iChristian

(J.C. Philpot, “Strength Made Perfect in Weakness”)

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in your weakness.”  2 Corinthians 12:9

Not your strength, 
not your wisdom, 
not your prayers, 
not your experience; 
but “My grace”–My free, My matchless grace:
  independent of all works and efforts,
  independent of everything in the creature,
  flowing wholly and solely, fully and freely, out of the bosom of Jesus to . . .
    the needy,
    the guilty,
    the destitute,
    the undone.

You who are tried in worldly circumstances, who have to endure the hard lot of poverty–“My grace is sufficient for you.” 

You who are tempted, day by day, to say or do that which conscience testifies against–“My grace is sufficient for you.” 

You who are harassed with family troubles and afflictions, and are often drawn aside into peevishness and fretfulness–“My grace is sufficient for you.” 

Our weakness, helplessness, and inability are the very things which draw forth the power, the strength, and the grace of Jesus!

Believer, your case is never beyond the reach of the words–“My grace is sufficient for you!”

The free, the matchless, sovereign grace of God, is sufficient for all His people–in whatever state, or stage, or trouble, or difficulty they may be in!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Why does God afflict us? 

(Ashton Oxenden, “The Blessings and Trials of Sickness” 1863)

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“Affliction does not come forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring forth out of the ground!” Job 5:6 

“Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good.” Deuteronomy 8:5

“I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me!” Psalm 119:75

“As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline!” Revelation 3:19 

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:6 

“I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the one who has done this!” Psalm 39:9 
 

Dear Reader, 
I have come into your sick-room, as it were, and wish to tell you a few things for your comfort and profit.

God has seen fit to stop you in the midst of your busy life, and to lay you aside for a while. It is not by chance that His afflicting hand has fallen upon you. It is not at random that He has chastened you. It may seem to be a mere accident that you are afflicted, and not another. But no; God has done it purposely! 

Learn this then–that your present sickness or affliction is from God. It is His doing. He it is, who has brought this present chastisement upon you. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly Father’s ordering, and He prizes His redeemed children more than many sparrows.

Sickness usually comes as a messenger of divine love–it is sent to be a blessing, and may be made, by God’s grace, a very great blessing to the soul. God afflicts His children, because He desires to do them some great good. 

The gardener cuts and prunes his tree, to make it grow better, and bear more precious fruit. In the same way, God often uses His sharp knife for some gracious purpose. 

The wise and loving father thwarts his child, and sometimes scourges it, for its good. Just so, God uses His chastening rod for the very same reason. 

The skillful physician prescribes nauseous medicines to restore his patient’s health. In the same way, God makes us take His bitter medicines, though at the time they are very distasteful to us.

Why does God afflict us? 

Because He loves us, and wishes to make us holy as He is holy, and happy as He is happy. For, as it has been well said, “Fiery trials make golden Christians!” 

God had one Son without sin–but He never had any son without sorrow.

God chastens purposely and lovingly. Affliction comes from Him; and He afflicts, not as a stern Judge, but as a Father and a Friend!

Before then you go a step further, ask God to convince you of this precious truth: “It is my Father who corrects me–even He who loves me! I will receive this chastisement then from Him, and remember that it is a loving hand that smites. I will kiss the very rod that scourges me. Father, not my will, but may Your will be done!”

A true Christian will receive affliction with submission. It is his Father’s doing, and therefore he quietly submits. It comes from Him, and must therefore be well. He feels that there is a needs-be for it. What a sweet pillow is this, on which to rest his weary head!

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!” Romans 8:28 

I will rejoice in Your salvation!

(William Nicholson, 1862)

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“I will rejoice in Your salvation!” Psalm 9:14

The minds of the wicked find joy from the most trivial causes–causes which the Spirit of God has taught the Christian to estimate as mere “vanity and vexation of spirit.” To the enlightened mind, the pursuits of this world, and the possessions of the most wealthy, dwindle into insignificance when compared with the value of the soul and its great salvation. If a sinner finds cause for joy in his career of iniquity, the end of which is damnation–then surely the believer has an unfailing source of joy and consolation in God’s salvation!

No one can rejoice in salvation, unless he understands it. There will be a knowledge . . . 
of the necessity of salvation, arising from the conviction of one’s fallen, guilty, and condemned state before God; 
of the accomplishment of salvation, by the atoning death, resurrection, and intercession of Jesus Christ, 1 Timothy 1:15; 
that when received, salvation will grant . . . 
  pardon to the guilty, 
  justification to the condemned, 
  liberty to the spiritual captive, 
  health to the spiritually sick, 
  sight to the spiritually blind, and, in short, 
  “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus!”

