Sin – Temptation

October 17, 2011

God is not dead. The gospel has lost none of its power. It is we Christians who have lost OUR power with God. God is able right now to give us the same times of blessing that He gave this church one hundred years ago—even greater! Are you willing to let God search your hearts to see that there are no sins which grieve God and keep back the blessing?”

From a sermon of the father of William Chalmers Burns preached at the gravesite of James Robe, whose pastoral efforts brought a great revival in Kilsyth Scotland in 1742

October 12, 2011

Recognizing and admitting sin is not enough – Revival must result in Reform – or it is merely the expression of enthusiasm.

– Arthur Wallis –

October 7, 2011

Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.

– John Owen –

September 4, 2011

We are not only to renounce evil, but to manifest the truth. We tell people the world is vain; let our lives manifest that it is so. We tell them that our home is above and that all these things are transitory. Does our dwelling look like it? O to live consistent lives!

– Hudson Taylor –

September 2, 2011

The holy man is not one who cannot sin. A holy man is one who will not sin.

– AW Tozer –

August 30, 2011

There must be a divorce! Within the egg of sin there sleeps the seed of damnation! Man, there must be a divorce between you and your sins. Not a mere separation for a season, but a clear divorce. Cut off the right arm; pluck out the right eye, and cast them from you, or else you cannot enter into eternal life.

– Charles Spurgeon –

July 25, 2011

Above all, we must be especially alert against the beginnings of temptation, for the enemy is more easily conquered if he is refused admittance to the mind and is met beyond the threshold when he knocks. — Someone has said very aptly: Resist the beginnings; remedies come too late, when by long delay the evil has gained strength. First, a mere thought comes to mind, then strong imagination, followed by pleasure, evil delight, and consent. Thus, because he is not resisted in the beginning, Satan gains full entry. And the longer a man delays in resisting, so much the weaker does he become each day, while the strength of the enemy grows against him.

– Thomas a Kempis –
from The Imitation of Christ

July 22, 2011

But how is it possible that a believer, having sin in him–sin of such intense vitality, and such terrible power as we know the flesh to have–that a believer having sin should yet not be doing sin? The answer is: “In Him is no sin. He that abideth in Him sinneth not.” When the abiding in Christ becomes close and unbroken, so that the soul lives from moment to moment in the perfect union with the Lord its keeper, He does, indeed, keep down the power of the old nature, so that it does not regain dominion over the soul. We have seen that there are degrees in the abiding. With most Christians the abiding is so feeble and intermittent, that sin continually obtains the ascendency, and brings the soul into subjection. The divine promise given to faith is: “Sin shall not have dominion over you.” But with the promise is the command: “Let not sin reign in your mortal body.” The believer who claims the promise in full faith has the power to obey the command, and sin is kept from asserting its supremacy. Ignorance of the promise, or unbelief, or unwatchfulness, opens the door for sin to reign.

– Andrew Murray –