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Every one of us can blame somebody for something that has happened in our lives. But don't waste your time. What we need most is a steady stream of love flowing among us. Love that quickly forgives, willingly overlooks, and refuses to take offense. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sometimes I wake up before dawn, and I love sitting up in the middle of the bed with all the lights off, pitch-black dark, and talking to the Father, with no interruptions and nothing that reminds me that there's anything in life but me and Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Faith itself cannot accomplish anything, yet without faith, no one can fly. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Give us an intense distaste for things that displease You and a renewed pleasure in things that bring You honor and magnify Your truth. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Servants must be big people. Big enough to go on, remembering the right and forgetting the wrong. -- Charles R. Swindoll
For there to be true maturity, people must be given room to grow, which includes room to fail ... -- Charles R. Swindoll
We need discernment in what we see and what we hear and what we believe. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Who can ever measure the benefit of a mother's inspiration? -- Charles R. Swindoll
'We really shouldn't look like a church.' I've heard that so much I want to vomit. 'Why?' I ask. 'Do you want your bank to look like a bank? Do you want your doctor's office to look like a doctor's office, or would you prefer your doctor to dress like a clown?' -- Charles R. Swindoll
God does not dispense strength and encouragement like a druggist fills your prescription. The Lord doesn't promise to give us something to take so we can handle our weary moments. He promises us Himself. That is all. And that is enough. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We gain the ability to rejoice under pressure through a carefully monitored training program directed by the Lord Himself. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Faith is like lighting the torch that passes from one person to the next. You can't light the torch of another if yours isn't burning. -- Charles R. Swindoll
As far back as I can remember, my mother would have me down by the bed at night with her, praying. I can still hear her voice calling my name to God and telling him that she wanted me to follow him in whatever he called me to do. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I think it is important to begin with a statement in your speech that grabs the attention of the audience. I try to make my opening line 15 words or less. -- Charles R. Swindoll
In spite of the extent to which Solomon went to find happiness, because he left God out of the picture, nothing satisfied. It never will. Satisfaction in life will never occur until there is a meaningful connection with the living Lord above the sun. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God's word is tailor-made for gray-slush days. It sends a beam of light through the fog. It signals safety when we fear we'll never make it through. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God has somehow placed into Christian's insides a special something, that extra inner reservoir of power that is more than a match for the stuff life throws at us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When I have a wrong attitude, I look at life humanly. When I have a right attitude, I look at life divinely. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Joy is a deeply felt contentment that transcends difficult circumstances and derives maximum enjoyment from every good experience. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you want to stop an argument, close your mouth. -- Charles R. Swindoll
An anniversary says, "Think of the dreams you have weathered together. They are intimate accomplishments." -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you only knew what God had to take me through to get me to the place where he could use me to be a blessing to other people, I doubt whether you would be willing to pay the price. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Grace releases people not only from sin but from shame. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God's heavenly plan doesn't always make earthly sense. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Another problem with worry is that it makes you forget your worth. Worry makes you feel worthless, forgotten, and unimportant. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Go God's way! His is the most reliable route to follow when life gets complicated. It will have its tough moments, but you will never regret it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Let your passion become a passionate pursuit of Me. And as you follow, the sheep will follow.' (John 21:20-22) -- Charles R. Swindoll
It's a delightful thing to receive a good word just at your time of need. Encourage someone today. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Strength comes from choosing to fully trust, pray, and praise. Our circumstances may not change, but in the process we change. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Don't be afraid of outgiving God. It is impossible to do that. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Precious few are those who can live in the lap of luxury ... who can keep their moral, spiritual and financial equilibrium ... while balancing on the elevated tightrope of success. ... there is about one in a hundred who can dance to the tune of success without paying the piper named Compromise. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Let me ask you, what are you planning to do with the rest of your days? -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you accept the fact that sometimes seasons are dry and times are hard and that God is in control of both, you will discover a sense of divine refuge, because the hope then is in God and not in yourself. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Which should be an excellent reminder that when God tells you to do something, you'd better do it; He always has a reason. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If our perfect Lord is gracious enough to take our worst, and ugliest, our most boring, our least successful, and forgive them, burying them in the depths of the sea, then it's high time we give each other a break. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There can be no more reliable authority on earth than God's Word, the Bible. This timeless, trustworthy source of truth holds the key that unlocks life's mysteries. It alone provides us with the shelter we need in times of storm. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Anything under God's control is never out of control. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I know of nothing more valuable, when it comes to the all-important virtue of authenticity, than simply being who you are. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Without a quest, life is quickly reduced to bleak black and wimpy white, a diet too bland to get anybody out of bed in the morning. A quest fuels our fire. It refuses to let us drift downstream gathering debris. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn't come naturally. It's a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The glory of God is a man fully alive, and the life of a man consists in beholding God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Deep, contended joy comes from a place of complete security and confidence [in God] - even in the midst of trial. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Next time you're faced with a credit-purchase decision, wait. Don't say no necessarily. Just wait. I challenge you to present your need to the Lord before presenting it to a bank, and see what He does with it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Envy is one of the great enemies of active spirituality. It keeps us from loving our neighbours, from functioning with others in community, and from affirming people's unique worth. It also steals contentment from the heart. Is there anything or anyone you are envious of? -- Charles R. Swindoll
Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God alone is perfectly and consistently just. We forget; God remembers. We see an action; God sees a motive. This qualifies Him as the best recordkeeper and judge. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Good intentions and earnest effort are not enough. Only Jesus can make an otherwise futile life productive. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Allowing anger to seethe on the back burner will lead to a very large lid blowing off a very hot pot. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Those who feed on rumors are small, suspicious souls. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Let your life yield a sweet, winsome melody that this old world needs so desperately. Yes you can if you will. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Encouragement is awesome. Think about it. It has the capacity to lift a man's or a woman's shoulders. To breathe fresh air into the fading embers of a smoldering dream. To actually change the course of another human being's day, week, or life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There are times we need to tell ourselves, "Good job!" when we know that is true. -- Charles R. Swindoll
While I wholeheartedly believe in choosing to approach every challenge with a great attitude, I don't mean that we should abandon authenticity and live in fantasyland. -- Charles R. Swindoll
No pressure is greater than God's power. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God uses those who seem ill-fitted for a significant life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God is a specialist at making something useful and beautiful out of something broken and confused. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Faith does not change my circumstances; faith changes me. Faith may not bring in the tuition check when I need it, but faith will give me what it takes to hang on. -- Charles R. Swindoll
For they are rebellious against You. But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5) -- Charles R. Swindoll
I have no interest in returning to yesteryear. I love the conveniences and delights of today's time. I wouldn't go back if I could. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The difference between something good and something great is attention to detail. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Christlikeness is a journey, not a destination. The joy is in the journey. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I know of no realm of life that can provide more companionship in a lonely world or greater feelings of security and purpose in chaotic times than the close ties of a family. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Ask yourself, "Who's getting the glory in this ministry?" You see, if we do ministry OUR way, it won't be for His glory, because our ways are not His ways. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It has come to the time where the most dangerous place to be in America is not the inner city, where gangs threaten innocent lives, or in angry prisons, where only the fit survive, but in the womb of a mother who is being told that if she doesn't really want the baby, an abortion is the solution. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God's timing is always on time. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Not once does the Bible report that (Jesus) rushed anywhere. He was often busy, but never in a mad dash. And yet He perfectly accomplished all the Father designed for Him to do. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I am a preacher. I'm involved in many other things, but, mainly, I preach. And I love it! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Discipline is training that corrects and perfects our mental faculties or molds our moral character. Discipline is control gained by enforced obedience. It is the deliberate cultivation of inner order. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Real integrity stays in place whether the test in adversity or prosperity. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The swift wind of compromise is a lot more devastating than the sudden jolt of misfortune. -- Charles R. Swindoll
More than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We aren't just thrown on this earth like dice tossed across a table. We are lovingly placed here for a purpose -- Charles R. Swindoll
Battles are won in the trenches, in the grit and grime of courageous determination; they are won day by day in the arena of life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Whatever we do, we must not treat the Great Commission like it's the Great Suggestion. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I am often the brunt of my own humor. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Neglecting to ask God's counsel, neglecting to seek God's timing, you step in to *handle* things. And by and by, you've got a mess on your hands. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Many seducers clutter the simple message of the gospel with legalistic additions, with convoluted attempts to legitimize moral compromise, and with psychological theories that turn churches into relational support groups instead of houses of worship. -- Charles R. Swindoll
You will find a common dichotomy in life. Those who don't have vision or determination, and refuse to dream the impossible, are always in the majority. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The single most important issue in all of life (is) your relationship with the living God ... how you can know Him in a personal and meaningful way. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Good listeners believe they can learn something from everyone. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Oh, how horrible our sins look when they are committed by someone else. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry is a complete waste of energy. It solves nothing. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Vision is the ability to see God's presence, to perceive God's power, to focus on God's plan in spite of the obstacles. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Second, always speak the truth without fear. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The beautiful thing about this adventure called faith is that we can count on Him never to lead us astray. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When we have God in clear focus, His powerful presence eclipses our fear. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Biblical wisdom is a process that begins with gaining knowledge, then choosing to set aside our former ways of thinking, and then putting this new knowledge into practice. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It's the nature of the beast within us to keep going back to the familiar rather than to strap on faith and face the future. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Trusting God doesn't alter our circumstances. Perfect trust in Him changes us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
