Far too many people attend church not to meet with Jesus but rather to make an appearance.
I don’t think that God raised up Internet bloggers to call out wolves – who have an opinion and a website.
A leader should care way more about HOW people are doing rather than HOW they are doing their work.
God has called each one of us to embrace life, not merely to endure it.
One thing that’s essential for followers of Jesus to understand is that non-Christians are watching the way we walk through the fire. And the way we respond to the flames that are thrown at us can teach people way more about Jesus than any sermon or lecture ever could. If we will walk through the fire with the assurance that Jesus is with us, then people who don’t know Him will pay attention.
The world is always going to pressure us to bow to something other than God because we feel that when we do, we are in control. But in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
That means we must make a choice: Will we focus on the size of our problem or the size of our God? The reality is, we can’t do both.
I’m so glad He has been teaching me to define His goodness based on who He is, not on my own limited understanding of Him.
Daniel refused to allow his circumstances to shape his belief system but rather allowed his belief system to help him overcome his circumstances.
When we meet Christ and get on the right side of the cross, our goal isn’t to get everyone to think we’re perfect and have it all together. Rather, this is where we recognize how much we need Jesus and learn to fall more in love with Him every single day.
I once heard someone say that when we rationalize, we tell “rational lies.
He is not threatened by your circumstances or situation – He is a grave-robbing, water-walking, miracle-working, death-defying God, and He’s able to pull you through anything you have to face in this life.
Holiness and goodness are not what He does but rather who He is. And He can’t cease to be who He is.
I finally has to accept the reality that my circumstances do not alter His character. Anyone can say, “God is faithful” when wonderful things are happening. But God is holy and God is good no matter what we’re going through.
I don’t understand how God can use bad things for good. I don’t understand a lot of things about God. But when we can fully explain God, He ceases to be God. All I know is that He took a bloodstained cross and turned it into an empty tomb, and a God who can do that is worthy of my worship and trust.
If we are obsessed with stressful circumstances, we will constantly be overwhelmed. But if we are obsessed with Christ, we will overcome.
In my struggles with this issue, I finally grasped that facts are greater than how we feel. If we allow our feelings to determine what we think and how we behave, we will never escape the pit of despair and hopelessness that anxiety places us in. However, if we allow our minds to be shaped by facts, we can live a life that is full of hope and peace, despite our circumstances.
People who have a victim mentality – those who constantly tend to blame others – never walk in the victory Jesus promises.
You’re going to have to stop identifying yourself as a victim. You’re going to have to stop blaming other people. You’re going to have to own your life, your decisions.
When we are walking through depression, we usually wait on everyone around us to change. And like it or not, that’s not going to happen. If you are depressed and blaming those around you, it is time to stop. To blame is to “b-lame”!