Category: Quotes

Better are a few words of wisdom than a thousand words that mean nothing

Dare You Question The Almighty God?

~ doctorbutterfly ~ Leave a comment

Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?

Jeremiah 12:1

Did the prophet Jeremiah actually say “let me talk with You about Your judgments”? He’s basically saying ‘God I need to talk to you about how You’re running things around here”. We all know that Christians “aren’t supposed” to “blame” God for any evil that happens. I don’t think Jeremiah was blaming God at all. He’s questioning God, sure. But not blaming.

Here’s something I truly believe though. If you have a burning question in your heart. If something is bothering you and it makes you angry or super sad or fired up. Don’t be afraid to take it out on God. He is like the Father who wants to listen to our rants, our rambles, our outbursts. Even if our language sounds like it’s directed at Him, no problem, He can handle it. He doesn’t have insecurity or self-esteem issues that would make Him vulnerable by what we said. He won’t get offended and lash out on us for saying the wrong things. He knows what we’re gonna say before we say it anyway, which means He knows if we’re gonna use the right words to express ourselves. He knows what we truly meant by it. How can we surprise Him? He knows our heart!

He wants to hear us out because it is part of communication, which is vital to build relationship. He wants to hear our complaints. He wants to know we’re confused. He wants to know when we feel something is unfair. He wants to know how our misunderstanding or lack of understanding about Him or the world or ourselves. But He wants to know it from us firsthand. We are His children, He has already reached out to us and created that family relationship bond. We just have to respond and trust in this relationship. It’s like when a couple adopts a foster child. Every legal document settled, every payment taken care of, all the new parents want is to show love and prove to the child that he or she can trust them.

Relationship is the key word here. We can communicate. Just like Jeremiah did. Don’t be afraid of expressing yourself to God. It’s much better than asking Google, asking friends, or ranting on Facebook. God knows what we mean. God knows what we need.

Paul Expands Jesus’ Ministry and Teaching to 13 Books. John Summarizes Jesus’ Ministry and Teachings in 11 Verses.

~ doctorbutterfly ~ Leave a comment

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

John Preaches to the People

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not [c]intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Psalms 37:16 (NKJV) A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked

~ doctorbutterfly ~ Leave a comment

Psalms 37:1-40 (NKJV)
1 A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret–it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore.
28 For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.

Mazmur 37:1-40 (AVB)
1 Jangan gusar kerana orang melakukan kejahatan dan jangan iri hati kepada orang yang melakukan kedurjanaan;
2 kerana tidak lama lagi mereka akan ditebas seperti rumput, dan layu seperti layunya tumbuhan hijau.
3 Percayalah kepada TUHAN, dan lakukan kebaikan; tinggallah di tanah ini dan berpeganglah kepada kesetiaan-Nya.
4 Cari kebahagiaan daripada TUHAN maka Dia akan menunaikan hasrat hatimu.
5 Serahkan jalan hidupmu kepada TUHAN; percayalah kepada-Nya maka Dia akan bertindak:
6 Dia akan menyatakan kebenaranmu seterang cahaya, dan keadilanmu seterang matahari tengah hari.
7 Sandarkan hatimu kepada TUHAN dan sabarlah menanti tindakan-Nya; jangan gusar kerana ada yang makmur mengikut jalan sendiri, kerana ada yang menjayakan rancangan zalim.
8 Jangan marah, jangan meradang; jangan gusar – segalanya cuma membawa mudarat.
9 Orang yang melakukan kejahatan akan dimusnahkan, tetapi orang yang berharap kepada TUHAN akan mewarisi bumi.
10 Hanya seketika lagi, orang zalim akan lenyap; malah kamu akan mencari dengan teliti bekas tempatnya, tetapi hapus sama sekali.
11 Orang yang rendah hati akan mewarisi bumi dan akan bersukacita dengan kesejahteraan yang melimpah-limpah.
12 Orang zalim menyusun rancangan menentang orang yang benar dan menggertakkan gigi terhadapnya;
13 Tuhan mentertawakannya, kerana Tuhan tahu harinya akan tiba.
14 Orang zalim telah menghunus pedang dan melengkungkan busur mereka untuk menindas orang miskin dan sesak, serta membunuh orang yang hidup tulus.
15 Pedang mereka akan menembusi hati sendiri, dan busur mereka akan dipatahkan.
16 Sedikit yang dimiliki oleh seorang yang benar lebih baik daripada kekayaan besar orang zalim;
17 kerana lengan orang zalim akan dipatahkan, tetapi TUHAN akan menolong orang yang benar.
18 TUHAN mengetahui hidup orang yang tidak bercela, dan warisan mereka akan kekal selama-lamanya.
19 Mereka tidak akan menanggung malu pada masa kesusahan; dan pada masa kebuluran bekalan makanan mereka akan mencukupi.
20 Tetapi orang zalim akan binasa: dan semua musuh TUHAN seperti keindahan padang rumput, semuanya akan lenyap seperti asap.
21 Orang zalim meminjam lantas tidak membayar, tetapi orang yang benar menunjukkan belas kasihan lalu memberi;
22 orang yang diberkati TUHAN akan mewarisi bumi ini, tetapi mereka yang disumpah-Nya akan disingkiri.
23 Langkah seorang yang baik diperintahkan oleh TUHAN, dan Dia meredai jalan yang dilaluinya;
24 kalaupun orang itu tergelincir, dia tidak akan rebah, kerana TUHAN menyokongnya dengan tangan-Nya.
25 Dari usia muda hingga tua sekarang, tidak pernah kulihat orang benar diabaikan TUHAN atau anak cucunya mengemis untuk makan.
26 Mereka sentiasa pengasihan dan membantu; dan anak cucu mereka diberkati.
27 Tinggalkanlah kejahatan, dan lakukan kebaikan; lalu hiduplah selama-lamanya.
28 Kerana TUHAN kasih akan keadilan dan tidak akan meninggalkan umatnya yang warak. Mereka dipeliharakan selama-lamanya, tetapi keturunan orang zalim akan disingkiri;
29 Orang yang benar akan mewarisi tanah ini dan tinggal di sini selama-lamanya.
30 Mulut orang yang benar menuturkan kebijaksanaan, dan lidahnya bercakap tentang keadilan.
31 Hukum Allahnya bertapak di hatinya; kakinya tidak akan tergelincir.
32 Orang zalim memerhatikan orang yang benar; dan cuba membunuhnya;
33 TUHAN tidak akan membiarkan orang yang benar di tangan orang zalim dan tidak akan menghukum orang benar dalam penghakiman.
34 Berharaplah kepada TUHAN dan ikuti jalan-Nya. Maka Dia akan mengangkatmu untuk mewarisi tanah ini; apabila orang zalim disingkiri, kamu akan melihatnya.
35 Aku telah melihat orang zalim berkuasa besar dan meluaskan lagi kuasanya seperti dahan-dahan pokok yang subur,
36 namun dia lenyap, tiba-tiba dia tiada lagi; aku mencarinya, tetapi dia tidak mungkin ditemui.
37 Perhatikan orang yang tidak bercela, teliti orang yang tulus; kerana masa hadapannya adalah kesejahteraan.
38 Tetapi orang yang ingkar akan dibinasakan bersama-sama; masa hadapan orang zalim akan dihapuskan.
39 Penyelamatan orang yang benar adalah daripada TUHAN; Dia ialah kekuatan mereka pada waktu kesusahan.
40 TUHAN akan menolong dan menyelamatkan mereka; Dia akan menyelamatkan mereka daripada orang zalim dan memelihara mereka, kerana mereka berlindung kepada-Nya.