weary in prayer when really this should be our first resource. We quit when the going gets rough and the harvest is so near. There are two major sources of pressure which continually tempt us to faint (II Corinthians 4:3-6). First is the activity of Satan blind ing the minds of men. In our en thusiasm and confidence we find others could not care less. We for get that they are dead in trespasses and sins. They cannot make a re sponse unless the Spirit of God moves upon them. We have to learn how to combat the devil. The Bible is full of help to show us the way of victory. The other source of temptation is the weakness of our own exis tence. Our bodies are frail and we suffer temperamental and physical limitations. There are so many ten sions today which cause us to be torn inwardly. Yet, we can be more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. We have problems on every side. Troubles seem to come in bunches. Yet, the inner life of Christ's resources need not leave us in despair. We are per plexed and pushed to our extremes but not to the point of giving up. We can often be "knocked down" but as Phillips put it"never knocked out." The Bible has an answer for all this. We must find our resources through communion with the Sav iour, drinking deeply of His Spirit. When you are seeking to be pa tient in your prayers for loved ones, for children who have not responded, for friends for whom you have such concern and they have not yet shown any interest, you need an answer. What are your resources? All of this comes by
"pureness, by knowledge, by long- suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteous ness" (II Corinthians 6:6,7). As the Holy Spirit ministers these resources in such difficult circum stances of life, we may experience some contradictions which are listed in vrs. 8 to 10. By some we are honored, and by others we are dishonored. Some speak well of us and others speak evil. Some will say that we are propagating lies and yet we know that we are tell ing the truth. We may be poor when it comes to material things, but we are rich in spirit. By finding our resources in the spiritual we can live with the variables of life. Living in the world community necessarily involves us in tension. We cannot expect the Christian life to be "a bed of roses." It is a ruggedly, real and soldierly kind of living that requires discipline, patience, development and the reg imen that will keep us turning to God. We must learn to make the proper use of circumstances, tri umphing over them by fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Take courage, my friend! Find your resources in the love of Christ. Labor in the Lord is never in vain. We must not faint. Hold on and hold out to the very end, for we shall see the fruit of our labors when Jesus comes. One glimpse of His dear face will all the sorrows of life erase, and it will be worth it all, when we see Him. Life is Total Commitment The most wonderful of all life's relationships is to be a member of the family of God. When we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, we are Page 45
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