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Helps, Governments, Discerning of Spirits October 14
Putting Theory Into Practice
“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
It is not an abundance of light and evidence that makes the soul
free in Christ; it is the rising of the powers and the will and the energies
of the soul to cry out sincerely, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine
unbelief” (Mark 9:24). 37
Take hold of Christ by living, active faith. Come to Him just as
you are, helpless and dependent, and say, “Lord, I believe; help thou
mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Help me to study thy life, thy self-denial
and self-sacrifice; help me to become a Christian in every sense of the
word. 38
Our church members are greatly in need of a knowledge of practical
godliness. They need to practice self-denial and self-sacrifice.
They need to give evidence to the world that they are Christlike.
Therefore the work that Christ requires of them is not to be done by
proxy, placing on some committee or some institution the burden that
they themselves should bear. They are to become Christlike in character
by giving of their means and time, their sympathy, their personal
effort, to help the sick, to comfort the sorrowing, to relieve the poor,
to encourage the desponding, to enlighten souls in darkness, to point
sinners to Christ, to bring home to hearts the obligation of God’s law. 39
With earnest, untiring energy those who have felt the burden of
the Christian help work have testified by their works that they are not
content to be mere theoretical believers. They have tried to walk in the
light. They have put their belief into practice. They have combined
faith and works. They have done the very work the Lord has specified
should be done, and many souls have been enlightened, and convicted,
and helped. 40
In the practical work before us, around us on every side, we have
by faith in Christ’s strength to do our best for ourselves in drawing
nigh to God, for have we not the promise that God will respond and
draw nigh unto us? And then we have the blessed assurance [that] we
may be a help to all those who are brought within the sphere of our
influence. 41
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