"Another Epigram Installment"

 

“Another Epigram Installment”

 

(Please read the intro to “Epigrams” first.)

“There’s no such thing as an undercover Christian.” Brian Stowe. (“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!”—Psalm 107:2, NLT).

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Stephen Covey. (“…What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures….”—1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

“Flowers don’t have to be in bloom to be beautiful.” Piet Oudolf. (“{God} has made everything beautiful in its time.”—Ecclesiastes 3:11).

“A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.” Walter Winchell. (“A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”—Proverbs 17:17, NLT).

“The mind is formed by what it takes in.” Will Durant. (“Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”—Proverbs 4:23, NLT).

“Prayer is the place where burdens change shoulders.” Our Daily Bread. (“Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.”—Psalm 55:22, TM).

“I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand.” Charles Schulz aka Charlie Brown. (“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”—Romans 12:18).

“Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana. (“…All those words which were written long ago are meant to teach us today….”—Romans 15:4, PH).

“To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.” Abraham Lincoln. (“Carry one another’s burdens, and so live out the law of Christ.”—Galatians 6:2, PH).

“Don’t find fault with what you don’t understand.” French Proverb. (“The heart of {the one} who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.”—Proverbs 15:14, NKJV).

As I run across more of these nuggets I hope to continue this theme in future articles. As I ponder these and other sayings I pray I’ll profit from their folksy wisdom—and that you will too.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Still More Epigrams"

 

“Still More Epigrams”

 

(Please read the intro to “epigrams” first.)

“Others.”  William Booth. (“…In humility think more of one another than you do of yourselves.”—Philippians 2:3-4, PH).

“Sin always begins with the character assassination of God.” Tim Keller. (“The serpent said…’God knows that in the day you eat from {the tree} your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God….’”—Genesis 3:4-5, NASB).

“If you don’t have the time to do something right the first time how will you find the time to do it the second time?” John Wooden. (“Whatever you do, do well.”—Ecclesiastes 9:10, NLT).

“Money makes a terrible god.” Mike Harrell. (“You cannot serve God and the power of money at the same time.”—Matthew 6:24, PH).

“I can let go because God will not.” Nicole Salmon. (“’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”—Hebrews 13:5).

“God meant the Bible to be bread for our daily use, not just cake for special occasions!” Our Daily Bread. (“…The Bereans…examined the Scriptures every day….”—Acts 17:11).

“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Albert Einstein. (“…Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”—Daniel 12:4, NASB). (Have we already reached this point?)

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” Royal Caribbean Captain. (“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”—Psalm 118:24).

“True leaders for God must first be true followers of God.” Unknown. (“Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”—1 Peter 2:21).

“It’s always too soon to quit.” V. Raymond Edman. (“Don’t burn out, keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times, pray all the harder.”—Romans 12:11-12, TM).

More to come.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"More Epigrams"

 

“More Epigrams”

 

(Please read the intro to “Epigrams” first.)

“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde. (“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made….”—Psalm 139:14).

“Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.” Joel Rosenberg. (“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God…But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt.”--James  1:5-6).

“It’s not what I don’t know about the Bible that bothers me but what I do know and don’t do that does.” Abraham Lincoln. (“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says,”—James 1:22).

“Few speed records are broken when people run from temptation.” E.C. Mckenzie. (“Flee immorality.”—1 Corinthians 6:18, NASB).

“Praise the Lord anyhow!” Oral Christian Tradition. (“Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord.”—Psalm 150:6, NLT).

“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” C.S. Lewis. (“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”—Proverbs 16:18).

“I can’t keep the birds from flying over my head but I can keep them from building a nest in my hair.” Martin Luther. (“Submit yourselves…to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”—James 4:7).

“Beware of believing a half truth. It may be the wrong half.” Traditional proverb. (“What does the Scripture say?”—Romans 4:3).

“You can’t steer a car that’s stuck in park.” Motivational metaphor. (“{…Jesus}…said {to the blind man}, ‘Go, wash at the pool of Siloam…The man went and washed—and saw.”—John 9:6-7, TM).

“When our words become weapons, our relationships soon become casualties.” Our Daily Bread. (“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt….”—Colossians 4:6, NKJV).

To be continued.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Epigrams"

 

“Epigrams”

 

In a large book of illustrations I often referred to during my pastoral years there were sections called “Epigrams”. These were short sayings dealing with various topics (much like Proverbs) which put key thoughts into a few words. Over time I collected many of these adages which found their way into sermons, church bulletins, blog postings and on signs outside church buildings. They’re marked by brevity, wit, irony and other qualities which make them memorable.

With this article I’m beginning a series on “Epigrams”. If I’m able to document sources (many are unknown) they’ll be included along with a related biblical reference. They’re listed in random order but those dealing with God’s Word head the list.

“The Bible has survived the ignorance of its friends and the hatred of its enemies.” (Our Daily Bread). “Your word. O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89).

“Americans revere the Bible—but by and large they don’t read it.” (George Gallup). “…Focus on reading the Scriptures to the church….” (1 Timothy 4:13, NLT).

“(The Bible) is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” (John Quincy Adams). “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness….” (2 Timothy 3:16).

“The Christian’s life is the world’s Bible.” (Dwight L. Moody). “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.” (2 Corinthians 3:2).

“A liar better have a good memory.” (Abraham Lincoln). “So put away all falsehood and ‘tell your neighbor the truth’ because we belong to each other.” (Ephesians 4:25, NLT).

“The three stages of life are youth, middle age and you’re looking good.” (Jim Stark). (“{God has} decided the length of our lives.” (Job 14:5, NLT).

