But For Grace...

Let none conclude that they have no grace, because they have many imperfections in their obedience. Your grace may be very weak and imperfect, and yet you may be truly born again, and be a genuine son of God, and heir of Heaven.

[Ezekiel Hopkins]

Ephesians 2:8-9 ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 ... For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ❤

Owen Quotes 4

Christ is our best friend our only true friend. Oh, that with all my heart, I may be weary of everything else but converse and communion with Him.

The duties which God requires of us, are not in proportion to the strength we possess in ourselves. Rather, they are proportionate to the resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in ourselves, to accomplish the least of God's tasks. When we recognize it is impossible for us to perform a single duty in our own strength we will discover the secret of its accomplishment: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) This is the law of grace.

Men think all things would be better done if they might be done according to their mind. "Should it be according to your mind?" (Job 34:33)

The beauty of the person of Christ, as represented in the Scripture, consists in things invisible unto the eyes of flesh. They are such as no hand of man can write, or tongue explain. It is the eye of faith alone, which can see this King in His beauty. What else can contemplate on the uncreated glories of Christ's divine nature?

When the Holy Spirit saves people, He puts into their minds, wills and hearts a gracious, supernatural principle which fills them with a holy desire to live to God. The whole life and being of holiness lie in this.

When sin lets us alone, we may let sin alone. But sin is never less quiet than when it seems to be most quiet. As sin's waters are for the most part deep when they are still so ought our contrivances against it to be vigorous at all times and in all conditions, even where there is least suspicion.

Spiritual wisdom consists in finding out the subtleties, policies, and depths of any indwelling sin to trace this serpent in all its turnings and windings to be able to say, at its most secret actings: "This is your old way and course I am aware of your evil devices!"

If we do not abide in prayer we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: "God, preserve my soul, and keep my heart and all its ways so that I will not be entangled in any sin." When this is true in our lives a passing temptation will not overcome us. We will remain free while others lie in bondage.

He who would mortify any disquieting lust let him take care to be equally diligent in all parts of obedience, and know that every lust, every omission of duty, is burdensome to God though only one is burdensome to him. 

The pretended desires of many to behold the glory of Christ in Heaven, who have no view of it by faith while they are here in this world are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations. No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by sight hereafter who does not in some measure behold it here by faith.

Because God is an infinitely glorious, good, wise, holy, powerful, righteous, self-subsisting, self-sufficient, and all-sufficient being; the fountain and author of all being and good; the first cause, the last end, and the sovereign Lord of all therefore, he is to be worshiped. Therefore, we are to admire, adore, and love Him to praise, to trust and to fear Him!

No heart can conceive that treasury of mercies which lies in this one privilege in having liberty and ability to approach unto God at all times at His throne of grace.

The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the father. The greatest unkindness you can do to Him is not to believe that He loves you.

Labor to grow better under all your afflictions lest your afflictions grow worse and God mingles them with more darkness, bitterness and terror.

Before the work of grace, the heart is 'stony.' It can do no more than a stone can do to please God.

Temptations and trials put nothing into a man but only draw out what was in him before.

We are only servants and disciples of Christ when we do what is commanded us, and because it is commanded us.

What then is holiness? Holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing and living out of the gospel in our souls and lives!

In this would I live and upon this would I dwell in my thoughts and affections: to the withering and consumption of all the painted beauties of this world, to the crucifying all things here below until they become to me a dead and deformed thing, no way suitable for affectionate embraces.

Rivers, the nearer they come to the ocean where they tend the more, they increase their waters and speed their streams. In the same way, will grace flow more fully and freely in its near approaches to the ocean of glory!

There is no true gospel fruit without faith and repentance.

 [John Owen]

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"Think On These Things"

There are certain habits of life, which are far reaching in their influence. The habit of cheerfulness, for instance, is said to be of great worth to a person. The habit of being always an encourager, never a discourager, gives incalculable value to one's personality and influence. A discourager is a misanthrope. He makes life harder for every other life he touches; and an encourager is a constant inspiration to others and makes life easier for everyone.

There is another habit of life, which if it were to become universal would change many things namely, the habit of always seeing the good in people, in conditions, in circumstances, and in experiences. Paul suggests it, when he says in a remarkable passage, "If there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy think on these things." (Philippians 4:8) The emphasis seems to be on 'any' if there is any virtue, even the least, in another, if there is in a life which seems almost wholly bad, even the smallest thing that is good we are to find that and to think upon that mere speck of beauty, rather than on the much that is evil and unbeautiful. If there is in a person, anything praiseworthy, any smallest quality or act that is worthy of praise, of which we can speak with even the faintest approval and commendation, we should give thought to that, and voice our appreciation, rather than think and speak of the many things in the person that are not good or praiseworthy.

It is easy to think of reasons why this is the Christian way. It is Christ's way with us. If there is anything good, even the faintest spark of virtue or hope in a life Christ sees it. He is looking for good and hopeful things. Some people see only the faults and flaws in the lives of others they are looking for these things' blemishes, defects, imperfections. They are never trying to find anything beautiful, and they find what they seek. Our Master, however, is looking for things that are praiseworthy good beginnings of better things.

Someone asked the curator of an academy of fine arts, regarding the pictures of a certain artist: "What do you consider the defects in his work?" The answer was, "We do not look for defects here but for excellences." It is thus that our Master does in our lives he does not look for the imperfections, of which there always are many but for things that are worthy of commendation. If there is any virtue he finds it, takes note of it, nourishes it, and woos it out. If Christ looked upon us as we too often look upon others seeing the flaws, the shortcomings, the inconsistencies, the failures and judged us by these, not many of us ever would grow into beauty. But where there is even a spark of good, he finds it and cultivates it into his best possibilities.

