Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

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Without Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil 4:13)

What a blessing it would be to us to learn these two things. Without Christ, I can do nothing. I cannot think a right thought; I cannot muster up a right motive. I cannot perform a good deed. I cannot repent, believe, or love without Him enabling me to. I cannot turn myself toward Him. I cannot even hear the Gospel! It is a blessing to realize this because it causes us to go to Him for these things. I may not be able to come to Christ with faith, but I come to Him for faith! The second verse is equally true. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The man with the withered hand could not stretch it forth. But when Christ commanded him to, he could. The impotent man could not get himself into the pool. But when Christ commanded him to rise and walk, he could. With men all things are impossible, but with God all things are possible. There is nothing we cannot do with Christ strengthening us. Oh that we would simply believe these two things.

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LOOK TO CHRIST

Faith is necessary for salvation. But, we do not look to our faith to save us; rather, in faith, we look to Christ. Repentance is necessary for salvation. But we do not look to our repentance to save us; rather, in repentance, we turn to Christ. There are graces, which God works in us as He saves us. But these graces are never to be the object of our trust, confidence or hopeful gaze. All the graces God gives us in salvation are to be used to look to, turn to, appreciate and lay hold of Christ, who is our salvation!

It is not wrong to love God for WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US! Not to do so would be ingratitude. David's love for the Lord showed itself in NOT FORGETTING ALL HIS BENEFITS (Psa. 110). "He forgives our iniquities, heals our spiritual diseases, redeems our lives, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfies our mouths with good things." Some theologians tell us that the highest kind of love is to love God FOR WHAT HE IS rather than for what He has done in us and for us. Someday I may be able to identify with this highest kind of love; but until then, "I love Him BECAUSE He loved me and sent His Son to be the propitiation for my sins."