The Benefits of Prayer

 Painting: George Lambert

       The benefits of prayer

        Prayer carries every burden to the Lord — -and leaves it there.
        Prayer goes to the Lord . . .
          with every need — to have it supplied;
          with every enemy — to have it conquered;
          with every corruption — to have it subdued;
          with every trouble — to have it sanctified,
          and with every promise — to have it fulfilled.
        Prayer . . .
          affects God's heart with a groan,
          opens God's hand with a cry, and
          obtains the most costly blessings with a tear!
        While a man can pray . . .
          he can never sink,
          he can never be wretched,
          he can never perish!

        Reader, get and maintain a spirit of prayer; it will . . .
          ease your mind,
          quell your fears, and
          fortify your soul against the sorest trials!



              ~ James Smith (1802—1862

The Duties of Parents

  "The Lord teach you all how precious Christ is, and what a mighty and complete work He hath done for our salvation. Then, I feel confident you will use every means to bring your children to Jesus, that they may live through Him." ~ J.C. Ryle

From the series on Mr. Ryle's book "The Duties of Parents" at the Helping Children Grow blog.

Do All the Good You Can

By Pilipchik Boris

Do all the good you can

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

~ John Wesley

Winter and Summer, Night and Day

Words

“Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.”
- Nathaniel Hawthorne 

I liked this quote so much I thought I'd put it here to remember. People no doubt apply it different ways, but we all should remember it whether we're writing a book, a blog post, an article in a magazine, or an email or handwritten letter. Oh may I use words for good and to glorify my Lord and Savior. 

Watch Against Pride

"Let us watch against pride in every shape – pride of intellect, pride of wealth, pride of our own goodness. Nothing is so likely to keep a person out of heaven, and prevent them from seeing Christ, as pride. So long as we think we are something we shall never be saved. Let us pray for and cultivate humility; let us seek to know ourselves correctly, and to find out our place in the sight of a holy God." ~ J.C. Ryle

The Center of Sin and Pride

Oh how true. Food for thought and prayer. Posted from The Narrow Gate on Facebook.

Author and Finisher

 

 (Photo by Letoirina)

"We often forget that the author of our faith must be the finisher of it also."

~ C. H. Spurgeon

“HENCEFORTH—Not unto Themselves”

(Photo from Chapel Library Facebook)

Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,

That a time could ever be,

When I let the SAVIOUR’S pity

Plead in vain, and proudly answered:

‘All of self, and none of Thee.’

Yet He found me: I beheld Him

Bleeding on the accursed tree,

Heard Him pray: ‘Forgive them, Father;’

And my wistful heart said faintly:

‘Some of self, and some of Thee.’

Day by day His tender mercy,

Healing, helping, full and free,

Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,

Brought me lower, while I whispered:

‘Less of self, and more of Thee.’

Higher than the highest heaven,

Deeper than the deepest sea,

LORD, Thy love at last hath conquered;

Grant me now my supplication:

‘None of self, and all of Thee.’

http://www.chapellibrary.org/files/archive/pdf-english/luje.pdf

Our God

"He [God] is the Most High, Lord of heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent; God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him." ~ A. W. Pink