural parish, and the people were scattered in farms over the hills. He had a true pastor's heart, and he was ceaseless in his labours for his flock. We are told that men said of Rutherford, "He was always praying, always preaching, always visiting the sick, always catechising, always writing and studying." Of course it helps when you get up at 3:00 every morning!
His first years in Anwoth, though, were touched with sadness. His wife was ill for a year and a month, before she died in their new home. Two children also died during this period. Nevertheless God used this time of suffering to prepare Rutherford to be God's comforter of suffering people.
Rutherford's preaching was unparalleled. While he was not a good speaker, his preaching drew great attention. An English merchant said of him, "I came to Irvine, and heard a well-favoured, proper old man (Dickson) with a long beard, and that man showed me all my heart. Then I went to St. Andrews, where I heard a sweet, majestic-looking man (Blair), and he showed me the majesty of God. After him I heard a little, fair man (Rutherford), and he showed me the loveliness of Christ."
In 1636 Rutherford published a book defending the doctrines of grace (Calvinism) against Armininism. This put him in conflict with the Church authorities, which were dominated by the English Episcopacy. He was called before the High Court, deprived of his ministerial office, and exiled to Aberdeen.
* This exile was a sore trial for the beloved pastor. He felt that being separated from his congregation was unbearable. However, because of his exile, we now have many of the letters he wrote to his flock, and so the evil of his banishment has been turned into a great blessing for the church worldwide.

After His Exile
In 1638 the struggles between Parliament and King in England, and Presbyterianism vs. Episcopacy in Scotland culminated in momentous events for Rutherford. In the confusion of the times, he simply slipped out of Aberdeen and returned to his beloved Anwoth. But it was not for long. The Kirk (Church of Scotland) held a General Assembly that year, restoring full Presbyterianism to the land. In addition, they appointed Rutherford a Professor of Theology of St. Andrews, although he negotiated to be allowed to preach at least once a week.
The Westminster Assembly began their famous meetings in 1643, and Rutherford was one of the five Scottish commissioners invited to attend the proceedings. Although the Scots were not allowed to vote, they had an influence far exceeding their number. Rutherford is thought to have been a major influence on the Shorter Catechism.
During this period in England, Rutherford wrote his best-known work, "Lex Rex," or "The Law, the King." This book argued for limited government, and limitations on the current idea of the Divine Right of Kings.
When the monarchy was restored in 1660, it was clear that the author of "Lex Rex" would could expect trouble. When the summons came in 1661, charging him with treason, and demanding his appearance on a certain day, Rutherford refused to go. From his deathbed, he answered, "I must answer my first summons; and before your day arrives, I will be where few kings and great folks come." He died on 30th March 1661.