The Voice of Love and Power
"...though
I be nothing."
-II
CORINTHIANS 12:11 [KJV]
Paul
did not mean to say that he had no religion, but none in himself.
'What! could not Paul stand against temptation?' Not more than you or
I, unassisted by the grace of God. 'Could not Paul pray more than I
can?' No, not at all, except so far as the spirit of grace and
supplications was given to him. 'Could not Paul love more than I do?'
Not a bit more, nor think a spiritual thought more, as far as self
was concerned. I do not mean to say that Paul did not pray, believe,
and love more than any of us do; but he did not perform these actions
in himself one whit more than we can. He says, expressly, "In
me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing;"
and therefore not the good thing of faith, or love, or divine
communion.
Now
when the Lord has brought a soul down to be nothing, He then makes
His strength perfect in that nothingness; He communicates strength to
pray, strength to believe, strength to hope, to love, to receive the
gospel. Just like the poor man with the withered hand, to whom Jesus
said, "Stretch forth thine hand." It was
withered, he could not do it of himself. But Christ's strength was
made perfect in weakness: when He spake the word, the withered hand
was stretched forth, and became whole as the other.
So
with the dead Lazarus — he was asleep in death; but when the THE
VOICE OF LOVE AND POWER penetrated into the tomb, "Lazarus,
come forth," life was made perfect in the dead
corpse. So with the Old Testament worthies, who "out of
weakness were made strong" [HEBREWS
11:34]. And so,
each in our measure, it is with us; our weakness, helplessness, and
inability are the very things which draw forth the power, the
strength, and the grace of Jesus.
-Gospel
report by preacher J.C. Philpot (1802-1869 A.D.)
June
6th, EARS FROM HARVESTED SHEAVES
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