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This collection of timeless quotes and Bible verses have been gathered with you in mind. You will have access to the writings of great Christians of early days and also great Christians of our times, right at your fingertips. It is my hope that your walk with God will be influenced in a very deep way as you go through those pages. 

Get this jam-packed treasure chest for less than the price of a cup of coffee, It is filled with a wide range of Bible verses listed by subjects. You will also get a section with Bible study helps along with a vast array of Christian quotes on various subjects such as: Blessings, character, children, marriage, contentment, faith, encouragement, friendship, life, love, God, the Church, Christ, salvation, The Holy Spirit, the soul, sin, virtues, God's Will, the spiritual life, spiritual walk, eternity, heaven, unbelief, spiritual gifts, leadership, eternal life, surrender, obedience ,loving God, marriage, prayer, relationship, and much more. Here is a list of names of puritans, classics and great theologians that you will find within the pages of this book: 

Brother Lawrence, C. S. Lewis, R. C. Sproul, Charles Colson, Charles Spurgeon, Dallas Willard, D. L Moody, D. Martyn LLoyd-Jones, DeWitt Talmage, Dietrick Bonhoeffer, E. M. Bounds, Henry Blackaby, John calvin, Ebenezer Erskine, F. B. Myer, F W Krummacher Francis Chan, G K Chesterton, J. C. Ryle, J. R. Miller, James Hudson Taylor, J. I. Packer, James Smith, Jerry bridges, John Piper, John Wesley, Johnathan Edwards, Leonard Ravenhill, Martin Luther, Mathew Henry, Paul Washer, John F MacArthur John Newton, Oswald Chambers, and much more 

God's love-letter

Thomas Brooks

The Scripture is God's love-letter to men. Here the 
lamb may wade—and here the elephant may swim!

The blessed Scriptures are of infinite worth 
and value! Here you may find . . .
  a remedy for every disease,
  balm for every wound,
  a plaster for every sore,
  milk for babes,
  meat for strong men,
  comfort for the afflicted,
  support for the tempted,
  solace for the distressed,
  ease for the wearied,
  a staff to support the feeble,
  a sword to defend the weak.

The holy Scriptures are . . .
  the map of God's mercy—and man's misery,
  the touchstone of truth,
  the shop of remedies against all maladies,
  the hammer of vices,
  the treasury of virtues,
  the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities,
  the balance of equity,
  the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty.

Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible!

The Bible is the best preacher. This book,
this preacher will preach to you . . .
  in your shops,
  in your chambers,
  in your closets,
  yes, in your own bosoms!
This book will preach to you at home and abroad;
it will preach to you in all companies; and it will
preach to you in all conditions.

By this book you shall be saved—or
by this book you shall be damned!
By this book you must live.
By this book you must die.
By this book you shall be judged in the great day!

Oh, therefore . . .
  love this book above all other books,
  prize this book above all other books,
  read this book before all other books,
  study this book more than all other books!
For he who reads much—and understands nothing,
is like him who hunts much—and catches nothing.

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all
 day long!" Psalm 119:97

Microscopic Holiness?

I shared those words below, from Spurgeon, because after God told me that I was now holy, I was at a lost as to what next. I guess because I did not have help from mature Christians to understand, nor that I matured in the faith enough to know how to move forward. After the excitement of seeing first hand, God's Holiness in me, with my spiritual eyes, and after the initial shock that someone like me could actually be holy, I decided not to talk about it because people would find me pretentious or plain stupid. Then, when I finally understood that I needed to move forward to live out my holiness, it was a time of searching and understanding what this life entails. As usual, I tried to understand it on my own, until I gave up and allowed the Holy Spirit to help me make sense of it all.

I was disappointed to find out that it was as if I was starting this journey from scratch and every step was extremely important. Not only that, I found that every iota of my life had to be lived through the lenses of holiness. I hated every minute of my findings and what the Holy Spirit was teaching me, because I wanted a shortcut and I wanted a bullet list on how to live this life. I hated knowing that all the pain of preparing my soul, the furnace of fire to destroy the impurities, the separation, the isolation, the life turned upside down, the emptiness and the abyss that I faced for months and the darkness that surrounded my soul in the valley of death, were just to lay the foundation of  a holy life. I hated knowing that I was not further ahead. 

After I got over all of it and embraced the path that was ahead of me,  I did not pray those words spurgeon recorded below, but strangely, the Lord laid out my life in the same way. I found myself  being concerned with my daily walk and every minute in my heart, I wanted it to glorify Him, so it was not so much my whole life and my whole day that mattered to me, but the next minute and the next step. At night instead of praying before I sleep and before I say good night to the Lord, my daddy, I needed to reflect as to how my day went according to His will and how much did I please Him today. While at first it looked tedious, but over time, this becomes the normal way of life and you do not even notice that this is how you live.

Spurgeon,  

"Order my steps," 
We see here that David is anxious as to details. 
He does not say, "Order the whole of my pilgrimage;" 
he means that, but his expression is more
expressive and painstaking. He would
have each single step ordered in holiness.
He would enjoy heavenly guidance in each
minute portion of his journey towards heaven.

Much of the beauty of holiness lies in little things.

Microscopic holiness is the perfection of excellence.

