There have been prophets and students who handle the Bible like a child's box of bricks; they explain to us the design and structure and purpose; but as time goes on things do not work out in their way at all. They have mistaken the scaffolding for the structure, while all the time God is working out His purpose with a great and undeterred patience.

We should always choose our books as God chooses our friends, just a bit beyond us, so that we have to do our level best to keep up with them.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilitie s on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.

Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God.

To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be.

Your god may be your little Christian habit - the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, 'I can't do that right now; this is my time alone with God.' No, this is your time alone with your habit.