My Commonplace Book

What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’–be their own masters–invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history–money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery–the [...]

P. Doddridge in his book, Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, includes the following lines in his effort to encourage his readers toward full surrender to Christ. Doddridge’s book, by the way, was the book William Wilberforce and his old tutor Issac Milner read together traveling across France in 1784-85. Their discussions of [...]

(I ran across these lyrics from a song by Jackson Browne—a challenge to American evangelicalism.)
All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
As the sky darkens and freezes
They’ll be gathering around the hearths [...]

To affirm and bask in the goodness of the world, to praise God for the wonders of creation, to practice responsible stewardship of this small planet, and to honor its Maker by using its resources wisely for the welfare of the race and the enriching of human life are all integral aspects of the work [...]

At the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us not to be anxious. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, Jesus says. Pray only for your daily bread, live in the day for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Be like the birds of the air or [...]

I sat on the front porch this morning and came across the following lovely lines from Vasser Miller’s poem “Morning Person.”
God, best at making in the morning, tossed
stars and planets, singing and dancing, rolled
Saturn’s rings spinning and humming, twirled the earth
so hard it coughed and spat the moon up, brilliant
bubble flowing around it for good, [...]

I love the way C.S. Lewis writes. Here he contrasts the temptation to shrink back to a negative spirituality with the challenges of learning to control our earthly passions and the bodies they inhabit–bodies, which when renewed, we will continue to inhabit for eternity.
To shrink back from all that can be called [...]

Bonhoeffer always seems to catch me off-guard. He approaches things from a unique angle. Here he warns us as Christ-followers of the dangers of “otherworldliness.”
We are otherworldly—ever since we hit upon the devious trick of being religious, yes even “Christian,” at the expense of the earth. Otherworldliness affords a splendid environment in [...]

“Africa! Africa! Your sufferings have been the theme that has arrested and engages my heart—your sufferings no tongue can express; no language impart.” William Wilberforce’s opening lines in his April 2, 1792 address to the British Parliament
To be a witness does not consist in engaging propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in [...]

What of the night,
When crumpled daises shut gold sadness in;
And some do hang the head for lack of light . . .– George MacDonald
Yesterday’s news is fishwrap. — Chris Anderson
Ruling a clique doesn’t necessary make you the homecoming queen. — Chris Anderson
He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as [...]