MY WALK OF FAITH Ours is a walk of faith. Day by day, hour by hour, we learn to walk by faith and not by sight. We cling to the things which belong to God, for we are Christians who love God, and know that He has redeemed us through the precious blood of Christ. Oh, how great a Lord we have! He knows us, one and all, and He loves us because Christ has died for us! What joy should be ours!

"Lessons and Notes From a Bible"

Read on!

A Personal Commentary by Frances Loftiss Carroll

"Lessons and Notes From a Bible"

A friend of mine (now, sadly, in prison) had a Bible given to him years ago. Inside the Bible are some of the most marvelous observations, comments, and notes I have ever seen. Just about every single page has something written in the margins, and there are dozens of pages covered edge-to-edge with notes and words of wisdom. Whoever penned these gems, wherever he is now, I praise God for him.

I would like to share some of these notes. I pray they bless you as they have blessed me.

A Quote by Johnathan Edwards, as a description of Hell:

"Hell is a spiritual and material furnace of fire, where its victims are exquisitely tortured in their minds and in their bodies, eternally according to their various capacities by God, the devils, and damned humans (including themselves), in their memories and conscience as well as in their raging and unsatisfied lust, from which place of death, God's saving grace, mercy, and pity are gone forever, never for a moment to return."

We ought to bring our minds to the scriptures as blank paper is brought to the printing press, that it may receive the impress only of its type.
"A Christian indeed is one who is neither ashamed of the gospel, nor is a shame to the gospel." (Matthew Henry)
Talking is when you do all of it. Conversation is when you listen in between. Conversation is your advertisement. Every time you open your mouth you let men look into your mind.
You don't have to explain what you don't say.
Give no more to every guest
Than he is able to digest.
Give him always of the prime,
But a little at a time.
Give to all but just enough;
Let them neither starve nor stuff.
Who does God's works will get God's pay.
Where love is there is faith.
Where there is faith, there is peace.
Where there is peace, there is God.
Satan may try to build a skeleton wall around the one who prays but he never can roof him in.
Suspicions are weeds of the mind which grow of themselves Sometimes arguments will convince men.
Convincing speech appeals to the mind; persuasive speech appeals to the heart. And only as men's hearts are reached are their wills affected.
Gossip is that which goes in both ears and comes out greatly enlarged out of the mouth.
It is easy enough to be pleasant when life moves along like a song. But the man worth while is the man who can smile when everything goes wrong.
Seeds planted are never really completely lost.
While the lamp is allowed to burn, the vilest sinner may yet return.
The raindrops of repentance precede the sunshine of holiness.
God's Minute
I have only just a minute,
Only sixty seconds in it,
Forced upon me, can't refuse it,
Didn't seek it, didn't choose it,
But it's up to me to use it,
I must suffer if I lose it,
Give account if I abuse it,
Just a tiny little minute.
But eternity is in it.
Jesus gives us an invitation, not a subpoena.
Parents who do not put their foot down will have children who will tread on their toes.
Worshipping God is a mockery if we lack kindness, compassion, and forgiveness for others.
The creed of the selfish is built around selfishness: the earth is the center of the universe; the individual is the center of attention, and everybody's favorite topic is himself.
Satan's will is based on the principle of selfishness: self is god; others are exploited for the benefit of selfish interests.
There are no two leaves of a tree precisely alike; neither do all minds run in the same direction. Dealing with people is important in not so much as what is said as how it is said.
He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.
Each of us lives a life that never has been, or ever will be, exactly like that of any other human being.

