John Ortberg Quotes - Page 2

God is never a God of discouragement. When you have a discouraging spirit or train of thought in your mind, you can be sure it is not from God. He sometimes brings pain to his children-conviction over sin, or repentance over fallenness, or challenges that scare us, or visions of his holiness that overwhelm us. But God never brings discouragement.

The greatest moment of your life is now. This moment is God's irreplaceable gift to you.

Grace is the offer of God's ceaseless presence and irrational love that cannot be stopped.

One of the hardest things in the world is to stop being the prodigal son without turning into the elder brother.

Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.

The problem with spending your life climbing up the ladder is that you will go right past Jesus, for he's coming down.

Having faith does not mean never having doubts or questions. It does mean remaining obedient.

Sheldon Vanauken wrote that the strongest argument for Christianity is Christians, when they are drawing life from God. The strongest argument against Christianity? Also Christians, when they become exclusive, self-righteous, and complacent.

Disciplined people can do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason.

The possibility of transformation is the essence of hope.

I need to worship because without it I can forget that I have a Big God beside me and live in fear. I need to worship because without it I can forget his calling and begin to live in a spirit of self-preoccupation. I need to worship because without it I lose a sense of wonder and gratitude and plod through life with blinders on. I need worship because my natural tendency is toward self-reliance and stubborn independence.

Prayer allows us to wait without worry.

Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.

Many Christians expend so much energy and worry trying not to sin. The goal is not to try to sin less. In all your efforts to keep from sinning, what are you focusing on? Sin. God wants you to focus on him. To be with him. “Abide in me.” Just relax and learn to enjoy his presence. Every day is a collection of moments, 86,400 seconds in a day. How many of them can you live with God? Start where you are and grow from there. God wants to be with you every moment.

Over and over in the Bible, it is fear that threatens to keep people from trusting and obeying God.

Imagine watching all that God might have done with your life if you had let him.

We'd like to be humble...but what if no one notices?

Who you become while you're waiting is as important as what you're waiting for.

There is no way for a human being to come to God that does not involve surrender.

Acceptance is an act of the heart. To accept someone is to affirm to them that you think it's a very good thing they are alive.

Every day you and I walk through God's shop. Every day we brush up against objects of incalculable worth to Him. People. Every one of them carries a price tag, if only we could see it.

You must arrange your days so that you are experiencing deep contentment, joy and confidence in your everyday life with God.

God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.

The goal of prayer is to live all of my life and speak all of my words in the joyful awareness of the presence of God. Prayer becomes real when we grasp the reality and goodness of God's constant presence with 'the real me.' Jesus lived his everyday life in conscious awareness of his Father.

In a contagious world,we learn to keep our distance. If we get too close to those who are suffering, we might get infected by their pain. It may not be convenient or comfortable. But only when you get close enough to catch their hurt will they be close enough to catch your love.