Robert Orben

"Most people would like to be delivered from temptation but would like it to keep in touch."

Cornelius Plantinga

“To speak of sin by itself, to speak of it apart from the realities of creation and grace, is to forget the resolve of God. God wants shalom and will pay any price to get it back. Human sin is stubborn, but not as stubborn as the grace of God and not half so persistent, not half so ready to suffer to win its way. Moreover, to speak of sin by itself is to misunderstand its nature: sin is only a parasite, a vandal, a spoiler. Sinful life is a partly depressing, partly ludicrous caricature of genuine human life. To concentrate on our rebellion, defection and folly — to say to the world, ‘I have some bad news and I have some bad news’ — is to forget that the center of the Christian religion is not our sin but our Savior.  To speak of sin without grace is to minimize the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fruit of the Spirit, and the hope of shalom.”

Carl Sagan

"Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves."

Charles Spurgeon

“One thing is past all question; we shall bring our Lord most glory if we get from Him much grace.”

Samuel Brengle

"If I appear great in their eyes, the Lord is most graciously helping me to see how absolutely nothing I am without Him, and helping me to keep little in my own eyes. He does use me. But I am so concerned that He uses me and that it is not of me the work is done. The axe cannot boast of the trees it has cut down. It could do nothing but for the woodsman. He made it, he sharpened it, and he used it. The moment he throws it aside; it becomes only old iron. O that I may never lose sight of this."

Unknown Author

Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one,
Have ofttimes no connection.  Knowledge dwells
In heads replete with thoughts of other men:
Wisdom, in minds attentive to their own.
Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much,
Wisdom is humble, that he knows no more.

C.S. Lewis

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less."

Charles Spurgeon

“When a believer has fallen into a low, sad state of feeling, he often tries to lift himself out of it by chastening himself with dark and doleful fears. Such is not the way to rise from the dust, but to continue in it. As well chain the eagle’s wing to make it mount, as doubt in order to increase our grace. It is not the law, but the gospel which saves the seeking soul at first; and it is not a legal bondage, but gospel liberty which can restore the fainting believer afterwards. Slavish fear brings not back the backslider to God, but the sweet wooings of love allure him to Jesus’ bosom.”

Tim Keller

"In many ways, adversity is not as spiritually dangerous as prosperity.  In adversity we are shown our true weakness and need for God.  In adversity, we come to see the things our hearts trust rather than God.  In prosperity, we are not forced to see any of this."

Tim Keller

"Anger, fear, discouragement come because of 'idols' - good things have become things we feel (at an emotional level) will really save us and give us worth.  It is only when these things are threatened or removed that we turn and find our safety and significance in the Lord.  That makes us stable and deep."