PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
How to Succeed in the Christian Life
Torrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer), 1856-1928 · 28,362 words · 83 reading sections
WORKS BY R. A. TORREY
_Superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago_ =How to Succeed in the Christian Life.= 12mo, cloth, 50 cents, net: paper, 25 cents, net. =The Bible and Its Christ.= Being noon day talks with Business Men on faith and unbelief. 12mo, cloth, 75 cents, net; paper, 25 cents, net. =Revival Addresses.= 12mo, cloth…
394 wordsSECTION 2INTRODUCTION
I have for years felt the need of a book to put in the hands of those beginning the Christian life that would tell them just how to make a complete success of this new life upon which they were entering. I could find no such book, so I have been driven to write one. This book aims to tell the young convert just what he…
132 wordsSECTION 3BEGINNING RIGHT
There is nothing more important in the Christian life than beginning right. If we begin right we can go on right. If we begin wrong the whole life that follows is likely to be wrong. If any one who reads these pages has begun wrong, it is a very simple matter to begin over again and begin right. What the right beginnin…
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2. _God offers Jesus to us as our deliverer from the power of sin._ Jesus not only died, He rose again. To-day He is a living Saviour. He has all power in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28: 18). He has power to keep the weakest sinner from falling (Jude 24). He is able to save not only from the uttermost but “to the utterm…
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To sum it all up, the right way to begin the Christian life is to accept Jesus Christ as your sin-bearer and to trust God to forgive your sins because Jesus Christ died in your place; to accept Him as your risen Saviour who ever lives to make intercession for you, and who has all power to keep you, and to trust Him to …
129 wordsSECTION 6THE OPEN CONFESSION OF CHRIST
Having begun the Christian life right by taking the proper attitude towards Christ in a private transaction between Himself and yourself, the next step is an open confession of the relationship that now exists between yourself and Jesus Christ. Jesus says in Matt. 10: 32, “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before me…
473 wordsSECTION 7ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
If one is to have the fullest measure of joy and power in Christian service, he must know that his sins are forgiven, that he is a child of God, and that he has eternal life. It is the believer’s privilege to _know_ that he has eternal life. John says in 1 John 5: 13, R. V., “These things have I written unto you, _that…
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For one who believes on the Son of God to doubt that he has eternal life is for him to make God a liar. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him. He that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning His Son and the witness is this…
671 wordsSECTION 9RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT
When the Apostle Paul came to Ephesus, he found a little group of twelve disciples of Christ. There was something about these twelve disciples that struck Paul unfavourably. We are not told what it was. It may be that he did not find in them that overflowing joyfulness that one learns to expect in all Christians who ha…
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5. In order to receive the Holy Spirit there should be definite asking for the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus says in Luke 11: 13, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” Just ask God to give you the Holy …
354 wordsSECTION 11LOOKING UNTO JESUS
If we are to run with patience the race that is set before us, we must always keep looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12: 1-3). One of the simplest and yet one of the mightiest secrets of abiding joy and victory is to _never lose sight of Jesus_. 1. First of all _we must keep looking at Jesus as the ground of our acceptance bef…
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If at any time you are in any perplexity as to what to do, simply ask the question, What would Jesus do? Ask God by His Holy Spirit to show you what Jesus would do. Study your Bible to find out what Jesus did do and follow Jesus. Even though no one else seems to be following Jesus, be sure that you follow Him. Do not s…
336 wordsSECTION 13CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
No young Christian and no old Christian can have real success in the Christian life without the fellowship of other believers. The church is a divine institution, built by Jesus Christ Himself. It is the one institution that abides. Other institutions come and go; they do their work for their day and disappear, but the…
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As you cannot find a perfect church, find the best church you can. Unite with a church where they believe in the Bible and where they preach the Bible. Avoid the churches where words are spoken open or veiled that have a tendency to undermine your faith in the Bible as a reliable revelation from God Himself, the all-su…
423 wordsSECTION 15BIBLE STUDY
There is nothing more important for the development of the spiritual life of the Christian than regular, systematic Bible study. It is as true in the spiritual life as it is in the physical life that health depends upon what we eat and how much we eat. The soul’s proper food is found in one book, the Bible. Of course, …
