‘Quotes’ to Ignite Hearts

Run in Your Dreams

(Speaking of the film Amazing Grace) I believe He (God) set up the movie for me, just for me and a million other people as well. See if you don’t think that way, that you are somehow as special as you are… Begin to believe that way and God will begin to feed you with His stuff. Begin to obey it and shoot for the stars. I have a dream tonight, a dream that America can turn back to God… I prayed for revival for twenty years…Then one day the guy that was pastoring the church at the time spoke to me and said, “You’re not a pastor Lou”.  I was trying to be one. “You’re not a pastor, sorry you need to go get a job or do whatever else you’re going to do.” I could have gotten ticked off and said are you firing me? But you see the opportunity to get wounded is the open door for you to fulfill your destiny. Joseph’s pit is the stepping stone to the palace. So the things that had been burning in my heart, dreaming in my heart for years, I decided to do. There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but few that will catch your heart. Pursue those! Passion is the North Star of your life. It is the compass. It is the directive by the Holy Spirit. What makes you happiest is your destiny. Whatever makes you the most glad, that thing is the director to your destiny. Whatever you do follow life, His words are Spirit and Life. Follow where the fires burns. Romance. Poetry… God’s not boring! Follow the thing that burns in your soul. It will lead you to your destiny. Pay close attention to your tears and your dreams. 

The cry in my heart was, “How can I turn America back to God?” I knew I couldn’t do it by myself, but I knew I could write a page in history. 

God can mobilize His own movement. 

When the anointing comes you are released from the ministry and it’s a joyous occasion. Step down preachers. God has taken the field. It’s not about big preaching, it’s about Me pouring my Spirit out on my sons and my daughters. Step aside Lou, I am going to take the field. 

(Referring to a youth conference) They were singing “Dance with me O’ Lover of my soul” . The Spirit of God descends. They sang it for two hours. The preachers try to get up to preach and had to sit back down. The Lord was saying, I am going to marry a generation to Myself. I am going to break their addiction with a love that is stronger than death, the very flame of the LORD.” 

-Lou Engle

         Intentional Love 

” The honor we discussed with our couples is obviously that of a man toward his mate; how that extrapolates to singles I’m not sure, since it’s the love of a man for his wife that is to look like His love for His bride, the church. So it must be unique, saved for one person. It’s more than people skills or southern gentlemanly manners, though those certainly are honoring. It’s treating her like royalty—because she IS. And it’s unilateral…when He died for us, there was nothing lovely about us, yet He gave extravagant love—long before any of us even knew to ask for it. So my love for my bride (wife Ruthie)—-to mimic His love—must be constant, independent of her apparent loveliness at the moment. And just as we, as believers, become more and more radiant the longer He pours His love on us, my spouse WILL become more and more radiant, physically beautiful, and absolutely aromatic as she basks in total acceptance, absolute forgiveness, and complete encouragement. Any man who truly FEELS and understands this awesome gift and responsibility cannnot help but devote every available ounce of energy to showing honor to his beloved. The honoring part is simply the natural outpouring of a heartfelt adoration for my bride. The old Test. verb for honor is kabed “to give high praise and status to another, in word and deed”.

Success in this area is like success in all areas of life: it’s never convenient, nor is it accidental. It must be purposeful. One of the awesome things about loving someone this intensely and intentionally is that the more you ‘work’ at it, the more the emotions follow. There are innumerable examples for everday life: I always, while at work (as a doctor), visualize Ruthie being there with me: would she feel comfortable with how close I’m standing next to a female nurse or md; I choose to let only words of praise about her come from my mouth to others; when on the phone to her in the earshot of others, I make sure I’m honoring to her in my words and tone of voice (sincerely, not as a show). I never joke about her or at her expense. She gets the first kiss when I get home, even if anyone else happens to be there.

Honor develops such a passion for the other that, no matter how long we’ve been married, seeing her come into a room full of people STILL evokes a bit of a gasp of awe in my spirit. How any of this applies to singles I’m not sure; it’s certainly not stuff we practice on others to get the hang of it. I think–emphasize: think–that once a man has found his future wife, it’s time to start digging in and really studying that woman; earning a PhD in Ruthie, for example. Just as He searches our minds and spirits, knows our every need and is ready to meet that need, I as a man get the awesome privilege of continually searching Ruthie’s soul, fulfilling needs, encouraging her on to her destiny. In a very real sense, my actions (minus the many mistakes) and attitude should look–to her, my children, and the world–like God. They should be able to look at me loving Ruthie and think “Oh! So THAT’S what God’s love is like!!” If my needs happen to get met in the process..fine. But I as the man am the one to present her to the Father without spot or blemish. (truth of the matter is, no woman alive can receive consistent, passionate selfless love and not reciprocate).

I am convinced that the one true overriding purpose a man has in life once he’s married is to see just how much love one woman can absorb in a lifetime. And HER one true purpose is to see …just how much love one woman can absorb in a lifetime.

-Everitt S.