My “quotes” file was beginning to overflow, so I thought I would pass on some of the best ones I’ve collected in the last few months:

“Only when you know how to die can you know how to live.” – J. I. Packer

“Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally.” – Tim Keller

When asked to describe what is “the heresy of modernity,” J.I. Packer described it this way:

“The belief that…

the newer is the truer,

only what is recent is decent,

every shift of ground is a step forward,

and every latest word must be hailed as the last word on its subject.”

(J. I. Packer, “Is Systematic Theology a Mirage? An Introductory Discussion,” in Doing Theology in Today’s World: Essays in Honor of Kenneth S. Kantzer [2], ed. John D. Woodbridge and Thomas Edward McComiskey (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1991), 21.)

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley

“Too many church members are starched and ironed but not washed.” – Vance Havner

“Too many are willing to sit at God’s table, but not work in his field.” – Vance Havner

“The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills, wills.” – Richard J. Needham

‎”Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4

“I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds … Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” – Jim Elliot

Five Great Quotes about Prayer . . . And Five Challenges to Pray for the Nations!

Quote 1: “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” D. L. Moody

The Challenge: Let us stop launching movements that we claim will change the world until we have made prayer a sincere and intentional focus.

 

Quote 2: “I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.” Charles Spurgeon

The Challenge: It is not “either/or,” but it is “both/and” . . . and we could do with a little more praying as we reach out to the lost around the world.

 

Quote 3: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness.” Martin Luther

The Challenge: When we look at our broken world, we can easily turn to despair, but God is drawing the nations to Himself and He chooses to work as we pray.

 

Quote 4: “It is good for us to keep some account of our prayers, that we may not unsay them in our practice.” Matthew Henry

The Challenge: Do you live out your prayers for the nations in your service, your generosity, your education, and your hospitality?

 

Quote 5: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” Abraham Lincoln

The Challenge: Many times our efforts to bless the nations will seem to fail and we fall to our knees out of desperation. However, God wants us in a posture of prayer and He will take our feeble efforts and use them mightily.

(Source: unknown)

“It is very difficult for a minister of God to fall when he is living his life faithfully on his face before God in prayer.”

“It is because of the doctrine of judgment and hell that Jesus’ proclamations of grace and love are so astounding.” – Tim Keller

“Meet me in heaven!  Do not go down to hell.  There is no coming back again from that abode of misery.  Why do you wish to enter the way of death when heaven’s gate is open before you?  Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust him.  Do not hesitate and delay.  You have had enough of resolving, come to action.  Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision.  Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day.  Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you.  Let it be now; it would be horrible that it should be never.  Farewell.  Again I charge you, meet me in heaven.” – C. H. Spurgeon, from his book All of Grace (London, 1897), page 128

“You are required to believe, to preach, and to teach what the Bible says is true, not what you want the Bible to say is true.” – R.C. Sproul, from his book Chosen By God, p. 12

Randy Alcorn quotes Margaret Clarkson in his book If God Is God: “The sovereignty of God is the one impregnable rock to which the suffering human heart must cling. The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident: they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God.”

 

“Fly this banner over every wound and regret: ‘Satan meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.’” (Genesis 50:20) – John Piper

 

 

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from his book The Cost of Discipleship

 

“We are Christians. Radical, full-blooded, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting, God-centered, mission-advancing, soul-winning, church-loving, holiness-pursing, sovereignty-savoring, grace-besotted, broken-hearted, happy followers of the omnipotent, crucified Christ. At least that’s our imperfect commitment.” – John Piper

“God’s purpose for my life was that I have a passion for God’s glory and that I have a passion for my joy in that glory, and that these two are one passion.” – Jonathan Edwards

“God’s sovereignty is no more “fatalism” than grace is cheap or mercy is merited. God is free to be God, thankfully!” – Scotty Smith

“I have learned that God’s silence to my questions is not a door slammed in my face. I may not have the answers—but I do have him.” – Dave Dravecky

“The law discovers the disease. The gospel gives the remedy.” – Martin Luther

 

 

“Grace isn’t God lowering his standards. It’s God fulfilling those standards through Christ’s sacrifice for us.”

“My observation of Christendom is that most of us tend to base our relationship with God on our performance instead of on His grace.  If we’ve performed well—whatever ‘well’ is in our opinion—then we expect God to bless us. If we haven’t done so well, our expectations are reduced accordingly.  In this sense, we live by works, rather than by grace.  We are saved by grace, but we are living by the ‘sweat’ of our own performance.  Moreover, we are always challenging ourselves and one another to ‘try harder’.  We seem to believe success in the Christian life is basically up to us; our commitment, our discipline, and our zeal, with some help from God along the way. The realization that my daily relationship with God is based on the infinite merit of Christ instead of on my own performance is very freeing and joyous experience.  But it is not meant to be a one-time experience; the truth needs to be reaffirmed daily.” – Jerry Bridges, from his book Transforming Grace

“Malign no one” (NASB); “Speak evil of no one” (NKJV); “Slander no one” (NIV) ~ Titus 3:2.

Lord, make this word true in all of our lives daily!