God knows what awaits you and me, and He allows the trials and temptations to refine and purify us. Why? Because God knows our hearts.
When the light of the gospel of grace is proclaimed, it is shining upon spiritually darkened hearts. "Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Romans 1:21). When darkened hearts respond to that light, they are given new life.
The primary purpose of Satan's blinding activities is to keep those in darkness from seeing God's light: "Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."
Life is a marathon – not a fifty yard dash. When the psalmist says, “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever,” he is reminding us that we were created for eternity. But instead of focusing on eternal things, we waste precious emotional energy and priceless spiritual power by fixing our gaze on the here and now.
There's no place in our worship for criticism and talking down to each other. All of this is an indication of a backsliding life. Maybe it starts off small, such as criticizing the songs or the music; then it turns into criticizing the pastor's message; then it gets into criticizing the people. And before long, people are picking apart the Bible and eventually the Lord, blaming Him for "everything wrong in my life.
The Holy Spirit loves order, and He therefore sets our powers and faculties in due rank and place, giving the highest room to those spiritual faculties which link us with the great King; let us not disturb the divine arrangement, but ask for grace that we may keep under our body and bring it into subjection. We were not new created to allow our passions to rule over us, but that we, as kings, may reign in Christ Jesus over the triple kingdom of spirit, soul, and body, to the glory of God the Father.
Charles Spurgeon
All humans are created by God, but sin separated us from His character. In the salvation covenant through Christ, the Creator becomes Abba Father—“Dad.” The new birth means we participate in God’s very nature. The moment each of my children came into the world, my home, food and resources were theirs. So when we are born into God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ, all His promises are ours, by inheritance.
Remember God's will and our will must be unifyed. His will is found in His word not the thoughts of man.....
What you think you know and what is true is two different things...
It does not matter how much you know if your in bondage to lies....
Act 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
Pro 14:12 There is a way [that seems] right to a man, But its end [is] the way of death.
“The miracle of the seed and the soil is not available by affirmation; it is only available by labor.”
*** by Jim Rohn
“Without constant activity, the threats of life will soon overwhelm the values.”
*** by Jim Rohn
“For every promise, there is a price to pay.”
*** by Jim Rohn
“You must learn to translate wisdom and strong feelings into labor.” by Jim Rohn
Humility is such an elusive virtue. Once you think you have it, you don’t, or you wouldn’t think you did.
Max Lucado
There are many today, who when they really need help from God,
will look to all kinds of techniques and technologies and
superstitions - but never do what they really need to do: come back
to God in humility and repentance.
Trusting in techniques and technologies and superstitions never
ends well.
David Guzik
Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but all work demands effort. Foundational to the promises we make as leaders are that we will give the energy our work requires, even when we feel outmatched and outnumbered.
Mom and dad can drag you to church, but they can't drag you to heaven. Every person must become born again themselves.
I trust the Bible because I trust its Author.
Martin Luther once asked: “What kind of God would he be if his Word, being insufficient, was in need of a supplement from men?”
The Bible is fully sufficient!
“You may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God.” - C.S. Lewis
"The atonement never fluctuates. It never rises or falls in value." — Charles Spurgeon
"Let us lift up our eyes and wonder. Let us lift up our voices and praise." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you live by feelings, you are looking for joy where it never can be found." — Charles Spurgeon
"You are afraid that sin will conquer your soul. How can it, when Jesus died for you?" — Charles Spurgeon
"The Christ on the cross will never save you unless there is also Christ within you." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you pray over your work, I am persuaded you will be helped in it." — Charles Spurgeon
"When we have the Holy Spirit, we have Christ." — Charles Spurgeon
"Whatever your crime has been, the Lord says, 'Return, for I have mercy upon you.'" — Charles Spurgeon
"Too many Christians sacrifice their children’s souls to the world." — Charles Spurgeo
"If you are poor and needy, the gospel will be most joyful to your heart." — Charles Spurgeon
"Do not turn away from Jesus; do not dream of going beyond him." — Charles Spurgeon
"In Christ, we are free. We are under bonds no longer." — Charles Spurgeon
"God invites us to make requests, but our prayers are shadowy and unreal instead." — Charles Spurgeon
"It is a great thing for a youth to have godly parents to train his tender mind." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel gives you a duty to train your children in the fear of God." — Charles Spurgeon
"If you put your case into his hands, the Holy Spirit will pour his love in your heart." — Charles Spurgeon
"Be of good courage, my friends. Follow the Captain of your salvation!" — Charles Spurgeon
"As we grow more like Christ, we shall see more of Christ." — Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is all about Christ from beginning to end." – Charles Spurgeon
"Christ will hear you, for he never yet refused to heed the cry of a poor sin-sick soul." — Charles Spurgeon
If you were to remove from the Bible all the stories about afflicted men and women, all the psalms of the sorrowful, all the promises for the distressed, and all the passages for the children of grief, the Bible would be a small book. Spurgeon
When we walk through dark or fearful moments, it is our hope for the future that sustains us. Chuck Smith
The messages preached in our churches should make backslidden Christians sweat. Tozer
Understand this. The Lord knows how to perfectly balance blessings and buffetings in your life—and He will allow both. Skip Heitzig
God forbid that we should abuse the Scriptures by reducing them to the level of our ideas or contemporary events. —Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Exposition of Ephesians 1: God’s Ultimate Purpose, Pg. 207
When the falling dust of the world has clogged the wheels of our affections, that they can scarce move towards God, the Sabbath comes, and oils the wheels of our affections and they move swiftly on. —Puritan Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments, Pg. 94
Chastisement is designed 2 our good, 2 promote our highest interests. Look beyond the rod 2 the All-wise hand that wields it! A.W. Pink -
Never let us be guilty of sacrificing any portion of #truth on the altar of peace. -J. C. Ryle -
"We know him also to be a deserter who does not refuse cohabitation, but obstinately demands impious conditions . . . To depart from someone and to drive them other away by threats or force are the same thing.” –– Theodore Beza (1519–1605)
“The Bible teaches that God's sovereign rule knows no boundaries or limits. His authority is full, complete, and binding.” — Mike Abendroth, Cancer Is Not Your Shepherd, 20.
“The sum of all is, 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙, 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡.” John Owen, Commentary on Hebrews 13:13, 23:449
We have not a right sight of God unless all created perfections vanish before him. —Thomas Manton, Works 7:241
Sometimes, the greatest lessons you can teach others were taught to you through your greatest pains.
“The application of the sermon is not merely an appendage to the discussion or a subordinate part of it, but is the main thing to be done.” -John A Broadus
"Pastors, you aren’t teaching a class in seminary, delivering a detailed workshop, or conducting an open-ended discussion. You’re preaching a sermon, and that means you need to stay focused, forceful, and within your expected time frame." - Carey Nieuwhof
The Bible is the most offensive book ever written. It damns the whole human race. No one escapes. —John MacArthur
"In the darkest ages Christ has always had a church; and if darker times shall come, He will have His church still." Charles Spurgeon
We must trust as if it all depended on #God and work as if it all depended on us. -C.H. Spurgeon -
Hope is nothing else but the constancy of #faith. -John Calvin -
"Remember preacher, as we step to the pulpit today, preaching ISN'T getting something off our chest, but IT'S having something from the Bible, that's already stirred our own heart!" - John N. Hamlin
"You have nothing that did not come to you as a gift from God. Our intellect, our natural skills and talents, our health, and our opportunities to succeed all come from God. We have nothing that will enable us to achieve success that we did not receive from God." - Jerry Bridges
Let us labour to be unmistakable Christians. J.C. Ryle
Affliction is a badge of adoption. Thomas Watson
May our passion for Christ always be greater than our passion for an easy and comfortable life. Burk Parsons
Be sure thou takest some pains with thy heart the afternoon (or evening at least) before, to prepare thy soul for the ensuing Sabbath. —George Swinnock, Works 1:249
“In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me.” George Mueller
"Prayer is the most tangible expression of trust in God." Jerry Bridges
Pray like it all depends on God, then when you are done, go work like it all depends on you.⠀ Martin Luther
Do we all realize that the most important thing we have to do in this world is to prepare ourselves for eternity? Martyn Lloyd-Jones
“The Word of God is completely trustworthy because God is completely trustworthy”. R.C. Sproul
"We run to God when trials come only to learn that God's the one who sovereignly gave us the trials that we might run to him." Burk Parsons
"The key to sustaining joy is not circumstances, its Christ." Dustin Benge
“When you measure your suffering against the fact of your future glory, your perspective is adjusted.” — Mike Abendroth, Cancer Is Not Your Shepherd, 19.
The greatness of faith consists much in a resolute adherence to Jesus Christ, to love him, and trust him, as a friend, even when he seems to come forth against us as an enemy. - Matthew Henry
"Most of us have been praying for a revival. Are we willing that it should come in God's way and not ours?" -Pandita Ramabai.
"No man who is full of himself can ever truly preach the Christ who emptied Himself." - J. Sidlow Baxter
We who serve the Lord under His new covenant of grace live with heavenly treasure in earthen vessels. We are "earthen vessels." Though we are born again through faith in Christ, we still have the same physical body that we had in Adam. "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent [that is, our natural human body], is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands [that is, our glorified, heavenly bodies], eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1). Though we are new creatures in Christ, we still live in the framework of ordinary human lives. "The life which I now live in the flesh [that is, in flesh and bones humanity], I live by faith in the Son of God" (Galatians 2:20).
You will never find true freedom until you examine the evidence for yourself. Jesus is not afraid to be tested, tried, or scrutinized.
“The New Testament does not say, ‘You shall know the rules and be bound by them,’ but, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.‘” –John Baillie
When we receive the grace of God, it’s like taking a vacation for our soul.
It's officially one month from summer! Relax. Bask in the Son. Vacation in Him today! Isn’t that an amazing realization — the grace of God means that although we miss the mark, even though we sin and fail, God’s goodness is poured out on us anyway!
OSWALD CHAMBERS
Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self–assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.
Sometimes people will use God. They will invoke the name of the Lord when they need something from people who believe in Him. For example, politicians are very fond of this. When an election cycle comes along, they’re suddenly talking about their faith in God and how important their faith is to them.
People use God, and God doesn’t appreciate it. Don’t use God to get something from someone else. Let God use you.