YOU
THEREFORE MY SON: Su oun teknon mou: (2
Ti
1:2;
1Ti 1:2,
18
Php 2:22)
You (4771)
(su)
is emphatic (placed first in the Greek sentence) clearly bringing out
that Paul is making a direct appeal to Timothy. But like a good
spiritual father
Paul speaking from his "longing" heart (see note
2 Timothy 1:4)
adds the tender affirmation my
son (teknon)
for he knows that to truly motivate others, one must express genuine and
unqualified concern for their full spiritual blessing and let them know
that they are loved without reservation.
How are you motivating your
children in the Lord...with legalism or love?
Son (5043)
(teknon) (Click
discussion of my beloved son in 2 Ti 1:2) refers to a child as viewed in relation to his parents
or family and takes on special theological significance
when the Bible calls believers the children of God. not
because of our "childlikeness" but to affirm the fact that we are
members of God's family and thus heirs (see note
Romans 8:17) to the "family fortune".
In a similar sense Timothy having been "bequeathed" the "family"
treasure of the gospel was to guard it with his life. New Testament
disciples are called children of their teachers, because the latter by
their instruction nourish the minds of their pupils and mold their
characters so that they take on "family characteristics".
Hiebert comments that...
the tender address "my child"
reminds him that what is now to be urged upon him comes from the tender,
yearning heart of his spiritual father. (2 Timothy by D. Edmond
Hiebert).
Therefore
(3767) (oun) refers to what has gone before and introduces a
logical result or inference from the preceding discourse. With that in
mind what had Paul just related that dictated that Timothy needed to be strong in grace in
Christ? Although chapter breaks tend to "disrupt" the flow of thought in
a letter, if one observes the nearest context it is obvious that Paul had just
given Timothy the reminder of the spiritual defection stating "that
all who are in Asia turned away"
which would surely have been disheartening to his young disciple (see
note
2 Timothy 1:15). But Paul had also contrasted
the sad defection with the noble example of Onesiphorus. In addition, in a more
general context Paul had made it very clear throughout chapter 1 that carrying
the treasure of the gospel would bring suffering. So Paul
begins this exhortational-instructional portion of the letter by
emphasizing the need for personal "extrinsic" empowerment for ministry. Paul is not
appealing to Timothy to "pull himself up by his bootstraps" so to speak
or to "get a grip" on his emotions and courage in his own strength
(see below).
Paul uses multiple pictures in this chapter to illustrate various facets
of the Christian life and each one is worthy of mediation:
Son (2
Timothy 2:1)
Teacher (2
Timothy 2:2)
Soldier (2
Timothy 2:3;
2:4)
Athlete (2
Timothy 2:5)
Farmer (2
Timothy 2:6)
Prisoner (2
Timothy 2:9
2:10)
Workman (2
Timothy 2:15)
Vessel
(2
Timothy 2:21)
Bondservant (2
Timothy 2:24)
BE STRONG
IN
(BY MEANS OF) THE GRACE THAT
IS IN CHRIST JESUS: endunamou (2SPPM) en te chariti te en Christo Iesou:
(1:7;
Josh 1:7;
Hag 2:4;
1Co 16:13;
2Pe 3:18)
(See Torrey's
Topic "Grace")
be strong through
the grace that is ours in union with Christ Jesus (TEV)
be clothed with inward strength (Wuest)
find your strength in the grace which is in Christ Jesus (Barclay)
you must let Him make you strong (CEV )
be strong with the special favor God gives you in Christ Jesus (NLT)
be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that
is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus" (AMP)
Be strong
(1743)
(endunamoo from en = in + dunamóo =
strengthen) Dunamóo is derived from dúnamis
which means to be able or to have power (Click
for in depth word study of
dunamis).
Dúnamis refers to inherent strength
residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. The best spiritual example
is the "gospel" which is the inherent, omnipotent power of God operating
in the salvation of a lost soul that accepts it.
Dúnamis (Click
for study of
dunamis)
means power in the sense of that which overcomes resistance or
effects a change.
Dúnamis is used in the NT to speak of
miracles or supernatural acts which have in them the inherent power
of God or in which one sees His supernatural power exerted in their
performance.
