the Bible never flatters its heroes.

it tells us the truth about each one of them in order that against the background of human breakdown and failure we may magnify the grace of God and recognize that it is the delight of the Spirit of God to work upon the platform of human impossibilities.

{ alan redpath // the making of a man of God }

…it should be clear that nothing is worthy to be counted a good work in the sight of God which is not authorized by Scripture. the recognition of this principle would save from a great deal of folly and worthless labor in connection with the things of God.

how we need to get back to the place of teaching the Word of God; to inquire, “What saith the Scriptures?” when questions as to methods and teachings arise. for anything contrary to God’s revelation can never be looked upon with favor by Him, however much good it seems to accomplish.

in so writing, i would not for one moment ignore the fact that Scripture itself gives considerable latitude in regard to methods of procedure in reaching the lost and seeking to help believers.

HA Ironside / Expository Notes On Mark / pg 107

as we face the modern world with all its trouble and turmoil and with all it difficulties and sadness, nothing is more important than that we who call ourselves Christian, and who claim the Name of Christ, should be representing our faith in such a way before others, as to give them the impression that
here is the solution, and here is the answer.”

{ D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones }

it is always a snare when one feels he has a certain reputation of godliness to maintain before his fellows.

it is so easy to succumb to the temptation of trying to appear more devoted than one really is. the only right thing is to live before God and to be utterly indifferent to men’s praise or blame.

{ h.a. ironside – Matthew }

“If what they are saying about you is true,
mend your ways. If it isn’t true, forget it,
and go on and serve the Lord.”
- H.A. Ironside

my love affair continues.

i do not understand that loyalty to Christ which is accompanied by indifference to His words. how can we reverence His person, if His own words and those of His apostles are treated with disrespect?

unless we receive Christ’s words, we cannot receive Christ.”

- C.H. Spurgeon  An All-Round Ministry pg. 373

no lover of the Gospel can conceal from himself the fact that the days are evil…our solemn conviction is that things are much worse in many churches than they seem to be, and are rapidly tending downward.

a new religion has been initiated, which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese; and this religion, being destitute of moral honesty, palms itself off as the old faith with slight improvements, and on this plea usurps pulpits which were erected for Gospel preaching.

the atonement is scouted, the inspiration of Scripture is derided, the Holy Spirit is degraded into an influence, the punishment of sin is turned into fiction, and the resurrection into a myth, and yet these enemies of our faith expect us to call them brethren, and maintain a confederacy with them!

at the back of doctrinal falsehood comes a natural decline of spiritual life, evidenced by a taste for questionable amusements and a weariness of devotional meetings.

if we are powerless to stem this torrent, we can at least warn men of its existence, and entreat them to keep out of it.

when the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the Gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that people seek something else in the way of delight. lacking bread, they feed on ashes; rejecting the way of the Lord, they run greedily in the path of folly.

if for a while evangelicals are doomed to go down, let them die fighting, and in the full assurance that their Gospel will have a resurrection when the inventions of ‘modern thought’ shall be burned up with fire unquenchable.

- Charles Spurgeon The Sword And The Trowel august, 1887.

Beloved, the cross is not made of feathers, or lined with velvet, it is heavy and galling to disobedient shoulders; but it is not an iron cross, though your fears have painted it with iron colors, it is a wooden cross, and a man can carry it, for the Man of sorrows tried the load.

Take up your cross, and by the power of the Spirit of God you will soon be so in love with it, that like Moses, you would not exchange the reproach of Christ for all the treasures of Egypt. Remember that Jesus carried it, and it will smell sweetly; remember that it will soon be followed by the crown, and the thought of the coming weight of glory will greatly lighten the present heaviness of trouble.

• Charles Spurgeon •
morning & evening

there is talk these days of vision. but vision is much more than a good idea that stirs the soul to temporary endeavors. vision is the ability to see it, the faith to believe it, the courage to do it, and the hope to endure until it happens. take any of these components away and vision fails. each is vital, and indispensable.

- J.C. Ryle

if lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much.

- h.a. ironside