James Bryan Smith Quotes & Sayings

Christianity doesn't answer all my questions or make me comfortable and happy. What it does do is give me a context for living. — James Bryan Smith

The most important aspects of our lives cannot be rushed. We cannot love, think, eat, laugh, or pray in a hurry...When we are in a hurry--which comes from overextension--we find ourselves unable to live with awareness and kindness. — James Bryan Smith

False Narrative: The Kingdom of God is Future No serious biblical scholar would deny that Jesus' proclaimed the kingdom of God. However, many scholars conclude that Jesus was not talking about our present world but rather an epoch in history that has not yet begun. — James Bryan Smith

Wealth, power and possessions can easily numb us to our need for God and make us overlook the needs of others. The wealthy must be concerned for the poor. Eating gourmet meals when others have nothing to eat should cause us to reflect a bit. Pursuing pleasure in a world with so much pain creates uneasiness in those who follow Jesus. God is not against fine food or having fun, but we ought to think deeply about our decisions - what and how much we buy, what is truly important - because we live in a world of great disparity. — James Bryan Smith

When we pray for the Spirit, we are not praying for an answer; we are praying for God to enter us, to fill us with his presence, his thoughts, and his words. — James Bryan Smith

It seems that I always am and always have been an outsider. I've never really fit in. I was always too religious for my rowdy friends - they thought I was unbelievably hung up - and too rowdy for my religious friends - they were always praying for me. — James Bryan Smith

spiritual life is not a life of laws and precepts but a life of participation, affection and love, a life mingled and mixing with God. — James Bryan Smith

The Beatitudes, far from being a new set of virtues that further divide the religious haves and have nots, are words of hope and healing to those who have been marginalized. — James Bryan Smith

God is more eager to forgive us than we are to be forgiven. — James Bryan Smith

What we think about God-what we think God is like-will determine the relationship we have with God. — James Bryan Smith

Christ in me" means Christ bearing me along from within, Christ the motive power that carries me on, Christ giving my whole life a wonderful poise and lift, and turning every burden into wings . . . not as something you have to bear but as something by which you are borne. — James Bryan Smith