Max Lucado Quotes:

A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.

Topics: Love, Inspirational, Powerful, Seeking God, Christ Love

There is a difference between grace and mercy. Mercy is the decision of God not to punish us. But grace is the decision of God to save and bless us.

Topics: Differences, Decision, Grace, Grace And Mercy

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.

source: - FaceBook post by Max Lucado from Mar 19, 2012

Topics: Inspirational, God, Faith, Faith And Family, Spiritual Wisdom

The church is never a place to show off. Do your good deeds quietly. Serve; don't seek to be seen

Topics: Church, Deeds, Shows

Focus on giants - you stumble. Focus on God - Giants tumble.

Topics: Faith, Focus, Giants, Focus On God

It's up to me to promote my faith and somebody else to promote theirs. Let the government just protect our right to do so.

Topics: Government, Protect

When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want? Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame? Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car? Will you find comfort in rereading your financial statement? Of course not. What will matter then will be people. If relationships will matter most then, shouldn't they matter most now?

source: - Max Lucado (2009). “A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God's Love”, p.160, Harper Collins

Topics: Inspirational, College, Car, Walnuts, Rereading

Every movie really does have a message. Somebody somewhere is trying to make a point or advance a cause or promote their agenda. There's nothing wrong with that. They try to do so in an entertaining fashion.

Topics: Fashion, Trying, Agendas

God would rather give up His son..than give up on us

Topics: Giving Up, Son, Giving

It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-sized prayer: Father, you are good. I need help. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen. Let this prayer punctuate your day.

Topics: Jesus, Prayer, Father, Jesus Name

You weren't an accident. You weren't mass produced. You aren't an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.

source: - Max Lucado (2009). “Let the Journey Begin: God's Roadmap for New Beginnings”, p.67, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Positive, Success, Confidence, Deliberation, God Has A Plan

God does uncommon things through common people in common places.

Topics: People, Doe, Common

No one can pray and worry at the same time.

Topics: Worry, Praying

December is the most difficult month. Medications for insomnia or depression go up during the month of December. A lot of people who experience loss feel that loss magnified in December. Everybody seems happy and you feel all alone. You're not all alone.

Topics: Loss, Insomnia, People

You change your life by changing your heart.

Topics: Inspirational, Change, Uplifting, Time And Change, Spiritual Transformation

Most of my sermons are inspirational, and I believe people need that encouragement.

Topics: Encouragement, Believe, People

The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials but the ones with the concern.

Topics: Business, Differences, People, Credentials

All of my sermons become books. I've been accused of having no unpublished thought. I encourage pastors to do that. I think there are so many great sermons that never really get circulation.

Topics: Book, Thinking, Pastor

The greater your cares, the more genuine your prayers

Topics: Prayer, Care, Genuine, Our Prayers

Honesty and vulnerability endear us to people; they don't endanger us in our relationship.

Topics: Honesty, People, Our Relationship

God is able to accomplish, provide, help, save, keep, subdue... He is able to do what you can't. He already has a plan. God's not bewildered. Go to Him.

Topics: Inspirational, God, Able, God Is Able, Bewildered

The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and shape His servants.

Topics: Pain, Evil, Use

His is a joy which consequences cannot quench. His is a peace which circumstances cannot steal.

Topics: Christian, Joy, Stealing, Quench

Gratitude develops faith. The surest path out of a slump is marked by the road sign "thank you, God."

Topics: Christian, Gratitude, Thank You God, Road Sign

The wizard [of Oz] says look inside yourself and find self. God says look inside yourself and find [the Holy Spirit]. The first will get you to Kansas. The latter will get you to heaven. Take your pick.

Topics: Self, Kansas, Heaven, Choose Wisely, Instruments Of God

Nails didn't hold God to a cross. Love did.

Topics: Nails, Crosses

When we're in the middle of a difficult time, we have to speak against that lie that says, "God is not here." We have to draw near to God.

Topics: Lying, Difficult Times, Speak

God answers the mess of life with one word: Grace.

