Suggestions for Humility: Weakening Pride to Cultivate Humility

Always
1. Reflect on the wonder of the cross of Christ.

As Each Day Begins
1. Acknowledge your dependence upon God and your need for God
2. Express your gratefulness to God
3. Practice the spiritual disciplines - prayer, study God's Word, sing praises. Give him worship. Do this consistently each day and at the day's outset if possible
4. Seize your commute time to memorize and meditate on Scripture
5. Cast your cares upon him, for he cares for you
6. Reflect on the forgiveness of God's mercy to you an unworthy sinner

As Each Day Ends
1. Transfer the glory and praise to God for the occurrences of the day
2. Before going to sleep, receive this gift of sleep from God and acknowledge his purpose for sleep

For Special Focus
1. Study the attributes of God
2. Study the doctrines of grace
3. Study the doctrine of sin
4. Laugh often, and laugh often at yourself
5. Go for a walk

Throughout Your Days and Weeks 
1. Identify evidences of grace in others and thank God for them!
2. Encourage and serve others each and every day
3. Invite and pursue correction
4. When trials come respond in humility knowing God is conforming you to Christ through it (Rom 8:28-29).

*This article is taken from Humility: True Greatness by C. J. Mahaney (pp.171-2).

8 Bible Reading Tips by J. C. Ryle

I stumbled across these notable tips the other day on this site. I'm not sure who to hat-tip it to, but thanks to whoever showed me these. Hope they point you towards reading the great gift of God's spoken word.

1. Begin reading your Bible this very day. 

The way to do a thing — is to do it; and the way to read the Bible — is actually to read it! It is not merely meaning, or wishing, or resolving, or intending, or thinking about it — which will advance you one step. You must positively read. There is no royal road in this matter, any more than in the matter of prayer. If you cannot read yourself, you must persuade somebody else to read it to you. But one way or another, through eyes or ears — the words of Scripture must actually pass before your mind.

2. Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it. 

Do not think for a moment, that the great object is to turn over a certain quantity of printed paper, and that it matters nothing whether you understand it or not. Some ignorant people seem to imagine, that all is done if they advance so many chapters every day, though they may not have a notion what they are all about, and only know that they have pushed on their bookmark ahead so many pages. This is turning Bible reading into a mere ritual form. Settle it down in your mind as a general principle, that a Bible not understood — is a Bible that does no good! Say to yourself often as you read, “What is this all about?” Dig for the meaning like a man digging for gold.

3. Read the Bible with child-like faith and humility. 

Open your heart — as you open God’s book, and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening!” Resolve to believe implicitly whatever you find there, however much it may run counter to your own desires and prejudices. Resolve to receive heartily every statement of truth — whether you like it or not. Beware of that miserable habit into which some readers of the Bible fall — they receive some doctrines because they like them; and they reject others because they are condemning to themselves, or to some relation, or friend. At this rate, the Bible is useless! Are we to be judges of what ought to be in God’s Word? Do we know better than God? Settle it down in your mind — that you will receive all and believe all, and that what you cannot understand — you will take on trust. Remember, when you pray — that you are speaking to God, and God hears you. But, remember, when you read Scripture — that God is speaking to you, and you are not to “dictate,” but to listen!

4. Read the Bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application. 

Sit down to the study of it with a daily determination that you will live by its rules, rest on its statements, and act on its commands. Consider, as you travel through every chapter, “How does this affect my thinking and daily conduct? What does this teach me?” It is poor work to read the Bible from mere curiosity, and for speculative purposes — in order to fill your head and store your mind with mere opinions; while you do not allow the book to influence your heart and life. That Bible is read best — which is practiced most!

5. Read the Bible daily. 

Make it a part of every day’s business to read and meditate on some portion of God’s Word. Private means of grace are just as needful every day for our souls — as food and clothing are for our bodies. Yesterday’s food will not feed the laborer today; and today’s food will not feed the laborer tomorrow. Do as the Israelites did in the wilderness. Gather your manna fresh every morning. Choose your own seasons and hours. Do not scramble over and hurry your reading. Give your Bible the best, and not the worst part of your time! But whatever plan you pursue, let it be a rule of your life to visit the throne of grace and God’s Word every day.

6. Read all of the Bible — and read it in an orderly way. 

I fear there are many parts of the Word which some people never read at all. This is to say at the least, a very presumptuous habit. “All Scripture is profitable.” [2 Timothy 3:16]. To this habit may be traced that lack of well-proportioned views of truth, which is so common in this day. Some people’s Bible-reading is a system of perpetual ‘dipping and picking’. They do not seem to have an idea of regularly going through the whole book.

7. Read the Bible fairly and honestly. 

Determine to take everything in its plain, obvious meaning — and regard all forced interpretations with great suspicion. As a general rule, whatever a verse of the Bible seems to mean — it does mean! Cecil’s rule is a very valuable one, “The right way of interpreting Scripture is to take it as we find it, without any attempt to force it into any particular theological system.”

8. Read the Bible with Christ continually in view. 

The grand primary object of all Scripture, is to testify of Jesus! Old Testament ceremonies are shadows of Christ. Old Testament judges are types of Christ. Old Testament prophecies are full of Christ’s sufferings, and of Christ’s glory yet to come. The first coming and the second; the Lord’s humiliation and His glorious kingdom; His cross and the crown shine forth everywhere in the Bible. Keep fast hold on this clue, if you would read the Bible aright!

I might easily add to these hints, if space permitted. Few and short as they are — you will find them most profitable when implemented.

Richard Baxter on the Responsibility of Christian Conversation

Be sure to do most where you have most authority and obligation. He that will neglect and slight his family, relations, children, and servants, who are under him, and always with him, and yet be zealous for the conversion of strangers, doth reveal much hypocrisy, and showeth, that it is something else than the love of souls, or sense of duty, which carrieth him on.

View the rest of "Motives to Christian Conference and Exhortation".

Forgiveness: What It Ain't and What It Is

Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted,

forgiving one another

as God in Christ 

forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:32

Contrary to the Myths:
1 - Forgiving is not forgetting.
2 - Forgiving does not mean you no longer feel the pain of their offense.

3 - Forgiving does not mean you cease longing for justice.

4 - Forgiving does not mean you make it easy for the offender to hurt you again. 

5 - Forgiving an offense happens once but may occur more than once. 

Truth:

1 - Forgiveness was granted to us by God, when Christ forgave us by absorbing in himself the destructive and painful consequences of our sin against him. In forgiving others to some degree there is going to be consequences that you have to absorb.

2 - Forgiveness cancels the debt we owe God, when it is forgiven in Christ. We no longer have to pay for our sins, we are accountable but no longer liable. When you forgive you don't bring it back up to increase guilt or shame. Drop the grudge, bitterness, and anger. The love which brought your forgiveness should stay in bloom. 

3 - Forgiveness from God means we resolve to revoke our revenge. That inclination to revenge you cast it off and act out of love. You won't use your past suffering to justify your present sin. 

4 - Forgiveness from God means we determine to do good to others
rather than evil.

5 - Forgiveness from God in Christ has reconciled us back to God. He restores the relationship that our sin shattered. We seek to be reconciled with others and so emulate God's forgiveness.


*This is taken from a larger article:

Click here for the full article posted By Sam Storms.

Am I A Christian?

I've been wondering how often we examine and evaluate our own faith in God. It's very easy within the church or in Christian communities to look like a Christian. God provides us with what we need to be sure of in our faith in the Bible, this is where he tells us what a follower of Jesus Christ is. These three evaluation lists should help us professing Christians evaluate ourselves.

1 - Evidences That Neither Prove Nor Disprove Our Faith 
A. Visible Morality (Matthew 19:16-21; 23:27)
B. Intellectual Knowledge (Romans 1:21; 2:17-28)
C. Religious Involvement (Matthew 25:1-13)
D. Active Ministry (Matthew 7:21-24)
E. Conviction of Sin (Acts 24:25)
F. Assurance that you'll be Saved (Matthew 23)
G. Time of Decision to Follow Christ (Luke 8:13-14)

2 - Evidences (Fruit/Proof) of True Christianity 
A. Love For God (Ps 42:1-; 73:25; Luke 10;27; cf.Rom 8:7)
B. Repentance from Sin (Ps 32:5; Prov 28:13; Rom 7:14; 2 Cor 7:10-12; 1 John 1:8-10)
C. Genuine Humility (Ps 51:17; Matt 5:1-12; James 4:6-10)
D. Devotion to God's Glory (Ps 105:3; 115:1; Isaiah 48:9-11; Jer 9:23-24; 1 Cor 10:31)
E. Selfless Love (1 John 3:14; 4:7-21)
F. Separation from the World (1 John 2:15-17;1 Cor 2:12; James 4:4-6)
G. Continual Prayer (Luke 18:1; Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6-7; 1 Tim 2:1-5; James 5:16-18)
H. Spiritual Growth (John 15:1-6; Eph 4:12-16; Luke 8:15; Rom 8:28-29)
I. Obedient Living (Matt 7:21; John 15:14; 1 Peter 1:2,22-23; 1 John 2:3-6; Rom 16:25-27)
J. Hunger for God's Word (1 Peter 2:1-8)
K. Transformation of Life (2 Cor 5:16-21)

If List 1 is true of a person and List 2 is false, 

there is cause to question the truth of their profession of faith. 

If List 2 is true then List 1 will be true as well. 

The gospel should lead us to put into action List 3. 

3 - Conduct of the Gospel 

A. Proclaim it (Matt 28:18-20)
B. Share it (Phil 1:3-5; 1 Peter 3:14-17)
C. Defend it (Jude 3-4)
D. Demonstrate it (Phil 1:27-30)
E. Suffer for it (2 Tim 1:8-11)
F. Don't hinder it (1 Cor 9:12)
G. Be not ashamed (Rom 1:16)
H. Preach it (1 Cor 9:16)
I. Be empowered (1 Thess 1:5)
J. Guard it (Gal 1:6-8)

Questions to ask:

From these texts, what makes a true Christian?

Am I a true Christian?

What do I need to stop?

What do I need to change?

What needs to be deepened in my life?

What needs to be started in my life?

*This article is adapted from the originally entitled article "Genuine Saving Faith" from the MacArthur Study Bible. 

Stott on Spiritual Development

The greatest single secret of spiritual development lies in personal, humble, believing, obedient response to the Word of God. It is as God speaks to us through his Word that his warnings can bring us to conviction of sin, his promises to assurance of forgiveness, and his commands to amendment of life. We live and grow by his Word.

--From "Confess your Sins" (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1964), p. 82. JRW Stott. 

Are You Looking For A Real Christian Woman?

I usually don't post other people's blog posts, I just recommend them in passing. This however was one of the most blunt and needed posts I have read all year. To any of my unmarried brothers, you need to read this. Take a study break, and let this reality soak in. It's concerning you're prowling for a mate.

Man Enough to Love a Real Woman by Joshua Rogers Cory, one of my happily married friends, was annoyed with some of his single, male buddies. "Joshua, it's so irritating," he said. "I suggest a woman to them, but they say 'she's not attractive enough,' or she's lacking in some other area. And here's the crazy part: In every case — without exception — the woman is way out of their league." I shook my head. "I know. I used to be like those guys, always finding a problem with every woman I dated. I didn't realize I was the one with the problem." And my problem was pride. I measured women against a vague standard of perfection that eliminated each woman almost as soon as I met her. It was a pageant of sorts, where women were scored in a number of categories. And somehow I had gotten it into my head that I was worthy to be their judge. The Perfect Christian Girl I was like a lot of single, Christian guys. I just wanted to follow God's will in finding a wife — that's all — oh yeah, and I also wanted a modest version of the Cosmo girl. And, well, I didn't want her to be too needy. Oh, and she also needed to be smart — really smart — but not, like, so smart that she made me feel stupid. And, of course, she needed to be spiritually mature (you know, like me). And one more thing: I wanted her to have a cool and fun personality (whatever that meant). In other words, I wanted to date the perfect Christian girl — not a real woman. Of course, I knew what a real woman was like. I grew up in a Christian home with lots of real women around, each of them imperfect in one way or another, yet fully feminine. These women had opinions, unshakable faith, curves, feelings, hormonal surges, weight fluctuations, talents, wrinkles and a regular need for affirmation. It didn't bother me: It was part of who they were, and I loved them for it. But when it came to prospective mates, I wasn't so gracious. I figured I deserved to have the best qualities of every woman wrapped into a nice package, waiting at the end of a rainbow. And yet, despite meeting dozens of women in my quest, I could never find that perfect, Christian girl. But that didn't stop me from looking for her — until I discovered that, in fact, I wasn't the perfect Christian guy. Dealing With Reality Just before meeting my lovely bride, a series of unfortunate circumstances and poor decisions collided, bringing out my worst (seriously, trust me, it was ugly). When the train wreck was over, I felt I would be lucky if any Christian woman would take me. Though it may sound like it, I wasn't suffering from low self-esteem. I was finally dealing with reality. Before, I assumed my future wife should have the perfect intellect, teeth, personality, body type, people skills and past. But in the face of my brokenness, it occurred to me: An imperfect guy can't demand something from a woman that he can't give. Learning Humility Around the time of that revelation, I met my wife at a party on Capitol Hill. Unlike before, I didn't think, I'll consider taking that girl out. I thought, I wonder if she would go out with me. I cautiously introduced myself, and as we talked, I found myself focusing on her qualities, rather than mentally trying to ferret out her deficiencies. We eventually began dating, and I continued humbling myself — indeed,enjoying myself — leaving her feeling comfortable, honored and beautiful. As our relationship progressed, I found myself looking up at her, seeing her as a daughter of the King rather than looking down on her as another prospective contestant. Essentially, I was loving her for who she was, leaving behind my job as a self-appointed judge in an impossible-to-win pageant. I pursued her all the way to the altar, and I'm still pursuing her today. Are You Man Enough? To those single guys out there who are trying to find the ideal woman, do the world a favor and give up. You're not the ideal man — not anywhere close. And you would never get married if women held you to the same standard you apply to them. But maybe you insist that you're not going to settle for a woman who's not everything you're hoping for in a wife. Settle? Whatever the circumstances, believe me, she will be the one who settles for you and all your deficits. And until you realize this — through humbling circumstances or otherwise — maybe you should take a break from dating for a while and spend some time asking God to make you man enough to love a real woman. [H/T Challies] Copyright 2011 Joshua Rogers. All rights reserved. This article was published on Boundless.org on August 3, 2011.

Adorning the Gospel

There are many pastors today who, for fear of being branded 'legalists', give their congregation no ethical teaching. How far we have strayed from the apostles! 'Legalism' is the misguided attempt to earn our salvation by obedience to the law. 'Pharisaism' is a preoccupation with the externals and the minutiae of religious duty. To teach the standards of moral conduct which adorn the gospel is neither legalism not pharisaism but plain apostolic Christianity.

-From "I Believe in Preaching" (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1982), p. 158. JRW STOTT

Have a Profitable Study Break With Walter on Dignity

This is just great. Take a study break and listen to this letter on the Christian's dignity here. The story behind these letters is odd yet the content is intriguing. It's all encompassing in applicability. Listen and laugh with a friend or roommate. About 20 minutes you won't regret.

Holiness

Self-control is primarily mind-control. 

What we sow in our minds 

we reap in our actions.

John R. W. Stott

Sowing to the Flesh

To 'sow to the flesh' is to pander to it,

to cosset, cuddle and stroke it, 

instead of crucifying it. 

The seeds we sow are largely thoughts and deeds. 

Every time we allow our mind to 

harbour a grudge, 

nurse a grievance, 

entertain an impure fantasy, 

or wallow in self-pity, 

we are sowing to the flesh. 

Every time we linger in bad company whose 

insidious influence we know we cannot resist, 

every time we lie in bed when we ought to be up and praying, 

every time we read pornographic literature, 

every time we take a risk which strains our self-control, 

we are sowing, sowing, sowing to the flesh. 

Some Christians sow to the flesh every day and 

wonder why they do not reap holiness.

Taken from Authentic Christianity © 1995 John Stott and Timothy Dudley-Smith.

Still Hour or Communion With God by Austin Phelps: A Review

Often does monotony in prayer steal its zeal. Thanklessness bring a joyless heart. Forgetfulness in our access to the Father solely through Jesus' blood bring ingratitude and dishonour. When the wisdom from this 14 chapter prayer purifier is practiced one's low prayer-life can be instead revitalized. The objective look Phelps has in his evaluations throughout each chapter refines the naive and brings illumination; particularly his chapter on idolatry in prayer. Phelps directs his admonitions to Christians with an universal appeal. This past summer I had the pleasure to go back to this favourite of mine; it led me to seek forgiveness in my lacking. No matter where your relationship is with Christ, the pump needs continual priming. Although a percentage of his language in its distinguished caliber can be diverting, his writing is penetrating nonetheless. He helps in pealing off our anti-Christian prayer methods by giving biblical tips and resolutions for approaching the King of Kings.

Phelps, Austin. The Still Hour or Communion With God. Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 1860. 

*Since it's Public Domain you can access the book online here for free. 

Stott on Private Speaking in Tongues

What, then, about the contemporary practice of private tongue-speaking as an aid to personal devotion? Many are claiming to discover through it a new degree of fluency in their approach to God. Others have spoken of a kind of 'psychic release' which they have found liberating and which one would not want to deny them. On the other hand, it needs to be said (from 1 Cor. 14) that if Paul completely forbids public tongue-speaking without interpretation, he strongly discourages private tongue-speaking if the speaker does not understand what he is saying. Verse 13 is often overlooked: 'He who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret'. Otherwise his mind will be 'unfruitful' or unproductive. So what is he to do? Paul asks himself. His reply is that he will pray and sing 'with the Spirit', but he will do so 'with the mind also'. It is clear that he simply cannot contemplate Christian prayer and praise in which the mind is not actively engaged.

--From "Baptism and Fullness" (London: IVP, 1975), p. 113. Rest with Christ JRW Stott.

Prayerful and Prayerless: A Conversation*

Prayerless: I understand that you believe in the providence of God. Is that right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: Does that mean you believe, like the Heidelberg Catechism says, that nothing comes about by chance but only by God's design and plan?

Prayerful: Yes, I believe that's what the Bible teaches.

Prayerless: Then why do you pray?

Prayerful: I don't see the problem. Why shouldn't we pray?

Prayerless: Well, if God ordains and controls everything, then what he plans from of old will come to pass, right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: So it's going to come to pass whether you pray or not, right.

Prayerful: That depends on whether God ordained for it to come to pass in answer to prayer. If God predestined that something happen in answer to prayer, it won't happen without prayer.

Prayerless: Wait a minute, this is confusing. Are you saying that every answer to prayer is predestined or not?

Prayerful: Yes, it is. It's predestined as an answer to prayer.

Prayerless: So if the prayer doesn't happen, the answer doesn't happen?

Prayerful: That's right.

Prayerless: So the event is contingent on our praying for it to happen?

Prayerful: Yes. I take it that by contingent you mean prayer is a real reason that the event happens, and without the prayer the event would not happen.

Prayerless: Yes that's what I mean. But how can an event be contingent on my prayer and still be eternally fixed and predestined by God?

Prayerful: Because your prayer is as fixed as the predestined answer.

Prayerless: Explain.

Prayerful: It's not complicated. God providentially ordains all events. God never ordains an event without a cause. The cause is also an event. Therefore, the cause is also foreordained. So you cannot say that the event will happen if the cause doesn't because God has ordained otherwise. The event will happen if the cause happens.

Prayerless: So what you are saying is that answers to prayer are always ordained as effects of prayer which is one of the causes, and that God predestined the answer only as an effect of the cause.

Prayerful: That's right. And since both the cause and the effect are ordained together you can't say that the effect will happen even if the cause doesn't because God doesn't ordain effects without causes.

Prayerless: Can you give some illustrations?

Prayerful: Sure. If God predestines that I die of a bullet wound, then I will not die if no bullet is fired. If God predestines that I be healed by surgery, then if there is no surgery, I will not be healed. If God predestines heat to fill my home by fire in the furnace, then if there is no fire, there will be no heat. Would you say, "Since God predestines that the sun be bright, it will be bright whether there is fire in the sun or not"?

Prayerless: No.

Prayerful: I agree. Why not?

Prayerless: Because the brightness of the sun comes from the fire.

Prayerful: Right. That's the way I think about the answers to prayer. They are the brightness, and prayer is the fire. God has established the universe so that in larger measure it runs by prayer, the same way he has established brightness so that in larger measure it happens by fire. Doesn't that make sense?

Prayerless: I think it does.

Prayerful: Then let's stop thinking up problems and go with what the Scriptures say. Ask and you will receive. You have not because you ask not.

*Thanks to DesiringGod for posting this on their website about 15 years ago. Really enjoyed it.

February 14, 1996 | by John Piper | Topic: Prayer

Impelled Prayer with God

Let a man define to his own mind an object of prayer, and then let him be moved by desires for that object which impel him to pray, because he cannot otherwise satisfy the irrepressible longings of his soul; let him have such desires as shall lead him to search out and dwell upon, and treasure in his heart, and return to again, and appropriate to himself anew, the encouragements to prayer, till his Bible opens of itself at the right places - and think you that such a man will have occasion to go to his closet, or come from it, with the sickly cry, "Why, oh! why is my intercourse with God so irksome to me?". Such a man must experience, at least, the joy of uttering hopefully emotions which become painful by repression.

Austin Phelps, "The Still Hour: Communion with God", 1859 (Pennsylvania: Banner of Truth Trust, reprint 1974): 38. 

Time Keeps on Slipping into the Future...

This is the first line in Steve Miller's song "Fly Like an Eagle" - it was also in the motion-picture soundtrack for Space-Jam - remember it? If you know me a bit, I definitely stretch the clock. For me it seems time keeps on slipping and that I'm losing against this race with the clock. I'm learning though that we each get the exact same amount of hours every day. I found a helpful article by R. C. Sproul in April on our rez's kitchen table at TBS that spoke some sense into me. I lost the article but with a little web-surfing found it hidden in an article by C. J. Mahaney (who also really enjoyed it).
Here are Sproul's 7 tricks on using the time we are given to glorify God, instead of wasting it:

First, I realize that all of my time is God’s time and all of my time is my
time by His delegation. God owns me and my time. Yet, He has given
me a measure of time over which I am a steward. I can commit that
time to work for other people, visit other people, etc. But it is time for
which I must give an account.

Second, time can be redeemed by concentration and focus. One of the
greatest wastes of time occurs in the human mind. Our hands may be
busy but our minds idle. Likewise, our hands may be idle while our
minds are busy. Woolgathering, day‐dreaming, and indulging in
frivolous fantasy are ways in which thoughts may be wasted in real
time. To focus our minds on the task at hand—with fierce
concentration—makes for productive use of time.

Third, the mind can redeem valuable time taken up by ordinary or
mechanical functions. For example, the mechanics of taking a shower
are not difficult. In this setting the mind is free for problem solving,
creative thinking, or the composition of themes. Many of my
messages and lectures are germinated in the shower. When I used to
play a lot of golf, I found that the time I had between shots was a
great time for composing messages in my mind.

Fourth, use your leisure time for pursuits that are life enriching.
Leisure time is often spent on avocations. Reading is a valuable use of
time. It enriches life to read outside of your major field or area of
expertise. Augustine once advised believers to learn as much as
possible about as many things as possible, since all truth is God’s
truth. Other avocations that are enriching include the arts. I like to
study the piano and I dabble in painting. No one will ever mistake me
for a serious musician or an accomplished artist. But these avocations
open up the world of beauty to me that enhances my view of God
and His manifold perfections. I also enjoy working cross‐word puzzles
to warm up the little gray cells and to expand my vista of verbal
expression.

Fifth, find ways to cheat the “Sand Man.” Several years ago I had an
epiphany about time management. Though my life‐long pattern had
been to stay up late at night I realized that for me, the hours between
9–12 p.m. were not very productive. I reasoned that if I used those
hours to sleep I might secure more time for more productive things.
Since then my habit has been to retire between 8–9 p.m. when
possible and rise at 4 a.m. This has effected a wonderful revolution
for my schedule. The early hours of the day are a time free from
distractions and interruptions, a marvelous time for study, writing,
and prayer…. 

Sixth, use drive‐time for learning. Driving a car is another mechanical
function that allows the mind to be alert to more than what is
happening on the roadway. The benefits of audio tape can be put to
great use during these times. I can listen to lectures and instructional
tapes while driving, thereby redeeming the time.

Finally, in most cases a schedule is more liberating than restricting.
Working with a schedule helps enormously to organize our use of
time. The schedule should be a friend, not an enemy. I find it freeing
in that the schedule can include time for leisure, recreation, and
avocation. It helps us find the rhythm for a God‐glorifying productive
life.

The article “Time Well Spent: Right Now Counts Forever” by Dr. R.C. Sproul and published in Tabletalk magazine (September 1997, pp. 4–7).

Spurgeon On Neglecting the Spiritual Life

From Spurgeon's artillery of illustrations in Barbed Arrows comes this simile on the neglect of spiritual life:

"The other day we read in the newspapers of two persons in America being found dead from "starvation and cold," and we also read that each of these persons was possessed of a considerable sum of money. We say, 'What fools!' Men with sums of money about their persons, or hidden away in their rooms, and yet suffering the ills of want till they actually die of hunger - what madness is this! Are those more sane who injure and dwarf their spiritual life for the sake of intellectual pride, or carnal joy, or the esteem of men? Is not the spirit infinitely more precious than the body? Brethren, if we starve at all, let us starve our bodies, and not our spirits. If anything must be stunted, let it be the baser nature. Let us not live eagerly for this world, and languidly for the world to come. Having the Divine life within us, let us not neglect to feed it and supply its wants. "

-Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Barbed Arrows: From the Quiver of C. H. Spurgeon (Toronto: Fleming H. Revell, 1896), 228-229.