"Cast away your self-righteousness. Trust in the finished work of our exalted Savior." — Charles Spurgeon
"Mark well these three words: ‘Believe and live.’" — Charles Spurgeon
"Do you want guidance? There is infinite wisdom waiting for your call." — Charles Spurgeon
"You can wash the outside, but that does not make you clean, for the filth is all within." — Charles Spurgeon
"Jesus’ undefeated, unconquerable love defies your sin and will have you." — Charles Spurgeon
"Do you want grace? God delights in mercy, and all that mercy is yours." — Charles Spurgeon
"To love holiness is true happiness." — Charles Spurgeon
"Trials bring us to God, and we are happier; for nearness to God is happiness." — Charles Spurgeon
"Love for Christ breeds hatred of sin." — Charles Spurgeon
"Christ did not die on the tree to make men saveable, but to save them." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you do not have something better than your own goodness, you will never get to heaven." — Charles Spurgeon
"Evil things are easy things." — Charles Spurgeon
"I would rather be nobody at Christ's feet than everybody anywhere else." — Charles Spurgeon
"You do not love Christ if you do not love him more than all things." — Charles Spurgeon
"Sin and sorrow cannot be divorced, holiness and happiness cannot be separated." — Charles Spurgeon
"He must die, or we must die, or justice must die." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you have no wish to bring others to heaven, you are not going there yourself." — Charles Spurgeon
"Faith is not a blind thing; for faith begins with knowledge." — Charles Spurgeon
"Christ loved you when he died; he will love you when you die." — Charles Spurgeon
"When Scripture is silent, you be silent." — Charles Spurgeon
The natural state of each person is to honour himself above all others. Even with Christians, that self-centeredness is one of the sins that must be mortified. Jeremy Pierre
Have mercy with those who struggle and with those who doubt. Burk Parsons
Joy is not the absence of sadness. Joy is not the absence of trials. Joy is not the absence of conflict. Joy is not the absence even in the miserable loss of a loved one. Joy is the presence of the Holy Spirit. Burk Parsons
If you’re a Christian you’ve been conquered. The Holy Spirit has conquered your rebellious heart. Burk Parsons
God protects us from Satan even at times when we are not aware of His protection. But how can we develop Jesus-like discernment? By Spirit-aided digestion of the solid food of God's wisdom. Sinclair Ferguson
The Lord is still our Rock and our Refuge amid the shifting tides of technology, and it’s in Him that we place our ultimate hope, whatever the future holds. Thomas Brewer
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” - C.S. Lewis
“Everything about God is great, vast, incomparable. He never forgets, never fails, never falters, never forfeits His word.” — A.W. Pink
“Jesus Christ, having tasted death, has conquered death in victory in the resurrection, not for himself only, but for all of his people.” — Dr. Guy Waters
“Hold me today, that I may not leave your peace or fall into sin. Amen.” — Henry Wotherspoon
Obedience is not the condition of pardon, though a declaration of pardon is an excellent motive to induce to obedience; evangelical obedience springs from, and is influenced by, discoveries of pardon, but is neither the cause nor condition of it. — John Gill
I do not deserve a glimpse of heaven, and I am unable with my works to redeem myself from sin, death, the devil, and hell. Nevertheless, you have given me your Son… who is far more precious and dear than heaven, and much stronger than sin, death, the devil, and hell. — Luther
"We would rather have a leader who will beat up our enemies than one who will tenderly care for the sheep." –– Michael J. Kruger, Bully Pulpit, xv.
“No doctrine is more excellent, or necessary to be preached and studied, than Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” - John Flavel
“God himself began to reveal the gospel already in Paradise; later, he proclaimed it by the holy patriarchs and prophets and foreshadowed it by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law; and finally, he fulfilled it through his own beloved Son.” — Heidelberg Catechism 19
“I, a poor sinful person, confess myself before you, my Lord God and Maker, that sadly I have sinned much, with my senses, thoughts, words, and deeds, as you, eternal God, know very well. I regret them and beg your grace. Amen.” — Heinrich Bullinger
“Without cost and out of pure grace you have given me this boundless blessing in your dear Son. Through him you take sin, death, and hell from me, and do grant me all that belongs to him. Amen.” — Martin Luther
The Lord is not the “big man upstairs” to be acknowledged. He is Holy God and must be worshipped.
