The spirit of prayer is pressing forth of the soul out of this earthly life; it is a stretching with all its desire after the life of God, to be one life, one love, one spirit with Christ in God.
– William Law –
Christian Life
Obedience is always possible – Elisabeth Elliot
Obedience to God is always possible. It is a deadly error to fall into the notion that when feelings are extremely strong, we can do nothing but act upon them.
– Elisabeth Elliot –
The Foundation to 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” (Romans 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.
– JC Ryle –
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
Christian Contentment – Jeremiah Burroughs
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
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 –