Quotable

A wretched, poor and helpless worm, on Thy kind arms I fall.

—William Carey, 1761-1834, The epitaph he insisted be on his tombstone

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3). Poverty of spirit [is] an absence of self-esteem. Where that kind of spirit is found, it is sweet poverty...for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

—Charles Spurgeon, 1834-1892


The man who is puffed up with self-esteem cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit.

—R. A. Torrey, 1865-1928

There is a great need for a spiritual awakening in the evangelical world. Time to wake up, because the Lord’s coming is certainly near, and many, we fear, were never less prepared. Time to lament and do soul-searching in prayer, because churches in search of happiness and success (measured by attendance figures) are increasingly willing to follow the consumer-oriented society. What does the consumer want? Find out and give it to him, and you’ll be a success....Men want to enjoy themselves, be comfortable, be happy, but God wants them to enjoy Him, to be spiritual, to be godly.

—Carl Knott, missionary to Spain