Ways to impact the next generation: Instead of worrying about a generation, pray for them. Instead of being annoyed by a generation, love them. Instead of criticizing a generation, share the Gospel with them. Instead of writing off a generation, disciple them.
"GOD OFTEN CHOOSES UNLIKELY PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT HIS PLANS BECAUSE HE LOOKS AT THE HEART CONDITION AND NOT HUMAN QUALIFICATIONS."
YOU CAN'T BUILD A SKYSCRAPER VISION ON FIXER-UPPER FAITH, AND YOU WON'T EXPERIENCE MANSION-SIZED MIRACLES WITH SHACK-MINDED HOPE.
"LEADER-SHIP MEANS WE’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYONE ON BOARD, WHETHER WE SAIL SAFELY, OR SINK FATALLY!"
"QUIT BEATING YOURSELF UP. YOU ARE NOT A FINISHED PRODUCT. YOU ARE STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS."
DON'T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE! YOU MIGHT LOSE SOMETHING GOOD ON THE ROAD TO SOMETHING GREAT!"
True repentance is never too late, but I warn you at the same time, late repentance is seldom true. One penitent thief was converted in his last hours, that no man might despair; but I warn you, only 𝘰𝘯𝘦 was converted, that no man might presume. —JC Ryle, Upper Room, Pg. 323
Oh, how necessary hope is! How we need it to sustain us. In a world that is falling apart, a world in which men’s hearts fail them for fear, how wonderful it is to have that hope in Jesus Christ. Chuck Smith
There are better things for your soul to do than to kill time. Charles Spurgeon
Jesus is the light of the world
Jesus is the living word
Jesus is the good shepherd
Jesus is the Lamb of God
Jesus is the living water
Jesus is the living bread
Jesus is the true vine
Jesus is the Son of God
Don’t ignore the tug of the Holy Spirit if you are being nudged to reconcile with someone—or with God. Ray Bentley
"Because of God's Great Exchange, all we who trust in Christ as Saviour stand before God just as if we had never sinned and always obeyed." -Jerry Bridges.
The greatest privilege any of us can have is this: we can know God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sinclair Ferguson
Churches are starving spiritually while overdosing on entertainment. John MacArthur
#God Never Changes His Mind! -Jonathan Edwards -
A Christian is as full of the Holy Spirit as he desires to be. -A.W. Tozer -
We shall find the desires of our heart when our heart finds it’s all in God. Charles Spurgeon
Prayer with the heart, is the heart of prayer. Charles Spurgeon
Love infuses a spirit of gallantry and fortitude into a Christian. - Thomas Watson
“In the first exodus, God redeems His people from Egyptian bondage and carries them into the promised land. In the second exodus, at the end of history, God will once again redeem His people and plant them in the new creation.” —Benjamin Gladd
"Being in Christ means that what is true of Him, is true of us." -Martyn Lloyd-Jones
By #grace I understand the favor of #God, and also the gifts and working of his #Spirit in us; -William Tyndale -
Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying. -Martin Luther -
What a man delighteth in he will be talking of. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:148
Men love those that gratify their lusts and humours: let one come soundly, and declare the counsel and will of God to them, he is distasted. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:168
Pain, if sanctified, creates tenderness towards others. Charles Spurgeon
Though the world frown upon you as a step-mother, yet you remember you have a better home. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:180
"The preaching of the Word is central, irreducible, and non-negotiable to authentic worship that pleases God." - Al Mohler
“It is not your business to succeed, but to do right; when you have done so, the rest lies with God.” - C.S. Lewis
The believer does not live upon his own feelings, or grace in him, but on 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 the fountain of life. —Ebenezer Erskine (1680-1754), The Beauties of Ebenezer Erskine, Pg. 99
The Bible is no lazy man's Book. Much of its treasure, like the valuable minerals stored in the bowels of the earth, only yield up themselves to the diligent seeker. A.W. Pink
"If the Bible is going to be effective in our lives, we must listen to it, receive it, and apply it. Treating God's word properly does not mean merely reading it, understanding it, and agreeing with it. It means doing what it says." —Alistair Begg
An opinionative receiving of the truth is different from a saving receiving of the truth. Many are orthodox, or have so much judgement and knowledge as to hold the truth strictly, but the heart is not possessed with the life and power of it. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:166
You can talk about religious experience all you want but without doctrinal roots it will whither and die. - J.C. Ryle -
There art multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness -A.W. Pink -
“People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” - Samuel Johnson
The fear of God is the death of every other fear; like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it. Charles Spurgeon
There is great pressure against marriage today. May we who are married remember that we have made a covenant with each other before God, “For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part.” Chuck Smith
Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these through rich mercy. Charles Spurgeon
"One of the Apostle Paul’s assumptions for pastors is that the man of God would be a man of learning. His pastoral calling would, in fact, also be a calling to deep, ambitious study." - Forrest Strickland
Those that are blind spiritually are not for (i.e in favor of) a remedy. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:168
Surrendered believers take their orders from the same Spirit, so they accomplish the work of ministry as with one mind. Chuck Swindoll
God is love, he delights in mercy. - William Wilberforce
"I will go down, if you will hold the rope." -William Carey.
