Quote of the Day

"At my first setting out, indeed, I thought to be better, to feel myself better from year to year...I thought my grain of grace, by much diligence and careful improvement, would, in time, amount to a pound; that pound, in a further space of time, to a talent; and then I hoped to increase from one talent to many; so that, supposing the Lord should spare me a competent number of years, I pleased myself with the thought of dying rich. But alas! These my golden expectations have been like South-Sea dreams; I have lived hitherto a poor sinner, and I believe I shall die one. Have I then gained nothing by waiting upon the Lord? Yes, I have gained, that which I once would rather have been without, such accumulated proofs of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of my heart, as I hope, by the Lord's blessing, has in some measure, taught me to know what I mean, when I say, Behold I am vile! And, in connection with this, I have gained such experience of the wisdom, power, and compassion of my Redeemer, the need, the worth of His blood, righteousness, attention, and intercession - the glory that He displays in pardoning iniquity and sin and passing by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage, that my soul cannot but cry out, Who is a God like unto Thee! Thus, if I have any meaner thoughts of myself...and any higher thoughts of Him than I had twenty years ago, I have reason to be thankful: every gain of this experience is worth mountains of gold."

                - John Newton