"Do not lean on your own understanding." That means don't bring in the crutches and lean on them, those crutches that you have designed and made to handle such situations. Stay away from them. Don't lean on them; lean on God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
One of the marks of maturity is the ability to disagree without becoming disagreeable -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you trust the Lord God to give you the next step, when you wait in humility upon Him, *He* will open the doors or close them, and you'll get to rest and relax until He says, 'Go. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you never get criticized, chances are you aren't getting anything done. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Consistency: It's the jewel worth wearing; It's the anchor worth weighing; It's the thread worth weaving; It's a battle worth winning. -- Charles R. Swindoll
My order of priorities reflects the level of my commitment to Christ. Whoever or whatever is in first place, if it isn't the Lord Jesus, is in the wrong place. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When we panic, we instinctively turn to our own internal resources because we doubt Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
You can choose to be a drag and a burden, or an inspiration and encouragement. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Nothing is so common as unsuccessful men with talent. They lack only determination. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Peter's destiny lay along a different path from John's. And your calling is unlike anyone else's. But the call remains the same: Follow Me! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Jesus kept it simple. The lesson wasn't complicated. 'I speak; you believe My word; your son will be fine.' We complicate what God has made simple by seeing the world through human eyes. We want to see in order to believe and presume that our limitations are His. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It is in lonely solitude that God delivers His best thoughts, and the mind needs to be still and quiet to receive them. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Boldness in the course of a noble fight is worth the risk ... If you stand on truth, you'll only regret your timidity later, but you'll never regret being bold. -- Charles R. Swindoll
This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness -- Charles R. Swindoll
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Times may be hard and people may be demanding, but never forget that life is special. Every single day is a special day. God is at work in you! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Goals not bathed in prayer or brought in humility before the Lord turn out to be downright useless. They don't go anywhere. They don't accomplish anything. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Because God gave you your makeup and superintended every moment of your past, including all the hardship, pain, and struggles, He wants to use your words in a unique manner. No one else can speak through your vocal cords, and, equally important, no one else has your story. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Leadership is influence. To the extent we influence others, we lead them. -- Charles R. Swindoll
In other words Jesus went into the desert to confront His enemy and throw down the gauntlet. He would prove Himself to be the legitimate shepherd of Israel by overcoming the temptations that had undone all of Israel's previous kings, including His mighty ancestor, King David. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry about nothing. Pray about everything. -- Charles R. Swindoll
One essential ingredient for being an original in the day of copies is courageous vision. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Peter must have thought, "Who am I compared to Mr. Faithfulness (John)?" But Jesus clarified the issue. John was responsible for John. Peter was responsible for Peter. And each had only one command to heed: "Follow Me." (John 21:20-22) -- Charles R. Swindoll
All he asks is that we trust Him, that we stand before Him in integrity and faith. God is just waiting for us to trust Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Wouldn't you like to contribute to an event that is part of Christ's own prediction, "I will build my church"? -- Charles R. Swindoll
A teardrop on earth summons the King of heaven. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The ministry of the church is a genuine concern for others. We need to stop talking about it and start doing it. Rise.
Rise and shine, friend. Everyone you meet today is on heaven's Most Wanted list. -- Charles R. Swindoll
And when God steps in, His working is like the difference between a skyscraper and a star. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I don't see life divided into public and private, secular and sacred. It's all an open place of service before our God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Refuse to let your situation determine your attitude. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Ours is a bad, bad world, but does that mean nothing's good? Does it mean we have run out of things for which to be grateful? No, no, a thousand times, no! -- Charles R. Swindoll
God has called His creation to find satisfaction in a personal relationship with Him, and stop trying to manage the world by conforming it to our expectations, and to allow Him to govern His creation. He continues to say through an ancient Hebrew worship song, Be still and know that I am God! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Dream big ... don't let anybody or anything break your wishbone. Stay strong, full of faith, and courageous ... keep that backbone straight. And along the way, don't forget to laugh and enjoy the journey. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I'm glad ... that Edison didn't give up on the light bulb. That Luther refused to back down. That Michelangelo kept painting. That Lindbergh kept flying. -- Charles R. Swindoll
No marriage is "too dead" for the Lord to restore. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Like sin itself, Satan appeals to the senses. He originated and perfected the art of disguising evil as good. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I have tried and I cannot find, either in scripture or in history, a strong-willed individual whom God used greatly until He allowed them to be hurt deeply. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I let people see the cracks in my life. We can't be phony. We've got to keep it real. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you aren't vigilant, if you aren't daily humbling yourself before Him, seeking His face, discerning His timing, operating under the Spirit's control, you may push and shove and force your way prematurely into that place where God wanted you, but you will not have arrived in His own time. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you suffer and lose, that does not mean you are being disobedient to God. In fact, it might mean you're right in the center of His will. The path of obedience is often marked by times of suffering and loss. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Do you want to be wise? Choose wise friends -- Charles R. Swindoll
It helps me if I remember that God is in charge of my day - not I. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When the Lord makes it clear you're to follow Him in this new direction, focus fully on Him and refuse to be distracted by comparisons with others. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Grace is ours. Let's live it! Deny it or debate it and we kill it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God gave laws to His people to bless them, not to burden them. Every rule either elevates the quality of human life or restores one's relationship with God after a breach. He makes no extraneous demands and He is never capricious. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The past is over ... forget it. The future holds hope ... reach for it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We want the safety of yesterday even though we know it's not where God would have us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Elizabeth's barreness and advanced age
a double symbol of hopelessness
became the means by which God would announce to the world that nothing is impossible for Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I cannot at the same time accept the glory and give God the glory ... Glorifying God means being occupied with and committed to His ways rather than preoccupied with and determined my own way. It is being so thrilled with Him, so devoted to Him, so committed to Him that we cannot get enough of Him! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hopes. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Grace strips away the tin, rips off the masks, helps us to be ourselves so that when we speak of our faith it rings true. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sometimes people can't see past us to hear our message. We never have a second chance to leave a first impression. -- Charles R. Swindoll
A story without context is like a diamond without a mounting. The stone may be beautiful lying loose on a table, but when it is carefully mounted in the right setting it can dazzle you with its brilliance and sparkling beauty. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Authentic men aren't afraid to show affection, release their feelings, hug their children, cry when they're sad, admit it when they're wrong, and ask for help when they need it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God has not only created each of us as distinct individuals, He also uses us in significant ways. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When a person does something, it has the man or woman look about it. It drips with humanity. You can follow the logic of it and see the meaning behind it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Have you ever studied Jesus's approach to talking with people? He didn't always fill the space with answers for them. Let's learn to do that with our fellow learners. Let's give them room to think and answer for themselves. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Any idol, regardless of its beauty or usefulness or original purpose, is to be set aside so that Christ might reign supreme, without a single competitor. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The size of a challenge should never be measured by what we have to offer. It will never be enough. Furthermore, provision is God's responsibility, not ours. We are merely called to commit what we have - even if it's no more than a sack lunch. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you pray, pray so that you may know Him. When you seek to simplify, do it as a means of knowing Him more. When you surrender, or behave with humility or sacrifice, do it with the sole purpose in mind to know Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I'm not against screens, or new songs, or innovation. I just don't like the gimmicks. I want to know when worship is over that that leader's sole purpose was to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God also allows suffering so that we might learn what it means to depend on Him, not on our own strength and resources. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The Lord delights to surprise us with His goodness, if only we will unlock the door of obedience with the key of faith - which He has given - and then push it open and walk through. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It is easy for Christians to have the false impression that once we have established a relationship with Christ, which we believe sets us right with God, the problems of life will somehow scoot away or they will slowly be removed from our lives. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We want a crowd to make us feel important and liked. But why is getting a crowd our focus? Jesus never suggested that crowds were the goal. He never addresses getting your church to grow. Never. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Only grace-large doses, frequently displayed, released-will restore the wounded. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Don't expect wisdom to come into your life like great chunks of rock on a conveyor belt. Wisdom comes privately from God as a byproduct of right decisions, godly reactions, and the application of spiritual principles to daily circumstances. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Think first. Talk less. Start today. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There is no counsel like God's counsel. No comfort like His comfort. No wisdom more profound than the wisdom of the Scriptures. -- Charles R. Swindoll
On tough days, you gotta have heart. Don't quit, whatever you do. Persevere. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Remorse is sorrow over being caught and the pain of consequences that follow. Repentance is not being concerned for ourselves but having a contrite heart. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The skeptic may deny your doctrine or attack your church but he cannot honestly ignore the fact that your life has been changed. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Take charge of your thoughts! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We see the same scenario all too often today. People are told the good news of salvation by grace alone, only to respond with, That's too simple. Where's the dignity? Where's the effort? If it's all that life changing, surely something sacrificial is required of me! -- Charles R. Swindoll
When we arrive at dilemmas in life and we are unable to decipher the right direction to go, if we hope to maintain our confidence in the process, we must (repeat must) allow the Lord to be our Guide, our Strength, our Wisdom - our all! -- Charles R. Swindoll
We can't solve modern problems by going back in time. Retreating to the safety of the familiar is an understandable response, but God has called us to a life of faith. And faith requires us to face the unknown while trusting Him completely. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If we want the advantages of love, then we must be willing to take the risks of love. And that requires vulnerability. Of course, we can refuse this path and trod another one devoid of openness. But the toll on such a road is extremely high. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God never asked us to meet life's pressures and demands on our own terms or by relying upon our own strength. Nor did He demands that we win His favor by assembling an impressive portfolio of good deeds. Instead, He invites us to enter His rest. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Please, put aside all excuses and ask yourself, "What should I be doing?" Yes, you alone can make a difference. The question is, will you? -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you want to be a person with a large vision, you must cultivate the habit of doing the little things well. -- Charles R. Swindoll
As we shall see, the best leaders are actually servants. Unselfishly, -- Charles R. Swindoll
The habit of always putting off an experience until you can afford it, or until the time is right, or until you know how to do it is one of the greatest burglars of joy. Be deliberate, but once you've made up your mind -jump in. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don't worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry ... He's risen! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Man is the only animal that when you pat him on the head, his head swells up. -- Charles R. Swindoll