Saving grace is the first great blessing the Lord wants to bring us through the Scriptures: "which are able to make you wise for salvation.
Luke 2:8-12 "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger" (NKJV).
Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. I have always wondered why we typically celebrate His birth by giving gifts to everyone but Him. What gifts does He want from us? What gifts are fit for the King? To answer that question let's go back to that first Christmas and see what gifts He received that holy night.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "
John 14:15 "
Psalm 50:6 "
The gift of sacrifice
The Wise Men came; bringing gifts that required sacrifice because they knew that true worship always involves sacrifice. Gold, a precious metal, Incense, a rare and expensive product used in worship and Myrrh, an expensive perfume were the gifts they brought to Jesus. Sacrifice goes beyond what is required or expected. The best gift - the most expensive and extravagant gift - should go to the one whose birthday we celebrate.
Gifts of trust, obedience, praise and sacrifice please God and are gifts fit for the King.
Those who serve by grace find that the boldness of grace develops in their lives.
The main reason Christians resent criticism is because we fail to believe what God has said about us at the cross. But if we are in Christ, all that we need we already have-even the capacity to endure criticism with great gospel joy and thanksgiving.
To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.
Quarrels may come to an end but, words spoken never die.
"It costs something to be a true Christian. It will cost us our sins, our self-righteousness, our ease and our worldliness." ~ J.C. Ryle
Christ came to serve man. He healed us, He fed us, He washed our feet, He prayed for us, and ultimately He died for us. His mission was to set us free from the bondages of hell here on earth and to provide us with eternal freedom in Him. Freedom came with a terrible price. Christ had to die on the cross of Calvary to pay a debt. Our debt! He paid with His death so we can have a NEW LIFE in Him. Not just a make-over, but a brand new beginning.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams
"We cannot start over, but we can begin now and make a new ending."- Zig Ziglar
There will be haters, doubters and non-believers. Then there will be you...proving them wrong.
A LOT of people end up unhappy because they make permanent decisions on TEMPORARY emotions.
Great men of God, godly men who through their commitment to the word of God, and moved by the Holy Spirit of God help you gain a better understanding and knowledge of God.
"Telling your story is not the gospel but simply a bridge to tell HIS story."
The solution is Jesus the reason is sin!
WE LABEL PEOPLE THINKING as if WE ARE BETTER BUT RATHER WE NEED TO BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN TO SAVE SOME.
Your job with the power of the Spirit is
knowledge of salvation
Through the tender mercy
light to those who sit in darkness
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
When we find ourselves judging someone for their words or actions, we need to bring it before the Lord and allow Him to handle it.
The carnal mind sees God in nothing, not even in spiritual things. The spiritual mind sees Him in everything…
~Robert Leighton~
Jesus went from being a sovereign to a servant. He went from the glory of God to a stable filled with animals. It has been said that history swings on the hinge of the door of a stable in Bethlehem. Think about what Jesus left to come to us. Jesus took His place in a manger so that we might have a home in Heaven.
When you commit to forgive, you do so in light of the forgiveness you've received by grace, in Christ. Only then will you be free to deal with the offense in a loving, godly, and productive way.
