Words of Wisdom

In this issue of “You and God” I am going to open one of the oldest Bibles that I have used to give you some choice quotations which I have garnered through the years, either as a Bible College or seminary student or as a church member under the preaching of former pastors. These have been moorings in my life and I commend them to you.  I will not comment about any of them because they speak for themselves:

• A former pastor: “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.” (Richard V. Clearwaters, Pastor, Fourth Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN—now with the Lord)
• “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—now with the Lord)
• “The wonderful thing about the Christian life is that one learns eternal truths in time.” (Dr. Charles MacDonald, professor, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Mpls., MN—now with the Lord)
• “The way to go ahead in the ministry is to keeping looking up and kneeling down.” (anon.)
• “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” (J. Hudson Taylor—not one of my teachers!)
• “God guides the animals by instinct, but He leads intelligent human beings according to His Word.” (Dr. 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, one time Deputation Director of Baptist World Mission, now with the Lord)
• “If you cannot stand the smell of sheep, you might not be called to be a shepherd.” (Not sure who said this first, but I believe I first heard it from Prof. Howard Hendricks, Dallas Theological Seminary, 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, my pastor in 1969-71 at Buckner Blvd. Baptist Church in Dallas, TX, one of the founders, with T.T. Shields and J. Frank Norris, of the Baptist Bible Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX, now with the Lord)
• “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)
• “If there ever was a myth, evolution is that myth. Belief in divine creation is a faith based upon evidence.” (Dr. Charles MacDonald)
• “It’s never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right.” (Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., Evangelist and Founder of Bob Jones University)
• “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.” (Dr. R.V. Clearwaters)
• “You’re going to live somewhere forever—as long as God lives; you will live until angels sing a funeral dirge over the grave of Almighty God.” (Dr. Bob Jones, Sr.)
• “I built my evangelistic career on my knees.” (The late evangelist Glen Schunk, under whose ministry this writer surrendered to preach in November of 1960 at Calvary Baptist Church in Ottumwa, Iowa, my home church where Rev. Keith Knauss was at that time pastor)
• “One life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” (Not sure to whom this should be attributed, but it made a powerful impression upon my heart as a lad when I noticed it every Sunday in big letters as I exited the church auditorium)

These are a few choice quotes which I have saved in the cover of the Bible (or on pages of my heart) which my parents gave me almost 60 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 tried to instill in you. Most of the pastors, if not all, 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 His grace to instill into others.