Endunamoo is used 7
times in the NT in the NASB (Acts;
Ro;
Eph;
Phil;
1Ti;
2x 2 Ti)
and is translated as: grew strong, 1; increasing in strength, 1;
strengthened, 2; strengthens, 1; strong, 2.
Endunamoo in simple terms
means to put power in (like a car needs gas for power)
and so to make strong, vigorous, to strengthen, or to be strengthened,
enabled or empowered inwardly. This word is found only in biblical and
ecclesiastical Greek. The idea is to cause one to be able to function or
do something. It can refer to physical strengthening as in (Heb 11:34)
but more often endunamoo refers to
spiritual or moral strengthening as in the case of
Abraham who "with
respect to the (humanly speaking impossible) promise of God
(of the birth of Isaac in his old age by Sarah), he did not waver
(was not divided, did not vacillate between two opinions - belief and
unbelief - implies mental struggle) in unbelief, but grew strong
(endunamoo - was endued with strength or empowered) in
faith (Godly faith is not full understanding but full trust),
giving glory to God (see note
Romans 4:20) Isaac was the result of a biological miracle performed
by God in answer to Abraham’s faith. Godly faith glorifies God;
the One Who gives faith receives all the credit.
Paul is not appealing to Timothy
to summon up and assert his own strength. He is not asking him to "be
strong" but "be strengthened," to be made strong.
He is to let the Lord fill him
with strength. Paul does
not use the active but the passive voice -- he is not telling Timothy to be strong in his own strength (that
would be active voice indicating the subject performs the action of strength
"training" so to speak). The passive voice indicates that
the source of strengthening comes from without or from a
source independent of the subject.
Wuest tries to picture the idea
translating it "be clothed with inward strength". Paul is saying be strengthened
or be made strong.
Do you
see the important distinction brought out by the passive voice?
THINK ABOUT YOUR
CAR...YOU DRIVE UP TO THE GAS STATION WHEN YOU ARE LOW ON FUEL....YOU
PUT THE GAS IN YOUR CAR...YOUR CAR'S ENGINE IS "STRENGTHENED" BY POWER
FROM A SOURCE THAT IS OUTSIDE THE CAR.
Paul
issues this important directive as a command (imperative
mood) to be carried out continually (present tense).
Timothy is to be like a "vessel" and to allow the Lord to fill him with
His power and strength. Remember that God is opposed to the proud but
gives grace to the humble and that when we are weak (our strength), then
and only then are we strong (His strength)! So even though endunamoo is passive voice, this
experience of being made strong still involves "co-operation" of the one
being strengthened. The believer is not just a passive recipient of this
strength; he must actively, continually appropriate the source of
strength lying in God's grace in Christ Jesus. It is not simply "Let go and let God." The believer is not simply a passive recipient of
Christ's strength, but must willingly receive, continually rely and depend on the Source of
strength in God's "grace
which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity"
(see note
2 Timothy 1:9).
Remember that Paul has already
told Timothy that God has...given you a spirit of...power.
(see note
2 Timothy 1:77)
and yet here we see that Timothy and you and I are to believe and
receive the power that is already ours because of the promise of God. In
other words Timothy doesn't so much need to pray for power but he needs
to learn to rely and totally depend on the power that is available to
him in Christ, Whose Spirit indwells him and Who is the source of that
power which all based on grace. Does this make sense? If not see (note
2 Timothy 2:8) where God says if we consider what Paul writes, He will
give us understanding into these deeper and yet vital truths!
The idea is similar Paul's charge
to the saints at Ephesus in preparation for the rigors of spiritual
warfare to be (passive voice) strong (endunamoo - present
tense = continually be strengthened) in the Lord...(why?)
for our struggle
is not against flesh and blood... (see sermon
Ephesians 6:10,12).
Luke uses this same verb in
describing Paul's conversion writing that
Saul kept increasing in
strength (endunamoo - passive voice = was being
empowered - progressive increase in strength as Jewish opposition
grew) and confounding (this word in English implies
temporary mental paralysis caused by astonishment or profound abasement) the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving ("knitting together" -
continually putting together in his mind the OT clues and concluding
Jesus was the Messiah) that this Jesus is the Christ. (Acts
9:22)
In his first letter to Timothy
Paul (probably alluding to his empowerment in Acts) thanked
Christ Jesus our Lord, Who" had "strengthened (endunamoo)" him,
because He considered (him) faithful, putting (him) into
service. (1Ti 1:12)
God’s sovereign purpose for Paul and for all believers works through
personal faith. Until Paul was turned by the Holy Spirit from
self-righteous works to faith alone in Christ, he could not be
empowered and used by God.
