It does not make a very great difference what side of Christ’s work attracts us and appeals to us most; doubtless Christ has many ways of drawing men to Himself. One side of Christ’s work will appeal most to one mind, another to another. The mistake that is often made by those who speak most about Christian experience is that they are so apt to insist upon everyone else’s experience—on penalty of its utter worthlessness—being exactly the same as their own. The great thing is that we should be attracted by Christ in some way, that we should come to God in that spirit of penitence which Christ taught was the one condition of acceptance with Him, and with that steady purpose of amendment which is, as he always taught, a part of true penitence.
James Hastings Rashdall (1858-1924), Principles and Precepts [1927]
There is a pride of faith, more unforgiveable and dangerous than the pride of the intellect. It reveals a split personality in which faith is “observed” and appraised, thus negating that unity born of a dying-unto-self, which is the definition of faith. To “value” faith is to turn it into a metaphysical magic, the advantages of which ought to be reserved for a spiritual elite.
The surest symbol of a heart not yet fully subdued to God and His will is going to be found in the areas of money, sex, and power: in wanting these things for ourselves. The surest symbol of spiritual earnestness will be the checkbook, the affections, and the ego-drive surrendered to Him. A disciple must have discipline. He must not be afraid of being asked by God for some of the time, the money, and the pleasure he has been in the habit of calling his “own.” This does not mean that there will not be time for the family, and time for some healthy diversion. But it does mean that we are never—on vacation, or wherever we may be—exempt from our primary commitment to Him.
…Samuel M. Shoemaker (1893-1963), The Experiment of Faith [1957]
This was the essence of the sermon last week by Tim Ayers. I thought it was good. It refers to any time youe try to be alone with God, say just before bed.
Make it possible for you to serve God consistently for a life time. 1 . Think about being in the presence of God. 2. Spend a few moments looking over your day with gratitude for the gifts of that day. 3. Ask God to give you the strength to look at your actions and attitudes and motives with honesty. 4. Review your day. 5. Have a heart to heart talk with God about what you’ve realized about yourself. 6. Take comfort from him as one of your children does when you put them to bed.
“God is in the details,” Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
“Wisdom is the skill in making moral, ethical and spiritual decisions consistent with God’s Word and will.” ( p.775 of The Daily Walk Bible NIV Bruce H. Wilkinson Executive Editor Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 1997).
“And if a man or a woman, boy or girl, can take the raw materials of life and shape them skillfully according to the blueprint God has provided in his Word, we say that that person is wise. It has nothing to do with IQ and everything to do with obedience. You can be wise with an IQ of 70; you can be a fool with an IQ of 170. The choice is up to you.” ( p.779 of The Daily Walk Bible NIV Bruce H. Wilkinson Executive Editor Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 1997)
“If the heart is devoted to the mirage of the world, to the creature instead of the Creator, the disciple is lost… However urgently Jesus may call us, His call fails to find access to our hearts. Our hearts are closed, for they have already been given to another.”
We cannot understand the depth of the Christian doctrine of sin if we give it only a moral connotation. To break the basic laws of justice and decency is sin indeed. Man’s freedom to honor principles is the moral dimension in his nature, and sin often appears as lawlessness. But sin has its root in something which is more than the will to break the law. The core of sin is our making ourselves the center of life, rather than accepting the holy God as the center. Lack of trust, self-love, pride, these are three ways in which Christians have expressed the real meaning of sin. But what sin does is to make the struggle with evil meaningless. When we refuse to hold our freedom in trust and reverence for God’s will, there is nothing which can make the risk of life worth the pain of it.
…D. D. Williams (1910-1973), Interpreting Theology 1918-1952 [1953]
