Meditate, Practice, and Pray God’s Word

You must meditate and dwell upon what you read;
otherwise your pains and mine will be lost. The more any
man is in the contemplation of truth, the more deep and
firm impression is made upon his heart by truth. Heavenly
meditation brings out the sweetness that is in divine truths.
Not those who get most–but those who keep most, are
richest. So not those who hear most, or read most–but
those who meditate most, are most edified and enriched.

You must also practice and live out what you read. To
read much and practice nothing–is to hunt much and catch
nothing. Ah! what cause have most to sigh, that they have
heard so much, and read so much–and yet done so little!

You must also pray over what you read. Many read much,
and pray little, and therefore get little by all they read.When a Christian has one eye upon his book–the other should be looking up to heaven for a blessing upon what he reads!

Thomas Brooks

Soli Deo Gloria

 

 

The Beauty of Kindness

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,” Galatians 5:22

“Kindness is beautiful. It is beautiful in its simplicity. It usually springs out of the heart spontaneously. The great things men do—are purposed, planned for, and are done consciously, with intention and preparation. Kindness as a rule is done unconsciously, without preparation. This enhances its beauty. There is no self-seeking in it, no doing something for effect, no desire for recognition or praise, no thought of reward of any kind. It is done in simplicity, prompted by love, and is most pleasing to Christ.”

“The ministry of kindness is unceasing. It keeps no Sabbaths—it makes every day a Sabbath. It fills all the days and all the nights. In the true home, kindness begins with the first waking moments in the morning, in pleasant greetings, in cheerful good wishes, and then it goes on all day in sweet courtesies, in thoughtful attentions, in patience, in quiet self-denials, in obligingness and helpfulness.”

J.R. Miller

Soli Deo Gloria

Spiritual Joys are a Christian’s Festival

“Spiritual joys help to make us BETTER; worldly
joys often make us worse. “I spoke unto you in
your prosperity; but you said—I will not hear.”
Pride and luxury are the two worms which
are bred from worldly pleasures.

But spiritual joy is cordial medicine, which
not only comforts, but purifies—
it makes a Christian more holy;
it causes an antipathy against sin;
it infuses strength to live and suffer for Christ.
Some colors not only delight the eye—but
strengthen the sight. Just so, the joys of God
not only refresh the soul—but strengthen it.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Spiritual joys are SWEETER than worldly joys.
“Your love is sweeter than wine!” Spiritual joys are
a Christian’s festival; they are the golden pot, and
the sweet manna. They are so sweet, that they make
everything else sweet! Spiritual joys sweeten health
and estate, as sweet water poured on flowers makes
them more fragrant and aromatic. Divine joys are so
delicious and ravishing, that they put our mouth out
of taste for earthly delights; just as he who has been
drinking cordials, tastes little sweetness in water.
Paul had so tasted these divine joys, that his mouth
was out of taste for worldly things. The world was
crucified to him—it was like a dead thing, he could
find no sweetness in it.

Thomas Watson

 

Soli Deo Gloria

 

And God Saw that it Was Good…

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Burnt Orange

A friend of mine gave ME this book as a gift (she knows my childish love for pop-up books) and my little one enjoys it very much too: In the Beginning; The Art of Genesis by Chuck Fisher

 

 

Bucer’s Coffehouse

“On what principle should we select out of this great wilderness of literature the books we shall read? If I can read but a dozen volumes this year, how am I to determine what volumes of the thousands they shall be?
For all books are not alike good. There are books that are not worth reading at all. Then, of those that are good, the value is relative. The simplest wisdom teaches that we should choose those which will repay us most richly.

“… If we can read in our brief, busy years—but a very limited number of books of any kind—should not those few be the very best, richest, most substantial and useful that we can find in the whole range of literature?

There are great books enough to occupy us during all our short and busy years; and if we are wise, we will resolutely avoid all but the richest and the best. As one has written, “We need to be reminded every day how many are the books of inimitable glory which, with all our eagerness after reading, we have never taken in our hands. It will astonish most of us to find how much of our industry is given to the books which leave no mark—how often we rake in the litter of the printing-press, while a crown of gold and rubies is offered us in vain!”

J.R. Miller (1880)

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This week’s color over at P64 is Brick Red, and all these pictures have a hint of it somewhere, however, my favorite is the last one; so there you have it, my entry for P64 this week.

Soli Deo Gloria

Just for Fun

Whose “Birkies” are these?

I love  my “Birkies”, but these are not mine!

Hope you had a good laugh!

Soli Deo Gloria

Bittersweet

So finally, after this long and quiet time I am hoping to publish my photos in this space again.

This week’s color at Project 64 is bittersweet; and I am sure these images capture this color perfectly, not only because they match the hue, but because I took them at the Colosseum in Rome, without doubt a bittersweet place.

 

Soli Deo Gloria

 

The Log in Your Own Eye

“Do not judge—or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:1-4.

It is better to have eyes for beauty—than for blemish. It is better to be able to see the roses—than the thorns. It is better to have learned to look for things to commend in others—than for things to condemn. Of course other people have faults—and we are not blind. But then we have faults of our own—and this should make us charitable.

What, then, do our Lord’s words mean? It is uncharitable judgment against which he warns us. We are not to look for the evil things in others. We are not to see others through the warped glasses of prejudice and unkindly feeling. We are not to arrogate to ourselves the function of judging, as if men were answerable to us. We are to avoid a critical or censorious spirit. Nothing is said against speaking of the good in those we see and know; it is uncharitable judging and speaking, which Jesus condemns.

We should train ourselves, therefore, to see the good, not the evil—in others. We should speak approving words of what is beautiful in them; not bitter, condemning words of what may be imperfect or unlovely. We should look at others through eyes of love, not through eyes of envy or of selfishness. We should seek to heal with true affection’s gentleness, the things which are not as they should be.

J.R. Miller (source)

Soli Deo Gloria

 

The Afflictions of the Righteous

“Afflictions are the theology of Christians.”—Luther.

“Without adversity grace withers.”—Mason.

“Cast your burden on the Lord—and He will sustain you.” Psalm 55:22

“Cast your troubles where you have cast your sins; you have cast your sins onto Jesus—cast your troubles there also! As soon as the trouble comes, quick, the first thing, tell it to your Father in heaven! Remember, that the longer you take telling your trouble to God—the more your peace will be impaired. The longer the frost lasts—the more likely the ponds will be frozen.

Oh! It is a happy way of smoothing sorrow, when we can cast our burden upon the Lord. Oh, you agitated Christians, do not dishonor your religion by always wearing a ‘frown of concern’. Come, cast your burden upon the Lord. I see you staggering beneath a weight, which He would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden—would be nothing but a bit of dust to Him. See! The Almighty bends His shoulders, and He says, “Here—put your troubles here!”

C.H. Spurgeon

“Cast all your cares upon Him—because He cares about you!” 1 Peter 5:7

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Flores de Calabaza

I recommend you this delicious Mexican recipe using squash blossoms.

 

Soli Deo Gloria