John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

Date-setting for the return of the Saviour has always been a heresy which turns out with embarrassment. - John R. Rice

No one knows even approximately when Jesus will return. No one knows the day, the year, the generation when Jesus will return. He may come today. Praise His name, I would be glad to see Him; but there is no way for any honest Bible student to foretell whether Jesus will come soon or after hundreds of years. - John R. Rice

I am glad personally that there is now a land where oppressed Jews will be welcomed [written in 1950]. But these Jews, going back in unbelief, have possession of only a very small portion of the land of Israel. They do not even have undisputed possession of Jerusalem. They have not gone back under the blessing and forgiveness of God. Blindness in part is still upon Israel. The veil is not yet taken away from their faces. The great future regathering and conversion of Israel will take place by a supernatural means after the tribulation time. And the establishment of a little state called Israel in recent months is not a sign that Christ may come soon. Christ may come very soon, but it needs no sign such as that to prove it. He may not come for years. No one knows. - John R. Rice

"I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh"; that is, on all kinds of people, on all races of people. The Holy Spirit is not to be poured out upon a prophet here and there, but upon God's people, Christian people everywhere who are willing to pay God's price for soul winning. Sons and daughters shall prophesy (which means to speak and witness in the power of the Holy Spirit). Young men shall see visions, old men shall dream dreams. Even on servants and handmaidens God will pour out in those days of His Spirit and they shall witness for Christ in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. - John R. Rice

If any pastor today feels that a revival is hindered by the indifference in his own church, let him remember that a part of the work of revival is to revive the saints, to give them a burden for sinners, to get them on a praying basis, and to arouse them in a burden for souls! Part of the work of every revival effort is to get Christians ready for revival. There would be little credit to an evangelist who could have people converted only when the church was just right to start with, and when all the Christians were on fire and burdened and praying and working. - John R. Rice

If any one here doubts whether we can now have revivals, as great revivals as were given to bless humanity and keeps souls out of Hell, let him simply turn in his Bible and find if John 3:16 is still there! - John R. Rice

God loves this world! Let me say it again, because our hearts are so calloused to the blessed truth that it makes little impression upon us--God loves this world! He loves every sinner in it. The extent of His love is beyond human comprehension. He gave His own perfect Son, to be a man, to be tempted as a man, to live a perfect life, to minister among men and then to die a shameful death of agony that men might be saved. - John R. Rice