quick quotes

(1761-1834)  William Carey was an English Baptist missionary and a Particular Baptist minister, known as the "father of modern missions”.  Carey was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society. As a missionary in the Danish colony, Serampore, he translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, and several other languages and dialects. Carey was a central figure in the modernization of India.

(the church I attended from birth to marriage was named for Carey)

To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.

We have only to keep the end in view, and have our hearts thoroughly engaged in the pursuit of it, and means will not be very difficult.

The most glorious works of grace that have ever took place, have been in answer to prayer; and it is in this way, we have the greatest reason to suppose, that the glorious out-pouring of the Spirit, which we expect at last, will be bestowed.

come be a nobody for Christ

He must become greater; I must become less.

John 3:30

(I came across this on a Desiring God – John Piper blog.  Very good – I’d like to share...)

But I believe that Jesus is calling for people to be a nobody for Him – people who would forsake the “American dream” to be a part of bringing gospel hope to the nations. People who don’t mind if they are not recognized, respected, praised, or promoted – as long as the name of Jesus is cherished, exalted, and adored. People who understand that Jesus didn’t come to this world and die on a cross so that we could have a comfortable suburban life and enjoy going to our local church's corporate gathering on Sundays. 

John Piper reminds us that we have three choices – go, send, or disobey. And it’s my hope and prayer that the very best of this generation will go – young people who could be somebody in this world choosing to be nobodies for Jesus.

And that doesn’t mean that you have to be a preacher.  There's hardly a job or profession that you can have in America that you can’t do in the mission field.  You can be a musician, a physician, a professor, a dog catcher, a secretary, an actuary, a mixed martial arts fighter (it doesn't matter). My point is that missions is simply doing what the Lord has gifted and called you to do – where there are few or no Christians – so that those who cannot be saved without believing in the gospel would hear the life-giving good news of Jesus through you.
It’s choosing to forsake the comforts and glory of the American dream to live in any foreign land, and speaking in a foreign tongue, choosing to be slightly uncomfortable and really need God so that He might have the glory He is worthy to receive.

✞ holiness

Take my Life (Holiness)

Holiness, holiness... is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness, holiness
Is what You want from me

Take my heart... and mold it
Take my mind... transform it
Take my will... conform it
To Yours, to Yours, Oh Lord

Righteousness, righteousness... is what I long for
Righteousness is what I need
Righteousness, righteousness
Is what You want from me

Brokenness, brokenness... is what I long for
Brokenness is what I need

Brokenness, brokenness

Is what You want for me

(Mercy Me)

beautiful blinding blue

And when he sings to you,
Though you're deep in blue, 
You will see a ray of light creep through,
And so remember this, life is no abyss, 
Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness. 
Life is sweet, tender and complete, when you find the bluebird of happiness.
- Bluebird of Happiness, lyrics by Edward Heyman & Harry Parr Davies, 1934



 
Be like the bluebird who never is blue,
For he knows from his upbringing what singing can do
- Cole Porter, Be Like the Bluebird, 1934

 The bluebird carries the sky on his back. - Henry David Thoreau, Journal, April 3, 1852 

 
The bluebird is well named, for he wears a coat of the purest, richest, and most gorgeous blue on back, wings, and tail; no North American bird better deserves the name, for no other flashes before our admiring eyes so much brilliant blue.

 - Arthur C. Bent, 1949



Blue skies 
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies 
Do I see
Bluebirds 
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds 
All day long
- Irving Berlin, Blue Skies, 1927 

quick quotes

what's the difference? ~ reprise

Today, for some reason, He directed me back to this previous post:

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 NAS

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34 NAS

Concern? Yes, I’ve had concerns, I have concerns, and I will have concerns. There are things or people or events that have an effect on me, that I’m involved with, that are important to me, that get my attention, that I am somehow, in some way, connected with.

Worry? Yes, I’ve worried. And, I’ll worry again. I’ve worried due to or because of fear, troubles, injustice, disasters, distress, anger, pain, danger, crime.

Is there a difference between concern and worry? Yes, there is a difference, a big difference.

* Concern tries to solve problems, looks for solutions, and faces challenges.

* Worry causes problems and worry is the problem. Worry is a waste of time, it’s pointless, and doesn’t help anything.

There are times it’s very hard not to worry. But, God says that we are not to worry. He’s very clear on the subject. He asks us to give our worries to Him.  And, not to pick them up again.  I'm guilty.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:6-8 NAS

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. A Greg Laurie study summarizes these verses into three steps for keeping worry from our lives.

1- Right praying (verse 6-7). To be free of worry, we have to pray.

2- Right thinking (verse 8). Having peace involves both the heart and mind. The peace of God will guard our thinking.

3- Right living (verse 9). The way we act depends on our attitude. We are to think about things that are praiseworthy.

If Jesus is our personal savior, there’s no need to worry. God is in control of your life. You may not know what tomorrow holds, but you know who holds tomorrow.

I close with these quotes:

“Worry is like a rocking chair - it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.”
Unknown

“There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem. “
Harold Stephens

"Only one kind of worry is proper: to worry because you worry too much."
Unknown

“Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway.”
Mary C. Crowley