When I visited Pompeii years ago I was struck by the suddenness and completeness of the destruction of the city by the Vesuvius volcano. People were found frozen in position. Artifacts were preserved by the covering ash.
Some volcanoes move more slowly, as in Hawaii. The hot lava spews from vents as in the picture and moves slowly down the mountain to the sea.
Intense heat, pressure, explosive power and widespread destruction describe some of the physical effects of a powerful volcano. I imagine these effects in a spiritual sense when I think of fiery trials.
The severity of the trial can become so intense that we may fear for our very lives. We can’t imagine any escape from the pain, or can we? The fiery furnace in Daniel 3 is a great illustration of God’s power to override even the forces of nature to protect his children.
Spurgeon reminds us in this quote that God’s presence is both our comfort and safety. “Fear not, for I am with you” is God’s promise to us.
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 mentioned in an earlier post that I had the honor of meeting a former US Navy SEAL, while waiting for a flight at DFW recently. As we looked through the images in the iPhone App, we came across the one pictured here. He showed me a special emblem on his watch band and told me he was a jump master.
All SEALs know how to handle a parachute, but a jump master has even more jumps and skills when it comes to jumping out of airplanes or helicopters. But the jump master doesn’t just keep the skill to himself. All SEALs are tasked with conveying their special skill to other members of their team.
Watching the movie, “Act of Valor”, I began to consider that it’s not just a single act of valor that makes these Navy SEALs who they are. It’s hundreds of acts of valor. These men risk their lives with each dive, jump and mission. They do it for their country, their comrades in arms, their families, and for each of us. For this, we should thank God each day.
I’ll never jump out of an airplane, but I want to know that God has “set me secure on the heights,” as it says in Psalm 18:33. I need the confidence of a jump master. I need to know that God is my rock, and he has equipped me with strength. The confidence won’t come through one “act of faith.” With God’s help, will come through hundreds of individual acts of faith.
Dear Lord, Help me to acknowledge you in all things, even in the little acts of faith that may seem insignificant. Through the gospels, you performed many miracles that changed peoples lives. It all led to Jesus’ final ultimate act of valor on the cross for all believers. Let it change my life. Amen.
Psalm 18:31 For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?— 32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
Image info: Soldiers from the First Battalion of First Special Operations Airborne unit on Torii Station, Okinawa, Japan, perform High Altitude, Low Opening (HALO) jumps out of a CH-46E assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Two Six Two (HMM-262). HMM-262 is assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. – Official US Navy photo by PH3 (NAC) Kaitlyn Rae Vargo.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 18 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy 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.
Don’t you wish you could be like the sea otter in the picture? Not a care in the world. Even catching food looks like a game for these fun-loving creatures.
Burdens come in many forms, relationships, financial, school work, pressure at the job, child rearing, and many others. They stick to us like Velcro to felt, and in many cases, we learn to live with them.
Suppose you are a busy housewife with a couple of toddlers at home. Exhausted, you answer the door, and a friend offers to watch the kids and pick up the house so you can get some rest. Later, you wake refreshed and find the house clean and the kids happy. Your friend took your burden willingly and gladly.
What relief, what joy, when the burden is cast away! We are not alone, gentle reader. We can cast our burden on the Lord, and He will sustain us. We can put our trust in Him.
Dear Lord, Help me to cast my burden upon you, the cares and worries of this life that weigh me down. Most importantly, lift the burden of sin from my life, that I might know you and trust you more each day. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 55 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.
Will RogersLame ducks have been seen waddling down the halls of Congress lately. Unfortunately for these birds, there isn’t any more loot left in the National Treasury. There’s not even enough for a bridge to nowhere or a new post office building with their name on it. All the quacking and flapping around to raise the roof wouldn’t even be enough to bring home funds to widen Polecat Creek these days.
Without any money left, the hope these days is that there is a minimum amount of damage these poor rejected birds can do before they leave the Congressional pond and return to Polecat Creek back home.
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.
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.
Will RogersSpend, spend, spend! Promise, promise, promise! So here we are now. The money is spent and the promises are all broken.
Last election, a whole bunch of legislators went down appropriating and are now looking for employment, just as Will Rogers said in his quote from 1932.
The only thing stimulated by the all the spending has been the government. Somebody has to manage all the pork. Hog calls can be heard in the halls of government as harried workers try to get control of the hog waller. Sooooooooweeeee, soooooooweeee, here pig, pig, pig, pig!
Now everything stinks to high heaven, but the brilliant economists and administration officials comfort us by saying that “this is the new normal, get used to it.”