In his last words to Timothy, Paul
illustrated his personal example of being strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus writing that in the face of everyone deserting him (as
might happen to Timothy or any disciple who retains the standard of
sound words),
"the
Lord stood with me (fulfilling His promise never to “leave or
forsake” His children) and strengthened (endunamoo) me, in order that through
me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the
Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth."
(see note
2 Timothy 4:17)
Paul is saying to Timothy in essence that "in your weakness He will be your strength". It
is worth noting that endunamoo is used in (Acts
9:22) at the beginning of Paul's public ministry, where we
noted above that he "kept increasing in strength" and then is
used here in 2 Timothy 4:17 which marks the end of his public ministry—a
poignant picture of this Paul's continual dependence upon the sustaining
strength of the Lord!
Paul reminds the saints at Philippi
that he had learned the secret of contentment (see note
Philippians 4:11-12)
"I can
do all things through Him Who strengthens (endunamoo -
continually strengthens)" him
(see note
Philippians 4:13).
The Amplified Version translates
this verse in Philippians...
I am ready for anything and equal to
anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am
self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.
John MacArthur notes
commenting on this passage in Philippians adds
that Paul does not...
mean that he could physically survive
indefinitely without food, water, sleep, or shelter. What he is saying
is that when he reached the limit of his resources and strength, even to
the point of death, he was infused with the strength of Christ.
He could overcome the most dire physical difficulties because of the
inner, spiritual strength God had given him. (MacArthur,
J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press)
Dear reader. Are you
weak today? in distress? insulted? in difficulty? persecuted?. Then
consider imitating Paul and "boast" about it for you are on the pathway of empowerment, for He has
said
"My grace
is sufficient for you, for power
(dunamis) is
perfected in weakness."
To which Paul responded
Most
gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the
power
(dunamis) of
Christ may dwell in me...for when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2Cor 12:9,10)
Let us therefore humbly submit to and thankfully accept (this is very
difficult for me and a lesson I have to continually "re-learn") the circumstances
and/or people God sends
into our life as the vessels He will use to cause us to continually rely
on His grace and His power (dunamis).
|
The
flow of God’s power into the believer’s life
Compared with the issue of physical health
by Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones |
|
Now I suggest that that is analogous to this whole subject of
power in one’s life as a Christian. Health is something that
results from right living. Health cannot be obtained directly or
immediately or in and of itself. There is a sense in which I am
prepared to say that a man should not think of his health as such
at all. Health is the result of right living, and I say exactly
the same thing about this question of power in our Christian
lives.
Or let me use another
illustration. Take this question of preaching. No subject is
discussed more often than power in preaching. “Oh, that I might
have power in preaching,” says the preacher and he goes on his
knees and prays for power. I think that that may be quite wrong.
It certainly is if it is the only thing that the preacher does.
The way to have power is to prepare your message carefully. Study
the Word of God, think it out, analyse it, put it in order, do
your utmost. That is the message God is most likely to bless—the
indirect approach rather than the direct. It is exactly the same
in this matter of power and ability to live the Christian life. In
addition to our prayer for power and ability we must
obey certain primary rules and laws.
I can therefore summarise
the teaching like this. The secret of power is to discover and to
learn from the New Testament what is possible for us in Christ.
What I have to do is to go to Christ. I must spend my time with
Him. I must meditate upon Him, I must get to know Him. That was
Paul’s ambition—“that I might know Him.” I must maintain my
contact and communion with Christ and I must concentrate on
knowing Him.
What else? I must do
exactly what He tells me. I must avoid things that would hamper.
If in the midst of persecution we want to feel as Paul felt, we
must live as Paul lived. I must do what He tells me, both to do
and not to do. I must read the Bible, I must exercise, I must
practise the Christian life, I must live the Christian life in all
its fullness.