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A regular time should be set apart each day for the study of the Bible. I do not think it is well as a rule to say that we shall study so many chapters in a day, for that leads to undue haste and skimming and thoughtlessness, but it is well to set apart a certain length of time each day for Bible study. Some can give m…
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(6) Note the principal lessons of the chapter. It would be well to classify these. For instance lessons about God; lessons about Christ, lessons about the Holy Spirit, etc. (7) Find the central truth of the chapter. (8) The key verse of the chapter, if there is one. (9) The best verse in the chapter. Mark it and mem…
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6. _Study your Bible believingly._ The Apostle Paul in writing to the Christians in Thessalonica says, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the Word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worke…
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Cultivate prompt, exact, unquestioning, joyous obedience to every command that it is evident from its context applies to you. Be on the lookout for new orders from your King. Blessing lies in the direction of obedience to them. God’s commands are but sign-boards that mark the road to present success and blessedness and…
880 wordsSECTION 20DIFFICULTIES IN THE BIBLE
Sooner or later every young Christian comes across passages in the Bible which are hard to understand and difficult to believe. To many a young Christian, these difficulties become a serious hindrance in the development of their Christian life. For days and weeks and months oftentimes faith suffers partial or total ecl…
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3. _The third thing to be said about the difficulties in the Bible is that there are many more and much greater difficulties in the way of a doctrine that holds the Bible to be of human origin, and hence fallible, than are in the way of the doctrine that holds the Bible to be of divine origin and hence altogether trust…
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7. _The seventh thing to be said about the difficulties in the Bible is that they rapidly disappear upon careful and prayerful study._ How many things there are in the Bible that once puzzled us and staggered us that have been perfectly cleared up, and no longer present any difficulty at all! Is it not reasonable to su…
547 wordsSECTION 23PRAYER
The one who would succeed in the Christian life must lead a life of prayer. Very much of the failure in Christian living to-day, and in Christian work, results from neglect of prayer. Very few Christians spend as much time in prayer as they ought. The Apostle James told believers in his day that the secret of the pover…
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The last thing you do each day ask God to show you if there has been anything in the day that has been displeasing in His sight. Then wait quietly before God and give God an opportunity to speak to you. Listen. Do not be in a hurry. If God shows you anything in the day that has been displeasing in His sight, confess it…
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It is well to have a little company of Christian friends with whom you are in real sympathy and with whom you meet regularly every week simply for prayer. There has been nothing of more importance in the development of my own spiritual life of recent years than a little prayer-meeting of less than a dozen friends who h…
112 wordsSECTION 26WORKING FOR CHRIST
One of the important conditions of growth and strength in the Christian life is work. No man can keep up his physical strength without exercise and no man can keep up his spiritual strength without spiritual exercise, _i. e._, without working for his Master. The working Christian is the happy Christian. The working Chr…
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But one does not need to wait until they have read some book on the subject before they begin. One of the commonest and greatest mistakes that is made is that of frittering one’s life away in getting ready to get ready to get ready. Some never do get ready. The way to get ready is to begin at once. Make up your mind th…
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Go to your pastor and ask him if there is some work he would like to have you do for him in the church. Be a person that your pastor can depend upon. We live in a day in which there are many kinds of work going on outside the church, and many of these kinds of work are good and you should take part in them as you are a…
273 wordsSECTION 29FOREIGN MISSIONS
In order to have the largest success in the Christian life one must be interested in foreign missions. The last command of our Lord before leaving this earth was, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to o…
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Learn to give largely. The large giver is the happy Christian. “The liberal soul shall be made fat” (Prov. 11: 25). “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully,” and “God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye, always having all suffic…
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Pray for the labourers who are already on the field. No class of men and women need our prayers more than foreign missionaries. No class of men and women are objects of more bitter hatred from Satan than they. Satan delights to attack the reputation and the character of the brave men and women who have gone to the fron…
329 wordsSECTION 32COMPANIONS
