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“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshipper entertains high or low thoughts of God.”
-A. W. Tozer-
“God is not represented in the Scriptures as forgiving sin because He really cares very little about sin; nor yet because He is so exclusively or predominatingly the God of love, that all other attributes shrink into desuetude in the presence of His illimitable benevolence. He is rather represented as moved to deliver sinful man from his guilt and pollution because He pities the creatures of His hand, immeshed in sin, with an intensity which is born of the vehemence of His holy abhorrence of sin and His righteous determination to visit it with intolerable retribution; and by a mode which brings as complete satisfaction to His infinite justice and holiness as to His unbounded love itself.”
-Benjamin Warfield-
Church Attendance by Mark Dever
Nonattendance,in the early years of our church, was considered one of the most sinister of sins, because it usually veiled all the other sins. When someone began to be in sin, you would expect them to stop attending.
The Danger of the Flesh by Isaac Ambrose
The flesh is a worse enemy than the devil himself. Never could the devil hurt us, if this inbred enemy [the flesh] did not betray us into his hands. The sinful flesh is the root, the fountain, and the origin of other sins...Were there no fire in our wood, the devil's breath could never kindle a flame in our souls or bodies.
Holiness by Jim Elliff
Holiness or sanctification is not just about purity or discipline. It is about displaying your radical difference, showing the marks of God's ownership, and illustrating through your behavior the unusualness of your new life in Christ.
Pride by C.J. Mahaney
When I become bitter or unforgiving toward others, I'm assuming that the sins of others are more serious than my sins against God.
The Necessity of Regeneration by A.W. Pink
"Of himself the fallen sinner can no more repent evangelically than he can create a world. “With men it is impossible” rules out of court all special pleading for the power of man’s will. Nothing but a miracle of grace can lead to the saving of any sinner. - A.W. Pink
Close to God by C.H. Spurgeon
The nearer a man lives to God the more intensely he has to mourn over his own evil heart
The Struggle of the Christian Life by Joel Beeke
The Christian life is a struggle. It demands entrance through a narrow gate and a daily walk along a narrow path. It involves living by faith through self-denial, waging a holy war in the midst of a hostile world. And what a war it is, for the world doesn't fight fairly or clearly, doesn't agree to ceasefires, and doesn't sign peace treaties.
Our Reaction to Sin by A.W. Pink and John Owen
"It is not the absence of sin but the grieving over it which distinguishes the child of God from empty professors'" - A. W. Pink
"I do not understand how a man can be a true believer in whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow and trouble." - John Owen
A Sermon by J.I. Packer
A sermon is an applicatory declaration, spoken in God’s name and for his praise, in which some part of the written Word of God delivers through the preacher some part of its message about God and godliness in relation to those whom the preacher addresses.
The Prophet's Authority by Sidney Greidanus
"The prophets were keenly aware of the fact that the word was God's word,
not theirs...Since the prophets proclaimed God's word, their preaching was
authoritative. This relationship suggests that the authority of the prophets
did not reside, ultimately, in their person, their calling, or their office;
rather, their authority was founded in the word of God they proclaimed."
The Highest Aim in Preaching by Steve Lawson
The highest aim in expository preaching is soli deo gloria—the glory of God alone. No pulpit can rise higher than its lofty view of God. As the proclamation of God goes, so goes the pulpit—and as the pulpit goes, so goes the church. Everything in ministry hinges on a towering view of God.
Cultivating Humility by C.J. Mahaney
We mortify pride and cultivate humility by identifying evidences of grace in those around us--evidences that we become aware of only through a divine perspective that recognizes God's active work and calling in their lives and that places full confidence in His faithfulness to complete that work He has begun. Without this perspective, we'll always tend to be critical and pessimistic in our attitude toward others.
Random Quotes from Together for the Gospel 2010
"It is true that God can both love us and rule us." Mark Dever
"Distinct lives point to a distinct God." Mark Dever
"The Christian life is personal, but it is not private." Mark Dever
"When it comes to preaching, the preacher is the means, but he is not the power." John MacArthur
"The gospel will ALWAYS be foolishness to the natural man. Preach it anyway." John MacArthur
Growing in Understanding of the Gospel by C.J. Mahaney
Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel. The gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than a diamond. Its depths man will never exhaust.
Stand Firm (excerpt from Phil Johnson’s sermon at Shepherds’ Conference 2010)
That is what Paul is calling for here: maturity, groundedness, stability. That's the heart of legitimate Christian conviction.
In fact, let's be clear about this: What Paul wanted to see in the Corinthians was not the ability to argue with zeal and vigor in favor of a particular point of view. Immature college kids can do that better than anyone else. What Paul was calling for is firm belief, settled assurance, confidence in the truth of God's Word, and an unwavering heart. In short, spiritual maturity. And that's not an easy thing to come by in a culture like Corinth, where the fads and fashions of this world seem to have more appeal than the eternal word of God
Listen to what Charles Hodge said about this command:
Do not consider every point of doctrine an open question. Matters of faith, doctrines for which you have a clear revelation of God, such for example as the doctrine of the resurrection, are to be considered settled, and, as among Christians, no longer matters of dispute. There are doctrines embraced in the creeds of all orthodox churches, so clearly taught in Scripture, that it is not only useless, but hurtful, to be always calling them into question.
"Stand firm in the faith," Paul says, and if you are tempted to tone that down, apologize for it, or explain it away because it conflicts so dramatically with the spirit of this age, then you need to repent of that attitude and ask God to give you more conviction and more courage
The Importance of Humility by Dr. Stuart Scott in "From Pride to Humility: A Biblical Perspective pg.1
It is probably safe to say that humility is the one character quality that will enable us to be all Christ wants us to be. We cannot come to God without it. We cannot love God supremely without it. We cannot be an effective witness for Christ without it. We cannot love and serve others without it. We cannot lead in a godly way without it. We cannot communicate properly without it. We cannot resolve conflict without it. We cannot deal with the sin of others rightly without it. We especially cannot resist sin without it. In short, we must embrace and live out humility in order to truly live and be who God means for us to be. It is for this reason that God exhorts us through Paul: Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness...Ephesians 4:1-2
Expository Preaching by Al Mohler
Expository preaching is that mode of Christian preaching that takes as its central purpose the presentation and application of the text of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordinated to the central task of presenting the biblical text. As the word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon. Genuine exposition takes place when the preacher sets forth the meaning and message of the biblical text and makes clear how the word of God establishes the identity and worldview of the church as the people of God.
Our words and deeds are irrevocable by J.R. Miller
"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken!" Matthew 12:36
We cannot recall any word we have spoken. It may be a false word or an unkind word--a word which will blast and burn! Instantly after it has been spoken--we may wish it back and may rush after it and try to stop it--but there is no power in the world that can unsay the hurtful word--or blot it out of our life!
It is just so with our acts. A moment after we have done a wicked thing, we may bitterly repent it. We may be willing to give all we have in the world to undo it, to make it as though it never had been. But in vain. A deed done takes its place in the universe as a fact--and never can be recalled.
We should be sure before we speak a word or do an act--that it is right, that we shall never desire to have it recalled--for when once we have opened our lips, or lifted our hand--there will be no unsaying or undoing possible.
Our words and deeds are irrevocable. We cannot recall anything we have done, neither can we change it. But by other words and deeds, we may in some measure modify the effect of that which we cannot blot out. Paul could not undo his persecutions of Christians--but by a life to devotion to Christ's cause--he could in a sense make reparation for the terrible harm he had done.
Just so, we cannot undo the wrong things we have done--but we should strive to set in motion other influences which may at least compensate in some sense for the harm they have wrought. We cannot unsay the sharp word which wounds our friend's heart--but we can by kindness and loyal devotion--yet bring good and blessing to his life.
Trials by Jonathan Edwards
"Trials, above all other things, have a tendency to distinguish between true religion and false, and to cause the difference between them evidently to appear."
The Key to Understanding God's Grace by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"It is because man has an inadequate conception of sin that he has an inadequate conception of the grace of God."
The Spirit's Essential Role in Understanding by Martin Luther
"Nobody who has not the Spirit of God can see a jot of what is in the Scriptures. All men have their hearts darkened, so that even when they can discuss and quote all that is in Scripture, they do not understand or really know it... The Spirit is needed for the understanding of all Scripture and every part of Scripture."
Though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be--I can truly say that I am not what I once was--a slave to sin and Satan. And I can heartily join with the apostle and say that "by the grace of God I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10
The Grace of God by John NewtonIn the Presence of God by J.R. Miller
"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead... I charge you!" 2 Timothy 4:1
Life is very serious! We are always standing before God who is our Judge. Our commonest days -- are judgment days. We should learn to do everything "in the presence of God". This makes every word and act serious. If only we were more conscious of God and of eternity -- we would live better!
"The Duty of Fault-Finding"
by J.R. Miller
There is a duty of fault-finding. The Master Himself teaches it. In the Sermon on the Mount, He makes it very plain. We must note carefully, however, where the duty begins. We are to look first after our own faults. "Why do you look at the mote that is in your brother's eye--but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye?"
We must consider the beam that is in our own eye!
The form of this question suggest that we are naturally inclined to pay more attention to flaws and blemishes in others--than in ourselves; and also that a very small fault--a mere mote of fault in another person--may seem larger to us than a blemish many times greater in ourselves!
