John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

A Christian ought to have convictions about right and wrong and holy living. I think he ought not smoke, ought not attend movies, ought not go to dances. But getting the heart right is more important than getting the rules right. Better to do both, but be sure you are most concerned about the heart part which is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself. - John R. Rice

Somebody said, "Oh, if a fellow is saved, he would not do so and so." Yes, if a fellow is saved, he might get drunk like Noah did. If a fellow is saved, he might curse and swear like Peter did. If a fellow is saved, he might commit adultery like David did. So you had better remember that "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - John R. Rice

The first Psalm says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, not sitteth in the seat of the scornful." Anybody who keeps bad company is going to surprise himself later by taking up the habits of the bad company. A fellow who drinks Coca Cola in a beer joint will be drinking beer pretty soon. The fellow whose best friends smoke, may soon be smoking, too. The fellow whose best friend supports a modernistic program and denomination will take up for that, too. You see, no one is safe in bad company. It ruined Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, when he married heathen wives. - John R. Rice

Complaining is a sin. Murmuring is a sin. It comes from a discontented and rebellious heart. It also comes from a lack of faith. These children of Israel [Numbers 14] said, "We are going to starve in this wilderness. We don't have any bread. We don't have any water. Oh, there are giants over there, and we can't take them. Some will have chariots of iron." They were murmuring and complaining. They did not believe God would take care of them. - John R. Rice

Murmuring and complaining is a sin. It is a sin of unbelief. It is a sin of not trusting God. It may also be a sin of rebellion. You don't want God's will and so you complain and murmur about it. - John R. Rice

Those who murmur nearly always have some evil to say about somebody. You are not only dishonoring God, but you are blaming other people. Anybody with a murmuring, complaining heart is very likely to have a judging heart also. - John R. Rice

If you were really thanking God for everything, you wouldn't be complaining. Christians ought always to be thankful in heart, glad in heart. God has been so good. Let us ask God to forgive us for any complaining spirit and teach us to be happy. The truth is, about the best evidence that a fellow is a good Christian is happiness. If you are not happy, then something is wrong with your religion. Christians ought to be happy. - John R. Rice