Pressed

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length.

Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;

Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul,

Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;

Pressed by foes, and pressured by friends;

Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends;

Pressed into loving the staff and the rod,

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;

Pressed into liberty where nothing clings,

Pressed into faith for impossible things;

Pressed into living a life for the Lord,

Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured.

—Annie Johnson Flint

God’s Thoughts and Mine

The Hammer thoughts

That pound and shatter peace;

The Rodent thoughts

That gnaw and will not cease;

 

The Brier thoughts

That pull and prick and scratch;

The Rover thoughts

That I can never catch;

 

The Serpent thoughts

That leave their lairs at night;

The Shadow thoughts

That dim the new day’s light;

 

These are my thoughts;

Oh, take them, Lord, I pray,

Out of my heart,

And cast them far away;

 

And in their stead

Give me those thoughts of Thine,

So crystal-clear,

So holy, high, and fine,

 

That I shall grow

By their pure grace enticed,

Worthy to think

The lovely thoughts of Christ.

—Annie Johnson Flint

“Why do bad things happen to good people?

That only happened once, and he volunteered.”

—R.C. Sproul

“Suppose that by revenge you might destroy one enemy; yet, by exercising the Christian’s temper you might conquer three‌—your own lust, Satan’s temptation, and your enemy’s heart.” —John Flavel

“Oh, a barn, or stable, hedge, or any other place is desirable, 

if God is there.” 

—David Brainerd

“This life was not intended to be the place of our perfection, 

but the preparation for it.”

—Richard Baxter

“A man’s greatest care should be for that place where he lives longest; 

therefore eternity should be his scope.”

—Thomas Watson

“There is a God in heaven who overrules all things for the best; 

and this is the comfort of my soul.” 

—David Brainerd

“We are a long time in learning that 

all our strength and salvation is in God.” 

—David Brainerd