John Murray on God's Love and the Atonement

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“The cross of Christ is the supreme demonstration of the love of God (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10). The supreme character of the demonstration resides in the extreme costliness of the sacrifice rendered. It is this costliness that Paul has in view when he writes: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32). The costliness of the sacrifice assures us of the greatness of the love and guarantees the bestowal of all other free gifts.”
John Murray


John Mason on Contentment

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"Humility is the mother of contentment."
John Mason


A.W. Pink on Sin

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, November 28, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“Ah, it is not the absence of sin but the grieving over it which distinguishes the child of God from empty professors.”

A.W. Pink


George Whitefield on True Religion

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Friday, November 25, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“But you may have orthodox heads, and yet you may have the devil in your hearts; you may have clear heads, you may be able to speak, as it were, with the tongues of men and angels, the doctrines of the Gospel, but yet, at the same time, you may never have felt them upon your own souls.”

George Whitefield


David Brainerd on the Glory of God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, November 24, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“As long as I see anything to be done for God, life is worth living; but O, how vain and unworthy it is to live for any lower end!”
David Brainerd




A.W. Pink on Salvation

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“The nature of Christ’s salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day “evangelist.” He announces a Savior from hell rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness.”

A.W. Pink


John Newton on Politics and the Church

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"The whole system of my politics is summed up in this one verse, 'The Lord reigns! Let the nation's tremble!'  Psalm 99:1  The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker - the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase.  If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions.  But He loves His redeemed children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears.  I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get aright channel - before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.

     The state of the nation, the state of the churches - both are deplorable!  Those who should be praying - are disputing and fighting among themselves!  Alas!  How many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government - than for their own sins!  'Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns!'  Revelation 19:6”

John Newton


J.C. Ryle on Pleasing God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, November 21, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“He must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God. He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted, and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn. He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast, and a fanatic—to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented. In fact, he must not marvel if some call him mad. The Master says, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (Joh 15:20).”


J.C Ryle


Thomas Brooks on Prayer and Secret Sins

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Friday, November 18, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“There is no greater hindrance to secret prayer in all the world than secret sins. Therefore, stand upon your watch, and arm yourselves with all your might against them. There is an antipathy betwixt secret sinning and secret praying, partly from guilt, which makes the soul shy of coming under God’s secret eye; and partly from those fears, doubts, disputes, and disorders that secret sins raise in the heart. Light is not more opposite to darkness, Christ to Belial, or heaven to hell than secret prayer is to secret sins.”

Thomas Brooks


A.W. Pink on Self-Denial

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“There is a vast difference, brethren and sisters, between denying self and so-called self-denial. The popular idea that obtains both in the world and among Christians is that of giving up things that we like. There is a great diversity of opinion as to what should be given up. There are some who would restrict it to that which is characteristically worldly, such as theater going, dancing, and the racecourse. There are others who would restrict it to a certain season when amusements and other things that are followed during the remainder of the year are rigidly eschewed at that time.

But such methods as those only foster spiritual pride: “Surely I deserve some credit if I give up so much.” My friends, what Christ speaks of in our text (and O may the Spirit of God apply it to our souls this morning) as the first step toward following Him is the denial of self itself, not simply some of the things that are pleasing to self. Not some of the things after which self hankers, but the denying of self itself.”

A.W. Pink

J.C Ryle on Counting the Cost

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“I grant freely that it costs little to be a mere outward Christian. A man only has to attend a place of worship twice on Sunday and to be tolerably moral during the week, and he has gone as far as thousands around him ever go in religion. All this is cheap and easy work: it entails no self-denial or self-sacrifice. If this is saving Christianity and will take us to heaven when we die, we must alter the description of the way of life and write, “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to heaven!” 

But it does cost something to be a real Christian, according to the standard of the Bible. There are enemies to be overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, an Egypt to be forsaken, a wilderness to be passed through, a cross to be carried, a race to be run. Conversion6 is not putting a man in an armchair and taking him easily to heaven. It is the beginning of a mighty conflict in which it costs much to win the victory. Hence arises the unspeakable importance of “counting the cost.””


