Wisdom of the Ages
“Better to confess Christ 1000 times now and be despised by men, than be disowned by Christ before God on the day of Judgment.”
– J.C. Ryle
Author: wordsofithiel
Wisdom of the Ages
Albert Barnes
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ,
not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for his sake”
Philippians 1:29
“For unto you it is given … to believe on him”
“It is represented here as a privilege to be permitted to believe on Christ.
(1) It is an honor to a man to believe one who ought to be believed, to trust one who ought to be trusted, to love one who ought to be loved.
(2) It is a privilege to believe on Christ, because it is by such faith that our sins are forgiven; that we become reconciled to God, and have the hope of heaven“
“But also to suffer for his sake”
“Here it is represented as a privilege to suffer in the cause of the Redeemer – a declaration which may sound strange to the world. Yet this sentiment frequently occurs in the New Testament. Thus, it is said of the apostles Act 5:41, that “they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” Col 1:24. “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you” 1Pe 4:13. “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings” compare Jas 1:2; Mar 10:30; see the notes at Act 5:41. It is a privilege thus to suffer in the cause of Christ”
– Albert Barnes
Wisdom of the Ages – Charles Spurgeon
We are never in a right state of mind when we are contented with ourselves, and are free from longings.
Wisdom of the Ages
“For he satisfieth the longing soul,
and filleth the hungry soul with goodness”
Psalm 107:9
“It is well to have longing, and the more intense they are the better. The Lord will satisfy soul-longings, however great and all absorbing they may be. Let us greatly long, for the Lord will greatly give. We are never in a right state of mind when we are contented with ourselves, and are free from longings. Desires for more grace and groanings which cannot be uttered, are growing pains, and we should wish to feel them more and more. Blessed Spirit make us sigh and cry after better things and for more of the best things.
Hunger is by no means a pleasant sensation. Yet blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Such persons shall not only have their hunger relieved with a little food, but they shall be filled”
– Charles Spurgeon
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness: for they shall be filled”
Matthew 5:6
Wisdom of the Ages
“Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.”
Andrew Murray
Wisdom of the Ages
Wisdom of the Ages
“… not merely in works, but also in faith, has God preserved the will of man free and under his own control, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you” Matthew 9:29; thus showing that there is a faith specially belonging to man, since he has an opinion specially his own. And again, “All things are possible to him who believes” Mark 9:23; and, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done to you” Matthew 8:13 Now all such expressions demonstrate that man is in his own power with respect to faith. And for this reason, “he who believes in Him has eternal life; while he who believes not the Son has not eternal life, but the wrath of God shall remain upon him” John 3:36
– St. Irenaeus of Lyon
Wisdom of the Ages 