“God has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. You are as much alone with him as if you were the only being he had ever created.” - C.S. Lewis
Young people will be discipled. They will either be discipled by social media, celebrities, unhealthy ideologies, false beliefs, etc. Or, they can be discipled by their parents, church, the Gospel, etc. May, it be the latter for the sake of a whole generation.
John Bunyan’s advice for killing sin: spend all your strength on the sin you are most inclined to, whatever it may be, because: “If a man has that grace, as to trample upon and mortify his darling sin, he will more easily and more heartily hate and fly the rest.” (Works 2:532)
"I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen him." — Charles Spurgeon
"Teach the little ones the whole truth and nothing but the truth." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you meet with a system of theology which magnifies man, flee from it as far as you can." — Charles Spurgeon
"A man who says, 'I was wrong,' really says, in effect, 'I am a little wiser today than I was yesterday.'" — Charles Spurgeon
"Cast yourself simply on Jesus; let nothing but faith be in your soul towards Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"Of two evils, choose neither." — Charles Spurgeon
"Believe in Jesus and trust him and you shall never be made ashamed of your confidence." — Charles Spurgeon
"When we deal seriously with our sin, God will deal gently with us." — Charles Spurgeon
"The general religion of mankind is 'do,' but the religion of the Christian is 'done.'" — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"I feel myself to be a lump of unworthiness, a mass of corruption, and a heap of sin apart from his almighty love." — Charles Spurgeon
The soul is never quiet till it comes to God, and that is the one thing the soul desires. Richard Sibbes
The children of God have not been appointed to wrath but will stand in that glorious company in heaven singing the worthiness of the Lamb to take the scroll and to break the seals. Chuck Smith
This is a life of faith, for God will try the truth of our faith, so that the world may see that God has such servants as will depend upon His bare word. Richard Sibbes
“People treat God's sovereignty as a matter of controversy, but in Scripture it is a matter of worship.” ~J. I. Packer
In trouble we are prone to forget all that we have heard and read that makes for our comfort. The Holy Spirit brings it to his remembrance; He is a Comforter, bringing to mind useful things at such times when we have most need of them. Richard Sibbes
The state of the world today is nothing but an appalling monument to human failure. – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"Fellow workers & fellow Christians! Why do you still depend on the financial support of foreigners? You should look to the Lord of all things & realize that the time has come for the church to be self-propagating, self-governing & self-supporting -truly independent!" -John Sung.
The poorest Christian can every day find occasion for practicing love and humility. -J.C. Ryle -
Love is the queen of all the Christian graces. -A.W. Pink -
The depths of our misery can never fall below the depths of mercy. Richard Sibbes
Sin is not so sweet in the committing as it is heavy and bitter in the reckoning. Richard Sibbes
"For what is the ingratitude of the worst of our fellow-creatures towards us, compared with our ingratitude towards God?" -Hannah More.
I have often thought that the best Christians are found in the worst of times. -John Bunyan -
The redeemed receive all their good from God. God is the author of it-the first cause of it, and the only proper cause. -Jonathan Edwards -
Nouthetic Counselor
Moral Relativists need to hear the truths contained in Scripture. They do not need to hear Thomnistic ponderings.
hatsoever God takes away from His children, He either replaces it with a much greater favor or else gives strength to bear it. Richard Sibbes
Our initial encounter with the grace of God involved forgiveness and justification. "In Him we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Rich measures of God's grace washed away our sins and gave us new life in Christ. Of course, that initial justifying work of God could not exhaust His grace. Rather, it was "according to the riches of His grace." There are unlimited riches yet available for our daily sanctification, our ongoing growth in Christ.
Because I cannot escape Your love, I also know I can go to You in prayer.
Struggle comes to us all, doesn’t it? Let’s face it with worship and adoration remembering that God is so much bigger and powerful than any trial we endure. He is with us!
OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession.
Eternity is way too long to be wrong about where you will spend it.
You're not "being the church", if you're not part of a local church. Christianity was never meant to be lived out alone.
Parents, one day our kids will also stand before King Jesus, & the top priority won't be their social status, bench press, looks, points per game, hobbies, scholarships, or class rank. These things are okay, but how are we investing in their soul? That has to be the top priority.
Don't want church to feel like a routine? -Pray before you get there. Ask God to speak to you. -Listen to worship music on the way. -Take a Bible with you, instead of relying on the screens. -Don't run late. -Sing loudly like you mean it. -Take notes. -Expect God to move.
Eternity is way too long to be wrong about where you will spend it.
When Christians pass away God is not gaining new angels. Rather, He is calling worshippers home.
PRAY AND PREPARE! THE PROMISE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK!
How should believers conduct themselves? 1. Joyfully "Shout to God with joy" (Ps 47:1). 2. Graciously "Be kind to one another" (Ep 4:32). 3. Wisely "A wise man listens" (Prov 12:15). 4. Steadfastly "Your labor is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58).
“The older I get, the more I want to sing my faith and get others singing it with me. Theology, as I constantly tell my students is for doxology.” — J.I. Packer
"The battle against sin would be lost unless he had come who is the overcomer of sin and the deliverer of his people." — Charles Spurgeon
"They are always safe whose entire dependence is upon the dear Redeemer." — Charles Spurgeon
"You must be schooled in humility. When you are half-an-inch above the ground, you are that half-inch too high." — Charles Spurgeon
"Unless your hearts be deeply plowed with genuine repentance, you may have some cause to suspect the reality of your conversion." — Charles Spurgeon
"You must be plunged into that sea of sorrow; but it will not drown you, it will only wash and cleanse you." — Charles Spurgeon
"Had I not been helped by the grace of God, I might perhaps have been at this moment dead, buried." — Charles Spurgeon
"Whatever God has revealed ought to be preached." — Charles Spurgeon
"We can never be happy, restful, or spiritually healthy until we become holy." — Charles Spurgeon
"Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement." — Charles Spurgeon
"Say much of what the Lord has done for you, but say little of what you have done for the Lord." — Charles Spurgeon
"A man is respectable for his character, not for the money he has in his pocket." — Charles Spurgeon
"Praying breath is never spent in vain." — Charles Spurgeon
"To believe is to give up self-reliance and to rely upon the Lord Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
There will be three effects of nearness to Jesus: 1. Humility 2. Happiness 3. Holiness — Charles Spurgeon
"From every text in the Bible, there is a road to Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"We desire as much as anybody could, that injustice should come to an end." — Charles Spurgeon
"Empty-handed sinners, all that you can possibly need is in Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"Do not look to human strength, but look to the abounding mercy of God in Christ Jesus." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"Nothing that God has made is self-existent. Self-existence belongs exclusively to the 'I AM THAT I AM.'" — Charles Sprugeon
The best way to combat sin is upon our knees. -Thomas Watson -
If we are proud of our talents, we betray our lack of gratitude to God. -John Calvin -
A humble desire is one which leaves everything in God's hands. -C.H. Spurgeon -
“If we bring forth any good fruit, it is not of our own growth, it comes from him, the true vine.” ― Thomas Watson
God the Father took our sin and charged it to God the Son in such a way that Christ was made to be sin for our sake. Christ became a curse for us because He’d become sin for us. Christ did this in our place and as our substitute. Jerry Bridges
The daily sight of a bleeding, groaning, dying Savior is the only thing which will subdue and mortify darling sins! -Thomas Brooks -
We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. -John Newton -
How can we love sin, when we remember that because of our sins Jesus died? -J.C. Ryle -
So closely does the gospel of Satan resemble that which it parodies, multitudes of the unsaved are deceived by it. -A.W. Pink -
Steven Lawson
Every knee will bow to Jesus, either in salvation or in damnation. But every knee will bow. Every unbeliever. Every false teacher. Every cult member. Every atheist. Every knee will bow on the last day.
Covetousness is dry drunkenness. -Thomas Watson -
If God has bestowed on us any excellent gift, we imagine it to be our own achievement; and we swell and even burst with pride -John Calvin -
If you do not love God, you will love something else, either the world or sin; and are those worthy of your love? - Thomas Watson
Lord, teach, guide, quicken me. Without you I can do nothing; with you all things. - William Wilberforce
It is from our likeness and conformity unto God alone that we are or may be useful in the world, in a due manner and order. - John Owen
"Clinically Informed Biblical Counseling" seems to be the new and hip name for Integrated Christian Counseling.
Pastoral burnout happens not because we are caring for the souls of others, but because we forget to care for our own. Brian Croft
"Set no time to the Lord the creator of time, for His time is always best." -Samuel Rutherford.
Fathers and mothers in tenderest affections are but beams and trains to lead us upwards to the infinite mercy of God in Christ. Richard Sibbes
Never hath a believer more need to act faith, and close dependence on the Lord, then when his graces and frames are most lively, lest self-confidence creep in, and he confides more in created grace, than in the fountain. —Ralph Erskine, Works 2:338
Peter had a prayer that looked like a set form of the devil’s composing, “Lord, depart from me; for I am a sinful man.” If it had run in a gospel-form, he would have said, “Lord, come to me; for I am a sinful man.” Yet many believers have learned Peter’s prayer. —Ralph Erskine
As the needle goes before, and draws the thread which sews the cloth, so the needle of the Law goes before, and makes way for the grace of the Gospel. —Ralph Erskine (1685-1752), Sermon: The Death of Legal-Righteousness, The Life of Gospel Holiness - Works 2:278
Death is only a grim porter to let us into a stately palace. Richard Sibbes
Do you see God's hand in your life? The reason it happened is because God allowed it to happen. It went by his throne first. And then it came to me, he loves me. He let this thing come into my life. He put me in a fix. It's probably because he wants to fix me. Jeff Johnson
Tony Evans
We often doubt what God will do because we have forgotten what God has done.
Tony Evans
Sometimes, to accomplish His purposes through you, God has to allow you to be taken low before He will take you high. The key to spiritual victory is often spiritual resiliency.
Forgiveness does not mean one forgets (as in, has the ability to remember no more) the offense, but that in spite of the memory, one erases the debt. Voddie Baucham
A judgmental spirit is a sure sign of SELF-righteousness, not godly righteousness. Ray Bentley
Before we can fly we must get wings, [so] we must have grace before we can run the way of God’s commandments. —Puritan Thomas Manton, Works 6:332
"The constant and unvaried use of set forms of prayer may become a great occasion of quenching the Spirit." -John Owen.
“When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.” - C.S. Lewis
“The preacher has to be kept by the One who calls him to preach” - Charlie Dates
"Expository preachers start with a Scripture text with the authority of God‘s word, and proclaim not their opinions or philosophies but God's Word." - Sunghyun Pae
That which is begun in self-confidence will end in shame. Richard Sibbes
Nouthetic Counselor
Your hermeneutics are wrong if they cause you to ignore the imperatives found in Scripture.
When we come through in His strength we can then turn and share understanding and compassion with those going through the same issues. Chuck Smith
"Much grace exercised, brings persecution: for the sweeter and better the fruit is, the more slinging there will be at the tree." -Vavasor Powell.
People do not risk their lives in the face of persecution to uphold a view they believe to be in error or only somewhat probable. John M. Frame
It is not kindness to tell patients that need strong medicine that nothing serious is wrong with them. Cornelius Van Til
"It is a by-word among us: It was a very plain sermon: And I say again, the plainer, the better." -William Perkins
Someone may say, ‘I wish I knew that I was saved.’ The fact that such people are concerned about this is a proof to me that they have got saving faith, because they would not be troubled or grieved about it otherwise. —Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans, Volume 10, Pg. 183
The believer labours [in service to God] not 𝘧𝘰𝘳 life, but 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 life: not 𝘧𝘰𝘳 acceptance, but 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 acceptance. —Octavius Winslow, Personal Declension, Pg. 42
We live but as beasts, not as men, till we return and remember our Creator, in the enjoyment of whom is our only happiness. —Thomas Manton, Works 6:338
Our redemption is founded upon the joint agreement of all three persons of the Trinity. Richard Sibbes
O Lord, I am astonished at the difference between my receiving and my deservings, between the state I am now in and my past gracelessness, between the heaven I am bound for and the hell I merit. —The Valley of Vision, Pg. 12
Lord, give me Thy joy under all circumstances this day, and let my full heart overflow in blessing to others. AB Simpson
“It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.” - C.S. Lewis
We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts. A.W. Tozer
"I would not give a farthing for that man's religion whose cat and dog were not the better for it." -Rowland Hill.
