A Page from the Diary of John Wesley

From Johns Wesley's Diary

Sunday morning. May 5, preached in St. Ann's, was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday p.m. May 5, preached at St. John's, deacons said, "Get out and stay out."

Sunday a.m. May 12, preached at St. Jude's, can't go back there either.

Sunday p.m., May 12, preached at St. George's, kicked out again.

Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St. somebody else's, deacons called special meeting and said I counldn't return.

Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street.

Sunday a.m., May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services.

Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.

Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.

from The Moral of the Story by Jerry Newcombe

Oh, give me another Wesley!! I'm sick to death that our country is filled with limp wristed people pleasers who pass off baby talk as preaching. Let the fire fall!

God's Guardrails

I grew up in the mountains and often travelled on a particularly dangerous narrow mountain road with hairpin turns, switchbacks and falling rocks. Guardrails lined the canyon side of the road. I once had a summer job repairing those guardrails and it was an endless job. They saved many lives by preventing cars from plunging hundreds of feet into the canyon below.

God's guardrails are His moral laws. They stand between us and destruction. They are there not to punish or deprive us, but to protect us.

No!!! God... No God... Know God

No!!! God. This is saying "no" to God. Not so smart when you think about who He is.
No God. This is denying that God exists. Not so smart because He is still there, and so is hell.
Know God. That's why we were created - and why Jesus came. That's smart! Very smart!

To error is human....

Old "sayings" are worth memorizing, pondering and passing on to others. They often contain the wisdom of the ages.

"To error is human, to forgive is Divine."

Think about this. We can't go through life without making errors. But if we just slow down a bit we can often make our errors in the right direction. Let me explain.

I can make the error of doubting that God will make good on His promises or on the other hand, I can be presumptious, presuming that God will do something He never promised He would do. Both are errors and since "to error is human, I would rather make an error on the side of presumption, expecting God to do more than He promised rather than doubt Him.

Another addage: "It's better to error on the side of caution." When the "red flags" begin to wave, slow down. I have learned, all too often by bitter experience, that when I see a "red flag" (an inner prompting to be careful) I proceed at my own risk and to my own detriment.

Knowing God

What were we made for?
To know God.
What aim should we set ourselves in life?
To know God.
What is the eternal life that Jesus gives?
Knowledge of God.
What is the best thing in life?
Knowledge of God.
What in a man gives God most pleasure?
Knowledge of Himself.

from Knowing God by J.I.Packer

Trivial Pursuit

Remember the game "Trivial Pursuit". You advance around the game board according to your ability to answer questions about general knowledge and pop culture.

I've been thinking about the subject (not the game) for a couple of weeks. Might have started by listening to Leonard Ravenhill on YouTube, esp. the one on "Eternity written on you eyeballs".

When we stand before our creator and enter into eternity, only then will we really understand how much of our life we wasted on "trivial pursuits" (not the game).

Only one life, will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.

The Way Less Travelled

Jesus said that the "many" are doomed and the "few" find life. Read it in Matthew's Gospel Chapter 7 verses 13 and 14. What did He mean? Do we really take it to heart?

Alchemy is an ancient practice focused on the attempt to change base metals into gold. "Mental alchemy" would then be the practice of changing a concept into something totally different from the original.

Modern thought has pretty much transformed this message of Jesus to the exact opposite. The many are ok. Don't you dare think that you're "better" than anyone else. You hippocritical, pharisaical, self-rightious, narrow minded, nit picking, straight laced, old fashioned Bible thumper.

Regrardless of what the "many" say it still remains that at the end of the broad road is destruction and at the end of the narrow road is life.