Quotes #39…John Owen 1616-1683

March 9, 2026

“The growth of trees and plants takes place so slowly that it is not easily seen. Daily we notice little change. But, in course of time, we see that a great change has taken place. So it is with grace. Sanctification is a progressive, lifelong work (Prov 4:18). It is an amazing work of God’s grace and it is a work to be prayed for (Rom 8:27).” – John Owen

“I do not understand how a man can be a true believer, in whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow and trouble.” -John Owen

John Owen (Click here for biographical information on John Owen. There are advertisements on the site from which I do not profit. – CR)

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Crocus Celebration

March 4, 2026

Being painfully aware that this blog lacks actual color of late, I have decided to share an occasional picture from my garden this year. As God will be responsible for any picture I take, I must give Him attribution. I’m just holding a phone sorta steady and clicking on an icon. Some of you may have wondered where so many of the pictures that once graced the scribbling here went. I decided to ditch many of them because they hadn’t the proper attribution. In any case, I know all the places where one can get free pictures for a blog post if I want one but many of my recent posts are more about colorful words than pictures.

This grouping of flowers reminded me of these verses from my favorite sermon:

27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”

By the way, the only contribution I made to what is in the picture was the dividing of crocus roots last year.

I know these colors will clash with my header, but I hope it’s not too unbearable. (Maybe it’s time for the old header to go!)

Chris Reimers 









28 Comments | Creation, LIFE, Words that Uplift, worship | Permalink
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Quotes #37…John Maynard 1600-1665

February 23, 2026

Christ’s satisfaction and righteousness is the full, perfect, and only cause of justification and pardon of sin, and that no holiness, no duties of the persons justified, help anything at all towards their justification; it is the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them, which maketh up the whole matter of their Righteousness in the sight of God, and covereth all their sins.

John Maynard

(Click on John’s name to view a short biography. The page has ads from which I do not profit. – CR)

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“I have learned…to be content”

February 19, 2026

“I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.”
Philippians 4:11

These words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. “Ill weeds grow apace.” Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener’s care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us. Paul says, “I have learned … to be content;” as much as to say, he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth. No doubt he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. And when at last he had attained unto it, and could say, “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” he was an old, grey-headed man, upon the borders of the grave–a poor prisoner shut up in Nero’s dungeon at Rome. We might well be willing to endure Paul’s infirmities, and share the cold dungeon with him, if we too might by any means attain unto his good degree. Do not indulge the notion that you can be contented without learning, or learn without discipline. It is not a power that may be exercised naturally, but a science to be acquired gradually. We know this from experience. Brother, hush that murmur, natural though it be, and continue a diligent pupil in the College of Content.

From Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

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Quotes #36…Edmund Calamy 1600-1666

February 12, 2026

By the law we see our misery and by the Gospel we see our remedy.

Edmund Calamy

(Click on Edmund’s name to learn a bit about him. There are advertisements at the link that benefit me in no way. – CR)

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Quotes #34…John Howe 1630-1705

February 2, 2026

It is most highly delightful to receive him, and give up ourselves to him as our full suitable good, so exactly answering all the exigencies of our distressed case ; when sensibly apprehending the true state of it, the soul cries out, ” None but Christ”, and finds him present, waiting only for consent, readily offering himself,” Here I am, take me, thy Jesus, thy help, thy life” How overcomingly pleasant is this to a soul that feels its distress, and perceives itself ready to perish ; yea and that daily sees itself perishing, were it not for him.

John Howe quote taken from “Of Delighting in God,” Chapter II

The word exigencies means an urgent need or demand.

(Click on John’s name above to learn a bit about him. There are advertisements at the link that benefit me in no way. – CR)

The whole works of the Rev. John Howe Volume II pdf (550 pages)

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Quotes #33…Ezekiel Hopkins 1633-1690

January 22, 2026

 It is impossible for men by their own strength and natural ability to become Christians, but it is possible for God to make them Christians.

Ezekiel Hopkins (You can learn more about Ezekiel Hopkins by clicking on the name to the left.)

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Quotes #32…Isaac Ambrose (1604-1663)

January 19, 2026

Oh! how should all hearts be taken with this Christ? Christians! turn your eyes upon the Lord: ‘Look, and look again unto Jesus.’ Why stand ye gazing on the toys of this world, when such a Christ is offered to you in the gospel? Can the world die for you? Can the world reconcile you to the Father? Can the world advance you to the kingdom of heaven? As Christ is all in all, so let him be the full and complete subject of our desire, and hope, and faith, and love, and joy; let him be in your thoughts the first in the morning, and the last at night.

Isaac Ambrose (To learn more about Isaac Ambrose click on the link on the left)

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Quotes #31…Preacher Purl 1951

January 16, 2026

“And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen.”

From the movie Hoosiers (1986)



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MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025

December 24, 2025

My wife has now been doing these Christmas song/updates for 30 years. I have not always published them due to personal privacy of certain family members. I have the okay to print this one, as it is pretty generic and will be the last. Click on image and enlarge for better viewing.

While I have this up, I would like to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas Day whether they observe the day or not. Looking ahead to 2026, my hope is that all of us grow in the Lord and in the knowledge of His Word.

Chris Reimers

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