Let’s see now, unemployment is rising, oil prices are rising, food prices are rising, waste and fraud are rising, health care costs are rising, benefits are extended, and we are supposed to believe that we are on the right track and the administration knows what they are doing. Will Rogers was a man of common sense, and I think the American people are too. Common sense would say that in the next election the people still left who got us into this mess will have “appropriated themselves out of a job.”
All we have to do then, is join with Will Rogers and say: “I hope some of the men[and women] who get the most votes will be elected.”
Image Information: This image is from a Will Rogers’ silent movie called Jubilo, released in 1919. Rogers plays Jubilo, a tramp, who makes himself useful doing odd jobs in a small farming community while he looks for the wife who deserted him while he was off in the war.
The image was taken directly from movie stills 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.
Rogers wrote this quote in 1933. Can you believe that the World Court debate still rages today? Some politicians and “legal scholars” believe that the U.S. should subject itself to external legal authorities.
We’re trying to solve problems overseas, and making quite a mess of it. We can barely handle our own problems. There is hope however – The UN just appointed a space ambassador to greet alien visitors.
The image of Rogers is from his 1921 silent film Guile of Women. Rogers plays a Swede named Yal who travels with a friend to America to seek his fortune. After misfortunes in love and business, his girlfriend finally arrives from Sweden.
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 Facebookpage regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
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 had the honor of meeting a former Navy SEAL while waiting for a flight at DFW. He was 70 years old and looked every bit as fit as men half his age. Last year he was invited back to temporary active duty to assist training today’s Navy SEAL candidates, and compare it with his experience from years ago. The attrition rate for SEAL training has been and is still over 70% for First Phase training. It’s still the toughest military training in the world!
As we looked at pictures from the Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app, such as the one in this blog post, he could tell me exactly what was going on when we came to pictures of SEAL training.
One thing Navy SEALs have to learn is teamwork. Nobody makes it through training by relying only on themselves. You are responsible for your teammates, and they are responsible for you. For SEALs, it can be a matter of life and death.
This thought brings us to Psalm 108:12. While our natural tendency is to do things on our own, we must understand that we cannot save ourselves. We have to trust God for salvation, and with God, “we shall do valiantly.”
Dear Lord, Help me to put my trust in you. I can do nothing without your help. Amen.
Psalm 108:12 Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 13 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.
Image info: SAN DIEGO (Feb. 25, 2010) First phase Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL students navigate small inflatable boats through the surf during a navigation training exercise. First phase is an eight-week course that trains, prepares and selects SEAL candidates based on physical conditioning; water competency; mental tenacity and teamwork. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Shauntae Hinkle-Lymas/Released)
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 108:12 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy 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.
One of the most famous passages of literature is Psalm 23. It truly captures our soul’s desire, that we would be led by the Great Shepherd to the quiet waters.
This verse can certainly be applied to many areas of life. Our brave combat soldiers might take “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” quite literally. Financial struggles might not be a matter of life and death, but they can weigh heavily upon us. This Psalm brings hope to all believers in all circumstances.
I thought the image of the sheep looked like it might be speaking to us. Modern day sheep need their shepherd, just like in the days of David the king.
I thank the Lord that even when I am prone to wander, he brings me back to the flock, and cares for me, and comforts me.
This image is a screenshot of the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app, and it allows you to scroll through the rest of the verse.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 67 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.
For whatever reason we don’t seem to take notice of problems until they become a crisis. Government seems to be especially bad about this, and the news media knows that crisis headlines sell.
Will Rogers makes a great observation with this quote. In fact, sometimes it seems that the government prohibits putting out the fire and then proceeds to throw gasoline on it – remember the subprime mortgage disaster?
The image in this iPhone screenshot comes from Rogers’ movie “An Unwilling Hero.” I love that hat!
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 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. It’s me, Frank, in the belly of the whale taking another dip under the water, just like the image on the left. It’s me, Frank, walking through the wilderness, until I learn my lessons.
When I am deposited on the beach, I’ll brush the seaweed out of my hair, preach the gospel to the (stunned) fishermen, and ask directions to Nineveh!
Dear Lord, Let me yield myself to you rather than strive against you. Help me to humble myself, so that I may serve you without delay. 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.
In Will Rogers’ day, they had organized crime problems. Today, we have domestic terrorism threats. Perhaps there’s not much difference when you have people wanting to kill each other.
The quote from Will Rogers indicates that the killing and hate don’t end at the prison door. Inside the prison, the hatred and struggle for power continue. We should be thankful that there are people who risk their lives daily to be guards in our prison system.
So, how did we get into this mess, where our prisons are overflowing and become a breeding ground for hate? Here’s a case where it’s impossible to deny that there’s not a moral component that is lacking in our society.
Has our society made it easier to become a criminal, than to abide by the law? Unemployment due to high taxes on businesses and individuals who run them is a problem. Young people entering the workforce aren’t hired because of high minimum wage rates. The welfare system makes it easier not to work and be a productive member of society.
What can we do? With God’s help, we must live a moral life, and teach these principles and morals to our children. By our example, and by helping others through civic and church programs perhaps we can make a difference, one life at a time.
And what do we do with politicians that regulate and tax jobs out of existence and perpetuate the welfare state? Vote them out of office!
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.
Foes come in all different forms. For Christians in Egypt, they come with bombs and machine guns. For others, there is physical and mental persecution. The foe for some of us comes in the form of temptation and addictions.
Just like the tiny animal in the picture, we feel small in the face of our foe. The Psalmist reminds us our own efforts are vain and the we need to look to God for help.
Dear Lord, Help me to trust you in the struggle against my foe. Grant me strength to endure, and let me praise you when they are “tread down.” Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 60 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.
The first phrase of Psalm 31 is quoted by Jesus on the cross. In fact “Into your hands I commit my spirit,” are the last words Jesus spoke before he died. They were uttered with his last breath. These words are the final act of faith as he leaves his earthly life.
When I was very young, I had complete confidence that my parents would take care of all my needs. They fed me, clothed me, protected me and loved me. If I was sick, they watched over me.
For some reason, it seems difficult to have such complete confidence in God. Probably because God isn’t flesh and blood like my parents. I can’t touch Him or see Him.
But I have God’s word, the Bible. I know that Jesus was flesh and blood. I know about Jesus life, death and resurrection. I know of his love for sinners, like me. I also know of his forgiveness and redemption of sinners. The Psalmist says God knows about my affliction and anguish of my soul.
Can I commit my spirit into God’s hands? Yes! Can I have complete confidence that God will take care of all my needs? Confidence will grow as your faith grows. Your faith will grow as you draw closer to God by reading the Bible, seek fellowship with other believers and listen to the preaching of God’s Word.
Dear Lord, Help my faith to grow so that when the end comes I can say, “Into your hands I commit my spirit. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 31 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.
The image shows Will Rogers doing one his trademark rope tricks – the big crinoline. Rogers plays out the lasso into a huge loop, not only encircling his horse, but the entire baseball team as well. The quote: “Things in our country run in spite of government. Not by the aid of it.” still rings …
Have you ever been excited about something? I just received my new iPhone 4 in the mail the other day, and the anticipation of opening the package and using my new phone got my heart racing. Only a geek would understand! All of us have our passions – things that set our hearts to racing …
These little lambs in the picture are pretty cute! You can almost imagine them speaking and giving thanks and praise to God. This image fits wonderfully with Psalm 100 – we are the sheep of his pasture. The imagery of the Psalms is amazing and wonderful. Through it, God expresses His love for us with …
I just returned from a quick trip to western Pennsylvania. While trekking through some wooded areas with a friend just above the Allegheny River I noticed quite a number of chipmunks as they would dart into the underbrush. It’s a beautiful area of the country and these humble creatures seem to survive and thrive in the …
In younger days I was a surfer, and I can tell you that waves can be powerful. Riding across the face of a wave is one of the most exciting things in the world, but when the wave comes crashing down on you all you can do is hold you breath, hang on, and wait …
Matching the image and quote adds quite a bit to the meaning of the selected verse. The geese flying against the beautiful sunset conveys the natural beauty of this world and God’s majesty. It should remind us of his protection as a shield. It should also remind us to walk uprightly. I hope you have …
Will Rogers quote for today summarized why we need a strong military. Most people can’t explain in in 20 minutes what Rogers expresses in just a few words. Additionally, Rogers’ humor drives the point home. The debate still rages today over military power. Does cutting back our strength bring peace? I took this picture at …
Rogers does it again with this quote. With rising taxes will it get to a place where a person simply can’t carry the tax load and make a living for the family. Rogers wrote this in 1932 and politicians are still raising taxes today! The image comes from one of Rogers’ many movies as indicated in …
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 …
Nothing to us seems as permanent as a mountain. This verse reminds us that God is everlasting, from before the mountains were born. This screen shot comes from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app.
