Quotes edition!“Sin and Hell are married unless repentance proclaims the divorce.” - Charles SpurgeonLiving Waters: livingwaters.com/Welcome to our blog! We did some evangelism at a Mormon Temple, and we had an AMAZING trip out to LA earlier this month to do some evangelism with the ministry Living Waters! I want to specifically highlight their ministry (visit their website: livingwaters.com/) and then do something a little different! For the Christmas and New Year season, I wanted to specifically talk less about us and more about Christ by having a blog filled with tons of quotes!! If you want to learn more about us, you can look at previous blogs, our bio, etc. You can also check out my new book, which I will feature more in future blogs: The Quest of the Cliff: www.amazon.com/Quest-Cliff-Allegorical-Narrative-ebook/dp/B0BMNJKH1M/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=CDYH3R1ODNAN&keywords=the+quest+of+the+cliff+sarah+bruce&qid=1668733734&sprefix=the+quest+of+the+cliff+sarah+bruc%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-1 Since we are missionaries in training to Papua New Guinea, and we desire to share the Gospel with everyone we can, I wanted to take a special blog to do that, so you can consider the importance of becoming a Christian and/or sharing the Gospel yourself! “I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep I dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts.” - David BrainerdIs that your mindset, Christian? This is so convicting to me. What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up? Is it food? Clothing? Your to-do list? What priority does evangelism have in your life? “If you can sin and not weep over it, you are an heir of Hell. If you can go into sin, and afterwards feel satisfied to have done so, you are on the road to destruction. If there are no prickings of conscience, no inward torments, no bleeding wounds; if you have no throbs and heavings of a bosom that cannot rest; if your soul never feels filled with wormwood and gall when you know you have done evil, you are no child of God.” - Charles SpurgeonAmerican Christianity tells you that you can go on in sin and be a Christian. As long as you say the right words and live a moral life on the outside, you’re fine…right? You’re not fine if you’re not convicted over your sin. What sin specifically pricks your conscience, even right now? Identify it, and look to Christ! If nothing comes to mind, listen to this: Hell’s Best Kept Secret: livingwaters.com/hells-best-kept-secret/ “It is not a matter of time so much as a matter of heart; if you have the heart to pray, you will find the time.” - Charles SpurgeonIf you’re a parent, and you take your child (or children) out to the store, the park, the library, or anywhere else, what are you doing with your mind during that time? If you have idle moments, do you consider prayer? My mind easily jumps to other things…so I would propose planning ahead of time to pray or memorize Scripture. You have enough time! Consider reflecting more on prayer this new year. “Whatever a man depends upon, whatever rules his mind, whatever governs his affections, whatever is the chief object of his delight, is his god.” - Charles SpurgeonWhat is your god? What idols take up your time and your life? The Ten Commandments show us our desperate need for the Gospel. They show our lying, stealing, blasphemous, idolatrous heart. That’s why God sent Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ to live a perfect life, die, and rise again! Is He your “chief object” of delight? “Remember the man who truly repents is never satisfied with his own repentance.” - Charles SpurgeonYou should never be content in the Christian life! There are always more prayers to pray, more souls to lead to Christ, more passages to study, and that’s good! Though we shouldn’t become weary in doing good (as Galatians 6 explains), we should never be satisfied with our spiritual lives! We should always be obsessed with and wanting more of Christ. Repentance is key to that joy in Christ! “The Christian should take nothing short of Christ for his model.” - Charles SpurgeonIsn’t that so true? It’s so important to only look up to Christ as sinless. When we think of others as if they were Christ, even if we don’t say it outloud, they become sinless in our minds. That’s so terrible! That’s why we should use our resources wisely… “You are a steward of every moment, of every talent, of every gift, of every resource that God has given you. Chose wisely what you do today!” - Paul WasherAre you glad to be alive today? What are you doing today for Christ? How have you occupied your time in God’s Word, in prayer, and in sharing the Gospel today? Every moment will be accounted for. Every idle word will need to be answered for. What resources do you have sitting around to be used for Christ? “We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own.” - Charles SpurgeonOnly in Christ will living water come forth. We can’t know that righteousness until we have been emptied of ourselves. When we know through the law that we can’t measure up to Christ, we know we can be clothed in His righteousness. Do you think you have any righteousness on your own? Be assured that only Christ is perfect. “I'm not afraid of failure; I’m afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.” - William CareyIf your child grows up to be an extremely successful accountant, what will that matter in eternity? Failure, by the standard of the world, is not failure to the Christian. Success is not the same either. What will it profit you to gain everything that the world offers? It will be nothing in eternity. I don’t want to succeed in anything that doesn’t matter, but only in what matters for Christ, even when the world hates it. “Among many who sought to deter me, was one dear old Christian gentleman, whose crowning argument always was, ‘The cannibals! you will be eaten by cannibals!’ At last I replied, ‘Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honouring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms.’" - John PatonNo…to our knowledge there are no cannibals in Papua New Guinea right now where we plan to serve. But if there were cannibals, should that make a difference? Shouldn't we give our lives for the sake of the Gospel no matter the cost? Yes! Living and dying serving Jesus Christ is more important than anything on this earth, so it shouldn’t make a difference how we exit this earth, if it’s done (in wisdom) for Christ. “Preach Christ or nothing: don't dispute or discuss except with your eye on the cross.” - Charles SpurgeonThrough studying, it’s always important to remember Christ. Academics can bog you down, but Christ is more important. Though times can be discouraging and it may seem like there is no end, there is through Christ! He had already won the battle, and He’s worthy to be preached about continuously! Having an eye on the cross is essential for contentment in the Christian life. “Lower the Law and you dim the light by which man perceives his guilt; this is a very serious loss to the sinner rather than a gain; for it lessens the likelihood of his conviction and conversion. I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary [its most powerful weapon] when you have set aside the Law. You have taken away from it the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ . . . They will never accept grace till they tremble before a just and holy Law. Therefore the Law serves a most necessary purpose, and it must not be removed from its place.” - Charles SpurgeonThe law is essential in evangelism. It’s like a mirror that can’t do anything but show us our sin. That’s the proper use of the law. Christ does the rest. Don’t neglect the law, or you’re neglecting Christ. “A good character is the best tombstone.” - Charles SpurgeonSharing the Gospel, using every opportunity, is extremely important. Character is also important. Making sure you have a proper balance between evangelism and caring for your family is necessary for the Christian life. If you have wrong motives in any of it, it’s sinful. Consider that when you’re spending time with family or sharing your faith. “I longed to be a flame of fire continually glowing in the divine service and building up of Christ's kingdom to my last and dying breath.” - David BrainerdEven if it’s a simple Gospel tract in a shoe - that’s useful for the kingdom of Christ. Being a continuous flame for Christ is essential for the Christian life. Nothing you do with right motivations is too small for the Lord. Our aim should be to constantly do anything we can for the sake of the Gospel… …wherever we go… “Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.” - John CalvinWe want to teach our daughter the importance of humility as she grows. My husband is an amazing model of biblical humility (he’s the one hiding in the tree). ;) Of course, our primary example is the humility of Christ, who lived a sinless life, died a horrible death, and rose again on our behalf. That’s the best example of humility I could ever think of. Consider how you could grow in humility. “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you’re not saved yourself, be sure of that!” - Charles SpurgeonThat sounds pretty intense, doesn’t it? It should, because sharing the Gospel is that serious. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is not an option. It’s a command. So will you obey? “Oh, my friends, we are loaded down with countless church activities, while the real work of the church, that of evangelizing the world and winning the lost, is almost entirely neglected!” - Oswald J. SmithDo you fight against climate change? What about vegetable gardens? Do you help out the church with their cook-outs and do various ministries within the church that make you feel like you’re sharing the Gospel…when that’s not really what you’re doing? Though the church is important, why can’t we connect together over evangelism instead of random topics on a daily basis? Just something to consider… “I have a great need for Christ: I have a great Christ for my need.” - Charles SpurgeonWe need Christ! More than a baby needs his mother, we need Him! I love these picture of Daniel and Taliah, but even more I love seeing Daniel’s love for Christ and Taliah’s growth. Focus on Christ this New Year! I will close with my favorite quote… “Oh, my brothers and sisters in Christ, if sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies; and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay, and not madly to destroy themselves. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” - Charles SpurgeonEmail us at [email protected] if you have questions about helping us with our studies or if you want to go yourself. "I will go down [into India] if you will hold the rope." - William Carey
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AuthorsDaniel and Sarah Bruce desire to be missionaries to the unreached peoples of the world. Daniel is from Australia and Sarah is from Detroit, MI. They reside in Phoenix, AZ, where they are members at Shepherd's House Bible Church in Chandler, AZ. Archives
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