If a life will bear examination in each hour of it,
it is pure indeed. Those who are not careful
about their words, and even their thoughts, will
soon grow careless concerning their more notable
actions.

Those who tolerate sin in what they think to be
little things, will soon indulge in it in greater matters.

To live by the day and to watch each
step, is the true pilgrimage method.

More lies in the careful noting of every single
act than careless minds can well imagine.

Be this then your prayer: "Lord, direct my
morning thoughts, that the step out of my
chamber into the world may be taken in your
fear. At my table keep me in your presence;
behind my counter, or in my field, or wherever
else I may be, allow me not to grieve your
Spirit by any evil. And when I come to lie
down at night, let the action (which seems
so indifferent) of casting myself upon my
pillow, be performed with a heart that loves
you; so that I shall be prepared to be with
you, if wakeful during the night.”

This brief prayer, "Order my steps,"
teaches us attention to the minutiae of life.
May we have grace to learn the lesson.

All Saints Are Not Alike Holy

Thomas Brooks, 1662 

All saints are not alike holy. Some are more holy, and others are less holy; in some saints the springs of holiness runs low, in others the springs of holiness rise very high. Holiness thrives not alike in all saints. In the parable some brought forth thirty, some sixty, and others a hundredfold—and yet all was good ground, Mat. 13:8, 23. And in that other parable, everyone had not ten talents—some had but five, others two, others but one, Mat. 25:14-15; Luke 19:12-21. God never distributes holiness alike to all. To some he gives more, to others less, according to the good pleasure of his grace. God never intended that all should thrive alike in holiness. 

Though there were many who feared God in Nehemiah's time—yet he tells you that his brother Hanani feared God above many, Neh. 7:2. And though Job's three friends came to visit him in the days of his sorrows, namely, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad, were doubtless all holy men, Job 1:8—yet they fell very much short of Job in grace and holiness, as is evident not only by that high testimony that God himself gives concerning Job, "That there was none like him upon the earth, a perfect and upright man, one who feared God, and eschewed evil;" but also throughout that whole book of Job.

It is true, all saints are equally justified, and equally pardoned, and equally reconciled, and equally accepted—but all saints are not equally sanctified. All saints are not of equal standing in the house of God. All saints have not been partakers of equal means, all saints have not had equal gales of the Spirit, all saints have not alike acted that holiness they have; and, therefore, no wonder if all saints are not alike holy. David's worthies were not all of equal strength, nor all the stones in the building are not of equal proportion, nor all the members in the natural body are not of equal magnitude; and so it is also in the mystical body of Christ. In God's house there are vessels of gold, and vessels of silver, 1 Cor. 3:12 Tim. 2:20, that is, there are some who are more eminently sanctified and purified than others are.

You read in Scripture of babes—as well as of strong men; of lambs—as well as of sheep; of plants—as well as of trees. Besides, you read of a little faith, and of smoking flax, and of a bruised reed, and of a grain of mustard-seed. And what does all this evidence—but that God gives different measures and degrees of grace and holiness to his people? Christ has not work alike for all saints to do, nor burdens alike for all saints to bear, nor mercies alike for all saints to improve, nor temptations alike for all saints to resist, nor difficulties alike for saints to grapple with, nor dangers alike for all saints to encounter with, etc., and therefore he gives not a like measure of holiness to all—but to some more, to others less, according as their condition requires; some saints stand in need of a great deal more grace and holiness than others do. Their place, calling, condition, and employments in the world, calls for a greater stock than others need.

One man may better keep house with a hundred a year, than another who has a great family and great resort to his house, can do with a thousand a year; and so it is here. A little may serve a little farm—but it must be a great stock that must serve a great farm. A little stock of holiness will serve some Christians—but it must be a great stock of holiness that must serve to supply the necessities and the lacks of other Christians; and therefore God gives different measures and degrees of holiness among his people as their needs require.

Look! as one sinner excels another in wickedness—just so, one saint excels another in holiness; and therefore let not those who have much holiness despise those who have but little; nor let not those who have but a little holiness censure or judge those who have more holiness than themselves. All that holiness which any man has, whether it is little, or whether it is much—is all of grace, it is all of free-grace. Therefore let every man improve it, be thankful for it, and walk humbly under it. 

(Read the 77th and the 88th Psalms. And indeed most of the psalms of David are a full proof of this position, as all may see that will but read them with a spiritual eye, and with an understanding heart.)

The Holiness Of God

"You only are holy." Rev. 15:4

What a sublime perfection is this! It would seem to form the loftiest theme for the adorations of saints and angels. They cease not day nor night to cry, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" It evokes from the Church on earth her loudest strains- "Let them praise His great and terrible name, for it is Holy!"
Holy, Holy, Holy Three!
One Jehovah evermore!
Father! Son! and Spirit! we,
Dust and ashes, would adore
Lightly by the world esteemed,
From that world by You redeemed,
Sing we here with glad accord.
Holy! Holy! Holy Lord!"

Reader, seek, in some feeble measure, to apprehend the nature of God's unswerving hatred at sin! It is the deep, deliberate, innate opposition of His nature to moral evil, which requires Him to hate it, and visit it with impartial punishment. It is not so much a matter of will as of necessity.

