Wrestle for Their Souls

“Son, we taught you God’s Word; we wrestled for your soul; we lived a God-fearing example before you. You didn’t see in us a sinless piety but an unfeigned faith. You know we sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Your conscience will bear witness that Christ is the center of this home. We sang together, prayed together, and talked together. If you turn away from this light and these privileges, and insist on going your own way, we can only pray that all your Bible study, praying, and singing will not rise up against you in the Judgment Day—and that you will come to your senses before it is too late.” ~ Matthew Henry

For Evil to Triumph...

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ~ Edmund Burke

Life's Greatest Certainty ~ Death

"If life’s greatest certainty is death, wouldn’t it be foolish not to prepare for what lies beyond this life? Any life that leaves us unprepared for death is a wasted life." ~ Randy Alcorn (from Money, Possessions and Eternity)

“O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!” (Psalm 39:4).

What Do You Want?

"Most people, if they had really learned to look into their own hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise. …There was something we grasped at, in that first moment of longing, which just fades away in the reality." ~ C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Looking for a Good Man

"Women, unless and until you have found a man who is spiritually mature enough to disciple you and your kids, you haven’t found a man who is qualified to be your husband." ~ Voddie Baucham

Count the Cost

‎"It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that NEVER be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to HEAR Christ’s voice, FOLLOW Christ, BELIEVE in Christ, and CONFESS Christ, requires MUCH self-denial. It will cost us our sins, our self-righteousness, our ease, and our worldliness." ~ J.C. Ryle

Insecurity Problems?

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel. ~ S. Furtick

Training Children

"Some fathers exasperate their children by being overly strict and controlling. They need to remember that rearing children is like holding a wet bar of soap – too firm a grasp and it shoots from your hand, too loose a grip and it slides away. A gentle but firm hold keeps you in control." ~ Kent Hughes

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. ~ Ephesians 6:4 (NIV 1984)

Worship In Spirit and In Truth

"Worship that is not based on God's Word is but an emotional encounter with oneself" ~ Lutzer.

Mock Jesus?

From Adam Hamilton's Book ~ 24 Hours that Changed the World:

I asked a friend, "Have you ever mocked Jesus by your words or actions?" and he replied, "When do I not mock him? I feel like most of my life I struggle with mocking Jesus, with saying one thing about him when I'm in church but then often mocking him with my thoughts and actions the rest of the week. I don't live as though he is my King." ~ Adam Hamilton

Power of Sacrificial Love

"...the power of sacrificial love, and that is exactly what the cross of Christ is meant to inspire us to do. We are to look at the cross of Jesus and say, "I have to strive to live in such a way as to be worthy of that sacrifice." We are meant to be changed b y the Atonement and in turn to practice sacrificial love toward others. As each new follower of Jesus practices such love, the world will be changed and humanity transformed." ~ Adam Hamilton (from his book "24 Hours that Changed the World")

Imperfect Repentance

"Father, accept my imperfect repentance, have compassion on my infirmities, forgive my faults, purify my uncleanness, strengthen my weakness, fix my unstableness, and let your good Spirit watch over me forever, and your love ever rule in my heart, through the merits and sufferings and love of your Son, in whom you are always well pleased. Amen."

~ John Wesley, as quoted in Ashes to Fire, Year B

Happiest Children in the World

"The happiest and holiest children in the world are the children whose fathers succeed in winning both their tender affection and their reverential and loving fear. And they are the children who will come to understand most easily the mystery of the fatherhood of God." ~ John Piper

Start...

No matter what the ruin of any life may be there is always a place to start. There is a place where you must begin. You need to apologize to someone. You need to go to somebody and straighten something out. You need to stop some practice that is wrong. You need to open yourself up to counsel. You need to seek advice. You need to get some guidance. There is always a first step. That is where you must begin. And whatever you pray, pray that God will give you the grace, the strength and the determination to take that step. Then, the process of recovery has begun. ~ Ray C. Stedman