I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man: Between Him and whoever else in the world there is no possible term of comparison.

God might want you to extend his love by offering to baby-sit for the single parent down the street. He might want you to prepare a hearty meal for that lonely old man who lost his wife -- and to sit and visit with him while he eats. Who knows, he might even want you to reach out and touch the life of a total stranger in some way you can't imagine right now. Are you willing to set aside your own comfort to touch someone else with God's love? ("A Woman's Touch")

I'm not suggesting that we have the power to heal physical conditions with our human fingers. But I do believe there's a healing of the spirit that takes place when we touch others. There's a comfort that can't be found anywhere else but in a touch or a hug. Somehow, God's love and power is ahred with others through the simplicity of our physical touch. ("A Woman's Touch")

You know how it is -- you say the same words, yet they mean different things to those hearing them. you offer the same touch, yet it yields different results in different lives. Some people soak up your touch; others wipe it off. You might look at these situations and get discouraged: "Fine! I just won't do anything nice for anyone!" Yet look back at the example of Jesus. ("A Woman's Touch" )

God's touch in our lives is kind ... Romans 2:4 says that it's God's KINDNESS -- not his power or justice -- that leads us to repentance. ... And because of this kindness, we want to be closer to him. We want to our lives right with him. ("A Woman's Touch" )

Theologically, we have been discovering anew that the Church is not an appendage to the Gospel: it is itself a part of the Gospel. The Gospel cannot be separated from that new people of God in which its nature is to be made manifest.

To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living.

To take up the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all; it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us.

How can we understand forgiveness if we haven't recognized the depth of our sin?

Life passes, riches fly away, popularity is fickle, the senses decay, the world changes. One alone is true to us; One alone can be all things to us; One alone can supply our need.

I make it a rule of Christian duty never to go to a place where there is not room for my Master as well as myself.

I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.

Preaching should break a hard heart and heal a broken one.

If ever I reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third -- the greatest wonder of all -- to find myself there.

God's promises are like the stars: the darker the night, the brighter they shine.

All human sin seems so much worse in its consequences than in its intentions.

The cross symbolizes a cosmic as well as historic truth. Love conquers the world, but its victory is not an easy one.

It is through dying to concern for self that we are born to new life with God and others; in such dying and rebirth, we find that life is lent to be spent; and in such spending of what we are lent, we find there is an infinite supply. (Glenn Olds)

A quiet morning with a loving God puts the events of the upcoming day into proper perspective.(Janette Oke)

Sometimes the Lord rides out the storm with us and other times He calms the restless sea around us. Most of all, He calms the storm inside us in our deepest inner soul. ( Lloyd John Ogilvie)

Forgiveness doesn't make the other person right, it makes you free. (Stormie Omartian)

God sees with utter clarity who we are. He is undeceived as to our warts and wickedness. But when God looks at us that is not all He sees. He also sees who we are intended to be, who we will one day become. (John Ortberg)

Lift up your eyes. The heavenly Father waits to bless you -- in inconceivable ways to make your life what you never dreamed it could be. (Anne Ortlund)

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. (Frank Outlaw)

He who prays as he ought will endeavor to live as he prays.

I shall not value his prayers at all, be he never so earnest and frequent in them, who gives not alms according to his ability.

That wisdom which cannot teach me that God is love, shall ever pass for folly.

We admit no faith to be justifying, which is not itself and in its own nature a spiritually vital principle of obedience and good works.

It is to no purpose to boast of Christ, if we have not an evidence of His graces in our hearts and lives. But unto whom He is the hope of future glory, unto them He is the life of present grace.

Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind never blows upon it.

If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world: at least, we should be better enabled to bear them.

Let us learn more about the power of temptation in order to avoid it.

Nothing shall be lost that is done for God or in obedience to Him.

If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world: at least, we should be better enabled to bear them.

Pardon comes not to the soul alone; or rather, Christ comes not to the soul with pardon only! It is that which He opens the door and enters by, but He comes with a Spirit of life and power.

