--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can say all the right things about the…" description: "\"“We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even read it regularly, but when life gets difficult, or just a bit boring, we look for new words..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/kevin-deyoung-1086_bible_we-can-say-all-the-right-things-about-th_2620661.png" --- # We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even… ![“We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even read it regularly, but when life gets difficult, or just a bit boring, we look for new words, new revelation, and new experiences to bring us closer to God. We feel rather ho-hum about the New Testament’s description of heaven, but we are…” quote by Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/kevin-deyoung-1086_bible_we-can-say-all-the-right-things-about-th_2620661.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/kevin-deyoung-1086_bible_we-can-say-all-the-right-things-about-th_2620661.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/kevin-deyoung-1086_bible_we-can-say-all-the-right-things-about-th_2620661.png) > ““We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even read it regularly, but when life gets difficult, or just a bit boring, we look for new words, new revelation, and new experiences to bring us closer to God. We feel rather ho-hum about the New Testament’s description of heaven, but we are mesmerized by the accounts of school-age children who claim to have gone there and back. From magazine articles about “My Conversation with God” (see chapter 2), to best-selling books where God is depicted as giving special, private communications, we can easily operate as if the Bible were not enough. If we could only have something more than the Scriptures, then we would be really close to Jesus and know his love for us.”” [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People seek extra‑biblical revelations when the Bible feels insufficient, craving personal experiences to feel closer to God. **In simple terms:** Seeking extra revelations beyond the Bible. Key Takeaway Balance Scripture with personal faith. Themes faith spirituality biblical authority experience Mood reflective thoughtful Type theological devotional When to use this quote - personal prayer - church teaching - spiritual counseling - reading Scripture Key Concepts theology religious experience Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern true guidance? - What role should Scripture play? A Different Perspective Overreliance on subjective experiences can dilute doctrinal truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Close Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-jesus-1740856/) [Closer God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closer-god/) [Conversation God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation-god-1185515/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Gets Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-gets-difficult-213000/) [New experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-experiences/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Scriptures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scriptures/) [Scriptures Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scriptures-really-1769256/) ## Related quotes > [When the Devil quotes Scriptures, it's not, really, to deceive, but simply that the masses are so ignorant of theology that somebody has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-the-devil-quotes-scriptures-it-s-not-really-to-deceive-but/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [I don't know whether we Church members fully appreciate the Book of Mormon, one of our sacred scriptures, as we really should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/i-don-t-know-whether-we-church-members-fully-appreciate-the-book-of/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Honestly, when I read the Scriptures, I really believe the Lord puts a heart in us when we become believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/honestly-when-i-read-the-scriptures-i-really-believe-the-lord-puts-a/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [I'm a big believer in doing things that make you uncomfortable. So, we live in a world where we want to be as comfortable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goggins/i-m-a-big-believer-in-doing-things-that-make-you-uncomfortable-so-we/) [David Goggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goggins/) > [“And second, once we are caught in the pattern of creating ourselves from cultural blueprints, it becomes a primary way of receiving validation. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/and-second-once-we-are-caught-in-the-pattern-of-creating-ourselves/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [When life gets difficult ,the first measure towards correcting it is to throw out your anger , laziness and get yourself out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savio-james/when-life-gets-difficult-the-first-measure-towards-correcting-it-is/) [Savio James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savio-james/) > [“Darkness Always Ends No matter how your day goes, the sun always rises the next day. You get a fresh start. Likewise, I’ve learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herrick/darkness-always-ends-no-matter-how-your-day-goes-the-sun-always-rises/) [John Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herrick/) > [If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-would-be-holy-you-must-live-close-to-jesus/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [One day I met a lady who was dying of cancer in a most terrible condition. And I told her, I say, "You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/one-day-i-met-a-lady-who-was-dying-of-cancer-in-a-most-terrible/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Learn to keep close to Jesus, to listen to His voice, and follow Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/learn-to-keep-close-to-jesus-to-listen-to-his-voice-and-follow-him/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If you think you can walk in holiness without