Every minute we are angry, we lose 60 seconds of peace and happiness.
A man's strength is shown by what he stands for. A man's weakness is shown by what he falls for.
God calls busy people to do His work; Satan calls the idle.
The horse that pulls has no time to kick.
"I have held many things in my hands and lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I always possess." (Martin Luther)
It is not the beer in the glass but the beer in the belly that causes broken homes. The fish that never bites the bait can never be hooked, and so if you never yield to temptation you can never be overcome or become a captive. The boat that keeps the water out is useful and does not sink.
"When I get on fire for God the people come to watch me burn." (John Wesley, Billy Sunday)
Fasting is voluntary hunger caused by going without food beyond the usual time, or dieting by eating less than enough.
When man fell he became dedicated to himself while seeking to do his own will.
We are not responsible for conversion, but we are responsible for personal contacts.
We cannot compel any man to decide for Christ, but we may urge every man to make a decision one way or another.
Discouragement is the Devil's anaesthetic he uses before he cuts out the heart.
Keep your own counsel. If you do not keep it for yourself, you can not expect others to keep it for you. A fool utters all his mind.
Your life lies before you, white as the fallen snow.
Be careful how you treat it, for every mark will show.
A smile is the light that illuminates the face and that springs from the fire that warms the heart.
Character is what we are in the dark.
"The harbor is almost reached. It has been an interesting voyage with splendid companions." (the last words spoken by the doctor Sir William Ousler, as he died)
"There will be no crown wearers in heaven who were not first cross bearers while on earth." (Spurgeon)
"Give your life to God. He can do more with it than you can." (D.L. Moody)

Four ways of dealing with a guilty conscience:

  1. Justify self (Read Luke 10:29)
  2. Blame others (Read about Adam and Eve)
  3. Hide mistake (Read Proverbs 28:13)
  4. Confess (Read Psalm 51)
Conscience is the alarm bell of the soul.
"I can understand how a person can look down upon the earth (made desolate by man) and be an atheist, but I cannot understand how a man can look up to the heavens and say, 'There is no God.'" (Abraham Lincoln) (Read Psalms 14, 53)
Whoever lets go the smallest part of a secret has lost the power to keep the rest. "If you would wish another to keep your secret, first keep it yourself." (Seneca, A.D. 60)
It takes time to make a loaf of bread after you have planted the seed in the ground. And it takes time to have your prayers answered.
Blessed is the man who is too busy to fret and worry in the daytime, and too sleepy to worry at night.
Information consists of two parts to be of any use: (1) it must be broadcast, (2) it must be received with good receipt.
The Old Testament opens with man made in the image of God. The New Testament opens with God in the image of man.
Keep your temper. Nobody else wants it!
The day is immeasurably long to him who knows not how to value and use it.
Our bodies are rightly made but wrongly used.
What I see of God's creation teaches me to trust in Him for what I have not seen.
The ancestry of every action is a thought.
Character is made in the crucible of affliction. Before our lives take on the quality of Christlikeness, we have to go through many fires. Under God's guidance such trials prepare us for service. These fiery trials are designed to purify. Remember: the three Hebrews cast into the furnace lost their bonds.
When a person is right that one has the advantage over the one who is wrong. Always remember if you are in the right you have an advantage over the ones who are guilty and know they are wrong.
Fanaticism is when you re-double your effort after you have lost your aim.
God expects progress. The marksman must have a target; the Christian must aim at being more Christ-like. It means being more kindly in the way we speak and more gentle in the way we act with a personal touch.
A happy man or woman is a radiating focus of good will; and their entrance into a room is as though another lamp had been lighted.
