Bill Wilson's Quote ...

"You don't get strength for the battle, you get strength from the battle"

Have been listening day in and day out Bill Wilson's sermon which is found in Cornerstone Community Church in Spore and in one of his sermons, he made this million-dollar statement.

Like what Joan, Li and May say, no matter how hard and how much they prepare themselves to face the death of Aunty, they are still not prepared when it happen. But when it happen ... all of them went through it, coming out with new strength to face the tomorrows ....

I guess if we can get strength for the battle, then we dont need to go thru the battles because more often than not, the battles that we face in life are tools used by God to draw us closer to Him (else we will be too busy enjoying life and running crazy after life) and tools to refine and purify us ...

Yes, it is through the battles in life that we will indeed merge out stronger spiritually, emotionally and mentally.

"It was through loving myself in
the wrong way that I lost myself; by seeking You alone and
loving You sincerely, I have found both myself and You"

~ Thomas A Kempis ~

Who Am I?

Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? ...
Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, thou knowest, O God, I am thine
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer : 1906-1945)

Christ calls ....

"When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die"
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The result of sin : Watchman Nee

"God allows that soul to fall, to weaken, and even to sin, that he may understand whether or not any good resides in the flesh. This usually happens to the one who thinks he is progressing spiritually. The Lord tries him in order that he may know himself. It is altogether a most difficult lesson, and is not learned within one day or night. Only after many years does one gradually realize how untrustworthy is his flesh."

... Shaken, Quenched, Broken ...

Unshakable faith is faith that has been shaken ...
Unquenchable joy is joy that has been quenched ...
Unbreakable love is love that has been broken ....

AW Tozer

"God rarely uses a man greatly, until He hurts a man deeply"
AW Tozer

EM Bounds - Quote

"The Church is looking for better methods;
God is looking for better people. What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but people whom the Holy Spirit can use, people of prayer, people mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through people. He does not come in machinery, but on people. He does not anoint plans, but people -- people of prayer"

What God Hath Promised

God hath not promised skies always blue,
flower strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
rest for the labor,
light for the way,
grace for the trials,
help from above,
unfailing sympathy,
undying love

~ Annie Johnson Flint ~

The Cost of Leadership - Loneliness .....

"Most of the world's greatest souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be the price a saint must pay for his saintliness" - A.W. Tozer

On without cheer of sister or daughter,
Yes, without stay of father or of son,
Lone on the land, and homeless on the water,
Pass I in patience till my work be done. F.W.H. Meyers

Because .... we ... He ....

Because we children of Adam want to be great,
He became small.

Because we will not stoop,
He humbled Himself.

Because we want to rule,
He came to serve.

When God wants to drill a man ....

When God wants to drill a man
And thrill a man
And skill a man

When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trials only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks
When His good He undertakes;
How he uses whom He chooses
And every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try his splendour out -
God knows what He's about!

~ Author Unknown ~

Has Thou No Scar?

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land,
I hear them hail the bright ascendant star:
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet, I was wounded by the archers, spent.
Leaned me against the tree to die, and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned :
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yes, the master shall be the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me,
But thine are whole. Can he have followed far
Who has no wound? No scar?

Amy Carmichael

... God, harden me against myself ....

God, harden me against myself,
The coward with pathetic voice
Who craves for ease and rest and joy
Myself, arch-traitor to myself
My hollowest friend
My deadliest foe
My clog, whatever road I go

(Spiritual Leadership, J.Oswald Sander, pg 53)

O.Chambers

Staleness is an indication of something out of joint with God .. freshness does not come from obedience but from the Holy Spirit, obedience keeps us in the light as God is in the light.


Are you drawing your life from any other source than God Himself? If you are depending upon anything but Him, you will never know when He is gone .....

Leadership

Road to spiritual authority and leadership by Samuel Brengle :

"it is not won by promotion, but my many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin, and much heart-searching and humbling before God, by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross, and by eternally looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things are gain to us as loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by a leader whose power is recognizd abd felt in heaven, on earth and in hell"

(Spiritual Leadership - Oswald Sanders, pg19)