But what pleasure can there be in meditating on so awful a theme? The contemplation of a God "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity"- in whose sight "the heavens are not clean!" Jesus! Your glorious atonement is the mirror in which we can gaze unappalled on this august attribute. Your cross is, to the wide universe, a perpetual monument and memorial of the Holiness of God. It proclaims, as nothing else could, "You love righteousness and hate wickedness!" Through that cross the Holiest of all Beings becomes the most gracious of all. "Now, we can love Him," says a saint who has entered on his rest, "not only although He is holy, but because He is holy."

Gaze, and gaze again on that monumental column, until it teaches the lesson, how vain elsewhere to look for pardon; how delusive that dream; on which multitudes peril their eternal safety, that God will be at last too merciful to punish! Surely, if any less awful vindication could have sufficed- or had it been compatible with the rectitude of the Divine nature, and the requirements of the Divine law, to dispense pardon in any other way, Gethsemane and Calvary, with all their awful exponents of agony, would have been spared. The Almighty victim would not have voluntarily submitted to a life of ignominy and a death of woe, if, by any simpler method, He could have "cleared the guilty." But this was impossible. If He was to "save others," Himself he could not save!

Believer, seek that some faint and feeble emanations from this Divine attribute of Holiness may be yours. Let "Holiness to the Lord" be the superscription on your heart and life. Abounding grace can give no sanction or encouragement to abound in sin. 'His mercy,' says Reynolds, 'is a holy mercy which knows how to pardon sin, not to protect it; it is a sanctuary for the penitent, not for the presumptuous.'

Or, are you tempted to murmur under the dealings of your God? What are the sorest of your trials in comparison with what they might have been, had this Holy God left you to know, in all the sternness of its meaning, how "Glorious He is in Holiness?" Rather marvel, considering your sins, that your trial has been so small- your cross so light. Blessed Jesus! into this sanctuary of "holy mercy" which you have opened for me, I will flee. I can now "give thanks at the remembrance of God's holiness." Deriving, even from this august attribute, one of the 'songs in the night'– "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

The Way of Holiness---Observations and Doctrine Part 3

By Jonathan Edwards, 1722

"A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there." Isaiah 35:8-9

Observation 1

Observe in our text the subject spoken, that is, the way to salvation: "A highway will be there." This highway is the common and only way to heaven, for the way to heaven is but one. There is none who ever get to heaven except they walk in this way: some men don't get to heaven one way and others another, but it is one highway that is always traveled by those that obtain heaven.

It is the same narrow way that Christ tells us of. Some don't go to heaven in a broad way, and others in a narrow; some in an easy and others in a difficult way; some in a way of self-denial and mortification, and others in a way of enjoyment of their lusts and sinful pleasures; some up hill and others down: but the way to heaven is the same, and it is the highway here spoken of. There is only one highway, or common road, and no by-paths that some few go to heaven in, as exceptions from the rest.

If we seek ever so diligently, we shall never find out an easier way to heaven than that which Christ has revealed to us. We cannot find a broader way, but if we go to heaven, the way is so narrow that we must rub hard to get along and press forward. The kingdom of heaven must suffer violence; it must be taken by force, or else it never will be taken at all. If we don't go by the footsteps of the flock, we shall never find the place where Christ feeds, and where he makes his flock to rest at noon.

It appears that the way here spoken of is the way of salvation, by the last verse of the chapter. When speaking of this way, it is said, "the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion," etc. "Zion" is the common appellation by which, in the Old Testament, the church both militant and triumphant is signified.

Observation 2

In the words observe the holy nature of this way described: first, by the name by which it is called, "the way of holiness"; "and it shall be called the way of holiness." Secondly, the holiness of those that travel in it, and its purity from those that are unclean, or unholy; "the unclean shall not pass over it." No wicked person shall ever travel in this way of holiness. To the same purpose is the next verse, "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there." That is, none of the wicked men of this world, which are like lions or ravenous beasts more than like men: in their eager raging and lustful appetites and evil affections, or by their insatiable covetousness, are like hungry wolves, are violently set upon the world and will have it, whether by right or by wrong. Or make themselves like ravenous beasts by their proud, invidious, malicious dispositions, which is directly contrary to a Christian spirit and temper. They are more like wild beasts than Christians, that are wrongful and injurious, are all for themselves and the satisfying their own appetites, and care nothing for the welfare of others, their fellow-men that are of the same blood, make a god of their bellies--and therein resemble tigers and wolves.

"Now," says the Prophet, "none Such shall go upon this highway to Zion; such unclean and ravenous beasts shall be found there. No, but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion." This way is a way of holiness and not to be defiled by wicked persons. That in Revelation 21:27 will serve well for an explanation of these words; "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

DOCTRINE

Those only who are holy--are in the way to heaven.

Many are not sensible enough of the necessity of holiness in order to salvation. Everyone hopes for heaven, but if everyone that hoped for heaven actually went there, heaven would be full of murderers, adulterers, swearers, drunkards, thieves, robbers, and licentious debauchers. It would have been full of all manner of wickedness and wicked men, such as the earth abounds with at this day. There would have been those there that are no better than wild beasts, howling wolves, and poisonous serpents; yes, devils incarnate, as Judas was.

