THERE IS A CERTAIN WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.
WE ARE TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE POWER OF SIN . . .
WE ARE TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS . . .
BESETTING SINS ARE TO BE CONQUERED.
EVIL HABITS ARE TO BE OVERCOME.
WRONG DISPOSITIONS AND FEELINGS ARE TO BE ROOTED OUT,
AND HOLY TEMPERS AND EMOTIONS ARE TO BE BEGOTTEN.
A POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION IS TO TAKE PLACE.
SO AT LEAST THE BIBLE TEACHES.
NOW SOMEBODY MUST DO IT.
EITHER WE MUST DO IT FOR OURSELVES,
OR ANOTHER MUST DO IT FOR US.
WE HAVE MOST OF US TRIED TO DO IT FOR OURSELVES AT FIRST,
AND HAVE GRIEVOUSLY FAILED;
THEN WE DISCOVER FROM THE SCRIPTURES AND FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCE THAT IT IS A WORK WE ARE UTTERLY UNABLE TO DO FOR OURSELVES,
BUT THAT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS COME ON PURPOSE TO DO IT, AND THAT HE WILL DO IT FOR ALL WHO PUT THEMSELVES WHOLLY INTO HIS HAND,
AND TRUST HIM TO DO IT.
NOW UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES,
WHAT IS THE PART OF THE BELIEVER,
AND WHAT IS THE PART OF THE LORD?
PLAINLY THE BELIEVER CAN DO NOTHING BUT TRUST;
WHILE THE LORD, IN WHOM HE TRUSTS, ACTUALLY DOES THE WORK.
-Hannah Whitall Smith {1832-1911}
Posted By: Judith A. Birt
Friday, September 19th 2008 at 5:45PM
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