"If Thou Canst Believe"

Mar 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
 
A certain man had a demoniac son, who was afflicted with a dumb spirit. 

The father, having seen the futility of the endeavors of the disciples to heal his child, had little or no faith in Christ, and therefore, when he was bidden to bring his son to him, he said to Jesus, “If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” 

Now there was an “if” in the question, but the poor trembling father had put the “if” in the wrong place: 

Jesus Christ, therefore, without commanding him to retract the “if,” kindly puts it in its legitimate position...

Nay, verily, he seemed to say, “there should be no ‘if’ about my power, nor concerning my willingness, the ‘if’ lies somewhere else.”

If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

The man’s trust was strengthened, he offered a humble prayer for an increase of faith, and instantly Jesus spoke the word, and the devil was cast out, with an injunction never to return. 

There is a lesson here which we need to learn. 

We, like this man, often see that there is an “if” somewhere, but we are perpetually blundering by putting it in the wrong place.

If Jesus can help me...

If he can give me grace to overcome temptation...

If he can give me pardon...

If he can make me successful? 

Nay, “if” you can believe, he both can and will. 

You have misplaced your “if.”

If you can confidently trust, even as all things are possible to Christ, so shall all things be possible to you. 

Faith standeth in God’s power, and is robed in God’s majesty...

It weareth the royal apparel, and rideth on the King’s horse...

For it is the grace which the King delighteth to honor. 

Girding itself with the glorious might of the all-working Spirit, it becomes, in the omnipotence of God, mighty to do, to dare, and to suffer. 

All things, without limit, are possible to him that believeth. 

My soul, canst thou believe thy Lord tonight?

~Charles Spurgeon~

A Zero Point

There are still a lot of people in this world who think that there is something in man that can contribute to the glory of God...

And that Christianity is only the bringing up out of man of something that is for the glory of God.

That is a long, long-standing fallacy and lie. 

It is not true.

Call it what you like; it goes by various names, such as "the inner light" or "the vital spark."

The Word of God all the way through is coming down tremendously on this thing.

I start at zero, and zero for me means that I can contribute nothing.

Everything has to come from God.

The very fact that the gift of God is eternal Life means that you have not got it until it is given to you.

You are blind until God gives you the faculty of sight.

You are dead until God gives you Life.

You are a hopeless cripple until God does something for you and in you which you can never do.

Unless God does this thing, unless this act takes place, well, there you lie.

Spiritually, that is how you are.

You can contribute nothing....

This is one of the great lessons that you and I have to learn in the School of Christ, that God begins for His glory at zero...

And God will take pains through the Holy Spirit to make us to know that it is zero...

That is, to bring us consciously to zero, and make us realize it is all with Him....

Have we got settled on this?

We take so long to learn these basic elementary lessons.

We do still cling to some sort of idea that we can produce something...

And all our miserable days are simply the result of still hoping that we can in some way provide the Lord with something.

Not being able to find it, but breaking down all the time, we get miserable, perfectly miserable.

It takes us so long to come to the place where we do fully and finally settle this matter...

That if we lived as long as ever man lived on this earth, we shall not be able to contribute one iota which can be acceptable to God...

And which He can take and use for our salvation...

For our sanctification...

For our glorification...

Not a bit.

All that He can use is His Son...

And the measure of our ultimate glory will be the measure of Christ in us, just that.

~T. Austin Sparks~

We See Hands And Feet And Side, All Pouring Forth Crimson Streams Of Precious Blood!

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see hands and feet and side, all pouring forth crimson streams of precious blood!

Christ's blood is precious because of its redeeming and atoning efficacy. 

By it, all the sins of all Christ's people are atoned for!

Christ's blood is also precious in its cleansing power. 

The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

Through Jesus' blood, there is not a spot left upon any believer-no wrinkle nor any such thing remains. 

Oh, precious cleansing blood-which removes the stains of abundant iniquity, and allows us to stand accepted in the Beloved, notwithstanding the many ways in which we have rebelled against our God.

The blood of Christ is likewise precious in its preserving power. 

Under the sprinkled blood, we are safe from the destroying angel.  

Remember that it is God's seeing the blood, which is the true reason for our being spared.

Here is comfort for us when the eye of faith is dim, for God's eye is still the same.

The blood of Christ is precious also in its sanctifying influence. 

The same blood that justifies by taking away sin-quickens the new nature and leads it onward to subdue sin and to follow out the commands of God.

There is no motive for holiness so great, as that which streams from the veins of Jesus!

~Charles Spurgeon~
                                                                         

Sought Out!

Isa 62:12  And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken. 

The surpassing grace of God is seen very clearly, in that He has Sought Out His chosen people.

Glory be to infinite love and unconquerable grace-we were sought out! 

No gloom could hide us, no filthiness could conceal us! 

We were sought out, found and brought home.

The lives of some of God's people, if they could be written, would fill us with holy astonishment.

Marvelous and wondrous are the ways that God uses to find His own people. 

Blessed be His name, He never relinquishes the search, until His chosen ones are effectually sought out and brought home.

Christians are not a people sought today-and cast away tomorrow. 

Almightiness and wisdom combined, will make no failures. 

They shall be called "Sought out!"

That any should be sought out is matchless grace-but that we should be sought out, is grace beyond degree! 

We can find no reason for it, but God's own sovereign love!

We lift up our heart in astonishment, and praise the Lord that we wear the name of "Sought out!"

Luke 15:6  And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
 
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood!

~Charles Spurgeon~