Tuesday, September 30, 2014

It Will Require Time - DL Moody

Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18.
Although you may be born again, it will require time to become a full-grown Christian. Justification is instantaneous, but sanctification is a lifework. We are to grow in wisdom. We are to add grace to grace. A tree may be perfect in its first year of growth, but it has not attained its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of God, but not a matured Christian.
Taken from the book Day by Day with DL Moody  DL Moody  1837-1899

Monday, September 29, 2014

Take Every Word As - Thomas Watson

Take every word as spoken to yourself.
Thomas Watson 1620 – 1686
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, September 26, 2014

Repentance Day 5- It is so Necessary, That if I - Philip Henry

Some people do not like to hear much of repentance. But I think it is so necessary, that if I should die in the pulpit, I should desire to die preaching repentance, and if I should die out of the pulpit, I should desire to die practicing it.
 
Philip Henry 1631-1696
 

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Repentance Day 4 - If We Have Already Repented – JC Ryle

If we have already repented in time past, let us go on repenting to the end of our lives. There will always be sins to confess and infirmities to deplore, so long as we are in the body. Let us repent more deeply, and humble ourselves more thoroughly, every year. Let every returning birthday find us hating sin more, and loving Christ more. He was a wise old saint who said, "I hope to carry my repentance to the very gate of heaven."
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856
Luke 13:1-5
 

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Repentance Day 3 - We Could Not be Happy - JC Ryle

Without (repentance) there can be no meetness for heaven. We could not be happy if we reached the kingdom of glory with a heart loving sin. The company of saints and angels would give us no pleasure. Our minds would not be in tune for an eternity of holiness. Let these things sink down into hour hearts. We must repent as well as believe, if we hope to be saved.
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Repentance Day 2: The Characteristic of All True Christians – JC Ryle

The nature of true repentance is clearly and unmistakably laid down in holy Scripture. It begins with knowledge of sin. It goes on to work sorrow for sin. It leads to confession of sin before God. It shows itself before man by a thorough breaking off from sin. It results in producing a habit of deep hatred for all sin. Above all, it is inseparably connected with lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance like this is the characteristic of all true Christians. 
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856

Monday, September 22, 2014

One of the Foundations of Christianity - JC Ryle

"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:5
The truth here asserted, is one of the foundations of Christianity. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23) All of us are born in sin. We are fond of sin, and are naturally unfit for friendship with God. Two things are absolutely necessary to the salvation of every one of us. We must repent, and we must believe the Gospel. Without repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, no one can be saved.
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856

Friday, September 19, 2014

Be Like Christ - Charles Spurgeon

O, there is nothing that can so advantage you, nothing can so prosper you, so assist you, so make you walk towards heaven rapidly, so keep your heads upwards toward the sky, and your eyes radiant with glory, like the imitation of Jesus Christ. It is when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you are enabled to walk with Jesus in his very footsteps, and tread in his ways, you are most happy and you are most known to be sons and daughters of God. For your sake, Christ, I say, be like Christ. To draw him nearer to me, and myself nearer to him is the innermost longing of my soul.
 
Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

Thursday, September 18, 2014

He That Teaches Sound Doctrine, and Lives Wickedly - William Perkins

He that teaches sound doctrine, and lives wickedly, reaches with one hand what he knocks away with the other.
 
Gregory of Nazianzus
Quoted in the book The Art of Prophesying by William Perkins

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Preaching is an ordinance of which the value can never be overrated in the church of Christ. But it should never be forgotten, that there must not only be good preaching, but good hearing.
 
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856
 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Faith is Good for Everything - C. H. Spurgeon

(Faith) is good for everything,—good for the timid to make them strong, good for the rash to make them wise; it is good for those who are desponding to make them brave, and good for those who are too daring, to make them discreet. There is no respect in which faith is not useful to us, therefore, whatever you leave out, see to your faith; if you forget all besides, be careful above all that ye take the shield of faith. (Eph 6:16)
 
Taken from the sermon "The Shield of Faith" by Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, October 27,1861
 
 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

a spirit of power and of love

In the Gospel the Spirit is not a Spirit of bondage and fear, but a Spirit of power and of love. (Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7)
 
Taken from the book The True Bounds of Christian Freedom  by Samuel Bolton 1645

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Would We Know What we are Ourselves - J.C. Ryle

Would we know what we are ourselves? Let us see whether we have treasure in heaven, or whether all our good things are here upon earth. - Would we know what our treasure is? Let us ask ourselves what we love most? This is the true test of character. This is the pulse of our religion. It matters little what we say, or what we profess, or what preaching we admire, or what place of worship we attend. What do we love? On what are our affections set? This is the great question. "Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also." (Luke 12:34)
 
Taken from the book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle 1856
 

Monday, September 8, 2014

Joy in the Face Puts a New Beauty - Thomas Brooks

A beautiful face is at all time pleasing to the eye, but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance. Joy in the face puts a new beauty, and makes that which before was beautiful to be exceeding beautiful. It puts a lustre and glory upon beauty; so does joy in the face, heart, and life of a Christian, cast a general splendor and glory upon him, and the ways of God wherein he walks. The joy of the Lord is not only the strength, but also the beauty and glory of Christians. Nehemiah 8:10
 
Taken from the book Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Christian Assurance by Thomas Brooks 1654

Friday, September 5, 2014

Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.
 
Taken from the book The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment By Jeremiah Burroughs 1648        

Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Greatness of His Sufferings - John Bunyan

For my part, I stand amazed at those that would not have the world believe, that the death of Jesus Christ was, in itself, so terrible as it was....
I say, if Christ was put into the very capacity of one that must suffer what in justice ought to be inflicted for sin; then, how we can so diminish the greatness of his sufferings, as some do, without undervaluing of the greatness of his love, I know not; and how they will answer it, I know not.
 
Taken from the book All Loves Excelling by John Bunyan 1692

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Repentance Without Sorrow - Thomas Watson

A woman may as well expect to have a child without pangs as one can have repentance without sorrow. He that can believe without doubting, suspect his faith; and he that can repent without sorrowing, suspect his repentance.
 
Taken from the book The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson 1668

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

It is necessary for us to sail - Joseph Alleine

It was a saying of the noble Roman when he has hasting with corn to the city in the famine and mariners were loath to set sail in foul weather, "It is necessary for us to sail - it is not necessary for us to live." What is it that you count necessary?
 
Taken from the book A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine 1671

Monday, September 1, 2014

glorious in mercy above all - Richard Sibbes

 
When Satan tempts us to run from God and discourages us, as he will do at such times, then keep this in mind:  God has set himself to be glorious in mercy above all other attributes.
 
Taken from the book Glorious Freedom by Richard Sibbes 1639