As
we approach the holidays, time -- which always "moves" at the
same pace -- seems to kick into a higher gear and go faster! My
perception, I know, and not reality! Yet, since you may be feeling the
same as well, I will simply offer you some quick thoughts to ponder. Read a
couple (as you have time), or read them all. They are taken from Herbert
V. Prochnow's book, "Treasury of Inspiration." Enjoy!"A man may go to heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, and without friends, but he can never go there without Christ."
John
Dyer
"The
biggest mistake we make is to do nothing out of a fear that we will make
one."
Herbert
Prochnow
"Only
a comparative few recognize opportunity, because it is disguised as hard
work."
Herbert
Prochnow
"Alexander,
Caesar, Charlemagne and I myself have founded empires. But upon what do these
creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon
love; and to this very day millions would die for him."
Napoleon
"In
a village cemetery in England there is a monument with these simple words:
"To Thomas Cobb, who mended shoes in this village for 40 years to the
glory of God." What a tribute. We know little else about Thomas
Cobb, but this simple epitaph speaks volumes. His cobbler's bench was the altar
before which he served his God... It is one's high duty to make his occupation
his vocation where he can serve to God's glory."
Paul
Sturges
"We
make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Many men
owe the greatness of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. Remember
that what you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to
belong to another, but what you are will be yours forever."
Henry
Van Dyke
"I
have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one more thing I
wish I could give them, and that is my Christian religion. If they had that,
and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich, and if they
had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be
poor."
Patrick
Henry
"No
man ever got lost on a straight road."
Abraham
Lincoln
"Humanity
is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving
another."
Richter
"There
is no revenge so complete as forgiveness."
H.
W. Shaw
"I
expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do,
or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it NOW. Let
me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."
Anonymous
"Do
thy duty, that is best; Leave unto the Lord the rest."
James
Russell Lowell
"Only
those are crowned and sainted;
Who
with grief have been acquainted."
Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow (Rom. 8:17)
"I
thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work,
and my God."
Helen
Keller
"A
sermon has two purposes. First, it should comfort the afflicted, and second, it
should afflict the comfortable. Sometimes it will do the one, and sometimes the
other."
John
Homer Miller
"More
things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Whereof,
let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day.
For
what are men better than sheep or goats,
That
nourish a blind life within the brain,
If,
knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer,
Both
for themselves and those who call them friend?"
Alfred
Tennyson
May
you have a Christ-focused Christmas, Pastor Jeff