What a wretched place would heaven be--if it were so! That pure, undefiled, light and glorious place, the heavenly temple, would be as the temple of Jerusalem was in Christ's time, a den of thieves; and the royal palace of the Most High, the holy metropolis of the creation, would be turned into hell. There would be no happiness there for those that are holy. What a horrible, dreadful confusion would there be--if the glorious presence of God the Father; the glorified Lamb of God; and the Heavenly Dove, Spirit of all grace and holiness; the spotless, glorified saints; and the holy angels--were all mixed up together with wicked men, beasts and devils!

Therefore, it behooves us all to be sensible of the necessity of holiness in order to salvation; of the necessity of real, hearty and sincere, inward and spiritual holiness, such as will stand by us forever and will not leave us at death, that sinners may not be so foolish as to entertain hopes of heaven, except they intend forthwith to set about repentance and reformation of heart and life. 

The Way of Holiness---What is Holiness! Part 2

By Jonathan Edwards, 1722

"A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there." Isaiah 35:8-9

What is holiness?I shall answer to this question in three things which fully comprehend the nature of holiness, which are not in themselves distinct as so many parts of holiness, but the same thing in three different lights, to give us the fuller understanding of it.

First. Holiness is a conformity of the heart and the life unto God. Whatever outward appearance men may make by their external actions, as if they were holy, yet if it proceeds not from a most inward, hearty and sincere holiness within, it is nothing. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart [2 Kings 14:1-20]; all that he did was not acceptable to God, who searches the hearts and tries the thoughts of the children of men, and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth.

And whatever holiness they may pretend to have in their hearts, whatever hypocritical pangs of affection they may have had, it is all to no purpose except it manifest itself in the holiness of their lives and conversations: James 1:26-27, "If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this--to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." And in the second chapter, eighteenth verse: "Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." And in the nineteenth and twentieth verses, "You Believe that there is one God; you do well--the devils also believe and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" So that there must be a conformity of both heart and life to God, in order to true holiness.

Holiness is the image of God, his likeness, in him who is holy. By being conformed unto God is not meant a conformity to him in his eternity, or infinity, or infinite power. These are God's inimitable and incommunicable attributes; but a conformity to his will, whereby he wills things that are just, right, and truly excellent and lovely; whereby he wills real perfection, and goodness; and perfectly abhors everything that is really evil, unjust, and unreasonable. And it is not only a willing as God wills, but also a doing as he does--in acting holily and justly and wisely and mercifully, like him. It must become natural thus to be, and thus to act; it must be the constant inclination and new nature of the soul, and then the man is holy, and not before.

Second. Holiness is a conformity to Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus is perfectly conformed unto God, for he is God. He is his express image. Now Christ is nearer to us in some respects than God the Father, for he is our Mediator and is more immediately conversant with us; John 1:18, "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him." Jesus Christ, he has been with us in the flesh and as one of us he appeared in the form of a servant, and we have seen his holiness brightly shining forth in all his actions. We have seen his holy life; we have a copy drawn, and an example set for us.Now holiness is a conformity unto this copy: he who copies after Jesus Christ, after that copy which he has set us and which is delivered to us by the evangelists, is holy. He who diligently observes the life of Christ in the New Testament need not be at a loss to know what holiness is. Christ commands us to follow his example. Matthew 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls."

Have you ever read the four Gospels, and did you not observe in the life of Christ wonderful instances of humility, love to God, love to holiness; wonderful instances of zeal for God's glory; steadfastness in resisting temptations, entire trust and reliance on God, strict adherence to all his commands; astonishing instances of condescension, humility, meekness, lowliness, love to men, love to his enemies, charity and patience? Why, this is holiness. When we imitate Christ in these things, then are we holy, and not until then.

Third. Holiness is a conformity to God's laws and commands. When all God's laws without exception are written in our hearts, then are we holy. If you can go along with David in Psalm 119, where he speaks of his love and delight in God's law, in your own experience; when a man feels in some good measure what David declares concerning himself towards the law of God--then may God's law be said to be written in his heart. By God's law I mean all his precepts and commands, especially as they are delivered to us in the gospel, which is the fulfillment of the law of God. If you feel Christ's Sermon upon the Mount engraved on the fleshly tables of your hearts, you are truly sanctified.

The new covenant is written in the hearts of those that are sanctified, of which the prophet Jeremiah speaks, 31:31,33, "Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."The commands and precepts which God has given us are all pure, perfect, and holy. They are the holiness of God in writing, and, when the soul is conformed to them, they have holiness of God upon their hearts; II Corinthians 3:3, "Forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart." When the soul is molded and fashioned according to the image of God, the example of Christ, and the rules of the gospel--then it is holy, and not else.

II. Those that have not this holiness--are not in the way to heaven. Those that are not thus conformed to God, to Christ, and God's commands--are not in the way to heaven and happiness; they are not traveling that road; the road they are in will never bring them there. Whatever hopes and expectations they may have, they will never reach heaven except they alter their course, turn about, and steer towards another point; for the way is a way of holiness, and the unclean shall not pass over it. Christ said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into heaven, but yet he left it absolutely possible with God that it might be; but he said positively and without exception that except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. None but those that are holy are in the way to heaven, whatever profession they may make, whatever church they may be in: for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Whatever external acts of religion they may perform, however they may be constant attendants on the public or family worship, and live outwardly moral lives; yes, what is more, if they speak with the tongues of men and angels, though they could prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though they have faith that they can remove mountains; though they bestow all their goods to feed the poor, and though they give their very bodies to be burnt: yet if they have not charity or holiness--which is the same thing, for by charity is intended love to God as well as man; though they have and do all those things, yet they are nothing; they are as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal (see I Corinthians 13). It is good that we should be thoroughly convinced of the most absolute and indispensable necessity of a real, spiritual, active and vital—yes, immortal--holiness.
III. We shall now, in the third place, give the reasons why none that are not holy can be in the way to heaven; and why those who never are so can never obtain the happiness thereof.