Topics: Grace, Answers, Mess, Poor Choices

Those who successfully go through tough times do so because they keep insisting.

Topics: Tough Times, Tough, Insisting

Love like there's no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.

Topics: Marriage, Tomorrow, Love Again

Staying engaged with God is absolutely essential for getting through a tough time.

Topics: Tough Times, Essentials, Tough

When you keep the porch light on for the prodigal child, you do what God does every single moment.

Topics: Children, Single Mom, Light, Prodigals, Porch

Waiting is an expectant patience. It's a patience that says, "I don't know what God is going to do, but I know God is going to do something."

Topics: Waiting, Knowing God

If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace.

Topics: Giving, Grace, Succeed

The wonder of a free-market society is that we can all do our best to package our message in an entertaining fashion and present it - and then everybody votes with their footsteps.

Topics: Fashion, Messages, Vote

Be patient. God is using today's difficulties to strengthen you for tomorrow. He is equipping you. The God who makes things grow will help you bear fruit.

source: - Max Lucado (2013). “God's Inspirational Promises”, p.170, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Christian, Today, Fruit

Ggrace is God's best idea - it's His decision to ravage people by love, to rescue passionately, and to restore justly.

Topics: Ideas, People, Decision

The mind that is full of God is empty of anxiety. Are you troubled, restless, sleepless? Then think of God more!

Topics: Thinking, Anxiety, Mind, Mighty God, Connecting With God

To live as God's child is to know that you are loved by your Maker not because you try to please him and succeed, or fail to please him and apologize, but because he wants to be your Father. Nothing more.

Topics: Children, Father, Trying

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

Topics: Would Be, Refrigerators

I don't get the impression that most sources of media - like television and movies - are trying to get out a positive message, necessarily. My impression is they're trying to get a message out that promotes their personal opinion, position or belief and they're trying to do something that makes money. They want to turn a buck.

Topics: Media, Trying, Television, Positive Messages, Personal Opinions

But it is in storms that God does his finest work, for it is in storms that God has our keenest attention

Topics: Storm, Doe, Attention

Religion is intended to facilitate hope and faith. Much like a path is intended to facilitate a journey.

Topics: Journey, Path, Hope And Faith, Facilitate

We forget that IMPOSSIBLE is one of God's favorite words

Topics: Impossible, Forget, Favorite Words

I believe for God not to allow pain to happen in the world is for Him to extract free will from the world.

Topics: Pain, Believe, World

Worship is the thank you that can't be silenced

Topics: Worship

I believe a personal relationship with God is healthy, but organized religion has potential for danger, in whatever faith.

Topics: Believe, Healthy, Danger, Personal Relationship With God, Personal Relationships

The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: 'grace.'

Topics: Years, Choices, Grace, Poor Choices, Years Of Life

If you're feeling pain, express that to the Lord. If you're feeling worried, express those worries. One passage that gives me comfort is in Psalms, Chapter 11, verse 3, it reads, "When all that is good falls apart, what can good people do?" That's really the question of the day.

Topics: Pain, Fall, Giving, Feeling Pain

Can you imagine a life with no fear? What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?

Topics: Motivational, Faith, What If

When you're full of yourself, God can't fill you. But when you empty yourself, God has a useful vessel.

Topics: Empty, Full Of Yourself, Vessel, Feeling Empty

Compassion gives us a common ground to stand on regardless of your faith background. It gives us a chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder rather than go fist-to-fist with somebody.

Topics: Compassion, Giving, Fists, Give Us A Chance, Common Ground

Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will.

Topics: Motivational

We just need the government to be that greenhouse that permits our faith to grow.

Topics: Government, Needs, Permit

Even though you may not understand how God works, you know he does.

Topics: Motivational, May, Doe

While we appreciate our ancestry as Americans or even our ethnic ancestry and our color of skin, we believe that our real citizenship is in Heaven.

Topics: Real, Believe, Color

Worry divides the mind.

Topics: Worry, Mind

Never let the church become a place where it's just a Las Vegas display place for you to show off.

