The decision... had been that he would not be allowed in services from now on. Nothing else had worked. He would not be silenced; he would not voluntarily keep his seat. He had felt obligated to speak of teachings that were condemned by the ministers.

How many of us, when we had planned to have a day in town, but have to stay to watch our little siblings, say, "Sure, Mama, whatever works out is fine with me"? Or, when [some plan] doesn't work out... you don't even question why it couldn't be made to work?

I have just been thanking the Lord for helping me to choose Him completely in my youth and wait on the Lord for a companion. It surely pays! I was 29 before I married and the wait seemed so long then, but now it seems like nothing! I am so glad I waited on God.

All through His life He had been "in all points tempted like as we are".... In this last hour of the powers of darkness they make one great assault on the very citadel of His being, and seek to tempt Him with the sorest of all temptations... the assertion of our self-will.

Miracles do not proceed from my high ambition to do great work for Jesus. He took the little they had to offer and blessed it and broke it. Blessed and broken. How simple and humble are God's ways of working!

...a man is still a man... still just an earthen vessel.... When God has finished beating the mountains small with a worm, then that worm is still a worm—a worm used of God.... "When the work of the Lord is done right, there is no room for the flesh to glory."

We say we want to be like Christ.... But what do we mean by being like Christ? Are we not in danger of getting into our vision of it, merely an easy kind of life, a gentle piety, a dainty charity, a fashionable holiness, a pleasing service?

Too many people think their weakness is a barrier to their usefulness, or make it an excuse for doing little with their life. Instead of this, however, if we give it to Christ, He will transform it into strength.

Now a handmaid's position in life is a very humble position.... they're the folks that are around to do whatever the mistress says to do.... It's not that she does great, big tasks all the time; it's the little things—I'm here; I'm ready for service; I'm at hand.

Rosie felt a small smile creep onto her face. Maybe this would be fun after all! She quickly picked up a jar and looked at its dusty bottom. "And we must remember," she said, as most grown-up as she could, "that the king doesn't like one speck of dirt!"

"Will you die and live with Jesus?" asked Ryan. "That's what Grandma did. Mommy said so." Paige frowned. She didn't think she'd live with Jesus if she was being stubborn and sneaky.... Maybe she'd better not die, after all.

Would it be better if we could direct all our own affairs?... If we could do so, no doubt many of our circumstances would be quite different.... We would have only prosperities, with no adversities; only joys, with no sorrows. We would exclude all pain and trouble from our life.

"I, the Vine, have taken you to be My branches.... I have surrendered Myself as God absolutely to you; I became Man and died for you that I might be entirely yours. Come and surrender yourselves entirely to be Mine."