"When an expositor studies his Bible, the Holy Spirit probes the preacher’s life. As a man prepares sermons, God prepares the man. As the expositor masters a passage, he will discover that the truth of that passage in the hand of the Spirit masters him." - Haddon Robinson "The preacher must lead his people into the text, not away from it." -Charles Koller
Exposition alone is not preaching. A minister who only presents the grammatical and historical meaning of God’s Word may be lecturing or discoursing, but he isn’t preaching. The Word must also be applied." - Joel Beeke “Preaching is not the performance of an hour but the overflow of a life.” -Shaneen Clarke
“A Christian is the greatest freeman in the world; he is free from the wrath of God, free from hell and damnation, free from the curse of the law; but then, though he is free in these respects, yet, in regard of love, he is the greatest servant.” Richard Sibbes. Works, 1:9
"[Christ] came voluntarily in the fulness of time into this sinful world, where he was ill-treated; and this was not by a local motion or change of place, but by the assumption of nature; and the end of it was, that he might be the Saviour of lost sinners" - John Gill. On 1 Tim 1:15 If there is no such thing as a preservation of the saints, then no believer can even for a moment ever have the perfect assurance of his salvation, for he will be living in constant fear lest on the morrow or another day he loses the grace of God by some grave sin. — Herman Bavinck "It must be regarded, therefore, as a settled datum that the love of God is the cause or source of the atonement." -John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, 5
Mercy will live longer than your sin, longer than your temptations, longer than your sorrows, longer than your persecutors. Bunyan
“It is important that we realize that God relates to us no longer as a sovereign judge but now as our heavenly Father.” — Jerry Bridges, The Transforming Power of the Gospel, 93.
"Public worship is the nearest resemblance of heaven, therefore to be preferred." -
David Clarkson
“[T]he battles and controversies that face the church today have historic precedent.” — John MacArthur, Pastoral Ministry, 168. “Many seem to have a tendency to want to control everything. Whether it is a desire to protect their own domain or whatever it is…” — MacArthur, Pastoral Leadership, 158
“Christ is the meat, the bread, the food of our souls Nothing is in him of a higher spiritual nourishment than his love, which we should always desire.” — John Owen
“An abundance of biblical knowledge or the dexterity of ministry skills is not the first test of the validity of one’s desire for the pastoral ministry. Rather, Scripture makes the primary test that of godly character (1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9).” — Dr. Irv Busenitz “There is a natural beauty in the character of Christ. Indeed, so beautiful is that character, that those who have railed most against Christianity, have scarcely had the heart to say a word against Christ” - Charles Spurgeon “ I would say that Church history is one of the most essential studies for the preacher.” — D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971), 117. When it comes to submission in scripture, the explicit New Testament model for such in marriage is the relationship of the incarnate, crucified Christ and the church, not that of the Father and Son in eternity. — Carl R. Trueman “Is there any study in the world more excellent than that of the gospel, which transforms and changes people from one degree of grace to another?” — Richard Sibbes “… mere ability to edify, and aptness to teach is not enough; there must be other talents to complete the pastoral character… firmness and courage must be manifest and tenderness and sympathy must not be lacking.” — Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, 28.
"It's one thing to be a critic; it's another thing to provide a solution." –– Mark Tatlock “He that died for His enemies, and seeks them that never sought Him, that is found of them that sought Him not, will He refuse them that seek Him?” -
Richard Sibbes. A Heavenly Conference, 60. “Since all things are from God, it only stands to reason that they must also be for God.” — George Swinnock “A humble Christian studies his own infirmities, and another’s excellencies.” — Thomas Watson “Spiritual leadership without character is only religious activity, possibly religious business or, even worse, hypocrisy.” "The man of God is known by what he is faithful to." – John MacArthur
The more godly any man is, the more merciful that man will be. —
Puritan Thomas Brooks, Works 3:271
“When thou art humbled and broken-hearted, then think of Christ, as He offers Himself; think of nothing but love, nothing but mercy... when thou art humbled and broken-hearted, He is readier to entertain thee than thou art to fly to Him.” - Sibbes. A Heavenly Conference, 60.
"The challenge of Christian parenting is to recognize that the direction in which our children would naturally go is not the direction in which they need to go. Therefore, we're given the responsibility of a corrective challenge." —Alistair Begg
"Compelling preaching is born out of two loves: love for God, and love for people." - Nick Cady
"It's important to preach like there's a broken heart on every pew. Not everybody is having a tough time, but you can bet your buck that there's a good tenth of your church that's going through a hard season. There really is a broken heart on every pew." -Max Lucado
Go to a place of worship regularly, and hear the gospel preached. —JC Ryle, Old Paths, Pg. 43 "Empty-handed sinners, all that you can possibly need is in Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
If we have not quiet in our minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot. John Bunyan
"The world around us is antagonistic to biblical truth and biblical conviction. Therefore, unless we are prepared to stand against the tide, we will drift with it." —Alistair Begg
Let’s be sure we invite the Lord into everything we say and do today… Lord, make my thoughts more like Your thoughts. Make my words more filled with Your grace and compassion. Make my plans more in line with Your purpose.- LysaTerKeurst
"Faith alone can bring us to see Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon Our thoughts about #God are good when we think that all our righteousness stinks in His nostrils. -John Bunyan -
The Devil is always the governor where God's government is refused. Richard Baxter
“The evangelical church is in bad trouble today, and part of the problem is that we don’t even know it. We’ve abandoned our theology—substituting other things for the word of God—and we don’t even know it’s what we’re doing.” — James Montgomery Boice
Wherever we find the Word of God surely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there, it is not to be doubted, is a church of God. —
John Calvin #Church #Preaching Scripture teaches that the broad road leads to destruction, and a narrow path leads to life. So how can parents guide children to the narrow path without frustrating them? Examine the challenges of Christian parenting on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg:
The place which the Christian community or the church has in our lives is a very good index of the reality of our beliefs. —Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 10.205 The most experienced psychologist or observer of human nature knows infinitely less of the human heart than the simplest Christian who lives beneath the Cross of Jesus. - David Powlison
"God's way of saving people is by sending out His servants to tell others the Gospel." —
Alistair Begg
The heart was designed to worship, and if it is not being utilized to worship God, it will worship something else. - Jeremy Pierre "We should never give advice until we have prayed about the matter." — Charles Spurgeon
Tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have had some kind of religious experience and still not been saved. -A.W. Tozer - There is not a stale page in the word of #God; it is just as fresh as though the ink were not yet dry. -C.H. Spurgeon -
Time is short. Eternity is long. Charles Spurgeon
Even small faith is completely able to hold us. If you feel like you’re slipping today, backtrack & remember where God has been faithful in your life. Recounting His faithfulness reminds us we’re not dangling by a thread out on our own. Our God is faithful. And we are held.- LysaTerKeurst
Speak to that young man by your side, and to that old person who lives near your house. Speak to that neighbor who never goes to a place of worship. Speak to that relative who never reads the Bible in private, and makes a jest of serious religion. —JC Ryle, Old Paths, Pg. 59
When God places a burden upon you, He places His arms underneath you. Charles Spurgeon "If we are to gaze into the face of God, we must look beyond our present circumstances."
AW Tozer
"Tell the truth of the Gospel—the unvarnished, absolute truth of the Gospel. Send sinners to Christ to plead for mercy, grace, and forgiveness." – John MacArthur
“The evangelical church is in bad trouble today, and part of the problem is that we don’t even know it. We’ve abandoned our theology—substituting other things for the word of God—and we don’t even know it’s what we’re doing.” — James Montgomery Boice
"We never need to be afraid. If our troubles should become high as mountains. God’s grace would become like Noah’s flood: it would go twenty cubits higher till the mountains were covered." - Charles Spurgeon
Let us continually preach up free grace, though we die for it; we cannot lose our lives in a better cause. - George Whitefield
“Each day we are becoming a creature of splendid glory or one of unthinkable horror.” -
C.S. Lewis
"Oh! how sweet it is to think that the bed of grace is never shorter than a man can stretch himself upon it; nor is the covering of Almighty love ever shorter than that it may cover us." - Charles Spurgeon
"Do not look to human strength, but look to the abounding mercy of God in Christ Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
It is not the length of our prayers that make them effective —it’s the relationship we have with God that counts. Chuck Smith
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
When circumstances are tough and you rise to the occasion, trusting in the Lord, you are blessed. Walking close to Jesus is the key to coping with the toughest times. Leaning on Him, following Him, relying on His strength and help.
