We do not know the use of the sword until we are in battle.  Until the shipwreck comes, no man puts on the lifebelt in his cabin.  Every one of us has large tracts of Christian truth which we think we most surely believe, but which need experience to quicken them, and need us to grow up into the possession of them.  Of all our teachers who turn beliefs assented into beliefs really believed none is so mighty as sorrow; for that makes a man lay a firm hold on the deep things of God’s Word.  ~Alexander MacLaren, The Disciple’s Confession and the Master’s Warning

Heart-work is hard work indeed. To shuffle over religious duties with a loose and careless spirit, will cost no great difficulties; but to set yourself before the Lord, and to tie up your loose and vain thoughts to a constant and serious attendance upon him: this will cost you something. To attain ease and dexterity of language in prayer and to be able to put your meaning into appropriate and fitting expressions is easy; but to get your heart broken for sin while you are actually confessing it; melted with free grace even while you are blessing God for it; to be really ashamed and humbled through the awareness of God's infinite holiness, and to keep your heart in this state not only in, but after these duties, will surely cost you some groans and travailing pain of soul" ~John Flavel

A Treasure of Divine Knowledge

You all have by you a large treasure of divine knowledge, in that you have the Bible in your hands; therefore be not contented in possessing but little of this treasure. God hath spoken much to you in the Scripture; labor to understand as much of what he saith as you can. God hath made you all reasonable creatures; therefore let not the noble faculty of reason or understanding lie neglected. Content not yourselves with having so much knowledge as is thrown in your way, and as you receive in some sense unavoidably by the frequent inculcation of divine truth in the preaching of the word, of which you are obliged to be hearers, or as you accidentally gain in conversation; but let it be very much your business to search for it, and that with the same diligence and labor with which men are wont to dig in mines of silver and gold. ~Jonathan Edwards 

If I Condemn You, Blame Me Not

Thus speaketh Christ our Lord unto us, 

ye call Me Master and obey Me not, 

ye call Me Light and see Me not, 

ye call Me Way and walk Me not, 

ye call Me Life and desire Me not, 

ye call Me Wise and follow Me not, 

ye call Me Fair and love Me not, 

ye call Me Rich and ask Me not, 

ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not, 

ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not, 

ye call Me Noble and serve Me not, 

ye call Me Mighty and honor Me not, 

ye call Me Just and fear Me not; 

if I condemn you, blame me not. 

~marker in cathedral of Lubeck, Germany, cited by John MacArthur, Truth Endures, 79

Living for Jesus

“Men will never come to Jesus, and stay with Jesus, and live for Jesus, unless they really know why they are to come, and what is their need. Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without a thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world.” ~ J.C. Ryle

The Cost of Following Christ

"It costs something to be a real Christian, according to the standard of the Bible. There are enemies to be overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, an Egypt to be forsaken, a wilderness to be passed through, a cross to be carried, a race to be run. Conversion is not putting a person in an arm-chair and taking them easily to heaven. It is the beginning of a mighty conflict, in which it costs much to win the victory." ~ J.C. Ryle

Keep a Jealous Watch Over Your Repentance

‎"Keep a jealous watch over your repentance. Keep it up—keep it up, and let not the fire burn low. Whenever you find a slackness coming over your soul—whenever you feel slow, dull, heavy, cold, and careless about little sins—look to your own heart then, and take heed lest you fall. Say to your soul, “Oh, my soul, what are you doing? Have you forgotten David’s fall? Have you forgotten Peter’s backsliding? Have you forgotten David’s subsequent misery? Have you forgotten Peter’s tears? Awake, O my soul, awake once more. Heap on fuel, make the fire burn bright. Return again to your God, let your repentance once more be lively. Let your repentance be repented over again.” Alas, how few are the hours in a Christian’s best days when he does not make work for repentance!" ~ J.C. Ryle

Anything that dims my vision for Christ,
or takes away my taste for Bible study,
 or cramps me in my prayer life, 
or makes Christian work difficult,
 is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian
turn away from It. ~J. Wilbur Chapman
1859-1918 American pastor and evangelist

20 Symptoms of Backsliding

‎1. Prayer ceases to be a vital part of your life.

2. The quest for biblical truth ceases.

3. Biblical knowledge is not applied inwardly.

4. Thoughts are predominately earthly and not heavenward.

5. The church service loses its delight.

6. Spiritual discussions are a source of embarrassment.

7. More time is devoted to recreation and entertainment than the Word and prayer.

8. Sins can be committed without any violation of the conscience.

9. Aspirations for Christlike holiness cease to dominate your life and thinking.

10. Your mind is focused on the acquisition of money and goods.

11. Religious songs can be mouthed without engaging the heart.

12. When hearing the Lord's Name taken in vain, you are not moved to indignation.

13. Watching degrading movies becomes entertaining and acceptable.

14. Breaches of peace in the church are of no concern.

15. The slightest excuse keeps you from your spiritual duties.

16. The lack of spiritual power is met with contentment.

17. Personal sins are pardoned by a belief that the Lord understands.

18. An adjustment to the world is made with ease.

19. Nothing is done to relieve the misery and suffering which exists around you.

20. There is no concern for the lost or sharing the gospel

~Richard Own Roberts

Leonard Ravenhill

"We are slackers, and as far as I can discern, at the judgment seat of Christ there will be no medals for slackers. Dear reader, do you and I realize that we are just one heartbeat from a fixed state of reward, be it of joy or shame?" ~Leonard Ravenhill, "We Wrestle Not"

Perspective on things

Things on earth are here set in opposition to things above. We must not dote upon them, nor expect too much from them, that we may set our affections on heaven; for heaven and earth are contrary one to the other, and a supreme regard to both is inconsistent; and the prevalence of our affection to one will proportionably weaken and abate our affection to the other. ~Matthew Henry, Commentary - Colossians 3:2

Faithful

"We do not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called if we be not faithful friends to all Christians, and sworn enemies to all sin." Matthew Henry

Be Consistent!

If you are Christians then, be consistent. Be Christians out and out; Christians every hour, in every part, and in every matter. Beware of
half-hearted discipleship, of compromise with evil, of conformity to the world, of trying to serve two masters—to walk in two ways, the narrow and the broad, at once. It will not do. Half-hearted 
Christianity will only dishonour God, while it makes you miserable." ~Horatius Bonar