The presence of God is the central fact of Christianity. At
the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for
His redeemed children to push in to conscious awareness of His
presence. That type of Christianity which happens now to be the
vogue knows this Presence only in theory. It fails to stress
the Christian's privilege of present realization. According to
its teachings we are in the presence of God positionally, and
nothing is said about the need to experience that Presence
actually. We are satisfied to rest in our judicial possessions
and, for the most part, we bother ourselves very little about
the absence of personal experience.- A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God [1948], Christian Publications, 1982, p. 35

The best proof that He will never cease to love us lies in that He never began. What we are for Him and what He is for us belongs to the realm of eternal values. Without this we are nothing, in it we have all.- Geerhardus Vos: Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation, ed. By Richard B Gaffin, p.29

What is Christ's joy in us, but that He deigns to rejoice
on our account? And what is our joy, which He says shall be
full, but to have fellowship with Him? He had perfect joy on
our account, when He rejoiced in foreknowing and predestinating
us; but that joy was not in us, because we did not then exist;
it began to be in us, when He called us. And this joy we
rightly call our own, this joy wherewith we shall be blessed,
which is begun in the faith of them who are born again, and
shall be fulfilled in the reward of them who rise again.- Augustine of Hippo (354-430), from Tractate 83 on the Gospel of John as quoted in A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, vol. III, John Peter Lange & tr. Philip Schaff, New York: C. Scribner amp Co., 1871,p. 485

It is thought that unconditional grace is unsafe. Man will
feel free to go on sinning. On the contrary, unconditional
forgiveness is the only rope that is long enough to reach to
the bottom of the pit into which we have fallen.-Edward Judson (1844-1914), "Life under pressure: a Lenten sermon", in The Outlook, v. XCVII, Lyman Abbott, ed., Outlook Co., 1911, p. 749

The joy of life is made up of obscure and seemingly mundane victories that gives us our own small satisfactions.- Billy Joel

Thus [in heaven] they shall eat and drink abundantly, and swim in the ocean of love, and be eternally swallowed up in the infinitely bright, and infinitely mild and sweet, beams of divine love; eternally receiving that light, eternally full of it, and eternally compassed round with it, and everlasting reflecting it back again to its foundations.- Jonathan Edwards

Quoted in The Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards by John Gerstner, Berea Publication, 1993, p. 543

Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.- Clementine Paddleford, 1898 - 1967

Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river. - Cordell Hull, 1871 - 1955

Never rely on your friends for money, or on your money for friends.- Mardy Grothe

Let it be a settled principle in our minds that the true Christian must always enter the kingdom of God "through much tribulation" (Acts 14:22). His best things are yet to come. This world is not our home. If we are faithful and decided servants of Christ, the world will certainly hate us, as it hated our Master. In one way or another grace will always be persecuted. No consistency of conduct, however faultless, no kindness and amiability of character, however striking, will exempt a believer from the world's dislike, so long as he lives. It is foolish to be surprised at this. It is mere waste of time to murmur at it. It is a part of the cross, and we must bear it patiently. The children of Cain will hate the children of Abel, as long as the earth continues. "Marvel not, my brethren," says John, "if the world hates you." "If you were of the world," says our Lord, "the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (1 John 3:13;John 15:18,19)~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke volume 2 , [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 363. {Luke 21:10-19}

In one sense it is possible “to be so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good.” But in a much deeper sense, it is impossible to be of any real earthly good unless we are heavenly minded. Only the heavenly minded will have the patience to continue faithful in God’s work when it becomes hard, unappreciated and seeming unending. There is no greater cure for discouragement, fatigue or self-pity than to think of being in the presence of the Lord one day and of spending eternity with Him. We should make no apology for being heavenly minded.-John MacArthur,Hebrews Commentary, Moody, 1983, p. 331.

The church is to judge whether a man is a Christian on the

basis of his doctrine, the propositional content of his faith,

and then his credible profession of faith. When a man comes

before a local church that is doing its job, he will be quizzed

on the content of what he believes. If, for example, a church

is conducting a heresy trial (the New Testament indicates there

are to be heresy trials in the church of Christ), the question

of heresy will turn on the content of the man's doctrine. The

church has a right to judge, in fact it is commanded to judge,

a man on the content of what he believes and teaches.- Francis A. Schaeffer

(1912-1984), The Mark of the Christian, Inter-Varsity Press, 1976, p. 16

Christianity may not always offer supernatural deliverance from earth’s problems, but it always offers supernatural use for them. It is likely that Peter, who was delivered from prison, learned less than Paul, who stayed there.-L. Thomas Holdcroft

Jesus, please teach me to appreciate what I have before time forces me to appreciate what I had.- Susan L. Lenzkes

We are… saplings here, but we shall be transported into our heavenly soil to grow in God’s light. Here our abilities are in blossom; there they shall burst forth with fruits of greater beauty. Our death is but the passing from one degree of loving service to another; the difference is like that of the unborn child and the one who has entered into the experiences of a new life. Our love for God will continue, but awakened with new purity and purposefulness.- Erwin Lutzer, One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer, Moody Publishers, 1997, p. 67.