Our companions have a great deal to do with determining our character. The companionships that we form create an intellectual, moral and spiritual atmosphere that we are constantly breathing, and our spiritual health is helped or hindered by it. Every young Christian should have a few wisely chosen friends, intimate fr…
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Then there is another kind of companionship that has a tremendous influence over our lives, that is the companionship of pictures. The pictures that we see every day of our lives, and the pictures that we see only occasionally, have a tremendous power in the shaping of our lives. A mother had two dearly loved sons. It …
296 wordsSECTION 34AMUSEMENTS
Young people need recreation. Our Saviour does not frown upon wholesome recreation. He was interested in the games of the children when He was here upon earth. He watched the children at their play (Matt. 12: 16-19), and He watches the children at their play to-day, and delights in their play when it is wholesome and e…
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7. _Do not engage in any amusement, no matter how harmless it would be for yourself, that might harm some one else._ Take for example card playing. It is probable that thousands have played cards moderately all their lives and never suffered any direct moral injury from it, but every one who has studied the matter know…
388 wordsSECTION 36PERSECUTION
One of the discouragements that meets every true Christian before he has gone very far in the Christian life is persecution. God tells us in His Word that “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3: 12). Sooner or later every one who surrenders absolutely to God and seeks to follow Je…
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If at any time the persecution seems harder than you can bear, remember how abundant the reward is, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Tim. 2: 12). Every one must enter into the kingdom of God through much tribulation (Acts 14: 22), but do not go back on that account. …
410 wordsSECTION 38GUIDANCE
I have met a great many who are trying to lead a Christian life who are much troubled over the question of guidance. They wish to do the will of God in all things, but what puzzles them is to tell what the will of God may be in every case. When any one starts out with the determination to obey God in everything and to …
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God’s guidance is clear guidance, “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1: 5). Do not be anxious over obscure leadings. Do not let your soul be ruffled by the thought, “Perhaps this obscure leading is what God wants me to do.” Obscure leadings are not divine leadings. God’s path is as clear as day. Sa…
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After you have done what you think God led you to do, do not be always going back and wondering whether you did the right thing. You will get into a morbid state if you do. If you really wished to do God’s will and sought His guidance, and did what you thought He guided you to do, you may rest assured you did the right…
322 wordsSECTION 41FOOTNOTES
[1] The author has given some of the proofs that the Bible is the Word of God in his book, “Talks to Men.” [2] If any reader desires more full and definite instruction on the subject of prayer he is referred to the author’s book, “How to Pray.” [3] The author has written a little book on this line named “How to Bring…
95 wordsSECTION 42EVANGELISTIC.
The Evangelistic Note A study of needs and methods, together with a series of direct appeals. 3rd Edition. 12mo, Cloth, net $1.25.…
23 wordsSECTION 43=W. J. DAWSON=
“One of the most remarkable and stirring of recent books. It is really the story of a great crisis in the life of a great preacher. Mr. Dawson’s experience in his own church has justified his faith, and his book is a most stimulating treatise on homiletics and pastoral theology. It is epoch-making in character.”—_The W…
95 wordsSECTION 44=GEORGE T. B. DAVIS=
The multitudes who have followed the marvellous progress of the religious awakening in Australasia, India, and Great Britain, accompanying the efforts of these evangelists will eagerly welcome this glimpse from the inside of their career, personality and work. Mr. Davis has been associated in a confidential capacity wi…
82 wordsSECTION 45=R. A. TORREY=
The multitudes led to decision in connection with the preaching of these sermons, gives assurance that their influence will be extended far beyond the reach of the speaker’s voice. Positive conviction and a loving plea as from a God-sent messenger, are the marked features of this new volume. Talks to Men About the Bi…
64 wordsSECTION 46=R. A. TORREY=
“The directness, simplicity, with wide scholarship and literary charm of these talks, and unhesitating claim for the highest and fullest inspiration, inerrancy and authority for the Bible, make them trumpet calls to faith.”—_N. Y. Observer._ The Passion for Souls 16mo, Cloth, net 50c.…
45 wordsSECTION 47=J. H. JOWETT=
Seven sermons on tenderness, watchfulness, companionship, rest and vision of the apostle Paul’s passion for human souls. This little volume shows his keen, reverent insight at its best and is made rich with abundant and well chosen illustrations. The Worker’s Weapon Its Perfection, Authority and Use. 16mo, Cloth, ne…
51 wordsSECTION 48=JOHN H. ELLIOTT=
“A fine presentation of the unquestionable authority of God’s Word and pointed and clear directions and illustrations of how to study and use the Bible.”…
25 wordsSECTION 49BIOGRAPHICAL AND EVANGELISTIC.
