Primary and secondary

Your first thought in the morning.

The kingdom of heaven.

The righteousness of Christ.

The Word of God.

Your soul's salvation.

The salvation of others.

The service of God.

What do these have in common?

Everything else is to be of secondary importance to them.

Worldly labor, self-interest, other books... everything.

*References: CG, page 519. CSW, page 53. RH, November 18, 1884. ST, May 1, 1884. CCh, page 41. 3MR No. 168.

Profundity

You may be aware that I love to collect real-life quotes. I love to record things people say that have the ability to make me laugh more than just the first time I heard them said; and things that are so profound that time seems to stop for a moment once they're spoken. Below is a compilation of my favorites from this second category. I hope you will be blessed as much as I was...


"The unfaithfulness of man limits the goodness of God." -Tammey Steenson

"The parable of the glove. Faith is like a glove. It won't work unless you put it on." - Don Mackintosh

"Your job is to get your best friend to heaven." - Rich Kollenberg

"Why is it that when God is leading, we become afraid?" - Ted Wilson

" 'Normal' is described in the book of Acts." - Don Mackintosh

"Don't ask, 'Why did this happen?' but 'How can I draw closer to You?" - Wes Peppers

"Constant giving will starve selfishness." - Eric Flickinger

"You don't find happiness by looking for it. You find happiness by being the right kind of person." - Alan Parker

"Nothing is really ours until we let it go." - Janet Evert

"Jesus doesn't need men and women who merely esteem Him as great, but believers who are willing to be made great by His life." - Eric Ludy*

"The reason God can call obedience a condition for eternal life is because it's His power and not mine." - Jim Brackett

"As long as I stay yielded, burdens lifted, light given, and a character transformed are tangible realities!" - Melissa McLeod

"You don't pray all night so you can get something out of God, but so God can get something out of you." - Alan Parker


*Actually a quote from a book, not spoken.

Absolute willingness

This morning, I read Daniel 3: an amazing story of three young men who stood firm for what they believed in. 

There was no hesitancy on their part, in the decision to honor the one true God. 

They said in verse 16, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.” It wasn’t of question to them!

The part that really stuck out to me, though, was three points brought out in a verse I hadn’t noticed before. 

“Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” 

They were willing to trust God with everything, even this issue. They were willing to even go against the command of an earthly king in order to keep God from being dishonored. And they were willing to give up their very bodies to be burned, all for this cause: 

The honor of God above absolutely anything else.

Those who would rather die than perform a wrong act are the only ones who will be found faithful.*

May we each have this same courage, decision, and integrity today.

*MYP 74