Selfish Love?

“Selfish love does not cherish, but regards others as a trivial object for self-gratification.” -R.C. Sproul

The Proof We Know the Love of Christ

“If I have not compassion on my fellow servant, even as my Lord has pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.” -Amy Carmichael

The Proof of Greatness

“The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.” -Elbert Hubbard

Bridges: The Necessity of Faith

“Faith is not only necessary to salvation, it is also necessary to live a life pleasing to God.” -Jerry Bridges

Keller: Feelings and Hope are Tied Together

“Your feelings come from where you find your hope. Where is your happiness and your significance?” -Tim Keller

 

Calvin: The Purpose of the 6th Commandment

“The purpose of this [6th] commandment is: the Lord has bound mankind by a certain unity; hence each man ought to concern himself with the safety of all.” John Calvin

Chambers: Redemption as Antidote to Self-Focus

“Launch out in the reckless belief that the Redemption is complete, and then bother no more about yourself.” -Oswald Chambers

Keller: ‘True Freedom Means Finding the Right Constraints’

Tim Keller has some nice thoughts on why true freedom involves having some constraints.

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthian Church, Chapters 21-30

[21] Clement says that in view of God’s kindnesses seen in creation, the Christians at CC must live in a way that is well-pleasing to God, lest his blessings show them worthy of condemnation. They must remember that God is near, knowing our thoughts and desires. Because of that we should “offend those men who are foolish” and prideful, but we should reverence the Lord, and those who “rule over us,” directing our wives and children to do right. [22] And Christ through the Holy Spirit confirms these admonitions in Proverbs 6 and the Psalms. [23] We should not doubt God’s kindness or his warnings. [24] The Lord “continually proves” that there is a future resurrection, of which Christ’s resurrection is the first-fruits. The cycle of night giving way to day, and seed being buried in the ground yet coming forth and growing serve as daily and seasonal reminders of the resurrection to come. [25] He further uses the Phoenix (!) to illustrate the belief in the resurrection. [26] Because God regularly shows the truth of resurrection, can we doubt that he will raise us up too? [27] Because we have this hope, let us set our eyes on God who has given us these promises and who cannot lie. [28] And because this same God sees and hears all we do, let us fear him and turn from sin. [29] Let us raw near to God with holiness in heart, because of his blessings to us and because he has made us his portion. [30]  And as God’s portion, we need to avoid evil and “Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, being justified by our works, and not our words.”

Chapters 1-10

Chapters 11-20

Octavius Winslow on “Thoughts and Prayers”

I was reading a little bit from Octavius Winslow’s Christ and The Christian in Temptation, Counsel and Consolation for the Tempted and he discusses the nature of Christ’s intercession for us when we are tempted to sin, and he says this: