You can't understand the good news, until you hear the
bad news.
The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living
soul. [John Calvin]
Conscience tells us in our innermost being of the
presence of God and of the moral difference between good and evil. [Billy
Graham]
It is neither safe or prudent to do anything against
conscience. [Martin Luther]
Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach
you. [Thomas a` Kempis]
To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards
of men. [Abraham Lincoln]
A believer's conscience is like radar with a needle
always sweeping round and round. God's warning mechanism sounds an alarm when
it detects attitudes and actions that are detrimental to our spiritual well-being.
[Charles Stanley]
Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of
celestial fire, called conscience. [George Washington]
To be available to God, we must first realize that
nothing will happen that isn't already part of His purpose.
If you are a child of God, the family resemblance should
be growing stronger as you mature in your faith.
If Jesus Christ is God and He died for me, then no
sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. (C. T. Studd)
In stressful situations we need to rest in God, recall
His faithfulness, and realize His grace is sufficient for any situation.
The gospel is neither a discussion nor a debate, it is an
announcement. (Paul S. Rees)
The Christian life is not found in doing, but in abiding.
When God equips us, gives us opportunities, provides the
necessary resources, He expects us to act and move forward with dedication and
enthusiasm, trusting Him to give victory.
Be assured of every door in your life, He keeps the key.
When He knows the proper time has come, He will open the door!
Nobody knows how long a window of opportunity will stay
open. So under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, make the most of every chance
you get to proclaim the message of God's saving grace.
We need not settle for a lukewarm life. The passion we
experienced at salvation can be ours again as we fix our focus on the Lord.
(Charles Stanley)
All experiences, no matter how good or right they appear,
need to be tested against the Word of God.
When God issues a call to someone for a particular
ministry or task, He affirms that call through the church.
When our security rest in our relationship with Christ,
we will be thankful for what we do have and will trust Him for the future.
Love is demonstrated by the sacrifice it makes and the
action it takes.
The key to accepting the truth of God's unconditional
love is to focus attention on Him rather than your circumstances. When you are
learning of Him, talking with Him, and sharing your life with Him, trust and
faith naturally replaces doubt and fear.
Salvation means we are going to heaven. But submission
means heaven comes to us!
We obey Jesus not by gritting our teeth and doing what we
hate. But by depending on His power to enable us to do what our love for Him
compels us to do.
At the center of every disobedient heart is a lack of
love for Jesus. Where there is a great love for God, there is a great
obedience.
God's Word will keep us from wrong thoughts, wrong words,
and wrong actions, or else wrong thoughts, wrong words, and wrong actions,
will keep us from God's Word.
Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is best and
the strength of character to act upon that knowledge.
Because Christ was resurrected just as He had prophesied,
we have assurance that everything He said is true.
I am special... God chose me to belong to Him and
is transforming me into Christ's likeness. I am loved... God loves me
unconditionally, unalterably and continuously. I am forgiven... Jesus
paid the full price for my every sin. God has permanently forgiven me and
adopted me into His family.
Focusing on circumstances instead of the Lord's
sufficiency, can make hope and joy drain away.
There is no failure inside of God's will, and there is no
success outside of God's will.
When you talk about grace, you don't encourage sin, you
encourage holiness.
People who are getting better concentrate on Jesus, not
on getting better. For this reason sanctification and spiritual growth are
always a surprise.
God created you to be you, and you were created to exalt
Christ. This is the reason for your existence. Only when you exalt Christ will
you find joy.
Guilt has only one purpose, to lead you to the throne of
grace.
Jesus Christ is the one foundation for Christian unity.
He acted... our response and obedience to Him, is love for one another.
The value of any truth is in direct proportion to one's
willingness to accept and act on the implications of that truth. The essence
of the Christian life is acting on the truth.
When one begins to understand God's grace, one begins to
realize that it really is O.K. to be screwed up! Jesus really does love you
anyway! And that, my friends, is what the gospel is all about. (Steve Brown)
The Lord expects us to give Him our full attention. When
our minds are intent upon God, life will revolve around discovering who He is
and becoming more like Him.
All the things that made Earth unlovely and tragic will
be absent in heaven. (Billy Graham)
We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within
speaking distance of those who belong there. Heaven is a prepared place for
prepared people. (D. L. Moody)
Heaven will be the absolutely perfection of all that the infinite
mind of God could conceive and the omnipotence of God could create. What you
and I will experience in heaven is the total release from every physical,
emotional, and spiritual shackle we experience here on earth. (Charles
Stanley)
Life in Christ is a process of actualizing the potential
Christ gives us when He breaks the shackles of sin.
Forgiveness is simply the act of giving up the resentment
we may have toward someone, along with the desire to retaliate.
Saints are born, not made; but they are not born made.
God has a plan for our eternal good, and it is foolish
not to obey Him. We have no idea what God will do in and through us if we
commit to living a life of obedience.
Obedience is essential for the Christian. Following God's
commands blesses us and also shows our love for the Father.
Surrender is a constant decision. Every new choice brings
a fresh opportunity to submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than
the temptation of the flesh. And each time we choose to walk by God's Spirit,
our faith is strengthened.
