Prayer is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man’s true spiritual condition (there is nothing so much as prayer life that tells the truth about us as Christian people). Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer.
– Martyn Lloyd-Jones –
A man cannot seek both Heaven and earth at the same time. He cannot love both Christ and the world. He who is all on fire for the world — will be all ice for Heaven! Take heed of engaging your affections too far in these earthly things. Use the world as your servant — but do not follow it as your master.
– Thomas Watson –
I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts. No amount of scholastic attainment, of able and profound exposition, of brilliant and stirring eloquence can atone for the absence of a deep impassioned sympathetic love for human souls.
– David Brainerd –
Truth obeyed leads to more truth. Truth disobeyed destroys the capacity for discovering truth.
– RA Torrey –
Think not to say within yourself, “No one can know what his heart is. We must hope the best. No one can find out with any certainty the state of his own soul.” Beware, I say again — beware of such thoughts. The thing can be known. The thing can be found out. Deal honestly and fairly with yourself. Set up a ‘trial’ on the state of your inward man. Summon a jury. Let the Bible preside as judge. Bring up the witnesses. Inquire what your tastes are — where your affections are placed — where your treasure is — what you hate most — what you love most — what pleases you most — what grieves you most. Inquire into all those points impartially, and mark what the answers are. “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.” (Matt. 6:21) A tree may always be known by its fruit, and a true Christian may always be discovered by their habits, tastes, and affections. Yes! you may soon find out what your heart is, if you are honest, sincere, and impartial.
– JC Ryle –
Don’t leave your house naked! Just like we put on our clothes – we need to put on our spiritual clothes! (armor of God) Be ready for battle!
– Heather Elyse –
An earthbound, earth-satisfied spirit cannot pray. In such a heart, the flame of spiritual desire is either gone out or smoldering in faintest glow. The wings of its faith are clipped, its eyes are filmed, its tongue silenced. But they, who in unswerving faith and unceasing prayer, wait continually upon the Lord, do renew their strength, do mount up with wings as eagles, do run, and are not weary, do walk, and not faint.
– EM Bounds –
There are blessings of The Kingdom that are only yielded to the violence of the vehement soul.
– Samuel Chadwick –
A boy in the streets, selling mince-pies, kept crying, “Hot mince pies!” A person bought one of them, and found it quite cold. “Boy,” said he, “why do you call these pies hot?” “That’s the name they go by, sir,” said the boy. So there are plenty of people who are called Christians, but they are not Christians – that’s the name they go by.”
– Charles Spurgeon –