It has been the privilege of most of us to have heard profound preaching delivered by personalities that have left an indelible imprint upon our minds. Some of them were pastors, some teachers, some wise friends, parents or just a voice we heard coming over a radio, through a book, in a lecture, seminar or Bible conference. Like many others, I have written some of those nuggets in my Bible for safe-keeping and for future reflection. I recently reviewed some of the transforming truths that I thought too good to let go of and therefore put them inside my Bible cover for future reference. Here are a few:
“The world today doesn’t need to be convinced of anything. They need. to be convicted of their sin, and they have to be convicted before they can ever be convinced.” This from R.V. Clearwaters, Pastor of the 4th Baptist Church of Minneapolis and Founder of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, now with the Lord, under whose ministry I was privileged to sit for four years in the mid to late 60’s.
“There’s nothing dishonorable in attempting to do great things for God if you believe that God will supply all your needs.” (Dr. Arthur W. Allen, past president of the Minnesota Baptist Convention, who gave my newly wedded bride and me a room in the MBC attic the first night we arrived in Minneapolis in August of 1965 to attend Central Seminary, a homeless couple just finishing a two week honeymoon after our August 14th wedding in North Wilkesboro, NC).
“The wonderful thing about the Christian life is that one learns eternal truths in time.” (The late Dr. Charles MacDonald, professor, Central Baptist Theological Seminary who had pastored a church in the Detroit area for 18 years prior to coming to teach at CBTS).
“God guides the animals by instinct, but He leads intelligent human beings according to His Word.” (R.V. Clearwaters).
“I am determined that though people may leave because of my position, they shall never leave because of my disposition.” (Dr. David Cummins, at one time Deputation Director, Baptist World Mission, now with the Lord).
“Jesus had three habits: He stood up to read, as was His custom; He went into the mount to pray; He taught them as was His custom.”(Luther Peak, a founder of Bible Baptist Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, along with G.B. Vick and J. Frank Norris, all mid-20th century fundamentalists)
“One should not rationalize in the mind what you should reason in the faith.” (Pfaffe).
“I believe in going to places to pray and I believe in praying in going to places.” (Luther Peak, Pastor of Buckner Boulevard Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, where Ellen and I attended when I was a student at DTS, 1970-71).
‘If there ever was a myth, evolution is that myth. Belief in creation is a faith based upon evidence.” (Dr. Charles MacDonald)
“God throws the heavy hand of grace on you and says, ‘You’re under arrest.’ You’re convicted of your sins; Jesus Christ is your judge and also your ransom.” (R.V. Clearwaters).
These are a few of the choice quotes I have saved in the cover of the Bible my parents gave me fifty-six years ago. It is good to save important quotes and to read them once in a while to remind yourself of the wisdom your teachers have tried to instill into you. Most if not all of the pastors quoted above are with the Lord in glory now, but their input into my life lives on and someday when I am at Home with my teachers I hope the wisdom they put into me will live on because of what I have been able by God’s grace to pass on to you. May God bless these truths to your life
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)
YOU and GOD 