Great Quotes

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. — Excerpt from the speech by Theodore Roosevelt entitled: “Citizenship In A Republic”delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910

Thomas Edison, speaking of the electric light bulb: I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

“There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who think they can and those who think they can’t and they’re both right!”

“The secret to success in any business is to deliver and great, compelling product.” —Michael Hyatt

“Most new jobs won’t come from our biggest employers. They will come from our smallest. We’ve got to do everything we can to make entrepreneurial dreams a reality.” Ross Perot

“Capital isn’t scarce; vision is.” —Sam Walton

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” –Benjamin Franklin

“Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.” –Abraham Lincoln

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” -Steve Jobs

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” Les Brown

“If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” Thomas J Watson

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” –Abraham Lincoln

“Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” George Bernard Shaw

“Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.” Zig Ziglar

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.” Thomas A. Edison

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”  -Michael Jordon

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Thoma Jefferson

“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.” –J.E. McCulloch

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Elenor Roosevelt

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Einstein

“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” Mark Twain

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Einstein

“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” G.K. Chesterton

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
–C.S. Lewis

 

Never give in. Never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. – W. Churchill

Victor Frankl: We who lived in the concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: The last of the human freedoms-to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.

Helen Keller:  We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.

Robert Frost:  The best way out is always through.

America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. Alexis de Tocqueville

Francis Bacon, Sr. “It’s not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us integrity.”

Frank A. Clark: “We find comfort among those who agree with us — growth among those who don’t.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson:  “What we seek we shall find; what we flee from flees from us.”

Reinhold Niebuhr: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, ‘Press on,’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. — Calvin Coolidge.

The only thing required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke

Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it.– Mark Twain.

Pay no attention to what a critic says. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic. Jean Sebilus

Babe Ruth: Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.

Rudyard Kipling: Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears.

Les Brown: Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.

Dale Carnegie: You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.

Bertrand Wilberforce: Always direct your thoughts to those truths that will give you confidence, hope, joy, love, thanksgiving, and turn away your mind from those that inspire you with fear, sadness, depression.

An inferiority complex is a conviction by a jury of your fears.

I am immortal until my work is done. John Wesley

Saint Francis De Sales:  Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.

Mario Andretti: Failure is success if we learn from it.

William Durant:  Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget about everything except what you’re going to do now – and do it.

Alexander Pope : To err is human, to forgive divine.

Thomas Edison:   “I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of the service it might give others… I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent.”

Any man’s life will be filled with constant and unexpected encouragement if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day. – Booker T. Washington

In marriage, each partner is to be an encourager rather than a critic, a forgiver rather than a collector of hurts, an enabler rather than a reformer. – H. Norman Wright and Gary J. Oliver

You can expect from me everything save fear or recantation. I shall not flee, much less recant. I shall go to Worms if there were as many devils there as there are tiles on the roofs of the houses.-Martin Luther

Courage is that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger or difficulty with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits…. The highest degree of courage is seen in the person who is most fearful but refuses to capitulate to it.-J. Oswald Sanders

Lord, the task is impossible for me but not for Thee. Lead the way and I will follow. Why should I fear? I am on a Royal Mission. I am in the service of the King of Kings. Mary Slessor, beginning her remarkable missionary career in Calabar (now part of modern Nigeria).

When you’re accustomed to standing before God, kings don’t matter much. Big potentates are just small potatoes when you have been standing in the presence of the Most High. Vance Havner

Segments of his battle line were falling back in disorder and defeat. “Beat a retreat!” shouted Napoleon to a drummer boy. Saluting smartly, the heroic drummer boy said, “Sir’, you never taught me to beat a retreat. I can only beat a charge!” The lad’s reply kindled new courage in Napoleon, who instantly gave the command, “Then beat a charge, drummer boy!” He did, and seeming defeat was turned into victory.

A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an opinion.

And I say also to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt 16:18

True stories of great courage:

A well known evangelist was entering a Muslim country and had this conversation with the customs official.

“For what purpose are you entering my country? “I am a Christian evangelist and have been invited by here by your government for a debate at one of your universities.” “Tell me sir. What do you think of Mohammed?”  “May I ask you a question?” “Yes.” “Can a prophet lie?” The man thought for a moment and said, “No. A prophet cannot lie.”  “Mohammed was a prophet?” “Yes.” Mohammed said Jesus was a prophet?” “Yes.”  “Jesus said He was God. If Jesus was right than Mohammed was wrong. And if Jesus was wrong, Mohammed was still wrong because Mohammed said Jesus was right!” The man stamped his passport and said, “Get out of here!”

 

The incredible story of Sgt. Roy Benavidez

On the morning of 2 May 1968, a twelve man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short period of time on the ground, the team met heavy enemy resistance and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when the helicopters returned to off-load wounded crew members and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were either dead or wounded and unable to move to the pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing where he jumped from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the crippled team. Prior to reaching the team’s position he was wounded in his right leg, face and head. Despite these painful injuries he took charge, repositioning the team members and directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction aircraft, and the loading of wounded and dead team members. He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to the team’s position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the remaining team members. As the enemy’s fire intensified, he hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader’s body, Sergeant Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed. Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter.

