Redpath

Alan Redpath, at one time the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, said the following:

"When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible man, and he crushes him."

Grumbling

Grumbling is often done by those who have the least reason to murmur. Spurgeon uses the following illustration in this matter:

"A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen. The axle-tree groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen turning around, thus addressed the wheels: 'Halloa, there! Why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labour, and we, not you, ought to cry out!' Those complain first in our churches who have least to do. The gift of grumbling is largely dispensed among those who have no other talents, or who keep what they have wrapped up in a napkin."

McCheyne on the Bible

From Robert Murray McCheyne:

"I shall never forget the story of a little girl in Belfast, in Ireland. She was at a Sabbath School, and gained a Bible as a prize for her good conduct. It became to her a treasure indeed. She was fed out of it. Her parents were wicked. She often read to them, but they became worse and worse. This broke Eliza's heart. She took to her bed and never rose again. She desired to see her teacher. When he came he said, 'You are not without a companion, my dear child,' taking up her Bible. 'No,' she replied --

'Precious Bible! what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford!
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and med'cine, shield and sword.
Let the world account me poor,
Having this I ask no more.'

She had scarcely repeated the lines when she hung back her head and died. Beloved children, this is the way Jesus feeds his flock. He is a tender, constant, Almighty Shepherd. If you become His flock, He will feed you all the way to glory."

Gurnall on God's Promises

William Gurnall made the following statement regarding God as a promise-keeper:

"God's promises are dated, but with a mysterious character; and, for want of skill in God's chronology, we are prone to think God forgets us, when, indeed, we forget ourselves in being so bold as to set God a time of our own, and in being angry that he comes not just then to us."

Never Alone

From my recent commentary on Numbers (Evangelical Press, 2009):

"How often in our lives there are times of ongoing trials -- that is, hardships that never seem to go away! And how often we act as though there is no help, and as though we were left on our own to cope and to live! But we need to understand, as Bowes comments, that 'Amidst all the upheavings of a restless world, and all the errors of a distracted Church, the rock of truth remains steadfast for ever. The notions of men are constantly changing; the founders of systems pass away, but "the foundation of God standeth sure". The truth, the word, the promises, the covenant, of an unchanging God, are as sure as he is faithful.'"

All for Christ

In regard to the Christian devoting his entire life to Christ, John Flavel commented:

"Ah, what a life is the life of a Christian! Christ all for you, and you all for him. Blessed exchange! . . . 'And, Lord,' saith the believer, 'my person is vile, and not worth thy accepting; but such as it is, it is thine; my soul, with all and every faculty; my body, and every member; my gifts, time, and all my talents, are thine."

McCheyne

A story from Robert Murray McCheyne:

"The late Duke of Hamilton had two sons. The eldest fell into consumption, when a boy, which ended in his death. Two ministers went to see him at the family seat, near Glasgow, where he lay. After prayer, the youth took his Bible from under his pillow, and turned up II Timothy 4:7, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness;' and he added, 'This, sirs, is all my comfort!' When his death approached, he called his younger brother to his bed, and spoke to him with great affection, 'And now, Douglas, in a little time you will be Duke, but I shall be a King.'"

Wilberforce

William Wilberforce wrote the following to his brother Alexander:

"I am now most thoroughly of opinion, and it is an opinion founded on experience, that on the system of 'Do this and live', no peace, and even no true and worthy obedience can ever be attained. It is 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.' When this belief enters the heart, joy and confidence enter along with it . . . with a new principle and a new power, we become new creatures."

Spurgeon on Wealth

"Most men think because God hath blessed them with an estate, therefore they are blessed. Alas! God often gives these things in anger. He loads his enemies with gold and silver; as Plutarch reports of Tarpeia, a Vestal nun, who bargained with the enemy to betray the Capitol of Rome to them, in case she might have the golden bracelets on their left hands, which they promised; and being entered into the Capitol, they threw not only their bracelets, but their bucklers too, upon her, through the weight thereof she was pressed to death. God often lets men have the golden bracelets of wordly substance, the weight whereof sinks them into hell. Oh, let us superna anhelare, get our eyes 'fixed' and our hearts 'united' to God the supreme good; this is to pursue blessedness as in a chase."

Halyburton on Communion

From a communion sermon by Thomas Halyburton:

"Poor soul! It may be, thou hast been full of misdoubting thoughts. What! will He who is the high and lofty One, that inhabits eternity, ever let me near Him? Me! sinful me! Come and see O sinner, Him Whom thou longest for, skipping upon this hill, leaping upon this mountain, cheerfully coming over this difficulty; come to His table and see that, though Christ be high, yet He regards the poor and lowly (Ps. 138:6). He stoops indeed, when He receives praises, when He bends His ear to hear thy prayers; but here He is a step lower; He is willing to sit at the same table with you; nay, before you should doubt His kindness, He will step a step lower; He will set you at the table, and He will serve."

John Milne

Within a three year period Rev. John Milne was hit hard with tragedy. First, his first-born child, Jessie Marie, died at the age of eight months. Second, his wife died giving birth to a son named Robert John. The son died the following year. How did he respond? "I was full, and am empty. Yet I love my Lord. He has been unspeakably kind and overwhelmingly gracious. I cannot for a moment think the shadow of a thought that he has dealt hardly with me. Satan has sometimes tried to make me think it . . . but he does not get leave to make me draw any conclusion that can darken the wondrous loving-kindness of the Lord."

Alexander Somerville

In one of his last sermons the 19th century Scots pastor Alexander Somerville said the following:
"No power of king, emperor or czar, of police, or pope or spiritual potentate; not the madness of scepticism or superstition, of atheism or heathenism; not all the resources of the prince of the power of the air, are able to hold the ground before the Lord Jesus, acting through the sympathy, faith and prayers of His people. For my part, were I not now nearing the close of my life, I should go forward with more confidence than ever, today, in Christ's unrestricted promise, if ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible for you.