Quotes for chewing on #3 – Piper: a prayer for eternal perspective

“Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is too short, too precious, too painful to waste on worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter around on the porch of eternity."

John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, p.72.

Quotes for chewing on #2 - Calvin on the Pastor's voice

"The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both."

John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, Baker p.296

Quotes for chewing on #1 - Piper on the rightful centrality of God's glory in our lives

"We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things; and when we trade that treasure for images, everything is disordered. The sun of God's glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to it's flaming, all-attracting place at the center."

John Piper, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, p.15.