“The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.” (Albert Einstein). “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7).

“Seven days without prayer make one weak.” (Christian Folk Wisdom). “I have called upon You every day, O Lord; I have spread out my hands to You.” (Psalm 88:7, NASB).

Ponder these bits of down-home wisdom. More next time.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Worth Waiting For"

 

“Worth Waiting For”

 

In 1933 Roland Lindemann founded the Catskill Game Farm as the first privately owned zoo in the United States. It was located about 125 miles north of New York City in rural Greene County. At its peak it featured about 2000 animals and welcomed as many as 500,000 visitors a year. Unfortunately it was closed in 2006 due to decreasing attendance, rising costs and legal restrictions. The 1000 acre property has been redeveloped to include a B&B, RV resort, campground and most recently an Inn from the remodeled giraffe house. The Farm is one of the many pieces of Americana which failed to survive cultural and economic changes.

I remember nothing about my only visit to this family-oriented attraction 70+ years ago but oddly enough I recall something about how we got there. My dad knew we had to turn west off Route 9W and saw an advertisement for the Farm which said, “Turn here then turn left at the traffic light.” He drove several miles then came to a billboard proclaiming, “Turn left at the light ten miles ahead.” Had the first sign said the destination was some twenty miles over winding back roads many would have given up and not enjoyed what the Park had to offer. But it was worth the trip and waiting to get there.

Sometimes our God-directed journey takes longer than we expect and the temptation is to give up before we arrive at His place of blessings for us. It’s uncertain when David wrote Psalm 27—I believe it was near the end of his life and he’s sharing some lessons he’d learned—but he concludes his song in this way: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Verse 14, emphasis added). The highlighted phrase (or a similar one) occurs over twenty times in the Scriptures. It comes from a Hebrew word meaning “expectation” and carries with it an assurance of a good outcome. On several occasions it’s coupled with the adverb “patiently” (Ouch!). God’s never in a hurry—keep in mind He’s eternal and not bound by time—but in His sovereignty His timing is always right. (See the earlier posting “Always on Time” for an example of this truth.) A 1938 chorus by Norman Clayton has a line, “The road may be long but my Savior is strong and He holds my hand.”

We can be sure that God will always walk with us on this path we call life (“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5, emphasis added). His ways are worth waiting for as is the Eternal Home He’s prepared for us. So let’s wait in expectation for His promise to be fulfilled.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Whatever"

 

“Whatever”

 

Here in Florida caps are commonly worn, especially during hot weather to protect from sunburn. Most have an emblem of some kind representing military units, sports teams, faith and many other things. I have nine “lids” with my two favorites being a blue Brooklyn Dodgers retro and one identifying me as a “Proud Grandfather of a U.S. Marine”. My brother Dave often wears his “Vietnam Veteran” hat and enjoys greeting fellow vets with “Welcome Home”.

Recently while eating a “fancy” lunch with Karen at a gourmet restaurant (aka Sam’s Club) I noticed a gentleman a couple of tables away wearing a cap saying “Whatever”. For several years I’d had a note in my blog piling system for an article on this topic and this observation gave me the incentive to write about it. My research found that it’s a “highly versatile word” (Wiktionary), commonly used to express options, dismiss an argument or show indifference. I remember Archie Bunker’s using the word derisively several times on “All in the Family” and others in the sense of “So what?”

Our contemporary world uses the word primarily in a negative fashion. But this is nothing new. About halfway through his forty-year reign over Israel King Solomon turned from God’s ways and tried to find purpose through pleasures and projects. Did it work? Read his “spiritual autobiography” (aka Ecclesiastes) to see how his “whatevers” didn’t cut it and his conclusion was, “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NLT). The Apostle Paul, however, uses it in a positive way. He states in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” And in Philippians 4:8 he writes, “…Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable…think on these things.” (Emphasis added throughout). God’s “whatevers” are uplifting to Him and us while those of people often display an “I really don’t care!” attitude. Which honors Him and shows respect for others” Which doesn’t? Will we accept Paul’s counsel to “…think (and speak) …with sound judgment….” (Romans 12:3, AMP), whatever the situation may be?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Truths That Last"

 

“Truths That Last”

 

In a conversation with another pastor about twenty years ago I said that sometimes biblical principles are more important than specific facts. When he questioned my statement I assured him that many facts are crucial to our faith (e.g. Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross and resurrection) while some no longer are but give us lasting and timeless truths to guide us. Two illustrations come to mind. The Old Testament sacrifices of perfect animals are no longer necessary because “…(Christ) offered for all time one sacrifice for sins….” (Hebrews 10:12) but we learn that God rightly expects the best we can bring to Him (“…I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1, NLT, emphasis added). Another example has to do with whether or not Christians should eat meat which had been sold in ancient marketplaces after being offered to pagan gods (1 Corinthians 8). Obviously this isn’t an issue in our culture but it shows how we can determine what we should do about circumstances in our lives when Scripture doesn’t directly address them by applying the principles of love (v.1-3), liberty (4-6) and limitation (7-13).

In 2 Corinthians 4:18 Paul says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The facts are seen but the principles are largely unseen and work in any time and culture. Since they come from God Who is eternal (“Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, through all generations.”—Psalm 135:13) so are His words and works (“Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”—Psalm 119:89).

In a world in which “truth” is in the mind of the beholder the end result is that each one becomes the determiner of what it is for him or her—in other words, there are no universal absolutes. But without a final authority chaos is the outcome. Twice in Judges (17:6; 21:25) it’s stated, “In those days Israel had no king; so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (NLT). The conclusion: the only truths that last come from God (“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”—Deuteronomy 32:4). Amen!

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan