Jc Quotes

We've searched our database for all the quotes and captions related to Jc. Here they are! All 100 of them:

β€œ
Because here's something else that's weird but true: in the day-to day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worshipβ€”be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principlesβ€”is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichΓ©s, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.
”
”
David Foster Wallace (This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life)
β€œ
Happiness does not depend on outward circumstances, but on the state of the heart.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (A Call to Prayer)
β€œ
Praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (A Call to Prayer)
β€œ
In every journey comes a moment... one like no other. And in that moment, you must decide between who you are... and who you want to be.
”
”
J.C. Marino (Dante's Journey)
β€œ
You can forget what people said and did, but you never forget how they made you feel. You can forgive the people who hurt you, but you will remember what they taught you.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
Hell is truth known too late.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Practical Religion)
β€œ
There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough-a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice-which costs nothing, and is worth nothing.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Do nothing that you would not like God to see. Say nothing you would not like God to hear. Write nothing you would not like God to read. Go no place where you would not like God to find you. Read no book of which you would not like God to say, "Show it to Me." Never spend your time in such a way that you would not like to have God say, "What are you doing?
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within. He may be known by his warfare as well as by his peace.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
Be very sure of this,-people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it only too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
β€Ž"A humble and prayerful person will find a thousand things in the Bible, which the proud student will utterly fail to discern." ~ J.C. Ryle
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Pretentious." "So? I love pretentious people!" "Why?" "They try so hard to be interesting, you don't have to do any work.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
Love happens in the blink of an eye. One moment your heart is yours, and the next it belongs to someone you never intended to give it to. There is no transition. No earning on his part. Just foolish trust and hope for a future of happiness and emotional fulfillment. As much as we hope for a happily ever after, life doesn't work that way.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
Didn’t your mother tell you boys tease the girls they like?” β€œThat only applies to children.” β€œAll men are babies.” β€œPoint taken.” Chloe and Stella- The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club
”
”
J.C. Isabella (The Unofficial Zack Warren Fan Club)
β€œ
My chief desire in all my writings, is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him beautiful and glorious in the eyes of people; and to promote the increase of repentance, faith, and holiness upon earth.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Falling in love often happens at the wrong time, in the wrong place, with the wrong person.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Tragedy may hit all of us in one way or another, but fate's not our enemy, Brooke. We are. By locking yourself away from the world, you choose your own mistakes and destroy any chance of ever finding happiness. You cannot control life, but you can chose who you are and what you make of it.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
He was dazzlingly gorgeous. Forget gorgeous. He was beautiful. Utterly, totally, mind-blowingly stunning. On a scale from one to ten, he was a hundred.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Well, who doesn't love a good mpreg?" "A what?" "Sim gets man-pregnant? Gives birth to twins during a tornado?" "I'll pretend I never heard that." "Here, I'll read you the wedding one -" "NO.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
I Don't want someone who's perfect because I'm not perfect. I want someone who's real; someone who complements me rather than completes me.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
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
β€œ
Because here's something else that's weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship--be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles--is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichΓ©s, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they're evil or sinful, it's that they're unconscious. They are default settings. They're the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that's what you're doing.
”
”
David Foster Wallace (This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life)
β€œ
There are no lessons so useful as those learned in the school of affliction.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
I am one of those old-fashioned ministers who believe the whole Bible and everything that it contains.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Beware of manufacturing a God of your own: a God who is all mercy, but not just; a God who is all love, but not holy; a God who has a heaven for every body, but a hell for none; a God who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time, but will make no distinction between good and broad in eternity. Such a God is an idol of your own, as truly an idol as any snake or crocodile in an Egyptian temple. The hands of your own fancy and sentimentality have made him. He is not the God of the Bible, and beside the God of the Bible there is no God at all.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Don’t ever trust a guy with a Southern accent, a lazy smile, and a casual stance, because he’s about to sneak his way into your panties without even trying.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
Laughter, ridicule, opposition and persecution are often the only reward which Christ’s followers get from the world.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
I'm part of the package, kitten. Your bodyguard, babysitter and tattle-tale, all rolled into one." Flashing his teeth at me, he added, "Aren't you pleased?
”
”
J.C. Daniels (Blade Song (Colbana Files, #1))
β€œ
Why did I always end up loving the person who hurt me the most? Why was love so cruel?
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by,and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.
”
”
J.C. Watts Jr. (What Color Is a Conservative?: My Life and My Politics)
β€œ
He patted my shoulder. "What's up with you? All of a sudden, you're bucking the system." "i got drunk and had an epiphany." "Shit, this is serious!" He gasped. "Last time that happened to me, i woke up gay.
”
”
J.C. Isabella (Chasing McCree (Chasing McCree, #1))
β€œ
I entreat my readers, besides the Bible and the Articles, to read history.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
One single soul saved shall outlive and outweigh all the kingdoms of the world.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
I'll be damned if I act like a mouse, you overgrown tomcat.
”
”
J.C. Daniels (Blade Song (Colbana Files, #1))
β€œ
In the back of my mind, some part of me thought: Pretty... And I immediately wanted to punch myself.
”
”
J.C. Daniels (Blade Song (Colbana Files, #1))
β€œ
Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God's judgment, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standard of His Word.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
I am one man with a laptop. When I give the world my characters, it's because I don't want to keep them for myself. You don't like what I made them do? Fucking tell me I'm wrong! Rewrite the story. Throw in a new plot twist. Make up your own ending.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
To love someone so deeply is to risk losing yourself forever. Once I admitted my feelings to him, there was no going backβ€”no hope to ever make my heart complete without him
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
Let us never measure our religion by that of others, and think we are doing enough if we have gone beyond our neighbors.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
I'd let him get under my skin, and now he had started to occupy my every thought.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Status: Naked. On bed. With boy. Systems overheating. Sudden doubts multiplying. Meltdown imminent.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
I'd do anything for you. You know that?" he whispered into my ear. "If you fell, I'd hold you. If you were afraid, I'd wrap my arms around you and take away your fears. I'd die to keep you safe but more than anything I'd do whatever it takes to keep you by my side. For you I'd conquer anything, everything, anytime.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
I'm still thinking of you. Even though everything's messed up, I still want you by my side. I still want to be with you, within you, inside you, hearing you panting my name.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
Guard your thoughts, and there will be little fear about your actions.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
The guy was a piece of sin. If he were the devil holding a contract, this would be the moment I might just give in to temptation and sign over my soul.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
He that has learned to feel his sins, and to trust Christ as a Saviour, has learned the two hardest and greatest lessons in Christianity.
”
”
J.I. Packer (Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle)
β€œ
Need someone to rescue?” She interrupted him again, spitting her words out with all the rage, contempt, and anger she had bottled up inside. β€œI’m not a damsel in distress, and you sir, are no knight in shining double breasted, JC Penny!
”
”
Dennis Sharpe (Wednesday)
β€œ
The thing with love is, you cannot choose who you fall for. Falling in love often happens at the wrong time, in the wrong place, with the wrong person. Just as much as you cannot stop growing feelings for a certain man, there's no switch to turn off your heart.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
OK my sweeties - HELP PLEASE... ...you can flag that bitch - 48 people LIKE her review already, really??
”
”
J.C. Cliff
β€œ
Beware of manufacturing a God of your own: a God who is all mercy, but not just. Such a God is an idol of your own.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
He does not regard the quantity of faith, but the quality. He does not measure its degree, but its truth. He will not break any bruised reed, nor quench any smoking flax. He will never let it be said that any perished at the foot of the cross.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
We live in an age when there is a false glare on the things of time and a great mist over the things of eternity.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Free Grace Broadcaster - Issue 211 - Hell)
β€œ
Never let us be guilty of sacrificing any portion of truth on the altar of peace.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Young men, I beseech you earnestly, beware of pride. Two things are said to be very rare sights in the worldβ€” one is a young man that is humble, and the other is an old man that is content. I fear that this is only too true.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Thoughts for Young Men)
β€œ
If we are truly fortunate, we will be blessed with one to love us, truly love us. To accept us in all ways, to see us in all our weaknesses and in our glory and to take our hearts, as we take theirs.
”
”
J.C. Owens (Gaven: The Bonding (The Gaven Series #2))
β€œ
Faster's always better, but you have to mind those curves. They're wicked. They can kill a man in a heartbeat.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Abel snores pornographically, like a prince sleeping off an orgy.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
You drive like a maniac,” I said through clenched teeth. β€œThat’s not the only thing I do like a maniac, Brooke.” His hand moved away from the steering wheel and settled on my thigh.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Tomorrow is the devil's day, but today is God's. Satan does not care how spiritual your intentions are, or how holy your resolutions, if only they are determined to be done tomorrow.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Thoughts for Young Men)
β€œ
Just as much as you cannot stop growing feelings for a certain man, there’s no switch to turn off your heart.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Never make an intimate friend of anyone who is not a friend of God. Β 
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Thoughts For Young Men)
β€œ
Believe me when I tell you this: the easiest choice is always the wrong one. Choose the path that matters in the long term, the choice that would never hurt others. It might seem difficult at this point, but the right choice is the one that takes the most courage. Its the one that seems impossible at first.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Treasure Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #3))
β€œ
Why do you want me?" I asked, suppressing the trembling of my voice. "I’m strange, definitely not perfect, and fucked up. Actually, a lot of the latter.” β€œPerfect is boring and overrated.” He smiled that lopsided grin of his that made my lower abdomen twist and curl with delicious desire. β€œI’m looking for sexy, fun, kind, and honest. And you tick all the right boxes, Brooke.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
The union with Christ which produces no effect on heart and life is a mere formal union, which is worthless before God. The faith which has not a sanctifying influence on the character is no better than the faith of devils.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
Next to praying there is nothing so important in practical religion as Bible reading. By reading that book we may learn what to believe, what to be, and what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace.” Happy is that man who possesses a Bible! Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it, but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice!
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
I hired you for your attitude, and so far I’m pretty happy with my decision. But I’m not sure I can work with you until I’ve fucked this attraction out of my system.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
I don't do relationships because I don't want to love and lose myself.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Every story has an ending. You can’t stop after one chapter just because you don’t know how it ends
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
I can tell I'm being annoying, the kind of annoying where it feels like I haven't showered for days and everyone should just stay away.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
God is like junior high, Brandon. Graduate already.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
I’m too big of a fan of sin and debauchery to be a Christian.
”
”
J.C. Wickhart (Inappropriate)
β€œ
It’s fandom, Bran. Getting butthurt over nothing is practically a sacrament.
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
Hearken, my believing reader. What is the cause of your weakness? Is it not because the fountain of life is little used? Is it not because you are resting on old experiences, and not daily gathering new mannaβ€”daily drawing new strength from Christ?
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Keeping my voice level, I shook my head. Mustn't enrage the antisocial monster standing five feet away.
”
”
J.C. Daniels (Blade Song (Colbana Files, #1))
β€œ
I tried to take it slow, give you time to wrap your head around this. But I'm done playing nice... I’m taking what I want. I'm taking what's mine,” he growled harshly behind my ear.
”
”
J.C. Grant (Playing for Keeps (Playing For #1))
β€œ
I hope you don't mind spending so much time with me," Jett said. "I promise to be good, and I won't be too hard on you." His tone oozed amusement as he added, "Unless you want me to.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
You can't stay fucked up forever, can you? You need to start putting yourself out there and getting humiliated like the rest of us. Only then will you be a Real Boy
”
”
J.C. Lillis (How to Repair a Mechanical Heart (Mechanical Hearts, #1))
β€œ
What if Cinderella had been sent to kill the prince?" - Kayden
”
”
J.C. Morrows (A Reluctant Assassin (Order of the MoonStone, #1))
β€œ
Even the best of us have bad days. We fall, we climb. That's life. I can promise you, your worst day is never your worst. Your worst day's the day you realize you gave us too soon and you can no longer rectify your mistake.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Treasure Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #3))
β€œ
Life's uncontrollable, unpredictable, and a hell of a mess. Without fear, loss, and the wrong choice we made, we wouldn't be who we were. And while some of our decisions had broken us, the pain glued us together. Without the passion, we wouldn't have surrendered and conquered what we never thought could be ours.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Treasure Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #3))
β€œ
Christ's death is the Christian's life. Christ's cross is the Christian's title to heaven. Christ "lifted up" and put to shame on Calvary is the ladder by which Christians "enter into the holiest," and are at length landed in glory.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (John (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels): Vol. 1)
β€œ
Another real danger to young men is thoughtlessness and lack of consideration. Lack of thought is one simple reason why thousands of souls are cast away forever. Men will not consider,-will not look forward,-will not look around them,-will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present ways,-and awake at last to find they are damned for lack of thinking.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Haley and I would talk for hours about which member of 'N Sync we'd want to marry. After long deliberation, the answer was always J. C. Chasez. Joey Fatone's last name was going to be β€œFat One” no matter how great he was, and even though they didn't know at their age that Lance Bass was gay outright, they sensed he'd make a better good friend and confidante. As for Justin Timberlake, well, JT was the coolest and hottest, but too flashy, so we couldn't trust him to be faithful. J. C. Chasez was the smart compromise.
”
”
Mindy Kaling (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns))
β€œ
The hardest part was acknowledging I might never see you again. Realizing how much you mean to me and how much I'd miss your pretty face every morning and night. Realizing all the things I didn't do with you and might never get a chance to. But I think most of the pain came from the realization that the time we spent together was not enough for me and I couldn't force you to feel the same.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
The way he looked at me, I felt as though he saw through my body and directly into my soul. No one had ever made me feel like that before. Then again, I had never met someone so electrically good-looking, but there's a first time for everything.
”
”
J.C. Reed (Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1))
β€œ
Love should be the silver thread that runs through all your conduct. Kindness, gentleness, long suffering, forbearance, patience, sympathy, a willingness to enter into childish troubles, a readiness to take part in childish joys, - these are the cords by which a child may be led most easily, - these are the clues you must follow if you would find the way to his heart.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship--be it J.C. or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Noble Truths or some infrangible set of ethical principles--is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.
”
”
David Foster Wallace
β€œ
Sweetie, love's meant to be shared. Maybe it won't last forever. But who cares? Every story has an ending. You can't stop after one chapter just because you don't know how it ends. If you love him, you should at least give it a chance. I think a life without sharing love is hell in itself. What's worse than loss?
”
”
J.C. Reed (Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2))
β€œ
A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed-up in one thing β€” and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives β€” or whether he dies; whether he has health β€” or whether he has sickness; whether he is rich β€” or whether he is poor; whether he pleases man β€” or whether he gives offence; whether he is thought wise β€” or whether he is thought foolish; whether he gets blame β€” or whether he gets praise; whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame β€” for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing β€” and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning β€” he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn, and if consumed in burning β€” he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, and work, and give money β€” he will cry, and sigh, and pray. Yes, if he is only a pauper, on a perpetual bed of sickness β€” he will make the wheels of sin around him drive heavily, by continually interceding against it. If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua β€” then he will do the prayer-work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill. (Exod. 17:9-13.) If he is cut off from working himself β€” he will give the Lord no rest until help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of "zeal" in religion.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Men that had understanding of the times." 1 Chr. 12:32 I cannot doubt that this sentence, like every sentence in Scripture was written for our learning. These men of Issachar are set before us as a pattern to be imitated, and an example to be followed, for it is a most important thing to understand the times in which we live, and to understand what those times require. Next to our Bibles and our own hearts, our Lord would have us study our own times.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
Young man, be of good courage. Care not for what the world says or thinks: you will not be with the world always. Can man save your soul? No. Will man be your judge in the great and dreadful day of account? No. Can man give you a good conscience in life, a good hope in death, a good answer in the morning of resurrection? No! no! no! Man can do nothing of the sort. Then "fear not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings: for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool" (Isa. 51:7,8). Call to your mind the saying of good Colonel Gardiner: "I fear God, and therefore I have none else to fear." Go and be like him.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Thoughts for Young Men)
β€œ
There is so much deep contradiction in my soul. Such deep longing for God - so deep that it is painful - a suffering continual - and yet not wanted by God - repulsed - empty - no faith - no love - no zeal. Souls hold no attraction - Heaven means nothing - to me it looks like an empty place - the thought of it means nothing to me and yet this torturing longing for God. Pray for me please that I keep smiling at Him in spite of everything. For I am only His - so He has every right over me. I am perfectly happy to be nobody even to God. . . . Your devoted child in J.C. M. Teresa
”
”
Brian Kolodiejchuk (Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the "Saint of Calcutta" (Wheeler Large Print Book Series))
β€œ
. . . Beware of being wise above that which is written. Beware of forming fanciful theories of your own, and then trying to make the Bible square with them. Beware of making selections from your Bible to suit your taste. Dare not to say, β€˜I believe this verse, for I like it. I refuse that, for I cannot reconcile it with my views.’ Nay! but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? By what right do you talk in this way? Surely it were better to say, over every chapter in the word, β€˜Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.’ Ah! if men would do this, they would never deny the unquenchable fire.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
I dare say you are planning on a late repentance. You do not know what you are doing. You are planning without God. Repentance and faith are the gifts of God, and they are gifts that He often withholds, when they have been long offered in vain. I grant you true repentance is never too late, but I warn you at the same time, late repentance is seldom true. I grant you, one penitent thief was converted in his last hours, that no man might despair; But I warn you, only one was converted, that no man might presume. I grant you it is written, Jesus is β€˜Able to save completely those who come to God through him’ (Hebrews 7:25). But I warn you, it is also written by the same Spirit, β€˜Since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you’ (Proverbs 1:24-26). Believe me, you will find it no easy matter to turn to God whenever you please.
”
”
J.C. Ryle
β€œ
Once sin is allowed to settle in your heart, it will not be turned out at your bidding. Custom becomes second nature, and its chains are not easily broken. The prophet has well said, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil" (Jeremiah 13:23). Habits are like stones rolling down hill--the further they roll, the faster and more ungovernable is their course. Habits, like trees, are strengthened by age. A boy may bend an oak when it is a sapling--a hundred men cannot root it up, when it is a full grown tree. A child can wade over the Thames River at its fountain-head--the largest ship in the world can float in it when it gets near the sea. So it is with habits: the older the stronger--the longer they have held possession, the harder they will be to cast out.
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Thoughts For Young Men)
β€œ
Because here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship–be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles–is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichΓ©s, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful, it’s that they’re unconscious. They are default settings. They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.
”
”
David Foster Wallace
β€œ
There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship β€” be it J.C. or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Noble Truths or some infrangible set of ethical principles β€” is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things β€” if they are where you tap real meaning in life β€” then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you. On one level, we all know this stuff already β€” it's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichΓ©s, bromides, epigrams, parables: the skeleton of every great story. The trick is keeping the truth up-front in daily consciousness. Worship power β€” you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart β€” you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. And so on.
”
”
David Foster Wallace
β€œ
Man,” said a thoughtless, ungodly English traveller to a North American Indian convert, β€œMan, what is the reason that you make so much of Christ, and talk so much about Him? What has this Christ done for you, that you should make so much ado about Him?” The converted Indian did not answer him in words. He gathered together some dry leaves and moss and made a ring with them on the ground. He picked up a live worm and put it in the middle of the ring. He struck a light and set the moss and leaves on fire. The flame soon rose and the heat scorched the worm. It writhed in agony, and after trying in vain to escape on every side, curled itself up in the middle, as if about to die in despair. At that moment the Indian reached forth his hand, took up the worm gently and placed it on his bosom. β€œStranger,” he said to the Englishman, β€œDo you see that worm? I was that perishing creature. I was dying in my sins, hopeless, helpless, and on the brink of eternal fire. It was Jesus Christ who put forth the arm of His power. It was Jesus Christ who delivered me with the hand of His grace, and plucked me from everlasting burnings. It was Jesus Christ who placed me, a poor sinful worm, near the heart of His love. Stranger, that is the reason why I talk of Jesus Christ and make much of Him. I am not ashamed of it, because I love Him.” If
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness)
β€œ
Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable to distinguish things that differ. Like people afflicted with colour-blindness, they are incapable of discerning what is true and what is false, what is sound and what is unsound. If a preacher of religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest, they appear to think he is all right, however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be. They are destitute of spiritual sense, apparently, and cannot detect error. Popery or Protestantism, an atonement or no atonement, a personal Holy Ghost or no Holy Ghost, future punishment or no future punishment, β€˜high church’ or β€˜low church’ or β€˜broad church,’ Trinitarianism, Arianism, or Unitarianismβ€”nothing comes amiss to them; they can swallow it all, even if they cannot digest it! Carried away by a fancied liberality and charity, they seem to think everybody is right and nobody is wrong, every clergyman is sound and none are unsound, everybody is going to be saved and nobody going to be lost. Their religion is made of negatives; and the only positive thing about them is that they dislike distinctness and think all extreme and decided and positive views are very naughty and very wrong!
”
”
J.C. Ryle (Holiness:Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots (J. C. Ryle Collection Book 1))