Topics: Vegas, Church, Shows

You are valuable because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done - but simply because you are.

Topics: Happy Life, Done, Valuable

Be less about protecting any type of identity affiliated to a country or even ethnic background. Be more about the fact that we're here for a short time and Heaven is going to be a rainbow of people, multiculture, every generation.

Topics: Country, Rainbow, People, Ethnic Background

Never underestimate the power that comes when a parent pleads with God on behalf of a child.

Topics: Children, Parent, Underestimate

Not everybody can create a foundation that's worth a billion dollars, but all of us can figure out those things we do. I really think God loves us too much to give us an assignment we don't enjoy doing.

Topics: Thinking, Giving, Dollars

My thinking is that miracles exist to reveal God, but miracles don't exist for God to do me any favors.

Topics: Thinking, Miracle, Favors

A few songs with Him might change the way you sing. Forever.

Topics: Motivational, Song, Forever

God is using my struggle. My struggle is the answer to the prayer.

Topics: Prayer, Struggle, Answers, My Struggle

God rewards those who seek Him. Not those who seek doctrine of religion or systems or creeds. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself. And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus.

Topics: Jesus, Heart, Passion

Every faith has its story; every faith has its roots.

Topics: Roots, Stories

Philosophers can debate the meaning of life, but you need a Lord who can declare the meaning of life.

Topics: Inspirational, Needs, Meaning Of Life

The one thing that I cannot do without each day is hope.

Topics: Each Day

Of all the things you must earn in life, God's unending affection is not one of them. You have it.

Topics: Affection, Unending, Intimacy With God

One of the secrets in life is that we really lead a better life when we're living for others than we do when we're living for ourselves, and I think that's the way for our creator intended for it to be, is that if we can live for other people, we really leave this world in a different way.

Topics: Thinking, People, Secret, Live For Others

Mark it down. You will never go where God is not.

Topics: Inspirational, Mark

I don't think God is a gender. He presents himself as a father but he comes to us with the tenderness of a mother. In some of the parables, he is the housewife who cleans the house looking for the lost coin.

Topics: Mother, Father, Thinking, Parables

The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.

source: - Max Lucado (2012). “Make Every Day Count - Teen Edition: Wake Up and Live!”, p.52, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Inspirational, Mean, Visitors, Fear And Faith

You are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. Pray for this hurting world.

Topics: Hurt, Jesus, World

I don't have any desire to retire in the sense of not doing anything. As long as the Lord gives me strength I want to keep writing and keep preaching.

Topics: Writing, Giving, Long, Give Me Strength

Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.

source: - Twitter post from May 09, 2013

Topics: Running, Thinking, Be Careful, Complainers

I believe you select a president who best represents what you think are the values that God wants us to have.

Topics: Believe, Thinking, President

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

source: - Max Lucado (2015). “Let the Journey Begin: Finding God's Best for Your Life”, p.73, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Kindness, Self, Giving, Galatians, Fruits Of The Spirit

We live in the most multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic America ever, and I get the sense that because of that reality so many of us are turning nativist.

Topics: Reality, America, Multicultural, Multiracial

Indeed, baptism is a vow, a sacred vow of the believer to follow Christ. Just as a wedding celebrates the fusion of two hearts, baptism celebrates the union of sinner with Savior.

Topics: Heart, Two, Baptism, Two Hearts

God created marriage. No government subcommittee envisioned it. No social organization developed it. Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.

Topics: Organization, Government, Mind, Social Organization, Inspirational Marriage

Immerse yourself in the curriculum of grace.

Topics: Grace, Curriculum

To call yourself a child of God is one thing. To be called a child of God by those who watch your life is another thing altogether.

Topics: Inspirational, Children, Watches, Child Of God

The One who saved your soul longs to remake your heart. Let's fix our eyes on Jesus. Perhaps in seeing Him, we will see what we can become!

Topics: Jesus, Eye, Heart, Intimacy With God, Connecting With God

The state of your heart dictates whether you harbor a grudge or give grace, seek self-pity or seek Christ, drink human misery or taste God's mercy.

