May 6

Filled when emptied

“What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them” (2 Cor. 6:14-16).

The love of Thee flows just as much
As that of ebbing self subsides;
Our hearts (their scantiness is such)
Bear not the conflict of two rival tides.

Both cannot govern in one soul;
Then let self-love be dispossess’d;
The love of God deserves the whole,
And will not dwell with so despised a guest.
—Madame Guyon.

I firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride, selfishness, ambition, self-seeking, and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Ghost will come and fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride, conceit, ambition, self-seeking, pleasure, and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him when he is full already with something else.
—D. L. Moody.

If thou couldst empty all thyself of self,
Like to a shell dishabited,
Then might He find thee on the ocean shelf
And say, “This is not dead,”
And fill thee with Himself instead:

But thou art all replete with very thou,
And hast such shrewd activity,
That, when He comes, He says, “This is enow
Unto itself—’Twere better let it be:
It is so small and full, there is no room for Me.”
—T. E. Brown.

“There was no room . . .in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

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