Intimacy

Seek God and Be Found of Him – Art Katz

Lock yourself in a room; throw the key away; do something! Seek God and be found of Him. That is His promise: “If you will seek for Me with all your heart and all your soul, you shall be found of Me” (Deuteronomy 4:29). When you do obtain that knowledge, maintain it, or else you will lose it.

– Art Katz –

Beware the Prayerless Leader – David Smithers

A man can not lead others where he is not willing to go himself. Therefore, beware of the prayerless church leader who no longer readily admits his own need for more of the person and power of Jesus Christ. Only a seeking, praying heart can truly encourage spiritual HUNGER in others!

– David Smithers –

Pray Before Seeing Anyone – Robert Murray M’Cheyne

I ought to pray before seeing any one. Often when I sleep long, or meet with others early, it is eleven or twelve o’clock before I begin secret prayer. This is a wretched system. It is unscriptural. Christ arose before day and went into a solitary place. David says: ‘Early will I seek thee’, ‘Thou shalt early hear my voice.’ Family prayer loses much of its power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek from me. The conscience feels guilty, the soul unfed, the lamp not trimmed. Then when in secret prayer the soul is often out of tune. I feel it is far better to begin with God-to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another.

– Robert Murray M’Cheyne –

The Need to Seek God – Thomas Watson

How hard is it sometimes to get leave of hearts to seek God! Jesus Christ went more willingly to the cross than we do to the throne of grace.

– Thomas Watson –

I Am Lost Without Jesus – Oswald Chambers

O Lord, breathe on me till I am one with Thee in the temper of my mind and heart and disposition, unto Thee do I turn. How completely again I realize my lost-ness without Thee.

– Oswald Chambers –
from If You Will Ask

Perfect Love – Henry Scougal

Perfect love is a kind of self-dereliction, a wandering out of ourselves; it is a kind of voluntary death, wherein the lover dies to himself, and all his own interests, nor thinking of them, nor caring for them any more, and minding nothing but how he may please and gratify the party whom he loves.

– Henry Scougal –

A Backbone to Stand Alone – Leslie Ludy

A true leader must have enough backbone to stand alone—even when the crowd wants to take the easy road home. A true leader cannot be dependent on companionship for his or her security, but must learn to trust in God alone.

– Leslie Ludy –
from When God Writes Your Life Story