Bold Lines: Wounds of Differences

"I can appeal to God, that I have no design in the least to maintain a Party, or to keep up any Schismatical Faction, my Heart rises up against the Thoughts of it, I hate dividing Principles and Practices, and for whatever others are, I am for Peace and Healing, and if my Blood would be sufficient Balsam, I would gladly part with the last Drop of it, for closing up of the bleeding Wounds of Differences that are among true Christians; Peace is such a precious Jewel, that I would give anything for it but Truth:  Those who are hot and bitter in their Contendings for or against little Things, and zealous in keeping up Names of Division and maintaining Parties, are of a Spirit which I understand not, let not my Soul come into their Secret."

Matthew Henry, quoted in An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Matthew Henry, Minister of the Gospel at Hackney: The Bible in Pater Noster Row. London, 1716,

Bold Lines is a regular feature at JOURNEY, where I share quotes from some of my Gospel heroes, as well as other lines that catch my attention.

TK

Bold Lines: By His Scars

It is remarkable that His scars were the only thing Jesus showed His disciples after His resurrection. By His scars they knew Him in the breaking of the bread at Emmaus even when they failed to recognize His form and face and speech. By His scars He convinced the ten disciples of His identity and His resurrection life. By His scars Thomas was convicted of his unbelief a week later and cried, "My Lord and my God." His scarred hands and side are the token and seal of our peace with God and an irresistible call to service and sacrifice.

Samuel Zwemer, The Glory of the Cross

Bold Lines is a regular feature at JOURNEY, where I share quotes from some of my Gospel heroes, as well as other lines that catch my attention.

TK

Bold Lines: Every Promise

Every promise of Scripture is a writing of God, which may be pleaded before Him with this reasonable request, 'Do as Thou hast said.' The Heavenly Father will not break His Word to His own child.

 Charles Spurgeon

Bold Lines: Behold the Lamb of God

The Cross of Christ is the only hope of the world. Our constant danger is that we cry, Behold this new opportunity. Behold our new methods. Behold our human-brotherhood, and forget to cry, Behold the Lamb of God!

Samuel Zwemer, The Glory of The Cross

Bold Lines: My Scars I Carry With Me

"My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me to be a witness for me, that I have fought His battles, Who will now be my rewarder." So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

Death of Valiant-for-the-Truth, from John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Bold Lines: Blood-Sprinkled Words

If the mark of His blood is upon any word, thou needest never doubt it. If He has died, how canst thou perish? If He has bidden thee come, how can He cast thee out? If thou dost rest upon His finished work, how canst thou be condemned? Believe, I pray thee, and rest thee on the blood-sprinkled words of this wondrous Book.

Charles Spurgeon

Bold Lines: Coffee & Ink

Coffee falls into the stomach....

Ideas begin to move,

Things remembered

arrive at full gallop...

The shafts of wit

Start up like sharpshooters,

Similes arise,

The paper is covered with ink...

-Honore de Balzac

Bold Lines: The Great Ellipse

This is indeed our missionary message, the everlasting Gospel of One who came, who died on the Cross, who arose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and who is coming again. From Bethlehem and Calvary, from the empty tomb and from the clouds that hide Him from view, there streams the light of eternity. The great ellipse that includes the content of our faith and of our message to the world may be drawn as widely as possible, but it always has and always will have two foci--the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and their relation to man's sin and his eternal destiny. This is the gospel of the Resurrection.

Samuel Zwemer, The Glory of The Cross

Bold Lines: Man of Joy

"Would that God would make hell so real to us that we cannot rest; heaven so real that we must have men there; Christ so real that our supreme motive and aim shall be to make the Man of Sorrows the Man of Joy, by the conversion to Him of many."

Hudson Taylor