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Counsels for the Church
When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a
sin-pardoning Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.
We look to self, as though we had power to save ourselves; but
Jesus died for us because we are helpless to do this. In Him is our
hope, our justification, our righteousness. We should not despond
and fear that we have no Saviour or that He has no thoughts of mercy
toward us. At 48 this very time He is carrying on His work in our
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behalf, inviting us to come to Him in our helplessness and be saved.
We dishonor Him by our unbelief. It is astonishing how we treat our
very best Friend, how little confidence we repose in Him who is able
to save to the uttermost and who has given us every evidence of His
great love.
My brethren, are you expecting that your merit will recommend
you to the favor of God, thinking that you must be free from sin
before you trust His power to save? If this is the struggle going on in
your mind, I fear you will gain no strength and will finally become
discouraged.
In the wilderness, when the Lord permitted poisonous serpents to
sting the rebellious Israelites, Moses was directed to lift up a brazen
serpent and bid all the wounded look to it and live. But many saw no
help in this Heaven-appointed remedy. The dead and dying were all
around them, and they knew without divine help their fate was certain;
but they would lament their wounds, their pains, their sure death, until
their strength was gone, and their eyes were glazed, when they might
have had instant healing.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,” even so was
“the Son of man lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life.”
John 3:14, 15
. If you are conscious of
your sins, do not devote all your powers to mourning over them, but
look and live. Jesus is our only Saviour; and although millions who
need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts
in His merits will be left to perish. While we realize our helpless
condition without Christ, we must not be discouraged; we must rely
upon a crucified and risen Saviour. Poor, sin-sick, discouraged soul,
look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come
unto Him.
Come to Jesus, and receive rest and peace. You may have the
blessing even now. Satan suggests that you are helpless and cannot