“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me — for my soul trusteth in thee — yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (2) I will cry unto God most high — unto God that performeth all things for me!” [Ps.57:1-2]
“Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us — for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. (13) O Lord our God — other lords have had dominion over us — but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name.” [Is.26:12-13]
“For it is God that worketh in you — both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” [Phil.2:13]
“I am the vine – ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him — the same bringeth forth much fruit — for without me ye can do nothing!” [Jn.15:5]
The reason we say: “If it’s not all Christ — it’s all wrong” — is because it’s true! God — who cannot lie — affirms this as being eternal Truth. Jesus, the incarnated God/man — was sent into this fallen world in the likeness of our sinful flesh — and being the eternal Son of God — He came to tell us the action-quickening Truth of Jn.6:37> “All that the Father gives to me – shall come to me – and him that cometh to me – I will in no wise cast him out!” Praise His Holy Name!! This — is what is divinely designed to motivate us — so that without hesitation — we do completely come to Him! And, to completely come unto Jesus means that we have been awakened and quickened to — first of all — fulfill that which is written from verse 2 of Ps.57 shown above — which says: “I will cry unto God most high — unto God — that performeth all things for me!” And, when we act — we don’t even think about the “calamities” that we face — that seem to surround us on every side. We just trust in our God, Jesus our Savior — and act! This will prove the reality of our having been truly quickened by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God!
Then this, in turn, leads us right into truly — living out the activity of understanding the reality of Is.26:12-13 which declares for us what the Lord, our God has ordained for each one of His true sinner/children to be and to do — who are still here — travelling through all the calamities — of this world — “the valley of the shadow of death”. He has ordained “Peace” for us — by His having com-pletely worked out “all our works in us!” For He — and He alone — is our Lord and Savior! We can’t even mention His Name — without Him! By His doing we “cry” unto Him — and He hears and answers our cries!
Phil.2:13 descriptively declares — with bold assurance — that it is “God that actively and efficiently works in and through us — both to will and to do — of all His good pleasure!” Praise His Name!
And, all of this is completely culminated in the Pure Gospel Truth Words of Jesus, Himself, from Jn.15:5> “I am the Vine — ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him — the same bringeth forth much fruit — for without me ye can do nothing!” He is the source of all our action — all our strength — and all our results. Hence, He gets all the Glory! Ro.11:16 tells us: “If the Firstfruit be holy — the lump is also holy — and if the Root be holy — so are the branches!” Christ Jesus is the “Root” and the “Firstfruit” — we who are “in Him” are “His branches”. He fills us up with Himself — and we bring forth the fruit of His eternally abiding presence in our lives. Hence, we are clothed with His comeliness — His fruit – His obedience and — praise God — His righteousness.
For Christ’s Glory Only! — John Carpenter
