Prayer Always Bears Fruit

Prayer Always Bears Fruit

It is enough for us to be persuaded that our supplication will be welcome when we address our requests to Him, since His grace has opened the way. Moreover, prayer always bears fruit. But we do not know exactly how, and since it is beyond our senses, we must wait with patience, and yet always persevering in our prayers.

…Thus, let us learn to pray to God in all our extremity, and even when it seems that nothing else can be done, let us keep on, nevertheless… let us consider what He has commanded us to do: that is, to wait in patience and humility for whatever the outcome will be. Although we are like poor blind men – certainly so – we ought to be satisfied by this clear teaching given to us; namely, that God does care for us, even when He seems to have turned His back on us.

John Calvin, Sermons on 2 Samuel, pg 588.

The Throne of Grace

The Throne of Grace

Except you, in your personal exercise and experience, do know what this throne of grace is, and what is got there; you may be Christians hereafter, but as yet you are none; unless you experience what this throne of grace is, by frequent repairing to it, and by frequent receiving good at it. That man or woman, whatever his or her name be in the world, or the church of Christ, that never found any need for, or use of, or benefit by this throne of grace, is surely a dead sinner. People may safely and surely judge of both the state and frame of their souls, by their business at the throne of grace. Never got any soul life, but by an act of grace from this throne. No soul can be kept in life, but by daily intercourse with it. It is as impossible that these bodies of ours should be maintained in life and strength without meat, and drink, and air; as it is for the soul of a believer to prosper without daily plying the throne of grace.

Robert Traill, Works of Robert Traill, Volume 1, pg 38.

God the Surgeon

God the Surgeon

The Psalms, speaking as if God were a surgeon who binds and bandages wounds, say about Him, among other things, that He heals those who are afflicted and have a broken heart (Psalm 103:3, 147:3). We need that teaching very much. As soon as we are grieved and displeased, we feel like our faith is beaten down and we cannot show its effectiveness. Consequently, it is impossible to glorify God and find rest in Him and His goodness if we do not have the assurance that He and He alone can lessen all our sadness.

John Calvin, Sermon 61, Sermons on Genesis

Christ’s Work vs. Our Work

Christ’s Work vs. Our Work

There is nothing finished that we do: all our duties are imperfect duties; they come off lamely, and defectively from our hands… O there is much impudence and vanity in the best of our duties: but here is the grand relief, and that which answers to all the grounds of our doubts and fears upon that account; Jesus Christ hath finished all His work, though we can finish none of ours: and so, though we be defective, poor, imperfect creatures, in ourselves, yet, notwithstanding, we are complete in Him (Colossians 2: 9, 10)… Christ’s complete obedience being imputed to us, makes us complete, and without fault before God.

It is true, we ought to be humbled for our defects, and troubled for every failing in obedience; but we should not be discouraged, though multitudes of weaknesses be upon us, and many infirmities compass us about, in every duty we put our hand to; though we have no righteousness of our own; yet of God, Christ is made unto us righteousness; and that righteousness of His is infinitely better than our own…

John Flavel, Sermon XXXV, The Fountain of Life, Works, Volume 1, pages 436-437.