STRENGTH FOR THE
by
Rev . Stanley Collins
j In n su i T J la n
ing out, bit by bit, whether we like it or not. Yet, though the outward man perishes, the inward man is be ing renewed. This is all done accord ing to the riches of God’s grace and glory. This we find in great abun dance. It is one thing to give out of one’s abundance but far more won derful to give out of His grace. As is the case with our Lord, we are to give according to His riches in glory. This is also shown us in Philippians 4:19. To dwell means that our h e a r ts become Christ’s abiding place. Some of you have cottages in the mountains, ca bins by the lake, houses down at the sea. You visit there, as vacation places. It is not where you dwell but where you visit. Christ desires not just to visit, but actually to dwell in us as His permanent abode. This means that Christ may be at home in your heart by faith, and you in turn are rooted and grounded in His love. Look at the dimensions of love: so long, so high, so deep, so wide. It cannot be measured, but that cer tainly doesn’t keep us'from enjoying the experience of it. We rest in the wonder of it all. This love certainly passes all human knowledge. What a matchless prayer not only for the church at Ephesus, but also for our own hearts. Oh, that we might be this kind of person, knowing in our hearts and lives, through the Spirit, the wonderful love of Christ! May it be so for His name’s sake.
I T is wonderful to study the im portant prayers we find in the Bi ble. Such is the case of one by Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Fa ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ac cording to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church of Christ throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” How great a love did the Lord place in Paul’s heart for all people! He want ed these believers to be strengthened with might by God’s Spirit in the inner man. When one is born of God, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell with in the heart. There is a witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. The One who inspired the Word of God, becomes your Teacher. He is also your Comforter. This doesn’t mean that His ministry is to save us from every problem that may come along. The meaning of Comforter is that He will feed strength into us. Where do you need to be strong? The real need is inside; we must be strong in faith. You can’t get this at the supermarket, or buy it from some gymnastic course. All of us are get ting older on the outside. We’re wear
Nothing has caused the world so much trouble as too much intelligence and too little wisdom.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs