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.
– Jeremiah Burroughs –
from The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment,1648
Christian Life
The Standard of Prayer – Charles H. Brent
A low standard of prayer means a low standard of character and a low standard of service. Those alone labor effectively among men who impetuously fling themselves upward towards God.
– Charles H. Brent –
Where is our Treasure? – JC 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)
– JC Ryle –
from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
God Fills the Heart – FW Faber
God always fills in all hearts all the room which is left Him there.
– FW Faber –
Listening to Good Preaching – JC Ryle
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.
– JC Ryle –
from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
God Equips Us to Obey – Elizabeth Elliot
God never issues instructions He is not prepared to equip us to obey.
– Elisabeth Elliot –
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 –
Maturity Takes 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.
– DL Moody –
from Day by Day with DL Moody
The Way of Christ – Amy Carmichael
Are we going in the way Christ has gone, or are we only talking and praying and singing about it? What about likes and dislikes? What about choices? What about Self? Christ’s way is the way that says “No” to the “I” that rises up so often and in its many different disguises. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself (say “No” to himself), and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
– Amy Carmichael –