John Wesley

“May we not endeavor, Secondly, to instruct them? to take care that every person who is under our roof have all such knowledge as is necessary to salvation?…and you should take care that they have some time every day for reading, meditation, and prayer; and you should inquire whether they do actually employ that time in the exercises for which it is allowed. Neither should any day pass without family prayer, seriously and solemnly performed.”

Sermon 94, On Family Religion Volume 7

If you feel bold, you can read all of Wesley’s sermon, “On Family Religion,” by clicking here.

John Wesley’s Journal

 We had a triumphant hour when the Society met. Several captives were set at liberty: one of these was Mr. Joseph Ch–. He had been an eminent man many years for cursing, swearing, drinking, and all kinds of fashionable wickedness. On Monday last he had rode fifteen miles to Tyrrels' Pass, and came thither before five in the morning. He was immediately convinced [i.e., convicted], and followed me in from the preaching. I was then examining a Class. The words cut him to the heart. He came after me to Athlone… having his eyes continually filled with tears, and being scarce able either to eat, drink, or sleep. But God now wiped away the tears from his eyes; and he returned to his house, to declare what things God had wrought.

George Whitefield

Joined with those at night, who set apart this day as a day of fasting and humiliation, to deprecate the judgments our national sins deserve. Lord, hear our prayers, and let our cry come unto Thee.

Happy the man who serves God in his health, and has nothing to do when sickness seizes him, but quietly to lie down and die.

by J.C. Ryle
 
The plain truth is that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity.

 If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of his soul’s disease, you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies.

I say furthermore, that “a sin,” to speak more particularly, consists of doing, saying, thinking, or imagining, anything that is not in perfect conformity with the mind and law of God.

by K.P. Yohannan
 
Each and every day, our walk with the Lord and our commitment to him must be fresh and new.

It is of utmost importance that the people who are called to fulfill God’s plan and purpose remain close to him and do not blindly rely on the past.

 How is it possible for us to regain or maintain this fresh walk with the Lord…? I believe the answer starts with a conscious decision to daily “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord (James 4:10) and begin or continue to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God (Col. 3:1). And this is possible only if we are willing to repent or forsake all that causes our heart to wander away from the Lord…

from Oswald Chambers

The answer to the question “How can a man be born when he is old?” is – When he is old enough to die – die right out of his “rag rights,” to his virtues, to his religion, to everything, and to receive into himself the life which never was there before. The new life manifests itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness.

Is my knowledge of Jesus born of internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned by listening to others?

by Oswald Chambers

 We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, it may be so in the initial stages; but we do not earn anything by faith, faith brings us into right relationship with God and gives God his opportunity.

 God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of sentimental enjoyment of his blessings.

 Your earlier life of faith was narrow and intense, settled around a little sun-spot of experience that as much of sense as of faith in it, full of light and sweetness; then God withdrew his conscious blessings in order to teach you to walk by faith. You are worth far more to him now than you were in your days of conscious delight and thrilling testimony.

 …Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts him – I will remain true to God’s character whatever he may do. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15) - this is the most sublime utterance of faith in the whole of the Bible.

by Thomas a Kempis

Every man naturally wants to know, but what is the good of knowledge without the fear of God? …He who knows himself well becomes cheap in his own eyes, and takes no pleasure in the praises of men.

 And foolish indeed is he who gives his attention to other things than those which make for his salvation.

 The greater and better your knowledge, so much the more severely will you be judged, unless you have lived a more holy life.

 This is the highest knowledge and the most useful lesson – to have true understanding and small opinion of oneself. To hold no high opinion of oneself, and always to judge well and highly of others, is great wisdom and high perfection.

from John Wesley

The [new] Society [in Portarlington] now contained above one hundred members, full of zeal and good desires; and in one week the face of the whole town is changed: open wickedness is not seen; the fear of God is on every side; and rich and poor ask, “What must I do to be saved?” How long (I thought with myself) will this continue? In most only till the fowls of the air come, and devour the good seed. Many of the rest, when  persecution or reproach begins, will immediately be offended. And in the small  remainder, some will fall off, either through other desires, or the cares of the world, or the deceitfulness of riches.

A.W. Tozer

As for myself, I have learned to talk back to [the devil] on this score.

 I say, “Yes, Devil, sin is terrible – but I remind you that I got it from you! And I remind you, Devil, that everything good – forgiveness and cleansing and blessing – everything that is good I have freely received from Jesus Christ!”

 Brethren, we have been declared “Not guilty!” by the highest court in all the universe. It is good to know that on the basis of grace as taught in the Word of God, when God forgives a man, he trusts him as though he had never sinned.