Of course, it is far easier to see other people's faults--than our own. Our eyes are set in our head in such a way--that we can look at our neighbor, better than at ourselves. Yet we all have faults of our own. Most of us have quite enough of them to occupy our thought, to the exclusion of our neighbor's faults--if only we would give them our attention.
Really, too, our own faults ought to interest us, more than our neighbor's, because they are our own; and being our own, we are responsible for them. We do not have to answer for any other one's sins--but we must answer for our own sins, "Each one must give an account of himself."
Also, the responsibility for getting rid of them, is ours. No faithful friend, no wise teacher, can cure our faults for us. If ever they are taken out of our life--it must be by our own faith, our own firm, persistent effort.
It is a fact, that the faults which we usually see and criticize in others--are the very faults which are the most marked in us! In our judgment of others--we show a miniature of ourselves. If this is true, we should be careful in judging others, for in doing so--we are only revealing our own faults! This should lead us also to close scrutiny of our own life, to get rid of the things in us which are not beautiful.
Preaching the Whole Gospel Augustus Toplady
"The gospel is to be preached, and that not partially and by piece-meal, but the whole of it... An ambassador is to deliver the whole message with which he is charged. He is to omit no part of it, but must declare the mind of the sovereign he represents fully and without reserve."
"The Triune God in Salvation" J.I. Packer
God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and the work of salvation is one in which all three act together, the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it and the Spirit applying it."
Afflictions, when sanctified by J.R. Miller
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word." Psalm 119:67
"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn Your statutes." Psalm 119:71
By affliction, the Master Artist is adding some new touch of loveliness, to the picture He is bringing out in our souls.
Purpose of Suffering by Charles Spurgeon (In Lectures to My Students)
"Good men are promised tribulations in this world, and ministers may expect a larger share than others, that they may learn sympathy with the Lord’s suffering people, and so may be fitting shepherds for an ailing flock."
The Incarnation Proves God's Faithfulness by Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones
"The incarnation is the supreme example of fulfilled prophecy, the supreme example of God’s faithfulness to His promises….What God did when He sent His Son into the world is an absolute guarantee that He will do everything He has ever promised to do. Look at it in a personal sense: ‘All things work together for good to them that love God’—that is a promise—‘to them who are the called according to His purpose’ (Rom. 8:28, KJV). 'But how can I know that is true for me?' asks someone. The answer is the incarnation.
God has given the final proof that all His promises are sure, that He is faithful to everything He has ever said. So that promise is sure for you. Whatever your state or condition may be, whatever may happen to you, He has said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’ (Heb. 13:5, KJV)—and He will not. He has said so, and we have absolute proof that He fulfills His promises. He does not always do it immediately in the way that we think. No, no! But He does it! And He will never fail to do it.”
Conviction of Sin by Thomas Watson
"Before God's effectual call, a humbling work passes upon the soul. A man is convinced of sin; he sees he is a sinner and nothing but a sinner... Such as were never convinced are never called."
Surrendering All To God quote by John Calvin
I call "piety" that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of His benefits induces. For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by His fatherly care, that He is the Author of their every good, that they should seek nothing beyond Him--they will never yield Him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in Him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to Him.
Technology Warning by J.I. Packer
“I’m amazed at the amount of time people spend on the internet. I’m not against technology, but all tools should be used to their best advantage. We should be spending our time on things that have staying power, instead of on the latest thought of the latest blogger—and then moving on quickly to the next blogger. That makes us more superficial, not more thoughtful."
On Decision Making by Graeme Goldsworthy in the New Dictionary of Biblical Theolgoy, pg. 210
Proverbs, and the wisdom literature in general, counter the idea that being spiritual means handing all decisions over to the leading of the Lord. The opposite is true. Proverbs reveals that God does not make all people’s decisions for them, but rather expects them to use his gift of reason to interpret the circumstances and events of life within the framework of revelation that he has given. Yet when they have exercised their responsibility in decision-making, they can look back and see that the sovereign God has guided.
New Doctrines by Charles Spurgeon
I know the proud flesh wants to serve Christ, by striking out new paths. Proud man has a desire to preach new doctrine, to set up a new Church; to be an original thinker, to judge, and consider, and do anything but obey. This is no service to Christ. He that would serve Christ must follow him; he must be content to tread only in the old footsteps, and go only where Christ has led the way. It is not for you and me to be originals; we must be humble copies of Christ. There must be nothing about our religion of our own inventing; it is for us to lay thought, and judgment, and opinion at the feet of Christ, and do what he bids us, simply because he gives the command.