Expository Preaching Enables Transformative Encounters With God Himself - Brother Jim Wilson
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"An ounce of obedience is better than a ton of learning." — Charles Spurgeon
"The Word of God is quite sufficient to interest and bless the souls of men throughout all time; but novelties soon fail." — Charles Spurgeon
There is a deep sense of pleasure and comfort waking up and going to bed with the Lord. Walking with Him and spending time with Him in prayer and song. Even when we are wrestling with all the things that the Lord wants to remove or when the enemy try‘s to hinder us, we have assurance that the work our Father starts in us He will complete. Phl 1:6
I push against the boundaries. Sometimes I even break through them. But what's waiting on the other side isn't freedom. Oh Lord, let my wild heart always remember Your instructions, Your boundaries, aren't cruel barriers to keep me from freedom. They are protection.
We serve a loving God who demonstrates his love for us in so many tangible ways. And so he wants us to show love through our words and actions. This is especially important in our family relationships. Our children need physical demonstrations and verbal expressions of our love. Nurturing—hugging, kissing or saying "I love you"—is so important.
The Word of God is perfect; it is precious and pure;
it is truth itself.
~Martin Luther~
God has given our generation everything we need to alter the course of human suffering. Change must start with us! With our transformation! Ours is the wealthiest generation of Christians ever! We can be more effective—if only we try!
The great thing about being a Christian is that even if you were the meanest, raunchiest person, when the Holy Spirit gets a hold of you, He makes you a whole new person with a brand new disposition; like a child.
Jim Rohn says having the right attitude is an essential prerequisite for success and happiness. The right attitude is also essential for putting your unique potential into action and acquiring a desired result. Here are his tips for taking control of your attitude and unleashing your potential.
Use the past as a learning tool.
Adopt a new attitude.
Develop self-awareness.
Move forward.
WE ARE ABOUT THAT LIFE. EVERLASTING LIFE!
God’s providence leaves room for our prudence.
~Matthew Henry~
There are many men and women in this world who believe they have become successful on their own. They are self-made men and women. However, the Scriptures tell us a different story. It is the Lord who raises a person out of poverty and makes him to sit among princes.
Even though nationally Israel will be saved -- individually they must come to the Lord -- repent of their sin and confess that Jesus is the Christ. Just as it is with Israel, so it is with us. Personally, we must come to Him. Our heritage doesn't count.
The old covenant of law was the covenant that God made with Israel "in the day that [He] took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt" (Jeremiah 31:32b). The promise through Jeremiah was that the Lord would make a different type of covenant some day, "not according to [that] covenant." This new covenant would be a covenant of grace, provided by the Lord Jesus Christ. "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
Mark 4:7, 18-19
The phrase, "cares of this world," is best translated as "distractions of this age." So let me ask you, are distractions keeping you from a fruitful relationship with Jesus Christ?
“Be thankful for all your blessings. An appreciative person makes a pleasant and optimistic person.”
— Brian Tracy
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
“Life is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you don’t do that by sitting around.”
— Katharine Hepburn
“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe.”
— Winston Churchill
“People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.”
— Luciano Pavarotti
“There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.”
— Federico Fellini
Some days bring comfort, some hope and inspiration—and some might bring problems. But every day brings wisdom that helps us grow.
God is good all the time. If we can get that right the rest will work it self out.
God creates the ‘want to” within us. But He will never lead you to violate His Word. He will not contradict his teaching. But he will faithfully lead you through the words of his Scripture and the advice of his faithful.
Friendship is the greatest of worldly goods. Certainly to me it is the chief happiness of life.
~C. S. Lewis~
In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith.
by Alistair Begg
Love is not selfish
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.
Swift action came...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
...because they were aware of what was happening in the present.
Do not be casual in the call that Jesus placed on your life.
Earthly endeavours can distract you from the eternal things.
As much as I like social media, I don't think you should ever post if you don't want people to reply to your post. TO EVERY MAN AN ANSWER FOR THE HOPE THAT LIES WITHIN YOU is the reason why we say anything at all, Amen!
Your influence is negative or positive, never neutral.
~Henrietta Mears~
Too many cover their hurt with false bravado or phony optimism. They numb their pain with busy work, drugs, drink, entertainment…whatever works for a while. Temporary band-aids for a wound that needs deep cleansing and healing.
