Favorite Pastor Quotes 3

Favorite Pastor Quotes 3

To Him, they must be playthings and toys! 

(Thomas Spurgeon, "Spiritual Worship")

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24

What does this phrase mean? 

I have not time to analyze it closely. Suffice it to say, that the sentence stands as the antithesis of all external religious rituals. It stands opposed to Ceremonialism, Symbolism, Ritualism, and Materialism. "God is Spirit!"

Do not dream of offering Him anything that does not accord with His nature and with His essence. 

If He were a material deity--then I might bring Him fruits, and flowers, and music, and so forth.

If He were a God of religious ritual--then I might deck myself with crosses, burn candles to Him, and waft incense in His honor. 

But our God is a Spirit who rejoices more in the falling tear, the upheaved sigh, the heart prayer, and the heart praise, which "the common people" render unto Him--than in all the decorations and symphonies and temples of a man-made ritual. 

What does the Spirit care for . . .
  your stained-glass windows,
  your snow-white altars,
  your glittering gold ornaments,
  and all your religious decorations?

To Him, they must be playthings and toys! If He takes any notice of them at all--it must be to laugh at them, and to hold them in derision!
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BIBLE MEDITATION: “Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Thy name: for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name.” Daniel 9:17-19 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: Daniel is saying, “O God, please forgive us.  Remove the guilt.”  He’s also praying for the restoration of glory.  Notice “for the Lord’s sake.” Do you know what so many of us are praying for?  For America’s sake.  That won’t get it done. Or for our denomination’s sake, our church’s sake, or even our family’s sake.  But Daniel is praying for not only the removal of guilt but the restoration of glory (v. 18).    When we get concerned for the glory of God, then we’re going to see our prayers answered. So many times we’re just simply trying to get out of difficulty. Do you pray for the glory of God? Do you know what most of us want?  We want revival so we can return to our own ways, once God gets us out of the difficulty we’re in. Do you have a burning, yearning in your heart for the glory of God?  Do you want to see God’s glory spread over this land?  I want to see God do something again that cannot be explained by the pundits on television and the news anchors. ACTION POINT: When we get concerned for the glory of God, then we’re going to see our prayers answered. ~Adrian Rogers~ __________________________________ The highest grace that can adorn the Christian character! (J.C. Ryle) "And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of his servant." Luke 1:46-56 Let us mark Mary's deep humility in this hymn of praise. She who was chosen of God to the high honor of being Messiah's mother--speaks of her own "humble estate," and acknowledges her need of a "Savior." She uses the language of one who has been taught by the grace of God to feel her own sins, and need a Savior for her own soul.  Let us copy this holy humility of our Lord's mother. Like her, let us be lowly in our own eyes, and think little of ourselves. Humility is the highest grace that can adorn the Christian character. It is a true saying of an old divine, "A man has just so much Christianity--as he has humility." This is the grace which is most suitable to sinful human nature.  Above all, humility is the grace which is within the reach of every converted person! All are not rich. All are not learned. All are not highly gifted. All are not preachers. But all children of God may be clothed with humility! ____________________________________ When it lays its head on the pillow of God's omnipotence! (J.C. Ryle) "With God nothing shall be impossible!" Luke 1:37 Let us mark the mighty principle which the angel Gabriel lays down to silence all objections about the incarnation: "With God nothing shall be impossible." A hearty reception of this great principle is of immense importance to our own inward peace. Questions and doubts will often arise in men's minds about many subjects in religion. They are the natural result of our fallen estate of soul. Our faith at the best is very feeble. Our knowledge at its highest is clouded with much infirmity. And among many antidotes to a doubting, anxious, questioning state of mind, few will be found more useful than that before us now--a thorough conviction of God's omnipotence. With Him who called the world into being and formed it out of nothing--everything is possible. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. There is no sin too black and bad to be pardoned. The blood of Christ cleanses from all sin.  There is no heart too hard and wicked to be changed. The heart of stone can be made a heart of flesh.  There is no work too hard for a believer to do. We may do all things through Christ strengthening us.  There is no trial too hard to be borne. The grace of God is sufficient for us. There is no promise too great to be fulfilled. Christ's words never pass away--and what He has promised, He is able to perform.  There is no difficulty too great for a believer to overcome. When God is for us--then who shall can against us? The mountain shall become a plain!  Let principles like these be continually before our minds. The angel's maxim is an invaluable remedy. Faith never rests so calmly and peacefully--as when it lays its head on the pillow of God's omnipotence! __________________________________________ We are but learning Job's lesson! (Francis Bourdillon, "The Self-abhorrence of Job") "Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4 At the close of his long trial Job said, "I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear--but now my eye sees You! Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6-7  What did he mean? Probably, that while he had long known God, as having heard of Him, and in a measure believed in and served Him--yet . . .   now he knew Him far more deeply and closely,   now he had experienced God's personal dealings,   now he had had great searchings of heart,   now he had learned far more of God than ever he knew before. How many can say the same! How many can think of some time of sore affliction--and see that at that season and by that means, they learned to know God in a way they had never known Him before--more closely, more deeply, more lovingly. Yes, more lovingly. For this is what God is leading His children to by all His dealings--to know His love to them more, and to love Him more in return.  How many inward comforts does He send in the time of trial!  What deep searchings of heart go on in the silence of a sick-room!  How many earnest prayers are sent up thence!  What sweet thoughts of Christ are given--what a sense of pardon, what peace, what love, what a manifestation of Christ to the soul! These are the gifts of God--the work of His Spirit the Comforter--the blessings of sanctified affliction! Shall we repine when God's chastening hand is laid upon us? Ah, no! Rather let us . . .   look well into our own hearts,   and search out the root of self-righteousness,   and humble ourselves before God,   and shelter ourselves more closely under the shadow of His wing.  He is teaching us and blessing us now. And if, under His teaching, we find ourselves distressed by a new and deeper feeling of our sinfulness--yet let us then think that we are but learning Job's lesson; and let us be led to cast ourselves more earnestly and entirely upon the merits of Christ our Savior, that in Him we may find rest to our souls.