{"quotes":[{"text":"The only person to influence the direction and purpose of your life is the one who gave it. God!","author":"Israelmore Ayivor","tags":["almighty-god","bible","christ","christ-jesus","creator","destiny","direction","directions","directions-in-life","food-for-thought","god","godly","holy-spirit","influence","israelmore-ayivor","jehovah","jesus","jesus-christ","leaders","leadership","life","martin-luther","martin-luther-king","martin-luther-king-jr","purpose","purpose-of-life","saint","saints","scripture"],"id":3811,"author_id":"Israelmore+Ayivor"},{"text":"Christians sometimes make themselves into elephants afraid of mice. You have the Creator of the universe on your side; not to mention, you've been given eternal life. 'Whom or what shall you fear?' To be afraid of anything other than God himself is like an insult to God.","author":"Criss Jami","tags":["anxiety","apologetics","bravery","christ","christ-jesus","christian","christianity","courage","darkness","death","defensive","doubt","elephant","encouragement","eternal-life","evil","faith","faith-in-god","fear","fearlessness","funny","funny-but-true","god","goodness","humor","inspirational","irrational-fear","jesus","jesus-christ","life","light","love","martyr","motivational","mouse","negativity","obedience","offended","optimism","pessimism","positivity","power","pray","strength","trust","trust-in-god","universe","world","worry"],"id":4189,"author_id":"Criss+Jami"},{"text":"I wouldn't think that God is quite as much concerned with whether or not one actually sins as He is with whether or not in one's heart one genuinely wants to turn from sin; and therefore, continues working passionately with Him in doing so. It is not some pleasure of God's, as some might imagine, to stand around critiquing, arms crossed, holding a whip. I suppose that when someone weeps over their sins, He extends His hands; He wants them to lift their head and embrace Him and the mercy He's willing to show. But when someone is proud of their sins, He delivers His justice swiftly and righteously. Sin does not intimidate God - although He takes it very seriously - it does no real harm to Him whatsoever, only to the sinner and to other people: and He loves people.","author":"Criss Jami","tags":["apologetics","christ","christ-jesus","critiquing","death","forgiveness","genuine","god","grace","harm","heart","jesus","jesus-christ","judgment","justice","love","mercy","mistakes","obedience","punishment","repentance","sin","sincere","whip"],"id":37695,"author_id":"Criss+Jami"},{"text":"The Christian God seemed the most offensive to people precisely because he was the most godlike. He was too perfect even to be coaxed by human efforts, and therefore sent his son to do the job.","author":"Criss Jami","tags":["apologetics","christ","christ-jesus","christianity","cross","faith","freedom","god","goodness","gospel","grace","holiness","humility","jesus","jesus-christ","judgment","legalism","love","mercy","offensive","perfection","pride","religion","salvation","sin","spirituality","works"],"id":44121,"author_id":"Criss+Jami"},{"text":"The aim is to love God because the pure heart loves loving God and because the true mind knows He deserves it. Unlike the accusations and beliefs of the critics and skeptics, it is neither an obligation of duty; nor a fear of damnation; nor a wish for power; nor a desire to appear more righteous than others; nor because God needs it; but because through all love, truth, reason, faith, honesty, and joy in and beyond oneself and the universe, He is worthy.","author":"Criss Jami","tags":["accusation","apologetics","beautiful","belief","christ","christ-jesus","christian","christianity","criticism","damnation","duty","faith","fear","glorification","god","gratitude","heart","hell","holiness","holiness-of-god","holy","honesty","insincerity","intelligence","jesus","jesus-christ","joy","knowledge","love","mind","motives","obligation","power","praise","purity","reason","relationship","relationship-with-god","righteousness","service","sincerity","skepticism","thankfulness","truth","understanding","universe","wisdom","worship","worthiness","worthy"],"id":44247,"author_id":"Criss+Jami"},{"text":"Christ is my model of leadership because he faced similar challenges we also face on earth today, but through it all He was victorious. To leaders are not overcome by challenges!","author":"Israelmore Ayivor","tags":["challenges","christ","christ-is-king","christ-jesus","earth","food-for-thought","israelmore-ayivor","jesus","lead","leaders","leadership","model","model-of-leadership","overcome","overcomer","overcomers","saviour","take-the-lead","true-leaders","true-leadership","victorious","victory"],"id":44742,"author_id":"Israelmore+Ayivor"},{"text":"Knowledge is power, as some say. But on some days it is just as much pain and confusion as it is power; and any wise man worth his salt as a wise man at least understands this. One may be able to comprehend all the human perspectives in the universe, but this gives more to decipher regarding what is actually true; and even after discovering the truth, the challenge is in maintaining a patience for the infinite number of opinions that do not reflect that truth. Its consistency in man is challenge. A worldly knowledge ends at the former challenge of confusion, but the knowledge of Christ ends at the latter challenge of patience.","author":"Criss Jami","tags":["apologetics","challenge","christ","christ-jesus","confusion","despair","grief","jesus","jesus-christ","knowledge","opinion","pain","patience","perspective","power","sorrow","truth","wisdom","world"],"id":47580,"author_id":"Criss+Jami"},{"text":"Christ Jesus is the Church.","author":"Lailah Gifty Akita","tags":["christ-jesus","christian","church","faith","inspiration","religions"],"id":79542,"author_id":"Lailah+Gifty+Akita"},{"text":"Live thy creed in the love of Christ.","author":"Lailah Gifty Akita","tags":["christ-jesus","christian","creed","life","life-lessons","love"],"id":86435,"author_id":"Lailah+Gifty+Akita"},{"text":"The Faithful God called all believers into a sweet fellowship with his Son, Christ Jesus.","author":"Lailah Gifty Akita","tags":["believers","christ-jesus","christian","christianity","fellowship","religion","worship"],"id":89151,"author_id":"Lailah+Gifty+Akita"}],"pagination":{"page":1,"page_size":10,"total":25,"pages":3,"next":"?page=2\u0026page_size=10"}}