Thomas Watson on the Hearing and Doing of God's Word

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Friday, February 27, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“A sermon is never rightly heard—until it is practiced.   "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them." John 13:17”
Thomas Watson


A.W. Pink on Studying the Word of God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 5:30 AM

"That against which we are protesting—is the God-dishonoring idea that His Word is merely a piece of literature, which may be "mastered" by a course of "study." We would warn against an undue occupation with the technical aspects of the Bible. God's blessed Word is not for dissection by the knife of cold intellectuality. It is not given for us to display our cleverness and "brilliance" upon—but to be bowed before in true humility. It is not designed for mental entertainment—but for the regulation of our daily lives!”
A.W. Pink


Theodore Cuyler on God's Governance of All Things

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“Today as I sit in my lonely room, this passage of God's Word flies in like a white dove through the window, "And now men see not the sun which is in the clouds; but the wind passes and clears them." Job 37:21. To my weak vision, dimmed with tears, the cloud is exceeding dark, but through it stream some rays from the infinite love which fills the Throne with an exceeding and eternal brightness of glory. By-and-by we may get above and behind that cloud—into the overwhelming light. We shall not need comfort then; but we do need it now. And for our present consolation, God lets through the clouds some clear, strong, distinct rays of love and gladness.

One truth which beams in through the vapors is this—God not only reigns, but He governs His world by a most beautiful law of compensations. He sets one thing over against another. Faith loves to study the illustrations of this law, notes them in her diary, and rears her pillars of praise for every fresh discovery. I have noticed that the deaf often have an unusual quickness of eyesight; the blind are often gifted with an increased capacity for hearing; and sometimes when the eye is darkened and the ear is closed, the sense of touch becomes so exquisite that we are able to converse with the sufferer through that sense alone.

This law explains why God put so many of His people under a sharp regimen of hardship and burden-bearing in order that they may be sinewed into strength; why a Joseph must be shut into a prison in order that he may be trained for a palace and for the premiership of the kingdom.”

Theodore Cuyler

William Gurnall on Prayer and Prosperity

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 5:30 AM


"Pray in prosperity — that you may not be ensnared by it. Prosperity is no friend to the memory, therefore we are cautioned so much to beware when we are full, lest we forget God. You shall find, in Scripture, that the saints have had their saddest falls — on the most even ground.” 
William Gurnall


William Bridge on Ones Affections for Christ

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Monday, February 23, 2015 at 5:18 AM

“As you cannot be married to Christ unless your affections be set on him and the things above, so you will never own him unless your affections be set on him.  It is the duty of all the saints to own Christ, his ways, his truths, his ordinances : " He that is ashamed of me before men, him will I be ashamed of before my Father which is in heaven," saith Christ.  Now look what that is which a man doth much affect, that he will own and not be ashamed of; but if a man doth not affect a thing, he will not own it, but will be ashamed of it; but we must own Christ here, or he will not own us hereafter. Surely, therefore, it is very fit and necessary that our affections be set on Christ and the things above.”

William Bridge


John Flavel on the Pleasure Found in Observing God’s Providences

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, February 20, 2015 at 5:30 AM

A great part of the pleasure and delight of the Christian life is made out of the observations of Providence.  "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that "have pleasure therein" (Ps. III. 2).  That is, the study of providence is so sweet and pleasant that it invites and allures the soul to search and dive into it.  How pleasant is it to a well-tempered soul to behold and observe,” 
John Flavel
(The Mystery of Providence, PG 147)


John Flavel on Meditating on the Providences of God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, February 19, 2015 at 5:30 AM

Without due observation of the work of providence no praise can be rendered to God for any of them.  Praise and thanksgiving for mercies depend upon this act of observation of them, and cannot be performed without it.” 
John Flavel
(The Mystery of Providence, PG 114)


John Flavel on Providence and Provisions

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“The wisdom of providence in our provisions. And this is seen in proportioning the quantity, not satisfying our extravagant wishes, but answering our real needs; consulting our wants, not our wantonness. "But my God shall supply all your need’ (Phil. 4. 19), and this has exactly suited the wishes of the best and wisest men, who desired no more at His hand.” 
John Flavel
(The Mystery of Providence, PG 87)


John Flavel on Providence and Vocation

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“If any who fear God should complain, that although they have a calling, yet it is a hard laborious one, which takes up too much of their time which they would gladly employ in other and better work, I answer, that it is likely the wisdom of Providence foresaw this to be the most suitable and proper employment for you; and if you had more ease and rest, you might have more temptations than you now have.  The strength and time which are now taken up in your daily labours, in which you serve God, might otherwise have been spent on such lusts in which you might have served the devil.” 
John Flavel
(The Mystery of Providence, PG 77-78)


John Flavel on Providence

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 5:30 AM

"And as Providence orders very strange causes to awaken and rouse our souls at first, so it works no less wonderfully in carrying on the work to perfection."
John Flavel
(The Mystery of Providence, PG 70)


