“We must reconcile ourselves to the reality that to follow Jesus means that we, too, must speak out against evil, be hated, be thought demonic, and be polarizing. Any other expectation is wayward.”

“The genius of the Devil is his ability to take wicked concepts and wrap them in partial truths.”

“It is not in the nature of God to enjoy the misery of others—even when they deserve it. When the sinful suffer, our hearts must not harbor ease and apathy.”

“All those who help God, including those who help Him discipline others, should agonize with the offender and rejoice that God always remembers and returns with mercy.”

“He reconciles us and the Assyrians, us and the radical Muslim, us and the child abuser, us and the cannibal, us and the rapist—together by the same blood and by the same mercy. Let us rejoice that God would ransom those who have hurt us the most when they repent, for if He cannot have mercy on them He cannot have mercy on us.”

“God tells us why: “I … have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. … So I have come down to deliver them …” (Ex. 3:7–8). The God who dwells outside of time knows our pain because He lived it. God’s knowledge of our bitter encounters with sorrow are not limited to theory or to the observation of a protected angelic form touring this holocaust museum we call earth. He came down and lived here as one of us. “Man of sorrows, what a name, for the Son of God who came.”

“The fellowship of our Lord’s sufferings demands participation, not empathetic observation.”

“As soon as we think God has blessed us because, in some small way, we deserve it or because we are better than others, we think wickedly.”

“God’s lovingkindness is “better than life” (Ps. 63:3). This description of God’s thoughts and actions toward us is so magnificent that it does not compare even to what we consider most precious. It is better than our highest reality and enjoyment. God’s lovingkindness is better than food, better than peace, better than comfort, better than travel, better than sports, better than marriage, better than adventure, better than nature, better than every good thing we enjoy.”

“Jesus experientially feels our pain. Betrayal? That spike has already been pounded through His wrist. Loneliness? That lash has whipped His back more than once. Loss of a loved one? He has wept at cemeteries. Sickness? “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. … He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities … and by His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5). Rejected? The Father turned His head away.”

“Because God knows how miserable sorrow is, He comes down to help us. A God who is only transcendent cannot be empathetic. A transcendent God who humbles Himself to share in our sorrows can only be loved and worshiped. God hears our cry from His temple. Our cries come before Him, even to His ears, and He rends the heavens and comes down (Ps. 18:6–8). “I know that sorrow!” He says. “I, too, cried.”

“God’s people need all of God’s people to understand the Bible and the nature of God. We need our African brothers to tell us that the prosperity gospel is demonic. We need our Chinese sisters to tell us that suffering is normal. We need our Latino friends to remind us to depend on the Holy Spirit. We need Americans to underline the value of consistent devotion to the Word. We need Europeans to show us how the gospel can ride on the”

“SONAR HINDUS OF INDIA (7,199,000; 0.0% EVANGELICAL) PRAY THAT CHRISTIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO REACH THE SONAR AND THAT THE SONAR WOULD BE JOINED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST (JOHN 17:20”

“Lord, in my infrequent moments of eternal clarity, I declare I need you to reform, reconstruct, purge, cleanse, and make me holy.”

“I HAVE BUT ONE PASSION—IT IS HE, IT IS HE ALONE. THE WORLD IS THE FIELD AND THE FIELD IS THE WORLD; AND HENCEFORTH THAT COUNTRY SHALL BE MY HOME WHERE I CAN BE MOST USED IN WINNING SOULS FOR CHRIST.” —Count Zinzindorf”

“God has a habit of asking us to do impossible things, things that are not natural to us: like turning the other cheek,”

“God asks of us is only possible through a new nature, a nature given by God’s Spirit, a”

“Forgiveness keeps us lowly. Forgiveness reduces our injuries and makes us insult-proof. Forgiveness keeps us small, for we are not important enough to be insulted.”

“Man was made for joy and woe; And when this we rightly know, Thro’ the world we safely go. Joy and woe are woven fine, A clothing for the soul divine. Under every grief and pine Runs a joy with silken twine.”

“Because God Knows Us, We Do Not Need for Others to Know Us. Much of the frenzy of modern self-disclosure stems from the insecurity of being anonymous. Our culture makes much of those who make much of themselves. When no one bothers to exalt us, we feel driven to self-promotion. We present it under the guise of family activities or hobbies or humor, but it is actually a cry: “See me! Know me! I am of worth, too! I have something to contribute!” These pathetic cries for attention are not necessary if we are secure in being known by Jesus. When we understand that Jesus knows us intimately and loves us deeply—despite what He knows about us—this alleviates any need to be known and exalted by others.”