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. ❤

Owen Quotes 3

Sin carries on its war by entangling the affections and drawing them into an alliance against the mind. Grace may be enthroned in the mind, but if sin controls the affections, it has seized a fort from which it will continually assault the soul. Hence, mortification must chiefly be directed to the affections.

He who is more frequent in his pulpit to his people, than he is in his closet for his people is but a sorry watchman of souls.

When someone sets his affections upon the cross and the love of Christ, he crucifies the world as a dead and undesirable thing. The baits of sin then lose their attraction. Fill your affections with the cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.

Let our hearts admit: "I am poor and weak.  Satan is too subtle, too cunning, too powerful for me he watches constantly for advantages over my soul.  The world presses in upon me with all sorts of pressures, pleas, and pretenses.   My own indwelling corruption is violent, tumultuous, enticing, and entangling. As it conceives sin, it wars within me and against me. Occasions and opportunities for temptation are innumerable. Therefore, on God alone will I rely for my keeping. I will continually look to Him."

Sin always aims at the utmost. Every time it rises up to tempt or entice us if it has its own way, it will go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every impure thought or glance would be adultery if it could. Every thought of unbelief would be atheism if allowed to develop. Every rise of lust, if it has its way would reach the height of villainy. Sin is like the grave, which is never satisfied. The deceitfulness of sin is seen in that it is modest in its first proposals, but when it prevails, it hardens men's hearts and brings them to eternal ruin.

The purpose of our holy and righteous God was to save His chosen people, but their sin could not go unpunished. It was, therefore, necessary that the punishment for their sin be transferred from those who deserved it but could not bear it to One who did not deserve it but was able to bear it.

A minister may fill his pews and be esteemed by the world. But what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty that he is, and no more!  

The growth of trees and plants takes place so slowly that it is not easily seen. Daily we notice little change. But, in course of time, we see that a great change has taken place. So, it is with grace. Sanctification is a progressive, lifelong work. 

So, fill your affections with the cross of Christ that there may be no room for sin!

Selfishness is the making a man's self his own center the beginning and end of all he does. 

Unless we are thoroughly convinced that without Christ, we are under the eternal curse of God, as the worst of His enemies we shall never flee to Him for refuge!

As our tender and loving friend is grieved at our unkindness towards him so is it with the tender and loving Spirit, who has chosen our hearts for a habitation to dwell in.

It is evident that most contend against sin merely because of how it troubles them.

We ought as much to pray for a blessing upon our daily rod as upon our daily bread.

Faith, if it is a living faith will be a working faith. We admit no faith to be justifying which is not itself and in its own nature, a spiritually vital principle of obedience and good works.

There is only one way to be revived and healed from our backslidings so that we may become fruitful even in old age. We must take a steady look at the glory of Christ in His special character, in His grace and work, as shown to us in the Scripture.

Great winds and storms help fruit-bearing trees. So also do corruptions and temptations help the fruitfulness of grace and holiness. The storm loosens the earth around its roots, so the tree is able to get its roots deeper into the earth, where it receives fresh supplies of nourishment. But only much later will it be seen to bring forth better fruit. In the same way, corruptions and temptations develop the roots of humility, self-abasement and mourning in a deeper search for that grace by which holiness grows strong. But only later, will there be visible fruits of increased holiness.

There is not a day but sin either foils or is foiled; either prevails or prevailed on. So it will be, while we live in this world.

There are two things which are suited to humble the souls of men: First, a due consideration of God in His greatness, glory, holiness, power, majesty and authority. Secondly, a due consideration of ourselves in our base, abject, sinful and dreadful condition.

Let no man think to kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who has once smitten a serpent if he does not continue smiting it until it is slain may repent that he ever began the quarrel. So, it is with he who undertakes to deal with sin and does not pursue it constantly to its death.

The stronghold of the contemplation of Christ's glory, affords the soul rest for it will be made evident that our troubles grow on the root of an over-valuation of temporal things.

[John Owen]

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All Things Well!!