Jospeh Alleine on Wrong Motives in Holy Duties

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, February 13, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“This was the bane of the Pharisees. Oh how many a poor soul is undone by this, and drops into hell before he discerns his mistake! He performs his `good duties' and so thinks all is well, but does not perceive that he is actuated by carnal motives all the while. It is too true that even with the really sanctified many carnal ends will often creep in; but they are the matter of their hatred and humiliation, and never come to be habitually prevalent with them, and bear the greatest sway. But when the main thing that ordinarily moves a man to religious duties is some carnal end - as to satisfy his conscience, to get the reputation of being religious, to be seen of men, to show his own gifts and talents, to avoid the reproach of being a profane and irreligious person, or the like - this reveals an unsound heart. Oh Christians, if you would avoid self-deceit, see that you mind not only your actions but your motives. ”
Jospeh Alleine
(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 74)


Jospeh Alleine on the Necessity of Conversion

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“O soul! do not think when your sins pursue you, that a little praying and reforming your ways will pacify God. You must begin with your heart. If that is not renewed, you can no more please God than one who, having unspeakably offended you, should bring you the most loathsome thing to pacify you; or having fallen into the mire, should think with his filthy embraces to reconcile you. ”
Jospeh Alleine
(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 55)


Jospeh Alleine on Conversion

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 5:30 AM

The final cause or end of conversion is man's salvation, and God's glory. We are chosen through sanctification to salvation (2 Thess ii 13), called that we might be glorified (Rom viii 30), but especially that God might be glorified (Is lx 21), that we should show forth His praises (l Pet ii 9), and be fruitful in good works (Col i 10). 

O Christian, do not forget the end of your calling. Let your light shine, let your lamp burn, let your fruits be good and many and in season (Ps i 3). Let all your designs fall in with God's, that He may be magnified in you (Phil i 20). ”
Jospeh Alleine
(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 29)


Jospeh Alleine on the Nature of Conversion

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“So then, conversion is a work above man's power. We are 'born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God' (Jn i 13). Never think you can convert yourself. If ever you would be savingly converted, you must despair of doing it in your own strength. It is a resurrection from the dead (Eph ii 1) a new creation (Gal vi 15; Eph ii 10), a work of absolute omnipotence (Eph i 19). Are not these out of the reach of human power? If you have no more than you had by your first birth, a good nature, a meek and chaste temper etc., you are a stranger to true conversion. This is a supernatural work.”
Jospeh Alleine
(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 26)


Joseph Alleine on Christianity

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 5:30 AM

"Christianity is more than a name."
Jospeh Alleine
(A Sure Guide to Heaven - pg 19)


Richard Sibbes on Why the Enemy Seems Victorious

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, February 6, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“Fourthly, Christ's work, both in the church and in the hearts of Christians, often goes backward so that it may go forward better. As seed rots in the ground in the winter time, but after comes up better, and the harder the winter the more flourishing the spring, so we learn to stand by falls, and get strength by weakness discovered  virtutis custos infirmitas (weakness is the keeper of virtue). We take deeper root by shaking. And, as torches flame brighter by moving, thus it pleases Christ, out of his freedom, in this manner to maintain his government in us.“
Richard Sibbes
(The Bruised Reed-pg 95)


Richard Sibbes on Judgement and Wisdom

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“Truth is truth, and error, error, and that which is unlawful is unlawful, whether men think so or not. God has put an eternal difference between light and darkness, good and ill, which no creature's conceit can alter; and therefore no man's judgment is the measure of things further than it agrees to truth stamped upon things themselves by God.“
Richard Sibbes
(The Bruised Reed-pg 84)


Richard Sibbes on the False Hope of Christ’s Mercy

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“There are those who take up a hope of their own, that Christ will suffer them to walk in the ways to hell, and yet bring them to heaven; whereas all comfort should draw us nearer to Christ.  Otherwise it is a lying comfort, either in itself or in our application of it. “
Richard Sibbes

(The Bruised Reed-pg 67)


Richard Sibbes on Persisting in Duties

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“Our hearts of themselves are reluctant to give up their liberty, and are only with difficulty brought under the yoke of duty. The more spiritual the duty is, the more reluctance there is.  Corruption gains ground, for the most part, in every neglect. It is as in rowing against the tide, one stroke neglected will not be gained in three; and therefore it is good to keep our hearts close to duty, and not to listen to the excuses they are ready to frame. “
Richard Sibbes
(The Bruised Reed-pg 53)


Richard Sibbes on How Those in Authority Should Act

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, February 2, 2015 at 5:30 AM

“In the censures of the church, it is more suitable to the spirit of Christ to incline to the milder part, and not to kill a fly on the forehead with a mallet, nor shut men out of heaven for a trifle. The very snuffers (wick trimmers) of the tabernacle were made of pure gold, to show the purity of those censures whereby the light of the church is kept bright. The power that is given to the church is given for edification, not destruction. “
Richard Sibbes
(The Bruised Reed-pg 30)