Amy Carmichael - "If" Quote

"If . . . I find myself half-carelessly taking lapses for granted, 'Oh, that's what they always do,' 'Oh of course she talks like that, he acts like that,' then I know nothing of Calvary love."
- from If by Amy Carmichael 


see also: first post on Amy Carmichael

Weekly Reading

As I have stated in a previous post, I think reading is important. Beyond the multiple books I'm currently reading, I also spend time each week reading blog posts on blogs that I follow and posts that are mentioned in tweets.

Here are five articles that stood out to me this week (in no particular order). This week's reading selections are quite eclectic.

• Useful Travel Skills by Chris Guillebeau
• The Discipline of Spiritual Perseverance by Oswald Chambers
• Why You Should Understand Your Weaknesses by Michael Hyatt
• An Insider's Guide to Social Media Etiquette by Chris Brogan
• You Really Hate Your Writing? That's a Good Sign by Jane Friedman

How about you?  Did you read anything that stood out to you this week?

Henry Scougal on the Love of God

"The love of God is a delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections, which makes the soul resign and sacrifice itself wholly unto him, desiring above all things to please him, and delighting in nothing so much as in fellowship and communion with him, and being ready to do or suffer any thing for his sake, or at his pleasure."
- Henry Scougal in The Life of God in the Soul of Man 
(note: I came across this quote on a friend's blog and decided to update the spelling for easier reading)

Oswald Chambers on the Motivation Behind Our Service

"If our devotion is to the cause of humanity, we will be quickly defeated and broken-hearted, since we will often be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from other people. But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another."
- Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest

Amy Carmichael - "If" Quote

If . . . I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child's misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
- from If by Amy Carmichael


first If post: Amy Carmichael - If 

Jonathan Edwards on the Benefit of Spiritual Knowledge

"The more you have of a rational knowledge of divine things, the more opportunity will there be, when the Spirit shall be breathed into your heart, to see the excellency of these things, and to taste the sweetness of them."
- Jonathan Edwards in Christian Knowledge, Section V

Bearing Precious Seed

“He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”  (Psalm 126:6 ESV)


The man stooped down to the earth, placed something in the earth, tapped the earth lightly, and then stood up.  He moved over a couple of inches, stooped down to the earth, repeated his actions, and stood up again.  He did this over and over again.  Stooping, placing something into the earth, tapping the earth, and then rising again.  Step after step of monotonous labor, up and down the long stretch of field.  His profession?  A farmer.  His task?  Planting his seed.  His objective?  A bountiful harvest.  


The psalmist speaks here of a farmer planting his seed.  In Luke 8, Christ uses the picture of the farmer planting his seed to illustrate the planting of the seed of the gospel.  As believers, we have been entrusted with that same seed of the gospel.  Taking the farmer as our example, there are some principles to be learned.  


First of all, our work will be hard work.  The farmer has to go out in his field and devote long and hard hours to get his seed into the ground.  It is back-breaking work with no immediate results. Many times our work as the planters of the gospel will be not necessarily back-breaking work, but it will be heart-breaking work as we seek to win the lost.  Our work also will many times have no immediate results.  That does not, however, excuse us from continuing our labor; but we must persevere and continue planting the seed.  


Secondly, however, there is promised rejoicing at the time of harvest.  The farmer plants his seed at much personal cost.  At the end of summer, however, he reaps what he has sown with a joyful heart.  In the same way, God has promised that His word “shall not return to [Him] void” (Isaiah 55:11).  There will be a harvest and it will be with great rejoicing.  God’s word will accomplish His work.  We need to simply plant it.  


Thus, as we consider our commission before us, what are we doing about fulfilling it?  Are we bearing precious seed with us wherever we go?  The waitress at the restaurant – do you take the time to talk to her, to find out why she’s tired, to share with her about the One Who can give her perfect rest?  The sales clerk you come across at the mall – do you tell him about One Who has bought him with His blood which is more precious than silver or gold?  The drunk you come across as you walk down the street – do you tell him of Him Who is the Living Water?  The arrogant teenager at your church who has heard it all – do you tell her of the God Who knows her every thought?  The rebellious bus kid that comes every week on your bus ministry – do you tell him of the One Who loved him so much that He died for him?  Are you bearing that precious seed, sowing it everywhere you go?  

Amy Carmichael - "If" Quote

"If . . . I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love."
- from If by Amy Carmichael


first If post: Amy Carmichael - If 

A Thought for Valentine's Day

"'And so ended his affection,' said Elizabeth impatiently. 'There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!'
'I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,' said Darcy.
'Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.'" 
- from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Amy Carmichael - "If" Quote

"If . . . I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting, 'Who made thee to differ? and what has thou that thou hast not received?' then I know nothing of Calvary love."
- If by Amy Carmichael, page 14


first If post: Amy Carmichael - If