--from
Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure: page 298-99, 1965 |
Grace
(5485) (charis)
(Click for in depth word study of
charis)
W E Vine
comments on "grace" as used in this context stating that
It is not here grace
to the guilty but the gracious favor of God in its enabling power
and effect, which is to be found alone in Christ...Only
as we live in the enjoyment of the power of this grace
can we devotedly and faithfully discharge the service committed to us.
There is adequate
grace to meet our every need. (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
) (Bolding added)
In the grace
that is in Christ Jesus indicates that the grace is the inward
source of a believer's strength. Thus in
is probably instrumental and could be translated by means of or in the power of His grace.
Williams paraphrases it
this way
"in the spiritual blessing that comes through union with" Christ Jesus.
The English Version (TEV)
paraphrase is similar and emphasizes the
Source of this grace is
in union with Christ Jesus
Our Source of strength is Christ Jesus,
the Word...full of grace
and truth...of His fulness we have all received and
grace
upon
grace...grace
and truth were realized through
Jesus Christ.
(Jn 1:14,
1:16,
1:17).
All believers need to be mindful of our spiritual resources and
resist the tendency (temptation) to rely on our own strength
or otherwise we will experience discouragement, weariness, and
disillusionment because spiritual warfare is a supernatural battle,
which is hard and which will not stop until we are glorified.
So
in this chapter, Paul is reminding Timothy of the Source of His strength and the
necessity to rely on the Source rather than self, a message frequently
recorded in Scripture (Joshua 1:6-7,
1:7,
1Chr 22:13,
1Cor 16:13, see sermon
Ephesians 6:10).
Spurgeon comments on "grace...in
Christ" --
Christ
has grace
without measure in Himself, but He hath not retained it for Himself. As
the reservoir empties itself into the pipes, so hath Christ emptied out
His grace for His people. "Of His fulness have all we received, and
grace for grace." (Jn 1:16)
He seems only to have in order to dispense to us. He stands like the
fountain, always flowing, but only running in order to supply the empty
pitchers and the thirsty lips which draw nigh unto it. Like a tree, He
bears sweet fruit, not to hang on boughs, but to be gathered by those
who need. Grace,
whether its work be to pardon, to cleanse, to preserve, to strengthen,
to enlighten, to quicken, or to restore, is ever to be had from Him
freely and without price; nor is there one form of the work of grace
which He has not bestowed upon His people. As the blood of the body,
though flowing from the heart, belongs equally to every member, so the
influences of grace are the inheritance of every saint united to the
Lamb; and herein there is a sweet communion between Christ and his
Church, inasmuch as they both receive the same grace. Christ is the head
upon which the oil is first poured; but the same oil runs to the very
skirts of the garments, so that the meanest saint has an unction of the
same costly moisture as that which fell upon the head. This is true
communion when the sap of grace flows from the stem to the branch, and
when it is perceived that the stem itself is sustained by the very
nourishment which feeds the branch. As we day by day receive grace from
Jesus, and more constantly recognize it as coming from Him, we shall
behold Him in communion with us, and enjoy the felicity of communion
with Him. Let us make daily use of our riches, and ever repair to Him as
to our own Lord in covenant, taking from him the supply of all we need
with as much boldness as men take money from their own purse.
(Spurgeon, C H: Morning and Evening) (Bolding added)
J Vernon McGee adds this pithy comment
I love this—be strong in grace. My friend, if you think that you can
grit your teeth and go out and live the Christian life on your own,
you’re in for a great disappointment. If you feel that you can follow a
few little rules or some clever gimmicks to make you a mature Christian,
then you have fallen into a subtle trap of legalism. Paul gives
no rules, and the Word of God has no rules to tell the child of God how
to live the Christian life. We are saved by grace, and now we are to
live by the grace of God and be strong in that grace....When I hear
Christians say, “I don’t do this, and I don’t do that, and I am
following a set of rules,” I immediately recognize that they know very
little about the grace of God. They are trying to live the Christian
life in their own strength. Paul says, “Be strong in the grace that is
in Christ Jesus. (McGee,
J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
(Bolding added)
Grace
permeates this short epistle --
Paul opened with a benediction
for grace
(see note
2 Timothy 1:2)
reminded Timothy that he was saved by
grace
(see note
2 Timothy 1:9) and
closed with his final written words of blessing - "grace
be with you".