No, the thing that makes for greatness is determination, persisting in the right direction over the long haul, following your dream, staying at the task. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Acceptance is taking from God's hand absolutely anything He gives, looking into His face in trust and thanksgiving. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The crisis of physical hunger is essentially a crisis of faith. What or whom will you trust to meet your most basic needs? Will you trust the God who made human bodies, or will you seek your own way? (Deuteronomy 8:1-3) -- Charles R. Swindoll
Tell yourself right now and throughout today, that it's okay to draw away from the maddening crowd. Jesus did; so can you. -- Charles R. Swindoll
More often than not, when something looks like it's the absolute end, it is really the beginning. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Cults use our vocabulary, but they don't use our dictionary. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Thanksgiving speaks in clear, crisp tones of forgotten terms, like integrity - bravery - respect - freedom - discipline - sacrifice - godliness. -- Charles R. Swindoll
No one is immune to temptation. Not even a hero. Not even a nobody. Not even people like you and me. Lust is never very far away. And just when you least expect it, there it is again. -- Charles R. Swindoll
How important is the heart! It is there that character is formed. It alone holds the secrets of true success. It's treasures are priceless - but they can be stolen. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God's forgiveness extends to the worst offenders and to anyone who wishes to receive it-not because of who we are, but because of who He is. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Nothing is more bothersome to me than retiring. Weird things happen when you disengage; first you get negative, then you start telling people about your latest surgeries, and eventually you lose touch. I want to stay in touch. -- Charles R. Swindoll
That's what this thing called Christian life is all about, isn't it. Going ... yet not knowing. As followers of our Lord we believe He leads us in a certain direction ... or in pursuit of a precise goal. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Consistent, Timely encouragement has the staggering magnetic power to draw an immortal soul to the God of Hope. The one whose name is Wonderful Counselor. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When it seems like that's all there is, remember all you have in Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
One of my great goals in life is to live long enough to where I am in the pulpit, preaching my heart out, and I die on the spot, my chin hits the pulpit - boom! - and I'm down and out. What a way to die! -- Charles R. Swindoll
In many (most?) churches there are programs and activities ... but so little worship. There are songs and anthems and musicals ... but so little worship. There are announcements and readings and prayers ... but so little worship. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When God is involved, anything can happen. Be open. Stay that way. God has a beautiful way of bringing good vibrations out of broken chords. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you life is an example of glorifying God, others won't see your good works and glorify YOU, because they'll know what you are doing is for God's glory. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Grace releases and affirms. It doesn't smother. Grace values the dignity of individuals. It doesn't destroy. Grace supports and encourages. It isn't jealous or suspicious. -- Charles R. Swindoll
[God] is able to take your life, with all of the heartache, all of the pain, all of the regret, all of the missed opportunities, and use you for His glory. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There is nothing more fearful for the average person in our society than to stand before a group of people and speak. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We continually encounter hardships. People disappoint us. We disappoint ourselves. But God is constant and compassionate. We are not alone. He cares. Against all reason, the transcendent God loves us so much that He has committed Himself to us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The best tests of my Christian growth occur in the mainstream of life, not in the quietness of my study -- Charles R. Swindoll
While God, for the most part, allows this cosmos [creation] to work according to the laws of nature, there is never a time when He is not actively involved in every detail of life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
First impressions never have a second chance. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The desire of Joseph's heart was to see his father and to get all of his family to move to Egypt and to live near him so he could provide for them without reservation and without limitation. -- Charles R. Swindoll
This points us to an undeniable theological truth we learn from Genesis 4: humans are murderers, not because we commit murder, but because we are murderers at heart. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If I ever wrote a book on preaching, it would contain three words: Preach the Word. Get rid of all the other stuff that gets you sidetracked; preach the Word. -- Charles R. Swindoll
To require God to prove that He is able and willing to fulfill His promises would be proof positive that one does not trust Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Don't get older; get better: Live realistically. Give generously. Adapt willingly. Trust fearlessly. Rejoice daily. -- Charles R. Swindoll
One of the worst things you can give to your people is someone you're not. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Prayer is an investment. The time you dedicate to prayer isn't lost; it will return dividends far greater than what a few moments spent on a task ever could. If we fail to cultivate this discipline, prayer winds up being our last resort rather than our first response. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God doesn't mock us. He never gives us a goal that we cannot accomplish in His strength. I want to assure you, you can glorify God, you MUST glorify God. But you have to determine deep within your heart that you're going to do it His way. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you allow it, [suffering] can be the means by which God brings you His greatest blessings. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It's easy to get attached to idols, good things inappropriately adored. But when you have Jesus in the centre of a room, everything else only junks up the decor. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The world has changed and it's going to keep changing, but God never changes; so we are safe when we cling to Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The matters we or the world might consider trivial, He cares about and wants to remedy. He longs to relieve our worries and has promised to supply our most fundamental needs. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Stand still ... and refuse to retreat. Look at it as God looks at it and draw upon His power to hold up under the blast. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God is a specialist when the anguish is deep. His ability to heal the soul is profound ... but only to those who rely on His wounded Son will experience relief. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Allow me to offer a simple definition of wisdom. Wisdom is looking at life from God's point of view. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Life ... as God intended it enables us to live above the drag of fear, superstition, shame, pessimism, guilt, anxiety, worry, and all the negativity that keeps people from seizing each day as a gift from Him. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Encouragement is awesome. It (can) actually change the course of another person's day, week, or life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Rejoicing is clearly a spiritual command. To ignore it, I need to remind you, is disobedience. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The longer I live the more I believe that the greatest enemy of a victorious Christian life is passivity. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If your motive is in any way to promote greatness for yourself, you're in the wrong calling. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It's not our church; it's God's - it's not our responsibility to run it! -- Charles R. Swindoll
