March 21st, 2011 at 10:14AM

People today are afraid to be alone. This fear is a dominant mark of our society. Many now ceaselessly sit in the cinema or read novels about other people’s lives or watch dramas. Why? Simply to avoid having to face their own existence… .

No one seems to want (and no one can find) a place of quiet — because, when you are quiet, you have to face reality. But many in the present generation dare not do this because on their own basis reality leads them to meaninglessness; so they fill their lives with entertainment, even if it is only noise… .

The Christian is supposed to be very opposite: There is a place for proper entertainment, but we are not to be caught up in ceaseless motion which prevents us from ever being quiet. Rather we are to put everything second so we can be alive to the voice of God and allow it to speak to us and confront us.

 — Francis Schaeffer, “Walking through the mud,” in No Little People (Downers Grove, 1974), pages 86-87 [via]
December 3rd, 2010 at 8:19PM
I have come to the conclusion that none of us in our generation feels as guilty about sin as we should or as our forefathers did. — Francis Schaeffer (via quotationsblog)
1 note Source: quotationsblog
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:30PM
Our greatest temptation is not any of the desires of the flesh. It is not power or food or sex. it is not a party lifestyle. Our greatest temptation is forgetfulness. We forget every day how much God has done for us, how blessed we are, how loved we are. We forget every day that we are children of God. —

priest at St. Mary’s (paraphrase)

And it’s a prideful forgetfulness.  We want to think we’re in charge of our own destinies, and that we don’t owe anyone anything.

via heisjealousforme: capelesscrusader

(via davereed)
63 notes Source: heisjealousforme
December 1st, 2009 at 9:39AM
Some people are so busy being clever they don’t have time enough to be wise. — Thomas Sowell, Of ‘fairness’ and ‘social justice’
Source: wnd.com
November 30th, 2009 at 9:59AM
Most Americans believe that what their problem is is something that has happened to them, and their solution will be found within. They believe that they have an alien problem that is to be resolved with an inner solution. The Gospel says that we have an inner problem and the only solution is an alien righteousness. —

R.C. Sproul, from his talk at T4G ‘06

Of all the Christian doctrines, this is the one that demonstrates itself to me most from what I see in the world around me. People are certainly capable of acts of selflessness and enlightenment, but I see that all people are also capable, in certain situations, of selfishness and evil.  Being in God’s nature, our original light still shines through, but we have all been marred, dirtied, broken.  We need Him to fix us, but before that, we need Christ’s own righteousness imparted to us to make us worthy of even stepping before His throne to be fixed.

(via davereed)
2 notes Source: davereed
November 15th, 2009 at 1:57PM
If we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. Favorable conditions never come. —

C.S. Lewis

Oh, God, make me like this.

via psychotherapy: quote-book: southernram: theamazon: on-a-sunday-afternoon: whomshallifear: shiningdefiance

(via davereed)
799 notes Source: psychotherapy
November 4th, 2009 at 9:55AM
[I]f a man has once looked at the Atlantic from the beach, and then goes and looks at a map of the Atlantic, he will also be turning from something real to something less real; turning from real waves to a bit of colored paper. But here comes the point. The map is admittedly only colored paper, but there are two things you have to remember about it. In the first place, it is based on what hundreds and thousands of people have found out by sailing the Atlantic. In that way it has behind it masses of experience just as real as the one you could have from the beach; only, while yours would be a single isolated glimpse, the map fits all those different experiences together. In the second place, if you want to go anywhere, the map is absolutely necessary. As long as you are content with walks along the beach, your own glimpses are far more fun than looking at a map. But the map is going to be more use than walks on the beach if you want to get to America. — C.S. Lewis in The Joyful Christian p. 33 (i’m not sure where that occurs originally)
November 4th, 2009 at 9:49AM
Everyone has warned me not to tell you what I am going to tell you… . They all say”the ordinary reader does not want Theology; give him plain practical religion.” I have rejected their advice. I do not think the ordinary reader is such a fool. Theology means “the science of God,” and I think any man who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him which are available. You are not children:why should yoube treated like children? — C.S. Lewis in The Joyful Christian p. 32 (i’m not sure where that occurs originally)
1 note
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:59AM
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. —

Philippians 4:8

This is one of my favorite verses!  At least, in terms of being helpful in shaping my attitude and thought-life.

Jesus isn’t about DOs and DON’Ts as much as SHOULDs and SHOULDN’Ts. Sure, I can go to a violent movie, but is it pure? Lovely? Admirable?  Shouldn’t I rather be spending my time absorbing things which are excellent and praiseworthy?

via classyliving, davereed

yes! “i will set no worthless thing before my eyes…”
6 notes
November 1st, 2009 at 3:36PM
The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him —

Francis Chan

via peacenotwar: shiningdefiance: derekthornton

(via davereed)
35 notes Source: peacenotwar