"Our Lord and Father, may the world not mould me today, but may I be so strong in Thy long as to help to mould a portion of the world for Jesus' sake. Amen."
A life without tension is like steel without temper. Daily tensions do not destroy those whom Christ tempers to bear their load. He also tempers our spirit so that we can spring back straight and strong as before, as before, after trials, disappointment, and discouragements buffet us.
God's Best
God has His best things for the few
Who dare to stand the test.
God has His second choice for those
Who will not take His best
And others make the highest choice,
But when by trials pressed
They shrink, they yield, they shun the cross,
And so they lose His best.
I want in this life of mine as much as I can be pressed of service true for God and man. Help me to be Thy best. I want among the victors to have my name confessed, and hear the Master say at last, "Well done! You did your best!"
God is always speaking to us through His Word and directing the steps of those whose trust is in His moment by moment and day by day.
The atheist has a reason but no hope; the hypocrite has a hope but no reason; the Christian has a reason for his hope.
When a man's heart is right with God he can face the future unafraid.
Every morning I want to be able to look myself straight in the eye, and at last close my eyes in peace.
One evidence of the value of the Holy Bible is the character of those who oppose God's Word.
Sin is whatever appeals to the lust of the flesh (great longing for things that are wrong).
Choices are the hinges of destiny. Every choice has a price tag.
A child was asked, "What is faith?" And she answered, "Faith is taking God at His Word and asking no questions."
"I will close the door on the past and step out into this new day." Sometimes when we can not see where we are going, we have to stop and listen for God's voice through the fog of our confusion. When we can not see the way ahead, we can listen to Him who holds us in His loving care.
Our heavenly Father will not fill our cups unless our cups are empty.
Man has built a wall between himself and God, and between himself and his fellow man.
Christ spent no time bridging walls, but time and again bridged the gap.
I know who holds the future
And I know He holds my hand.
With God things don't just happen;
Everything by Him is planned.
"Lord, help us to live each day as we will wish we had when we die. Amen."
Man is continually making claim of ownership of himself and what he possesses.
A Christian is one who makes it easier for others to believe in God.
Believe = rest your whole weight upon Jesus.
Every time a Christian goes wrong, it makes it harder for a sinner to go right.
The church does not exist for herself. She is the salt of the earth and the light of the world. (Read Matthew 5:13,14)
Turn on the power and let the light shine.
Jesus bridged the gap between races, classes, and nationalities, and spanned them all.
Lord, help me not to follow afar off, but to calmly walk with Thee.
If you want to feel rich, count all the things you have that money cannot buy.
You cannot give out what you do not have.
The life of every man is a diary which he means to write a story, and writes another. And his humblest honor is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it. Life is the mirror of every one. Just what we are and do.
Do It Now
If you plan to work for Jesus
At some more convenient day,
Just remember, fellow traveller,
You'll not pass again this way.
For this pathway that we follow
We cannot again retrace,
And the record we are leaving
We can never more erase.
Do the thing that's most important,
Do it with a willing hand,
Give your time, your strength, your money,
As you're passing through the land.
Do not wait until tomorrow,
For perchance it might be true
That this day that now is given
May end life's long trail for you.
Time is hasting, night is falling.
Soon will come earth's setting sun;
Take the time NOW to accomplish
Everything you'll wish you'd done.
Come is an invitation given by God to man 632 times.
The Bible is the only book by which you may know certainly the future. It is the only book that satisfactorily answers the questions, "Where did I come from?" "Why am I here?" "Where am I going?"