We shall never become of much use in the world until we learn this lesson of always finding and encouraging the best. We shall never lift up anyone to a higher, better life until we have found in him something to approve and commend. There are some men and women who wish to help others, to be of use to them but work after a wrong method. They think they must eliminate the faults and defects which they find and so they watch for things they cannot approve. They have keen eyes for specks and blemishes none are too small for them to see but they never see the beautiful things in another. The Master refers to such people, in his teaching about motes and beams. He would have us look for the good, not the evil, in others.

[J. C. Ryle]

Philippians 4:8 ... Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ❤

Grace by Faith...

 Salvation is a gift, but we did not earn it.  The Lord paid the price for YOU.

Isaiah 53:5 ... But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Ephesians 2:8 ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ❤

Bunyan Quotes

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit for such things as God has promised in His Word. 

Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that reared upon Samson. But if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest of honey within them. 

The truths that I know best I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well—until it is burned into my heart by prayer. 

Let death come when it will it can do the Christian no harm, for it will be but a passage out of a prison and into a palace; out of a sea of troubles and into a haven of rest; out of a crowd of enemies and into an innumerable company of true, loving, and faithful friends; out of shame, reproach, and contempt and into exceeding great and eternal glory!

There has not been one tear dropped from your tender eye against your lusts, the love of this world, or for more communion with Jesus Christ but as it is now in the bottle of God.

In times of affliction, we commonly meet with the sweetest experiences of the love of God.

An idle man's brain is the devil's workshop!

Talkative represents the man or woman who delights in talking about divine things but has only theoretical knowledge of such things. No actual personal heart experience correlates to the matters they love to discuss so eloquently. They are often highly esteemed by others but those closest to them would quickly betray a life out of sync with their words. The mask fashioned by fluency with all divine subjects hides their real life.

Prayer will make a man cease from sin or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer. 

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Those who lack the beginning have neither middle nor end.

In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

The truths that I know best, I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well until it is burned into my heart by prayer.

The best prayer I ever prayed had enough sin to damn the whole world! 

Whatever contradicts the Word of God should be instantly resisted as diabolical.

[John Bunyan]

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Not What I Once Used to Be!!

The regenerate man is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things which please God, to avoid the things which God hates. His aim and desire is to love God with heart and soul, and mind and strength; and to love his neighbor as himself. His wish is to be continually looking to Christ as his Example as well as his Savior; and to manifest himself as Christ's friend, by obeying whatever He commands.

No doubt he is not perfect. None will tell you that sooner than himself. He groans under the burden of indwelling corruption cleaving to him. He finds an evil principle within him constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. Yet, in spite of all shortcomings, the average bent and bias of his ways, is holy; of his doings, is holy; of his tastes, is holy; and of his habits, is holy.

In spite of all his swerving and turning aside, like a ship going against a contrary wind, the general course of his life is in one direction: toward God and for God. He will generally be able to say, with old John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be.  I am not what I want to be.  I am not what I hope to be in the eternal world.  But still, I am not what I once used to be!

[J. C. Ryle]

1 Corinthians 15:10 ...  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

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America in Need!!

 Pray for America!!

2 Chronicles 7:14 ... If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. ❤

Pride is Sin.

Pride is so natural to fallen man, that it springs up in his heart like weeds by a flowing brook.

Pride is a sin with a thousand lives! It is impossible to kill it; it flourishes on that which should be its poison, glorying in its shame. Pride can never be fully conquered. You may hunt down this fox, and think you have destroyed it, and behold, your very exultation is pride.

Pride is a sin with a thousand shapes! By perpetual change, it escapes capture. It seems impossible to grasp it; the vapory imp slips from you, only to appear in another form and mock your fruitless pursuit.

There was certainly pride in the sin of Satan, and pride in the sin of Adam. Pride is the torch which kindled Hell and set the world on fire.

Our hearts are deceitful above all things, and in nothing less to be trusted, than in this matter of pride. Even while we breathe out prayer unto God, pride will attempt to puff us up yes, it will puff up poor dying worms!

Brethren, we are always in danger of pride. Let us be on our guard, for it may be ruining us without our knowledge, just as the moth eats up the garment in secret, or as unseen rust cankers the hidden treasure.

Wherever God sees pride lifting itself up, He resolves to cast it into the dust. He draws His bow, He fits His arrow to the string, and pride is the target that He shoots at! Be sure that if the Lord sees pride in you, then He will smite you!

Pride is never so hateful to God, as when He sees it in His own people. If you see disease in a stranger, then you are sorry for him. But if you discover its symptoms in your own child, then your grief is much deeper. A viper is loathsome anywhere; but how it would startle you, if you saw the head of one of those creatures peeping out from the bosom of your beloved wife!

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Proverbs 16:5 ... Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

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Loyalty?

 Jesus had Judas. Do not expect everyone to be loyal to you, even family.  

Matthew 27:3-6 ... Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

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In a Relationship!!

 A life spent in the service of God and in communion with him, is the most pleasant life that anyone can live in the world.

[Matthew Henry]

1 Corinthians 1:9 ...  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:14 ...  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. ❤

Returned!!

Humanity has a tendency to wander from God and Christ’s role as the Shepherd, Guardian, and Overseer.  But Jesus brings people back into spiritual safety.

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Isaiah 53:6 ... All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

1 Peter 2:25 ... For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. ❤