Christ demands that the driving force in your life must be love. All other things, although important, are secondary. Love is the sign of true discipleship.

The stars may fall, but God's promises will stand and be fulfilled.

We meet God through entering into a relationship both of dependence on Jesus as our Savior and Friend and of discipleship to Him as our Lord and Master.

Even when we cannot see the why and wherefore of God's dealings, we know that there is love in and behind them, and so we can rejoice always.

The natural response to denials of Satan's existence is to ask, Who then runs his business?

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity - hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory - because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.

Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.

Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God's holiness and sovereignty...acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.

Have no fear for the unsettlement or the disturbance of the Kingdom of heaven. It began in eternity, it will go on through everlasting; there is no panic in the divine personality. God is peace, God gives peace, God gives rest. (Joseph Parker)

Perhaps one reason God delays His answers to our prayers is because He knows we need to be with Him far more than we need the things we ask of Him. (Ben Patterson)

A Christian must keep the faith, but not to himself. (Jim Patrick)

Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; We do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ.

The serene beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world next to the power of God.

Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.

There is nothing that we can see on earth which does not either show the wretchedness of man or the mercy of God. One either sees the powerlessness of man without God, or the strength of man with God.

We implore the mercy of God, not that He may leave us at peace in our vices, but that He may deliver us from them.

Let us weigh the gain and the loss, in wagering that God is. Consider these alternatives: if you win, you win all, if you lose you lose nothing. Do not hesitate, then, to wager that he is.

Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.

God usually answers our prayers so much more according to the measure of His own magnificence, than of our asking, that we do not recognize His benefits to be those for which we sought Him. (Coventry Patmore)

Those who will not be governed by God, will be ruled by tyrants. (William Penn)

God does not waste an ounce of our pain or a drop of our tears; suffering doesn't come our way for no reason, and He seems especially efficient at using what we endure to mold our character. If we are malleable, He takes our bumps and bruises and shapes them ... (Frank Peretti)

There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity (Tom Peters)

Nothing is too great and nothing is too small to commit into the hands of the Lord.

Christ is the key which unlocks the golden doors into the temple of Divine truth.

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. (John Piper)

We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples. (John Piper)

In the New Testament it is the work and not the workers that is glorified. (Alfred Plummer)

It were better to have no opinion of God at all than such a one as is unworthy of him; for the one is unbelief - the other is contempt. (Plutarch)

We never move on from the cross of Christ, only into a more profound understanding of the cross. (David Prior)

Never dwell on the tomorrow; remember, that it's God's and not ours. (Edward B. Pusey)

We must welcome the night. It's the only time that the stars shine.

Theologians have felt no hesitation in founding a system of speculative thought on the teachings of Jesus; and yet Jesus was never an inhabitant of the realm of speculative thought. (Walter Rauschenbusch)

We profess that we know God, but by works we deny Him; for beatitude doth not consist in the knowledge of divine things, but in a divine life, for the devils know them better than man. (Sir Walter Raleigh)

Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged (Ronald Reagan, American President)

Righteousness is just rightness. Sometimes we make it too theological as a Biblical word. Rightness is not easy of definition, but everybody knows what it is. We are conscious of rightness even if we cannot adequately define it. (Harry Lathrop Reed)

Faith is realizing that I am useful to God not in spite of my scars but because of them. (Pamela Reeve)

The mark of a saint is not perfection, but consecration. A saint is not a man without faults, but a man who has given himself without reserve to God. (W. T. Richardson)

The name of Jesus is in my mind as a joyful song, in my ear a heavenly music, and in my mouth sweet honey. (Richard Rolle)

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. (Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador)

It is better to be faithful than famous. ( Theodore Roosevelt)

Open wide the windows of our spirits and fill us full of light; open wide the door of our hearts, that we may receive and entertain Thee with all our powers of adoration. (Christina Rossetti)

Your heart is not the compass that God steers by. (Samuel Rutherford)

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant." I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then.