Topics: God, Heart, Self

Our belief in God is not blind faith. Belief is having a firm conviction something is true, not hoping it's true.

Topics: Faith, Belief, Blind, Blind Faith, Belief In God

There is a canyon of difference between doing your best to glorify God and doing whatever it takes to glorify yourself. The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity. The quest for power is childish.

Topics: Maturity, Differences, Excellence

God has enough grace to solve every dilemma you face, wipe every tear you cry, and answer every question you ask.

source: - FaceBook post by Max Lucado from Aug 01, 2016

Topics: Inspirational, Grace, Tears

Our God is abundant in love and steadfast in mercy. He saves us, not because we trust in a symbol, but because we trust in a Savior.

Topics: Mercy, Steadfast, Savior, God Help Me, Grace And Mercy

The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that.

Topics: Stars, Needs, Facts, God's Love, Brag

Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, "I can clean that if you want." And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes away our sin.

Topics: Kindness, Grace, Want

If Jesus heals instantly, praise Him. If Jesus heals gradually, trust Him. When Jesus heals ultimately, you will understand.

Topics: Jesus, Praise, Heal

Though the Bible was written over sixteen centuries by at least forty authors, it has one central theme-salvation through faith in Christ.

Topics: Inspirational, Sixteen, Christ

Prayer is the window that God has placed in the walls of our world. Leave it shut and the world is a cold, dark house. But throw back the curtains and see His light. Open the window and hear His voice. Open the window of prayer and invoke the presence of God in your world.

Topics: Prayer, Wall, Dark

When we put someone in our jail cell of hatred, we are stuck guarding the door.

Topics: Cells, Jail, Doors

Each one of us should lead a life stirring enough to start a movement.

Topics: Volunteer, Movement, Enough, Stirring

Two types of voices command your attention today. Negative ones fill your mind with doubt, bitterness, and fear. Positive ones purvey hope and strength. Which one will you choose to heed?

Topics: Inspirational, Two, Voice

Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we cannot resist.

Topics: Punishment, Christ, Offers

Want to snatch a day from the manacles of boredom? Do overgenerous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Do a deed for which you cannot be repaid.

Topics: Inspirational, Kindness, Boredom, Reimbursement

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as Heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

Topics: Inspirational, Flower, Heaven, Meadows, Mother Nature

After a hard day scrambling to find your way around in the world, it's assuring to come home to a place you know. God can be equally familiar to you. With time you can learn where to go for nourishment, where to hide for protection , where to turn for guidance. Just as your earthly house is a place of refuge, so God's house is a place of peace.

Topics: Prayer, Home, House, Places Of Peace, Hard Days

What causes us to think of prayer as the last option rather than the first? I can think of two reasons: feelings of independence and feelings of insignificance.

Topics: Prayer, Thinking, Two

God's love never ceases. Never... God doesn't love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God's love never ceases.

Topics: God, Christian, Religious, God's Love, Jeopardize

Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity.

Topics: Opportunity, Giving, Forgiving

Sin is not an unfortunate slip or a regrettable act; it is a posture of defiance against a holy God.

Topics: Sin, Holy, Posture, Holy God

Faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it.

Topics: Conviction, This Life, God Knows

What makes a Christian a Christian is not perfection but forgiveness.

Topics: Christian, Perfection, Not Perfect

Let's be the people who look at the hurting until we hurt with them. No hurrying past, turning away, or shifting of eyes. No pretending or glossing over. Let's look at the face until we see the person.

Topics: Hurt, Eye, Past

When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds good behavior. At the same time Christ-like love refuses to endorse misbehavior. Jesus loved His apostles, but He wasn't silent when they were faithless. Jesus loved the people in the temple, but He didn't sit still when they were hypocritical.

Topics: Jesus, Love Is, Discovery, Good Behavior, Christ Like

Courage does not panic; it prays. Courage does not bemoan; it believes. Courage does not languish; it listens

Topics: Believe, Panic, Doe, Languish

Let your failures refine you, not define you.

