Today most of us will join with other Christians to worship our God together. As we do so, it is fitting that we consider just how much Christ loves his church. Dustin Benge does that well in this brief excerpt from The Loveliest Place. To grasp Christ’s love for his church is to plumb depths…
Earlier in the week I posted an article about being willing to suffer wrong in the face of those who wish to do us harm. After sharing it I came across a wonderful quote from F.B. Meyer that is at least parenthetically related. He counsels us on what to do when others attack our character…
I heard from a friend this week who is on his way to heaven. He has days left, the doctors say, or maybe even a few weeks. But either way, his body has endured almost as much as it can take and his time is now short. Thankfully, he is ready to depart. And as…
You do not need to read extensively in Christian history or Christian biography to spot the connection between sorrow and sanctification. Though it is certainly not always the case, very often the people who are particularly used by the Lord are the same people who endure suffering. De Witt Talmage makes this point well in…
Have you ever had one of those moments where you’ve read how the Bible describes the habits, character, or disposition of a Christian and wondered, “Am I even a Christian?” I expect we all have from time-to-time. Alistair Begg considers the question in this little devotional on Luke 6:27 that is drawn from his book…
Many people feel unappreciated or underappreciated at times. Many feel as if they serve more than they are served, give more than they are given. And often that is exactly the case. De Witt Talmage once pondered this fact in a reflection on 1 Samuel 30:24, a passage quoted below. I hope you find it…
In the late 1800s, there were few American preachers who were better-known than De Witt Talmage (who spend most of his ministry at Central Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York). He was known as an orator and was perhaps second only to Henry Ward Beecher when it came to his ability to hold a crowd…
As we go through times of suffering and sorrow, we inevitably come into contact with those who would seek to comfort us. Some offer true help and true hope while others, unfortunately, do not. In this short but sweet quote, Theodore Cuyler reflects on what we need most in our times of affliction. There are…
I have been making my way through the works of F.B. Meyer and came across a passage I found both intriguing and encouraging. Though I found it in one of his weaker books, I consider it one of his stronger excerpts. Meyer is discussing the wonderful truths of Romans 8:28, that God is working all…
This week I read Michael Haykin’s Iron Sharpens Iron, a short book about great friendships. I found a couple of quotes in the book that I thought would be worth sharing so you can reflect on them as I have. The first is an excerpt from John Ryland’s sermon at the funeral of his friend…
It never ceases to amaze me how precious truths can become dearer still when interpreted through the poet’s pen. Here is a wonderful bit of verse from John Greenleaf Whittier as he masterfully speaks of God’s comfort in our sorrows and losses. To weary hearts, to mourning homes,God’s meekest Angel gently comes;No power has he…
Among the works of the old preacher J.R. Miller is a wonderful collection of family prayers. The one I’ve copied below is a favorite and one that would be worth praying today as you prepare to worship the Lord. As we begin this holy Sunday, our Father, may You give us indeed a Sunday blessing.…
A new year is upon us and the occasion affords the perfect opportunity to pause, reflect, and pray. In recent weeks I’ve been exploring the poetry of Marianne Farningham who wrote the bulk of her works in the late 1800s. Among them was this poetic prayer for a new year. Perhaps you’d like to make…
Some of my favorite poems are those that pick up on one particularly important line and then repeat it throughout, thus consistently building upon a theme. This is the case with an old poem titled “When I Get to the End of the Way.” The poet looks forward to the end of her journey through…
It is set to be a quiet Christmas in the Challies home. Like so many other families, we had plans for today that have been interrupted by illness. And so we will spend the day—and, I’m sure, enjoy the day—with just the four of us. And as we begin, this prayer is on my lips:…
One of Charles Spurgeon’s more interesting projects was to write a volume of illustrations, all of which were borrowed from the writings of Thomas Manton. Essentially, he would quote a short illustration from Manton, then expand it into a kind of devotional. The result was called Flowers from a Puritan’s Garden. Here is one of…
There may be no language as quirky and irregular as English, nor any language whose words can have such varied meanings and whose letters can be pronounced in such a multitude of ways. That’s the premise behind this old poem I stumbled upon in an old anthology. It is titled, rather unimaginatively, “The English Language.”…
I have often expressed my fascination with nineteenth century religious poetry. In a time when there were few means through which strangers could engage with one another, poetry periodicals would often print a poem in one issue, then responses or rebuttals in future editions. I found just such a situation with a poem titled “A…
There are times in the Christian life when we realize a distance has grown up between ourselves and God. There may be different sources and causes and it is wise for us to examine ourselves to attempt to determine why. F.B. Meyer once wanted to offer counsel to those who had searched their hearts and…
F.B. Meyer used to tell a story that, while it sounds perhaps just a little far-fetched, makes a great point. He would use it when appealing to unbelievers to repent of their sin and believe the gospel—he would use it to encourage them not to delay until they were sure they possessed a great measure…