Nicholas Cabasilas was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ who lived in Constantinople in the 1400s, before the Ottoman Turks, led by Mohammed the Conqueror, took over the city and named it Istanbul. I hope these quotations by him inspire and motivate you.

"The greatest joy follows the greatest love."

"It is not possible for those who have not died to sin, to live for God."

"It is altogether necessary that faith be shown forth in our deeds."

"When love of the Savior produces nothing new or extaordinary in us, it proves that we have encountered no more than mere words about Him."

"Restraining one's soul by good thoughts leads to cessation from evil thoughts."

"Being occupied with and employed in base things brings destruction to the soul."

"The Old Covenant was a word which instructed; now it is Christ Himself who is present and disposes and forms the souls of men."

"For him who has lost reverence for God, all that might have availed to restrain wickedness has been removed."

Motivation Quotation: "Everyone is in search of happiness, but looking for it in earthly pleasures and objects brings more unhappiness. People have not found happiness because they have not searched for it where it can be found." --Dera Baba Jaimal Singh

Motivational Search For Happiness: I believe that everybody wants to be happy and does their best to find it. But happiness is hiding from many people.

That's because happiness isn't where we expect it to be. Long lasting and deeply satisfying happiness isn't to be found in earthly pleasures and objects. Those things actually frustrate the search of happiness by disappointing and discouraging us.

So where is happiness? Mr. Singh didn't tell us that in his quotation. We have to find it for ourselves. However, when we are looking for happiness in those earthly pleasures and objects, we have lost the scent.

Real happiness is within. If you convince yourself you are happy, guess what? You are happy. Happiness is nothing more than the heart felt belief that you are happy. The only place happiness can be found is within your own heart. That is the place to search.

The French Supreme Court recently decided that French unborn babies that are miscarried and die can be registered with the government, given a name, and be buried in a cemetery. Many in France are fearful that this action will begin to undermine the so called "right to choose" to kill the unborn.

Is the intellectual acknowledgement of doctrines and ideas faith? Or is that just custom and/or tradition? If one's beliefs do not create a heart that is passionate for God and obedient to Him, is it faith?

If God is more than a theory, then faith needs to involve a loving and obedient relationship with Him. God speaks to people continually through their conscience, their circumstances, other people, the Bible, and His direct voice in their heart.

After I first encountered God in 1970, I began to read the book of Acts in the New Testament. I noticed that it contained many references to hearing God speak: "God said to Peter," and "The Spirit spoke to Paul." I didn't think God was talking to me, so one day I asked Him about it.

I said: "God, you frequently spoke to people in the New Testament, why aren't you speaking to people in our day."

Suddenly these words popped into my mind: "The problem is not that I'm not speaking, but that you're not listening." Now, I know that I didn't answer my own question or make that up. I had never thought such thoughts before.

Since then God frequently speaks to me -- when I take the time to listen to His voice. He often tells me things that I don't want to hear. My challenge is always: Do I obey what God said or do my own thing? It's very tough to go against my own desires and obey God, but I strive to do so.

Faith is not theory or religion or ritual or doctrine or ceremony. Faith is a dynamic, personal, obedient relationship with the living God.

Some churches and pastors make a big deal about people carrying their Bible to church.. Personally, I've never liked carrying my Bible in my hand.. I'm good at misplacing things and I don't want to lose it. Also, when I hear a Scripture read, I like to listen, not follow along in my Bible -- that usually confuses and distracts me, especially if my translation doesn't match the one being read.

Now I'm not against people carrying their Bible to church if they really want to. However, many preachers try to make people feel guilty for not bringing a physical copy of their Bible with them.

I do carry my Bible in my heart and my mind. I love to read it, think about it, ponder it. I try to apply it to my life and actually do what it says. So should I feel bad because I don't have a copy in my hand at church?

Besides, the most important question is not; "Do you carry your Bible?" but "Does your Bible carry you?" When you feel like you can't go on another day; when someone stepped on your last nerve; when you are sick and tired of waiting for something; when your world is falling apart; when you want to go ahead and sin -- does your Bible carry you to victory then?