Christian Life

Come to the Same Holy Determination

Sherry Christian Life 4 Comments

Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

“I have been praying ever so long, and I have received no cheering reply.” Well, if thou believest in Jesus, thou shalt have a good reply before long. If thou canst but hold on to Christ, determined to plead with Him till He answers thee, He will answer thee kindly ere long. But keep on believing that He can and will give thee what thou needest, and thou shalt not be disappointed. “Oh,” says one, ” you do not know who I am! I am an outcast.” So was the woman. She was a Canaanitish woman, yet she obtained a blessing from Christ; and thou shalt get one, too, if thou dost follow her in her faith. “Oh, but I do not think that I am fit!” Did Christ ever say to you that you were a dog? He did as good as tell this woman that; yet she held on to Him by faith, and prevailed. “Oh, but I have prayed in vain for such a long time!: So did she. She prayed, and for a while, she received no answer. “Oh, but I feel worse after I have prayed!” So did she; for instead of getting a comfortable answer, she heard Christ say, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” You cannot be in a worse plight than she was. “But the devil troubles me,” you add. The devil also troubled her. She pleaded about her daughter, who was possessed with a devil; and she kept on pleading and believing. She meant to have Christ. I exhort you to come to the same holy determination. Oh, that Almighty grace might help you so to do; for in so doing you will surely get an answer of peace! You will get a comfortable answer before very long, probably much earlier than you have reckoned upon.

Remember that Christ delays in order to increase your faith. Your faith will grow by exercise: therefore He tests it that you may use it, and that thus it may become stronger.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

Why Does Christ Think So Much of Faith?

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation Leave a comment

When Jesus saw their faith… – Mark 2:5

Why does Christ think so much of faith?

One reason is, because faith glorifies Him. He thinks much of it, because it thinks so much of Him. Faith believes Him, faith trusts Him, faith lives upon Him…Therefore, because faith highly esteems Christ, Christ highly esteems faith.

Next, He loves faith because it is God’s appointed way in which we are to receive blessings. God might have appointed ordinances as the vehicle of grace; but, instead thereof, He has made faith to be the medium of salvation. If thou believest, thou shalt be saved…Since God has put faith into so eminent a place, our Lord Jesus Christ loves to see it; He takes delight in that which pleases His Father.

Another reason why He loves it is, because faith is the signal which permits the train of mercy to come to us. Whenever unbelief holds up its arms, the train of almighty grace stands still. Of a certain place it is said, “He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” Their doubt blocked the way. But when faith lowers the signal, the great Driver of heaven’s express says, “That road is clear,” and He delights to see it, and drives right ahead…He is glad to come wherever He can bring a blessing, and He rejoices when faith reveals to Him a clear road. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

Bringing Joy to Christ’s Heart

Sherry Christian Life Leave a comment

And she said, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. – Matthew 15:28

When a great sinner says, “I believe that He is a Saviour great enough to save me;” it brings joy to the heart of Christ. When an old sinner says, “I believe that His precious blood can take away the sin of seventy or eighty years;” the Lord’s heart is gladdened. Christ loves a great faith. He deserves great faith, and when He gets it, He is highly pleased. “O woman,” said He, “great is thy faith!”

He is so delighted with faith, that He passes by other things for it. If that woman’s ears had been hung with rings, and her neck had been decked with pearls, and her hands had been covered with diamonds, He would not have cared about her ornaments and her beauty. He sees something that He prizes more than any of these things; therefore He says to her, “O woman, great is thy faith!” He is charmed with that choice decoration of her heart. By that treasure “The king is held in his galleries.” Christ may say of faith, “Thou hast ravished My heart with one of thy eyes.” When we can but look straight to Christ, and trust in Him, He is charmed and carried away by our faith. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

Our Faith Delights Christ

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises 4 Comments

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to them that followed, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” – Matthew 8:10

“O woman, great is thy faith…” – Matthew 15:28

Faith is exceedingly delightful to Christ. What He said to this woman began with an exclamation, as if He were struck with something in her that delighted Him. He said, “O woman, great is thy faith!” Notice that He spoke of her faith, and of that alone. He knew about her love; He knew about her earnestness; He knew about her humility; but He said nothing at all about them; His one word of commendation was for her faith. “O woman, great is thy faith!” That is what my Lord is looking for now. He comes round and looks at you to see whether you have faith in Him…He will see it, and He will accept it. If thou hast only now begun to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and to trust Him, though thy faith be feeble as a babe that cannot stand, but can only cling to its mother’s breast, Jesus will see the beginnings of it. He is the “Author” as well as “the Finisher” of our faith. Be thou comforted, then, concerning that tiny trust thou hast in Him. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

 

Let Faith Enable You

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation 4 Comments

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. – Romans 3:28

We want faith to have some works, some prayers, something or other of our own to help it. It is as if somebody were to try and help me to walk by giving me a big chair to carry. I should not walk so well with the burden, as without it. Have you ever heard this parable concerning faith? She had to cross a stream, and the current was strong, and there came one to her who said, “Faith, I will help thee! Come with me up the river till we can find a place where we can ford it.” Faith said, “No; I was bidden to cross the river here.” So another came, and said, “I will build a bridge for you, that you may go over the river with ease;” and he laid hold of a few stones, but not much ever came of it. Yet another said, “I will go and find a boat.” But there were no boats about; therefore they asked Faith to wait till they build a boat for her. What did she do? She took off her vestments, and plunged into the water. “Thanks be to God,” said she, “I can swim;” and so she swam across, and reached the other side without a boat, without a bridge, and without a ford. That is what I should like to see every sinner here do-begin to swim. Do not wait for help. Cast yourself into the stream of everlasting love. Believe in Christ Jesus, and have no more confidence in the flesh, with its bridges and boats. Commit thyself to the stream of eternal grace, and swim across. Faith can enable you to do it. Nothing else can. Take that lesson home to yourselves, you who are seeking the Saviour at this time.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

Faith Enlightens, Enlivens and Strengthens

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises Leave a comment

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” – Matthew 6:30

It is written of some of old that “They looked unto Him, and were lightened.” Faith sheds a light upon many things, and lets us see that even if Christ has a frown on His face, He has love in His heart. Faith looks right into the heart of Christ, and helps us to perceive that He cannot mean anything but mercy to a seeking soul. Faith also enlivens, and when the heart begins to faint, faith brings its smelling bottle, and revives it. David said, “I had fainted, unless I had believed.” Believing is the cure for fainting, and you must do one of two things, either believe or faint. Faith is thus a great help to one who is seeking Christ, because it both enlightens and enlivens the soul. Faith also strengthens. It makes the lame take the prey. Beloved, it is because faith thus enlightens and enlivens and strengthens, that it is the grace most useful to a soul that is seeking to lay hold upon Christ, and yet cannot get a comfortable look at His blessed face.

Moreover, faith lays hold on Christ. It is like the Greek Antisthenes, who went to a philosopher to learn; but he was a dull scholar, and the philosopher bade him go away. The next time the class met, Antisthenes returned, and the philosopher thereupon sent for a man with a club to drive the stupid scholar away; but he was overcome by his scholar; for Antisthenes said, “There is no club that was ever made that is heavy enough to drive me away from you. Here I mean to stay, and learn whatever you can teach me.” Oh, may we have a faith like that, a faith that will say to Christ, “I will not go away from Thee. I can but perish if I stay with Thee, and if I go from Thee, I must perish; therefore I will abide with Thee evermore, and learn all Thou wilt teach me”! …Cling to Christ, and say to Him with that holy boldness that is the result of faith, “I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me.” Faith, then, holds on to Christ. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm

Faith is the Great Holdfast

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises 3 Comments

“O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt”…-Matthew 15:28

…and when He saw her, He said, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” …”According to your faith be it unto you.” – Matthew 9:22, 29

We may be quite sure that the one thing specially noteworthy in this woman’s case was her faith, first, because we have Christ’s word for it. He said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith!” He did not say, “Great is thy love to thy child;” nor, “Great is thy earnestness;” nor, “Great is thy importunity;” but he put his finger on the power that had urged her forward, and he said, “O woman, great is thy faith!” And not in this case alone did Christ trace the blessing to faith, but in nearly every instance where a suppliant obtained favour from Him, faith was the medium of securing the mercy. Faith is mightier than all other available forces.

Besides this, we know that faith supports the other graces. If other graces can help a soul to plead with Christ, they all owe their power to faith. If it had not been for the faith which she had to support it, parental love would not have helped this woman much. If it had not been for faith, she would not have been earnest and importunate. Faith hangs on to Christ in the dark, it holds to a silent Christ, it holds to a refusing Christ, it holds to a rebuking Christ, and it will not let Him go. Faith is the great holdfast that hooks a soul on to the Saviour. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2253.cfm