A7-Fear. His modus operandi is to manipulate you with the mysterious, to taunt you with the unknown. Fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, fear of tomorrow—his arsenal is vast. His goal? To create cowardly, joyless souls. He doesn’t want you to make the journey to the mountain. He figures if he can rattle you enough, you will take your eyes off the peaks and settle for a dull existence in the flatlands. Max Lucado A6- God's purpose in all His dealings with us is to make us grow into something higher. The greatest calamity that can come to a soul is to be satisfied with its present condition. A.B. Simpson A5- Never change God's facts into hope or prayers but simply accept them as realities, and you will find them to be powerful as you believe them. H.W. Webb Peploe A4- God's friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all- we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God's compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him. We must never allow anything to damage our relationship with God, but if something does damage it, we must take the time to make it right again. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack. Chambers A3- never pray for an easier life- pray to be a stronger person A2-“God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.” Augustine A1- The truest and most acceptable repentance is to reverse the acts and attitudes of which we repent.... J31- The event is certain- the timing is uncertain. When the mighty Angel of Revelation shouts a signal and raises his hand having a word, it'll be eternally too late for unrepentant centers. J30- What shall I do? I expect to pass through this world but once. Therefore any good work, kindness, or service I can render to any person or animal, let me do it now. Let me not neglect or delay to do it, for I will not pass this way again. (An old Quaker saying) J29- “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” Abraham Lincoln J28- An old Italian proverb says," He that will have none but a perfect brother must behind himself to remain brotherless." However earnestly we may desire that our Christian brother go on toward perfection, we must accept him as he is and learn to get along with him. To treat an imperfect brother impatiently is to advertise our own imperfections. J27- Of all the calamities that have been visited upon this world and its inhabitants, the willing surrender of the human spirit to materialistic values is the worst! We who were made for higher worlds are accepting the ways of this world as the ultimate. This is a tragedy of staggering proportions. Tozer J26- The only thing that truly provides protection is the redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will simply hand myself over to Him, I will never have to experience the terrible possibilities that lie within my heart. Purity is something far too deep for me to arrive at naturally. But when the Holy Spirit comes into me, He brings into the center of my personal life the very Spirit that was exhibited in the life of Jesus Christ, namely, the Holy Spirit, which is absolutely unblemished purity. J25-When a man resists sin on human motives only, he will not hold out long. Daniel Wilson J24- The world says that "seeing is believing," but God wants us to believe in order to see. J23- Sanctification means nothing less than the Holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life. J22- There is always a tremendous battle before sanctification is realized- something within us pushing with resentment against the demands of Christ. When the Holy Spirit begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle starts immediately J21- If you are too sit with Christ upon His throne, you must go with Him through His Gethsemane. J20- The problems that vex us here will be fully solved hereafter; eternity will explain this brief life. This is the wondrous music which we wring from the jarring notes of the world’s pain and sin. Morris Joseph J19-Do not want things to turn out as they seem best to you, but as God pleases. Then you will be free from confusion, and thankful in prayer. The Desert Fathers J18- We try to substitute praying for obeying; and it simply will not work. Prayer is never an acceptable substitute for obedience. J17-Many years ago, a courageous and devoted American broadcast a message to his listeners that served as a harbinger for where the nation was headed societally and culturally. In his broadcast he revealed what he would do if he were “the devil,” to destroy our culture and undermine our collective societal standards and social mores. That man was Paul Harvey Aurandt, known to the nation simply as Paul Harvey, and his message not only has proven to be prophetic, but serves as a warning to Americans today of where our society continues to trend.
“If I Were The Devil": A Warning to America From Paul Harvey “If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.
To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…
And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the devil I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
If I were the devil I’d take from those who have, and give to those who want until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.
And what do you bet I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus, I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.”