We don't like waiting, but that's when God does some of His best work on our souls. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There is only one you. God wanted you to be you. Don't you dare change just because you're outnumbered! -- Charles R. Swindoll
If I had my life to live over, I'd have spent more hours in worship. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When God's in it ... it flows. When the flesh is in it ... it's forced. -- Charles R. Swindoll
With vision there is no room to be frightened. No reason for intimidation. It's time to march forward! Let's be confident and positive! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Nothing can compensate for a lack of authenticity. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it's a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sometimes we are to guard our heart ... protect it from invasion and keep things safe and secure. Sometimes we should give our heart ... let certain qualities out and release them to others -- Charles R. Swindoll
Today is unique! It has never occurred before, and it will never be repeated. At midnight it will end, quietly, suddenly, totally. Forever. But the hours between now and then are opportunities with eternal possibilities. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When we attempt to find meaning in the pursuit of pleasure, the commitment to a job, or through plumbing intellectual depths, we all eventually find in each of these pursuits a dead end. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you are giving people the gospel, you are giving them something to believe, and you have to set the stage for that. You don't just drive up and dump the truck and drive off. -- Charles R. Swindoll
A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Alleged 'impossibilities' are opportunities for our capacities to be stretched. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Things will happen that seem to be totally contradictory, but these are God's arrangements. It was a wonderful day when I finally realized I don't have to explained or defend the will of God. My job is simply to obey it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It takes faith to find personal significance in your relationship with God rather than how much money you earn, how beautiful you look, how many toys you own, how many trophies you collect, or how much territory you conquer and control. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Adversity is a good test of our resiliency, our ability to cope, to stand back up, to recover from misfortune. Adversity is a painful pedagogue. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We are often so caught up in our activities that we tend to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship. -- Charles R. Swindoll
[Jesus] plan called for action, and how He expressed it predicted its success. He didn't say "you *might* be my witnesses," or "you *could* be my witnesses," or even "you *should* be my witnesses." He said "you *will* be my witnesses. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When each elder or pastor has his will aligned with the Lord's, we waste no time arguing for our own. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Friends make life a lot more fun. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Focusing intently on Christ naturally results in a lifestyle of increasingly greater selflessness. And it has another benefit. Gazing on Christ gives us greater ability to look past life's trials and remain calm in the midst of what others would call chaos. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Believe me, once you have tasted worship - the kind of worship that captures your heart and rivets your full attention on the living Lord - nothing less satisfies. Nothing else even comes close. Once you have tasted true worship, you will never want to play church again. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you are in the center of God's will, my friend, it flows. -- Charles R. Swindoll
There is plenty of television. There are plenty of talk shows. There are plenty of comedians. But there is not plenty of worship of the true and living God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Only you can determine your choice of attitude. Choose wisely, choose carefully, choose confidently! -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sometime in my ministry, I am going to gather up enough courage to have a testimony time where the only thing we'll share is our failures. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Israel's first king, Saul, looked like he was born for the role. He was tall, handsome, intelligent, and sensitive to God's leading. But he eventually lost most of his attractive qualities, the most important being obedience. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It is often just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry erases the promises of God from your mind. -- Charles R. Swindoll
People who inspire others are those who see invisible bridges at the end of dead-end streets -- Charles R. Swindoll
We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you have vision it affects your attitude. Your attitude is optimistic rather than pessimistic. -- Charles R. Swindoll
A. W. Tozer says, "A true and safe leader is likely one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position of leadership by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and by the press of the external situation. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. Our attitude is everything. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Make a plan now to keep a daily appointment with God. The enemy is going to tell you to set it aside, but you must carve out the time. If you're too busy to meet with the Lord, friend, then you are simply too busy -- Charles R. Swindoll
Don't seek more days in your life but more life in your days. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry is assuming responsibilities that you cannot handle. They truth is, they are responsibilities that God never intended for you to handle, because they are His. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Hope is like an anchor. Our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life, but unlike an anchor, it does not hold us back. -- Charles R. Swindoll
A selfless devotion. High-impact people don't care about who gets the credit, and they never complain about the role they fill. -- Charles R. Swindoll
What's God saying to you now? "All things are possible to him who worries?" No. "All things are possible to him who attempts to work it out?" No. "All things are possible to him who believes.
Man to Man: Chuck Swindoll Selects His Most Significant Writings for Men -- Charles R. Swindoll
The lens of fear magnifies the size of uncertainty. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Encourage one another. Many times a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept people on their feet. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It's not enough merely to believe there is a God. You must believe in the God who is there. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When I think of vision, I have in mind the ability to see above and beyond the majority. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. PROVERBS 16:9 -- Charles R. Swindoll
If God awarded us medals, as they do in the Olympics, love would win the gold, joy the silver, and peace the bronze. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Anxious. Intriguing word. It literally means, "to be divided" or "distracted." It conveys the idea of being so mentally ill at ease that you cannot do what you need to do because you are so distracted in your thinking. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you are having difficulty loving or relating to an individual, take him to God. Bother the Lord with this person. Don't you be bothered with him - leave him at the throne. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We shouldn't deny the pain of what happens in our lives. We should just refuse to focus only on the valleys. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Home is the bottom line of life, the anvil upon which attitudes and convictions are hammered out the single most influential force in our earthly existence. No price tag can adequately reflect its value. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If the pace and the push, the noise and the crowds are getting to you, it's time to stop the nonsense and find a place of solace to refresh your spirit -- Charles R. Swindoll
What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are completely His - completely. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The beautiful thing about encouragement is that anybody can do it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Hope doesn't require a massive chain where heavy links of logic hold it together. A thin wire will do ... just strong enough to get us through the night until the winds die down. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection; an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Leaders need to cultivate two things: a righteous heart and a rhinoceros skin. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God will never adjust His agenda to fit ours. He will not speed up His pace to catch up with ours; we need to slow our pace in order to recover our walk with Him. God will not scream and shout over the noisy clamor; He expects us to seek quietness, where His still small voice can be heard again. -- Charles R. Swindoll
In order to cease our striving, we must transfer our trust away from our own abilities, our own accomplishments, our own strength, and place it on His provision. -- Charles R. Swindoll
If God's people are to be living examples of one thing, that thing ought to be - it must be - compassion. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God's voice isn't all that difficult to hear. In fact, you almost have to be closing your eyes and stopping your ears to miss it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I believe firmly in God's control in life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When Christ becomes our central focus, contentment replaces our anxiety as well as our fears and insecurities. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sin may have the power to kill and destroy, but God is the Creator of life. He can create it from nothing, and He can restore it from death.(John 11:25-26) -- Charles R. Swindoll
God seems to reward us with good, delightful experiences when we move with joy through the less-than-delightful times. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Patience is a bitter plant that produces sweet fruit. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God doesn't work on our timetable. He has a plan that He will execute perfectly and for the highest, greatest good of all, and for His ultimate glory. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Do you need strength? Peace? Wisdom? Direction? Discipline? Ask for it! God will hear you. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Our minds can be kept free of anxiety as we dump the load of our cares on the Lord in prayer. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Honesty has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it. No ulterior motives. No hidden meanings. An absence of hypocrisy, duplicity, political games, and verbal superficiality. As honesty and real integrity characterize our lives, there will be no need to manipulate others. -- Charles R. Swindoll
GRACE: All you can do is take it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The abundance Jesus offers is a spiritual abundance that transcends circumstances, like income, health, living conditions, and even death. The abundant life is eternal. -- Charles R. Swindoll
In spite of our high-tech world and efficient procedures, people remain the essential ingredient of life. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God presents the Sabbath rest as a shelter we can enter. (Hebrews 4:1-11) -- Charles R. Swindoll
When a church is spending more of its budget on media than shepherding, something is out of whack. We have gotten things twisted around. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Some folks serve the almighty dollar far more faithfully than the Almighty God. They get greater delight out of balancing the budget than watching the Lord multiply the loaves and fishes. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Excellence-moral, ethical, personal excellence-is worth whatever it costs. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Lead with action and let the feelings follow. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Humility - the discipline of putting others ahead of self, the choice to value others above self - is, at its core, a matter of faith. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Of all the things God created, I am often most grateful He created laughter. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I want to preach till the last breath in my lungs runs out. -- Charles R. Swindoll
People are far more important than rigid rules and demanding expectations. -- Charles R. Swindoll