Under increasing enemy automatic weapons and grenade fire, he moved around the perimeter distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, reinstilling in them a will to live and fight. Facing a buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical air-strikes and directed the fire from supporting gun ships to suppress the enemy’s fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire while administering first aid to a wounded team member just before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed from behind and sustained additional wounds to his head and arms before killing his adversary.

He then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to the helicopter. Upon reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that prevented the aircraft door gunner from firing upon them. With little strength remaining, he made one last trip to the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been collected or destroyed, and to bring in the remaining wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benavidez gallant choice to voluntarily join his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.

Roy Benavidez was given the Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He devoted the rest of his life to the youth of America and spoke to them about the importance of staying in school and receiving an education. His message was simple, “An education is the key to success, and “Bad habits and bad company will ruin you.”

Let’s go to Romania the year is 1967

When Nicolae Ceauşescu took power in Romania, one of the first things he did was attempt to silence the church. All of the pastors were forced to gather into an auditorium and given two choices to be made in public. Renounce Christ as Lord and become communists, or go to prison. One of those pastors was the now famous Richard Wormbrand. As one pastor after another publicly renounced Christ, and pronounced their allegiance to the communist party, Richard Wormbrand’s wife leaned over to her husband and whispered, “They are spitting in the face of Jesus, what are you going to do about it?” Pastor Wormbrand replied, “If I speak up you won’t have a husband!” His wife responded with, “I would rather not have a husband than be married to a coward!” That day, Pastor Richard Wormbrand took a bold stand for truth. He testified of the Lordship of Christ, and refused to identify himself with the communist party. He was immediately whisked away to prison. Richard Wormbrand was tortured for Christ (the name of his book) for 14 years. He ended up leading many of his captors to a saving faith in Christ because he refused to hate them. He continued to demonstrate the love of Jesus with them. 1 Cor. 13 says: “Love never fails!” The guards knew that Richard Wormbrand’s Jesus had to be real on that basis alone! Pastor Wormbrand was eventually released for his “crime” and died in February of 2001. I’m convinced that immediately upon his death, Richard Wormbrand was escorted directly to Paradise and into the presence of the Jesus he was willing to die for. His ministry however still lives on. Voice of the Martyrs is still bearing fruit all around the world.

Does Jesus expect us to do the same when Christianity is criminalized once again? Hebrews 13:8 says: “Jesus Christ {is} the same yesterday and today, {yes} and forever.” My friend, you haven’t found anything worth living for until you have found something worth dying for.

Hitler’s germany

It’s 1934. Adolf Hitler has summoned the leaders of the German church to his office in Berlin. He is berating them for insufficiently supporting his programs. Pastor Martin Niemoller explained that his only concern was for the welfare of the church and of the German people. Hitler snapped, “You confine yourself to the church. I’ll take care of the German people’ “Niemoller replied, “You said that ‘I will take care of the German people’ ‘But we too, as Christians and churchmen, have a responsibility toward the German people. That responsibility was entrusted to us by God, and neither you nor anyone in this world has the power to take it from us.”

Hitler listened in silence, but that evening his Gestapo raided Niemoller’s rectory, and a few days later a bomb exploded in his church. During the months and years following, he was closely watched by the secret police, and in June 1937, he preached these words to his church: “We have no more thought of using our own powers to escape the arm of the authorities than had the apostles of old. We must obey God rather than man, “He was soon arrested and placed in solitary confinement.

Dr. Niemoller’s trial began on February 7, 1938. That morning, a uniformed guard escorted the minister from his prison cell and through a series of underground passages toward the courtroom. Niemoller was overcome with  loneliness. What would become of him? Of his family? His church? What  awaited them all?

The guard’s face was impassive, and he was silent as stone. But as they tunnel to ascend a final flight of stairs, Niemoller heard a whisper. At first he didn’t know where it came from, for the voice was soft as a sigh. Then he realized that the officer was breathing into his ear the words of Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Niemoller’s fear fell away, and the power of that verse sustained him through his trial and his years in Nazi concentration camps.

Now to China

A brilliant Chinese student was offered a fine position with the government. When Bishop Wilson S. Lewis asked the young man why he refused splendid offer and volunteered to preach the Gospel for a mere pittance, he said: “During the Boxer Uprising I lived in an inland village where there was a temple for devil worship. The Christians were led by the soldiers to that temple and ordered to renounce their religion and bow before the devil image or they would be executed. I saw one hundred and sixty-three of my townsmen walk by the devil god with heads erect, when a little bow would have saved their lives – then out to a great beam over which they placed their heads for the swift stroke of the executioner’s sword that sent their heads rolling in the dust. My father was one of that number. It was the unshaken integrity of their faith that thrilled me and gave me a longing for the new life. I must go back and tell my fellow townsmen of Christ who loves them, and of His power to save.” -The Upper Room