"The root of a plant or tree makes no show above ground. If you dig down to it and examine it, it is a poor, dirty, coarse-looking thing, and not nearly so beautiful to the eye as the fruit or leaf or flower. But that despised root, nevertheless, is the true source of all the life, health, vigour and fertility which your eyes see, and without it the plant or tree would soon die. Now private religion is the root of all vital Christianity. Without it we may make a brave show in the meeting or on the platform, and sing aloud, and shed many tears, and have a name to live and the praise of man. But without it we have no wedding garment, and are 'dead before God'. I tell my readers plainly that the times require of us more attention to private religion. Let us pray more heartily in private, and throw our whole souls more into our prayers. . . .

Let us read our Bibles in private more, . . .

Let us cultivate the habit of keeping up more private meditation and communion with Christ. . .

. . . . whatever trouble it may cost us, for thought, for prayer, for the Bible, and for private communion with Christ. Alas! That saying of our Master is sadly overlooked: 'Enter into thy closet and shut the door' (Matt. 6:6)."- Bishop John Charles Ryle


An excellent word from JC Ryle here. Our at home devotions, and special time with Jesus in pray and worship and reading the Word needs to more and more, and not less and less, as we grow in the truth and grace of our Savior, and especially as our love grows.