Of First Importance

“We may not hold a doctrine, or seek an experience, except in Christ. Many are willing to seek power in order to perform miracles, draw attention and adoration of the people to themselves, thus robbing Christ of His glory, and making a fair showing in the flesh.

Any work that exalts the Holy Ghost or ‘gifts’ above Jesus will finally end up in fanaticism. Whatever causes us to exalt and love Jesus is well and safe. The reverse will ruin all. The Holy Ghost is a great light, but focused on Jesus always for His revealing.

Where the Holy Ghost is actually in control, Jesus is proclaimed the Head—the Holy Ghost, His executive.”

—Frank Bartleman, quoted by David Wilkerson in “A Christless Pentecost” (Last Days Magazine, nd)

(HT: Cerulean Sanctum)

“None so tender-hearted and sympathising with sick souls as Jesus Christ; he is one that can have compassion, because he has had experience.

If I must come unto the surgeon’s hands with broken bones, give me one whose own bones have been broken, who has felt the anguish in himself.

Christ knows what it is by experience, having felt the anguish of inward troubles, the weight of God’s wrath, and the terrors of a forsaking God, more than any or all the sons of men: this makes him tender over distressed souls.”

- John Flavel, The Method of Grace

“God did not create us to get the cosmic, infinite joy of mutual love and glorification, but to share it. We were to join in the dance. If we center our lives on him, serving him not out of self-interest, but for the sake of who he is, for the sake of his beauty and glory, we will enter the dance and share in the joy and love he lives in. We were designed, then, not just for belief in God in some general way, nor for a vague kind of inspiration or spirituality. We were made to center our lives upon him, to make the purpose and passion of our lives knowing, serving, delighting, and resembling him. This growth in happiness will go on eternally, increasing unimaginably (1 Corinthians 2:7-10).”

- Timothy Keller, The Reason For God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 219.

“Note how often the Scriptures speak of Christ in his glory as ‘the Lamb.’

The multitude which no man can number stand with palms of victory ‘before the Lamb’, and their worship is ascribing ‘salvation to the Lamb.’ They have ‘washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb,’ and rejoice at ‘the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ In that dwelling place ‘the Lamb is its light.’ He who feeds them is ‘the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne,’ and the river of the water of life flows ‘out of the throne of the Lamb.’ The book of citizenship to the New Jerusalem is ‘the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’

Clearly this is meant to carry adoring thoughts of the cross into our every thought of heavenly happiness. The heir of that joy will never forget that great price. It is the chorus of every song of the saints in light. All heaven echoes with praise ‘to him who washed us from our sins in his own blood.’ ”

- Charles McIlvaine, Preaching Christ

“If the beauty of what Jesus did moves you, that is the first step toward getting out of your own self-centeredness and fear into a trust relationship with him. When Jesus died for you he was, as it were, inviting you into the dance. He invites you to begin centering everything in your life on him, even as he has given himself for you.”

- Timothy Keller, The Reason for God (New York, NY: Dutton, 2008), 221.

“When Satan, the grand enemy, had conquered and overthrown man, the business of resisting and conquering him was committed to Christ. He henceforward undertook to manage that subtle powerful adversary. He was then appointed the Captain of the Lord’s hosts, the Captain of their salvation.”

- Johnathan Edwards, Works, vol. 1 (Carlisle, PA.: Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), 537.

“Our power in drawing men to Christ springs chiefly from the fullness of our personal joy in Him, and the nearness of our personal communion with Him. The countenance that reflects most of Christ, and shines most with His love and grace, is most fitted to attract the gaze of a careless, giddy world, and win restless souls from fascinations of creature love and creature-beauty. A ministry of power must be the fruit of a holy, peaceful, loving intimacy with the Lord.”

- Horatius Bonar, Words to Winners of Souls (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 1995), 13.