Will RogersIt’s very important for a charity, such as a church, that receives gifts to make sure the donor understands the tax requirements. With the donation receipt a statement must be included such as “With this gift, you did not receive any goods or services in exchange for your donation other than religious benefits.”
With Democrat pastoral leadership, from various high profile Reverends, rallies and meetings take on the air of revival, complete with fainting, screaming and chanting. So, why not toss a few dollars in the collection plate for all the religious benefits? Of course, it’s clear that no goods or services were exchanged for the donation, unless you happened to be the Governor of Illinois.
Now, things got a little confusing and disorganized over time, because people were expecting more than just religious benefits. They were expecting new kitchens, more unemployment benefits, cheaper health care, lower taxes, transparent government, and so on. People that took Will Rogers’ advice and “charged off” Democrat charitable campaign contributions got into trouble with the IRS.
The Democrat campaign is in trouble now. Charitable contributions are down. It’s a classic case of “over promise, and under deliver.” It looks like the only religious benefit left, is unemployed Democrat politicians praying for a job.
Image Information: This pictures shows the Rogers family in a Model A Ford. Pictured are Will Rogers, Jim, Mary, Will Jr., and Betty.
The image was taken directly from photographs at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
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If ever a Will Rogers quote was relevant today, it is this one. When I send my hard-earned money off to Washington, I hope that they would spend it wisely. Is that too much to ask?
Apparently so! When I hear about the pork barrel spending and waste, it just burns my grits. We’re talking about huge amounts of money here folks. When a government accountant sneezes, a million dollars goes up in smoke. When a politician blinks, a billion dollars vanishes and when the president gives a speech, wealth disappears.
The President is a rich guy. His tax bill this past year was over $400,000. He talks about the rich people needing to pay their fair share, but if I sent that kind of money to the government, I would expect a “thanks,” and a little accountability.
Instead, my money is spent on failed programs, by the billions. We have a Federal Education department that hasn’t improved education by any measurable result. The War on Poverty has had more negative results than positive. Yet we hear how important these programs are, and that more money is needed to fix the problems they created in the first place.
Any belief that elected officials in this administration posses any special wisdom and common sense went out the window when the Vice President said: “Just becaust the Recovery Act was a monumental failure, does not mean that it is not working.”
My only hope is that candidates in the next election come up with something better to offer than empty promises. Is that too much to ask?
Image Info: Wiley Post is pictured with Will Rogers in this colorized image. Post was one of the most famous aviators of the 1930s, and set records for high-altitude and round-the-world flights. Rogers and Post were killed in a plane crash in Alaska in August of 1935.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
![Let me stir you up in his name to make diligent search and solemn trial of your state, lest you come short of the promised rest. ... Let the oldest saint look well to the fundamentals of his piety, for grey heads may cover black hearts: and let not the young professor despise the word of warning, for the greenness of youth may be joined to the rottenness of hypocrisy. E12-18</p> <p>[professor – One who makes a public avowal of his belief in the Scriptures and his faith in Christ. “Professors of religion.”]](https://systemsofmerritt.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/spur009i.jpg "Spurgeon Daily Quote")
To examine one’s faith is a most difficult, but most necessary exercise, for both young and old, as Spurgeon points out in this quote. It is something that you must do on your own, in a quiet moment, like the penguin in the picture.
What state am I in? Do I have forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ? Am I a Christian? Am I growing in Christ? Am I struggling with sin? How can I know these things. Should I trust someone else’s opinion of my faith in God?
The only way to truly examine one’s faith is by God’s Word, the Bible. According to Ephesians 2:8-9 we are saved by grace, not by works. If you think good works such as helping the poor or going to Church are going to get you to heaven, ask God for grace and forgiveness of your sins.
Are you a Christian, but are lacking in assurance and growth as a believer. Look to and study the Scriptures, and seek fellowship with other believers for help. Lack of assurance does not necessarily mean lack of salvation. Be patient, assurance will come with growth.
