GOD'S PROVISION

God knew the frailty of man, that his heart was "desperately wicked," that even his righteousness was "as filthy rags," that man's only hope for victory over sin must come from the Godward side. He therefore made kingly provision so rich, so sufficient, so exceeding abundant, that as we study it we feel we have tapped a mine of wealth too deep to fathom. Just a few suggestions of its riches--

God's greatest provision is the gift of His own Being in the Person of the Holy Spirit. The following are but some of the many things the Holy Spirit does for us, as recorded in the Word:

1. He begets us into the family of God-- John 3:6. ["That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6).]

2. He seals or marks us as God's-- Ephesians 1:13. ["In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise" (Ephesians 1:13).]

3. He dwells in us-- I Corinthians 3:16. ["Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1Corinthians 3:16).]

4. He unites us to Christ-- I Corinthians 12:13, 27. ["13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1Corinthians 12:13, 27).]

5. He changes us into the likeness of Christ-- II Corinthians 3:18. ["But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD" (2Corinthians 3:18).]

6. He helps us in prayer-- Romans 8:26. ["Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26).]

7. He comforts-- John 14:16. ["And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16).]

8. He guides-- Romans 8:14. ["For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).]

9. He strengthens with power-- Ephesians 3:16. ["That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16).]

10. He is the source of power and fruitfulness-- John 7:38, 39. ["38 He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water. 39 (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 7:38, 39).]

Some of the victorious results in our life, as Christ has His way in us, are shown in:

1. Romans 8:32, 37. ["32 He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:32, 37).]

2. Romans 15:13. ["Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:13).]

3. II Corinthians 9:8, 11. ["8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God" (2Corinthians 9:8, 11).]

4. II Corinthians 2:14. ["Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place" (2Corinthians 2:14).]

5. Ephesians 1:19. ["And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power" (Ephesians 1:19).]

6. Ephesians 3:16, 20. ["16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; 20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:16, 20).]

7. Philippians 4:7, 13, 19. ["7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7, 13, 19).]

8. Colossians 1:11. ["Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11).]

9. I Peter 1:5. ["Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the Last time" (1Peter 1:5).]

10. II Timothy 3:17. ["That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2Timothy 3:17).]

11. Jude 24. ["Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24).]

To the seeker for further Scripture help the writer would suggest a plan that has proved a great blessing to herself.

Read the Psalms through, making record of all the statements of what the Lord was to the writers of the Psalms. The list will surprise you. Then on your knees go over them one by one, with the prayer that Christ may be to you what He was to David and the others.

Take a Cruden's, or better still a Young's concordance, and look up the texts under such headings as Love, Fullness, Power, Riches, Grace, etc., grouping them into usable Bible studies. As a sample, taking this last word, Grace; the more one studies it the more wonderful does it become. Here are some of the headings:

1. Grace for grace-- John 1:16. ["And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16).]

2. Sufficient grace-- II Corinthians 12:9. ["And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2Corinthians 12:9).]

3. More grace-- James 4:6. ["But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6).]

4. All grace-- II Corinthians 9:8. ["And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2Corinthians 9:8).]

5. Abundant grace-- Romans 5:17. ["For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17).]

6. Exceeding abundant grace-- I Timothy 1:14. ["And the grace of our LORD was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" (1Timothy 1:14).]

7. Exceeding riches of His grace-- Ephesians 2:7. ["That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).]

But let us remember that to know simply of riches will never materially benefit us. We must make them our own. All fullness dwells in Christ. It is only as we "apprehend" (which means take hold or take in) Christ through the Holy Spirit can it be possible for these spiritual riches to become ours. The slogan of this glorious life in Christ is just "Let go and let God."