Quotes from Erwin Raphael McManus

While never violating our uniqueness, we move together, united in heart and soul. Our greatness is unleashed in the context of community. When we move together, God is most perfectly revealed in us.

goal of spirituality is not to extract from you all desire and passion. The call of Jesus is the exact opposite—delight

When you need to run, don't run from God; run to him. Don't run from the people you need in your life; run to them. Life was never meant to be lived alone.

The shift that happens when you refuse to remain or be defined by the average comes when you cross a line others would consider madness.

If he's just watching, then we're all unwilling participants in the universe's biggest reality show—the original Survivor.

Si la esclavitud sigue siendo una opción, nos encontraremos abdicando a nuestra libertad. Sencillamente, por lo general no lo llamamos esclavitud. Lo llamamos seguridad. Lo llamamos comodidad. Lo llamamos responsabilidad.

for believers in persecuted countries. We champion their sacrifice and willingness to stand for Christ, even at the cost of their own lives. Yet we consider laying aside our traditions and cultural preferences as an unreasonable expectation.

A veces, prender fuego a tu pasado es menos alejarte de él, que elevarte por encima de él.

he never discouraged the disciples from wanting to be first; he just told them what first looks like in his economy: If you want to be first, then you must be last. If you want to be first, you must become the servant of all. He didn't try to diminish their ambition; he tried to redirect their intention.

SOMEHOW WE ALL KNOW THAT TO PLAY IT SAFE IS TO LOSE THE GAME.

Worry projects a negative view of the world around us. Worry projects a negative future. Worry is an act of faith. It is a deep-seated belief in worst-case scenarios. Worry is not rooted in reality but does affect our reality.

When nature seems to bend to the will of God and man, we call it a miracle. Is it possible that what we define as a miracle is simply the reestablishing of the proper order of creation?

Life is a series of challenges, adventures, and yes, even battles. There will always be giants to subdue and dragons to slay. I have already decided to die with my sword in hand. There is more courage in us than danger ahead of us. You are strong enough for the battles ahead. My intention for this book is that you would never surrender, that you would never settle, that you would save nothing for the next life. May you die with your quivers empty. May you die with your hearts full.

The call to servanthood finds its power only when it is received by those who are on the pursuit of greatness.

We have no control over the reality that in this world we will have trouble, but we have control over whether we decide to allow our hearts to be troubled.

True humility can be experienced only when we have come to know our power and use it for the good of others and not for ourselves.

We are called to fear only God. There is an important reason for this. What we fear is what we're subject to; our fears define our master. Where there is no fear, there is no control.

The warrior knows that peace does not come from control but from relinquishing control. Everything in life that you try to control that is outside your control will steal from you your peace. You must choose to take hold of what you can control and let go of what you cannot.

You need to know your power, and you need to take ownership of it, not to mention the power that has been placed within you because of the presence of God's Spirit in your life. If the God who created the entire universe dwells in your heart, how could you ever consider yourself powerless?

This is what makes Jesus different than the rest of us. After Jesus knew he had all things under his power, he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with a towel that was wrapped around him.

fear has a direct object, anxiety is fear without an object. We experience anxiety when we feel overwhelmed by life. In order to reduce our anxiety, we often create smaller and smaller boundaries to give us some sense of control over our lives.

He is the Savior of all because he is the servant of all. This is the way of the warrior: to serve is to sacrifice. To serve is to give oneself for the good of others. Jesus used his power to serve, and in this moment of servanthood, we see his greatness.

Don't let your shortcomings and flaws convince you that you need to become something other than human. Our brokenness is not proof that God could not or would not love us, but proof that what we need is the God who both created us and loves us. What our souls long to become is not something other than human, but to become beautifully human.

Wisdom is the warrior's greatest weapon. When you have wisdom, you are never unarmed, you are never defenseless, and you are never powerless. You need skill to know how to shoot an arrow straight, but only wisdom can teach you how to never need to shoot it. Wisdom is not the result of having learned enough; it comes when you know there is never enough learning.