From the church through the centuries
Christian quotes
Believers who sought God before us, in their own words. Where a saying is traditionally attributed rather than documented, it says so.
“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”
— Augustine of Hippo, 354–430
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”
— Attributed to Oswald Chambers, 1874–1917
“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
— Martin Luther, 1483–1546
“He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life.”
— William Law, 1686–1761
“A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't.”
— Charles Spurgeon, 1834–1892
“God is more willing to give than we are to receive.”
— Andrew Murray, 1828–1917
“Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that He will.”
— Attributed to Dwight L. Moody, 1837–1899
“Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”
— Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1647
“The Lord is nearer to us than we think; He is with us in the practice of the smallest things.”
— Brother Lawrence, 1614–1691
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
— Julian of Norwich, 1343–1416
“I am not what I ought to be, but by the grace of God I am not what I was.”
— John Newton, 1725–1807
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can.”
— Attributed to John Wesley, 1703–1791
“It is not great talents God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus.”
— Robert Murray M'Cheyne, 1813–1843
“God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply.”
— Hudson Taylor, 1832–1905
“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
— George Müller, 1805–1898
“At all times seek rest rather than talk; seek silence rather than the applause of men.”
— Thomas à Kempis, 1380–1471
“If I had a thousand lives, I would give them all for the gospel.”
— Attributed to Henry Martyn, 1781–1812
“Pray, and let God worry.”
— Attributed to Martin Luther, 1483–1546
“The Word of God is not a book of answers to be looked up, but a Person to be met.”
— After Augustine of Hippo, 354–430
“Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God.”
— Attributed to Charles Spurgeon, 1834–1892
“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change.”
— Teresa of Ávila, 1515–1582
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word darkness on the wall of his cell.”
— After Augustine, 354–430