Ortlund Quotes & Sayings

Our faith is a person; the gospel that we have to preach is a person; and go wherever we may, we have something solid and tangible to preach, for our gospel is a person. If you had asked the twelve Apostles in their day, 'What do you believe in?' they would not have stopped to go round about with a long sermon, but they would have pointed to their Master and they would have said, 'We believe him.' 'But what are your doctrines?' 'There they stand incarnate.' 'But what is your practice?' 'There stands our practice. He is our example.' 'What then do you believe?' Hear the glorious answer of the Apostle Paul, 'We preach Christ crucified.' Our creed, our body of divinity, our whole theology is summed up in the person of Christ Jesus." (Ray Ortlund blog, Christ Is Deeper Still) — Charles Haddon Spurgeon

It's not your circumstances that shape you, it's how you react to your circumstances. — Anne Ortlund

The confinement she feels is spreading, becoming intolerable, because in a hostile mind limitations grow to a maddening degree. Moreover, God had strongly warned, "You shall surely die." But the woman now softens it to ". . . lest you die." Now that her view of the consequences is less alarming, Satan springs on that very point: — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

Isn't it interesting how in Christmas cards and on public displays we often see the words, "Peace on earth, good will toward men"? But how seldom do we see the prior words, "Glory to God in the highest"! But there is no peace, there is no good will, unless there is glory to God in the highest first. We forget to put God's glory first. Fortunately, he does not. God will be glorified — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

A church can offer living and palpable proof that the gospel makes a real difference for real people living in the real world. — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

He remembered to leave this for me this for me. — Saiswaroopa Iyer

Lift up your eyes. The heavenly Father waits to bless you - in inconceivable ways to make your life what you never dreamed it could be. — Anne Ortlund

Anything of worth is costly: devotion to Christ, a strong marriage, financial responsibility, a life of integrity, and of course, fearlessly feminine mothering. — Jani Ortlund

Covenant community, the hand of God will write — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

To become a Christian is to become alive to beauty. — Dane C. Ortlund

The gradual dawn of gospel wakefulness is occurring for you as the Spirit brings your sin to mind, pours more grace upon you, and bears more fruit of good character and good works in you. To this end, then, you should read the gospel, listen to the gospel, sing the gospel, write the gospel, share the gospel, and preach the gospel, all the while asking God to administer its power more and more to your life. Situate yourself constantly in the crosshairs of the gospel. You cannot "Behold!" it if you aren't looking. As my friend Ray Ortlund has been known to say, "Stare at the glory of God until you see it."7 — Jared C. Wilson

Adam's role was to assert and enjoy his sovereignty under God, cultivating the garden into an expanding paradise and protecting it from all harm. — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

But remember, for all your adult life you'll be a woman. And how you live your life as a woman, all by yourself before God, is what makes the real you. Nothing on the exterior can touch or change that precious inner sanctuary
your heart, His dwelling place
unless you let it. And God, who loves you very much, has tailor made all your outer life
your circumstances, your relationships
to pressure you into becoming that beautiful woman He's planned for you to be. — Anne Ortlund

I thought that teaching twenty-eight energetic and needy children how to read had to be the hardest job on earth. I was wrong - mothering was. Now I had to give up my right to sleep when I needed it, to a meal without interruptions, to relaxation when I wanted it, and most importantly, my right to withdraw when I felt overwhelmed. — Jani Ortlund

In my heart I do have a fear...I long to grow more godly with each passing day. Call it "the fear of the Lord," being in awe of Him and scared to death of any sin that would mar my life. — Anne Ortlund

I am not in the roll of common men. — William Shakespeare

The only way that we can protect each other is if we are together. If we face things together. If we trust each other. — Cassandra Clare

Wealthy people understand we're one America, and we do best when we're all together. — Joe Biden

Day by day, morning by morning, begin your walk with Him in the calm trust that God is at work in everything ... It is your personal business, as a discipline of your heart, to learn to be peaceful and safe in God in every situation ... Remember, friend, where your real living is going on. In your thinking, in your reacting, in your heart of hearts - here is where your walk with God begins and continues. So when you start to move into trusting Him, stay there. Don't wander out again into worry and doubt! — Anne Ortlund

The most remarkable thing about marriage today is not that it can be troubled but that we still have this privilege at all. When God justly expelled us from the garden of Eden, he did not take this gift back. He let us keep his priceless gift, though we sometimes misuse it. But what every married couple needs to know is that their marriage is a remnant of Eden. This is why every marriage is worth working at, worth fighting for. A marriage filled with hope in God is nothing less than an afterglow of the garden of Eden, radiant with hope until perfection is finally restored. — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

The need of our times is nothing less than the re-Christianization of our churches, according to the gospel alone, in both doctrine and culture, by Christ himself — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

What are you going to call them?" Meg asked. "Lunch?" Simon offered. The female pack gave him a look that made him think running away would be a good idea, if he wasn't the leader and couldn't back down. — Anne Bishop

The strength of Ray Ortlund's study of Proverbs is its Christ-centeredness. The wisdom of Proverbs loses none of its practical value, but rather is given its ultimate fulfillment as an expression of the wisdom of Christ. — Graeme Goldsworthy

Quiet is a blessed gift. In this frantic world how we must cherish every moment of it, and carve it out for ourselves every chance we get. — Anne Ortlund

But when it comes to fiction, the writer's only responsibility is to look for the truth inside his own heart. — Stephen King

I believe that a godly home is a foretaste of heaven. Our homes, imperfect as they are, must be a haven from the chaos outside. They should be a reflection of our eternal home, where troubled souls find peace, weary hearts find rest, hungry bodies find refreshment, lonely pilgrims find communion, and wounded spirits find compassion. — Jani Ortlund

Or as my friend Ray Ortlund has been known to say, "In Acts, they preached and awe came down. You can't put that in your worship order. 10 a.m.: awe comes down. — Jared C. Wilson

Here then are the choices we all face moment by moment: Will we aim to be impressive? Will we expect to be in complete control? Will we ensure that we always come out on top as winners? Or will we be happy for the power of Christ to rest upon us in our endless weakness? 'No man can give at once the impressions that he himself is clever and that Jesus Christ is mighty to save.' Neither can any church. — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

When we mother well, we teach our children to embrace the moral obligations that build solid relationships, healthy marriages, and secure families. — Jani Ortlund

When the doctrine is clear and the culture is beautiful, that church will be powerful. But there are no shortcuts to getting there. Without the doctrine, the culture will be weak. Without the culture, the doctrine will seem pointless. — Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

There are three motels in Davy if you go north, and at least six over in Marthasville if you go west. If you go to the interstate, there are a skadillion places to stay. — Charlaine Harris