Quotes from Ray Pritchard

Keep the faith, brothers and sisters. Yesterday our Lord was crucified. Today his body lies in the tomb. Tomorrow he rises from the dead. Saturday can seem like a long day–and it is–but be of good cheer. The crucifixion is behind us, Saturday will not last forever. Sooner than we think, Sunday will be here.

He is therefore the perfect teacher and the ultimate counselor. This gives us insight into his working. His plans are not our plans, his ways not our ways. He will accomplish things beyond human comprehension, and he will do it in ways we cannot fathom. He will do the greatest work ever accomplished, and he will do it successfully.

My Lord, you have fought and won every battle. You are the undisputed Victor. When I am tempted to doubt, remind me of your unlimited power. Amen.

To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, Jesus is not safe, but he is good. He does not always do what we expect, but what he does is always for the best.

Christ was not like that. Even as an infant, he had come for a purpose. Knowing that it would mean his bloody death on the cross, he said, "I have come to do your will, God!

As the Wonderful Counselor — He makes the plans. As the Mighty God —He makes the plans work.

Hatred is the most damaging emotion, for it gives the person you hate a double victory—once in the past, once in the present.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17).

Christmas is the end of thinking you are better than someone else." That might make a good banner to hang over the front door of every church. At least it would serve up a dollop of humility every time we passed under the banner. Those of us who believe in Jesus aren't any better than anyone else. Sometimes we seem like we're worse than a lot of people, but that's not the point.

The real point of the story is that you can't always tell by looking at the outside who is a Christian and who is an unbeliever.

The word for "followed" means "to walk the same road." That's what a disciple does—he walks the same road as Jesus. He gets on the "Jesus road" and follows it wherever it may lead. No guarantees, no deals, no special promises. He simply walks that road every day, following in his Master's steps.

A violent death would not be man's way to victory, but it was God's plan and our Lord carried it out perfectly.

Everything of this world is shakable. Buildings crumble into dust, companies declare bankruptcy, our degrees fade into illegibility, our houses age and creak and crumble, our cars rust out, and worst of all, our bodies eventually wear out. But the kingdom of God lasts forever. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary, he said that she would give birth to a Son who would "rule over the house of his father Jacob, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:33).

Faith is belief plus unbelief and acting on the belief part.

Do not despair if the answer is slow in coming. Bethlehem proves the faithfulness of God. He answers our fears with a baby wrapped in rags. They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. This is the promise of God.

We have our ways, our plans, our ideas, and God has his. Guess whose plan wins out? Zechariah