Counsel from the Cross Quotes

“Most of us have never really understood that Christianity is not a self-help religion meant to enable moral people to become more moral. We don’t need a self-help book; we need a Savior. We don’t need to get our collective act together; we need death and resurrection and the life-transforming truths of the gospel. And we don’t need them just once, at the beginning of our Christian life;we need them every moment of every day.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“the Spirit of God can change a human heart. Only God’s love in Christ can make us grow in love and delight in him.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“Because he loves and welcomes us as he does, we are transformed in our relationships with others. Because we have been loved as a child or a bride is loved, we are now free to love and welcome others generously, warmly, and joyously. His love for us is to have a powerful effect on our love for others, and it is the only thing that will motivate us to love as we have been called to.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“Love is the first cause of all the graces we desire; it “warms the heart, and sweetly and powerfully influences our affections to delight in, and to walk in love with such an exceedingly gracious and merciful God.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“It is only within the context of the church that ongoing spiritual care, encouragement, and accountability can occur. It is only as we use the powerful word of the gospel in each other’s lives that we can change.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“Do you think that criticism is always a bad thing? If you find it difficult to take criticism, it’s because you haven’t believed what the cross says about you. The cross is the most blatant statement of criticism ever displayed. It says that you deserve to die. You deserve to be stripped naked and humiliated and then to receive the righteous wrath of a just God for all eternity. That’s what we all deserve. But we have been given grace, forgiveness, and relationship with him. You would need to defend yourself from criticism only if you didn’t have a Savior who loved sinners.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“Send Moses away, with his law, to those who are complacent, proud and obstinate and in these terrors and this anguish lay hold upon Christ, who was crucified and died for our sins.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“When we are tempted to give in to despair, to give up to self-indulgence or apathy, we have a place of refuge that will protect us from the attacks of a battered conscience”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“The realization that his love is never ending is a balm to our souls, bringing the joy, comfort, and assurance that is our very lifeblood as we fight for holiness”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“When the war heats up and we doubt that we will ever change, we must remember that our old person, filled with self-deceiving desires, no longer has power to rule over us”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“The only way that we can change our feelings is by changing our core beliefs and the thoughts that occupy our minds.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“We are sinful and flawed but loved and welcomed.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ

“The outward transformation of our feelings and actions is accomplished through the inner transformation of our mind.”
― Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