Dear Lord, As I examine my faith, as I look into your Scriptures, work in my heart and life. Help my faith to grow so that I may come, at last, to your promised rest. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersIt’s impossible to add much to a Will Rogers quote like this one! Over the past couple of years, we have watched an overactive congress pass a boatload of some of the most controversial and unpopular legislation ever. Along with that, they have spent and borrowed more money than even a drunken sailor could imagine.
Now that another party controls the House, the press is squawking about legislation designed to undo what was done by the other party. Every day we hear about more legislation for cutting this, defunding that and investigating something else.
As if people weren’t concerned enough about Federal legislation, state legislatures are capturing national attention. To add to the drama, some legislators are even fleeing state capitals.
Protests, rallys, demonstrations, radio, TV, newspapers and the internet are loaded to the limit with legislative news! When will they take a break, and let us relax for a few precious moments?
Image Information: Once Will Rogers found out he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air. If you read his Daily Telegram articles, you will find him hopscotching across the country on a regular basis. In this picture he is standing in front of an open seat airplane, and is holding a flying helmet. Will Rogers was a great promoter of commercial aviation and was also acquainted with many of the great aviators of the day including Lindberg, Mitchell and Post.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
“Before the first of the stars began to shine!” We were on God’s mind in eternity past, when the covenant was formed, and Jesus expressed his love for each of us (his elect) as he became party to it. Can we even begin to comprehend ages so vast, or love so deep?
Words and images are simply inadequate in describing concepts such as everlasting and eternity. Spurgeon’s imagery, however is beautifully stated and wonderful to ponder. The background image is from a NASA photograph of deep space, to give further perspective to the long ages of eternity.
But how can I know if I am one of God’s elect? Because of God’s love for his people, he will surely communicate his love and salvation to us. There are several ways He communicates. God has provided his Word to us, the Bible, to communicate the gospel message to us personally. Pastors and christian friends share God’s word with us, and finally God’s Holy Spirit actively works in our lives. We are not alone!
If you are unsure of God’s grace and salvation in your life, pray for His help, and look for His answer. Complete assurance of salvation may not come all at once, but it will grow over time.
Dear Lord, Grant me a deeper understanding of your eternal love. Speak to me through your Word, christian friends and by your Holy Spirit, that I may know your salvation and be counted among your elect. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
When my children were little, they would come to me for protection and help. “Daddy, he wouldn’t share his crayons, and he hit me!” I would comfort my child by holding them in my arms and try to correct the crayon sharing problem. When all was resolved, they would climb down and go about their business.
Just as my children knew where their “hiding place” was, God provides us with a hiding place where we can go for comfort. Just as the bird in the picture has a safe place among the rocks, God provides us a safe place when we need protection.
As I share these Psalms with you day-by-day, I have noticed that God’s word is always a necessary part of the Psalmist’s message. In this Psalm, in order to enter God’s hiding place, we must hope in his word.
Dear Lord, help us to know your word better, that we may find a hiding place and that we may be upheld according to your word. Amen
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 119 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes KJV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Even before my oldest daughter was born, I was thinking about her. So was my wife. After she was born, we spent a lot of time thinking about her, praying for her and caring for her. That’s a lot of thoughts!
If I could add up all those thoughts, I don’t think I could come close to the number represented by the grains of sand in the image on the left.
The Psalmist give us an idea of the vastness of God’s precious thoughts toward us. Before we were even born he was thinking of us. From the day we were born, and every day and night – his thoughts are on his children.
Dear Lord, help me to understand even a small part of your thoughts and care for me, especially in the work of Jesus – his life, his cross, his death and his resurrection!
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 139 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Below is an extra treat! The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 139 to music. Listen to a sample below and purchase your own copy at the iTunes store by clicking on the button.
| Psalm 139 – Rain Album |  |
I’m not a singer. When someone asks me what key I sing in, I tell them “the skeleton key.” When it comes to praise, however, there’s just something special about singing. I love to worship in the congregation, adding my feeble voice, to sing of the lovingkindness and faithfulness of Jehovah.