Fortunately,Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row-center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, >>quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W."

The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W." Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.

In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

"C H R I S T    W A S   L O VE"

And, I believe, He still is. Amazed in His presence...Humbled by His love. May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing Love for us.

Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.

Before Christ comes it is useless to expect to see the perfect church.

The best and brightest of God's saints is but a poor mixed being.

Man, made in the image of God, has a purpose - to be in relationship to God, who is there. Man forgets his purpose and thus he forgets who he is and what life means.

God has given us rules not because He is arbitrary, but because the rules... are fixed in His own character.... Thus, when we sin we break the law of God... in the direction of destroying what we really are.

God does not waste suffering; if he ploughs it is because He purposes a crop. (J.O.Sanders)

Socrates, being asked what countryman he was, answered, "I am a citizen of the whole world." But ask a Christian what countryman he is, and he will answer, "A citizen of heaven." (William Seckler)

"There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth." (Dr. Frederick Seitz, past president of the National Academy of Sciences)

'Twas an unhappy Division that has been made between Faith and Works; though in my Intellect I may divide them, just as in the Candle I know there is both Light and Heat. But yet, put out the Candle, and they are both gone. (John Selden)

What is morally wrong can never be politically right. (Lord Shaftesbury)

Persecution for righteousness' sake is what every child of God must expect. (Charles Simeon)

Salt, when dissolved in water, may disappear, but it does not cease to exist. We can be sure of its presence by tasting the water. Likewise, the indwelling Christ, though unseen, will be made evident to others from the love which he imparts to us.

From time immemorial men have quenched their thirst with water without knowing anything about its chemical constituents. In like manner we do not need to be instructed in all the mysteries of doctrine, but we do need to receive the Living Water which Jesus Christ will give us and which alone can satisfy our souls.

Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne well those laid on you; it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently.

We must not be unjust and require from ourselves what is not in ourselves. Do not desire not to be what you are, but desire to be very well what you are.

The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying, not, "What a lovely sermon!" but, "I will do something!"

There is a big difference between mishearing and hearing only what we want to hear, right? We, the people of God, seem to have chronic 'itching ears,' and we can usually find somebody to scratch till we say 'Aaahh' (2 Tim. 4:3). Given the option, we will usually choose bigger barns to serve ourselves over bigger hearts to serve others (Luke 12:13-21)." (Scotty Smith in "The Reign of Grace")

True religion is a union of God with the soul, a real participation of the divine nature, the very image of God drawn upon the soul, or in the apostle's phrase, it is Christ formed in us. (Henry Scougal)

You must not lose confidence in God because you lost confidence in your pastor. If our confidence in God had to depend upon our confidence in any human person, we would be on shifting sand. (Francis Schaeffer)

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. (William Shedd)

Salt, when dissolved in water, may disappear, but it does not cease to exist. We can be sure of its presence by tasting the water. Likewise, the indwelling Christ, though unseen, will be made evident to others from the love which he imparts to us. (Sadhu Sundar Singh)

Christianity must mean everything to us before it can mean anything to others. (Donald Soper)

"Back in the 1970s, the hysteria was about global cooling and the prospect of a new ice age. A National Academy of Sciences report back then led Science magazine to conclude in its March 1, 1975, issue that a long 'ice age is a real possibility.' According to the April 28, 1975, issue of Newsweek, 'the earth's climate seems to be cooling down.' A note of urgency was part of the global-cooling hysteria then as much as it is part of today's global-warming hysteria. According to the February, 1973, issue of Science Digest, 'Once the freeze starts, it will be too late'." (Economist Thomas Sowell )

You will never stand alone while standing on the Word of God. (Kathryn Souza-Wine)

God is not moved or impressed with our worship until our hearts are moved and impressed by Him. (Kelly Sparks)

Without God man has no reference point to define himself. 20th century philosophy manifests the chaos of man seeking to understand himself as a creature with dignity while having no reference point for that dignity. (R. C. Sproul)

Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.

