Category: Quotes

Satan’s mission: keep lost people lost.
If he fails in that task in your life, he uses strategies to keep you ineffective in joining God’s mission:

Satan has a simple mission: to keep lost people lost. Among his numerous strategies, one of his favorites is to keep Christians convinced that ministry must be left to professionals. But to reach the nearly seven billion people on the planet with the gospel, Christ intends to use all believers in the work. Satan attempts to convince believers that only exceptional people used in exceptional ways will accomplish God’s mission. He would love for us to think that only the elite of leadership can be used in God’s mission to save souls. But God’s mission is for all Christians.
–Ed Stetzer & Thom Rainer

I hope that you haven’t bought into Satan’s lie.
I pray that today you will join God’s mission and be part of reaching this world with the good news of Jesus.
Pray that you will encounter someone today that needs to know Jesus.
Pray that God will use you as His hands, feet, and voice.
Pray that you can change your conversations today and use them to speak about Jesus.
Jesus wants to use you today in fulfilling His mission!

“Courses” are offered in this or that field of human learning frankly appealing to our desire to shine at a party. Books are sold, clothes and cosmetics are peddled by playing continually upon this desire to appear what we are not. Artificiality is one curse that will drop away the moment we kneel at Jesus’ feet and surrender ourselves to His meekness. Then we will not care what people think of us so long as God is pleased. Then what we are will be everything; what we appear will take its place far down the scale of interest for us.
–A. W. Tozer

Yesterday, my daily quote post was from Henri Nouwen and was titled “The Reason We Should Weep With Those Who Weep” .

The idea being that:
A Christian community is a healing community… and Community arises where the sharing of pain takes place, as a recognition of God’s saving promises.

The statement reminded me of Romans 12:15 which states:
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

And today, I just want to add one additional quote to this idea to encourage you to become part of a healing community of Christian brothers and sisters. It is from one of the comments on yesterday’s post, and it was by Andy Armstrong. Andy has undergone quite an ordeal since January, and while he has had to endure much pain, he has also accomplished a number of remarkable milestones. He commented on the Christian community that has surrounded him:

“They cried when i hurt and celebrated when positive milestones occurred!”

And so Andy has experienced the amazing thing that occurs when you are in Christian community:
“Joy shared is joy doubled. Sorrow shared is sorrow halved!”

God has created a church family for you where you can find doubled joy and experience your sorrow cut in half.

God tells us to: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15

A Christian community is therefore a healing community, not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision. Mutual confession then becomes a mutual deepening of hope, and shared weakness becomes a reminder to one and all of the coming strength. Community arises where the sharing of pain takes place, not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as a recognition of God’s saving promises.
–Henri Nouwen

Become part of a healing community of Christian brothers and sisters.

Doing so will not keep you from all pain nor cure you from all wounds. But doing so will provide you with more hope, will remind you of coming strength, and will help you recognize God’s promises as you allow others to share your struggles. Walking together with one another through the difficult parts of life helps protect us from isolation and loneliness as we seek to be Christ’s hands and feet to one another.

Trusting in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I come…
   as one sick to the Healer,
   as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life,
   as one in need to the King of heaven,
      a servant to his Lord,
      a creature to his Creator,
      a soul in desolation
         to my gentle Comforter.
–Thomas à Kempis

Come to the Comforter knowing you are in need of healing, in need of His filling, in need of His leadership.
Come to this Gentle and Loving King as His servant, wanting to be touched and changed by this One who created you and who desires that you experience His Abundant Life and Love.