“Our sufficiency is of God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5

Let us think of this, whenever we are cast down on account of our weakness, or the difficulties we meet with in our way. We are weak, but Jesus is strong; and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He has given us His word, that He will work in us to will and to do of His own good pleasure. He speaks, and it is done. The word of the Lord knows no obstacles or difficulties; all things must obey Him. When He sent Moses to Pharaoh, He said, “Certainly I will be with thee:” and the Lord’s presence was his strength. He acts just so with us; His fullness is our sufficiency; it is opened to us in Jesus, and we receive from it according to our wants, weakness, and faith. “Through God, ” said David, “I shall do valiantly.” “I can do all things,” said Paul, “through Christ strengthening me.” Look not then at your own emptiness, or weakness; but look at what God is to His people, and what He has promised to give them, and sing, “OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD.” “God is our refuge and strength; and as our days so shall our strength be.” “His grace is sufficient for us; His strength is made perfect in weakness.”–James Smith

When we cannot see our way,
We should trust, and still obey;
He who bids us forward go
Will instruct the way to know.

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves“– Romans 15:1

When was the last time you saw a commercial or advertisement expressing this idea: “you should not try to just please yourself, but should be concerned for the welfare and care of others”?

No, we are usually bombarded with messages that encourage us to get the latest gadget, or enjoy a vacation spot, or purchase a vehicle for ourselves because “you deserve it; you owe it to yourself.”

But Paul tells us, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that the debt you ought to be concerned about is the debt you have to others. God has entrusted you with health, with money, with time, or with resources that others may not have; but these gifts are not meant to pool up in the reservoir of yourself. You have an obligation to God, as a steward of the blessings with which He has entrusted you, to be a conduit, a tributary of blessing to others.

A few verses later Paul tells us why this is so: “For even Christ pleased not himself…” (15:3). That is a big “even”, because Christ (unlike us) had every right to please Himself. And, yet, He was concerned rather to serve and to bear the infirmities and afflictions of the weak with them. We then that are strong, Paul says, ought to be doing the same.

What burdens have you helped bare today? What resources have you shared with others? Don’t seek to please yourself; seek to please the Lord by caring for others.–Baptist Bible Hour

“And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” — Luke 5:20 

So far as we know no one had spoken a word to Jesus about the sick man, but there really was no need for words. The pains at which the friends had been to get this poor sufferer into the presence of Christ told of a very strong faith. The best evidence of faith is the effort we make to obtain faith’s prize.

Abraham proved his faith first of all when he promptly obeyed God’s call and left his own home and country to go out he knew not whither, simply following where God might lead. He proved his faith again when he was bidden to offer his only son as a burnt offering, and without a question or remonstrance obeyed. It was after this that God said, “Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.” There is no need of words or protestations of faith when there are such acts of faith to attest it.

God can see faith. He can see it in the heart where it is exercised, even before there has been any expression of it in word or act; but here the emphasis lies on the fact that he sees it in act. He is pleased when we show our faith by our works. There are many prayers without words, and God sees them when he does not hear them. There is in the Bible at least one instance of God forbidding spoken prayer and commanding action instead. At the edge of the Red Sea he said to Moses, “Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.” So we should learn to put our faith into instant act. There are times when we should stop praying, get up from our knees, and hasten out to duty. Praying for a friend in trouble is well, but it is a cheap and selfish way of showing our love if he has needs that we can supply. Praying for missions is right, but it is no acceptable substitute for giving if we are holding the Lord’s money in our hands. God wants to see our faith.–J R Miller

Here is a question that applies to everyone at some time. Your situation is different than theirs, but regardless of what it is you need to consider who it is that is asking and what He is able to do. The nature of your need has no affect on God’s ability to meet it. We speak of problems as large and small, but they are all small to God. His ability is up to the task regardless of what it is. Having all power He never needs to strain or exert Himself. He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). So–“Why are ye troubled?“. Of this matter, James Smith wrote: