When we preach and think nothing of it, the people think nothing of it, and God does nothing by it. Spurgeon

Man is obstinate, blind, intent On self-destruction. Passing from deception to deception, From grandeur to grandeur to final illusion, Lost in the wonder of his own greatness, The enemy of society, enemy of himself. T.S. Eliot, The Four Tempters in Murder in the Cathedral, 41-42

The peace of this world is always uncertain, unless men keep the peace of God. T.S. Eliot, Chorus, Murder in the Cathedral, 53.

'One of (Jonathan) Edwards' great achievements as a preacher is his ability to convey to his hearers a sense of God.' That's what thorough exposition tends to do, and it's vital. Carrick, The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards, 27.

'In that He is God, He *will be sovereign, and will act as such.' Jonathan Edwards

At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, 'The Lord will not do good, nor will He do ill.' Zeph 1:12 To believe God is complacent concerning our lives breeds a dreadful complacency in our living.

I have no belief in that ministry which ignores laborious preparation (in sermon-making). Spurgeon

Churches are not to be held together except by an instructive ministry; a mere filling up of time with oratory will not suffice. Spurgeon

'If my idea of God were really mine, I should attach very little importance to it myself and could reasonably expect even less importance to be attributed to it by others.' Machen, Things Unseen, 14.

'I am thankful from the bottom of my heart that from my mother's knees I have known to whom all glory is due.' Machen, Things Unseen, 16.

Let your new coat of loyalty be worn Carefully, so it get not soiled or torn. T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral, 61.

There is no doctrine more necessary in order to the integrity of the evangelical system than that future punishment is eternal. Shedd, quoted by Carrick in The Preaching of Jonathan Edwards, 55.

The church always looks like the church in the New Testament when she is in the midst of revival. Lloyd-Jones, The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors, 12.

Correct doctrine can leave the church dead; you can have dead orthodoxy, you can have a church that is perfectly orthodox but perfectly useless. Lloyd-Jones on the necessity of an outpouring of the Spirit's power in order to a living, reviving church. MLJ, Puritans, 13-14.

Asked my son how I could pray for him the other day. His answer, that he'd have 'profound and prodigious longings for Jesus.' Amen. I can and will pray that for you, I said.

When a young Spurgeon sought out church membership for the first time, we're told the existing members didn't think much of the applicant. (Spurgeon the Pastor, Chang, 100) Lessons abound.

Theologically apathetic gospel ecumenism seems to undermine the very gospel it purports to centralize, insofar as it practically nullifies biblical ministry, healthy ecclesiology, doctrinal unity, whole-canon exposition, & the depth of discipleship vital to a Gospel-worthy life.

The Lord is the very best artist.

When that baby’s credo but they come at you w/ that sprinkle.

"When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety." (A.W. Tozer)