Like many people, I give to my local church and other charitable organizations. My expectation is that the money will be used in the most efficient way by these organizations to further the goals of the various ministries.
Suppose it is found out that members of the charitable organization are living high-on-the-hog, buying luxury items, or engaging in inappropriate activities. Then, after that revelation, the organization demands that you continue to contribute to their “cause.” Indeed, this has been the downfall of organizations, and I’m sure several come to mind.
This also holds true for businesses that are found to lack integrity in their practices. They will not survive in the long run. We’ve seen a number of spectacular crashes of businesses that looked good on the outside, but were rotten on the inside.
And now, gentle reader, we come to our Federal Government, and the money that flows into and out of its treasury. We look at the way it spends its money and unfortunately we have little say in the internal policies and practices. Plus, some of the spending borders on criminal activity in the minds of many americans. Then there are revelations of massive fraud in the handling of taxpayer’s money.
Unlike giving to charitable organizations I don’t have any choice but to pay taxes to the government. When they demand more taxes to compensate for irresponsible spending, I get a little concerned.
I get concerned because more taxes means less money for my family and it means I have less money for charitable giving. Let’s say I’m a “fat cat” with lots of disposable income. Large gifts to charitable and other foundations are directly affected along with the ability to pass funds on to heirs (death tax). The knowledge that my desire to gift money to charitable foundations is now forced to becomes a “gift” to the Federal Government is frustrating.
Along with Will Rogers, I wouldn’t feel the taking of my tax dollars was a crime if I knew that the spending of my hard-earned money by the governenment wasn’t such a crime. Thanks Will Rogers for a piece of great insight form 1932!
Image Information: This picture was taken during the Will Rogers-Wiley Post ill-fated Alaska trip in August of 1935. Rogers was dispatching his Daily Telegram column up to the day of the crash on August 15. Famous aviator Wiley Post is pictured on the right.
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.
Cindy and I just became grandparents recently. She had the privilege of being with our daughter when the baby was born. The pictures of our newborn grandson are precious.
The closest I can come to the concept of a shining face is that of a new mother gazing upon her baby for the first time. I can see it in the pictures of our daughter and grandson. I remember my wife holding our newborn children. The look of wonder and joy seemed to give her face a certain glow and radiance.
I chose this picture to go with the verse because the sun streaming through the trees dramatically lights up and warms the forest floor. Our desire is that God would grant our lives light and warmth, and that we could pass that on to others.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 67 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.
Will RogersAs usual, Will nails it with a quote from 1933! It’s not just that people look to government, but government entitlement programs draw people in. The government creates dependents who don’t need to do much of anything but draw their government check each month.
It seems that the bigger government grows, the more people expect. Unfortunately, failed programs and broken lives litter the landscape. Perhaps smaller government and more independent people are the better way.
The picture is from the 1935 Will Rogers movie The County Chairman. Will plays Jim Hackler, a local party-boss in a Wyoming county, who has to decide to do what’s right and lose the election, or what’s wrong and win.
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.
When I think of the the “love of God,” I find it easy to let the thought pass without much reflection. Three words that make up a simple, well worn phrase just don’t seem to carry much weight in our culture these days.
Spurgeon’s quote gives us a view of the infinitely vast reach of God’s love, and that exploring it will inflame our hearts. This isn’t just a feel good type of love, or even a truly deep human expressed love. It is so much more; beyond our comprehension.
God’s love is a love that reaches beyond our sin. In Romans 5:8 we read: “God shows his love for us in that ‘while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.'” Think of the most wretched human being, a person who has betrayed you, or a person who hates you. Could you love that person? Would you die for that person so they might live another day? Yet this is what Christ did for us.
Have you ever had a moment where you suddenly realized you had hurt someone deeply. Perhaps you yelled at your spouse or children in a moment of anger. Did you feel the physical effect? Did your heart burn within you? I’ve felt it on occasion.
As we grow in grace and come to more fully realize the depth of our indwelling sin, our heart should burn within us as we understand God’s love and forgiveness reach beyond our sin. Infinitely beyond! This realization should cause us to “long to love him more,” as Spurgeon says.
Dear Lord, Help me to more fully understand your love for me. Your love led Jesus to the cross, and your Holy Spirit brings grace and help every day. Because of what you have done for me, I long to love you more. 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.
Here’s a review for the Daily Psalms iPhone applications in The iPhone App Review.
My prayers always seem to be most earnest when I’m in the midst of a difficulty, when I’m sinking, or when I’ve gone under. When Peter was distracted by the wind and waves in Matthew 14 he began to sink. At that point Peter cried out for Jesus to save him.
I’m so thankful that even when we get distracted, Jesus is merciful and hears our frantic prayers. May the Lord help us to remain focused on Him!
I chose this picture of the walrus to go with the Spurgeon quote. This strange creature doesn’t look like it should float, yet it is perfectly adapted for the water.
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.
Walking down the halls of power in Washington is an amazing experience as you consider the history of the place. The power to impact millions of people, worldwide is the responsibility of these legislators.