When I think of the heavens, as shown in the image, I see a glimpse of the vastness of eternity, beauty and mystery. In the covenant, God says: “I shall be your God, and you shall be my people.” In verse 3 the Psalmist says: “I have made a covenant with my chosen.”
In the New Testament we find that Jesus establishes a new covenant through his life, death on the cross, and resurrection. It provides us with salvation if we receive it.
Dear Lord, Grant me the grace to enter your covenant. Let me then sing of your lovingkindness and praise you for your faithfulness. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 89 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ASV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
What could a young lion possibly want. They’re at the top of the food chain! Perhaps it’s the never-ending cycle of want and hunger that the Psalmist mentions – never being satisfied.
I’m a tech guy – always wanting newer and faster computers and gadgets. Can the things of this life cause us to not fear or respect God as we should. They can and they do.
Dear Lord, help me to seek you more each day and to thank you for every good thing that comes from your hand.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 34 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Sometimes is doesn’t happen right away – turning mourning into dancing. A deep grief, difficult situations, or failure can take a while to work through.
An encouraging word from my precious wife, kids or friends helps a great deal. After time, the sackcloth is loosed and I can begin to dance, like the sea otters dancing in the water in the picture.
Helping others also works its wonders in my own heart. It helps me to be clothed with gladness, as the Psalmist says. Notice that praise and thanks are products of this change from mourning to dancing.
Dear Lord, help me to dance, and help me to be an encouragement to others, so that we may sing your praise and give thanks to you forever! Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 30 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Have you left the church? Do you find problems with the pastor or certain people there? From this quote you might ask, “how can Christ delight in the church, and how is it beautiful?” Those people are unfriendly, hypocrites… and the list goes on!
I have to learn every day, with God’s help, that I must be humble before both God and others. My tendency is toward pride, that I am better than others, and I would naturally find some fault in them to prove the point.
If I can for a minute put aside my pride, then the church becomes a place where sinners, saved by grace, meet together to worship God. Mr. X, across the aisle hurt my feelings last week, yet I see him singing hymns and worshipping God. I need to put aside my feelings and sing along.
It’s time to return to the nest as Spurgeon says, it’s time to hasten home. As the two birds in the picture are gathered upon their nest in the picture, we need to gather together for worship.
Dear Lord, help me to hasten home to your church. Help me to overcome my pride, that I might worship together in the congregation with your people. Help me to make your church a thing of beauty. Amen.
Charles H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892, was the foremost preacher of the 19th century. His many sermons, devotions, and books bring a unique, inspiring, and spiritual significance to biblical truth. What is most surprising is that Spurgeon had no formal theological training. Even so, he became widely recognized for his insight and prowess in biblical teaching.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
What a glorious Psalm about God’s goodness. To ponder such great goodness, brings about praise as the Psalmist says: “Your saints will extol you.” Not only is God good now, but His goodness extends through all generations and beyond.
Sometimes I struggle with why so many bad things happen to me. Bad things are all around me, death of loved ones, job loss, family strife, natural disasters and so much more. How can God be good if that is the case?
In this fallen world, the real miracle is that anything good can happen at all! The good we see in this life is a glimpse of God’s goodness and love toward us. It is the undoing of the curse of sin. Many times we find that something good comes out of a seemingly bad situation. Even for this we can praise God.
If you look at the life of Jesus, you see the undoing of the effects of sin through healings, mastery over wind and waves, changed hearts and lives, and many other miracles. For the good things Jesus did, what was his reward? He was crucified by evil men.
All the evil in this world could not overcome the goodness of God however. After the crucifixion came the resurrection.
Dear Lord, Show me your goodness, that I might praise you. Save me from this sinful world through the work of Jesus on the cross. Raise me from the dead and give me new life. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 145 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersLike Will Rogers says, when Congress adjourns you can count it a blessing. Well, almost. You see, the problem is that during their recess, they all return to their districts where they stir up trouble with fundraising and campaign speeches.
The only way to get rid of them is for them to return to Washington, but that means Congress is back in session, which means watch out for your freedoms, and hold on to your wallet.
