QUOTES

Often times we find that many of the graces God places upon us are tied to the graces we place upon other people.

“He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.” —

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1130.

“Lighthouses don’t fire guns or ring bells to call attention to their light, they just shine.” —

Sherwood E. Wirt

I am a little concerned whenever I see someone using the church as a network for business -- and equally concerned when a member thinks doing business only with Christians is a guarantee of "fair dealing". In several instances, just the opposite is the case. So be careful -- especially where the money is concerned. Greed is a potential snare for all of us.

Sin denies man the power of God in this life and the presence of God in the next.

~John Blanchard~

We are not saved in order to be a blessing to other people––you will be that inevitably––but primarily we are saved in order to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.”

~Alan Redpath~

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. ~C.S. Lewis~

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. ~C.S. Lewis~

We don't need to bring Christ to church because He's already there, yet that is where we spend the majority of our "Christian" service, ministering to other Christians. Where Christ is truly needed is in the workplaces and street corners of our cities. God sees the heart; not the activity, location, or behavior of people. What do you see? Who will He use to reach out to those who need the gospel the most? Will it be you?

Forgiveness does not come easily to us, especially when someone we have trusted betrays our trust. And yet if we do not learn to forgive, we will discover that we can never rebuild trust.

~Billy Graham~

The Quaker Thomas Kelly wrote in his Testament of Devotion, “There is a way of ordering our mental lives on more than one level at once. On one level we can be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, and meeting all the demands of external affairs. But deep within, behind the scenes, at a profound level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship, and a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings.”

[God] wants you to have something far better than riches and gold, and that is helpless dependence upon Him.

~Hudson Taylor~

It is necessary to draw near unto God, but it is not required of you to prolong your speech till everyone is longing to hear the word ‘Amen’.

~C.H. Spurgeon~

This life is a short journey, preparing the way for something greater. If we could get that idea into our hearts and minds our perspectives will dramatically change.

Come to the Lord as humble servants or God will humble you to use you. Let us be humble that we may not need to be humbled, but may be exalted by the grace of God. ~C. H. Spurgeon~

we have to be very careful that through our desire to be organized and serve the needs of our members, we don't stray too far from Bible-based teaching and into so many activities and programs that we begin to look more like a social club than a church. Pastor Chuck Smith would say Simply teach the word simply. It is the word that is sharper than a two-edged sword able to pierce everything it touches. In this time and season share the word.

As leaders in a crisis, we will need to help others deal with their feelings, and we can only do this well if we are in touch with and managing well our own feelings. Leaders mustn’t be governed by emotions, of course. They need to exercise all of their human faculties when they lead, especially in times of crisis. But Nehemiah’s example encourages us not to ignore or mask our true feelings. When it comes to your leadership in the COVID-19 crisis, I expect you to have many feelings: fear, compassion, frustration, anxiety, confusion, distraction, hope, hopelessness, sadness, anger, love, and gratitude. I’m sure you could add to this list. My point here is that you will be a leader of integrity if you allow yourself to feel, acknowledging your feelings to yourself and God. Others when it is necessary.

Can people tell from the emphasis we attach to material things whether we have set our affection on things above, or whether we are primarily attached to this world? ~Billy Graham~

“The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not, like some well in a retired and shady place…What he is when left to himself and to his God, that is his true life.” —John Henry Newman

Don’t fall into that trap! Avoid getting caught up in religious arguing and the insanity of political disputes by humbly seeking to know God through His Son, Jesus Christ. He will address your genuine uncertainties through His word and you can trust the Holy Spirit to guide you to wisdom as you know Him better.