THE DANGER OF THEORISTS

'...one of those theorists who so love their theory that they forget the purpose of the theory - its application in practice; in his love for theory, he hated everything practical and did not want to know about it. He was even glad of failure, because failure, proceeding from departures from theory in practice, only proved to him the correctness of his theory.'

Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, p.640.

THE CONFIDENCE OF DIFFERENT NATIONS

'...only Germans can be self-assured on the basis of an abstract idea - science, that is, an imaginary knowledge of the perfect truth. A Frenchman is self-assured because he considers himself personally, in mind as well as body, irresistibly enchanting for men as well as women. An Englishman is self-assured on the grounds that he is a citizen of the best-organized state in the world, and therefore, as an Englishman, he always knows what he must do, and knows that everything he does as an Englishman is unquestionably good. An Italian is self-assured because he is excitable and easily forgets himself and others. A Russian is self-assured precisely because he does not know anything and does not want to know anything, because he does not believe if possible to know anything fully. A German in self-assured worst of all, and most firmly of all, because he imagines he knows the truth, science, which he has invented himself, but which for him is the absolute truth.'

Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, p.639.

STRATEGY VS. TACTICS & PEOPLE-WATCHING

'He had already managed to draw from his military experience the conviction that in military matters the most profoundly devised plans meant nothing...that everything depended on how one responded to the unexpected and unpredictable actions of the enemy, that everything depended on how and by whom the action was conducted.'

Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, p.632.

TRUE LEADERSHIP

'True greatness, true leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not coaxing or inducing others to serve you.'

Oswald Sanders in Lisa Oakley & Justin Humphreys, Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse, p.117.

GOOD LEADERS ARE UNWILLLING LEADERS

'A true and safe leader is likely to be the one who has do desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward leading of the Holy Spirit and the press of circumstances.'

AW Tozer in Lisa Oakley & Justin Humphreys, Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse: Creating healthy Christian Cultures, p.114.

WISDOM IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT

'Wisdom is to see things through as many other eyes as possible, through the Word of God and through the eyes of your friends, of people from other races, classes, and political viewpoints, and of your critics.'

Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller, The Way of Wisdom, p.24

GODLINESS NEEDS GOD'S GRACE

'The grace of God is as necessary to create a right temper...on the breaking of a china plate as on the death of an only son.'

John Newton in Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller, The Way of Wisdom, p.21

A HEAVENLY SWIM

'...heaven will be an eternal swim in the ocean of God's love.'
Dane C Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life, p.174.

DEATH IS NOT LOSS WITH JESUS

'When a saint dies he has no cause at all to grieve because he leaves his friends and relations that he dearly loves, for he doth not properly leave them. For enjoys them still in Christ; because everything that he loves in them and loves them for, is in Christ in an infinite degree; whether it be nearness of relation or any perfection and good received, or love to us, or a likeness in dispositions, or whatever is a rational ground of love.' 

Jonathan Edwards in Dane C Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life, p.173.

THE HAPPINESS OF HOLINESS

'They that walk in a way of holiness, do obtain in this world the gratification of those spiritual appetites in a degree for the discoveries of God's glory , and the views of Christ's beauty, and in the incomes of the holy spirit, whereby the soul is filled with joy of the Holy Ghost. They feed on angel's food, on the bread which came down from heaven and have the foretastes of heaven's dainties.' 

Jonathan Edwards in Dane C Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life, p.163.

THE GOOD TEMPTATION BRINGS IN GOD'S GOODNESS

'Though it is to the eternal damage of the saints, when they yield to, and are overcome by temptations, yet Satan and other enemies of the saints by whom these temptations come, are always wholly disappointed in their temptations, and baffled in their design to hurt the saints, inasmuch as the temptations and the sin that comes by it, is for the saints' good, and they receive a greater benefit in the issues, than if the temptation had not been, and yet less than if the temptation had been overcome.' 

Jonathan Edwards in Dane C Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life, p.152.

TRUE LEADERSHIP

'Any immature man can be a forceful, unheeding, unloving "leader." Only a true man can be gentle.'
Dane C Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life, p.100.