God will be the covenant God of his people world without end. There is no other God, we wish for no other, we would have no other even if other there were. Throughout life, and to our dying couch, he will lead us to the living fountains of waters.

The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.

For nourishment, comfort, exhilaration, and refreshment, no wine can rival the love of Jesus. Drink deeply.

The lowest station in the Lord's house is better than the highest position among the godless. To bear burdens and open doors for the Lord is more honor than to reign among the wicked. Every man has his choice, and this is ours. God's worst is better than the devil's best.

Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.

If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.

Satan never sells his poisons naked -- he always gilds them before he vends them.

I believe a very large majority of church-goers are merely unthinking, slumbering worshipers of an unknown God.

We are certain there is forgiveness, because there is a gospel, and the very essence of the gospel lies in the proclamation of the pardon of sin.

We cannot bear sin - when it is near us, we feel like a wretch chained to a rotting carcass; we groan to be free of the hateful thing.

"Speech" any man may attain to, but "act" is difficult.

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.

A sacred regard to the authority of God ought to lead us to reject an error, however old, sanctioned by whatever authority, or however generally practiced.

Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.

Out of every difficulty Omnipotence can bring us, only let us in childlike confidence cast our burden upon the Lord.

If the people do not like the doctrine of grace, give them all the more of it.

By perseverance the snail reached the ark.

A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.

Our misery is that we thirst so little for these sublime things, and so much for the mocking trifles of time and space.

The repetition of small efforts will accomplish more than the occasional use of great talents.

Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.

Rely implicitly upon the old, old gospel. You need no other nets when you fish for men; those your Master has given you are strong enough to hold the little ones. Spread these nets and no others, and you need not fear the fulfillment of His word, 'I will'

Learn to say "no." It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin

'Difficulty' is not a word to be found in the dictionary of heaven. Nothing can be impossible with God.

I only know this, that if He had not sought me out, I would never have come to Him.

Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus Christ to keep you out of hell.

Jesus can turn water into wine, but He can't turn your whining into anything

The loving service which God sends His people into the world to render includes both evangelism and social action, for each is in itself an authentic expression of love, and neither needs the other to justify it.

Worship is the highest and noblest activity of which man, by the grace of God, is capable.

Ultimately, evangelism is not a technique. It is the Lord of the Church who reserves to Himself His sovereign right to add to His Church.

Perhaps the transformation of the disciples of Jesus is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection.

The Gospel is good news of mercy to the undeserving. The symbol of the religion of Jesus is the cross, not the scales.

Jesus Christ is a peacemaker. So, if we want to be God's children and Christ's disciples, we must be peacemakers too.

There is evidence for the deity of Jesus -- good, strong, historical , cumulative evidence; evidence to which an honest person can subscribe without committing intellectual suicide.

I belong to the "Great-God Party", and will have nothing to do with the "Little-God Party." Christ does not want nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible. (C. T. Studd)

Hypocrites in the Church? Yes, and in the lodge and at the home. Don't hunt through the Church for a hypocrite. Go home and look in the mirror. Hypocrites? Yes. See that you make the number one less. (Billy Sunday)

A life in thankfulness releases the glory of God. (Bengt Sundberg)

Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours. (Swedish Proverb)

We never know when our disappointment will be His appointment.

Nothing under God's control is ever out of control.

It's never too late to start doing what is right.

Faith is believing in advance what can only be understood in reverse.

The beautiful thing about this adventure called faith is that we can count on Him never to lead us astray.

Few things are more infectious than a godly lifestyle. The people you rub shoulders with everyday need that kind of challenge. Not prudish. Not preachy. Just cracker jack clean living. Just honest to goodness, bone - deep, non-hypocritical integrity.

Satan watches for those vessels that sail without convoy.