Richard J. Foster Quotes

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Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. We need to be light-hearted in what we do to avoid taking ourselves too seriously. It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride.

Richard J. Foster

Pride, Light, Self

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Prayer involves transformed passions. In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God's thoughts after Him: to desire the things He desires, to love the things He loves, to will the things He wills.

Richard J. Foster

Prayer, Real, Passion

Richard J. Foster (1995*). “Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline”, Jossey-Bass

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When we genuinely believe that inner transformation is God's work and not ours, we can put to rest our passion to set others straight.

Richard J. Foster

Believe, Passion, Transformation

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth”, p.10, Harper Collins

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The discovery of God lies in the daily and the ordinary, not in the spectacular and the heroic. If we cannot find God in the routines of home and shop, then we will not find Him at all.

Richard J. Foster

Christian, Lying, Home

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The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.

Richard J. Foster

Intelligent, Numbers, People

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth”, p.1, Harper Collins

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We have real difficulty here because everyone thinks of changing the world, but where, oh where, are those who think of changing themselves? People may genuinely want to be good, but seldom are they prepared to do what it takes to produce the inward life of goodness that can form the soul. Personal formation into the likeness of Christ is arduous and lifelong.

Richard J. Foster

Real, Thinking, People

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Our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in "muchness" and "manyness," he will rest satisfied.

Richard J. Foster

Three, Crowds, Noise

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth”, p.15, Harper Collins

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Prayer frees us to be controlled by God. To pray is to change. There is no greater liberating force in the Christian life than prayer. To enter the gaze of the Holy is never to be the same. To bathe in the Light in quiet wonder and glad surrender is to be slowly, permanently transformed. There is a richer inward orientation, a deep hunger for communion. We feel as if we are being taken over by a new control Center, and so we are.

Richard J. Foster

Christian, Prayer, Taken

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Real prayer comes not from gritting our teeth but from falling in love.

Richard J. Foster

Falling In Love, Prayer, Real

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Prayer - 10th Anniversary Edition: Finding the Heart's True Home”, p.3, Harper Collins

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Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to Him. He grieves that we have forgotten Him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence.

Richard J. Foster

Distance, Heart, Grieving

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Prayer - 10th Anniversary Edition: Finding the Heart's True Home”, p.1, Harper Collins

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God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us.

Richard J. Foster

Spiritual, Mean, Discipline

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth”, p.7, Harper Collins

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If worship does not change us it has not been worship.

Richard J. Foster

Christian, Doe, Worship

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In the same way that a small child cannot draw a bad picture so a child of God cannot offer a bad prayer.

Richard J. Foster

Prayer, Children, Way

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Prayer - 10th Anniversary Edition: Finding the Heart's True Home”, p.8, Harper Collins

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One reason we can hardly bear to remain silent is that it makes us feel so helpless. We are so accustomed to relying upon words to manage and control others. If we are silent, who will take control? God will take control, but we will never let him take control until we trust him. Silence is intimately related to trust.

Richard J. Foster

Silence, Bears, Silent

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Because we lack a divine Center our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things.

Richard J. Foster

Attachment, Insane, Needs

Richard J. Foster (1995*). “Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline”, Jossey-Bass

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The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts. Thomas Merton observes, 'It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers. The more solitary I am the more affection I have for them.... Solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for what they are, not for what they say.

Richard J. Foster

Hurt, Brother, Compassion

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To pray is to change. This is a great grace. How good of God to provide a path whereby our lives can be taken over by love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control.

Richard J. Foster

Kindness, Taken, Self

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Prayer - 10th Anniversary Edition: Finding the Heart's True Home”, p.6, Harper Collins

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Each activity of daily life in which we stretch ourselves on behalf of others is a prayer in action.

Richard J. Foster

Prayer, Action, Daily Life

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A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up comes the grain...This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines - they are a way of sowing to the Spirit... By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done.

Richard J. Foster

Spiritual, Jesus, Discipline

Richard J. Foster (2009). “Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth”, p.7, Harper Collins

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Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honour and recognition. It will devise subtle, religiously acceptable means to call attention to the service rendered. If we stoutly refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh, we crucify it. Every time we crucify the flesh, we crucify our pride and arrogance.

Richard J. Foster

Mean, Pride, Discipline

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Prayer is more than thoughts and feelings expressed in words. It is the opening of mind and heart - our whole being to God our Abba Father. It is Divine Union.

Richard J. Foster

Prayer, Father, Heart

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We really must understand that the lust for affluence in contemporary society is psychotic. It is psychotic because it has completely lost touch with reality. We crave things we neither need nor enjoy. We buy things we do not want to impress people we do not like.

Richard J. Foster

Reality, People, Sick

"Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline".

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If we think we will have joy only by praying and singing psalms, we will be disillusioned. But if we fill our lives with simple good things and constantly thank God for them, we will be joyful, that is, full of joy.

Richard J. Foster

Simple, Thinking, Things In Life

"Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline".

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Worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience.

Richard J. Foster

Worship, Obedience, Holy

Richard J. Foster (1995*). “Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline”, Jossey-Bass

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Children do not find it difficult or complicated to talk to their parents, nor do they feel embarrassed to bring the simplest need to their attention. Neither should we hesitate to bring the simplest requests confidently to the Father.

Richard J. Foster

Children, Father, Parent

Richard J. Foster (1995*). “Richard Foster's treasury of Christian discipline”, Jossey-Bass

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Born: May 3, 1942
Occupation: Author
Cite this Page: Citation

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