Posted in BIBLE STUDY, MODERN-DAY PSALMS

Jesus: Of Rock and Role

Well, it started with me working on a new poem about Jesus being the Rock … Then, I started to investigate the story behind the great Gospel hymn “Rock of Ages.” … Then, I never knew just how many Scripture verses specifically call God “the Rock,” culminating with Paul’s declaration “that Rock was Christ.”

In studying the Scriptures, one thing really stands out:
The “Role” that the “Rock” plays is the most important fact in your life.
I can say with total confidence that if your life has the “Rock” as its foundation, if you are grounded in the Rock, that makes all the difference-especially when those cold, hard winds of life try to blow you away. The old Gospel hymn is right: If you don’t stand on “Christ the Solid Rock, all other ground is sinking sand.”

After just having gone through a tremendous time of pain, mourning, and grief, I can tell you with the most realistic certainty that, without Jesus, how could we make it through? Plain and simple: We can’t.
Is your “house,” your life, built upon the Rock? What “Role” does the “Rock” play in your “house?” in your life?  

Here are the verses declaring the “Role” of “The Rock:”

Deuteronomy 32:4   He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

 Deuteronomy 32:15   But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

1 Samuel 2:2   There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.

2 Samuel 22:2   And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

2 Samuel 22:3   The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

 2 Samuel 22:32   For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?

2 Samuel 22:47   The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

2 Samuel 23:3   The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

 Job 28:10   He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

Psalms 18:2   The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalms 18:31   For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
 
Psalms 18:46   The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Psalms 27:5   For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Psalms 28:1   Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Psalms 31:2   Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

Psalm 31:3   For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

Psalms 40:2   He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Psalms 42:9   I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalms 61:2   From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 62:2   He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

Psalms 62:6   He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 
(Note this is one of few times which an exact Scripture is repeated, word for word, in the same chapter).

Psalms 62:7   In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Psalms 71:3   Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

Psalms 78:35   And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

Psalms 89:26   He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

Psalms 92:15   To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Psalms 94:22   But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

Psalms 95:1   O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
(Ever notice that all of the altars were made out of rock? They were, yes fire-proof.)

Isaiah 17:10   Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:

Isaiah 51:1   Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Matthew 7:24   Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
(This really begs the question:  Is your house, is your life, built upon the Rock?)

Matthew 7:25   And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
(This is what happens when you build your house, your life, upon the Rock.)

Luke 6:48   He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
(You might say His Role is the Rock.
What role does the Rock play in your life?)

Romans 9:33   As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

1 Corinthians 10:4   And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Now, that is what I call “Old Tyme Rock and Role!”

Blessings,
Richard.Vincent.Rose.

 

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Posted in HEROES OF THE FAITH, HISTORY CHANNELS, QUOTES FOR ALL, SCHOOL WORK

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Quote Collection

Martin Luther King Spotlight
After spending a great deal of time studying the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I have gained even more respect and admiration for his person, and his work. Two things about him have really struck me, as I’ve listened to his speeches and interviews: How great a speaker he was, and perhaps even more, how brave, how courageous he was-and had to be, every day. Let’s also remember that, yes, he was a Pastor. And, a father. And, a husband. And … a brother.
Ted
Martin Luther King shirtsleeves
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
Martin Luther King giving speech
“A man can’t ride your back unless it’s bent.”

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”

The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther Kind-Hands on podium
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But… the good Samaritan reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”

“We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.”

“A right delayed is a right denied.”

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
Martin Luther King, Jr in front of Lincoln Memorial
“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”

“War is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow.”

“Seeing is not always believing.”

“The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”

Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.”
martin-luther-color picture

Special Video Presentation: Martin’s Big Words

 

Posted in HEROES OF THE FAITH, QUOTES FOR ALL

Matthew Henry: Short Story and A Couple of Quotes

I am working on a short biography of Matthew Henry, the great writer, whose Bible commentaries are still being used today, and still, over 300 years later, are popular and considered standard for Biblical study. Here is another figure from Christian history, who also served as a Pastor. I find it striking now, looking at the brief histories I’ve written or gathered, of great men of the faith, that I never mentioned as part of their initial introduction, that they served as Pastors.

I came across this story, taken from Matthew Henry’s diary, which was written shortly after he had been robbed. I have to share this with you. It reminds me of something about what was thought about the early Christians, who had been converted through the preaching of the Apostle Paul: The amazing thing about these new converts was not that they did not steal anymore … it was that they did not want to steal anymore.
Here’s the short story from Matthew Henry:

“Many years ago, Matthew Henry, a well-known Bible scholar, was once robbed of his wallet. Knowing that it was his duty to give thanks in everything, he meditated on this incident and recorded in his diary the following:

‘Let me be thankful, first, because he never robbed me before; second, because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third, because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.'”

Before I close,  please allow me to share just a few short quotes from Matthew Henry:

THOSE THAT WILL NOT YIELD TO THE FEAR OF GOD SHALL BE MADE TO YIELD TO THE FEAR OF EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE STAND NO LONGER THAN GOD HOLDS US AND GO NO FARTHER THAN HE CARRIES US.

IT IS BETTER TO BE SERVING GOD IN SOLITUDE THAN SERVING SIN IN A MULTITUDE.

Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees.Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better.
Afflictions are sent to bring us to our Bibles and to our knees.
Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better.

 

Posted in BIBLE STUDY, QUOTES FOR ALL, WHAT'S ON YOUR ...?

Today’s Quote: Faith and Job

Today, we were writing to a beloved customer in Virginia, when I noticed the quotes on this month’s calendar page here in the office.
Here’s what we wrote:

“… God has been faithful. And, He’s not done yet.
Our business principle really is from Genesis 12, that “I will bless them that bless thee.” And, we have been blessed. I am reminded of a quote on this month’s calendar page here in the office:
“Faith makes things possible, not easy.”
We like to say that “When we act on faith, we’re not acting.”
Also, at the top of the same calendar is Job 23:10:
“But He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
WOW! That’s a good one!
Please pray for us, for God’s will to be done in our lives. To think, say, and do the right things. And, to be allowed to bless as many people as He will allow.”

Blessings,
Ted and Carol

 

Posted in QUOTES FOR ALL, SUCCESS: NOTES, QUOTES, & FOLKS

Today’s Quote: Ralph W. Sockman

“There are parts of a ship which taken by themselves would sink. The engine would sink. The propeller would sink. But when the parts of a ship are built together, they float. So with the events of my life. Some have been tragic. Some have been happy. But when they are built together, they form a craft that floats and is going someplace. And I am comforted.”