Read it quietly and slowly: "Not snapshots but time exposures" should be the rule. Picture, imagine the scenes. Search for the personal message. Your inner response to God's message is vital. When He condemns, bow penitently. When He offers help, place your hope on His promise. When He commands, obey.

Remember that God ruled the world before you arrived and will likely rule it after you are gone. Why not let Him rule it today?
"Lord, help us to give according to our income, lest Thou turn things around and give us incomes according to our giving." (Read Malachi 3:8-12)
When our minds are filled with gloom and sadness, dwelling upon the darkness and evil around us, how can we represent Christ?
If we are not encouraging evil we have agreed to go along together with it (Read Amos 3:3)
God's blessings are given that they may be shared. Unless they flow through us and find an outlet in service they cannot continue to flow into us. The Dead Sea is dead because it always receives but never passes on any blessing to others.
The darker the night, the brighter the light shines.
Every mighty oak was once a nut that held its ground and then grew.
To see how important you are in this world, put your hand in water. Remove it and see the hole you made.
For best results, follow instructions of the Maker.
The road of life has many turns, and only God can see around the bends.
I have drawn you with bands of love; not forcing you as draft animals, but drawing you with kindness and affection.
One heart burning with love sets another on fire.
"Whatever lessens my desire for God that to me is sin." (John Wesley)
"Whatever lessens, or cools, my affection for Christ, that to me is sin." (William Penn)
There is one way to be happy, and that is to make someone else happy.
Backsliders need encouragement from hearts of understanding.
O Lord, my God, tune my heart to hear Thy call. Align my will to Thy holy purposes. Awake me to respond to Thy love. Help me share life on Christ's terms with others. Fill me with love and understanding so that through me others may receive comfort.
Wise sayings often fall on barren ground; but kind words are never thrown away.
In all that happens to us in life, there is no resource like the Word of God to strengthen us in our struggles with destructive discouragement. In faith we look to God for counsel and guidance, and guidance comes through prayer.
You cannot mould cement after it hardens. Train your child while his life is tender. (Proverbs 22:6)
As you shovel out, the Lord shovels in....and He has a bigger shovel than you have. (Proverbs 11:25) Give until the Lord stops giving to you.
Before we can bear fruit we must be deeply rooted in the things of God.
Don't be afraid to go to sleep at night; the Lord, our God, is awake. (Read Psalm 121:3,4)
A bird sings with gratitude contentment brings.
Moments make a year. Trifles made a life. But life is not trifle.
Blessed are they who let Christ help them steer their course through life.
There will be only two classes in that DAY: those who know God, and those who only know about Him.
A man ought to root himself so firmly in God and His promises that he will not need the consolation of fallen man.
If you are not meeting evil it is possible that you are in line with evil. If you do not have opposition it is possible that you are in with the enemy, and you are the opposition.
If we are not meeting the opposition of the enemy, it is possible we are marching with them.
Satan tries to deface the image of God and of Jesus in every man. Christ restores.
People are lonely because they build walls when they should build bridges.
Prayer is an open highway to the heart of God.
If I choose to follow God He will lead me.
The power of choice is the hinge on which the gate of destiny swings. The human will shuts or opens the door of decision.
He who provides for this life, but takes no care for eternity, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever.
God has promised His eternity for our life time given to him now for others.
Gossip is a poison that puts friendship out of business.
Hospitality is the art of making people want to stay without interfering with their departure.
The wise fit into the Lord's plan as the water fits into the vessel.
Fret = worry. Worry begets worry. Worry is like sand in the gears of a machine.
You can dodge responsibility, but you can't dodge the results of dodging.
Life is a matter of choices.
What we are today is largely a result of the choices we made in the past.
What we will be tomorrow is, in a great way, determined by our choices today.
Many know no reason why they are born. They spend their existence on earth only to drink and consume food, leaving behind them filthy cups and dishes.
Life is more than a trek from the cradle to the grave. Life is a pilgrimage to the promised land. We are not promised smooth sailing, but a safe landing.
God can do anything except fail.
Let not the mistakes of yesterday nor the fears of tomorrow spoil today.
Grow and flourish or wither and became sapless is a natural and spiritual law which cannot be broken. (Read Deuteronomy 18:18; Galatians 6:7,8)
God's people are not shade trees or ornamental trees, but fruit trees.
You can count the fruit on a tree, but who can count the number of future fruit trees in one seed?
We can't equal the pattern, but we shall not be approved of God unless to the best of our ability we copy the pattern.
The same sun that harder the brick melts the butter.
God does not force, but He provides the power to change; man's part is to will to change willingly.
Kindness, sympathy, and understanding do wonders and can never be regretted.
Kindness has far reaching effects that will be felt by someone sometime and is never lost.
When a man is in tune with God, his lips will be saying and hands will be doing what God wants.
A vision without a task is a dream; a task without a vision is drudgery.
God has a blueprint for every life, and there are no duplicates.
Kindness opens the doors of frozen hearts.
It is not what happens to a man but his attitude toward what happens that counts.
Kindness is love bearing the loving message in work clothes.
Christ sends none away empty but those who are full of themselves.
Sin causes the cup of joy to spring a leak.
Success comes in cans: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me." (Philippians 4:13)
Man does not live by breath alone.
He who walks with God will reach his destination.
Lord, help me not to lag behind, or to run ahead, but to calmly walk with Thee.
Let my will be the tuned instrument which yields to every touch of the master.
When you open the Holy Scriptures, the Word of the Lord speaks to you.
Opportunities and events come to us as tests of character. Opportunities missed can never be recalled.
Remember you can live only one clock tick at a time.
Life is a grind-stone, which grinds you down or polishes you up, depending on the kind of material you are made of.
Every human being longs for happiness. Money can't buy lasting happiness. Happiness is found in helping others.
You cannot understand this book without knowing the Author.
The Bible has a message of hope for this disillusioned age. Although it presents an interesting view of human history it also takes a forward view. It introduces its readers to Jesus, the most talked about, and the most loved one. It claims that love is the most powerful influence on mankind.
The Holy Bible is the record of the movements of the Spirit of God in human history.
The Bible is a book that has been refuted, demolished, and overthrown more times than any other book. Every little while somebody upsets it and it like upsetting a solid cube. It is as big one way as the other; and when one upsets it, the boot always overturns rightside up.
Any comments? Feel free to respond.