“Men ought to seek with their whole hearts to be filled with the Spirit of God. Without being filled with the Spirit, it is utterly impossible that an individual Christian or a church can ever live or work as God desires.” - Andrew Murray

“Christians are as guilty for not being filled with the Holy Spirit as sinners are for not repenting. They are even more so, for as they have more light, they are so much the more guilty.” - Charles G. Finney

“I believe that it is impossible for any Christian to be effective either in his life or in his service unless he is filled with the Holy Spirit who is God’s only provision of power.” - Henrietta C. Mears

“Read the biographies of God’s men and you will discover that each one sought and obtained the endowment of power from on high. One sermon preached in the anointing is worth a thousand in the energy of the flesh.” - Dr. J. Oswald J. Smith

It’s too bad Christians today are kind of freaked out by the Holy Spirit. too bad…

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that the very act of your existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus, existential writer

This verse seems fitting for April 15th:

“This is why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him. If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” - Romans 13:6-7

i figured i would write something more productive than the last entry. i started thinking about how often in my faith i start feeling burnt out and i wonder how i will ever get back on my feet. i feel like i’m going to have to bear down and work my way back into my “walking” christian life. then i read paul’s writing “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). Paul went through the same thing i go through. the very next verse is, “Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” how great is that? the christian life is hard, don’t get me wrong, but with god’s strength we shouldn’t even notice the difficulties. if we have strayed, we need not fear the rocky path back. it’s similar to when we fall asleep in a car ride home. we fall asleep far away, but when we wake up groggy we realize we are home without ever knowing time passing. jesus can instantly bring us back into communion with him, and i am so grateful for that, because you know what? i am human and can never measure up.

well… it’s 5am and i still can’t sleep. it’s gonna be a great day tomorrow!