Daniel Peters
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
We find the Scriptures instructing us to, “have no confidence in the flesh.” Philippians 3:3. Notice the simplicity and clarity of this teaching: “have no confidence in the flesh.” This teaching allows for no exceptions whatever! “No” means no. The most dangerous flesh to have confidence in is our own.
Many today worry about their financial situations and at the same time say they believe the Word of God. Their worry and anxiety belays their unbelief and lack of confidence in God and they deny His power by their whining and complaining about what a sad lot their life has become.
Jesus is so basic and clear in Matthew 6:24-34 when He, The Creator, our Provider and Redeemer says calmly and quietly, “I say to you, do not worry. For after all these things the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things, but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added (given) to you.”
If you cannot depend upon God to take care of you down here for a few short days, months or years, do you expect Him to believe that you will know how trust Him to take care of you for eternity? What you do here, you will do there; what you are here, you will be there. Who you depend on here, you will depend on there. Revelation 22:11.
“Abraham had such confidence in the life and power of the word of the Lord that he believed that it would fulfill itself.”
Lacking confidence and assurance in the Word of God, “many people hesitate to make a start to serve the Lord, because they fear that God will not accept them; and thousands who have been professed followers of Christ for years, still doubt their acceptance with God.” What they lack is simple faith that believes exactly what God says and expects His word to fulfill itself.
They ask, “Will the Lord receive me?” I reply by another question: Will a man receive that which he has bought? Yes, of course he will! If he did not want them, he would not have bought them. Now let us apply this simple, natural illustration to the case of the sinner coming to Christ. In the first place, He has bought us. “Do you not know you’re your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6.19, 20
He bought not a certain class, but the whole world of sinners. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” John 3.16. “This is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the whole world.” John 4:42. See also 1 Timothy 4:10.
The price that was paid for us was His own blood—His life. He “gave Himself for us.” Titus 2.14. He “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Galatians 1.4
The price paid was infinite; therefore we know that He very much desired that which He bought. He had His heart set on obtaining it. He could not be satisfied without it. See Hebrews 12.2; Isaiah 53.11
Yet, some drone on, “But I am not worthy." That means that you are not worth the price paid, and therefore you fear to come