QUOTES FROM J.C. RYLE

 

QUOTES FROM J.C. RYLE We must give up the vain idea of trying to please everybody. That is impossible, and the attempt is a mere waste of time. We must be content to walk in Christ’s steps, and let the world say what it likes. The highest form of selfishness is that of the man who is content to go to heaven alone. Except a man be born again, he will wish one day he had never been born at all. Our Lord has many weak children in his family, many dull pupils in his school, many raw soldiers in his army, many lame sheep in his flock. Yet he bears with them all, and casts none away. Happy is that Christian who has learned to do likewise with his brethren. The world’s idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving. To be born again is, as it were, to enter upon a new existence, to have a new mind, a new heart, new views, new principles, new tastes, new affections, new likings, new dislikings, new fears, new joys, new sorrows, new love to things once hated, new hatred to things once loved, new thoughts of God, and ourselves, and the world, and the life to come, and salvation. True Christianity is not merely believing a certain set of dry abstract propositions: it is to live in daily personal communication with an actual living person – Jesus Christ. Wealth is no mark of God’s favor. Poverty is no mark of God’s displeasure. Let us cleave to Christ more closely, love Him more heartily, live for Him more thoroughly, copy Him more exactly, confess Him more boldly, and follow Him more fully. John Charles Ryle (1816-1900) was an English Anglican bishop, preacher, and writer.

LET IT BE AN ADVENTURE

 

LET IT BE AN ADVENTURE By Joni Eareckson Tada It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep. Proverbs 25:27 Today’s generation won’t remember this, but people used to listen to the radio all day, hoping to hear a disk jockey play their favorite new song. When the familiar melody began… what joy! People would immediately sing along and begin waiting for the next time it came over the airwaves. Now people listen to favorite songs whenever they want to on their iPhone’s “favorites” playlists. But isn’t it a little boring to get what you want, anytime you want it? It was better when the song was a surprise and the joy was spontaneous. Today’s Scripture reads, “It is not good to eat too much honey.” But in today’s we-can-have-it-now culture, that’s just what we do. No wonder so many people find life boring. Even Christians! It’s why the Bible repeats over and over, “Wait on the Lord.” Let good things come in His timing. Withhold a little self-gratification; trust in His goodness and provision…and life will always be an adventure. Father, what sweet gifts You deliver, often totally unexpected. Like the days when I suddenly feel Your smile, on no special occasion and for no particular reason, shining down on me out of a gray sky. The good I hoped for may be delayed or withheld, but the good You give me in Your timing and wisdom is even better still. Copyright © 2026 Joni and Friends Used with Permission You can sign up for Joni's Daily Devotional CLICK HERE

RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD Study of Revelation Continued   REVELATION 20.4 I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 20.5 The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years. -WEB Bible   Revelation describes the resurrection of the dead as two events:   There will be a resurrection of the dead at the beginning of the Millennium for those who were martyred for Christ. Revelation states that this is the “First Resurrection.” There will be a second resurrection at the end of the Millennium for everyone else, at which time the Day of Judgment will take place. The book of Revelation doesn’t mention a Rapture event at all. The only clue we are given is the timing of the resurrection of the dead.   I THESSALONIANS 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. -WEB Bible   Since the “first resurrection” happens at the beginning of the Millennium and the other resurrection happens at the end of the Millennium, I don’t know what to say about the Rapture. The Bible doesn’t tell us enough to make solid conclusions. It’s probably best to leave that in God’s hands and trust his timing.   The main thing to remember about the Rapture and the End Times is that God has a wonderful plan for his people, and everything is going to work out for our good.     IMAGE CREDIT: Image of sunrise over the mountains, generated by SeaArt.ai and edited by C.A. Stevens.   This study of Revelation will continue on Thursdays!                           You can also read the Word for the Day at our Blogspot: CLICK HERE

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE He giveth more grace when The burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength When the labors increase; To added affliction He addeth His mercies, To multiplied trials His multiplied peace. When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed ‘ere the day is half done, When we reach the end of Our hoarded resources Our Father’s full giving is only begun. His love has no limit, His grace has no measure, His power no boundary known unto men; For out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth and giveth and giveth again. —Annie Johnson Flint, 1930 CLICK HERE to listen to this Hymn  on Facebook

THE NOAH’S ARK LEGENDS

 

THE NOAH’S ARK LEGENDS By Biblical Creation Researchers have catalogued over 270 ancient flood accounts from cultures across the world, many of them existing long before any Christian influence. Over time, details naturally shift. But what stands out is where they agree. The Greek story tells of a man warned to build and stock an ark before a god brought destruction on humanity. The Babylonian account shares multiple major details with Genesis. The Aztec tradition places a universal flood about 1,716 years after creation, strikingly close to the biblical timeline. Similar accounts appear across Australia, India, Scandinavia, and China. That kind of global agreement is not what you expect from isolated myths. Myths don’t appear everywhere with the same core storyline unless they are rooted in something real. The simplest explanation is that these accounts are distorted memories of a true event. Over generations, the details changed, but the foundation remained. The Bible doesn’t just tell a flood story. It preserves the clearest and most consistent record of a real, world-changing catastrophe remembered across human history. By Biblical Creation on Facebook Used with Permission A Research team is in Turkey now, with the goal of doing some core drilling and other experiments at the Durupinar formation, which is the most likely location for what remains of Noah’s Ark. They have all the necessary permits and permissions to do minimally invasive testing. They also intend to send a small robot underground to try to inspect a central “hallway” running lengthwise through the formation. The hallway was discovered during a previous expedition, using ground-penetrating radar. They do request your prayers because there’s been a lot of opposition.  Noah’s Ark Scans on Facebook