First. It is contrary to God's justice--to make a wicked man eternally happy. 

God is a God of infinite justice, and his justice (to speak after the manner of men) "obliges" him to punish sin eternally; sin must be punished, the sins of all men must be punished. If the sinner retains his sin, and it is not washed off by the blood of Christ, and he purified and sanctified and made holy--it must be punished upon himself. If he is sanctified, his sin has been already punished in the passion of Christ; but if not, it still remains to be punished in his eternal ruin and misery; for God has said that he is a holy and jealous God, and will by no means clear the guilty. It is reckoned among the rest of God's attributes which he proclaims in Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18.

Second. It is impossible by reason of God's holiness, that anything should be united to God and brought to the enjoyment of him--which is not holy. Now, is it possible that a God of infinite holiness, who is perfect and hates sin with perfect hatred, who is infinitely lovely and excellent--could embrace in his arms a filthy, abominable creature, a hideous, detestable monster, more hateful than a toad and more poisonous than a viper? So hateful, base, and abominable--is every unsanctified man, even the best hypocrite and most painted sepulchers of them all.

How impossible is it that this should be, that such loathsome beings, the picture of the devil, should be united to God: should be a member of Christ, a child of God, be made happy in the enjoyment of his love and the smiles of his countenance, should be in God and God in them? It is therefore as impossible for an unholy thing to be admitted unto the happiness of heaven, as it is for God to be turned into nothing. For it is as impossible that God should love sin as it is for him to cease to be, and it is as impossible for him to love a wicked man that has not his sin purified, and it is as impossible for him to enjoy the happiness of heaven except God loves him, for the happiness of heaven consists in the enjoyment of God's love.

Third. It would defile heaven and interrupt the happiness of the saints and angels. It would defile that holy place, the Holy of Holies, and would fright and terrify the sanctified spirits, and obstruct them in their delightful ecstasies of devotion, and would quite confound the heavenly society. How would one unsanctified person interrupt their happiness, and fill those regions all over with the loathsome stench of his sin and filthiness!

Fourth. The nature of sin necessarily implies misery. That soul that remains sinful must of a necessity of nature remain miserable, for it is impossible there should be any happiness where such a hateful thing as sin reigns and bears rule. Sin is the most cruel tyrant that ever ruled, seeks nothing but the misery of his subjects; as in the very keeping of God's commands there is great reward, so in the very breaking of them there is great punishment.

Sin is a woeful confusion and dreadful disorder in the soul, whereby everything is put out of place, reason trampled under foot and passion advanced in its place, conscience dethroned and abominable lusts reigning. As long as it is so, there will unavoidably be a dreadful confusion and perturbation in the mind; the soul will be full of worry, perplexities, uneasiness, storms and frights, and thus it must necessarily be to all eternity, except the Spirit of God puts all to rights. So that if it were possible that God should desire to make a wicked man happy while he is wicked, the nature of the thing would not allow of it, but it would be simply and absolutely impossible.

Thus I have given some reasons of the doctrine--why it must needs be that those that are not holy cannot be in the way to heaven. Many more reasons might be offered, which the time will not allow to take notice of at this time; but these alone would have been enough to certify us that none but those who are holy ever attain to a crown of glory, if God had not expressly said that without holiness no man should see the Lord.

The Way of Holiness---Application of Holiness

APPLICATION OF HOLINESS IN THREE USES

By Jonathan Edwards, 1722

"A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there." Isaiah 35:8-9

INFERENCEIf it be so that none but those that are holy are in the way to heaven, how many poor creatures are there that think they are in the way to heaven who are not? There are many that think that they are undoubtedly in the way to heaven, and without question shall enter there at last, who have not the least grain of true holiness, that manifest none in their lives and conversations, of whom we may be certain that either they have no holiness at all, or that which they have is a dormant, inactive sort—which is in effect to be certain that there is none. There are a great many others that are not so distinctly and plainly perceived, that have nothing but what is external, the shell without the kernel. Vast multitude are of these two kinds.

What a pitiable, miserable condition are they in--to step out of this world into an uncertain eternity, with an expectation of finding themselves exceedingly happy and blessed in the highest heaven--and all at once find themselves undeceived, and sinking in the bottomless pit!

