“We must cast away everything which hinders us upon our road towards heaven – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life; the love of riches, pleasures and honors, the spirit of lukewarmness and carelessness and indifference about the things of God – all must be rooted out and forsaken if we are anxious for the prize. We must mortify the deeds of the body, we must crucify our affections for this world.”
~ J.C. Ryle
The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “The Christian Race”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 129.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by JCRyleQuotes: Today’s Quote: Lay Aside Every Distraction http://bit.ly/aMrH1G...
So very well put!
I read a preacher saying something the other day which also illustrates this. He said from the very moment we become saved, the indwelling Holy Spirit has but one never-changing, all-consuming, almost relentless goal: to daily burn a little more of the flesh out of us. And in so doing, make us that much more like unto Jesus.
The poet Francis Thompson also recognized this, referring to Him as “The Hound of Heaven.”
Gives a fresh, new perspective to the trials, disappointments, difficulties and irritations we experience daily, does it not?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Great illustration John.
I like that phrase “The Hound of Heaven.” He really is all-consuming and utterly relentless with the objective to conform us to the image of Christ.