What to do? If the current crop doesn’t do their job, get rid of them in the next election and hope the next batch does what’s right for the country.
Image Info: Will Rogers loved to fly. With his busy schedule, it was the fastest way to get places. From open cockpits to the dawn of commercial aviation, he was constantly in the air.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
As I have been reading the Psalms, I have noticed that the Psalmist regularly encourages us to remember, remember, remember. Remember what the Lord has done for us. Remember God’s many blessings in our lives. Remember answered prayers. Remember his salvation. Remember his deliverance. Remember his mercy. Remember, remember, remember!
In this quote, Spurgeon also encourages us to look to the flowing river of our experiences. I hope that our rivers may be wide and deep, like the one in the picture.
The bulrushes, or reeds along the river mark our specific experiences. They can be gathered and woven together in to an ark, or small boat. Spurgeon indicates that this will help us “float safely on the stream.”
When our “infant faith” is tested, we must rely on our experiences of God’s past faithfulness to help us float in safety over rough waters. For example, when I face financial hardships, I remember all the times that God has provided for my needs in similar circumstances. For that I can praise the Lord in the current difficulty, trusting that He will see me through, just like He has so many times before.
Dear Lord, Please help me bring to remembrance all the experiences of your love and mercy, so that they may sustain me in difficult times. Especially let me remember your great salvation, through Jesus Christ, that will sustain me to the end. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersFinancial uncertainty is unsettling not only for financial markets, but for taxpayers as well. Tension seems to be highest whenever congress is in session because it seems you never know what they are going to do. Actually, we do know one thing, whatever they do will be bad for the taxpayer! The same bunch …
Will RogersThere’s a lot of “Oinking” going on in the halls of Congress. It takes a big hog waller to handle all the pork, so big in fact, that it’s impossible to manage all the hogs. They’re running here and there, squealing and oinking, as Congressmen and aids try to gather them up and ship …
Will RogersWill Rogers attended peace/disarmament conferences during the 1920s and early 1930s, mostly for the humor value. He would telegraph his observations back to U.S. newspapers, such as the January 28, 1930 quote seen here, that ran in his Daily Telegraph syndicated column. As a keen observer of legislative politics in the U.S., Rogers knew …
One of several reoccurring themes through the Psalms is God’s concern for the poor and oppressed. In Psalm 41, the Lord promises blessings and protection for those who consider the poor. The Church and God’s people have always had a roll in ministering to the poor. Not only do they look after the needs for …
Maybe it’s just a “guy thing,” but have you ever witnessed a sporting event where the winner shouts in triumph, waving fists in the air? Game winning touchdowns are one example that comes to mind. Meanwhile, the defensive players shake their heads in disbelief and pitifully walk off the field, heads down and shoulders slouched. …
Will RogersAfter WWI numerous peace [disarmament] conferences were held. Will Rogers attended for the humor value and sent dispatches back to the U.S. newspapers. He saw the futility in such agreements that tried to limit arms, as if that would bring world peace. In this Will Rogers quote, he points out that even if we …
This is a great biography by Ben Yagoda. Follow Will Rogers from obscurity, growing up in Oklahoma, to become one of the most loved and admired men in America. How could one man be gifted with so much talent and energy? Follow Will as he travels across America and the world. He worked and starred …
I’ve been through some uneasy work situations where it seemed that people were against me and there was no recourse, no where to take my complaint. I felt alone, like the penguin in the picture. My situation is pretty insignificant compared to Christian martyrs of the past, believers who suffered because of their faith in …
Will RogersCongress wants to START down the same old worn out and ineffective path again. During Rogers day, in the aftermath of WWI, diplomats had numerous conferences on disarmament. Funny thing was that they could never agree on what battleships to scrap, or weapons to destroy. Rogers attended a number of these conferences for the …
Is God a personal God, or is He only concerned with the big picture as an impersonal force? In Psalm 40 we see that God is very personal! His wondrous deeds and thoughts are multiplied toward us. Simply pondering the physical world around us would lead us toward God. The wondrous complexity and beauty of …