We are never too sick, never too lost, never too sinful
for God's power and grace to make a difference.
When God chooses to act, He can do so independent of any
other source....including us.
The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; The
Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. (Augustine)
Jesus Christ is the heart and core of the gospel.
Christianity is not a philosophy of life, it centers in a person who is the
core of everything Christians believe.
Love the sinner, but hate your own sin.
We are obligated because of God's infinite mercy and love
towards us, to treat with unconditional love and mercy our fellow brothers,
and sisters who sin against us.
Always be killing sin or it will be killing you. (John
Owen)
Christians have the capacity to love in a supernatural
way, because God's Holy Spirit lives in and through them.
God Himself has condescended to teach me the way. He has
written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book! At any price give me the
book of God. (John Wesley)
You cannot antagonize and influence at the same time.
(John Knox)
The very man who has argued you down, will sometimes be
found, years later, to have been influenced by what you said. (C. S. Lewis)
I am convinced if I asked you to recall five sermons you
have listened to, and to give me the points of the sermons, you would be hard
pressed to answer. But if I ask you to name five persons that God has used to
touch your life, you would not hesitate a moment to answer.
It is evident from Scripture that Jesus did not intend
for us to be salt and light in a sealed container. (Charles Stanley)
He
wore my crown, the crown of thorns; I wear his crown, the crown of glory. He
wore my clothes, nay, rather, he wore my nakedness when he died upon the
cross; I wear his robes, the royal robes of the King of kings. He bore my
shame; I bear his honor. He endured my sufferings that my joy may be full. He
laid in the grave that I might rise from the dead. (C. H. Spurgeon)
You may as well quit reading and hearing the Word of God,
and give it to the devil, if you do not desire to live according to it.
(Martin Luther)
Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what
God sees.
God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
Having a Christ-centered, hopeful attitude is essential
to success. When negative thoughts, doubts, and fears surface, turn to God and
reflect on His character, all-encompassing love, and good purposes. Do not
allow pessimistic thoughts and emotions to overtake your mind. (Charles
Stanley)
God's purpose for His children always includes
sanctification, stewardship, and service. As we seek the Lord's specific plan
for our life, we can know for sure that it will include character
transformation, investment of our resources for His kingdom, and ministry to
others.
Living by faith requires diligent examination,
interpretation, and application of Biblical truth.
Praise is the key to supernatural power.
Nothing is more dangerous than an unrealistic view of
human nature.
It is not by creation nor providence nor law that man
knows God, but by Christ.
Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
Obedience always brings blessing; disobedience always has
its consequences.
Faith is not wishful thinking or
believing what you know isn't true. Instead it is the conviction that God will
always do what He promises to do, regardless of circumstances.
Faith declares our weakness while
it proclaims the trustworthiness of God, and His complete, and willing ability
to do what we cannot. A lack of faith insults God even as it puts foolish
confidence in ourselves.
Faith and repentance are two sides
of the same coin. They go hand in hand; you cannot have one without the other.
Thanksgiving is good, but thanks-living is better.
(Matthew Henry)
You cannot shape the doctrines of Scripture to fit your
opinions; if you do, you are putting yourself above God. Our beliefs should be
consistent with God's Word.
Remove yourself from any situation that produces evil
thoughts or stimulates your desire to sin. Knowing when to run is as important
in spiritual warfare as knowing when and how to fight.
Spend time every day reflecting on the foundational
truths of the Christian faith found in God's Word.
Keep a clear mind in every situation; keeping your head
makes you alert to temptation, resistant to pressure and vigilant when facing
responsibility.
I was not born to be free. I was born to adore and to
obey. (C. S. Lewis)
One day all Christians will join in a doxology and sing
God's praises with perfection. But even today, individually and corporately,
we are not only to sing the doxology, but to be the doxology. (Francis
Schaeffer)
Life has no purpose until its real purpose is understood:
to glorify God. (Charles Stanley)
Look at the very birds on earth--how they shame us! Dear
little creatures, if you watch them when they are singing, you will sometimes
wonder how so much sound can come out of such diminutive bodies. How they
throw their whole selves into the music, and seem to melt themselves away in
song! How the wing vibrates, the throat pulsates, and every part of their
bodies rejoices to assist the strain! This is the way in which we ought to
praise God. (C. H. Spurgeon)
Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of
religion. In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels. (Thomas
Watson)
Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name
forever and ever. (King David, Psalm 145:2)
Jesus did not call you to be religious; He called you to
be His.
Just because you can't see or understand what God is
doing, doesn't mean He's doing nothing.
We can never learn to demonstrate the grace of God in our
lives without difficult people to be gracious to.
Nobody ever outgrows Scripture, the Book widens and
deepens with our years. (Charles H. Spurgeon)
We were created to have an intimate, loving relationship
with the Lord and to bring Him glory. Paying homage with our gifts and good
works is a natural extension of that design, but our foremost responsibility
is to spend time with Him. (Charles Stanley)
God wants us to spend time in His Word, transforming our
mind to elevate our thinking above the typical, ungodly attitudes of the
world.
Truth isn't worth dink if it isn't applied. (Steve Brown)
Everything of any import in the church is a work of
faith.
Faith anchored in truth will change a man's
direction.
If you say you believe and it doesn't make any difference,
don't fool yourself, you really don't believe.
Faith brings us salvation, active obedience demonstrates
that our faith is genuine.
Our commitment to the lordship of Christ is one area in
which God will always test us.
Through daily prayer and meditation upon God's Word, we
can keep our eyes centered on Christ, our ears attuned to His voice, and our
hearts motivated to obey.
When pleasing God is our goal, we will find ourselves
empowered to follow Him.
The Lord is not interested in our convenience or comfort;
He is focused on conforming His children to Christ likeness and using them to
spread the gospel throughout the world. (Charles Stanley)
Anything short of complete obedience is disobedience.
God's Spirit is the believer's internal motivator for
expressing external evidence of faith. He provides the power to live the
Christian life and work effectively for the Lord.
True service is not something we do for God, but rather
something God does through us. God assumes full responsibility for enabling us
to carry out the work He assigns.
The greatest ability, is avail-ability.
No matter who is the object of our service, we actually
serve the Lord.
We should work obediently, reverently, and energetically,
as if serving Christ Himself.
You cannot serve the Lord and yourself at the same
time.
There is no such thing as a big shot in the Kingdom of
God. We all are on the same level at the Cross, because all believers are
saved by the same blood of Jesus and the same grace of God. So it is not the
capacity in which we serve, but rather our obedience to Him that matters.
Real ministry takes place when divine resources meet
human needs through a loving channel.
Until you surrender to the Lord and allow Him to work in
and through you to accomplish His purposes for your life, you will miss out on
the blessing and deep satisfaction He desires you to have.
God's love for us isn't contingent on our performance.
God is not a riddle to be solved; He is a friend to be
known and enjoyed.
Some people stay so far in the past that the future is
gone before they get there.
God will supply both grace to endure trials and strength
to resist temptations.
Christians are to develop perseverance in their trials
and accept responsibility for their sins.
The way to be in God's winners circle is by loving Him
and staying faithful even under pressure.
God's work in us is evident through our resistance to
temptation.
God's Word promotes holiness, and develops godly
character.
A real walk with God shows itself in simple--- practical
ways, it helps the needy and keeps itself unstained by the world's corruption.
No task is to small for the servant of God, who has the
mind of Christ.
God uses our difficult times to showcase His power and
love to those who do not know Him.
One of the ways we evaluate our life is to determine what
seeds we are sowing that will bear future fruit. Invest your treasure in
others, not in personal gain. (Fred Smith)
Unity without truth isn't unity; it's compromise.
Our love for each other is the best kind of evangelism.
To the extent that we believe in God's sovereign control
over all things, our lives will be characterized by peace and joy. (Charles
Stanley)
The efficacy of the Word is not dependent on the purity
of the teacher.
What impact does prayer have? It allows an inadequate
people to connect with an all-sufficient God.
What occurred at the cross? Sin was judged. Satan was
defeated. Our salvation was purchased. Imbed these life-giving truths deep in
your heart, and walk in the freedom and victory God bought for you.
Pardoned of all our sins. Clothed in Jesus'
righteousness. Made a child of holy God. These are three reasons to praise and
thank the Lord every day.
You can't hustle a buck and evangelize at the same time.
(Steve Brown)
Thanking God in difficult circumstances keeps us aware of
His presence.
Acting saintly is not an action but an attitude of the
heart.
Let us not be guilty of what may be the greatest sin of
all; indifference toward almighty God.
The most important battles take place on the inside of
us; in our mind and emotions.
We are rooted and established in the love of God, who
sacrificed His Son for us, and in the love of Jesus, who died in our place.
God's people were made for praise. It is embedded in our
spirits, and something we cannot escape or ignore.
Worship is not something you have to do; it's something
you get to do.
The next time you face a troubling situation, choose
praise instead of self-pity. God will release His power in your life, giving
you courage and filling your heart with joy. (Charles Stanley)
The only way to worship well is to praise God for who He
is. This kind of praise is focused on Him and recognizes that He is
transcendent--above all earthly things. (Charles Stanley)
There is not a verse in the Bible that says that
believers are promised an easy life. In fact God's Word warns that the
opposite is true. Like Paul we can choose to live above our circumstances by
realizing that God has a plan to use our experiences for our good, for the
benefit of others, and for His glory.
The Christian is a telescope, bringing Jesus into focus in a
way that the rest of the world can see and understand.
Elevating anything above the true and living God is
idolatry; and the consequences of idolatry include shame, self-deception, and
missing out on the life God offers.
The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting
to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the
people, with a view to winning them.... providing amusement for the people is
nowhere spoken of in Scripture as a function of the Church.... The need is
biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men aflame. (Charles
Haddon Spurgeon)
Experience is not the Measurement of truth, but it
validates it.
God always answers prayer though not always in the way we
would like. Sometimes He says, "yes," sometimes He says,
"no," and sometimes He says, "wait."
Focus on your sin, you'll get worse. Focus on Jesus,
you'll get better. (Steve Brown)
bravenet.com