My Victorian Year #45

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening

• None but Jesus can give deliverance to captives. Real liberty comes from Him alone.
• There is no more humbling doctrine in Scripture—than that of election!
• There are none more promotive of gratitude, and, consequently, none more sanctifying. Believers should not be afraid of it—but adoringly rejoice in it!
• “Whatever your hand finds to do,” refers to works that are possible. There are many things which our heart finds to do which we never shall do.
• We must not be content with forming schemes in our heart, and talking of them; we must practically carry out “whatever our hand finds to do.”
• Let us not wait for large opportunities, or for a different kind of work—but do just the things we “find to do” day by day. We have no other time in which to live.
• The past is gone; the future has not arrived; we never shall have any time but time present. Then do not fritter away your life in thinking of what you intend to do tomorrow, as if that could recompense for the idleness of today. No man ever served God by doing things tomorrow.
• Whatever you do for Christ—throw your whole soul into it.
• Hell is my portion as a sinner—there is no possibility of my escaping from it while sin remains upon me. Can the load of guilt be removed? Can the crimson stain be blotted out?
• I have believed in the appointed atoning sacrifice, even Jesus crucified, and therefore my sins are at this moment, and forever—forgiven by virtue of His substitutionary pains and death!
• What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive forever! Here is a constellation of wonders!
• Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it—or else it is of no value. Doctrines held as a matter of mere creed—are like bread in the hand, which ministers no nourishment to the body.
• But doctrine accepted by the heart, is as food digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body. Truth must be a living force in us, an active energy, an indwelling reality, a part of the woof and warp of our being.
• Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon you just now, it will be very painful to you—but there is this comfort, namely—that the Lord makes it. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other troubles—are of the Lord’s sending, and come to us with wise design. Winter in the soul breaks up the clods, and sweetens the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!
• If we complained less, and praised more—we would be happier, and God would be more glorified.
• If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged.
• We have been led to the cross of Christ—our shackles of guilt have been broken off; we are no longer slaves—but children of the living God, and can rightly expect the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

From J.C. Ryle's Holiness, "Growth In Grace"

• I want to make mention of . . . the reality of growth in grace, the marks or signs of growth in grace, and the means of growth in grace.
• The REALITY of growth in grace. That any professor should deny the reality of Christian growth, is at first sight a strange and melancholy thing. But it is fair to remember that man’s understanding is fallen, no less than his will.
• When I speak of growth in grace, I only mean increase in the degree, size, strength, vigor and power — of the graces which the Holy Spirit plants in a believer’s heart.
• I hold that every one of those graces admits of growth, progress and increase. I hold that repentance, faith, hope, love, humility, zeal, courage and the like — may be little or great, strong or weak, vigorous or feeble — and may vary greatly in the same man at different periods of his life. When I speak of a man growing in grace, I mean simply that . . . his sense of sin is becoming deeper, his faith is becoming stronger, his hope is becoming brighter, his love is becoming more extensive, his spiritual-mindedness is becoming more marked, he feels more of the power of godliness in his own heart — and he manifests more of it in his life.
• Growth in grace is the best evidence of spiritual health and prosperity. In a child or a flower or a tree, we are all aware that when there is no growth — there is something wrong.
• Growth in grace is one way to be happy in our religion. God has wisely linked together our comfort — and our increase in holiness.
• Growth in grace is one secret of usefulness to others. Our influence on others for good, depends greatly on what they see in us.
• Growth in grace pleases God. It may seem an astonishing thing, no doubt, that anything done by such creatures as we are — can give pleasure to the Most High God. But so it is.
• Let us know, above all, that growth in grace is not only a thing possible — but a thing for which believers are accountable.
• To tell an unconverted man, dead in sins, to grow in grace — would doubtless be absurd.
• To tell a believer, who is quickened and alive to God, to grow — is only summoning him to a plain Scriptural duty.
• The MARKS of growth in grace. We are very poor judges of our own condition — and that bystanders often know us better than we know ourselves.
• One mark of growth in grace, is increased HUMILITY. The man whose soul is growing, feels his own sinfulness and unworthiness more every year.
• Another mark of growth in grace, is increased FAITH and LOVE towards our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The man whose soul is growing, finds more in Christ to rest upon every year, and rejoices more that he has such a Savior.
• Another mark of growth in grace, is increased HOLINESS of life and conduct.
• Another mark of growth in grace, is increased SPIRITUALITY of taste and mind. The man whose soul is growing, takes more interest in spiritual things every year.
• Another mark of growth in grace, is increase in LOVE to others. The man whose soul is growing, is more full of love every year — of love to all men — but especially of love towards the brethren.
• One more mark of growth in grace, is increased ZEAL and diligence in trying to do good to souls.
• The MEANS of growth in grace.
• God has ordained means — as well as ends. He who would grow in grace — must use the means of growth.
• One thing essential to growth in grace, is diligence in the use of private means of grace. By these I understand such means as a man must use by himself alone, and no one can use for him.
• Private prayer, private reading of the Scriptures, private meditation, and private self-examination. The man who does not take pains about these things, must never expect to grow. Here are the roots of true Christianity.
• Another thing which is essential to growth in grace, is carefulness in the use of public means of grace--ordinances of regular Sunday worship, the uniting with God’s people in common prayer and praise, the preaching of the Word, and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
• Let us strive to use the old prayers, and sing the old hymns, and kneel at the old communion rail, and hear the old truths preached — with as much freshness and appetite as in the year we first believed.
• Another thing essential to growth in grace, is watchfulness over our conduct in the little matters of everyday life.
• Our tempers, our tongues, the discharge of our several relations of life, our employment of time — each and all must be vigilantly attended to, if we wish our souls to prosper.
• Life is made up of days, and days of hours — and the little things of every hour, are never so little as to be beneath the care of a Christian.
• Another thing which is essential to growth in grace, is caution about the company we keep, and the friendships we form.
• There is one more thing which is absolutely essential to growth in grace, and that is regular and habitual communion with the Lord Jesus.
• The names and offices of Christ, as laid down in Scripture, appear to me to show unmistakably, that this communion between the saint and his Savior is not mere imagination — but a real true thing.
• Between the Bridegroom — and His bride, between the Head — and His members, between the Physician — and His patients, between the Advocate — and His clients, between the Shepherd — and His sheep, between the Master — and His scholars — there is evidently implied a habit . . . of familiar communion, of daily application for things needed, of daily pouring out and unburdening our hearts and minds.
• We must realize what it is . . . to turn to Him first in every need, to talk to Him about every difficulty, to consult Him about every step, to spread before Him all our sorrows, to get Him to share in all our joys, to do all as in His sight, and to go through every day leaning on and looking to Him! 
• We can never have . . . too much humility, too much faith in Christ, too much holiness, too much spirituality of mind, too much love, too much zeal in doing good to others.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible