a journal about life in the shadow of the cross of Christ…
Feast for the Soul - a journal about life in the shadow of the cross of Christ

Category — Ryle

Thank God For Feeling Your Sinfulness

He that has any feeling of his own sinfulness, ought to thank God for it. That very sense of weakness, wickedness, and corruption, which perhaps makes you uncomfortable, is in reality a token for good, and a cause for praise. The first step towards being really good, is to feel bad. The preparation for heaven, is to know that we deserve hell. Before we can be counted righteous we must know ourselves to be miserable sinners. Before we can have inward happiness and peace with God, we must learn to be ashamed and confounded because of our manifold transgressions. Before we can rejoice in a well-grounded hope, we must be taught to say, ”Unclean, unclean! God, be merciful to me a sinner!”

—J.C. Ryle
Old Paths

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

February 28, 2010   Comments Off

Waiting for Christ’s Return

The true Scriptural source of consolation, in the face of all that troubles us, is to keep steadily before our eyes the second coming of Christ.

We must grasp and realize the blessed fact that the rightful King of the world is returning soon, and shall have His own again; that He shall put down that old usurper, the devil, and take away the curse from off the earth.

Let us cultivate the habit of daily looking forward to the resurrection of the dead, the gathering together of the saints, the restitution of all things, the banishment of sorrow and sin, and the re-establishment of a new kingdom, of which the rule shall be righteousness.

—J.C. Ryle
Looking Unto Jesus

Via: Of First Importance

February 26, 2010   Comments Off

Unsanctified Head-Knowledge

Let us pray that we may be delivered from a cold, speculative, unsanctified head-knowledge of Christianity. It is a rock on which thousands make shipwreck to all eternity. No heart becomes so hard as that on which the light shines, but finds no admission. To be an ignorant heathen, and bow down to idols and stones, is bad enough. But to be called a Christian, and know the theory of the Gospel, and yet cleave to sin and the world with the heart, is to be a candidate for the worst and lowest place in hell. It is to be as like as possible to the devil.

—J.C. Ryle
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke – Volume 2

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

February 15, 2010   Comments Off

The Sovereign Hand of God

Another great post from Eric at the J.C. Ryle Quotes website. I count myself so fortunate to be living in this digital information age.

Just as the telescope and microscope show us that there is order and design in all the works of God’s hand, from the greatest planet down to the least insect, so does the Bible teach us that there is wisdom, order and design in all the events of our daily life. There is no such thing as ‘chance’, ‘luck’, or ‘accident’ in the Christian journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by God: and all things are ‘working together’ for the believer’s good (Romans 8:28).

—J.C. Ryle
Day by Day with J.C. Ryle

If you have not visited this site you have deprived yourself of the wisdom and insight of this brilliant and faithful pastor. For more information about J.C. Ryle see this page at J.C. Ryle Quotes.

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

January 29, 2010   Comments Off

The Behavior of a Soldier

Great post today from the J.C. Ryle Quotes website:

The true Christian is called to be a soldier, and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death. He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence and security. He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage. If he takes his standard of Christianity from the children of the world, he may be content with such notions; but he will find no countenance from them in the Word of God. If the Bible is the rule of his faith and practice, he will find his course laid down very plainly in this matter. He must fight.

—J.C. Ryle
Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

January 12, 2010   Comments Off

Jellyfish Christianity

One plague of our age is the widespread dislike to what men are pleased to call dogmatic theology. In the place of it, the idol of the day is a kind of jellyfish Christianity – a Christianity without bone, or muscle, or sinew, – without any distinct teaching about the atonement or the work of the Spirit, or justification, or the way of peace with God – a vague, foggy, misty Christianity, of which the only watchwords seem to be, ‘You must be..liberal and kind. You must condemn no man’s doctrinal views. You must consider everybody is right and nobody is wrong.’

—J.C. Ryle
The Upper Room

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

November 30, 2009   Comments Off

Reading the Bible Diligently

Let us arm ourselves with a thorough knowledge of the Word of God. Let us read our Bibles more diligently than ever, and become familiar with every part of them. Let the Word dwell in us richly. Let us beware of anything which would make us give less time and less heart to the perusal of its sacred pages. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit – let it never be laid aside. The Bible is the true lantern for a dark and cloudy time – let us beware of traveling without its light.

—J.C. Ryle
Warnings to the Churches

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

November 24, 2009   Comments Off

The Mighty Cost of Our Freedom

The freedom of Christ’s people has been procured, like all other freedom, at a mighty cost and by a mighty sacrifice. Great was the bondage in which they were naturally held, and great was the price necessary to be paid to set them free. Mighty was the enemy who claimed them as his captives, and it needed mighty power to release them out of his hands.

But, blessed be God, there was grace enough, and power enough ready in Jesus Christ. He provided to the uttermost everything that was required to set His people free. The price that Christ paid for His people was nothing less than His own life-blood.

—J.C. Ryle
Practical Religion

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

November 20, 2009   Comments Off

The Courage to Confess Christ

Let us all pray daily for faith and courage to confess Christ before all men. Of sin, or worldliness, or unbelief, we may well be ashamed. We ought never to be ashamed of Him who died for us on the cross. In spite of laughter, mockery, and hard words, let us boldly avow that we serve Christ. Better a thousand times confess Christ now, and be despised by man, than be disowned by Christ before His Father in the day of judgment.

—J.C. Ryle
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

November 18, 2009   Comments Off

Your Private World Exposed

Men entertain thoughts in private, and say words in private, and do acts in private, which they would be ashamed and blush to have exposed before the world. There is an all-seeing Witness with us wherever we go. Lock the door, draw down the blind, shut the shutters, put out the candle; it matters not, it makes no difference; God is everywhere, you cannot shut Him out or prevent His seeing.

—J.C. Ryle
Thoughts For Young Men

Via: J.C. Ryle Quotes

November 17, 2009   Comments Off