We cannot understand, and we need not understand, all that God is doing; but we may be quite sure that He does all things well. His way of bestowing saving grace is often inscrutable. God will certainly save His chosen people; but how strangely does He deal with some of them! 

I have known God to allow a chosen child of His to run headlong into sin after sin, for many long years. The godly mother has anxiously prayed that God would save her boy, but he has grown up to manhood unsaved. He had passed twenty, thirty, or forty years in wickedness, and had grown worse and worse! It did not seem as if all this could be according to God's mind, and yet it was. For in the mysterious providence of God, this man became greatly debauched by his riotous living. And then, and not until then, was God pleased to save him. His mother had slept amidst the clods of the valley, not knowing that her supplications for him had been answered. 

Yet that profligate man, because he had gone so far in sin, became the greater monument of God's sovereign grace. He was the more firmly bound to Jesus, and the more ardent in Jesus' service through the gratitude that he felt, than he would have been if he had been saved earlier in life. John Bunyan, if he had not been among the chief of sinners, might never have been among the chief of saints. 

Had he never been what he was one of the worst men in the village; then he might never have preached as he did and might never have so boldly declared that the worst of sinners could receive the greatest mercy, and that God would be most glorified in their salvation. God, in His perfect wisdom and sovereign will, determines when, where, and through what means He effectually grants saving grace to His elect people. He knows why He chooses this man at this time, and that man at that time. So let Him do as seems good in His sight, for He always does what is right and best! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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John 3:8 ...  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Isaiah 55:8-9 ...  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.❤

Quiet Life

 If the road gets quiet, you are going in the right direction.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 ...  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. ❤

Why Is It?

Why is it, that today the masses are so utterly unconcerned about spiritual and eternal things, and that they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Why is it that defiance of God is becoming more open, more blatant, more daring? The answer is, because "There is no fear of God before their eyes!" (Romans 3:18) 

Again, why is it that the authority of the Scriptures has been lowered so sadly of late? Why is it that even among those who profess to be the Lord's people, that there is so little real subjection to His Word, and that its precepts are so lightly esteemed and so readily set aside? Ah! what needs to be stressed today is that God is a God to be feared!  Happy is the person who has been awed by a view of God's majesty, who has had a vision of God's unutterable greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His sovereign grace! 

Time was, when it was the general custom to speak of a believer as "a God-fearing man". That such an appellation has become extinct only serves to show where we have drifted. Nevertheless, it still stands written, "Like as a father pities His children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him!" (Psalm 103:13) 

When we speak of godly fear, of course we do not mean a servile fear, such as prevails among the heathen in connection with their gods. No! We mean that spirit which Jehovah is pledged to bless, that spirit to which the prophet referred when he said, "To this man will I look even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word." (Isaiah 66:2) 

Nothing will foster this godly fear, like a recognition of the sovereign majesty of God!

[A.W. Pink]

Luke 12:4-5 ... And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

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Got Liberty?

You’re either obeying all 613 commandments perfectly or you’re saved by faith alone in Jesus.  There is no in-between.

Galatians 5:1 ... Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

James 2:10 ... For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

2 Corinthians 3:17 ... Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ❤

Is It Time

The Lord Jesus says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." The best things should be sought first. The most important things should be secured first. It is time for you to think seriously. Eternity stamps a seriousness on every subject connected with it. The soul must live forever. Hell is eternal. Heaven is eternal. The immortal soul must inhabit Heaven or Hell forever!  Sudden death would plunge the sinner into sudden Hell and from Hell there is no deliverance! No one can escape from that prison! No one can ever escape from that lake of fire! 

It is, therefore, time to seek for the salvation of the soul heartily. We cannot be safe too soon. We are never safe while without Christ. We must feel our need of him, seek a saving interest in him, exercise faith in him, and become united to him or we are not safe. Safety is in Christ but nowhere else. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Let us, therefore, seek a saving interest in Christ, and union to Christ; nor rest until we realize that we are one with him. 