keeping up perpetual fellowship with Christ, you have made a great mistake. If you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-think-you-can-walk-in-holiness-without-keeping-up-perpetual/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I think that you're just as close to Jesus if you use the equipment he gave you other than to call on him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/i-think-that-you-re-just-as-close-to-jesus-if-you-use-the-equipment/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [“People are meant to live in an ongoing conversation with God, speaking and being spoken to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/people-are-meant-to-live-in-an-ongoing-conversation-with-god-speaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [If God is the mystery of the universe, these mysteries, we're tackling these mysteries one by one. If you're going to stay religious at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-god-is-the-mystery-of-the-universe-these-mysteries-we-re-tackling/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“It is not necessary for being with GOD to be always at church: we may make an oratory of our heart wherein to retire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/it-is-not-necessary-for-being-with-god-to-be-always-at-church-we-may/) [Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/) ## More by Kevin DeYoung > [“Worry about the future is not simply a character tic, it is the sin of unbelief, an indication that our hearts are not resting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/worry-about-the-future-is-not-simply-a-character-tic-it-is-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [There is nothing gray about whether a follower of Christ should see 50 Shades of Grey. This is a black and white issue. Don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-nothing-gray-about-whether-a-follower-of-christ-should-see/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [A catechism is simply a tool for teaching the fundamentals of the faith. Unlike a creed or confession, a catechism uses questions and answers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/a-catechism-is-simply-a-tool-for-teaching-the-fundamentals-of-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Live for God. Obey the Scriptures. Think of others before yourself. Be holy. Love Jesus. And as you do these things, do whatever else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/live-for-god-obey-the-scriptures-think-of-others-before-yourself-be/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Busyness kills more Christians than bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/busyness-kills-more-christians-than-bullets/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Grace is free, but it's not cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/grace-is-free-but-it-s-not-cheap/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [If there really is a perfect will of God we are meant to discover, in which we will find tremendous freedom and fulfillment, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/if-there-really-is-a-perfect-will-of-god-we-are-meant-to-discover-in/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Seek first the kingdom of God, and then trust that He will take care of our needs, even before we know what they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/seek-first-the-kingdom-of-god-and-then-trust-that-he-will-take-care/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [There is no sin so prevalent, so insidious, and so deep as the sin of fearing people more than we fear God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/there-is-no-sin-so-prevalent-so-insidious-and-so-deep-as-the-sin-of/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“The pursuit of holiness is not a quixotic effort to do just what Jesus did. It’s the fight to live out the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/the-pursuit-of-holiness-is-not-a-quixotic-effort-to-do-just-what/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Offendedness is just about the last shared moral currency in our country. And, I'm sorry, but it's really annoying. We don't discuss ideas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/offendedness-is-just-about-the-last-shared-moral-currency-in-our/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [The finality of Christs redemption for us is intimately tied to the finality of his revelation to us. . . . If we say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/the-finality-of-christs-redemption-for-us-is-intimately-tied-to-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Everything before Jesus is preface. Everything after Jesus is appendix. Jesus is the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/everything-before-jesus-is-preface-everything-after-jesus-is-appendix/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [Sometimes feeling overwhelmed is part of what it means to be a Christian. You can't bear somebody else's burden unless you are taking something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/sometimes-feeling-overwhelmed-is-part-of-what-it-means-to-be-a/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Faith and good works are both necessary. But one is the root and the other the fruit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/faith-and-good-works-are-both-necessary-but-one-is-the-root-and-the/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) [Explore all 295 Kevin DeYoung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can say all the right things about the Bible, and even read it regularly, but when life gets difficult, or just a bit boring, we look for new words, new revelation, and new experiences to bring us closer to God. We feel rather ho-hum about the New Testament’s description of heaven, but we are mesmerized by the accounts of school-age children who claim to have gone there and back. From magazine articles about “My Conversation with God” (see chapter 2), to best-selling books where God is depicted as giving special, private communications, we can easily operate as if the Bible were not enough. 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