Paul Tripp Quotes & Sayings

To think today, when your life doesn't work as planned, that it's out of control is to forget that Jesus reigns for your sake and his glory. — Paul David Tripp

For students who have not been required to confess that it is easier to learn theology then live it, it is tempting to think maturity is more a matter of knowing in a matter of living — Paul David Tripp

Only love for Christ has the power to incapacitate the sturdy love for self that is the bane of every sinner, and only the grace of Christ has the power to produce that love. — Paul David Tripp

No one is more influential in your life than you are because no one talks to you more than you do. It's a fact that you and I are in an endless conversation with ourselves. — Paul David Tripp

The minute you hear a sermon on materialism, you're glad somebody else is there to hear it. — Paul David Tripp

Biblical faith lives at the intersection of shocking honesty and glorious hope. — Paul David Tripp

In the center of the kingdom of God, you do not find a gargantuan palace inhabited by an unapproachable king. No, in the center of the kingdom of God is a bloody cross, on which hung a broken King, who welcomes us as we are. — Paul David Tripp

When Christ is my hope, he becomes the one thing in which I have confidence. I act on his wisdom and bank on his grace. I trust his promises and I rely on his presence. And I pursue all the good things that he has promised me simply because I trust him. So, I am not manipulating, controlling, or threatening my way through life to get what I want, because I have found what I want in Christ. He is my hope. — Paul David Tripp

It was humbling to admit that I wasn't living the simple life because I was spiritually committed to it. I was living the simple life because I was poor. — Paul David Tripp

What will you reach for to give you hope, courage, and a reason to continue? — Paul David Tripp

Don't be discouraged at the spiritual war you're called to fight every day. The Lord almighty is with you and wars on your behalf. — Paul David Tripp

Corporate worship is a regular gracious reminder that it's not about you. You've been born into a life that is a celebration of another. — Paul David Tripp

Listen to the present tense gospel in the words of Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ [a statement of historical redemptive fact]. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me [a statement of present redemptive reality]. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me [living in light of the gospel right here, right now]. — Paul David Tripp

Because of our forgetfulness, God has created the physical world to be mnemonic, to help us daily remember that we are not alone, that we are not at the center, that life is not primarily about us, and that there is a grander story than the little stories of our individual lives. Physical things are meant to remind us of the grandeur and glory of the One who created all those things, set them in motion, and keeps them together by the awesome power of his will. — Paul David Tripp

Christ's sacrifice satisfied the Father's anger so that, as his child, you will receive his discipline but need not fear his wrath. — Paul David Tripp

What will it be for you today - the discontent of doubt and fear or the contentment of peace and rest? — Paul David Tripp

It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for ourselves. It really is a good thing that he will not be satisfied until he has gotten us exactly where he created us and re-created us to be. Most of us would have been satisfied to stay at home, and many of us would have quit the journey long before it was completed. But our heavenly Father won't give up until each one of his children has completed the journey. — Paul David Tripp

In a fallen world there is a powerful pressure to constrict your life to the shape and size of your life. There is a compelling tendency to forget who you are and what you were made for. There is a tendency to be shortsighted, myopic, and easily distracted. There is a tendency to settle for less when you have been created for more. There is something expansive, glorious, and eternal that is meant to give direction to everything you do. — Paul David Tripp

The great battle of parenting is not the battle of behavior; it's the battle for what kind of awe will rule children's hearts. — Paul David Tripp

The author offers Paul Tripp's analogy that most of the strategies for growth in the Christian life amounts to stapling live roses on a dead bush. — J.D. Greear

The most dangerous aspect of your relationships is not your weakness, but your delusions of strength. Self-reliance is almost always a component of a bad relationship. — Timothy S. Lane & Paul David Tripp

Next time you face the unexpected, a moment of difficulty you really don't want to go through, remember that such a moment doesn't picture a God who has forgotten you, but one who is near to you and doing in you a very good thing. He is rescuing you from thinking that you can live the life you were meant to live while relying on the inadequate resources of your wisdom, experience, righteousness, and strength; and he is transforming you into a person who lives a life shaped by radical God-centered faith. — Paul David Tripp

It was never meant to be this way. All other dreams were meant to be subservient to God's dream. Yet in the pursuit of my "essential" dream, I have been slowly building my own personal tower to my own personal heaven. It has me. It defines me. It motivates me. It guides and directs me. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning and a reason to press on. Every day I get out my mortar and trowel and put another few courses of bricks on my personal tower to the sky. I'm still going to church, and I haven't forsaken the faith, but in a profound and practical way, God is out of the picture. I am not in a place of overt rebellion to him, yet I am not serving him. I don't have time for the Lord because all of my daily time and energy is invested in my dream. I was given the capacity to imagine so that everyday my "eyes" would be filled with him, yet now another dream — Paul David Tripp

Only when I focus on the holiness and glory of God am I able to see myself with accuracy. — Paul David Tripp

God's grace doesn't always come in comfortable forms. But it's still grace, and it's still evidence that He loves us. — Paul David Tripp

Even the most regular, seemingly unimportant tasks of my life must be shaped and directed by a heartfelt desire for the glory of God. — Paul David Tripp

Love is daily admitting to yourself, your spouse, and God that you are not able to love this way without God's protecting, providing, forgiving, rescuing, and delivering grace. — Paul David Tripp

We forget that God's primary goal ia not changing our situations or relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy. — Paul David Tripp

The person next to you doesn't need the gospel more than you do; he just needs it differently than you do. All people sin and fall short. — Paul David Tripp

Running from the presence of God has the futility of "trying to shovel smoke with a rake". — Paul David Tripp

The myriad of dysfunctions of the human community can be traced to this one thing: awe. When we replace vertical awe of God with awe of self, bad things happen in the horizontal community. — Paul David Tripp

The good news of the kingdom is not freedom from hardship, suffering, and loss. It is the news of a Redeemer who has come to rescue me from myself. His rescue produces change that fundamentally alters my response to these inescapable realities. The Redeemer turns rebels into disciples, fools into humble listeners. He makes cripples walk again. In him we can face life and respond with faith, love, and hope. And as he changes us, he allows us to be a part of what he is doing in the lives of others. As you respond to the Redeemer's work in your life, you can learn to be an instrument in his hands. — Paul David Tripp

Remember, when you're sinned against its tempting to respond sinfully. Don't give in, talk to your heart and seek the grace of Jesus. — Paul David Tripp

Sin makes us moral quadriplegics. — Paul David Tripp

You can't divide human beings into the "those who make sacrifices" and "those who don't." We all carry things in our hearts for which we are very willing to make sacrifices. The issue that divides us is for what, or for whom, are we willing to make these personal sacrifices. — Paul David Tripp

I no longer need to carry the burden of the past on my shoulders, so I am free to fully give myself to what God has called me to in the here and now. — Paul David Tripp

So we have only one place of hope, one solid rock on which to stand, and that rock is Christ Jesus. Only when we admit that we have awe-fickle hearts will we begin to reach out for and cling to the forgiving, transforming, rescuing, and delivering grace of Jesus. — Paul David Tripp

Forgiveness is a vertical commitment that is followed by a horizontal transaction. — Paul David Tripp

Foolishness is more than being stupid, that deadly combination of arrogance and ignorance. — Paul David Tripp

Contentment celebrates grace. The contended heart is satisfied with the Giver and is therefore freed from craving the next gift. — Paul David Tripp

Weak and needy people finding their hope in Christ's grace are what mark a mature relationship. The most dangerous aspect of your relationships is not your weakness, but your delusions of strength. — Tim Lane And Paul Tripp

Becaise I love God, I want to handle his truth with accuracy, clarity, and specificity. I want to build bridges of understanding from the wisdom of the Word to the details of people's lives. And because I love people, I will not be satisfied with lobbing grenades of general truth at them. Rather, through good questions, committed listening, and careful interpretation, I will enter their world with the understanding necessary to bring Christ's help to where it is really needed. — Paul David Tripp

Do you require yourself to remember? In order to live as you can and should, you first must remember who you are and what you've been given. — Paul David Tripp

It's natural to want mercy for yourself but justice for others. It's natural to be very aware of the sin others, yet blind to your own. If we are ever going to be people of mercy, we need bountiful mercy ourselves, because what stands in the way of our being a community of mercy is us. — Paul David Tripp

Corporate worship is designed to remind you that in the center of all things is a glorious and gracious King, and this king is not you — Paul David Tripp

We are hardwired for glory because we are hardwired for God. — Paul David Tripp

Human self-righteousness denies the need for the saving, enabling grace of Christ. Human righteousness embraces the cruelest of Satan's lies, that a person can be righteous by keeping the law. If that were true, there would have been no need for the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ. — Paul David Tripp

If your faith is based on your ability to fully understand your past, present, and future, then your moments of confusion will become moments of weakening faith. — Paul David Tripp

Now, the typical way to measure your potential is to compare the size of the problem to your natural gifts and your track record so far. No, it's not irrational to measure your potential this way, but for the believer in Christ Jesus, it simply isn't enough. By grace, God doesn't leave you on your own. He doesn't leave you with the tool box of your own strength, righteousness, and wisdom. No, he invades you with his presence, power, wisdom, and grace. Paul captures this reality with these life-altering words: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). — Paul David Tripp

Real love demands pursuit. — Timothy S. Lane & Paul David Tripp

You obey not to get God's attention, but because you have been the object of his attention since before the world began. — Paul David Tripp

When you remember mercy, you are humble, thankful, and tender. — Paul David Tripp

When good things become controlling, they command the affection of our hearts and then shape our words and behavior. When this happens, they take the place in our hearts that only God should have. — Paul David Tripp

Our sin is what separates us from God, but it's our self righteousness that keeps us from running to Him for the grace He willingly gives to all who come. — Paul David Tripp

The Bible doesn't tell you that he abounds in anger, but it is quick to reassure you that he is abounding in love. Be thankful today that God is not like us, because if he were, you and I would be damned. Be thankful that he is incredibly patient and eternally kind. Be thankful that he is tender, gentle, and gracious. Be thankful that he does not treat you as your sins deserve. Be thankful that because of the work of Jesus, he will respond to you with lovingkindness even on your worst day. "The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression" (Num. 14:18). — Paul David Tripp

Either you will be getting your identity vertically, from who you are in Christ, or you will be shopping for it horizontally in the situations, experiences, and relationships of your daily life. — Paul David Tripp

The theology you live out is much more important to your daily life than the theology you claim to believe. — Tim Lane And Paul Tripp

God has chosen to let you live in this fallen world because he plans to employ the difficulties of it to continue and complete his work in you. — Paul David Tripp

As we face our vulnerability and weakness, there are things you and I should pray for regularly. We should pray for purity of desire, wisdom to recognize the enemy's tricks, and strength to fight the battles we can't avoid. — Paul David Tripp

True restoration takes patience, subtlety, skill, and grace. — Paul David Tripp

The character of a life isn't set in ten big moments. The character of a life is set in ten thousand little moments of everyday life. It's the themes of struggles that emerge from those little moments that reveal what's really going on in our hearts. — Paul David Tripp

Real peace is only ever found in the presence, power, and grace of the Savior, the King, the Lamb, the I am. That peace is yours even when the storms of life take you beyond your natural ability, wisdom, and strength. You can live with hope and courage in the middle of what once would have produced discouragement and fear because you know you are never alone. The I am inhabits all situations, relationships, and locations by his grace. He is in you. He is with you. He is for you. He is your hope. — Paul David Tripp

Only when awe of God rules your heart will you be able to keep the pleasures of the material world in their proper place. — Paul David Tripp

There's nothing gay about living life straight — Paul B. Tripp

The earthly father is a God-given mnemonic device to remind us of the glory of the heavenly Father. The shepherd is a mnemonic device to remind us of God's care for his own. The snow is meant to remind us of the Lord's purity and holiness. The storm is a mnemonic device to remind us of God's power and wrath. The daily rising sun is a mnemonic device to remind us of God's faithfulness. We're literally surrounded by gracious reminders of the presence, power, authority, and character of God because he designed created things to function mnemonically. He knows how quickly and easily we forget and how vital it is for us to remember, so he embedded reminders everywhere we look in his creation. — Paul David Tripp

One of the stunning realities of the Christian life is that in a world where everything is in some state of decay, God's mercies never grow old. They never run out. They never are ill timed. They never dry up. They never grow weak. They never get weary. They never fail to meet the need. They never disappoint. They never, ever fail, because they really are new every morning. — Paul David Tripp

Grace will expose the deepest issues of your heart, then point you to the Cross which covers everything that's been exposed. — Paul David Tripp

You can be courageous in admitting your sin precisely because God is richly abundant in his mercy. He comes to you in mercy not because you are good but because you are a sinner, and he knows that because of this condition, you are unable to help yourself. — Paul David Tripp

When you remember mercy, complaining gives way to gratitude and self-focused desire gives way to worship. — Paul David Tripp

I am my biggest marital problem — Paul David Tripp

You find joy in your inclusion in his work of redemption. You find hope in the glorious future that is to come. You are amazed by the fact that because Immanuel has invaded your life by his grace, you are never, ever alone. You find peace in the fact that grace means you are never left to the small resources of your own wisdom, righteousness, and strength. You meditate on God's glory and goodness, then celebrate. You rejoice in the fact that you no longer have to look for life in the people, situations, and locations around you, but you've been given life - life that is eternal. — Paul David Tripp

God created an awesome world. God intentionally loaded the world with amazing things to leave you astounded. The carefully air-conditioned termite mound in Africa, the tart crunchiness of an apple, the explosion of thunder, the beauty of an orchid, the interdependent systems of the human body, the inexhaustible pounding of the ocean waves, and thousands of other created sights, sounds, touches, and tastes - God designed all to be awesome. And he intended you to be daily amazed. — Paul David Tripp

Prayer always forsakes the kingdom of self for the kingdom of God, — Paul David Tripp