TRIALIf none are in the way to heaven but those that are holy, let us try and examine ourselves by this doctrine to see whereabouts we are, and see whether or not we are in the way to heaven. To know which way we are going, whether towards heaven or hell; for if we think ourselves in the road to heaven, but are traveling to the place of torment all the while, and continue deceived, without doubt fire and brimstone will undeceive us! If we find ourselves in the broad way to destruction, how dare we stir a step further. If we would know whether we are holy or not, let us try ourselves by then five following things:

First. Meditate on the holiness of God, and see if you cannot see a conformity, a likeness in your mind. There is no likeness or comparison in degree—we speak not of that—but yet there is a likeness in nature between God and the soul of the believer he holy soul, when it thinks and meditates upon God's nature, finds a pleasure and delight, because there is an agreeableness in his new nature to the divine perfections. If those that think themselves in the way to heaven, that are unholy in the meantime in their hearts, would compare themselves and their nature to the holy nature of God--such a glorious light as the holiness of God would quickly discover their rottenness and unsoundness.

Second. See if you can see any resemblance in your life to the life of Christ. It is not supposed that ever any copy comes near to this original, nor ever will; but yet they may perceive whether the same spirit, the same temper and disposition, in a lesser degree--is in them, that was manifested by he life and conversation of Jesus Christ.

Third. Is there an agreeableness between your souls and the Word of God? The Bible is the epistle of Christ that he has written to us; now, if the same epistle is also written in our hearts that is written in the Scriptures, it may be found out by comparing. Have you love to all God's commands and a respect to them in your actions? Is it your delight to obey and hearken to the will of God? Do you obey them of choice? Is it what you would choose to do if God had not threatened to punish the breach of them?

Fourth. Do you find by a comparison a likeness and agreeableness between your hearts and lives, and the hearts and lives of those holy men that we are assured were such by the Word of God? Do you walk with God as Enoch did, or distinguish yourselves by your piety in the midst of wicked examples--as Noah did? And when you read the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets, wherein holiness is drawn to the life, you may viewing so exact a picture discover whether you have not the root of the matter in you, though it be much obscurer in you than in them. When we read the Psalms of David, we may clearly see what David's holiness was, by that spirit that is breathed there. When we read the Epistles of the apostles, we may know what is a truly evangelical spirit--and whether such a spirit reigns in our souls.

Fifth. Do you in a measure imitate the saints and angels in heaven? They spend their existence to the glory of God; they love him above all things, are delighted with the beauties of Jesus Christ, entirely love one another--and hate sin. And those that are holy on earth have also a resemblance and imitation of them--they are of an heavenly temper, of heavenly lives and conversions.

EXHORTATIONExhort all to holiness. You have heard what holiness is and of the necessity of it, the absolute necessity in order to escaping hell; what we must have or die forever, must be forever forsaken. Now, nothing is so necessary to us as holiness; other things may be necessary to discover this life, and things that are necessary men will strive for with all their might, if there is a probability of obtaining them. How much more is that to be sought after, without which we shall fare infinitely worse than die ten thousand deaths!

This is motive enough without any other; for what can be a greater motive than necessity? But besides that, if it were not necessary, the amiable and excellent nature of it. is enough to make it worthy the most earnest seeking after.

Holiness is a most beautiful, lovely thing. Men are apt to drink in strange notions of holiness from their childhood, as if it were a melancholy, morose, sour, and unpleasant thing. But there is nothing in it but what is sweet and ravishingly lovely. It is the highest beauty and amiableness, vastly above all other beauties. It a divine beauty, makes the soul heavenly and far purer than anything here on earth—this world is like mire and filth and defilement compared to that soul which is sanctified. It is of a sweet, lovely, delightful, serene, calm, and still nature. It is almost too high a beauty for any creature to be adorned with; it makes the soul a little, amiable, and delightful image of the blessed Jehovah. How may angels stand with pleased, delighted, and charmed eyes, and look and look with smiles of pleasure upon that soul that is holy!

Christian holiness is above all heathen virtues, of a more bright and pure nature, more serene, calm, peaceful, and delightsome. What a sweet calmness, what a calm ecstasy--does it bring to the soul! Of what a meek and humble nature is true holiness; how peaceful and quiet. How does it change the soul, and make it more pure, more bright, and more excellent than other beings!

Holiness—J. A. James 1846

"You ought to live holy and godly lives." 2 Peter 3:11

Holiness is a very comprehensive word, and expresses
a state of mind and conduct that includes many things.

Holiness is the work of the Spirit in our sanctification.

Holiness is the fruit of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Holiness is the operation of the new nature, which
we receive in regeneration.

Holiness may be viewed in various aspects, according
to the different objects to which it relates.

Toward God, holiness is . . .
  supreme love;
  delight in His moral character;
  submission to His will;
  obedience to His commands;
  zeal for His cause;
  seeking of His glory.

Toward Christ, holiness is . . .
  a conformity to His example,
  imbibing His spirit.

Toward man, holiness is . . .
  charity,
  integrity,
  truth,
  mercy.

Toward sin, holiness is a hatred of all iniquity,
a tender conscience easily wounded by little sins,
and scrupulously avoiding them; together with a
laborious, painful, self-denying, mortification of
all the known corruptions of our heart.

Toward self, holiness is . . .
  the control of our fleshly appetites;
  the eradication of our pride;
  the mortification of our selfishness.

Toward divine things in general, holiness is . . .
  spirituality of mind,
  the habitual current of godly thought,
  godly affections flowing through the soul.

And, toward the objects of the unseen world,
holiness is heavenly-mindedness, a turning away
from things seen and temporal, to things unseen
and eternal.

Oh, what a word is holiness! How much does
it comprehend! How little is it understood, and
how much less is it practiced!

