Category: The Rabbi’s Vault

(The Rabbi’s Vault is a collection of things that I come across that I want to remember: Scripture, quotes, stories, humor, cartoons, song lyrics, videos, articles, etc. Perhaps you will find them of interest as well.)

My favorite quotes from Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller

If the Son of God was born in a manger, then we have lost the right to be in charge of our lives.” (p.72)

“But if you have never stood and looked at the Gospel and found it ridiculous, impossible, inconceivable, I don’t think you have really understood it.” (p.85)

“The call to theologically grounded, willing, glad surrender is the most radically countercultural summongs possible in the modern Western world that values personal, autonomy overall things.” (p.94)

“If you don’t do both of these things – ponder and treasure the Word of God – you will not truly hear the message. Your ears will hear it but not your mind and heart. It won’t sink in, comfort, convict, or change you.” (p.108)

“Don’t be put off by the ordinariness of the means of joy, for in that ordinariness is hidden the extraordinary riches of the Gospel.” (p. 141)

 

 

 

(The Rabbi’s Vault is a collection of things that I come across that I want to remember: Scripture, quotes, stories, humor, cartoons, song lyrics, videos, articles, etc. Perhaps you will find them of interest as well.)

From my Reading:

I am still reading Prayer by Philip Yancey and this quote caught my attention this week:

“And so I have found, as I look for God in the everydayness of life, “Aha” moments catch me by surprise: a surge of gratitude, a pang of compassion. But they catch me, I have learned, only when I am looking for them.”

Resolved – to be on the lookout for God moments throughout the day.

I am also reading the 2nd book in The Wingfeather Saga – which my grandson Grayson recommended. Its been fun getting to know Janner and Tink and Podo and Pete the Sock Man. The Wingfeather Saga was written by Andrew Peterson – perhaps you know him better as a musician – he wrote the song Is He Worthy that we love to sing in church. Very creative fellow.

Other Blogs Worth Checking Out:

Shepherding Thoughts by Ben Francis

Writings and Musings by Bill Taylor

Tim Challies

Albert Mohler

Cold Case Christianity by J Warner Wallace

Russell Moore

 

Best DAD JOKES I recently came across

• “I thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes. Turns out it was the refrigerator all along.”
• I told my wife she should embrace her mistakes. She gave me a hug.
• I love telling Dad jokes. Sometimes, he even laughs.

 

 

 

(The Rabbi’s Vault is a collection of things that I come across that I want to remember: Scripture, quotes, stories, humor, cartoons, song lyrics, videos, articles, etc. Perhaps you will find them of interest as well.)

From my journal:

Loved reading this from Isaiah 12 – which incidentally comes right before chapters 13-24 and a bunch of judgements against Israel’s surrounding nations…

³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ And you will say in that day:

From my Reading:

I am currently reading Prayer by Philip Yancey and these quotes caught my attention this week:

“For me, prayer is the key to making life an adventure” (p. 83)

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, it is laying hold of His highest willingness” (p. 95)”

“When I pray, coincidences happen, when I don’t they don’t.” (p. 106)

Our family 25 years ago…

Our family in 2024… a lot has changed.

And a little winter humor…

 

 

(The Rabbi’s Vault is a collection of things that I come across that I want to remember: Scripture, quotes, stories, humor, cartoons, song lyrics, videos, articles, etc. Perhaps you will find them of interest as well.)

Here is a great attitude from Calvin and Hobbes to go into 2024 with…

 

From my journal:

I am currently pondering my way through Isaiah. Here is an entry from today as I pondered Isaiah 6…

Reflection: Isaiah’s famous response in verse 8, “Here am I. Send me!” is a reaction to the holiness of God. How would my life be changed if I “saw the Lord” as Isaiah did and was overwhelmed, as Isaiah was, by God’s holiness.

Prayer: Lord, here is my question – How would my life need to change to have a vision like Isaiah had OR did Isaiah’s life change because he had a vision and “saw the Lord.” Would You help me, by Your Spirit, to recognize You as The Holy One and not to just intellectually Know that “God is holy.”

From my Reading:

I am currently reading Prayer by Philip Yancey and these quotes caught my attention this week:

“Why then is prayer so problematic? The British pastor Martin Lloyd Jones summed up the confusion: “Of all the activities in which the Christian engages, and which are part of the Christian life, there is surely none which causes so much perplexity, and raises so many problems, as the activity which we call prayer.” (p. 16)

“Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes: why God doesn’t act the way we want God to, and why I don’t act the way God wants me to. Prayer is the precise point where these themes intersect.” (p. 17)

Sunday afternoons

Most Sunday afternoons around 1:15 pm Linda and I go hiking with whoever wants to join us. We generally hike one of the great trails around the Eno River near our home. This past Sunday we did the Cabeland Trail hike at Eno State Park. If you want to get on our Hiking Group text list just let me know. Here is our hiking crew from this past Sunday…