“Be known as a merciful, compassionate, & loving person who teaches truth” An Asbury student’s brief articulation of calling.
“The work of God begins on the ruin of our lives.” Francis Fenelon, 17th century
“Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Englishman Francis Bacon was a 17th century thinker and statesman: “They are ill discoverers that thinketh there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.” From The Advancement of Learning
“A church which is not on mission is either not yet or no longer the church, or only a dead church - itself in need of renewal.” -Karl Barth
HT: JR Woodward
I’m reading Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them
by Jenifer Fox. This is an excellent book that applies Strengths theory to the development and learning of children and adolescents.
Here is a killer quotation on Fox’s definition of true teaching talent:
“True teaching talent reveals itself when the teacher struggles to engage student in the process, not giving up until he finds a way to bring about understanding and competence in the student.”
“Fear not only anticipates misfortunes that never happen, it also precipitates some that would not otherwise have happened.” — Anonymous
I was suddenly jerked awake in the middle of the night by a deep and threatening growl. It was 2:30 AM and I recognized the sound. It was my 145 pound male Great Dane: Sir Morpheus Maximus. When Morpheus feels threatened, he releases a menacing low frequency high decibel growl that literally makes the ground shake.
As I stumbled out of bed and grabbed my glasses I was worried. Morpheus was not stopping and his growl was growl was growing in intensity. Thoughts raced through my mind: Has my home been invaded? Does Morpheus have an intruder cornered? Do I need to call the police?
I opened the door and moved into the living room. There was Morpheus in all of his mighty glory. His hair was standing on edge. His body was tense. He was standing tall. He looked intently at the menacing threat.
Then I spied the problem. There was no real danger. I laughed out loud at the sight. Morpheus had been accosted by a Halloween Ghost balloon, which had lost enough helium that it had fallen to the floor from its former perch on top of a tall bookshelf.
We are all afraid of someone or something though, aren’t we? How many of us are haunted by our own “boogey-men”? How many of us are thwarted from pursuing the life of God’s dreams because of fear?
Consider these comments on fear by literary luminaries:
George Bernard Shaw wrote: “The slave of fear: the worst of slaveries.”
Henry David Thoreau added: “Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson: “I knew a man scared by the rustle of his own hatband.”
Thomas Fuller: “Better hazard once than always be in fear.”
William Faulkner: “The basest of all things is to be afraid.”
“I am praying for you that you will fear no one nor anything.” This was a prayer that my friend and colleague Robert “Bob” Tuttle prayed over me a couple of weeks ago. He was not responding to any lament on my part of fear paralysis. He was simply being “Bob Tuttle.” Tuttle is one of the finest and most effective evangelists whom I have ever met. He traded faith in Jesus for fear many years ago. I hope that I can soon.
How about you?
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. “Isa 43:1
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Psalm 27:1
“You shall fear the LORD your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and
by his name you shall swear.” Deut 10:20
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Prov 1:7
“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”” Rom 8:15
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” 1 John 4:18
© 2008 Brian D. Russell
“All culture arises out of religion. When religious faith decays, culture must decline, though often seeming to flourish for a space after the religion which has nourished it has sunk into disbelief.” Russell Kirk
“The Western world has lost its faith in the shadows of church steeples.” Alex McManus
“I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Truth does not carry within itself an antitoxin to falsehood. The cause of truth must be championed, and it must be championed dynamically.” William F. Buckley, Jr (God and Man at Yale)
