![]() ![]() The Christian must not only stand firmly like a rock he must put forth active power like a Samson. Christ gives strength for work as well as strength for endurance. It is in regard to this requirement that the apostle more immediately records this assurance of sufficiency of strength.Ģ. Troubles, temptations, and changing circumstances of life must be borne with contentment. Paul writes of "all things," as though there were many things to be done in the power of Christ.ġ. THERE ARE GREAT CLAIMS ON CHRISTIAN STRENGTH. Faith can move mountains, not by reason of its own inherent virtue, but because it invokes the omnipotence of God, as the engineer starts the train when he turns on the steam. Still, faith is the channel of communication. The energy is not in our faith, but in Christ. We are able to receive Christ's energy just in proportion as we trust him, as they who were cured by him had. There is a positive outflow of God's might into a soul that is united to Christ.Ģ. The language of the apostle points to a real supply of strength, not a mere sense of courage, etc. Christ strengthens with an inspiration of Divine energy. It is union with Christ that supplies Christ's strength made perfect in our weakness.ġ. By himself the Christian is as weak as any one else. We are made strong in Christ, not in ourselves. CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN STRENGTH. No one can plead his feebleness as an excuse for falling when he might have been strong in the energy of God. Moreover, if strength is possible to the Christian, weakness is culpable. He who protects the feeble fledglings in their warm nest also braces the strong branches of the oak to wrestle with the gale. ![]() God does not simply hide his child in the cleft of a rock while the storm passes he also inspires him with might wherewith to face and brave and conquer the storm even out in the open. For those trials he is not merely protected by Divine armor he is also girded by Divine strength. He is not simply pardoned the failures of past weakness he is prepared to be more successful in future trials. ![]() "My soul will make her boast in the Lord" - this the humblest may say. There is a legitimate boasting in Christ which is quite different from the boasting of the braggart in his own resources. So long as our ground of confidence is not in ourselves, but in Christ, it is no mark of humility, but rather a sign of unbelief and ingratitude, for one to make little of it. Adeney The language of faith resembles in form the language of boastful presumption. The Tendency of Christian Principles to Produce True Contentment Paul Thanks the Philippians for Their Contribution ![]()
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