Topics: Define You

The worship of safety emasculates greatness.

Topics: Greatness, Safety, Worship

Vengeance fixes your attention on life's ugliest moments. Is this where you want to look? Remember: God dispenses perfect justice.

Topics: Perfect, Justice, Want

Don't be defined by your failures, be refined by them.

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

Topics: Faces, Saint, Sinner

You're never without hope, because you're never without prayer.

Topics: Prayer, Without Hope

Prayer is the hand of faith on the door knob of your heart, inviting Jesus to enter.

Topics: Jesus, Prayer, Heart, Knobs

There is nothing on earth that can satisfy our deepest longing. We long to see God. The leaves of life are rustling with the rumor that we will - and we won't be satisfied until we do.

Topics: Long, Rumor, Earth

God has the final word on your life and His word is grace.

Topics: Grace, Finals, Final Words

God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same

Topics: Wise, Being Wise, Forgiven

God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so. He loves you when you don't feel lovely. He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you always. No matter what!

Topics: Love You, Divorce, Lovely, God Loves You, Always Love You

God's mercies are new every morning. Receive them.

Topics: Morning, Mercy, Every Morning

Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone.

Topics: Writing, Yesterday, Worry, Chisels

We (Christians) are always in the presence of God. There is never a non-sacred moment! His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of His presence may falter, but the reality of His presence never changes.

Topics: Christian, Reality, May, Sacred Moments

Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks.

Topics: Hopeful, Wish, Favors

I choose love. No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness, I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

Topics: Love, Hatred, Today, Warrants

I choose joy... I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical... the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

Topics: Hope, Opportunity, People

God does not exist to make a big deal out of us. We exist to make a big deal out of him. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's all about him.

Topics: Doe, Bigs, Deals

When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God Himself, we cross a threshold.

Topics: Desire, Favors, Threshold

Gratitude lifts our eyes off the things we lack so we might see the blessings we possess.

source: - Max Lucado (2012). “Great Day Every Day: Navigating Life's Challenges with Promise and Purpose”, p.121, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Gratitude, Eye, Blessing

Bitterness is the trap that snares the hunter

Topics: Bitterness, Hunters, Snares

Refusing to forgive is like ingesting a lethal dose of poison and hoping it kills my enemy.

Topics: Enemy, Forgiving, Poison

You may be transferred, enlisted, commissioned, reassigned, or hospitalized - but brand this on your heart - you can never go where God is not.

Topics: Heart, May, Brands, Enlisted

When God is all you have, then all you have, is all you need.

Topics: Needs

We're important, but not essential; valuable, but not indispensable. We have a part in the play, but we are not the main act. A song to sing, but we are not the featured voice. God is.

Topics: Song, Play, Voice

God sees in you a masterpiece about to happen

Topics: Masterpiece

The difference between mercy and grace? Mercy gave the prodigal son a second chance. Grace gave him a feast.

source: - Twitter post from Jan 17, 2011

Topics: Son, Second Chance, Differences, Prodigal Son, Prodigals

The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be.

Topics: Dust, Humanity

Others have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. He loves you with an unfailing love.

Topics: Love, Christian, Love You

God is kind, but he is not soft. He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life change.

Topics: Life Changing, Hands, Kind, Instruments Of God, God Has A Plan

You need someone to lift your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, "This isn't the end. Don't give up. There is a better place than this. And I'll lead you there.

Topics: Giving Up, Needs, Lift Your Spirits

What you and I might rate as an absolute disaster, God may rate as a pimple-level problem that will pass. He views your life the way you view a movie after you've read the book. When something bad happens, you feel the air sucked out of the theater. Everyone else gasps at the crisis on the screen. Not you. Why? You've read the book. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot. God views your life with the same confidence. He's not only read your story...he wrote it.

Topics: Inspirational, Book, Views, Pimples

Nature is God's first missionary. Where there is no Bible there are sparkling stars. Where there are not preachers there are spring times... If a person has nothing but nature, then nature is enough to reveal something about God.

