A man must first love God or have his heart united to him, before he will esteem God’s good his own, and before he will desire the glorifying, and enjoying of God as his happiness.
– Jonathan Edwards –
from A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections
There is only one way to love God: to take not a single step without him, and to follow with a brave heart wherever he leads.
– Francois Fenelon –
from Christian Perfection
Do you continually remind those under your care, that the one rational end of all our studies, is to know, love, and serve the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent?
– John Wesley –
from Scriptural Christianity
God’s manner is not to bring comfortable texts of Scripture to give men assurance of his love, and that they shall be happy, before they have had a faith of dependence.
– Jonathan Edwards –
from A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections
Nothing in me can surprise Him out of loving me … there is wonderful comfort in that.
– Amy Carmichael –
from Edges of His Ways
What bliss to be a perfectly pardoned soul! What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive ever! Here is a constellation of wonders; and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops which cleansed me from them, I am in a maze of wondering worshiping affection!
– Charles Spurgeon –
If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
– Amy Carmichael –
Have you by faith grasped Jesus? Are you by faith cleaving unto Him? Faith is the eye which sees the Ladder—the hand which touches it—the strength which holds it—the feet which mount it. Has the Holy Spirit opened to you this figure, which was new life to Jacob? There is a ready test. Is the world beneath your tread? Do you trample on its love, its fashions, its maxims, its principles?
– Henry Law –
He who lives without prayer – he who lives with little prayer – he who seldom reads the Word – he who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high – he will be the man whose heart will become dry and barren; but he who calls in secret on his God – who spends much time in holy retirement – who delights to meditate on the words of the Most High – whose soul is given up to Christ – such a man must have an overflowing heart; and as his heart is, such will his life be.
– Charles Spurgeon –