Don't Be Weak in the Things of the Lord by Charles Spurgeon
God chooses not milksops destitute of backbone, to wear his glory upon their faces. We have plenty of men made of sugar, nowadays, that melt into the stream of popular opinion; but these never ascend into the hill of the Lord, nor stand in His holy place, nor wear the tokens of His glory.
Man's Thoughts of God by A.W. Tozer in The Knowledge of the Holy
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God.”
Fight the Good Fight by John MacArthur in The Jesus You Can't Ignore (pg. xiii)
"The principle is clear: the closer any given doctrine is to the heart of the gospel, the core of sound Christology, or the fundamental teachings of Christ, the more diligently we ought to be on guard against perversions of the truth--and the more aggressively we need to fight the error and defend sound doctrine."
"The Sinfulness of Sin" by Jerry Bridges in Respectable Sins ( page 26)
"Sin is vile, ugly, odious, malignant, pestilent, pernicious, hideous, spiteful, poisonous, virulent, villainous, abominable, and deadly. Take a few minutes to ponder those words so as to get the full impact of them. Those words describe not just the scandalous sins of society but also the respectable sins we tolerate in our own lives. Think of such tolerated sins as impatience, pride, resentment, frustration, and self-pity. Do they seem odious and pernicious to you? They really are. To tolerate those sins in our spiritual lives is as dangerous as to tolerate cancer in our bodies. Seemingly small sins can lead to more serious ones. Lustful looks often lead to pornography addiction and perhaps even adultery. Murder often has its genesis in anger, which grows into bitterness, then to hatred, and finally the murder."
The Sovereignty of God by John Piper
The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is an anchor for the troubled soul, a hope for the praying heart, a stability for fragile faith, a confidence in pursuing the lost, a guarantee of Christ’s atonement, a high mystery to keep us humble, and a solid ground for all praise. And oh so much more. O Lord, turn this truth for the triumph of your saving and sanctifying grace.
"The Deeps" A Puritan Prayer in the Valley of Vision
Lord Jesus, give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, a dread of its approach; Help me chastely to flee it, and jealously to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone. Give me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in thee, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being. Give me a deeper knowledge of thyself as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King. Give me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in thy Word, more steadfast grip on its truth. Give me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from thee. Plough deep in me, great Lord, heavenly Husbandman, that my being may be a tilled field, the roots of grace spreading far and wide, until thou alone art seen in me, thy beauty golden like summer harvest, thy fruitfulness as autumn plenty. I have no Master but thee, no law but thy will, no delight but thyself, no wealth but that thou givest, no good but that thou blessest, no peace but that thou bestowest. I am nothing but that thou makest me, I have nothing but that I receive from thee, I can be nothing but that grace adorns me. Quarry me deep, dear Lord, and then fill me to overflowing with living water.
Pastoral Ministry in Nutshell by John Owen
"Making those who are not in union with Christ to know that they are not in union with Christ, and making those who are in union with Christ to live as if they are in union with Christ."
Re-Reading by C.S. Lewis
The sure mark of an unliterary man is that he considers ‘I’ve read it already’ to be a conclusive argument against reading a work. We have all known women who remembered a novel so dimly that they had to stand for half an hour in the library skimming through it before they were certain they had once read it. But the moment they became certain, they rejected it immediately. It was for them dead, like a burnt-out match, an old railway ticket, or yesterday’s paper; they had already used it. Those who read great works, on the other hand, will read the same work ten, twenty or thirty times during the course of their life.
Your Chief Study by Jonathan Edwards
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life!" Proverbs 4:23
See that your chief study is about your heart: that there, God's image is planted; that there, His interests are advanced; that there, the world and flesh are subdued; that there, the love of every sin is cast out; that there, the love of holiness grows.
"That Which Brings Pain to God's Heart” by John Owen
"He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32
If God has given His Son to die for us, let us beware of doubting His kindness and love in any painful providence of our daily life. Let us never allow ourselves to think hard thoughts of God. Let us never suppose that He can give us anything that is not really for our good. Let us see in every sorrow and trouble of our earthly pilgrimage--the hand of Him who gave Christ to die for our sins. That hand can never smite us except in love! He who gave His Son to die for our sins--will never withhold anything from us that is really for our good. Let us lean back on this thought and be content. Let us say to ourselves in the darkest hour of trial, "This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong! It is done in love! It must be well!"
Thomas Brooks : Remember that it is not hasty reading, but serious meditation on holy and heavenly truths, which makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee which gathers honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower which draws out the sweet. It is not he who reads most, but he who meditates most, who will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian."
Thomas Brooks : "We know metals by their tinkling, and men by their talking."
J.C. Ryle : "I believe that if there is one thing which pierces the Master's heart with unutterable grief, it is not the world's iniquity but the church's indifference."
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