Unto All Pleasing
"Without faith it is impossible to please Him." Hebrews 11:6
From various cares our hearts retire, Though deep and boundless their desire,
We've now to please but One.
Him before whom each knee shall bow, With Him is all our business now,
And those that are His own.
(pp. 97-100, Footprints for Pilgrims)
Christ's grace is sufficient for us. His strength is made perfect in weakness, and God is faithful not to suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, so that we have no excuse when we fail.
The Holy Spirit is ... the operative power of God for producing in man all that is well-pleasing to Him.
"That henceforth we should not serve sin." There is no necessity to have even a single evil thought.
In order to be truly delivered one must learn, and that by experience, that one is captive to the power of sin, and has no power to deliver oneself even when desiring to be free ... "Who shall deliver me ?" is the expression that we cannot do it ourselves: we look around for another. That is what we have to learn -- our utter powerlessness, our dependence upon God.
Life in the flesh is no more our position, because Christ, after having died, has become our life. Sin in the flesh is condemned, and that in the death of Christ on the cross ... Yea for faith, the flesh itself is done away with, since we are dead.
The power of the Spirit is requisite to live before man -- power over and above regeneration, and distinct from spiritual understanding.
The best thing for Christians to do is to serve God so that He may commend them, and then let people say what they like.
I can do all things through Him which strengtheneth me (is) the only true abiding state of the Christian, be he babe or father in Christ; only the thing he may have to do may be different, and his temptations too.
"The word of God is quick (living) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword". Whatever is flesh it cuts down mercilessly, and thank God for it, because it is a hindrance to our blessing ... whatever is not a thought that comes from God, and an intent that goes to God, the word of God judges. There is nothing for the flesh but the sword -- a figure, of course, of that which judges, detects, and condemns it.
Oh! beloved friends, if you will only let the pure word of God abide in your hearts you will find that it will sweep away all the cobwebs of the flesh.
The believer's safeguard, morally ... is a single eye. If I seek only the glory of God, that which presents no other motive than my own aggrandisement, or my own gratification ... will have no hold upon me, and will shew itself in the light of the word, which guides the single eye, as contrary to the mind of God .... If the heart seeks God alone, the most subtle snare is discovered.
All we can do is to walk watchfully, but peacefully, thinking of the interests of the Lord Jesus, and having nothing as to ourselves, nothing to gain and nothing to lose. The path of peace, the place of testimony, is in seeking to please God.
--- J.N.D.
