tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post242962315812421957..comments2024-03-22T17:35:52.045-04:00Comments on Extra Thoughts: The small vine: Life over deathLydia McGrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-38812322263652654592021-11-22T16:44:13.463-05:002021-11-22T16:44:13.463-05:00Thank you, Sniper. This perspective is all the mor...Thank you, Sniper. This perspective is all the more necessary to me now in the months since I wrote this.Lydia McGrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-46657619946853482572021-11-21T20:40:49.621-05:002021-11-21T20:40:49.621-05:00"...It may seem to us now that only goodness ..."...It may seem to us now that only goodness is eternally being lost and that only evil and meaninglessness will remain, but when we see from the side of eternity, we will see that that was only what the Enemy wanted us to think..."<br /><br />Indeed, Lydia, and so when witnessing the present chaos in the world, to despair is neither an intelligent nor appropriate reaction. Faith and hope in God who'll make straight the seemingly unending crooked lines is our best defense.<br /><br />This isn't the first time one your posts bailed me out of angst and, I suspect, it won't be the last. Thank you again.sniperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00809527227911751480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-51515159404025666252021-05-18T17:00:05.132-04:002021-05-18T17:00:05.132-04:00“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our ou...“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NASB).<br /><br />It might be expected that Paul would have us look not merely at things visible, for we can scarcely avoid seeing them. Thus, we should look into both realms and the reality contained in each. But, no—Paul says to “look not” at the visible (the province of reality for the naturalist). For Christian super-naturalists, the unseen realm alone holds interest. The things “not seen” endure into eternity, while the brutish aspects of the natural realm will be done away.<br /><br />It is tempting to think there are two realities. And, indeed, there are. But one ultimately outlasts the other, and we need the singular optic to get through this present darkness.<br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14816140945582832751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-9861784203959956652021-05-17T21:51:39.090-04:002021-05-17T21:51:39.090-04:00I find D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encouraging in these ...I find D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encouraging in these matters.<br /><br /><br /><i>I know of nothing, in my own experience, that has been more exhilarating and helpful, and that has acted more frequently as a tonic to me, than the history of Revivals.<br /><br />Take the time we are living in. What discouraging days they are, so discouraging that even a man with an open Bible which he believes, and with the Spirit in him, may at times be discouraged and cast down almost to the depths of despair. There is no better tonic in such a condition than to familiarise yourselves with previous eras in the history of the Church which have been similar, and how God has dealt with them.<br /><br />The French novelist Anatole France used to say, whenever he felt tired and jaded with a tendency to be depressed and downcast, ‘I never go into the country for a change of air and a holiday, I always go instead into the eighteenth century.’ I have often said exactly the same thing, but not in the same sense in which he meant it, of course. When I get discouraged and over-tired and weary I also invariably go to the eighteenth century. I have never found George Whitefield to fail me. Go to the eighteenth century! In other words read the stories of the great tides and movements of the Spirit experienced in that century. It is the most exhilarating experience, the finest tonic you will ever know.<br /><br />For a preacher it is absolutely invaluable; there is nothing to compare with it. The more he learns in this way about the history of the Church the better preacher he will be. At the same time let him, of course, during this training become familiar with the stories of the great men of the past, the great saints and preachers. It will not only act as a wonderful tonic to him in times of depression, it will keep him humble when tempted to pride and a spirit of elation.<br /></i><br />- Lloyd-Jones in "Preaching and Preachers"Thomas Henry Larsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011991500869987440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-44442832735271440142021-05-16T08:57:17.889-04:002021-05-16T08:57:17.889-04:00I have shared this--thanks, Lydia!I have shared this--thanks, Lydia!Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14816140945582832751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-2486962597120415982021-05-13T13:03:47.464-04:002021-05-13T13:03:47.464-04:00Thank you both.Thank you both.Lydia McGrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423567323116960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-89769158355118616472021-05-13T11:34:09.613-04:002021-05-13T11:34:09.613-04:00This was remarkable and a necessary service for th...This was remarkable and a necessary service for the rest of us.<br />Experiencing moments of despair during this present darkness, I have resolved to go forward. I will not give in to Satan's whispers. God is present in all things. Gina M. Danaherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13829629413121806106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20704380.post-4630500218820577622021-05-12T22:57:05.592-04:002021-05-12T22:57:05.592-04:00Puddleglum speaks:
One word Ma'am, ... One wo...Puddleglum speaks:<br /><br />One word Ma'am, ... One word. All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one thing more to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things--trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play-world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland.Kristorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09944545695766932954noreply@blogger.com