(see note
2 Timothy 4:22).
How would Timothy "succeed" in
ministry?
How could he possibly be able to
suffer hardship as a good soldier? Would he succeed because he studied
enough, prayed enough, taught enough, endured enough, etc?
No, there was only one way to
fulfill his ministry. The way he began...by the grace that is in Christ.
This grace is embodied in Christ Jesus Who imparts it to all who are in union with Him, just as the vine imparts
its life and fruitfulness to the branches that are abiding in union with
it, for as Jesus said "apart
for Me
(and His "sap" of empowering grace) you can do nothing"
(Jn 15:5). As believers we exist
in the sphere of grace through our union with Christ. It's the grace of
God that empowers believers.
It's God's grace that would enable Timothy and us to please and serve
God--otherwise we could do nothing of eternal value.
Peter prayed that
grace
and peace be
multiplied" to his readers (who were believers) "in the
knowledge (epignosis = full, complete knowledge) of God and of Jesus
our Lord (See note
2Peter 1:2).
From Peter's prayer for his
readers, one can deduce that the deeper and wider the channel through
which knowledge of the Lord flows, the more grace and
peace will be multiplied, assuming that this "head knowledge"
becomes "heart knowledge", leading to obedience motivated by love not
legalism. The more we study and obey the "gospel of the
grace of God" (Acts
20:24),
the more grace shall we derive from the "Word of His grace" (Acts
14:3).
John Piper
adds that
knowing God is the means by which his grace
and
peace
become large and powerful in our lives. If you want to enjoy God's peace
and be the aroma of his grace
in the world, your
knowledge of
Him has to grow.
Grace is not a
mere deposit. It is a power that leads to godliness
(see notes
Titus 2:11,
Titus 2:12) and eternal life (cf
sermon note
Eph
2:8-9).
And where knowledge of the glory and excellence of God
languishes,
grace
does not flow. The channel from God's infinite reservoir of
grace
into and through our lives is knowledge of God. We do not study
the Scripture for its own sake, but because through it comes the
knowledge of God and through that, grace
and peace are multiplied in your heart..."
But knowledge alone will not open the floodgates of grace. We must obey
what we know. To say it another way:
Because we belong to Christ, we are continually in the sphere of grace
(grace in which we
stand - see note
Romans 5:2).
But to enjoy the sphere of blessing, we must live in the sphere of
obedience. Peter ends his second epistle with a command to "grow
in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
(see note
2 Peter 3:18).
Spurgeon adds that "an increase of love to Jesus and a more perfect
apprehension of His love to us is one of the best tests of growth in
grace. (Bolding added)
In
Faith's Checkbook Spurgeon comments on
the truth that
"The LORD gives grace
and glory" (Ps 84:11):
"Grace
is what we need just now, and it is to be had freely.
What can be freer than a gift? Today we shall receive sustaining,
strengthening, sanctifying, satisfying grace.
He has given daily grace
until now, and as for the future, that
grace is still sufficient. If we
have but little grace
the fault most lie in ourselves; for the LORD is not straitened, neither
is He slow to bestow it in abundance. We may ask for as much as we will
and never fear a refusal. He giveth liberally and upbraideth not. The
LORD may not give gold, but He will give
grace: He may not give gain,
but He will give grace.
He will certainly send us trial, but He will give
grace
in proportion thereto. We may be called to labor and to suffer, but with
the call there will come all the grace
required; What an "end" is that in the text -- "and glory!" We do not
need glory yet, and we are not yet fit for it; but we shall have it in
due order. After we have eaten the bread of
grace,
we shall drink the wine of glory. We must go through the holy, which is
grace, to the holiest of
all, which is glory. These words and glory are enough to make a man
dance for joy. A little while -- a little while, and then glory forever!"
(Bolding added)
The way upward to the throne of grace to receive grace in the nick of
time is downward in our estimation of our abilities and our strength.
