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His Exceeding Great Power

All glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

Any power that can survive what we sometimes have to go through in the realm of our own souls is a very great power indeed; and, believe me, this power that works in the Church is going to survive allthe accumulated sensations of all the members of theBody of Christ.

Now, bring all your misery together, bring all yourdespair together, all your sensations, all the helplessnessof the outlook, and, if you are a child of God, there is apower that works within which is more than sufficientto meet and counter and triumph over all that. That is themeans by which God reaches His end in us, and if Hisend in us is conformity to the image of His Son, then thepower that worketh in us is more than enough to meetand overcome all that which is contrary to His Son in us.Do you believe that? Not always! If we reallybelieved that in a thoroughgoing way we should never befound occupied with ourselves, we should never bedepressed because of our imperfection, there would beno room for any question as to our standing. Oh, if wedid but believe this, what triumphant people we shouldbe; for is it not true that the greater proportion of ourtrouble, of our despair, of our unhappiness, is due to theconsciousness of our own imperfection all that we arethat we would not be and should not be, and all that weare not that we feel we ought to be. His eternal purposeand His exceeding great power are linked together. Donot forget that. We are the object of both, and Hisexceeding great power is at work within us to effect thepurpose.

The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. § [Jesus is] the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person. § The god of this age has blinded [their minds], who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You. § Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. § Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.

The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.

Num. 6:25,26;  John 1:18;  Heb. 1:3;  2 Cor. 4:4;  Ps. 31:16,17;   Ps. 30:7;   Ps. 89:15;   Ps. 29:11;  Matt. 14:27

Things that are pleasing in His sight.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him. § Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. § The Lord takes pleasure in His people. This is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully … But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. § The … beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit … is very precious in the sight of God.

Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God. § I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.

I beseech you … brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

1 John 3:22;  Heb. 11:6;  Rom. 8:8;  Ps. 149:4;  1 Peter 2:19,20;  1 Peter 3:4;  Ps. 50:23;   Ps. 69:30,31;  Rom. 12:1

Not Pruning, But Death

For the death which He died He became, once for all, dead in relation to sin; but by the life which He now lives He is alive in relation to God" (Rom. 6:10, Wey.).

When we seek to suppress self in one area, it will express itself in another. If we attempt to prune the branches of the old life, we find that its root has thereby been strengthened. The one answer to this enemy, both God's and ours, is the daily crucifixion of the Cross.

"Romans Six is one of the most blessed portions of the New Testament, teaching us that our old man,' our old nature that is in us, was actually crucified with Him, so that now we need no longer be in bondage to sin. But remember it is only as the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death a reality within us, that we shall know, not by force of argument or conviction, but in the reality of the power of an endless life, that we are in very deed dead to sin." -A.M.

"Not by a stringent cutting off' of exterior things, nor by seeking a mental apprehension of death with Christ' in the conscious life, but by a simple reckoning upon His death as yours - shall you experience in the inner depths of your life, servant of God, the divine spiritual reality that Christ in you' is in truth your very life, displacing the old life of nature and continually making to die' its inclinations and habits"

"In the same way you also must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin, but as alive in relation to God, because you are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11, Wey.).

God, My Hope (Study In God - All I Need-27)

The New Life