We weren't created to find our satisfaction in the little, earthbound kingdom treasures of the here and now. We were created to seek a better treasure, and in so doing to be eternally grateful and satisfied. — Paul David Tripp

Winning the war of words involves choosing our words carefully. It is not just about the words we say, but also about the words we choose not to say. — Paul David Tripp

Whatever sits on the other side of your "if-only" is where you are looking for life, peace, joy, hope, and lasting contentment of heart. — Paul David Tripp

We're not only held captive by our sin, but also by the delusion of our righteousness. Resting in God's grace isn't just about confessing your sin; it's about forsaking your righteousness as well. — Paul David Tripp

Envy is self-focused and self-righteous. It inserts you into the center of your world. It makes it all about you. It tells you that you deserve what you don't deserve. Envy is expectant and demanding. Envy tells you that you are someone you aren't and you are entitled to what is not rightfully yours. Envy cannot celebrate the blessing of another because it tells you that you are more deserving. Envy tells you that you have earned what you could never earn. The world of envy no more mixes with the world of grace than oil does with water. Envy forgets who you are, forgets who God is, and is confused about what life is all about. — Paul David Tripp

Knowledge is an exercise of your brain. Wisdom is the commitment of your heart that leads to transformation of your life. — Paul David Tripp

Our purpose (in relationship) is to get what we want but God's purpose is to give us what we really need. We think things are going well only if we are getting along with others. But God says that it is also when we are not getting along with others that he is accomplishing his purpose.
God has designed our relationship to function as both a diagnosis and a cure. — Paul David Tripp

An instrument s a tool that is actively used to change something, and God has called all of his people to be instruments of change in his redemptive hands — Paul David Tripp

Here's the bottom line: you and I struggle with the faithfulness of God, not because he has been unfaithful, but because we have. — Paul David Tripp

The church is not a theological classroom. It is a conversion, confession, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness and sanctification center, where flawed people place their faith in Christ, gather to know and love him better, and learn to love others as he designed. — Paul David Tripp

Prayer is an act of worship. Prayer is act of submission. Prayer is act of obedience. But prayer is also an act of admission. Every instance of prayer is a confession in which I own my condition and embrace my need ... To reduce prayer to a grocery list of things you ant and think you need not only demeans prayer, but it also demeans the sacrifice of love that the One to whom you are praying made so that you and your prayers would be received. The heart of true prayer is vertical confession, not horizontal desire. — Paul David Tripp

God justifies the ungodly. This means there really is hope for people like us. — Paul David Tripp

Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving — Paul David Tripp

Harboring bitterness against people is actually confessing their sin to myself, over and over again. Anger is akin to confessing their sin to God, dissatisfied that he hasn't done something and placing myself in his position as judge. — Paul David Tripp

The struggle of midlife is fundamentally rooted in the idolatries of the heart. — Paul David Tripp

when you blame other people for your circumstances or for the wrongs that you do, you are, in fact, blaming God. You are saying that God didn't give you what you needed to be what he has called you to be and to do what he has called you to do. — Paul David Tripp

The fatal flaw of human wisdom is that it promises that you can change your relationships without needing to change yourself.
Every painful thing we experience in relationships is meant to remind us of our need for God. And every good thing we experience is meant to be a metaphor of what we can only find in Him ... We settle for the satisfaction of human relationships when they were meant to point us to the perfect relational satisfaction found only with God. — Paul David Tripp

It doesn't take long in marriage bedore you realize that your spouse doesn't share your instincts. At that point, either you worship God as sovereign and celebrate the different way of looking at the world that your spouse has blessed you with, or you dishonor him by trying to rewrite his story. — Paul David Tripp

He's not first working on your happiness; he's committed to your holiness. — Paul David Tripp

Honestly facing your lack of sovereignty over your own life produces either anxiety or relief. Anxiety is God-forgetting. It is the result of thinking that is life is on your shoulders, that it is your job to figure it all out and keep things in order. — Paul David Tripp

Embedded in the larger story of redemption is a principle we must not miss: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things in the lives of others. — Paul David Tripp

You and I must live temptation-aware; to fail to do so is to fail to recognize the fallenness of the world that happens to be the address where we live. — Paul David Tripp

Autonomous Christianity never works, because our spiritual life was designed by God to be a community project. — Paul David Tripp

You're going to hunger for some success in life. May you hunger for the complete success of the gospel in your heart. — Paul David Tripp

Sin is powerful, but not as powerful as the liberating power of grace. — Paul David Tripp

It is so difficult for us to remember and be motivated by what is truly important. It is so tempting to be committed to our little kingdoms that the transcendent kingdom of God is of little functional influence. — Paul David Tripp

Remember, it is not your weakness that will get in the way of God's working through you, but your delusions of strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness! Point to His strength by being willing to admit your weakness. — Paul David Tripp