Spurgeon (Faith's
Checkbook) commenting on the fact that "God is opposed to
the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Js 4:6,
see note
1 Peter 5:5,
Pr 3:34)
that
Humble
hearts seek grace,
and therefore they get it. Humble
hearts yield to the sweet influences of
grace, and so it is bestowed on
them more and more largely. Humble
hearts lie in the valleys where streams of
grace are flowing, and hence
they drink of them, Humble
hearts are grateful for grace
and give the LORD the glory of it, and hence it is consistent with His
honor to give it to them. Come, dear reader, take a lowly place. Be
little in thine own esteem, that the LORD may make much of thee. Perhaps
the sigh breaks out, "I fear I am not
humble." It may be that this is
the language of true humility.
Some are proud of being humble,
and this is one of the very worst sorts of pride. We are needy,
helpless, undeserving, hell-deserving creatures, and if we are not
humble
we ought to be. Let us humble
ourselves because of our sins against
humility, and then the LORD will
give us to taste of His favor. It is
grace which makes us
humble,
and grace
which finds in this humility
an opportunity for pouring in more grace.
Let us go down that we may rise. Let us be poor in spirit that God may
make us rich. Let us be humble
that we may not need to be humbled but may be exalted by the
grace
of God." Spurgeon adds that "Our
troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will. They
are the black chariots of bright grace."
"Our
LORD will give us grace
to follow the most difficult paths of duty without a stumble. He can fit
our foot for the crags so that we shall be at home where apart from God
we should perish." "It seems
that Jehovah's way is to lower those whom He means to raise and to strip
those whom He intends to clothe. If it is His way, it is the wisest and
best way. If I am now enduring the bringing low, I may well rejoice,
because I see in it the preface to the lifting up. The more we are
humbled by
grace,
the more we shall be exalted in glory. That impoverishment which will be
overruled for our enrichment is to be welcomed.
(Bolding added)
Commenting on "My grace
is sufficient"
(2Cor 12:9,10)
Spurgeon writes
Our weakness should be prized as making room for
divine strength. We might never have known the power of
grace
if we had not felt the weakness of nature. Blessed be the LORD for the
thorn in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan, when they drive us to
the strength of God. This is a precious word from our LORD's own lip. It
has made the writer laugh for joy. God's
grace enough for me! I should
think it is. Is not the sky enough for the bird and the ocean enough for
the fish? The All-Sufficient is sufficient for my largest want. He who
is sufficient for earth and heaven is certainly able to meet the case of
one poor worm like me. Let us, then, fall back upon our God and His
grace.
If He does not remove our grief, He will enable us to bear it. His
strength shall be poured into us till the worm shall thresh the
mountains, and a nothing shall be victor over all the high and mighty
ones. It is better for us to have God's strength than our own; for if we
were a thousand times as strong as we are, it would amount to nothing in
the face of the enemy; and if we could be weaker than we are, which is
scarcely possible, yet we could do all things through Christ.
(Bolding added)
><>><>><>
What Comes Naturally?
- The story is told about an elderly man who retired after many years in
the British Army. One day a man who knew about his long and
distinguished military career decided to play a prank on him. As the old
soldier walked down the street with his arms full of packages, the
jokester sneaked up behind him and shouted, "Attention!" Without
hesitation, the military man dropped his arms to his side, and every
package went tumbling to the sidewalk. Without a conscious thought, the
veteran was doing what comes naturally for a soldier.
Similarly, as believers in Christ, we should respond in a manner that
corresponds with our new life. Our behavior is to be more and more in
line with the example of Jesus' life. We still must deal with sinful
desires, so we need to discipline ourselves to be the kind of person God
wants us to be. Like a soldier or athlete in training (2 Timothy 2:3-5),
we need to practice repeatedly until doing what's right comes naturally.
Through faith in Christ we are children of the heavenly Father. By the
power of the indwelling Spirit, therefore, let us develop the habit of
submitting to God's Word. Then, in every situation of life we will
increasingly find that obeying Him is "doing what comes naturally." —
Richard De Haan (Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Lord, may our lips and lives express
The blessed gospel we profess;
So let our works and virtues shine
And speak of Him who is divine. —Anon.
When we walk with Christ,
we become more like Him.
I love
Annie Johnson Flint's poem on grace
below (click
here for more of her poetry)
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HE GIVETH MORE
GRACE
by Annie Johnson Flint |
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He gives more grace
when the burdens grow greater.
He sends more strength when the labors increase,
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed 'ere the day is half done
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father's full giving is only begun.
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure.
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again. |