Heavenly Springs

Holding Fast The Doctrines of Grace

Yes, you are unworthy!

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I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.

—Luke 7:7

You are much more sinful than you think you are, much more unworthy than you know yourself to be. Instead of attempting a soothing of your dark thoughts, I pray you believe that yours is a hopeless case apart from Christ. This disease is not skin deep. It lies in the source and fountain of your life and poisons your heart. The flames of hell must wrap themselves about you certainly unless Christ interposes to save you. You have not nor will you ever have merit of any sort. And more, you have no power to escape from your lost condition unaided by the Savior’s hand. No words can exaggerate your deplorable condition, and no feelings can ever represent your real state in colors too alarming. You are not worthy that Christ should come to you. You are not worthy to draw near to Christ.

But—and here is a glorious contrast—never let this for a single moment interfere with your full belief that he who is God but who took our nature, who suffered in our stead on the cross, who now rules in heaven is able and willing to do for you immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine. Your inability does not prevent the working of his power. Your unworthiness cannot put fetters to his bounty or limits to his grace. You may be an ill-deserving sinner, but that is no reason why he should not pardon you. Jesus Christ is able and willing to save those who come to God through him. Your emptiness does not affect his fullness. Your weakness does not alter his power. Your inability does not diminish his omnipotence. Your undeserving does not restrain his love.

Your troubled hearts, your sense of your unworthiness should drive you to Christ. You are unworthy, but “Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). He gave himself for our—what? Excellences and virtues? No, he “gave himself for our sins” (Gal. 1:4), according to the Scriptures. We read that he “died for sins … the righteous for the”—righteous? No, “the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18), to bring us to God. Gospel pharmacy is for the sick; gospel bread is for the hungry; gospel fountains are open to the unclean; gospel water is given to the thirsty. Let your huge and painful wants impel you to fly to Jesus. Let the vast cravings of your insatiable spirit compel you to go to him. Your unworthiness should act as a wing to bear you to Christ, the sinner’s Savior.

—C. H. Spurgeon

 Diana Wallis, Take Heart: Daily Devotions with the Church’s Great Preachers (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2001), 47.

Margaret Clarkson on Human Weakness and the Power of God

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“God teaches His children that human strength offers less security than spiritual strength, for the weakness of God is stronger than men’s strength, and His strength is perfected in our weakness. No man will prevail by mortal strength, He tells us, but we are able to do all things through the strengthening of Christ. The race is not won by the swift, not the battle by the strong, but by the power of God those who stumble are girded with strength. Mighty men are no delivered by much strength, but Scriptural story abounds with the exploits of those “who through faith . . . out of weakness were made strong.” Since God is the God of our strength, why should even the weakest of saints go mourning because of the oppression of his soul? (1 Corinthians 1:25; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Samuel 2:9; Philippians 4:13; Ecclesiastes 9:11; 1 Samuel 2:4; Psalms 33:16; Hebrews 11:33-34; Psalms 43:2)”

“Paul tells us one reason why God allows the pressures of weakness to bear down on us. “We were pressed out of measure, above strength,” he writes, “. . . that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God.” As long as we have one ounce of our own strength in which to trust, our human hearts will place our confidence there, even through we sometimes do it unconsciously; but God wants us to prove Him, to be strengthened with all might by His Spirit according to His glorious power. When we truly realize it is God who has girded us for the battles of life, we are able to cry exultantly, “O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength!” for we know that in Him we have not only strength for our needs, but strength to spare. And it is so that His people may glorify Him in learning these truths and living triumphantly by His power that sometimes takes our human strength away.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9; Colossians 1:11; Ephesians 3:16; 2 Samuel 22:40; Judges 5:21). ” 

My God Shall Be My Strength
Isaiah 49:5

My God shall be my strength
Throughout my pilgrim way;
My sure defence, my guard, my guide
 My shield and stay; 
Secure in Him my heart is strong
And lifts aloft faith's triumph-song.

My God shall be my strength
Though fierce may be the foe; 
No hosts of hell my trusting soul
Shall overthrow:
Through Christ I conquer: by His power
I triumph in the evil hour.

My God shall be my strength
Though flesh and heart may fail; 
O'er want and weakness by His might
I shall prevail. 
In Christ I triumph over pain
And rise to face the foe again. 

My God shall be my strength
In sorrow's bitter hour; 
In loneliness and loss I plead
His sovereign power.
No harm can pass His perfect will,
And in His love my heart is still. 

My God shall be my strength
When death shall press his claim,
When languishing in weakness lies
This mortal frame:
Through Christ triumphant I shall rise
To sing His grace in Paradise.

Source: Margaret Clarkson, Grace Grows Best in Winter, Grand Rapids Michigan, WM B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1984. (pages 166; 170-171)

Just Like Yahweh

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This from Dale Ralph Davis’s Commentary on 1 Samuel 2 where we find Hanna’s prayer:

“When John Calvin had suffered the death of his wife Idelette, he wrote his friend William Farel: “May the Lord Jesus … support me … under this heavy affliction, which would certainly have overcome me, had not He, who raises up the prostrate, strengthens the weak, and refreshes the weary, stretched forth His hand from heaven to me.” Calvin was saying he would surely have been crushed but he knew a Lord who raises up the prostrate, strengthens the weak, and refreshes the weary—and that Lord had again acted in character in Calvin’s grief. That is what Hannah is saying here. I was ready to fall and Yahweh gave me strength; I was barren and he made me fruitful; I was poor and he made me rich. But that is not really surprising, for that is just the way Yahweh is (vv. 4–8)!“

Dale Ralph Davis, 1 Samuel: Looking on the Heart, 1998, Christian Focus Publications, Geanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire, IV20 1TW, Scotland, Logos Version.

With God, Nothing Shall be Impossible!

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“And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.  And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:34-38)

“Questions and doubts will often arise in men’s minds about many subjects in religion. They are the natural result of our fallen estate of soul. Our faith at the best, is very feeble. Our knowledge at its highest, is clouded with much infirmity. And among many antidotes to a doubting, anxious, questioning state of mind — few will be found more useful than that before us now — a thorough conviction of the almighty power of God. With Him who called the world into being and formed it out of nothing — everything is possible. Nothing is too hard for the Lord!

There is no sin too black and too wicked to be pardoned — the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. There is no heart too hard and wicked to be changed — the heart of stone can be made into a heart of flesh. There is no work too hard for a believer to do — we can do all things through Christ strengthening us. There is no trial too hard to be borne — the grace of God is sufficient for us. There is no promise too great to be fulfilled — Christ’s words never pass away — and what He has promised, He is able to perform. There is no difficulty too great for a believer to overcome — if God is for us, then who can be against us? The mountain shall become a plain.

Let principles like these be continually before our minds. The angel’s reply is an invaluable remedy. Faith never rests so calmly and peacefully — as when it lays its head on the pillow of God’s omnipotence!“

JC Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke