Posts from — August 2012

Whenever we face the death of a friend or loved one, we experience a period of loss and mourning. For the belivers in Christ we have Jesus’ promise from the Sermon on the Mount that “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. Even though we have this promise, it is a natural part of life to mourn. And so we associate the word “mourning” (with a “u”) with death, but today’s quote associates the word “morning”, as in the beginning of a new day, with death.

“He made the Pleiades and Orion; he turns the shadow of death into morning.” – Amos 5:8 NKJV

So as we normally associate the shadow of death with the sunset of life into darkness, who has the power to turn that shadow into the light of a new day? The answer is obvious, only the God of the Bible can do that.

I came across today’s quote while spending the weekend in Maine to attend the memorial service for a dear friend who had lost his battle with ALS. Although I may be taking this verse somewhat out of context, the true message of the resurrection still jumps out of it, and it is a great comfort. While we mourn for ourselves for the loss of those we love, we have the promise of God that death is only the beginning of a new life that is perfect for eternity. So as the family and friends of those who have gone may be under the shadow of mourning for a time, there is a bright hope that our dearly departed ones have risen to a new morning of eternal life. Yes, God does turn the shadow of death into morning.

Learn more about the fight against ALS.

It’s inevitable; as time moves on we get older. When we are young the time moves too slowly but each day we get bigger and stronger. And then as we grow older it seems that time moves too quickly and the aging process kicks in. Yes, it’s inevitable, we get older and then our bodies begin to break down. So in a physical sense you could say that the older you get, the worse you become.

“The older you get, the worse you become.” – Sigmund Freud

But today’s quote was not said about the physical condition of mankind, it was said about our moral condition. And it could not be further from the truth. Here we see the stark contrast between the secular, Godless perspective of the human condition, and the reality of our spiritual condition.

Here is the quote in its full context: “There is a general moral deterioration in old age. The old saying that youth has no virtue is just the opposite of the truth: only in youth does one find virtue. The older you get, the worse you become.” – Sigmund Freud’s remark to the author in Joseph Wortis, Fragments of an Analysis with Freud, published in 1954 (Freud’s remark was made in 1935).

Freud was a world-renowned neurologist who is considered to be the father of psychoanalysis and the treatment of psychological and psychiatric disorders. Today’s post is not about Freud per se, it is about the general secular outlook on human nature, which is epitomized by Freud’s comment. According to the worldly outlook, virtue is found in youth when a person is more idealistic about life. But as a person gets older, they gain experience and then shed such naivete and in so doing shed their virtue. Therefore, as a person gets older, they become more cynical and in the process they lose their moral convictions thus experiencing moral deterioration. Observing those who have grown old without faith we can see the truth in this philosophy.

BUT, have you ever seen a true man or woman of faith grow old? The closer to heaven they get, the more heavenly their disposition becomes. It is the opposite of the wisdom of the world – the wisdom of God demonstrates that there is a general moral maturation that comes with old age. Although our bodies may deteriorate, the Spirit of God grows stronger within us and with age comes wisdom.

If we accept the secular viewpoint, then the aged become worthless since they can only get worse. But if we accept the Biblical viewpoint, the aged become glorious and worthy of respect. Just a couple of passages demonstrate this:

“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” – Proverbs 16:31 NKJV

“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:32 NIV

And when we look at our own prospects of getting old, let’s not forget that God promises to take care of us through our entire lifetime, from when we are young, to when we are elderly, and He will save us in His kingdom.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, the Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” – Psalm 92:12-15

So let’s not be subject to the “wisdom of the world”, but rather, let’s hold fast to the Spirit and Wisdom and Word of God.

We’ve added new quotes to Bible or Not. The next time you play the Bible game online, or iPhone Bible game app, or Android Bible game app, it will automatically update.

Here is the current breakdown of the 879 quotes in the game:

• 10-point Quotes - 34%
• 20-point Quotes – 33%
• 30-point Quotes - 33%

• Bible Quotes – 39%
• Not Bible Quotes - 61%

Always adding, looks like we need to catch up adding Bible quotes. Enjoy!