No one can ever rejoice in salvation, unless he has felt his need of it. The Spirit has opened the eyes of his understanding, and revealed to him his great guilt and need of the Savior. He now knows the plague of his own heart. He now feels his utter helplessness, and perceives the adaptation of the Savior to his state as a perishing sinner.

True salvation always produces joy and rejoicing! “I will rejoice in Your salvation.”
The sick person rejoices when his disease departs, when the bloom of health again mantles his cheek, etc. 
The debtor rejoices when his debts are discharged, etc. 
The culprit rejoices when reprieved, when he hears the opening of the doors of his prison-house. 
And shall not the penitent and believing sinner rejoice? He is saved! Saved from . . .
  the guilt of sin, 
  the condemnation of sin,
  the dominion of sin,
  the power of death, 
  the dominion of the grave, and 
  the vengeance of everlasting fire!

This joy springs from the realization of divine mercy, through the sin-atoning death of Christ. This rejoicing is over . . .
  an infinite soul, 
  redeemed by an infinite price, 
  from an infinite damnation–
to infinite joys, realized first here, and then to be realized fully in an infinite Heaven. 

What a possession! What a prospect! “I will rejoice in Your salvation!” 

1. The believer rejoices in the origin of salvation. It is the result of distinguishing grace–the sovereign goodness and unmerited compassion and favor of God. Man . . .
  did not deserve it,
  had no equitable title to it,
  never solicited it. 
God beheld him as an outcast, pitied him, and condescended to save him! 

2. The believer rejoices in the procuring of salvation. When he sees his Redeemer in the garden and on the cross, he weeps–but they are tears of joy. There he sees Christ’s astonishing love. There he sees Him bearing his sins and dying in his stead, etc.

3. The believer rejoices in the glorious properties of salvation . . . 
  the freeness of it, requiring no qualifications nor conditions,
  the purity of it, unto holiness,
  the power of it, saving him from the guilt, dominion, and pollution of sin,
  the extensiveness of it, investing him with every spiritual blessing,
  the certainty of it, assuring the soul, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish–ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:28 

4. The believer rejoices in the prospective consummation of salvation in Heaven. He anticipates with joy . . .
  the full harvest,
  the fruition of hope, and
  the vision of glory in which faith shall be lost. 

“You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!” Psalm 16:11 

People with sore and bruised hearts

(J.R. Miller, “Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ” 1890)

“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume . . .” Luke 7:37 

It is wonderful how genuine goodness draws to itself:
  the unfortunate, 
  the troubled,
  the friendless, 
  the outcast,
  the fallen. 

Wherever Jesus went, these classes always found Him out and gathered about Him. It was because He was the true, unselfish friend of all men. They found sympathy in Him. He would listen to their story. Though He was the sinless One, there was yet no air of, “I am holier than you” about Him. He was just as gentle to an outcast sinner, as to a religious Nicodemus. No matter who reached out a hand for help, He was ready to grasp it. One of the truest things ever said of Jesus, was the prophetic word concerning him, “He shall not break a bruised reed!” He always dealt most gently with sore spirits and with bruised hearts!

Those who want to be useful in this world, must have the same qualities as Jesus. There is a kind of false “holiness” which draws nobody to itself–but rather repels. Genuine holiness, however, wins its way everywhere into men’s hearts. The secret of it all is in living “not to be served–but to serve;” in considering one’s self not too good to serve the most unworthy of God’s creatures. If we live in this world to be served, we shall be of no use to anyone. But if we live to minister to others, yearning to be of service to everyone we meet–then our life will be of great worth. The hungry-hearted and the soul-needy will be drawn to us, and God will love to put work into our hands.

We need, too, to train ourselves to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual crises. Many earnest people, in the excess of their zeal–do incalculable harm to those whom they greatly desire to help. People with sore and bruised hearts, usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship–much more than they need a lecture in theology!

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 

Adapted From Calvin Schlabach

“BE DIFFERENT! Don’t go with the flow!” we are urged. “Don’t follow the crowd! Even a dead fish can float downstream.” It does not take any effort or work on the part of a fish to go with the flow and drift downstEven a dead fish can float. Only a living and healthy fish can swim against the current and travel upstream. In the same way, any weak Christian can live like the world; it takes a vital, healthy faith to enable someone to stand on their convictions, firm against the tide of opinion and the example of unbelievers. 