Paul Harvey, good day J16- Patience is the guardian of faith, the preserver of peace, the cherisher of love, the teacher of humility; Patience governs the flesh, strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, subdues pride; she bridles the tongue, refrains the hand, tramples upon temptations, endures persecutions, consummates martyrdom: Patience produces unity in the church, loyalty in the State, harmony in families and societies; she comforts the poor and moderates the rich; she makes us humble in prosperity, cheerful in adversity, unmoved by calumny and reproach; she teaches us to forgive those who have injured us, and to be the first in asking forgiveness of those whom we have injured; she delights the faithful, and invites the unbelieving; she adorns the woman, and approves the man; Is loved in a child, praised in a young man, admired in an old man; she is beautiful in either sex and every age. George Horne J15-It is one thing to see the land of peace from a wooded ridge…and another to tread the road that leads to it. Augustine J14-“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter (Matthew 7:21, NLT) Because the human mind as two compartments, the practical and the ideal, people are able to live comfortably with their dreamy, romantic conception of Jesus while paying no attention whatsoever to His words. It is this neat division between the fanciful and the real that enables countless thousands of persons to say "Lord, Lord" in all sincerity while living every moment and flat defiance of His authority. J13- My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can be revealed to me. Before I can say" I saw the Lord," there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God surgical procedure- His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification. Chambers J12- Even among those who acknowledge the deity of Christ there is often a failure to recognize His manhood. We are quick to assert that when He walked the Earth He was God with men, but we overlook a truth equally as important, that where He sits now on His mediatorial throne he is man with God. Tozer J11-“A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
Ruth Graham J10-“The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick along side it.”. D. L. Moody J9-“When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.” CS Lewis J8- No matter how overwhelming, any burden God has lovingly placed with His own hands on our shoulders is a blessing. Frederick William Faber J7- God's grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence. J6- It is such a comfort to drop the entanglements and perplexities of life into God's hands and leave them there. J5- People remark how favored the churches in this country. It does not have to face persecution and rejection. If the truth were known, our freedom from persecution is because we have taken the easy, the popular way. If we would love righteousness until it became an overpowering passion, if we would renounce everything that is evil, our day of popularity and pleasantness would uickly end. The world would soon turn on us. - Tozer on the Holy Spirit J4- We tend to want to pick our blessings from the tree while they are still green, yet God wants us to wait until they are fully right." The Lord longs to be gracious to you..... Blessed are all who wait for Him" Isaiah 30:18 J3- The ideal Christian is one who knows he is free to do as he will- and wills to be a servant. J2- Where adequate power is present almost any means will suffice, but where the power is absent not all the means in the world can secure the desired end. The Spirit of God may use a song, a sermon, a good deed, a text or the mystery and majesty of nature, but always the final work will be done by the pressure of the inliving Spirit upon the human heart. J1-Learning from Bartimaeus’ example of persistence, we should not let people keep us back when we have a goal. When we are certain of what we want to achieve in life, like Bartimaeus, we should push even harder when we face opposition. Some criticism may be worth paying attention to. Hear those and be cautious if necessary. But don’t let baseless critiques keep you back. Use them as fuel to go harder. J30- “In all of our deeds God looks at the intention, whether we do it for His sake, or for the sake of some other intention.”
Maximus the Confessor J29- God would have His people learn regular holy habits and follow them right along day by day. He doesn't ask us to become slaves to habits, but He does insist that our holy habits of life should become servants of His grace and Glory J28- Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are- you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace. J27- never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say" why should I be treated like this?" If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. J26- Prayer without faith quickly degenerates into an aimless routine or heartless hypocrisy. However, prayer with faith brings the omnipotence of God to the support of our petitions. It is better not to pray until your entire being responds to, and understands, the power of prayer. When genuine prayer is even whispered, Earth and Heaven, and the past and the future say," Amen!" This is the kind of prayer Christ prayed. Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except those things outside the will of God J25- If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people. - Chambers J24- It is our understanding that God's patience and His time of grace will endure until the world's cup of iniquity overflows. According to the Scriptures, patience -the ability to wait- is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. J23- If sin rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. J22- You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things (Romans 2:1) God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts J21-“The point of the Bible is not simply education, though there is much to learn. Its point is not simply entertainment, though its stories and songs are inspirational. Its point is not simply ethical improvement, though it has shaped the moral life of civilizations. The point of the Bible is to encounter Jesus.” J20-“Unity does not mean sameness. It means oneness of purpose.”Priscilla Shirer J19- Isaiah 28:27 Caraway is not threshed with a sledge,nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;caraway is beaten out with a rod,and cumin with a stick. J18-Our response to things outside our control should reflect our faith in Christ and encourage others. In the face of anxiety-inducing news, seek to reflect the peace of God, which surpasses understanding. “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” Edward Mote, 1863 (Scriptural basis: Hebrews 13:8, Matthew 7:24, Psalm 18:2) J17- The answer to our prayer may be coming, although we may not discern its approach. A seed that is underground during the winter, although hidden and seemingly dead and lost, is never the last taken root for a later spring and harvest. (Bickersteth).Delayed answers to prayer are not only trials of Faith; they also give us opportunities to honor God through our steadfast confidence in him even when facing the apparent denial of our request.(Spurgeon). J16- Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it costs God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. J15-“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” Billy Graham J14-“You should be careful about criticizing other churches. Yes, there are places where your church’s practices or secondary doctrines might differ from those of other churches. . . . But keep in mind that those secondary matters over which your church might disagree with other churches are never as important as the gospel we all share.”Mark Dever J13- My peace I give you. (John 14:27). Two painters were once asked to paint a picture illustrating his own idea of rest. The first chose for his scene a quiet, lonely lake, nestled among mountains far away. The second, using Swift, broad strokes on his canvas, painted a thundering waterfall. Beneath The falls were a fragile birch tree, bending over the phone. On its branches, nearly wet with the spray from the falls, such a robin on its nest. The first painting was simply a picture of stagnation and inactivity. The second, however, depicted rest. Outwardly, Christ endured one of the most troubled lives ever lived. Storms and turmoil, turmoil and storm- wave after wave broke over Him until His worn body was laid in the tomb. Yet His inner life was as smooth as a sea of glass, and a great calm was always there. Anyone could have gone to Him at any time and found rest. Even as the human bloodhounds were dogging Him in the streets of Jerusalem, He turned to His disciples, offering them a final legacy:" My peace." Rest is not some holy feeling that comes upon us in church. It is a state of calm rising from a heart deeply and firmly established in God. Henry Drummond J12- God writes our new name only on those places in our lives where He has erased our pride, self-sufficiency, and self-interest. Some of us have our new name written only in certain spots, like spiritual measles. And in those areas of our lives we might look all right. When we are in our best spiritual mood, you would think we were the highest quality saints. But don't dare look at us when we are not in that mood. A true disciple is one who has his new name written all over him- self-interest, pride, and self-sufficiency have been completely erased. Put no conditions on your life- let Jesus be everywhere to you and he will take you home with him not only for a day, but for eternity. J11-“The Scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for theologians to swim in without ever reaching the bottom.” Jerome J10- We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. What a tremendous claim Paul makes in this verse! He does not say," we know that in some things,"" most things," or even" joyful things" but "all things." This promise spans from the very smallest detail of life to the most important, and from the most humbling of daily tasks to God's greatest works of Grace performed during a crisis Paul states this in the present tense:" God works," he does not say," worked" or" will work." It is a continuing operation. J9 - There's a stream of trouble across my path; It is dark and deep and wide. Bitter the hour the future hath. When I cross its swelling tide. But I smile and sing and say: "I will hope and trust alway; I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow, But I'll borrow none today." Tomorrow's bridge is a dangerous thing; I dare not cross it now. I can see it's timbers sway and swing, And its arches reel and bow. O heart, you must hope alway; You must sing and trust and say: " I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow, But I'll borrow none today." Hannah Whitall Smith
J-8-Jesus is not committed to repairing Adam’s old world. He is committed to raising up his new world. It’s more glorious this way—not simply to heal the illness but to turn the funeral into a homecoming. What Jesus does for Lazarus is a picture of his plans for the world. He is not committed to repairing this fallen world, but to raising it from the dead. Glen Scrivener J7-"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” C.S. Lewis J6-Do I believe that almighty God is the Source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it. Chambers J5- it is not within our power to create the wind or to change its direction, but we can raise our sails to catch it when it comes. We do not create electricity, yet we can tap into it with a wire that will conduct it, allowing it to work. We do not control God's Spirit, but we can place ourselves before the Lord out of obedience to what He has called us to do, and we will come under the influence and power of His mighty breath. J4- We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing- that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God's assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorify Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life. J3-Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. (Psalm 25:12, NLT). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying," I wonder why I shouldn't do this?" God instructs us and what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teaching and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking," now, Lord, what is your will?" J2- I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this Earth who was bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven. (Whatever Happened to Worship - Tozer) J1- Why do you worry? What possible use does your worrying serve? You are aboard such a large ship that you would be unable to steer even if your Captain placed you at the helm. You would not even be able to adjust the sails, yet you worry as if you were the captain or the helmsman of the vessel. Be quiet, dear soul- God is the Master. (Spurgeon) M31- When Victor Hugo was more than 80 years old, he expressed his faith in this beautiful way:" Within my soul I feel the evidence of my future life. I am like a forest that has been cut down more than once, yet the new growth has more life than ever. I am always rising toward the sky, with the sun shining down on my head. The Earth provides abundance sap for me, but the heaven lights my way to worlds unknown. People say the soul is nothing but the effect of our bodily powers at work. If that were true, then why is my soul becoming brighter as my body begins to fail? Winter may be filling my head, but an eternals frame raises from my heart. At the this late hour of my life, I smell the fragrance of lilacs, violets, and roses, just as I did when I was 20. And the closer I come to the immortal symphonies of eternal world inviting me to come. It is awe-inspiring yet profoundly simple." M30- There are few unqualified things in our lives, but I believe that the reverential fear of God, mixed with love and fascination and astonishment and adoration, is the most enjoyable state in the most purifying emotion the human soul can know. A true fear of God is a beautiful thing, for it is worship, it is love, it is veneration. It is a high moral happiness because God is! A.W. Tozer M29- We should thank God for giving us our own individual personalities and temperaments and abilities. We should never waste time and energy trying to fashion ourselves after someone else no matter how much we admire that person. God does not expect us to become identical copies of our spiritual heroes.... In only these respects should we all try to be alike: we should love God more than anything else or anyone else, we should hate sin and iniquity even as Jesus hated them, and we should be willing to always to obey God through the leading of His Word and His Spirit. Apart from that, it is perfectly natural for us to be ourselves, that is, different from each other. (Jesus, Author of Our Faith) M28- “Christ has taken our nature into Heaven to represent us; and has left us on earth, with His nature, to represent Him.” John Newton M27-We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ -- it is evidence of the ascended Christ. M26 -“As we think of the selflessness and heroism of [soldiers], we are reminded of the words of Jesus Christ who said: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’” Billy Graham M25- " If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left" (Genesis 13:9). God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you are not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully wave your right and allow God to make your choice for you. M24- As passengers, it is not for us to interfere with the charts and the compass. We should leave the masterful Captain alone to do His own work. Robert Hall M23- No one can know the truth except the one who obeys truth. You think you know truth. People memorize the scriptures by the yard, but that is not a guarantee of knowing the truth. Truth is not a text. Truth is in the text, but it takes the text plus the Holy Spirit to bring truth to a human soul...(Faith Beyond Reason) M22- John 17 M-21Our prayers can go where we cannot… there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray.”
Brother Andrew M20- Massive weather events and natural disasters remind us that all of the world is not as it should be. But Christians can look forward to an eternity where there’s redemption not just for people, but for creation itself.
“For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.” Romans 8:20-21 M19 - When you ask in faith and in Christ's name- that is, in oneness with Him and His will-" it will be giving you" (John 15:7). Since God's word cannot fail, whenever we meet these simple conditions, the answer to our prayer has already been granted and is complete in heaven as we pray, even though it may not be revealed on Earth until much later. M18 - Truth divorced from life is not truth in its biblical sense, but something else and something less. If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live- yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of him M17- The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God- He returned to his Father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited his omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Oswald Chambers M16- Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives. C. S. Lewis M15- instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is, for delayed obedience is disobedience. M14- “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” CS Lewis M13- God always instructs us down to the last detail. Is my ear sensitive enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Spirit, so that I know what I should do? M12- philosophy and science have not always been friendly toward the idea of God, the reason being that they are dedicated to the task of accounting for things and are impatient with anything that refuses to give an account of itself. The philosopher and the scientist will admit that there is much they do not know; but that is quite another thing from admitting that there is something which they can never know..... To admit that there is One who lies beyond us, who exists outside of all our categories, who will not be dismissed with a name, who will not appear before the bar of our reason... this requires a great deal of humility, more than most of us possess, so we save face by thinking God down to our level, or at least down to where we can manage him M11 - The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father.M10 - “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”’ Mr. Rogers M9- He who does not seek and find God everywhere, and in everything, finds Him nowhere and in nothing. And he who is not at the Lord's service in everything, is at His service in nothing. Mary Tileston M8- This is a word of caution in the matter of Christian experience- there is