1.05.2008

Start of the New Year...

I thought I would post some quotes to begin the new year and that will hopefully keep me focused for the rest of the year.

Reading more of my Bible
“In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles!
- Sinclair Ferguson, In Christ Alone (Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2007), 114.

Preaching the Gospel every day
“God did not give us His gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted. Actually, He offers it to us every day as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness. The wise believer learns this truth early and becomes proficient in extracting available benefits from the gospel each day. We extract these benefits by being absorbed in the gospel, speaking it to ourselves when necessary, and by daring to reckon it true in all we do.”
- Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer, 7

Seeking Joy
If you seek the Lord Jesus Christ and find him there is no need to worry about your happiness and your joy. He is our joy and our happiness, even as He is our peace. He is life, He is everything. So avoid the incitements and the temptations of Satan to give feelings this great prominence at the centre. Put at the centre the only One who has a right to be there, the Lord of Glory, Who so loved you that He went to the Cross and bore the punishment and the shame of your sins and died for you.”
- Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression, 118

Future Hope
God’s grace invites you to be part of something that is far greater than your boldest and most expansive dream. His grace cuts a hole in your self-built prison and invites you to step into something so huge, so significant that only one word in the Bible can adequately capture it. That word is glory.”
- Paul David Tripp, A Quest for More (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2007), 18.

Humility
All trouble comes from not right sorting and comparing things: seeking that on earth which is only to be had in heaven, and seeking that in the creature which is only to be had in God, and looking for that from self which is only to be found in Christ, and seeking that in the law which is only to be had in the gospel."
- Thomas Manton, The Life of Faith (Fearn, Great Britain: Christian Focus, 1997), 31.

Costs of War with myself
“Honest war with yourself comes paired with incomprehensible gifts. The peace of God passes all understanding, at the cost of all your fears! The love of God surpasses knowing, at the cost of every false love! Whatever you do, get this wisdom, this kingdom of God, this Christ! Nothing you could possibly desire compares. The cost is high: yourself. The reward is higher: no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
- David Powlison, Speaking Truth In Love (Glenside, PA: VantagePoint), 36.

Serving
“It was the saying of a precious saint that he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins; for his duties often made him proud, but his sins always made him humble. It was good counsel Luther gave, ‘We must take heed not only of our sins, but of our good works.’

Duties can never have too much diligence used about them, nor too little confidence placed in them. They are good helps, but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them, but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot dissuade us from performing pious duties, then his next work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make saviors of them; because this will as certainly ruin our souls, as if we had wholly neglected them. Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness—and to take sanctuary alone in the pure, perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in the free grace of God.”
- Thomas Brooks, A Cabinet of Choice Jewels

(emphasises mine)

1 comment:

Parmer Clan said...

Thank you for the wonderful quotes to focus us this year. I will undoubtedly search out this post throughout the year as I am one who needs daily reminders on all things!!! Happy New Year!