The following is taken from Thomas Watson’s book “The Beatitudes.” I was so moved by this quote this morning that I decided to share it in the hopes that it will touch your heart.
View sin in the red glass of Christ’s sufferings.The least sin cost His blood. Would you take a true view of sin? Go to Golgotha! Jesus Christ poured out His soul, as an offering for sin! Read the greatness of your sin–in the deepness of Christ’s wounds! Let not Satan cast such a mist before your eyes–that you cannot see sin in its right colors! Remember, not only do great sins carry men to hell—but lesser sins as well. “The wages of sin is death!” Every sin is damnable. There is death and hell in every sin. The least sin without repentance–will be a lock and bolt to shut men out of heaven.
December 13 2007 | Blog | No Comments »
Time management seems to be one of the most challenging things that I deal with and I’m sure that it’s the same for many of you. The following quote touches on our use of time and is taken from Thomas Watson’s The Godly Man’sPicture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil.
“How you spend your time, is a matter of great importance. Many people fool away their time–some in idle visits, others in recreations and pleasures which secretly bewitch the heart, and take it away from holy things. What are our golden hours for–but to attend to our souls? Time misspent is not time lived–but time lost!”
“The serious thoughts of our short stay here in this world,would be a great means of promoting godliness. Whoever considers how flitting and winged his life is–will hasten his repentance.”
September 01 2007 | Blog | No Comments »
The following quote is taken from Thomas Watson’s, “The Godly Man’s Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil.” I’m posting it here because I know that ongoing thankfulness is a struggle for many of us, especially myself and I pray that these words will spur you on in your pursuit of thankfulness.
“If you wish to be thankful, get a heart deeply humbled with the sense of your own vileness. A broken heart is the best pipe to sound forth God’s praise. He who studies his sins, wonders that he has anything, and that God should shine on such a dunghill: “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man–but I was shown mercy!” (1 Timothy 1:13). How thankful Paul was! How he trumpeted forth free grace! A proud man will never be thankful. He looks on all his mercies as either of his own procuring or deserving. If he has an estate, this he got by his wits and industry; not considering that scripture, “Always remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you power to become rich” (Dt. 8:18). Pride stops the current of gratitude. O Christian, think of your unworthiness; see yourself as the least of saints, and the chief of sinners–and then you will be thankful.”
August 27 2007 | Blog | 1 Comment »
The following quote is taken from Thomas Watson’s “A Christian on Earth, Still in Heaven.” I’m posting it here because it was a tremendous blessing to me this afternoon, I trust that it will be the same for you.
“Let all the golden streams of worldly delights run into the heart of a man–yet the heart is not full. Strain out the quintessence of the creature–it turns to froth, “Vanity of vanities!” But in God is sweet satisfaction and contentment. He is a hive of sweetness, a mirror of beauty, a storehouse of riches! He is the river of pleasure, where the soul bathes with infinite delight!”
“The bird, the higher it takes its flight, the sweeter it sings. Just so, the higher the soul is raised above the world–the sweeter joy it has. How is the heart inflamed in prayer! How is it ravished in holy meditation! These joys are those honey-streams which flow out of the rock, Christ! He has those tastes of God’s love–which are the beginnings of heaven. So sweet is this kind of life, that it can drop sweetness into our troubles and afflictions–that we shall be scarcely sensible of them. It can turn the prison into a paradise; the furnace into a festival; it can sweeten death. A soul elevated by grace, can rejoice to think of dying. Death will but cut the string, and the soul, that bird of paradise, shall fly away and be at rest. Happiness is but the cream of holiness!”
August 17 2007 | Blog | No Comments »
In the book, “The Valley of Vision” the following is recorded as a morning prayer of the puritans.
Compassionate Lord,
Thy mercies have brought me to the dawn of another day,
Vain will be its gift unless I grow in grace, increase in knowledge, ripen for spiritual harvest.
Let me this day know thee as thou art, love thee supremely, serve thee wholly, admire thee fully.
Through grace let my will respond to thee,
Knowing that power to obey is not in me, but that thy free love alone enables me to serve thee.
Here then is my empty heart, overflow it with thy choicest gifts;
Here is my blind understanding, chase away its mists of ignorance.
O ever watchful Shepherd, lead, guide, tend me this day;
August 09 2007 | Blog | No Comments »
The following is taken from Thomas Watson’s book “The Beatitudes.” I was so moved by this quote this morning that I decided to share it in the hopes that it will touch your heart.