Scottish Snippets

While I've never been disappointed when reading a book or article by Alistair Begg, he has proven that he is just as able to pack a wallop with only a few words:

The great need is for us to be taught theologically, not just stirred emotionally.

The reason most preaching is ignored today is that it deserves to be.

The Church is where it is today because it has decided that the advertising agents know better than the Holy Spirit of God.

Our relationship with God will never be right as long as our relationship with others is wrong.

It takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian.

I only need a mirror to see a sinner.

Do you want to lead, or do you want to be liked?

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Truth is... More important than his Scottish brogue, the reason I benefit from listening to Begg's "Truth for Life" podcast is that he eschews controversy in favor of living up to this frequent saying of his: "The main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things."

Dangerous Christians: Top 25 Jesus Quotes: #21

Ask 25 people why Jesus came to the planet and you'll get at least 12 different answers.

"He came to show us how to love everyone."

"Jesus came to teach us how to live simply."

"Jesus' mission was to save us from the consequences of our sins."

Ask Australian activist, evangelist, and international speaker, Christine Caine, why Jesus came to the planet and you'll get Number 21 on azquotes.com's list of the top 25 quotes having to do with Jesus:

Jesus didn't come to make us safe.

He came to make us dangerous

to the kingdom of darkness.

You see, our lives as Christ-followers aren't meant to be just about our own lives. "I've got my ticket to heaven and that's all that matters." 

Jesus used a lot of action verbs when he commanded his followers: "Go." "Preach." "Make disciples." "Love one another as I have loved you."

Truth is...in the words of Rich Mullins, "He gave us a promise and He gave us a job. He'll be with us, but the work is up to us." ("Alrightokuhhuhamen")

When You and Your Parents Don't Share a Common Faith

In recent years, Taylor Swift and other songwriters have earned a reputation for writing songs that publically express some very personal feelings or events. But they've got a long way to go to match the heartfelt transparency Keith Green displayed in "Song to My Parents (I Only Wanna See You There)".

I need to say these things 'cause

I love you so

And I'm sorry you get angry when I say that

You just don't know

That there's a heaven waiting

For you and me

I know it seems every time we talk

I'm only tryin' to just make you see

And it's only that I care

I really only want

Just to see you there

Please try and overlook my

My human side

I know I'm such a bad example

And you know I'm so full of pride

But Jesus isn't like that

No, He's perfect all the way

I guess that's why we need Him

'Cause by ourselves, there's just no way

And it's only that I care

I really, really only just want to see you there

To see you there

Close the doors

They're just not coming

We sent the invitations out long, long, long, long time ago

We're still gonna have a wedding feast

Big enough to beat them all

The greatest people in the world just wouldn't come

So now we'll just have to invite the small

And it's only that I care

I really, really only want

Just to see you there

Isn't that Jesus?

Isn't that Joseph and Mary's son?

Well, didn't He grow up right here?

He played with our children

What! He must be kidding

Thinks He's a prophet

Well, prophets don't grow up from little boys

Do they? From little boys?

Do they?

©1977 April Music

https://youtu.be/2LOoBRW5Nxk

Truth is...it's a hard thing to put a desire for a smooth, peaceful relationship aside in favor of the desire for an eternal one. Talking to our parents or other dearly loved family or friends seems scary, but if we really love them, and Jesus is really real, their rejection of Christ should scare us even more.

How to Succeed in Politics

This has never aspired to be a political blog, but Clement Eaton has made some observations that certainly contain facts and point out a deeper truth.

The voters failed to elect their superior men to office. To obtain the [votes] of the people it was not necessary for a politician to have a superior education or a brilliant mind. Rather, he must be able to sense the common man's discontents, his economic grievances, his prejudices, and his dreams. The successful politician was, as a rule, a vigorous or eloquent speaker, a man who could devise popular slogans and organize political workers, and who gave the common people a feeling of their own importance. As party warfare developed into violent partisanship and as sectional tensions arose, the politician who had strong convictions and had taken a courageous public stand on issues was often pushed aside in favor of a candidate of availability.

In the spirit of Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story, it may surprise you to learn this is a quote from the book, Henry Clay and the Art of American Politics, and is talking about the voters of the 1830s and 1840s.

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Truth is...What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV)