Quotes from Joel Beeke

Prayer is thus a means ordained to receive what God has planned to bestow.

In Christ's first coming, He implemented a rescue plan conceived in the mind of God before the foundation of the world. He did not come to promote holiday cheer, boost end-of-year sales, or serve as the central figure in a Nativity scene. He came to save sinners. To save sinners, Christ had to put away what makes people sinners—namely, sin.

Some of us have little spiritual vitality because we fail to feed on Christ day by day. Over time, we become spiritually anorexic.

Jesus calls all sinners to repent. True repentance is not a nebulous response of sorrow; it requires definite actions. Repentance so transforms the mind that it results in a changed life. Repentance does not merely say "I'm sorry" (similar to what we say when we accidentally step on someone's foot). Rather, true repentance says from the heart, "I've been wrong and grieve over my sin, but now I see the truth, and I will change my ways accordingly.

The Puritans understood that the doctrines of atonement, justification, and reconciliation are meaningless apart from a true understanding of God who condemns sin, and atones for sinners, justifies them, and reconciles them to Himself.

Gospel optimism leads to kingdom prayer. This psalm should move us to pray—and to pray with great hope and expectation—that the kingdom of Christ will prevail against the powers of evil and that all His elect will be brought in and made holy.

Thus the covenant of grace forms the heart of salvation itself. Perkins wrote, "We are to know God, not as he is in himself, but as he hath revealed himself unto us in the covenant of grace; and therefore we must acknowledge the Father to be our Father, the Son to be our Redeemer, the holy Ghost to be our comforter, and seek to grow in the knowledge and experience of this.

Listening to a sermon that does not reform your life will never save your soul.

In damnation, the sinner receives what he deserves; in salvation, the saved sinner receives what he does not deserve. Judgment is all of merit; salvation is all of grace.

Time taken from family activity and business to seek God's blessing is never wasted.

To read the Bible experientially simply means to read it with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is how the Bible is intended to be read.

Assurance that does not lead to a more holy walk is a false assurance. The person whose assurance is well-founded, who experiences tru peace and joy, who is busy in the Lord's service and lives in close fellowship with Him, will lead a holy life. A believer cannot persist in high levels of assurance while he continues in low levels of holiness.