Some Martin Luther quotes:

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."

"Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see."

"If he have faith, the believer cannot be restrained. He betrays himself. He breaks out. He confesses and teaches this gospel to the people at the risk of life itself."

"You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say."

"Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God."

"I’m afraid what happens is that a focus on gaining information rather than on nurturing faith produces a rationally satisfying but secular Christianity, a Christianity where there is impressive growth in knowledge but little growth in the all-important relationship to God part. The essence of secularity is to miss the spiritual reality that can only be gained through intimacy with Christ—an intimacy of relationship in participation with Him in living the kind of life He modeled for us. Jesus was keenly conscious of the spirit world and spiritual reality. The Pharisees were at least conscious enough of the spirit realm to fast regularly and to deal with demons. The Sadducees appear to have been rather totally secularized. We may be somewhere between the two. But we’ve bought into a Greek knowledge-seeking approach, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:22 where it is noted that Greeks were committed to the quest for knowledge...The Greeks had the theory that the thing wrong with humans is lack of knowledge. So their answer to human problems was to supply information, a system that should be seen to be bankrupt, especially by Christians. But our whole schooling system is based on this bankrupt theory plus its corollary, the assumption that if people have the right information, they will behave rightly.

Training programs and sermonizing that focus people’s attention on information rather than on behavior deaden faith. People lose their faith in evangelical seminaries and churches not because the knowledge is wrong or theologically off the tracks, but because an overload of knowledge without putting it into practice deadens relationships. Such overemphasis on doctrine also leads people (especially academics) to be suspicious of experience. This is strange, since it is precisely experience that is necessary to enable knowledge to be valuable. Virtually the only kind of knowledge advocated in Scripture is experiential knowledge (not simply theoretical or academic)...John 8:32 should be translated, "You’ll experience and obey the truth and the truth will set you free"" -Charles H. Kraft (Fuller Theological Seminary)

Beliefs of Worth

"The reason some folks don't believe in missions is that the brand of religion they have isn't worth propagating." - Unknown

Something to think about. Is what you believe not valuable enough to you to share it with the world? Perhaps if the truth of God’s mercy given to you were fully understood, you would live for nothing but revealing that mercy to the world. Perhaps if the church were something more than a social club, you would be so excited you would beg everyone in the world to come. Perhaps if Jesus were actually your best friend, with whom you communed daily, you would long to introduce him to the world. Maybe if what you believed was the greatest thing in your life, it would not be a chore to share it with others, but a joy from which you could not be held back. It’s something to think about.

Consumed by Tears

So often it seems am I consumed by these many tears. Tears of sorrow, that my brothers do not seek the strength they would need to follow the calling for which they are unwilling to live and die. Sorrows for my sisters worlds away, yet so near in heart, as they suffer under oppressive hands. Sorrows for myself that no man may be found to lead this weak and foolish child. Unutterable sorrows for the masses who continue down that wide road through the open gates of hell. Sorrows so many to count, as the stars in the heavens. Yet tears of joy overwhelm as often. Joy of the eternity to come, when I may gaze into my Fathers eyes. Joy in the hope that I may one day share in the sufferings of so many great men before, to be counted alongside these fellow martyrs. Joy in the hope that I may yet find one who shares my heart, and may weep by my side. Joy that my Father may use this broken man to save the lost and awaken His sleeping bride, whose beauty has now so greatly faded with time. May my tears never cease lest the fires of my love and passion be extinguished by the many comforts which surround me.

One Who Cared

“When Queen Victoria calls for volunteers for India, hundreds of young men respond, but, when King Jesus calls, no one goes…Is it true, that the fathers and mothers of Scotland have no more sons to give for India…Very well. Then, aged though I am, I’ll go back to India. I can lie down on the banks of the Ganges and I can die and thereby I can let the people of India know that there was one man in Scotland who loved them enough to give his life for them.” - Alexander Duff

None in the assembly would accept his challenge to go until his final words were spoken, at which point men began jumping to the feet calling out that they would go. It is my fear that men today would be the same, except they would remain silent and unmoved even but this old mans final words. Perhaps the younger men would say they are too inexperienced and must get an education and job and family and home before they could go. Perhaps the older men would say they have families to care for, and believe God would not ask them to endanger their lives. Perhaps the young women would believe it far too dangerous for them alone, and they could only go if their future husband would go. And all may say that haven’t had the ‘calling’ to go, though never having received a calling for their current or future careers and plans. Yes, men have gone, and men have died, and the world has seen there are a few who cared. But the blood of these few cries out to the millions who will not now arise to the calling of their King to show this lost world they love enough to give their lives.

Sights from a Rooftop

“last night was spent circling the rooftop of a house, looking across a sea of lighted houses before the darkening sky, filled with families now destined for hell. Surrounded by masses of people, held by but a thread over the flames of hell, at any moment to be loosed from the hand of God. Such a sight brought to me so great a pain and sorrow for the plight of these souls, where my prayers could be nothing more than groans given through tears. Surely no words could suffice at such a time. Surely a hint of the pain felt by God is too great a burden for any man to carry. Despite my sorrows, it seems there is still a greater sorrow which has not yet been made known to me. Perhaps I am not yet ready for it, but I will none the less continue to ask for the heart of God to be upon me.”

And as I walked home from that rooftop late in the night I had no greater desire but that men should come from the darkness to rob me and beat me, that I may have felt those deep pains within my heart somehow inflicted upon my body. So many months ago, in a land now so very far away, yet such pain could never be forgotten. And now, though I do not feel so intense a pain, I realize the fate of these men now surrounding me is the same. If you have not felt so great a sorrow for these abundant lost souls, I would ask that you pray God would enable you to feel some part of the pain he feels for His creations who do not glorify their creator. And may that pain then drive you save these souls from the fires of hell so very soon to be upon them.