Maltbie Davenport Babcock A biographical sketch and memorial. With portrait. _2d edition_ 12mo, Cloth, $1.00.…
16 wordsSECTION 50=CHARLES E. ROBINSON=
“It was indeed hard to give any true presentment of a man like Babcock, so vivid, so dazzling at times, so lovable always; but the writer’s success is quite wonderful.”—_Henry Van-Dyke._ John Henry Barrows A Memoir by his daughter, with 3 hitherto unpublished portraits. 8vo, gilt top, net $1.50.…
52 wordsSECTION 51=MARY ELEANOR BARROWS=
“The whole story from beginning to end, at home and abroad, is nobly fascinating, and wherever read will do much to waken into fresh power the higher ideals of life. Were it fact or fiction, a more absorbingly interesting story has not appeared for a long time.”—_Chicago Tribune._ What Frances Willard Said 12mo, Clot…
105 wordsSECTION 52=LEN G. BROUGHTON=
“Dr. Broughton, of Atlanta, is a well-known revivalist. Some of his most effective addresses in this country and in England are comprised in this volume. They are plain, pungent, and spiritually quickening.”—_The Outlook._ The Awakening in Wales And Some of the Hidden Springs. 12mo, Paper, net 25c.…
49 wordsSECTION 53=MRS. JESSIE PENN-LEWIS=
Mrs. Penn-Lewis writes from first-hand information of the great revival movement and the events that led up to it. It is doubtless the most powerful and inspiring record yet written of the great revival. The Story of the Welsh Revival 4th Edition. 16mo, Paper, net 15c.…
46 wordsSECTION 54=ARTHUR GOODRICH, B.A.=
As told by eye witnesses, together with a sketch of Evan Roberts and his message to the world. With added chapters by G. Campbell Morgan, D. D., W. T. Stead, Rev. W. W. Moore, Rev. Evan Hopkins and others. The Open Church for the Unchurched, or How to Reach the Masses. 12mo, Cloth, $1.00. =J. E. McCULLOCH= The rema…
89 wordsSECTION 55IDEALS OF LIFE AND CONDUCT.
The Choice of the Highest City Temple Talks to Young Men. 12mo, Cloth, net $1.00.…
16 wordsSECTION 56=REGINALD J. CAMPBELL, M.A.=
“These messages to the great audiences of men of business are of a high level of thought and expression. They are especially directed to young men, and present ideals of life and conduct in winning appeals. Mr. Campbell is a virile thinker with a fineness of feeling, which makes him a power in the pulpit which he holds…
80 wordsSECTION 57=HENRY STILES BRADLEY=
“Because he knows the present conditions of New Testament lore and is alert with the spirits of modern life, Dr. Bradley’s discourses possess a value both unique and practical.… Stirring, instructive, simple, easy to read and easy to understand, appealing to faith and inciting to practice.”—_Atlanta Constitution._ Chr…
57 wordsSECTION 58=DAVID J. BURRELL=
Dr. Burrell’s sermons have a standard quality that marks all of his writing. This series of sermons is intended to set out the human side of Jesus’ character as shown in his interviews with men, his tact, his discernment, his delicate handling of people. The Apostle Peter Outline Studies in his Life, Character and Wr…
60 wordsSECTION 59=W. H. GRIFFITH THOMAS=
“An excellent example of what Biblical analysis should be and should lead to. It is scholarly, logical, perspicuous, and sets forth the main truths of each passage treated in a particularly exact and luminous way.”—_Advance._ The Culture of Simplicity By the author of “Heavenly Harmonies.” 2nd Edition. 12mo, Cloth, …
120 wordsSECTION 60=J. D. JONES=
“Mr. Jones is of the general type of thought with which Mr. Dawson of London has made so many American audiences familiar. In these discourses the form is plain and lucid, the aim is practical.”—_The Outlook._ Young Men Who Overcame 12mo, Cloth, net $1.00.…
47 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.