God's Sovereignty in the Way of Rejection

For My New Year's Resolution!

Father God, you have changed my own heart and I thank you for it. I love you because you are a Just God, Holy, Merciful, Gracious, Lovely, and all Sovereign and Powerful. My heart cries out after holiness, keep me close to you and teach me every day how to live a life set apart for your glory.  I pray that you would bring all those who made a new year's resolution to live a holy life, to reach their goals. Put a determination in their hearts so that they can withstand the pain it takes to get there. Sustain and restrain them my Lord as they walk with you. I thank you for overlooking our shortcomings and our failures. Thank you for the grace you lavished upon us. We are so undeserving. Keep us morning and longing for holiness everyday while you purify our heart, mind and soul so that one day we can see you.  (Sorry for the length of this prayer, I could not stop myself after one or two lines)

To find out why this short prayer, read January 1 post)

 This post below is an excerpt from the new uploaded Kindle 

"The Heavenly Birth and its Earthly Counterfeits "  by J. C. Philpot 

Download the FREE  Kindle  HERE 

But as we have looked at God's sovereignty in the way of rejection, and then endeavored to trace out the various causes by which the great mass of the Jewish nation rejected the Lord of life and glory, so will we endeavor (having seen God's sovereignty in choosing a peculiar people), to trace out also the secret causes which led some to receive Him whom the others received not.

1. The first cause, then, was the quickening life of God's Spirit put into their souls; according to those words--"You has He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph. ii. 1). Until God by His Spirit quickens the soul into spiritual life, there must be a determined rejection of Christ. However a man may receive Him into his judgment, the inward bias of his heart and the secret speech of his soul is, "Not this Man, but Barabbas" (Luke xviii, 40.) If, then, there be any who do believe in Him, receive Him, love Him, and have a blessed union with Him, it all springs from the quickening Spirit of God, working with power in their souls.
 
Now this quickening work of God the Spirit upon the heart is manifested by certain fruits and evidences, which ever flow out of His blessed operations. For instance, wherever the quickening power of God's Spirit has passed upon a man's conscience, he is invariably brought to see and feel himself to be a sinner. This inward sight of self cuts him off sooner or later from all legal hopes, all Pharisaic righteousness, all false refuges, and all vain evidences, with which he may seek to prop up his soul. In many cases the work may begin in a way scarcely perceptible, and in other instances may go on very gradually, for we cannot lay down any precise standard. But I am sure of this, that the Lord will "bring down the hearts" of all His people "with labor;" will convince them all of their lost state before Him, and cast them as ruined wretches into the dust of death--without hope, strength, wisdom, help, or righteousness, except that which is given to them, as a free gift, by sovereign grace.

And when the soul is brought down by the hand of God upon it to know the exceedingly heavy burden of sin, the wretchedness of the malady with which we are infected, the holiness and justice of God who cannot clear the guilty; and feels itself not only implicated in Adam's transgression, but also condemned by actual commission of sin, it then begins to find its need of such a Savior as God has revealed in the Scriptures. And this work of grace in the conscience, pulling down all a man's false refuges, stripping him of every lying hope, and thrusting him down into self-abasement and self-abhorrence, is indispensable to a true reception of Christ. Whatever a man may have learned in his head, or however far he may be informed in his judgment, he never will receive Christ spiritually into his heart and affections, until he has been broken down by the hand of God in his soul to be a ruined wretch.

2. We cannot indeed tell how long a man may be in coming here; some may be weeks, others may be months, and some may be years; but when he is effectually brought here, the Lord is pleased, for the most part, to open up to his astonished view, and to bring into his soul some saving knowledge of the Lord of life and glory. And this He does in various ways, for we cannot "limit the Holy One of Israel;" (Ps. lxxviii, 41) sometimes by a secret light cast into the mind; sometimes by the application of a passage of Scripture with power; sometimes alone in the secret chamber; sometimes under the preached Word. In various ways, as God is pleased Himself to choose, He casts into the mind a light, and He brings into the heart a power, whereby the glorious Person of Christ, His atoning blood, dying love, finished work, and justifying righteousness, are looked upon by spiritual eyes, touched by spiritual hands, and received into a spiritual and believing heart.

3. But wherever faith is given to the soul thus "to receive" Christ, there will be mingled with this faith, and blessedly accompanying it, love to the Lord of life and glory; and sometimes we may know the existence of faith when we cannot see it, by discerning the secret workings and actings of love towards that Savior, in whom God has enabled us to believe.
There will be from time to time, in living souls, a flowing forth of affection towards Jesus. From time to time He gives the soul a glimpse of His Person--He shows Himself, as the Scripture speaks, "through the lattice" (Song ii. 9), passing, perhaps, hastily by, but giving such a transient glimpse of the beauty of His Person, the excellency of His finished work, dying love, and atoning blood as ravishes the heart, and secretly draws forth the affections of the soul, so that there is a following hard after Him, and a going out of the desires of the soul towards Him.

