Charles R. Swindoll Quotes

Jesus has prepared the way and has made following our destiny possible, whereas we are helpless by ourselves. We can find and fulfill our purpose by responding to the clear, simple call of Jesus Christ: Follow Me. He is the doorway to fulfilling our destiny, where our divine design and God-ordained purpose live in perfect harmony.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Peter's destiny lay along a different path from John's. And your calling is unlike anyone else's. But the call remains the same: Follow Me!

~ Charles R. Swindoll

We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

While I wholeheartedly believe in choosing to approach every challenge with a great attitude, I don't mean that we should abandon authenticity and live in fantasyland.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Joy is a deeply felt contentment that transcends difficult circumstances and derives maximum enjoyment from every good experience.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Peter must have thought, Who am I compared to Mr. Faithfulness (John)? But Jesus clarified the issue. John was responsible for John. Peter was responsible for Peter. And each had only one command to heed: Follow Me. (John 21:20-22)

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Good intentions and earnest effort are not enough. Only Jesus can make an otherwise futile life productive.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Whatever we do, we must not treat the Great Commission like it's the Great Suggestion.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Let your passion become a passionate pursuit of Me. And as you follow, the sheep will follow.' (John 21:20-22)

~ Charles R. Swindoll

In order to cease our striving, we must transfer our trust away from our own abilities, our own accomplishments, our own strength, and place it on His provision.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

The abundance Jesus offers is a spiritual abundance that transcends circumstances, like income, health, living conditions, and even death. The abundant life is eternal.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Which should be an excellent reminder that when God tells you to do something, you’d better do it; He always has a reason.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

After Peter came to recognize his own inadequacy, his utter inability to fulfill his destiny apart from obedience to his only true responsibility, he became a rock-solid leader. As his story unfolds in the book of acts, we can clearly see that when Peter kept his eyes on Jesus and followed Him, others followed to. And they followed by the thousands. Needed today: more Peters.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Isn't God the one who urges us to Make a joyful noise unto the Lord? Why do we always think that means singing? Seems to me the most obvious joyful sound on earth is laughter... I've seen folks quote verses like Rejoice in the Lord always while their faces look like they just buried a rich uncle who willed everything to his pregnant guinea pig. Something is missing.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

God doesn't mock us. He never gives us a goal that we cannot accomplish in His strength. I want to assure you, you can glorify God, you MUST glorify God. But you have to determine deep within your heart that you're going to do it His way.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Hope doesn't require a massive chain where heavy links of logic hold it together. A thin wire will do...just strong enough to get us through the night until the winds die down.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Give us an intense distaste for things that displease You and a renewed pleasure in things that bring You honor and magnify Your truth.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

...goals not bathed in prayer or brought in humility before the Lord turn out to be downright useless. They don't go anywhere. They don't accomplish anything.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

...when you trust the Lord God to give you the next step, when you wait in humility upon Him, *He* will open the doors or close them, and you'll get to rest and relax until He says, 'Go.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

While God is not the author of evil and He never prompts or condones sin, nothing occurs without His sovereign oversight. Others may choose to do evil deeds and God's people may suffer in the short term, but He will transform the evil intentions of evil people into opportunities for the enrichment of those in His care.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

When you suffer and lose, that does not mean you are being disobedient to God. In fact, it might mean you're right in the center of His will. The path of obedience is often marked by times of suffering and loss.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Like sin itself, Satan appeals to the senses. He originated and perfected the art of disguising evil as good.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

What's God saying to you now? All things are possible to him who worries? No. All things are possible to him who attempts to work it out? No. All things are possible to him who believes. --Man to Man: Chuck Swindoll Selects His Most Significant Writings for Men

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

In solitude, struggles occur that no one else knows about. Inner battles are fought here that seldom become fodder for sermons or illustrations for books. God, who probes our deepest thoughts during protracted segments of solitude, opens our eyes to things that need attention. It is here He makes us aware of those things we try to hide from others.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

If you life is an example of glorifying God, others won't see your good works and glorify YOU, because they'll know what you are doing is for God's glory.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Believe me, once you have tasted worship—the kind of worship that captures your heart and rivets your full attention on the living Lord—nothing less satisfies. Nothing else even comes close. Once you have tasted true worship, you will never want to play church again.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

If your motive is in any way to promote greatness for yourself, you're in the wrong calling.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

...ask yourself, Who's getting the glory in this ministry? You see, if we do ministry OUR way, it won't be for His glory, because our ways are not His ways.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

I cannot at the same time accept the glory and give God the glory... Glorifying God means being occupied with and committed to His ways rather than preoccupied with and determined my own way. It is being so thrilled with Him, so devoted to Him, so committed to Him that we cannot get enough of Him!

~ Charles R. Swindoll

The ministry of the church is a genuine concern for others. We need to stop talking about it and start doing it. Rise.Rise and shine, friend. Everyone you meet today is on heaven's Most Wanted list.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

In many (most?) churches there are programs and activities... but so little worship. There are songs and anthems and musicals... but so little worship. There are announcements and readings and prayers... but so little worship.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

In other words Jesus went into the desert to confront His enemy and throw down the gauntlet. He would prove Himself to be the legitimate shepherd of Israel by overcoming the temptations that had undone all of Israel's previous kings, including His mighty ancestor, King David.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

When you have vision it affects your attitude. Your attitude is optimistic rather than pessimistic.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

I am often the brunt of my own humor.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

There is nothing more fearful for the average person in our society than to stand before a group of people and speak.

~ Charles R. Swindoll