It’s easy for some of us to slip into enabling those that we love instead of practicing appropriate, biblical boundaries. How are you stewarding your time, energy, and money when others ask you for more than expected?
We need to guard against the petty jealousy and rivalry that we can so easily fall into. If God lifts up one of us and blesses us, we should rejoice. It doesn’t have to be you or me. What’s important is that God is the One who’s receiving the glory.
Every day, we can find opportunities to “die to ourselves” and adapt to the will of God as we learn to respect and love other people in their own cultures and worlds. Sometimes it means stepping out of our comfort zones.
We in the church have an obligation to care for the material requirements of our pastors, teachers, and other spiritual leaders. Have you looked into the needs of those serving in ministry at your church? In many cases, a pastor's salary only covers basic living expenses -- but what about a cracked windshield, tires that need to be replaced, or help with school tuition for children? Can you be a blessing?
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” — Billy Graham
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."
— C.S. Lewis
Too many people have reasoned themselves right out of heaven. How? Because we don't make the rules, God does. God says (John 14:6): "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Is there anything unclear in this sentence? "No one" means no one!
The difference between worldliness and godliness is a renewed mind.~Erwin W. Lutzer~
We are to be looking up not out!
Do you want love? Then give it. Do you want appreciation? Then give it. Do you want understanding? Then give it. Do you want joy and happiness? Then give it to others.
You have the ability to give so much love, appreciation, understanding, and happiness to so many people every single day! - Rhonda Byrne
“The longer you wait for something, the more you’ll appreciate it when you get it because anything worth having is definitely worth waiting.”
“Fascination is one step beyond interest. Interested people want to know if it works. Fascinated people want to learn how it works.” – Jim Rohn
“Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it.” – Jim Rohn
Don’t wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for fewer challenges; wish for more wisdom. You must either modify your dreams or magnify your skills. You can cut down a tree with a hammer, but it takes about 30 days. If you trade the hammer for an ax, you can cut it down in about 30 minutes. The difference between 30 days and 30 minutes is skills. The key to life is to become skillful enough to be able to do rewarding things. Learn to hide your need and show your skill. To succeed in sales, talk to lots of people every day. And here’s what’s exciting – there are lots of people! Practice is just as valuable as a sale. The sale will make you a living; the skill will make you a fortune.
We win when we simply ... prayerfully ... take the next step. We don't have to understand it all right now. It doesn't need to all make sense. We don't have to know exactly where we are going or how it's going to play out. We just need to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.
Phil.3:13
Love is the way to maturity. Selfishness stunts growth and keeps us in a spiritual playpen. The world is full of emotional babies, crawling over each other, screaming, "Mine! This I want, and this I shall have, and never mind what it does to anybody else!" What a relief, what peace, when one who has reached spiritual adulthood, who by love has grown out of himself, comes along. He freely gives up his own aims and ambitions, his safety and his cherished plans, his possessions, his feelings, anything at all that will help and says my life for yours. Such a one comes as a rescuer. To give myself up is the last thing I think of doing. It looks like a weakness. In God's eyes, though, it is power. -- Elisabeth Elliot
God will still use adversity to train us to trust in Him until the day we go to be with Him in heaven. If that's discouraging to you, come back to trust in a loving God who knows you better
than you know yourself.
The Christian who has the smile of God needs no status symbols. ~Leonard Ravenhill~
"Have no judgments about your life, no expectations and give up the need to know what happens tomorrow." ~Caroline Myss
God will do whatever He intends to do in your life.
Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us. -Billy Graham
Pastor Chuck Smith told a story about his first Oldsmobile. It was a used Oldsmobile with only a few miles, but they wanted too much money. He thought, “If it is of the Lord, He will give it to me,” so he left it there. After a couple of months, the owner of the dealership asked him, “Hey Chuck, how much do you want to give us for the Oldsmobile? We cannot sell it.” He got the car. Why? He really believed in waiting upon the Lord. If it is of the Lord, the Lord will do it.
I have learned that from Him. You do not ever have to beg. You do not have to get anxious. God will do whatever He intends to do in your life.
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