[Appeared in Notebook Leaflets, Christian Experience, No. 2.]
The Gergesenes desired Christ to depart. They of Capernaum received Him, and among them He wrought wonderful miracles.
Christ has all power in heaven and in earth. He is the Great Physician, upon whom we are to call when suffering from physical or spiritual disease. Over the winds and the waves and over men possessed with demons, He showed that He possessed absolute control. To Him have been given the keys of death and of hell. Principalities and powers were made subject to Him, even while in His humiliation....
Why do we not exercise greater faith in the Divine Physician? As He worked for the man with the palsy, so He will work today for those who come to Him for healing. We have great need of more faith. I am alarmed as I see the lack of faith among our people. We need to come right into the presence of Christ, believing that He will heal our physical and spiritual infirmities.
We are too faithless. Oh, how I wish that I could lead our people to have faith in God! They need not feel that in order to exercise faith they must be wrought up into a high state of excitement. All they have to do is to believe God’s Word, just as they believe one another’s word. He hath said it, and He will perform His Word. Calmly rely on His promise, because He means all that He says. Say, He has spoken to me in His Word, and He will fulfill every promise that He has made. Do not become restless. Be trustful. God’s Word is true. Act as if your heavenly Father could be trusted....
Men are appointed to proclaim the truth in new places. These men must have funds for their support. And they must have a fund to draw upon for the help of the poor and needy whom they meet in their work. The benevolence that they show toward the poor gives influence to their efforts to proclaim the truth. Their willingness to help those in need gains for them the gratitude of those they help, and the approval of Heaven.
These faithful workers should have the sympathies of the church. The Lord will hear prayer in their behalf. And the church should not fail to show a practical interest in their work.
No one lives to himself. In God’s work each one is assigned a post of duty. The union of all strengthens the work of each. As the faith and love and unity of the church grow stronger their circle of influence enlarges, and ever they are to reach to the farthest limit of this influence, constantly extending the triumphs of the cross.
Arise, Shine
God calls upon us to burst the bands of our precise, indoor service. The message of the gospel is to be borne in the cities and outside of the cities. We are to call upon all to rally around the banner of the cross. When this work is done as it should be, when we labor with divine zeal to add converts to the truth, the world will see that a power attends the message of truth. The unity of the believers bears testimony to the power of the truth that can bring into perfect harmony men of different dispositions, making their interests one.Talk Faith
Whatever may arise, never be discouraged. The Lord loves us, and He will perform His word. Try to encourage in the patients a trust in God. Bid them be of good courage. Talk hope, even to the last. If they are to die, let them die praising the Lord. He ever lives; and though some of His faithful followers may fall in death, their works will follow them, and theirs will be a joyous awakening in the resurrection morning.