Perhaps we can carry the analogy a bit further. With the polluted condition of many of our modern streams and rivers, it is not only dead fish that float downstream. Trash, industrial waste, and pollutants of one kind or another floats downstream. A fish that travels in that direction finds itself swimming in increasingly fouled and filthy waters. The purest, cleanest waters are found farther upstream nearer the source, where people rarely go. What kind of water would you rather swim in? What kind of life would you rather have? Pure waters are reached only by swimming against the current! 

Obviously, we do not want to be one of those wimpy, weak-willed, dead-fish Christians; yet it is so easy to go with the flow and follow the crowd. If we carelessly live like everyone else, we will find ourselves surrounded by the pollution of sin. Is there any way out of this mess? What does it take for us to be able to swim against the current and move farther upstream? I suggest that we need to concentrate on five main points. 

Convictions 

We will have to know what we believe and then hold to it strongly, for, as it has often been said, those who stand for nothing will fall for anything. We are given the teachings of the apostles and prophets so that we may “no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). We must read our Bibles, accept the principles we find there as our standard of conduct, and then stand firmly on scriptural convictions! How rare it is to see that today! Most of us are so caught up in feelings and tradition, we do not allow truth to shine through. 

Courage 

The unbelievers will not make it to heaven: “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). When they see that God’s way will require them to leave the false security of doing what all the rest of the world is doing and strike out on their own, their hearts will fail them. Rather than standing against the crowd with the courage of convictions (Romans 8:31), they take the easy way out, turning back to the world, to sin and condemnation. Joshua said, “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go” (1:9).

Strength 

We must have power and might to stand firmly against the flood of evil that would swiftly sweep us downstream to our destruction. Paul said, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). We could not successfully withstand temptation and sin that threatens our spiritual well-being by ourselves. Therefore, we are called to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Fortified with power that comes only from God (Ephesians 3:16), we can say with Paul, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). 

Endurance 

For most of us, the Christian race is not a brief sprint to the finish line, but rather it is a long, grueling marathon. Listen to the words of the Hebrew writer, “You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised … ‘My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him’” (10:36, 38). It is so sad to see those who have started on the Christian way later give up, forfeiting the race. They did not have the the long-distance endurance to run the race through to the end. Therefore, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). 

Heavenly Goals 

The reason we want to travel upstream is because we are seeking something better and higher than the careless world around us. We are not trying to be different from the world just for the sake of being different. We are different because we are pursuing different goals. We have to keep these goals continually before us. Paul said, “Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is … Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). Raise your sights! Don’t follow the foolish crowd!

One of the finest things in a complete Christian character

(J.R. Miller, “Learning to Be Thoughtful” 1898)

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One of the finest things in a complete Christian character, is thoughtfulness. It gives awondrous charm to a life. It makes one a blessing wherever he goes. It tempers all his conduct, softening all natural harshness into gentleness, and giving a spirit of kindliness to his every word and act, and to all his bearing.

A thoughtful person does not have to be asked to help others–he helps, as it were, instinctively. He is ever ready . . . 
  to do the obliging thing, 
  to say the encouraging word, 
  to show an interest in the life of others, 
  to perform those countless little kindnesses which so brighten the common pathway. 

In much home-life, there is a lack of thoughtfulness shown. Not always is the speech gentle–sometimes it is sharp and bitter, even rude. Without being aware of it, many of us are miserably selfish in our life among others. We practically forget that there are any other people, or that we ought to make any sacrifices, or practice any self-denials, for their sake. 

Thoughtfulness will seek always to say kindly words, never words that will give pain–but ever those that will give pleasure. We have no right, for the sake of saying a bright thing, to let loose a shaft, however polished, that will make a loving heart bleed!

We all know in our own experience, the value of sincere and Christly thoughtfulness. We do not like to come in contact with thoughtless people. We know well how it hurts and how unbeautiful, how unchristian, it seems when we see it in another–and when our heart is the one that suffers from its harsh, rude impact. We all long for thoughtfulness in others; our hearts hunger and thirst for it. It is bread and wine to us.

What we long for in others in their relation to us, we should be ready to give to them. What in others hurts us, gives us pain–we ought to avoid in our contact with others. Thoughtfulness is one of the finest, ripest fruits of Christian love–and all who would be like the Master must seek to learn this lesson and wear this grace.