When brokenhearted people allow God’s Holy Spirit into their hearts, He promises to tend and heal their wounds. Does this happen in a second? Do the pain and the problems disappear at the utterance of a prayer? Not usually.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3
Ray Bently
Our most effective ministry happens in our daily lives -- while at work, on the playground, at the grocery store, and with our neighbors. In the Book of Acts, we see this demonstrated. The early church came together to hear the Apostles preach, they ate together, and then went out to share the Gospel.
Many people get so caught up in yesterday’s mistakes they can’t see what God has planned for tomorrow.
Just because something sounds hard, doesn’t mean we should automatically say no.
There will be times God calls us to say yes to things that feel uncomfortable. Stretching. Even beyond our abilities to resource.
I don’t think it’s inappropriate for any of us to want our death to be peaceful and happy. However, we should also feel that if God chooses otherwise, and it would bring honor and glory to Him, then our faith would elevate us to a level that we would consider it a privilege to die like Christ.
We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has done in the past and all that He is doing now leads to this one end.
~A. W. Tozer~
The more we go through in life the closer we need to be to the Lord!
Money is never more wisely used than in forwarding the cause of God.
~George Barlow~
In Christ we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of confusions, bewilderments, and perplexities of this life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace—at last!” —Billy Graham
When you run out of self and me and my and I then comes peace!
There are two things to do about the Gospel––believe it and behave it.
~Susanna Wesley~
Even if you can’t feel His presence,
You can still trust His promises
There is a big difference between reluctantly willing and eager.
“Praise is God's sunlight in the heart. It destroys sin germs. It ripens the fruits of the Spirit. It is the oil of gladness that lubricates life's activities. There can be no holy life without it. It keeps the heart pure and the eye clear. Praise is essential to the knowledge of God and His will.” — Smith Wigglesworth
The Bible is God’s declaratory revelation to man containing the great truths about God, man, about history, about salvation, and about the prophecy that God wanted us to know…
~John F. Walvoord~
“People wrap themselves up in the flimsy garments of their own righteousness and then complain of the cold.”
If you are not generous with a meager income, you will never be generous with abundance.
~Harold Nye
Many modern pastors are motivational speakers who occasionally mention God rather than faithful preachers of the uncompromising gospel.
Ray Comfor
Solemn prayers, rapturous devotionals, are but repeated hypocrisies unless the heart and mind be conformable to them.
~William Law~
it is better to obey than to sacrifice.
Some sacrifice their principles, honor, and reputation to pander to the current flow of popular opinion. Paul was also sensitive to what others thought. But those opinions did not become his guiding light. He was a man of the word.
“Praise is God's sunlight in the heart. It destroys sin germs. It ripens the fruits of the Spirit. It is the oil of gladness that lubricates life's activities. There can be no holy life without it. It keeps the heart pure and the eye clear. Praise is essential to the knowledge of God and His will.” — Smith Wigglesworth
You are training me to depend on You alone, finding fulfillment in Your loving Presence is all we need.
We’re in contentment-training. God wants us to rely fully on Him knowing His plan is good whether we have everything we want or not. This world is not our home and Christ is the prize!
The crucified life really means one thing: dying to self. It means losing yourself and, in the process, finding yourself. Through death you find life. What it doesn’t mean is that we will be miserable and unable to live life to its fullest. It means the opposite. When we discover God’s plan for us, life becomes what it was meant to be.
The comparison makes what never mattered before the thing that matters most.
Our doctrine and belief should affect us in the way that we live.
Jesus is:
The True Reformer
The True Helper
The True Achiever
The True Originalist
The True Investigator
The True Loyalist
The True Enthusiast
The True Protector
The True Peacemaker
No one who encounters Jesus ever stays the same.
We have trusted our idols and our deadly sins to save us. They have failed. They’ve made our life worse instead of better. To change our allegiances, we must transfer our trust to Jesus...
A man who wants Christ is a man who has Christ.
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"How can we begin a gospel presentation by telling people on their way to hell that God has a wonderful plan for their lives?"
-John MacArthur.
But what will it avail you to have Bibles in your houses, if you do not use them?
—Matthew Henry, Sermon on Family-Religion
“much of the world’s “leadership” is nothing but manipulation of people by threats and rewards. That is not true leadership; it’s exploitation.”
― John F. MacArthur Jr., Called to Lead: 26 Leadership Lessons from the Life of the Apostle Paul
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