warriors, horses and false hope

The king is not saved by a mighty army;
a warrior is not delivered by great strength.
A horse is a false hope for victory;
nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

psalm 33:16-17

looking for security in an unstable world? go to the rock that's higher than you.

Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will set him in the safety for which he longs.  Psalm 12:5

of every love, the best

 “Come in, O strong and deep love of Jesus, like the sea at the flood in spring tides, cover all my powers, drown all my sins, wash out all my cares, lift up my earth-bound soul, and float it right up to my Lord’s feet, and there let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by his love, having no virtue or value; and only venturing to whisper to him that if he will put his ear to me, he will hear within my heart faint echoes of the vast waves of his own love which have brought me where it is my delight to lie, even at his feet forever.”  

 -Charles Spurgeon

it's a freeing thought

“If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be.” -Charles Spurgeon

If any man thinks well of you, child of God, it's Christ in you the hope of glory.

it looms, in a good way.

"The cross towers over all the wrecks of time."

 -jack miller, the heart of a servant leader

since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death— that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

get in your jammies.

"in raising our kids, we asked 'What is reality? what is the deepest sub-stratum of reality that exists?' and we said on the basis of the bible, it's the goodness of God. therefore we wanted to raise kids in an environment where they could actually get in touch with the goodness of God. therefore we're going to get in our jammies on a friday night, and we're going to watch the fun movie with our kids; we're gonna have fun! we're gonna do a whole lot more than that. but it's all for Christ."
 -ray ortlund

aging, grays and the next generation

sometimes old age and gray hairs go together. other times, as in my case, mid-twenties and gray hair went together and are going stronger now.  i don't look around and see people getting excited about aging, and i don't get excited about it either.

what if we looked at it like this?

so even to old age and gray hairs,
Oh God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.

i crave being around people who are asking for the chance to talk up how amazing God is before it's too late! the next generation needs to see us following Christ with our whole heart, and happily, even when we're old and gray, or even as we fear getting old and gray.

who's in?