Topics: Stars, Spring, Firsts, Spring Time

Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realising you were the prisoner!

Topics: Inspirational, Forgiveness, Doors, Breaking Free, Unlocking

The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

Topics: Children, Standards, Crosses

You are the only you God made... God made you and broke the mold.

Topics: Inspirational, Mold, Broke

Faith is the bird that sings while it is yet dark.

Topics: Dark, Bird

If we think that this life is all there is to life, then there is no interpretation of our problems, our pain, not even of our privileges. But everything changes when we open up to the possibility that God's story is really our story too.

Topics: Pain, Thinking, Stories

We exist to exhibit God, to display his glory. We serve as canvases for his brush stroke, papers for his pen, soil for his seeds, glimpses of his image.

Topics: Paper, Soil, Glimpse, Brush Strokes

God wants us to know we are saved, for saved people are dangerous people, willing to face off with the world, unafraid of the consequences since they know that, whatever happens, they will have eternal life.

Topics: People, World, Want

God can't fill you when you are already full of yourself.

Topics: Full Of Yourself, Self Centered, Egocentric, Self Obsessed

God leads us. God will do the right thing at the right time. And what a difference that makes.

Topics: Differences, Christian Inspirational, Gods Will

How can a person deal with anxiety? You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?" To which the man responded, "That's your worry.

Topics: Jobs, Men, Years

There is no way our little minds can comprehend the love of God. But that didn't keep him from coming.

Topics: Mind, Way, Littles, Little Minds

Be a child again. Flirt. Giggle. Dip your cookies in your milk. Take a nap. Say you're sorry if you hurt someone. Chase a butterfly. Be a child again.

Topics: Motivational, Hurt, Sorry, Hurts Someone

To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel; but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast.

Topics: Affection

A book should be a garden that fits in the hands. Word-petals of color. Stems of strength. roots of truth. Turn a page and turn the seasons. Read the sentence and enjoy the roses.

Topics: Book, Garden, Hands

I choose gentleness... Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

Topics: Prayer, Voice, Demand, Stay Humble

The Bible is the story of two gardens: Eden and Gethsemane. In the first, Adam took a fall. In the second, Jesus took a stand. In the first, God sought Adam. In the second, Jesus sought God. In Eden, Adam hid from God. In Gethsemane, Jesus emerged from the tomb. In Eden, Satan led Adam to a tree that led to his death. From Gethsemane, Jesus went to a tree that led to our life.

source: - Max Lucado (2012). “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm”, p.44, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Jesus, Fall, Garden, Garden Of Eden, Gethsemane

Worry is to joy what a Hoover vacuum cleaner is to dirt: might as well attach your heart to a happiness-sucker and flip the switch.

Topics: Heart, Worry, Joy, Hoover

You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.

Topics: Forgiving, Forgiven, Never Forgive, Mighty God

A season of suffering is a small assignment when compared to the reward. Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God.

Topics: Suffering, Use, Rewards, Glory Of God

We are Jesus Christ's; we belong to him. But even more, we are increasingly him. He moves in and commandeers our hands and feet, requisitions our minds and tongues. We sense his rearranging: debris into the divine, pig's ear into silk purse. He repurposes bad decisions and squalid choices. Little by little, a new image emerges.

Topics: Jesus, Moving, Pigs, Bad Decision, Debris

Become a worry-slapper. Treat frets like mosquitoes. Do you procrastinate when a bloodsucking bug lights on your skin? 'I'll take care of it in a moment.' Of course you don't! You give the critter the slap it deserves. Be equally decisive with anxiety.

Topics: Light, Giving, Worry, Critters, Slappers

Lower your expectations of earth. This isn't heaven, so don't expect it to be.

Topics: Expectations, Heaven, Earth

A nation is blessed when it has godly leaders.

Topics: Blessed, Godly, Leader

God meets daily needs daily. Not weekly or annually. He will give you what you need when it is needed.

source: - FaceBook post by Max Lucado from Jul 18, 2011

Topics: Giving, Needs, Needed

Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa. Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of you.