no pattern or formula for identical Christian experiences. It is actually a tragic thing for believers to try to be exactly like each other in their Christian faith and life. God has given us each and individual temperament and distinct characteristics. Therefore it is the office of the Holy Spirit to work out as He will the details of Christian experience. They will vary with personality. Tozer M7- None of us can approach a serious study and consideration of the Eternal nature and person of Jesus Christ without sensing and confessing our complete inadequacy in the face of the divine revelation M6- God may send you some valuable gifts wrapped in unattractive paper. But do not worry about the wrappings, for you can be sure that inside He has hidden treasures of love, kindness, and wisdom. If we will simply take what He sends and trust Him for the blessings inside, we will learn the meaning of the secrets of His providence, even in times of darkness. A. B. Simpson M5- Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power. M4- My situation is urgent, and I cannot see how I will ever be delivered. Yet this is not my concern, for He who made the promise we'll find a way to keep it. My part is simply to obey His commands, not to direct His ways. I am his servant, not His advisor. I call upon him and he will deliver me. Charles H Spurgeon M3-“You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.” Athanasius of Alexandria M2- Obedience is always followed by blessing. Willoughby M1- listen to no man who fails to listen to God. No man has any right to offer advice who has not first heard God speak. No man has any right to counsel others who is not ready to hear and follow the counsel of the Lord. A30- The fountains from which love flows are in God, not in us. It is absurd to think that the love of God is naturally in our hearts, as a result of our own nature. His love is there only because it "has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit..." Romans 5:5 A29- Our natural inclination is to be so precise- trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next- that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Chambers A28- Holiness depends upon contact with God. Anything that breaks or impairs his vital contact, however slight it may be, interrupts our communion with Christ and brings defeat instead of victory into our lives. Pardington (The Crisis of the Deeper Life) A27-There are no promises of earthly riches or easy living. In fact, Jesus leads us into a suffering world to engage with it more, not less. While most people spend their lives keeping back, filling up, and clinging on, Jesus teaches us to press it, pour out, and give away. The way of Jesus is not a trouble-free existence—far from it. But Jesus does promise that, in giving ourselves away, we will truly find ourselves A26- If the devil can hinder us from taking the supreme climb and getting rid of our wrong traditional beliefs about God, he will do so. But if we will stay true to God, God will take us through an ordeal that will serve to bring us into a better knowledge of himself A25- The habit of breaking off our prayers before we have truly prayed is as common as it is unfortunate. A24- “Jesus entered our hell so we could have his heaven. . . . Jesus joins us in our failures so we can join him in his family.” A23 - God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work." Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might ..."Ecclesiastes 9:10 A22- The secret of the servant's life is that he stays in tune with God all the time. A21- Are there any among Us who have an honest desire to be Christ-like? We should all be aware that everyday is a day of testing. Some come to their own Kadesh Barnea and turn back. Tozer A20- “The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.” - Kate McGahan A19 - We must recognize the character of our self-life....We must consent to its destruction....and lay it at the feet of God in willing sacrifice. A18- nothing is impossible to the man who prays in faith, just as nothing is impossible with God. A17- Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God—the Creator of the universe, Great Innovator, and Inventor of everything. However you engage with social media, remember to use technology to point others to eternal hope in him. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians 1:15-16 A16 - Christiandom as a whole is just as blinded by the devil as were those poor Jews 2,000 years ago. We are well aware that the majority of churches today are liberal, denying the signs of the times and the power of God; but we can thank God for the minority who are true to the cardinal truths of Christianity and the fundamentals of the faith. Oliver Greene (The Gospel According to Matthew Vol 4) A15 - you no more need a day off from spiritual concentration on matters in your life than your heart needs a day off from beating.
A14- "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."
C.S. Lewis A13- Let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1. Christian churches are never told to carry on their proclamation of the Savior in a spirit of competition with other Jesus churches. The Holy Spirit tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus not on others who are also running the race. A12- when a person has the fullness of the Spirit of God, he will experience great conflicts with the Tempter. God allows temptation because it does for us what storms do for oak trees, rooting us deeper, and it does for us what he does for paint on porcelain, giving us long-lasting endurance. A11- I have enjoyed already enough of God's benefits to supply me with matter for constant praise for at least a thousand years to come. A9 - God wants us to worship Him. He doesn't need us, for He couldn't be a self-sufficient God and need anything or anybody, but He wants us. When Adam sinned it was not he who cried, "God, where art thou?" It was God who cried, "Adam, where art thou?" Tozer A8 - “Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.” Desiderius Erasmus A7 - We represent Christ well when we are not only kind to people we agree with but also to people we believe are wrong, going out of our way to serve and care for them. This is what it means to “love your enemies.” | 
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