J.C. Ryle


Wilhelmus à Brakel on Self-Denial

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 5:30 AM


“Self-Denial is a Christian virtue, granted by God to His children, whereby they, out of love for God’s will, neither give heed nor yield to their intellect, will, and inclinations insofar as they are in opposition to the will of God—and oppose and suppress them instead. They do so by a voluntary forsaking and rejection of all that pertains to their natural well-being, if God’s cause demands such from them. This [is] to the honor of God and the welfare of their neighbors.”

Wilhelmus à Brakel


Isaac Watts on Hope

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, November 14, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"Hope thinks nothing is difficult; despair tells us that difficulty is unsurmountable."
Isaac Watts


Thomas Fuller on Riches

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Friday, November 11, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"Riches have made more covetous men than covetousness hath made men rich."
Thomas Fuller


John Mason on God's Word

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“Take the candle of God's word and search the corners of your heart.”

John Mason

G.K. Chesterton on Politics

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"The real evil of our Party System is commonly stated wrong. It was stated wrong by Lord Rosebery, when he said that it prevented the best men from devoting themselves to politics, and that it encouraged a fanatical conflict. I doubt whether the best men ever would devote themselves to politics. The best men devote themselves to pigs and babies and things like that. And as for the fanatical conflict in party politics, I wish there was more of it. The real danger of the two parties with their two policies is that they unduly limit the outlook of the ordinary citizen. They make him barren instead of creative, because he is never allowed to do anything except prefer one existing policy to another. We have not got real Democracy when the decision depends upon the people. We shall have real Democracy when the problem depends upon the people. The ordinary man will decide not only how he will vote, but what he is going to vote about."

G.K. Chesterton


Hugh Latimer on Ruler Qualifications

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 5:30 AM

"Holy scripture qualifieth the officers , and sheweth what manner of men they should be, and of what qualities, viros fortes, "strong men;" some translations have, viros sapientes, "wise men;" the English translation hath it very well, "men of activity;" that have stomachs to do their office, they must not be milksops, nor white-livered knights; they must be wise, hearty, hardy, men of a good stomach. Secondarily, he qualifieth them with the fear of God. He saith they must be timentis Deum, "fearing God." For if he fear God, he shall be no briber, no perverter of judgment, faithful. Thirdly, they must be chosen officers, in quibus est veritas, " in whom is truth," if he say it, it shall be done. Fourthly, qui oderunt avaritiam, hating covetousness. Far from it; he will not come near it that hateth it. It is not he that will give five hundred pound for an office. With these qualities, God's wisdom would have magistrates to be qualified." 

Hugh Latimer


Richard Cameron on Choosing Rulers

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Monday, November 7, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“Ye will not look to Christ, and yet there is no other ye can have help from but from Him. There is none to help you at all, except you acknowledge Him as your King and Head, and except you acknowledge no other magistrate but according to what He ordains in His word. See what David says, 'He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.' Compare this with 'Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness.'; ... Ye see such should be men that fear God, and men of truth. Oh, take heed and consider what you are doing!"

Richard Cameron

Edmond Burke on Liberty

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Friday, November 4, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts.”

Edmond Burke


A.W. Pink on the Sovereignty of God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“The sovereignty of the God of Scripture is absolute, irresistible, infinite. When we say that God is sovereign, we affirm His right to govern the universe, which He has made for His own glory, just as He pleases.”

A.W. Pink


Wilhelmus à Brakel on the Decrees of God

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , | Posted On Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“God’s decree is from eternity. God does not decree things in response to issues that are already present; such is the manner of human decision-making.”

Wilhelmus à Brakel


J.C. Ryle on the Life of a Christian

Posted by Bluegrass Endurance | Labels: , , | Posted On Tuesday, November 1, 2016 at 5:30 AM

“The true Christian is called to be a soldier, and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death. He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence and security. He must never imagine for a moment, that he can sleep and doze along the way to Heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage. If he takes his standard of Christianity from the children of this world, he may be content with such vain notions; but he will find no countenance for them in the Word of God. If the Bible is the rule of his faith and practice, he will find his course laid down very plainly in this matter. He must fight!”

J.C. Ryle