To Wrestle With God Instead

"A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument."

There are a few phrases that I have heard once that has stuck with me since. This is one of them. It refers to the fallacy of arguing from mere theory and not practice, from mere intellect and not proficiency, from reading others without experiencing for themselves. This was birthed out of it:

You will only be at the level of the people you spend time with.

Iron sharpens iron. But dull blades are useless. How much Christ means to me is measured in the price I am willing to pay to follow Him. Man's ordination matters nothing to me, what matters is the fire of God.

I prefer to wrestle with God not with men. I prefer to run with horses not with men. I prefer the commendation of God and not those of men. The word of God, not the opinion of men. I choose to be faithful rather than be defensive. To be anointed than be recognized. To be found by God in secret, than be praised openly by vain men.

Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find in His mind described in Scripture. It is the habit of agreeing in God's judgement, hating what He hates, loving what He loves, and measuring everything in this world by the standards of His word.
John Charles Ryle