I'm here today to warn you: I want you to watch out for the adversary. Guard yourself from any spirit of entitlement. Restrain any and all subtle temptation to gain attention or to find ways to promote yourself. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Anyone who influences others is a leader. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The silence of God's voice will make you wonder if He is even there. And the absence of God's presence will make you wonder if He even cares. He is. And He does. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The world is waiting to hear an authentic voice, a voice from God - not an echo of what others are doing and saying, but an authentic voice. - A. W. Tozer3 -- Charles R. Swindoll
Walk by faith! Stop the plague of worry. Relax! Learn to say, "Lord, this is Your battle." -- Charles R. Swindoll
If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Sound advice comes from veterans of pain. -- Charles R. Swindoll
[Moses] dedicated himself to the will of God, but not to the God whose will it was. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Laughter is the most beautiful and beneficial therapy God ever granted humanity. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Confidence brings joy when we let God be God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
A "godly" person is one who ceases to be self-centered in order to become God-centered. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry and faith just don't mix. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Pride leaves no room for grace. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When you have a sense of calling, whether it's to be a musician, soloist, artist, in one of the technical fields, or a plumber, there is something deep and enriching when you realize it isn't just a casual choice, it's a divine calling. It's not limited to vocational Christian service by any means. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Joy springs from a life lived with eternity's values in view. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The decision to give ourselves to others is a daily taking up of the cross. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Philosophers are people who talk about something they don't understand and make you think it's your fault!1 -- Charles R. Swindoll
God declared me righteous! -- Charles R. Swindoll
People who are close to God cultivate a personal intimacy with Him like a good gardener cultivates beautiful flowers. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Noise and crowds have a way of siphoning our energy and distracting our attention, making prayer an added chore rather than a comforting relief -- Charles R. Swindoll
While I was raised around churches and had gotten to know a few preachers fairly well, the thought never entered my head that I would one day stand and deliver. Not only was I not interested, I lived with a major struggle: I stuttered. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. -- Charles R. Swindoll
One of the problems with worry is that it keeps you from enjoying what you have. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Life is difficult. That blunt, three-word statement is an accurate ap praisal of our existence on this planet. -- Charles R. Swindoll
You know one of the most encouraging things about faith? It pleases God. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God constantly uses the lives of Bible characters to teach us, to encourage us, to warn us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The more impossible the situation, the greater God accomplishes His work. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Worry is characteristic of the heathen, not the Christian. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Part of the thrill of guiding children into adulthood is the release. But it's also a parent's greatest act of surrender. Still, you have to let them go. Start now. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God never calls His people to accomplish anything without promising to supply their every need. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Hold everything loosely. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Unfair suffering is never funny. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Believing in grace is one thing. Living it is another. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Convictions are a matter of choice, not force. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Learning more truth is a poor and cheap substitute for stopping and putting into action the truth already learned -- Charles R. Swindoll
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. -- Charles R. Swindoll
You and I can become so dedicated to the will of God, we can be so driven by a false sense of purpose, that we might inadvertently take matters into our own hands and leave God completely out of the loop. -- Charles R. Swindoll
You won't find God at the Seminary and you won't find wisdom in the halls of intellectualism. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The wonderful thing about God is he knows what we need to persuade us. -- Charles R. Swindoll
We are in charge of our attitudes. -- Charles R. Swindoll
It is a pity that many Christians have the TV schedule better memorized than a single chapter for God's precious Word. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Know yourself, like yourself, be yourself. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Vision encompasses vast vistas outside the realm of the predictable, the safe, the expected. -- Charles R. Swindoll
The stronger the winds, the deeper the roots, and the longer the winds, the more beautiful the tree. -- Charles R. Swindoll
NOBODIES HAVE LASTING SIGNIFICANCE -- Charles R. Swindoll
Not every Christian finds it easy to believe. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Nothing speaks louder or more powerfully than a life of integrity -- Charles R. Swindoll
Grace strengthens us. It strengthens our hearts, awakens in us the courage to stand firm. -- Charles R. Swindoll
When God's in it, the job gets done. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Two words will help you cope when you run low on hope: accept and trust. -- Charles R. Swindoll
God often does His best work in us when He catches us by surprise and introduces a change that is completely against our own desire. -- Charles R. Swindoll
Prejudice is a learned trait. You're not born prejudiced; you're taught it. -- Charles R. Swindoll