Do we really desire these things?

“In every disastrous event, God declares his wisdom, his holiness, his power and his greatness (Mic 6:9). We say we are bound for heaven, immortality, and glory. But do we really desire these things if our thoughts are wholly taken up with the trifles of this world, with only occasional thoughts of heaven? (Matt 6:31, 33-45). All our worldly worries mainly revolve around three things: food, drink, and clothes. About these things Christ forbids us to take thought. He does not forbid us ever to think about these things, but that we should not allow our minds to be wholly taken up with them. Worry and anxiety about these things shows lack of faith in our heavenly Father's care and in the providence of God...”

John Owen
from Spiritual Mindedness

Do you long for happiness?

1. The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.

2. We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.

3. The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God.

4. The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it expands to meet the needs of others in the manifold ways of love.

5. To the extent we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure, we fail to honor God and love people. Or, to put it positively: the pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue.

John Piper
Excerpted from the Desiring God Seminar, Part 1.

Be on Scripture’s Side

“Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation.”

William Symington

Adjusting the Age

“We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Stop making mud pies

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

C. S. Lewis

Sending our children to Caesar

"If we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education, we need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans."

Voddie Baucham

Growing in Holiness

"When Jesus would cause holiness to grow, he places us in situations where humility may expand."

George Burrowes
from A Commentary on the Song of Solomon