Thus, sometimes as we lie upon our bed, as we are engaged in our business, as we are occupied in our several pursuits of life; or at other times under the Word, or reading the Scriptures, the Lord is pleased secretly to work in the heart, and there is a melting down at the feet of Jesus, or a secret, soft, gentle going forth of love and affection towards Him, whereby the soul prefers Him before thousands of gold and silver, and desires nothing so much as the inward manifestations of His love, grace, and blood.
And thus a living soul "receives" Christ; not merely as driven by necessity, but also as drawn by affection. He does not receive Christ merely as a way of escape from "the wrath to come," merely as something to save a soul from "the worm that dies not, and the fire that is not quenched," but mingled with necessity, sweetly and powerfully combined with it, and intimately and intricately working with it, there is the flowing forth of genuine affection and sincere love, that goes out to Him as the only object really worthy of our heart's affection, our spirit's worship, and our soul's desire. And we cannot say that less than this comes up to the meaning of the Scripture expression--"to receive Christ." If we cannot, then, trace out in our hearts more or less of this work, which I have attempted feebly to describe, we cannot yet be said spiritually to have "received Christ."

This is a very different thing from receiving Him into our judgment, or into our understanding in a doctrinal manner. To receive Him in the depths of a broken heart, as the only Savior for our guilty soul, as our only hope for eternity, as the only Lord of our heart's worship, and the only object of our pure affection; so that in secret, when no eye sees but the eye of God, and only the ear of Jehovah hears the pantings of our pleading heart, there is the breathing out of the spirit after the enjoyment of His love, grace, and blood--to know and feel this stamps a man to have "received" Christ into his heart by faith.

IV. But in the words of the text we read of a peculiar privilege, a sacred blessing, which is connected with and attached to the receiving of Christ. And perhaps you have been struck sometimes with the words--"As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to those who believe on His name." Did the word 'become' never strike you as a singular word? Does it not intimate a further step? Does it not clearly imply that to "receive Christ," and to "become a son of God" are two distinct things, and that one precedes the other?"
It is so. For it is only to those who "receive Christ," that the "power" (or "the privilege," as we read in the margin), is given, "to become sons of God."

What then is it to "become a son of God?" For it is evidently not the same thing as "receiving Christ," but a step that follows on after receiving Christ; a privilege given to and reserved for those who do spiritually "receive Him." To "become a son of God" is to become so experimentally; to receive the Spirit of adoption, whereby the soul cries. "Abba, Father;" to have that love which "casts out all fear that has torment;" and not merely to receive Christ as our hope of salvation from eternal perdition, but to be enabled by the witness and work of the Spirit in the soul to enjoy that relationship.
V. But in speaking of these "sons of God," the apostle describes them negatively as well as positively; he tells us what they are not, and he tells us what they are. And it is by contrasting what they are not with what they are, that we may arrive at some spiritual knowledge of their real character and position.

Devotional and Practical Meditations on the Book of Ecclesiastes

I like this devotion especially the last paragraph because the Holy Spirit taught me to meditate. That's when I realized, only Him can "still" our soul to truly meditate on the word of God. Because the Spirit stills the soul to prepare it for mediation, it makes it easier to interact with God for hours at the time and to also be led by the Spirit because you can easily take your cues for the day through your meditation. Not only that, as you meditate, you find that you worship in His presence, you enjoy intimacy with Him, you have joy in your heart and your mind is kept renewed at all time. The biggest part of meditation is that over time, you realize what you are doing is also gazing in His eyes while you take on His imprint. Or, you are soaking in Him as He infuses you with Himself, hence you are being changed from glory to glory. 

Another reason why it is so important we learn to meditate, It truly helps us to be honest with ourselves as we examine our walk with Him, without the mask, and without excuses.

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God." Ecclesiastes 5:1

The Preacher says, "Guard your steps!" A prophet says the same, "Keep your feet from being unshod." (Jeremiah 2:25.) The advice is good. To walk unshod is a sure way to pierce yourself with many sorrows. For slip-shod grace will never advantage you — and never less so than in going to the house of prayer. Leave not your Gospel shoes at home; nor lose them along the way. If so, you will not find them when you come to worship.

What do you think of, and speak of, along the way to the house of God? If earthly things engage the mind — the doings of the past or coming week; the dress or manners of the passers by; the news you have heard; the letters you have had — if thoughts like these are in your mind up to the very threshold of the church door — this will hinder your devotions.

God's worship must begin before you leave your home; your thoughts, your speech, your eyes — must be focused on God. Fix them on Jesus — and then you will not have them to bestow on other things. Make Christ your company along the way — and He'll accompany you in the house of God; then all its acts shall savor of His presence.

In private worship, or in social prayer, we cannot be dwelling on worldly things — and then spring at once from earth to Heaven. Oh, there is a preparation of the heart; a setting of the countenance heavenwards; a girding the loins for fellowship with God; a deep conviction of His majesty; a pausing on the threshold of His presence — that the first word of prayer may have His blessing. If you would "guard your feet" in seasons of devotion, be sure you keep them well at other times. As is your daily walk — your prayers will be. A careless walk begets a wandering mind, unfit to gather in its thoughts, and settle them in prayer. Prayer and the daily walk act, and react, on one another. He who is much in prayer will guard his feet; and he who guard his feet properly, be much in prayer.

Nothing feeds the soul like meditation — the habit of reflecting on our ways, and Scripture truths. This leads alike to holiness, and converse with the Lord. Then, child of God, at all times "guard your feet;" not only when you go to the house of prayer.