You cannot have a moral holiday and remain moral, nor can you have a spiritual holiday and remain spiritual. God wants you to be entirely his, and this means that you have to watch to keep yourself fit. It takes a tremendous amount of time. Some of us expect to "clear the numberless ascensions"* in about two minutes.

The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain

When Jesus drives something home to you through His Word, don't try to evade it. If you do, you will become a religious impostor. Examine the things you tend simply to shrug your shoulders about, and where you have refused to be obedient, and you will know why you are not growing spiritually. As Jesus said, Ãƒ¢Ã¢'¬Ã…"First . . . go . . . ." Even at the risk of being thought of as fanatical, you must obey what God tells you.

It is inbred in us that we have to do exceptional things for God; but we have not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things.

Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you "turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . ." (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.

But the most impossible thing for you is to be so closely identified with the Lord that there is literally nothing of your old life remaining.

People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started.

Our Lord never lays down the conditions of discipleship as the conditions of salvation.

We say, "But this is so strict. Surely He does not require that of me." Our Lord is strict, and He does require that of us.

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything--it is a delight.

Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent?

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.