"You weren’t abandoned in this place to be forgotten — you were placed in this place to be found."-Voskamp
The sum and substance of the preparation needed for a coming eternity are that you believe what the Bible tells you and
do what the Bible bids you.
~Thomas Chalmers~
Jesus did not come to bring a Mind-numbing peace on Earth That is devoid of truth.
God is in control regardless of the situation and what mistakes or missteps we might have made. Paul expresses this conviction when he calls himself a prisoner of Christ.
In a nation where many have lost their way, pray that this will be a season of discovering Jesus for who He really is – Savior, Lord, and friend.
n 2014, Entrepreneur Magazine shared 30 secrets for hiring the right person. The list included belief in the mission, being passionate about the purpose, having integrity and a humble attitude, and caring about helping others.
God has a job for you – and He’s looking for these same qualities? God uses people to accomplish His will on Earth
Anyone who denies the Lordship of Jesus in their lives will suffer for it in this life as well as the next. And they’ll still have to bow their knees to His authority anyway. So there’s nothing to gain and everything to lose if people refuse to make Jesus their Lord!
The name [Jesus] is the highest, brightest and noblest of names. It is the glory of our Lord to be a Savior. To the best that was ever born of woman, God has given the best name that any son of man could bear. Jesus is the most appropriate name that our Lord could receive.
~C. H. Spurgeon~
We like to think we live in a world of up or down, black or white, wrong or right. But that’s not the world we actually live in from God’s perspective.
It was God himself who told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was Jesus who preached against judgment. The bible is full of wisdom that affirms God’s capacity to work through all things for our good.
The unknown opposing factors in our lives give us the capacity to render our own images with greater clarity. As humans, made in the image of God, we have the power to resource all that God has blessed us. One of the ways we do this is through perspective and decision.
Humans prefer to tolerate differences while God appreciates diversity. The anchor to our intentional acts of balancing opposition is to see all things as purposed by God for our good
Even without scientific observation, we can conclude that our creator loves opposites and duality. Some of the most popular demonstrations of God’s love for binaries include the existence of man and woman, the sun and the moon, and the directions of up or down. We can also conclude that God does not create in isolation. The portfolio of God is very diverse, and its nature is atmospheric and embedded with context about unity, harmony, and connection.
The Lord promises you strength—the kind of strength Jesus showed as He let Himself be nailed to the cross in submission to God’s plan. And just as you are saved by grace, you should live by grace. This means trusting completely in Christ’s power and not your own. The Holy Spirit will always give you the strength to show grace and kindness, even though circumstances may seem overwhelming.
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal,” C.S. Lewis
Even if we do not understand the path God is leading us on, we must simply trust and obey Him.
This Christmas, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Give Him the gift that He wants––your heart, your soul, your life.
~Billy Graham~
Our life together as the body of Christ should be a reflection of the gospel.
“If you take that crabbed tree [the cross] and carry it lovingly, it will become to you like wings to a bird and sails to a ship.”—Samuel Rutherford
Christ calls each of us to join him in work of church renewal, not only because the church is central to his plan for the cosmos, but also because he cherishes the church. Thus, rather than taking potshots at the bride of Christ, shouldn’t we find ways to affirm and embrace her?
Rather than separating ourselves from the imperfect, wounded bride of Christ, shouldn’t we join Christ in his work of washing, cleaning, feeding, and caring for her? If Christ loves the church so much that he gave up himself for her, shouldn’t we seek to imitate his self-giving love in our relationship with the church?
The second person of the Holy Trinity is called ‘The Word’
~A.W.Tozer~
God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak.
Theologian Dale Bruner calls the Holy Spirit “the shy member of the Trinity” because He doesn’t draw attention to Himself.
J.I. Packer calls the work of the Spirit a “floodlight” ministry, quietly turning everyone’s attention away from Himself and to the Savior.
We can know and experience God and His love and be transformed because the “shy” yet powerful member of the Trinity does His job.
Faith is uncomfortable and is almost always associated with the impossible. It’s this unorthodox dance between God and human beings where God speaks surreal things and then we respond with obedience to produce supernatural or highly improbable results.
Faith is not a one-time response that is only displayed at the announcement of God’s plan. True faith to produce requires consistent trust (evidenced by obedience and submission) until the declaration becomes a manifestation.
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