But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One.

Carrying the cross does mean following in Jesus' footsteps. And in His footsteps are rejection, brokenheartedness, persecution and death. There are not two Christs - an easy going one for easy going Christians, and a suffering one for exceptional believers. There is only one Christ. Are we willing to follow His lead?

It is not so much the greatness of our troubles, as the littleness of our spirit, which makes us complain.

If this is a real work for God it is a real conflict with Satan.

We are not only to renounce evil, but to manifest the truth. We tell people the world is vain; let our lives manifest that it is so. We tell them that our home is above and that all these things are transitory. Does our dwelling look like it? O to live consistent lives!

If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China.

If in the sight of God you cannot say you are sure that you have a special call to stay at home, why are you disobeying the Saviour's plain command to go?