“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:4-6).
“Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Proverbs 3:34).
The grace of God that brings salvation is THE treasure we must have and seek above all else. Our natural selves, our corrupt nature, is void of faith and therefore sees and seeks only what is in this world. We find a natural inclination towards the world’s pleasures, praise and possessions. We naturally view life by what our physical sense can know and our physical sight can see. But the grace that God gives brings another sight that sees what God sees and expects what God has promised. “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:6-8). And again, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Galatians 5:5).
The world and all that is in it is passing away (1 John 2:17). Scripture says we are fools if we put our trust in a man or in men (Proverbs 28:26). If we trust men and forsake the LORD, we are cursed (Jer. 17:5).
Thus, in our experience we find it to be true that "the spirit in us lusteth to envy." And therefore, we are so indebted and thankful that our God and Savior does not leave us to ourselves! He promises, "But He giveth more grace!"
God-given faith in Christ teaches us that the least grace of salvation is worth more than all that the world can give. To know I am a great sinner and nothing at all, and to know that in spite of all my failures, Jesus Christ is my all in all; so knowing with God-given persuasion, I seek to be found in Christ, with nothing but Christ before God, and with no other confidence or hope but Christ. I am persuaded that to know Christ in His saving grace, and to love Him, is worth more than worlds to realize!
To believe Christ as my all, and so come to God by Him at all times (John 14:6), is grace in the soul (John 6:37-45). It is to know God in His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is to possess eternal life (John 3:36; 1 John 5:11-13).
The smallest faith in Christ, the least spark of hope in Christ and the smallest true love to Christ, is the gift of God’s inestimable grace. God-given faith produces peace and joy and comfort in believing that Christ is my all in life and death and for all eternity (Romans 15:13). This is an inestimable treasure, which to have is to have all things, and which to be without, is to have nothing (Matt. 6:19-21; 13:44; Mark 8:36).
To be favored by God, to be made acceptable in Christ the Beloved with His people (Psalm 106:4-8; Eph. 1:6), is to have all things (1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 2:9-10).
To be remembered by Christ in His saving grace (Luke 23:40-43; Psalm 79:8-9), is to have the love and grace of the Son of God, the Lord of glory, and of God our Father. To be so loved by God the Father and His only begotten Son, is to have all things for all eternity (Rev. 1:5; Rom. 8:32-39).
With this grace I am content to live in this world, having nothing else but Christ (John 6:67-69).
Having Christ as my own Savior and Lord (John 20:28), belonging to Him (John 17:2-3), is to have all things in life and death and the world and the world to come, for Christ is all, and He is Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2; 2:9-18; 6:13-20; 11:8-16, 24-27).
“Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Proverbs 3:34).
The grace of God that brings salvation is THE treasure we must have and seek above all else. Our natural selves, our corrupt nature, is void of faith and therefore sees and seeks only what is in this world. We find a natural inclination towards the world’s pleasures, praise and possessions. We naturally view life by what our physical sense can know and our physical sight can see. But the grace that God gives brings another sight that sees what God sees and expects what God has promised. “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (1 Cor. 5:6-8). And again, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Galatians 5:5).
The world and all that is in it is passing away (1 John 2:17). Scripture says we are fools if we put our trust in a man or in men (Proverbs 28:26). If we trust men and forsake the LORD, we are cursed (Jer. 17:5).
Thus, in our experience we find it to be true that "the spirit in us lusteth to envy." And therefore, we are so indebted and thankful that our God and Savior does not leave us to ourselves! He promises, "But He giveth more grace!"
God-given faith in Christ teaches us that the least grace of salvation is worth more than all that the world can give. To know I am a great sinner and nothing at all, and to know that in spite of all my failures, Jesus Christ is my all in all; so knowing with God-given persuasion, I seek to be found in Christ, with nothing but Christ before God, and with no other confidence or hope but Christ. I am persuaded that to know Christ in His saving grace, and to love Him, is worth more than worlds to realize!
To believe Christ as my all, and so come to God by Him at all times (John 14:6), is grace in the soul (John 6:37-45). It is to know God in His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is to possess eternal life (John 3:36; 1 John 5:11-13).
The smallest faith in Christ, the least spark of hope in Christ and the smallest true love to Christ, is the gift of God’s inestimable grace. God-given faith produces peace and joy and comfort in believing that Christ is my all in life and death and for all eternity (Romans 15:13). This is an inestimable treasure, which to have is to have all things, and which to be without, is to have nothing (Matt. 6:19-21; 13:44; Mark 8:36).
To be favored by God, to be made acceptable in Christ the Beloved with His people (Psalm 106:4-8; Eph. 1:6), is to have all things (1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 2:9-10).
To be remembered by Christ in His saving grace (Luke 23:40-43; Psalm 79:8-9), is to have the love and grace of the Son of God, the Lord of glory, and of God our Father. To be so loved by God the Father and His only begotten Son, is to have all things for all eternity (Rev. 1:5; Rom. 8:32-39).
With this grace I am content to live in this world, having nothing else but Christ (John 6:67-69).
Having Christ as my own Savior and Lord (John 20:28), belonging to Him (John 17:2-3), is to have all things in life and death and the world and the world to come, for Christ is all, and He is Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2; 2:9-18; 6:13-20; 11:8-16, 24-27).
Rick Warta
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