QUOTES OF THE WEEK

The Word of God says, "all things are lawful, but all things do not edify." Paul says, "All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient." So we as Christians have a responsibility to other Christians as well as to the world. While our conscience may not be offended about a certain thing, yet it becomes a sin if this thing causes our brother to stumble. Paul tells us that we do things which injure our brother, it is sin. While we have liberty, we do not have license. - John Rice

The Bible never condemns music. The Bible never condemns literature as such. If literature is bad in its teaching and bad in its results on people, then of course the literature is bad. Likewise if songs have dirty words or false teaching in the words, then the songs are wrong. But since love, the proper and true love between a man and a woman is God's plan, then a good love song like "I Love You Truly" is not wrong. Hillbilly music is not necessarily wrong. Some of it is indeed very good in its influence on people. Some of it is pretty cheap music and poor poetry, and so has very little literary quality. - John R. Rice

As a Christian should be for good literature, secular as well as sacred, so a Christian should be for good music, secular as well as sacred. A Christian should be interested in architecture that is in beautiful buildings, whether church buildings or other buildings. A Christian should be interested in beautiful pictures, whether it be a sacred picture of Christ on the cross, or a picture of flowers and birds and trees and mountains and rivers.
We do not bring credit on the Lord Jesus Christ when we despise all knowledge but religious knowledge, and all art but religious art, and all music but religious music. All really good things are from God.
But let us make sure that all the arts and sciences are made subject to Christ and are used carefully for His glory and for the good of men. - John R. Rice

Home is a place where all the true, beautiful virtues are cherished. A man and woman loving each other purely, with loyalty and a bond that is lifelong, where respect for authority must be developed, where the ordinary matters of living right, getting along with people, paying honest debts, having respect for government and for God-- those things have to be settled in a Christian home. You can get a man converted, but it takes rearing and a godly home life to make a gentleman out of him. Oh, how we need Christian homes! - John R. Rice

I have known men to say, "I wouldn't vote. This world does not belong to God." You don't do right, then. Christians ought to take part in government where they can do it and influence it for God.
You say, "But you can't make everything right." That doesn't mean I ought not to get everything right I can. That doesn't mean I ought not to use my influence for God, as far as I can reach with that influence. Christians ought to be good citizens. - John R. Rice

all the following quotes are taken from the book "ALWAYS REJOICING" by Evangelist John R. Rice

Oh, all things about us are from God. As Dr. Bob Jones has well said, "For a Christian, life is not divided into the secular and the sacred. To him all ground is holy ground, every bush a burning bush, every place a temple of worship." Since God has things under perfect control and His infinite love constantly remembers His dear ones, we can rejoice in whatever God sends, whether we understand it or not. To the Christian, that which tastes bitter will turn out to be sweet, and that which seems great loss will turn out to be rich gain.

One very lonely and dreaded Christmastime turned out to be one of the sweetest I ever had. I was about sixteen when for the Christmas holiday all the family went off to visit relatives and left me on the stock farm to milk cows, feed the horses, and take care of the place. I anticipated a lonely, sad week while others went away to celebrate. But I was a Christian and fortunately I got started reading the Bible. How wonderfully sweet it was! I reveled in it for days and I regard that as one of the happiest and best Christmases I ever spent. No Christian ever need be lonely when he has the Word of God. "Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." Christians ought to rejoice in the Bible every day and find there its treasures.

Oh, it is better to have trouble and have Christ prove Himself the ever-present friend, the answer to every need, the satisfaction of every hunger and thirst, than not to have the trouble.

O God, give us again some of the reproach and persecution of New Testament Christianity! The servant is no better than his Lord. If the Lord Jesus was hated and crucified, surely God's people ought to be persecuted. There is a curse of God on our popular Christianity, for Jesus said, "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke 6:26).
Oh it is blessed to be persecuted! It is blessed to suffer for Jesus' sake. - John R. Rice

Once in some time of trial I prayed that the Lord would help me to be resigned to be abused and misunderstood, and that I would be resigned and not rebellious about losing friends. But the Lord seemed to rebuke me sharply and to say, "I do not ask you to be resigned; I ask you to delight, to rejoice in persecution and tribulation." Resignation is not enough! A Christian should take real joy in being counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus! For great is the reward in Heaven! If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him. - John R. Rice