The way to worry about nothing is to pray about everything.-Unknown

We desire that the Scripture may speake like it selfe, as

in the language of Canaan, that it may bee understood even of

the very vulgar.Many other things we might give thee warning of (gentle

Reader) if we had not exceeded the measure of a Preface

alreadie. It remaineth, that we commend thee to God, and to the

Spirit of his grace, which is able to build further then we can

aske or thinke. He removeth the scales from our eyes, the vaile

from our hearts, opening our wits that we may understand his

word, enlarging our hearts, yea correcting our affections, that

we may love it above gold and silver, yea that we may love it

to the end.- Miles Smith (1554-1624), in the preface to The Authorised Version of the English Bible [1611],Cambridge: The University Press, 1909, p. 29

O Lord, I live here as a fish in a vessel of water only enough to keep me alive, but in heaven I shall swim in the ocean. Here I have a little air in me to keep me breathing, but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales. Here I have a beam of sun to lighten my darkness, a warm ray to keep me from freezing; yonder I shall live in light and warmth forever.- Unknown Puritan

Giving up is the ultimate tragedy.- Robert Donovan

A true Christian has a good hope when he looks ahead: the worldly man has none. A true Christian sees light in the distance: the worldly man sees nothing but darkness. And what is the hope of a true Christian? It is just this, - that Jesus Christ is coming again, coming without sin, - coming with all His people, - coming to wipe away every tear, - coming to raise His sleeping saints from the grave, - coming to gather together all His family, that they may be for ever with Him. Why is a believer patient? Because he looks for the coming of the Lord. He can bear hard things without murmuring. He knows the time is short. He waits quietly for the King.~ J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, “Christ is All”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2001], 382.

I should have given more praise.- Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington, 1769 - 1852

Wise people learn when they can; fools learn when they must.- Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington, 1769 - 1852

Death is not the end of the road; it is only a bend in the road. The road winds only through those paths through which Christ Himself has gone. This Travel Agent does not expect us to discover the trail for ourselves. Often we say that Christ will meet us on the other side. That is true, of course, but misleading. Let us never forget that He walks with us on this side of the curtain and then guides us through the opening. We will meet Him there, because we have met Him here.- Erwin Lutzer,One Minute After You Die, Moody, 1997, p. 78-79.

True faith does not depend merely on the state of man's head and understanding, but on the state of his heart. His mind may be convinced. His conscience may be pierced. But so long as there is anything the man is secretly loving more than God, there will be no true faith. The man himself may be puzzled, and wonder why he does not believe. He does not see that he is like a child sitting on the lid of his box, and wishing to open it, but not considering that his own weight keeps it shut. Let a man make sure that he honestly and really desires first the praise of God. It is the lack of an honest heart which makes many stick fast in their false religion all their days, and die at length without peace. Those who complain that they hear, approve, assent, but make no progress, and cannot get any hold on Christ, should ask themselves this simple question - "Am I honest? Am I sincere? Do I really desire first the praise of God?"~ J.C. Ryle,Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 1, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 317-318. {John 5:40-47}

There is only one way to bring peace to the heart, joy to the mind, and beauty to the life; it is to accept and do the will of God.-William Barclay

This is our comfort. We are “immortal until our work is done;” mortal still, but immortal also. Let us never fear death, then, but rather rejoice at the approach of it, since it comes at our dear Bridegroom's bidding! C.H. Spurgeon, Christ with the Keys of Death and Hell, #894.

The only works of unregenerated man in heaven are the scars of the nails in the hands and feet of Jesus, the wounds in His side, and the thorn scars on His brow.-Walter Knight, Knight's Treasury of 2,000 Illustrations, Eerdmans, 1963, p. 155.

We need not wonder that so much importance is attached to our Lord's resurrection. It is the seal and memorial stone of the great work of redemption, which He came to do. It is the crowning proof that He has paid the debt He undertook to pay on our behalf, won the battle He fought to deliver us from hell, and is accepted as our guarantee and our substitute by our Father in heaven. Had He never come forth from the prison of the grave, how could we ever have been sure that our ransom had been fully paid (1 Corinthians 15:17)? Had He never risen from His conflict with the last enemy, how could we have felt confident that He has overcome death - and him that had the power of death, that is the devil (Hebrews 2:14)? But thanks be unto God, we are not left in doubt. The Lord Jesus really rose again for our justification~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1986], 403, 404. {Matthew 28:1:10}

Who would complain if God allowed one hour of suffering in an entire lifetime of comfort? Why complain about a lifetime that includes suffering when that lifetime is a mere hour of eternity- Philip Yancy

Depend upon it [Christian], your dying hour will be the best hour you have ever known! Your last moment will be your richest moment, better than the day of your birth will be the day of your death. It shall be the beginning of heaven, the rising of a sun that shall go no more down forever!- C.H. Spurgeon, Christ with the Keys of Death and Hell, #894

The surrendered life is the careful life. The sanctified steward uses what belongs to Another and handles it very carefully against the day of accounting. On the other hand, the surrendered life is a carefree life. Losses that devastate the natural man are endured with amazing calm by the sanctified man, for how can he really lose what he has already relinquished?-R. B. Acheson