Have you ever watched a machine crush a car into a small cube? Have you watched a rocket launch, with fire, smoke, and an earth shaking roar of the engines. This is physical power, harnessed and used by man.
Consider the forces of nature. Hurricanes, volcanoes, lightning, tornados, earthquakes or tsunamis wield power so great, we are helpless before them.
We might tremble in the presence of powers mentioned above. We harness power, fear it, and respect it in its many forms, but what about the power of God? God’s power not only moves in our physical world, but in the spiritual world as well.
We should fear and respect God’s strength, power and might. Along with the Psalmist we should also respond with praise. Praise God for His mighty power, at work in and around us.
Dear Lord, You created this world, and oversee everything that happens. Such power and strength is too awesome for me to comprehend! Yet you care for me. Let me “sing and praise your might.” Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 21 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.
I love this picture! Mr. Beaver seems to be talking directly to me, reminding me to “give thanks to the Lord.” Actually, I do need reminding, because I often forget to give thanks.
As in many Psalms, the Psalmist speaks of “the needy one” and of God’s protection and salvation. Normally I think of the “needy one” as some desperately poor person – someone else.
It turns out that that “needy one” is actually me! I need God’s protection. I need God’s salvation, through Jesus. I also need to give thanks with my mouth. I need to give thanks with God’s people in worship.
Dear Lord, bring to my mind often, the need to give you thanks – for your protection, for your salvation through Jesus, for all the blessings you have brought my way. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 109 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.
Being searched at the airport now days is quite an experience. Your bags are checked with X-ray machines, and full-body scans render you naked on somebody’s screen. You body and possessions are fully exposed to try and determine if you are a terrorist threat.
The one thing that they can’t do at the airport security station is determine the intent of your heart. If they could do that, no other security measure would be needed.
Exposing yourself to airport security is humiliating, which is why there is so much controversy about it. The Psalmist, however, says “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” This is a much deeper exposure and intimacy which takes a great deal of humility.
Our tendency is to want to hide ourselves from God, just like Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves in the garden after eating the forbidden fruit. Opening up to the Lord can bring great blessings though. The Psalmist asks “lead me in the everlasting way.” The image shows a beautiful, peaceful wooded path to go with this Psalm.
Dear Lord, Help me to open up to you, even if just a little. Search me and know my heart, and help me to know you better. Lead me in your path and teach me your ways. Amen.
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.
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 |  |
My grandmother was well into her 90s when we gathered around her. It would be the last time I would see her in this life. She looked up at me, smiling, her blue eyes twinkling, and said: “I’m ready to go.” I’ll never forget that moment.
My uncle told me that the short time she had been in the nursing facility she had been a blessing and encouragement to everyone there, staff and patients. Her confident faith and cheerful attitude were an inspiration to all.
My grandmother had served the Lord all her life. As the Psalmist says in this passage, she had walked “before the Lord in the land of the living,” she had known suffering and affliction in her life, she had fulfilled her vows “to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” She knew the love of her savior, Jesus, and shared that love with her family, friends and all she came into contact with.
The image shows a beautiful, peaceful sunset. May the Lord help me to grow in my faith so that as my life comes to a close, as my sun sets, I will be ready to go, like my grandmother; with confidence and faith.
Dear Lord, It’s never too late to turn to you as savior. Help us to know your love and grow in faith to the end of our days. When we are called home, let us be ready to confidently say, “I’m ready to go.”
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” I love you grandma.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 116 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.
Below is an extra treat! The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 116 to music. Listen to a sample below and purchase your own copy at the iTunes store by clicking on the button.
| Psalm 116b – Rain Album | |
Politicians and candidates that don’t tell the truth really are to be pitied. Reporters and news organizations that make up stories and repeat the lies of the candidates are also to be pitied.
Interestingly, it seems that the mainstream press seems to attack, without mercy, candidates that tell the truth. Every detail of their lives, clothing, bank records, shopping habits, children, contents of their trash cans are probed in detail. Candidates supported by the mainstream press can do and say whatever they want, true or false, without question.
In this day and age, we need candidates and politicians with integrity. I think people instinctively sense the efforts of the mainstream press to cast truth as a lie, and a lie as the truth. While there are many people that “ain’t any more interested in politics than they are in long underwear,” as Will Rogers says, I believe that more people are becoming interested.
May God give honest politicians strength to stand, and may God give voters the wisdom to choose truth over lies.
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.
I was at a conference earlier this year near Rochester, NY, and during one of the morning sessions we felt the room start moving. It took a minute for it to register, but we had just felt the effects of an earthquake. There was no damage, but the moving and rolling feelings were unmistakable and quite startling.
In Psalm 114, the Psalmist recounts the parting of the Red Sea and Jordan river for the Israelites. These were real live physical events. Don’t you love the wonderful imagery used? “The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.”
Skeptics have come along and proposed various physical phenomenon that would account for these “miracles.” Let’s say we give them their non-miracle explanation for a moment. In that case they will then have to explain how their “non-miracle” event miraculously happened at precisely the time it did and that the duration was precisely the amount of time required to accomplish its purpose.