Topics: Symphony, Made, Mona Lisa

When God gives an assignment, he also gives the skill. Study your skills, then, to reveal your assignment.

Topics: Skills, Giving, Study

He promises a lamp unto our feet, not a crystal ball into the future.

Topics: Feet, Promise, Crystals, Crystal Ball

Grace is God as heart surgeon, cracking open your chest, removing your heart - poisoned as it is with pride and pain - and replacing it with his own.

Topics: Pain, Heart, Pride

When grace happens, we receive not a nice compliment from God but a new heart. Give your heart to Christ, and he returns the favor.

Topics: Nice, Heart, Giving

Christ entered our world. As a result, we can enter His.

Topics: Our World, World, Christ

The only mistake is not to risk making one.

Topics: Mistake, Risk

Has worrying about tomorrow every changed it?

Topics: Worry, Tomorrow, Changed

On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you.

Topics: Friday, Jesus, Decision, Good Friday

The past does not have to be your prison. You have a voice in your destiny. You have a say in your life. You have a choice in the path you take.

Topics: Past, Destiny, Voice

God is faithful even when his children are not.

Topics: Children, Faithful, God Is Faithful

Though we may not be able to see His purpose or His plan, the Lord of heaven is on His throne and in firm control of the universe and our lives.

Topics: Heaven, May, Able

When grace moves in... guilt moves out

Topics: Moving, Grace, Guilt

It's not about winning or losing, but love and respect.

Topics: Motivational, Respect, Winning, Win Or Lose

God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.

Topics: Journey, Would Be, Easy

Since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior. He became like us, so we could become like Him.

Topics: Needs, Savior

Well, I think the main message is there is more to your story. There is more than what happens between the crib and the grave, and that is what I am really trying to speak to, this idea that all of life is this life and that there is nothing more than what we see and experience right here on this earth.

Topics: Thinking, Ideas, Trying

God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them.

Topics: Struggle, Promise, Looks

Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.

Topics: Guilty, Innocent, Thrive, Inspirational Relationship, Interpersonal Relationship

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning... Face it, friend. He is crazy about you!

Topics: Inspirational, Uplifting, Morning

God must've had a blast. painting the stripes on the zebra, hanging the stars in the sky, putting the gold in the sunset. What creativity! Stretching the neck of the giraffe, putting the flutter in the mockingbird's wings, planting the giggle in the hyena. And then, as a finale to a brilliant performance, He made a human who had the unique honour to bear the stamp, In His Image.

Topics: Stars, Zebras, Creativity, Giraffe, Stars In The Sky

God's highest desire is not to make us rich, successful or popular. His goal is to make us His

Topics: Successful, Goal, Desire

In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe it to God to play them both sublimely.

Topics: Song, Play, Orchestra

Your pain has a purpose. Your problems, struggles, heartaches, and hassles cooperate toward one end-the glory of God.

Topics: Pain, Struggle, Heartache, Hassle, Glory Of God

What if you woke up this morning and had only the things you thanked God for yesterday?

source: - Twitter post from Nov 8, 2011

Topics: Morning, Yesterday, What If

Don't you need a fountain of love that won't run dry? You'll find one on a stone-cropped hill outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus hangs, cross-nailed and thorn-crowned. When you feel unloved, ascend this mount. Meditate long and hard on heaven's love for you.

Topics: Running, Jesus, Wall

God loves us too much to indulge our every whim.

Topics: Too Much, God Love, Whim

Meet your fears with faith.

Topics: Inspirational

Don't equate the presence of God with a good mood or a pleasant temperament. God is near whether you are happy or not.

Topics: Good Mood, Presence Of God, Temperament

God has proven himself as a faithful father. Now it falls to us to be trusting children.

Topics: Children, Father, Fall

The duty of the branch is to cling to the vine.

Topics: Vines, Branches, Duty

You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need.

source: - Max Lucado (2009). “Traveling Light: Premier Library Edition”, p.33, Thomas Nelson Inc

Topics: Love Is, Anchors, Heaven