Humility and love are precisely the graces which the men of
the world can understand, if they do not comprehend doctrines.
They are the graces about which there is no mystery, and they
are within reach of all classes. The poorest... Christian can
every day find occasion for practicing love and humility.-J. C. Ryle (1816-1900), Expository thoughts on the Gospels, with the text complete, St. John, v. III, London: William Hunt, 1873, p. 16

We have no control over how we feel, how we act- our attitudes, and actions- except as they are determined by our thoughts. All these elements are irrevocably tied together. But since we do have control over what we think, it is possible to control our attitudes and actions…All thoughts can be divided into two basic categories: true and false. The thoughts that come from God are true. He is the God of all truth and has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and to guide us into all truth. If I can receive God’s thoughts, I can think the truth. Therefore I will have the right attitudes and actions. How do you get the air out of a glass? By filling it with water. How do you get rid of wrong and untrue thoughts? By filling your mind with true and right thoughts from God. The control of our thought life, then, comes by thinking God’s thoughts with Him.- Peter Lord

Oh, what a blessed and comfortable thing to be known by Christ, known and marked as His friends, His relations, His dear children, His beloved family, His purchased possession! Here we are often cast down, often discouraged, often persecuted, often spoken against, often misunderstood—but let us take courage, our Lord and Master knows all. A day shall come when we shall no longer see through a glass darkly—but face to face—a day when we shall know even as we are now known; for the union between us and our Redeemer, which we so often feel disposed to doubt, shall then be clearly seen, and we shall no more go out to battle.~ J.C. Ryle,The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “The Privileges of the True Christian”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 107.

Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a mustard seed, so small you can hardly see it. But if you will put that little faith in the person of Jesus, your life will be changed. He will come with supernatural power into your heart. It can happen to you.- Billy Graham

"There shall be no night there!" Revelation 21:25
My soul! is it night with you here? Are you wearied with these midnight tossings on life's tumultuous sea? Be still! The day is breaking! Soon shall your Lord appear! That glorious appearing shall disperse every cloud, and usher in an eternal noontide which knows no twilight. "The Lord will be your everlasting light--and your God will be your glory! Your days of sorrow will come to an end!" Everlasting light! Wondrous secret of a nightless world--the glories of a present God!
Strange realities! A world without night! A heaven without a sun! And, greater wonder still, yourself in this world--a joyful citizen of this nightless, sinless, sorrowless, tearless Heaven--basking underneath the Fountain of uncreated light! No exhaustion of glorified body and spirit to require repose; no lassitude or weariness to suspend the ever-deepening song, "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain--to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"- John MacDuff, "The Faithful Promiser")

Jesus Christ can so interfere in a human life that it can
look up and say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all
His benefits," even in the midst of sorrow or suffering.-Robert Pierce (1914-1978), founder and president, World Vision, in a private communication from World Vision

Oh, what a blessed and comfortable thing to be known by Christ, known and marked as His friends, His relations, His dear children, His beloved family, His purchased possession! Here we are often cast down, often discouraged, often persecuted, often spoken against, often misunderstood—but let us take courage, our Lord and Master knows all. A day shall come when we shall no longer see through a glass darkly—but face to face—a day when we shall know even as we are now known; for the union between us and our Redeemer, which we so often feel disposed to doubt, shall then be clearly seen, and we shall no more go out to battle.~ J.C. Ryle,The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “The Privileges of the True Christian”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 107.

Short is the joy that guilty pleasure brings.-Euripides, 480 - 406 BC

There is a covenant, ... and God is faithful to His
covenant. But the substance of that covenant is all pure mercy
and grace. If men presume to claim for themselves, upon the
basis of the covenant, some relationship with God other than
that of the sinner needing God's grace, the covenant has been
perverted. And where that has happened, God, in the sovereign
freedom of His grace, destroys these pretensions, calls "No
people" to be His people, breaks off natural branches and
grafts in wild slips, filling them with the life which is His
own life imparted to man. There is no law in His Kingdom save
the law of pure grace. That is why they come from east and west
to sit down with Abraham and Isaac, while the sons of the
Kingdom are cast out; for the sons of the Kingdom have no place
there unless they are willing to sit down with all whom the
Lord of the feast shall call, and to receive His mercy in
exactly the same way as the publicans and sinners.-Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), The Household of God, London, SCM Press, 1953, New York: Friendship Press, 1954, p. 90-91

The value of our prayers, we can all understand, depends exceedingly on the state of mind in which we offer them. But the point before us is one which receives far less attention than it deserves. Our prayers must not only be earnest, fervent, sincere, and in the name of Christ. They must contain one more ingredient besides. They must come from a forgiving heart. We have no right to look for mercy, if we are not ready to extend mercy to our brethren. We cannot really feel the sinfulness of the sins we ask to have pardoned if we cherish malice towards our fellow men. We must not flatter ourselves that we have the Spirit of adoption if we cannot bear and forbear.~ J.C. Ryle,Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1985], 239, 240.

The best birthdays of all are those that haven't arrived yet.- Robert Orben

Let us walk as stewards and not act as owners, keeping for ourselves the means with which the Lord has entrusted us. He has not blessed us that we may gratify our own carnal mind but for the sake of using our money in His service and to His praise.-George Muller, The Autobiography of George Muller, 1984, p. 195.

The Christian should never worry about tomorrow or give sparingly because of a possible future need. Only the present moment is ours to serve the Lord, and tomorrow may never come. Money is really worth no more than as it can be used to accomplish the Lord’s work. Life is worth as much as it is spent for the Lord’s service.-George Muller,The Autobiography of George Muller, 1984, p. 212

We should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried. The more I am in a position to be tried in faith, the more I will have the opportunity of seeing God’s help and deliverance. Every fresh instance in which He helps and delivers me will increase my faith. The believer should not shrink from situations, positions, or circumstances in which his faith may be tried, but he should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities to see the hand of God stretched out in help and deliverance. Thus his faith will be strengthened.- George Muller, The Autobiography of George Muller, 1984, p. 159.

It is impossible to describe the abundance of peace and heavenly joy that often flows into my soul because of the answers I obtain from God after waiting on Him for help and blessing. The longer I have had to wait on Him or the greater my need it, the grater the enjoyment when at last the answer came.-George Muller, The Autobiography of George Muller, 1984, p. 190.

It is not darkness you are going to, for God is Light. It is not lonely, for Christ is with you. It is not unknown country, for Christ is there.- Charles Kingsley