The Psalmist wants us to understand that the Great Creator can do as he wills with his creation. He can stop the flow of water, make the earth tremble, or turn the “hard rock into springs of water.”
If the earth trembles at the presence of the Lord, we should too. If God can move mountains, He can move us too. For these remembrances we should be filled with praise that God accomplishes His purpose for His people.
Dear Lord, When the earth moves, the wind blows, the rain falls or snow blankets the ground, let my mind be drawn to the Great Creator, our Savior and our God. Amen.
Look below for a musical treat! The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 114 to music. Listen and be blessed!
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 114 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.
Below is an extra treat! The Sons of Korah have put Psalm 114 to music. Listen to a sample below and purchase your own copy at the iTunes store by clicking on the button.
| Psalm 114 – Rain Album | |
If you were to walk into a throne room in ancient days, the person occupying the highest place in the room was the king. There might be steps leading up to the throne on a high platform. Everyone looked up to the king. It was the ultimate expression of authority and power.
Nobody dared approach the king without permission, and even close advisors had to observe strict protocol when approaching the throne, or suffer severe punishment.
The only ones that could share the high place with the king were his queen and his children. They didn’t have to make an appointment, and could come and go as they pleased. Not only that but the king was proud to receive them, and his children rejoiced in the kings presence.
“Come up and sit with me,” the king might say, as he sees one of his children in the throne room. With no fear, the child climbs the stairs and is received into the king’s arms.
The rest of the king’s court looks on. They know that this special relationship is only between the king and his children. Only the king and his children may share such terms of endearment as “Abba, Father.”
Do you have this special relationship with King Jesus? Do you know him as a child of God? Have you been adopted into the family of believers?
Dear Lord, If I have never drawn near to your throne as one of your children, work in my heart that I might come to know your great salvation and forgiveness of sins. Then bid me “come up higher” that I might rejoice in You and draw near in holy confidence, saying “Abba, Father.” 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.
I like the way this image and quote match. Trying to count grains of sand scooped up in your hand is difficult. Trying to count grains in mile upon mile of desert sand is a number so vast we can’t comprehend it. Even so are the precious thoughts of God toward us as the Psalm brings to our mind.
This quote and image are from the Psalm Daily Quote NIV iPhone app available on the Apple iTunes Store. I hope it will be a blessing to you.
Will RogersIt was 10 degrees F (-12C) this morning and I had to do some work on my car. After a few minutes it was becoming more and more difficult to do even the simplest manipulation with my fingers. Not only that, it was painful. Can you imagine how difficult it must be for crap …
When I read about Jonah, or the Israelites in the wilderness, my first instinct is to think: “What a bunch of stubborn boneheads! Don’t they ever learn?” Just about the time I start to congratulate myself on what a fine example of obedience I demonstrate, compared to others, the Lord sees fit to humble me. …
Will RogersJust like Will Rogers said in 1932, voters seemed to “vote against all of ’em” recently. The funny thing was that the Democrats were the ones that overwhelmingly got voted against. The other funny thing is that the Democrats were the ones that didn’t seem to have a clue what the voters were going …
Affliction is a relative thing. For some believers it means giving up their lives under severe persecutions. For others, they may loose all their possessions or be thrown in jail. For me, it may be a more trivial affliction, such as a temporary financial problem, relationship difficulty, or health problem. Whether the affliction is great …
Do you remember, as a child, being taken somewhere by your parents? If it was a place you really wanted to go, like the state fair, you were very excited. Additionally, you were absolutely confident in their choice to take you where they said they would. Not only was it exciting, it was a great …
Will RogersThe Democrats seem to be some of the most unhappy people these days. They are always upset or mad about something. Perhaps it has something to do with what Will Rogers says in his quote – they are made at the truth. There’s been a lot of “Bush bashing” by the Democrats, but when …
Will RogersWill Rogers is famous for his good old-fashioned common sense. If there was ever a Will Rogers quote that highlights the utter foolishness and irresponsibility of the way the Congress has spent our taxpayer money, and borrowed against our future generations, it is here. Since Will Rogers published this quote in 1932, Congress hasn’t …
Will RogersAccording to this Will Rogers quote, things sure haven’t changed in Hollywood since 1931, have they? I don’t even have to mention names – all you have to do is look at the tabloid covers at the grocery store to find out about Hollywood marriages. The tabloids feature all the dirt on breakups, and …
God remembers our prayers! He knows our needs. He cares about His children. What great comfort we can take in this knowledge. The heavens are vast, as shown in this NASA photograph. Just as the Lord remembers each and every star, he can remember our prayers and fulfill them to our delight, as Spurgeon says. …
Like many people, I give to my local church and other charitable organizations. My expectation is that the money will be used in the most efficient way by these organizations to further the goals of the various ministries. Suppose it is found out that members of the charitable organization are living high-on-the-hog, buying luxury items, …
