On the use of the Psalms

"We are in danger of losing the Psalter in our churches; indeed, many have already lost it, and so it is no accident that many people in our congregations do not know how to pray."

-Elizabeth Achtemeier

Richard Steele on Humility

Humility will make you easy and contented in every condition of life; you will then be ready to commanded; easy to be pleased; hard to be provoked; and generally beloved. An humble mind thinks every good it receieves more than it deserves, and every evil less. It will not think itself too great or too good to stoop to the meanest services of an honest employment; nor be wanting in a modest and respectful behaviour to others. You will not then be disputing when you should obey; fretting when you should submit; envying those you should respect, or contemning those you should embrace. These are a consequence of pride in the heart; a disposition that will make you hateful to God, disrespected of men, and uneasy to yourselves; every labour will be thought too much, every reproof too galling, and every week a year, until the time of servitude expires, and then you will carry your chain with you, for what liberty can he have that is a slave to his pride and passions?

Chesterton on Motherhood

To be Queen Elizabeth within a definite area, deciding sales, banquets, labours, and holidays; to be Whitely within a certain area, providing toys, boots, cakes and books; to be Aristotle within a certain area, teaching morals, manners, theology, and hygiene; I can imagine how this can exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute.

At times men think of the two words, reformation and revival as standing in contrast one to the other, but this is a mistake. Both words are related to the word restore.

Reformation refers to a restoration to pure doctrine; revival refers to a restoration in the Christian’s life. Reformation speaks of a return to the teachings of Scripture; revival speaks of a life brought into its proper relationship to the Holy Spirit.

The Great moments of church history have come when these two restorations have simultaneously come into action so that the church has returned to pure doctrine and the lives of the Christians in the church have known the power of the Holy Spirit. There cannot be true revival unless there has been reformation; and reformation is not complete without revival.

Such a combination of reformation and revival would be revolutionary in our day—revolutionary in our individual lives as Christians, revolutionary not only in reference to the liberal church but constructively revolutionary in the evangelical, orthodox church as well.

May we be those who know the reality of both reformation and revival, so that this poor dark world may have an exhibition of a portion of the church returned to both pure doctrine and Spirit-filled life.

-Francis Schaffer, Death in the City-

Spurgeon on sufficiency of God

"'For thou art with me.' This is the joy of the Christian!...'Thou Art with me' I have in having thee, all that I can crave: I have perfect comfort and absolute security, for thou art with me" Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon on God's mercy

"Goodness and mercy follow him always - 'all the days of his life' - the black days as well as the bright days, the days of fasting as well as the days of feating, the dreary days of winter as well as the bright days of summer. Goodness supplies our needs and mercy blots out our sins." Charles Spurgeon

Matthew Henry on the love of God

"The great God not only loves his saints, but he loves to love them, is pleased that he has pitched upon these objects of his love. He will joy over them with singing. He that is grieved for the sin of sinners rejoices in the graces and services of the saints, and is ready to express that joy by singing over them. The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him, and in them Jesus Christ will shortly be glorified and admired."

Matthew Henry on justification

“He (Jesus) rose again for our justification; and that
divine powerby which he was raised is able to do every
thing for us that we stand in need of.” Matthew Henry.     

Hodge on power of God

“When we are really weak in ourselves and are conscious of that weakness, we are in the state suited to the manifestation of God’s power. When we are emptied of ourselves, we are filled with God. Those who think they can change their own hearts, atone for their own sins, subdue the power of evil in their own souls or in the souls of others, who feel able to sustain themselves under affliction, God leaves to their own resources. But when they feel and acknowledge their weakness, he imparts divine strength to them.” Charles Hodge

Spurgeon on God's provision

“Jehovah who created all things is equal to every emergency; heaven and earth are at the disposal of Him who made them, therefore let be very joyful in our infinite helper.”

Jerry Bridges on worship

"The glory of God is the sum of all His infinite excellence and praiseworthiness set forth in display. To glorify God is first of all to respond properly to this display by ascribing to Him the honour and adoration due Him because of His excellence. We call this worship" Jerry Bridges http://www.reformedtheology.ca/quotes_topic.htm

Thomas Watson on Heaven

"The soul is never satisfied till it has God for its portion, and heaven for its haven" Thomas Watson http://www.reformedtheology.ca/quotes_topic.htm

Michael Horton on the cross

"He suffered as God because only God had the power to save; He suffered as Man because only man owed the debt" Michael Horton http://www.reformedtheology.ca/quotes_topic.htm

John Calvin on contentment

"the happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages--such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life!" John Calvin http://www.reformedtheology.ca/quotes_topic.htm

Matthew Henry on the wisdom of God

"He went out, not knowing whither he went. He put himself into the hand of God, to send him whithersoever he pleased. He subscribed to God’s wisdom, as fittest to direct; and submitted to his will, as fittest to determine every thing that concerned him. Implicit faith and obedience are due to God, and to him only. All that are effectually called resign up their own will and wisdom to the will and wisdom of God, and it is their wisdom to do so; though they know not always their way, yet they know their guide, and this satisfies them." Matthew Henry