It is time to decide for God. We have halted long enough. Indecision has been to us a source of unhappiness, and unless we decide will be our ruin. For Christ, or against him we must be. With Christ or opposed to him we must be. There is no neutrality. There can be none. Let us, therefore, decide at once. Let us surrender the world. Let us lay aside the sin that does so easily beset us. Let us build on Christ, as our foundation. Let us draw our supplies from Christ, as our fountain. Let us expect to be saved by Christ, as our sacrifice. Let us dedicate ourselves to the honor of Christ, engage ourselves to work for Christ, and unite ourselves to the people of Christ. Let us be decided, devoted, thorough Christians. Without this we cannot be safe, or honorable, or happy. 

It is time to engage in the work of Christ. We have served Satan long enough. We have served diverse lusts and pleasures. We have served sin. Let us now break away from our old masters. Let us break their yoke and burst our bonds. Let us take the yoke of Jesus, engage in the service of Jesus, and make it our daily aim to please Jesus. Let us spread his truth, publish his fame, and bear testimony to his faithfulness and love. There is no yoke like the yoke of Jesus. There is no service like the service of Jesus. His servants are all happy; for he provides for their needs, protects their persons, pardons their sins, purifies their hearts, perfects their characters, and places them before his face forever. 

He promises every one of his servants that they shall be with him where he is and assures them that his Father will honor them. Reader, it is quite time for you to think seriously to seek the Lord heartily to decide to be on the Lord's side entirely and to engage in the Lord's work cheerfully. Now you may, for you have the time; but soon you may not be able, for with you time may be no longer! 

[James Smith]

Matthew 6:33 ... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ❤

Like Birds in An Egg!!

Paul was a maker and mender of tents. Unlike the substantiality of a house, a tent is a very frail structure. In that respect it is quite like this feeble body of ours, which is crushed before the moth.

Our bodies are liable to death from causes so small as to be almost imperceptible: a breath of foul air, a particle of poisonous matter, a trifle, a mere nothing, may end this mortal life. I trust that we duly remember the frailty of our bodies. We are not so foolish as to think that because we are in robust health today, then we must necessarily live to old age. Our crowded cemeteries supply ten thousand arguments why each one of us may expect to die in due time.

We have had abundant evidence among ourselves lately, that those who appear to be the healthiest, are often the first to be swept away by death. At the same time, many old and feeble people linger on among us, whose lives are a continued wonder.

When we think of the frail components which our bodies are made of, then it is not unusual that they should be so soon ruined. Rather, the astonishing thing is that we continue to live.

Isaac Watts has wisely said: "Our life contains a thousand springs and dies if one goes wrong; Strange that a harp of a thousand strings, should keep in tune so long!"

Some small matter interferes with a valve or an organ, the whole current of life is hindered, and by-and-by death ensues. It is a very delicate process by which our bodies, that are but dust, remain alive. A thousand things can halt that process, and then our dust returns to the ground from which it came.

Paul, therefore, because he saw his earthly tent to be as frail as a bubble, looked forward to it being destroyed, and then abiding in his heavenly dwelling.

Christian! The avalanche of death will soon fall upon each of us! Will you fret over so small a loss? The poor hut of the body will be buried beneath the earth; but as for yourself, you will begin to sing everlasting praises unto Jesus, who rescued you from the eternal damnation of Hell, and raised you into His glorious presence! So, death shall not affect us for the worse, but for the better. The dissolution of our hampering frame shall only bring us into eternal glory!

We are now like birds in an egg: so long as the shell is whole, we are not free. Death breaks the shell! Does the chick lament the dissolution of its shell? I never heard of a fledgling in its nest, pining over its broken shell. Its thoughts run otherwise: to wings, and flight, and sunny skies!

In the same way, our body will soon die. Let it be so; it is fit that it should die. We have been glad for it while we have needed it, and we thank God for the wondrous skill He displayed in the making of it. But when we no longer require it, then we shall escape from it as from a prison and never wish to return to its narrow bounds.

Death will reveal to our wondering eyes, the palace of King Jesus, wherein we shall dwell forever. Therefore, what cause have we to be alarmed at death?

What will it be to open our eyes in Heaven! What a joy to fall asleep on the bed of languishing, and to wake up amid the celestial Hallelujahs!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

2 Corinthians 5:1 ... For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

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