Robert > Robert's Quotes

“The people of God do not serve Him in order to be forgiven but because we are forgiven.”
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

“Worship empowers serving; serving expresses worship. Godliness requires a disciplined balance between the two.”
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

“In most Christian circles you will rarely hear fasting mentioned, and few will have read anything about it. And yet it’s mentioned in Scripture more times even than something as important as baptism (about seventy-seven times for fasting to seventy-five for baptism).”
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

“FASTING IS EXPECTED To those unfamiliar with fasting, the most surprising part of this chapter may be the discovery that Jesus expected His followers would fast. Notice Jesus’ words at the beginning of Matthew 6:16-17: “And when you fast. . . . But when you fast . . .” (emphasis added). By giving us instructions on what to do and what not to do when we fast, Jesus assumes that we will fast. This expectation is even more obvious when we compare these words with His statements in that same passage—Matthew 6:2-3—about giving: “Thus, when you give. . . . But when you give . . .” (emphasis added). Compare also His words in the same section—Matthew 6:5-7—about praying: “And when you pray. . . . But when you pray. . . . And when you pray . . .” (emphasis added). No one doubts that we are to give and to pray. In fact, Christians commonly use this passage to teach Jesus’ principles on giving and praying. And since there is nothing here or elsewhere in Scripture indicating that we no longer need to fast, and since we know that Christians in the book of Acts fasted (see 9:9; 13:2; 14:23), we may conclude that Jesus still expects His followers to fast today.”
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

“Without a clear biblical purpose, fasting becomes an end in itself.”
― Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life

“Inauthenticity among the ranks of those claiming to be Christians can become an almost insurmountable barrier to belief.”
― Bill Hybels, Becoming a Contagious Christian

“When I stand to preach, whatever the setting, I don’t focus on the pastors or the congregation. I just preach to an audience of One.”
― H.B. Charles Jr., On Pastoring: A Short Guide to Living, Leading, and Ministering as a Pastor

“Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don't have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don't have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.”
― Jim Collins, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

“The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”
― Toni Morrison