Quotes about God

The deepest reason why we live for the glory of God is that God acts for the glory of God. We are passionate about God's glory because God is passionate about God's glory.

So in a phrase, preaching is expository exultation. In conclusion, then, the reason that preaching is so essential to the corporate worship of the church is that it is uniquely suited to feed both understanding and feeling. It is uniquely suited to waken seeing God and savoring God. God has ordained that the Word of God come in a form that teaches the mind and reaches the heart.

True saints have their minds, in the first place, inexpressibly pleased and delighted with . . . the things of God. But the dependence of the affections of hypocrites is in a contrary order: they first rejoice . . . that they are made so much of by God; and then on that ground, he seems in a sort, lovely to them.

Most people don't feel conscious hostility to God. The hostility is manifest more subtly with a quiet insubordination and indifference.

February 21, 1746. "My soul was refreshed and comforted, and I could not but bless God, who had enabled me in some good measure to be faithful in the day past. Oh, how sweet it is to be spent and worn out for God!"4

Love is the overflow of joy in God that meets the needs of others.

This delight which God has in his creature's happiness cannot properly be said to be what God receives from the creature. For it is only the effect of his own work in and communications to the creature, in making it and admitting it to a participation of his fullness, as the sun receives nothing from the jewel that receives its light and shines only by a participation of its brightness.

So when I say that everything that exists—including evil—is ordained by an infinitely holy and all-wise God to make the glory of Christ shine more brightly, I mean that, one way or the other, God sees to it that all things serve to glorify his Son. Whether he causes or permits, he does so with purpose. For an infinitely wise and all-knowing God, both causing and permitting are purposeful. They are part of the big picture of what God plans to bring to pass.

The good tidings of the preacher, the peace and salvation that he publishes, are boiled down into one sentence: "Your God reigns!" Cotton Mather applies this, with full justification, to the preacher: "The great design . . . of a Christian preacher [is] to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men.

God is not worshiped where He is not treasured and enjoyed. Praise is not an alternative to joy, but the expression of joy. Not to enjoy God is to dishonor Him. To say to Him that something else satisfies you more is the opposite of worship. It is sacrilege.

And seek first in all you do to make known His kingship over your life.

All sin comes from not putting supreme value on the glory of God—this is the very essence of sin.