Short Thoughts

But by the grace of God I am what I am:
and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;
but I laboured more abundantly than they all:
yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:10

A party spirit had developed in the church at Corinth that grieved Paul. “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:12). The church was divided into different factions that touted their favorite preacher. They cried up the passion of Paul, the eloquence of Apollos, or the boldness of Peter. They pitted Paul against Apollos and Peter against Paul. Paul wrote to rebuke them for their carnality. “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:4). None of these preachers strove for preeminence over the other, so why should the church argue over the greatest?

In our text, Paul speaks about his own case. “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Paul readily owned that Apollos was a great preacher. Luke said of Apollos, “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:24-25). Apollos was a very able speaker. He had a great command of the scriptures. He was diligent and passionate in preaching. After Aquila and Priscilla helped to complete his knowledge, “he mightily convinced the Jews.” I believe that Paul rejoiced in Apollos and the fact that he used his great gifts in the service of the Lord.

However, Paul states, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” Apollos was many things but Paul says, “I am not him.” Paul said, “My preaching was not with enticing words.” (1 Corinthians 2:4). He admits that his own speech was rough and plain. He was not the polished preacher that Apollos was, but his preaching was “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). It would be a mockery to try to imitate Apollos. Paul says, “I am what I am.”

No doubt, Paul would commend the ministry of Peter. Peter had companied with the Lord during His earthly ministry. He was drawn into an inner circle of fellowship with Jesus along with James and John. Peter could be fiery and wax bold in preaching. He possessed a great ability in the ministry. Paul would rejoice in these things and would not seek to copy Peter. Paul says, “I am what I am.”

Paul condemned the over-comparison that led to division. Each minister has his own work. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Often one man enters into the labors of another “reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed” (Matthew 25:24). It is foolish to heap praise on the laborers and set them up as some great one. “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7). Paul’s goal was to exalt Christ not Paul. All true preachers want Christ to be exalted and lament if they themselves are lifted up. They say with the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

As every one has his own work, every one has his own gifts to suit his work. “If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). Paul could not use the eloquence of Apollos or the boldness of Peter. He recognized “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (1 Corinthians 12:11). Every one has their own gifts of the Lord. Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

In the last place, we see that Paul did not seek credit for all his labors. Paul states the facts saying, “I laboured more abundantly than they all.” He is not bragging, just stating the truth. However, Paul does not glory in himself. He says, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Paul rejoices in the grace of God.

But for the grace of God, where would you be today? You and I might be the worst lot of sinners the world has ever known, but for the grace of God. Instead of seeking to do His will and glorify Christ with our lives, we could be serving the flesh and wasting our substance with riotous living. Praise God! Who saved me and washed me from my sins in Jesus’ blood! What do you know of the grace of God at this hour? Flee from the wrath to come and seek to lay hold of Christ through faith!

Princes have persecuted me without a cause:
but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
~ Psalm 119:161

Happy is the servant that can find blessings in the midst of trials. We are instructed, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). David was suffering diverse temptations. Princes were his persecutors. These were men of high station and were supposed to be men of judgment and justice. However, they were persecuting David without a just cause. Where can one turn when the upholders of the law are the very violators of the law? Nevertheless, David found cause of rejoicing.

David’s trials had particular sharpness because of his persecutors. They were princes, men of high position. Yet, these were David’s peers. They gave him no respect, only reviling. “Princes also did sit and speak against me” (Psalm 119:23). Those of his own stripe, physically speaking, afflicted him. Perhaps, he sought understanding from those of similar standing. However, he found no comfort among them. Often those that are closest to us and those that we believe should understand are the ones that smite us the worst. Let some worldly unknown speak against us and we hardly pay attention, but let one that is close speak ill words and we are cut to the heart.

He suffered grievous trials being put to it without a just cause. He was walking in the right way and his enemies were multiplied. “Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:157). An honest man is ashamed when his accusers speak the truth, but when they accuse him falsely he is grieved. David had not solicited his present abuse. His enemies were malicious. Yet there is joy for David, even in the time of trial.

David found joy in the fact that his detractors were wrong. They had not anything true to say. They were reduced to make themselves liars. Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). David was blessed in the false accusations of others. He had no reason to be himself ashamed. He was suffering for righteousness’ sake. “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:14). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). In the midst of cruel mocking, David had reason to glorify God.

David was also blessed because his faith was increased. Though his enemies were multiplied, he said, “Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.” He was persecuted without reason and said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He was resolved to hold to the Word of Life, regardless of his enemies. They may delight themselves in worldly endeavors, “but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.” He had looked into the face of afflictions and could say like Paul, “But none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). He would not allow himself to be drawn off course by these distractions.

David found greater satisfaction in the meditation of the Word than in the strife of the world. Many are sidetracked by debates and arguments. Some lose their way through needless self-defense, becoming obsessed with turning everyone’s opinion. The scriptures prophesied of Christ, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.” (Matthew 12:19). He did not occupy His time with politics, trying to make everyone like Him and agree with Him. The blessed man of God finds “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). His friends may speak vain things and engage in unprofitable debates, but he declares of God’s Word, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24). David had joy because he believed, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Lastly, David said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He had a very high opinion of God’s book. He delighted in its precepts and feared its judgments. The opinions of worldly-wise men did not shake his faith in the right statutes and pure commandments of God. The Bible has many detractors and opponents today. Some, having become wise in the eyes of men, lead others astray through their criticisms of the Scriptures. Others pervert the Scriptures to conform to their determined doctrinal bent. The man of God approaches His Holy Word with awe. He prays, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Let us remain in awe of God’s Word and hold to His unchanging testimony.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end,
that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
~ Luke 18:1

In His ministry, Christ taught the disciples how to pray and that they ought to pray. It is positively taught and understood that the children of God are to pray. Jesus instructed the disciples saying, “When ye pray.” It is written that “praying always” is a mark of those that overcome. Jesus said, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36).

Christians who do not pray and Christians who will not pray are hardly worthy to bear the title. Rolfe Barnard once said that if God sentenced most Christians to pray for five minutes, they would be miserable and go crazy. They would not be able to do it. After about a minute, they would lose their mind to think about the corn crop, their bank notes, or some other thing. It is not only our obligation to pray, it is also our privilege and opportunity to pray. Let us now meditate upon prayer.

Jesus preached, “That men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” We see from His own prayers, that Christ took praying seriously. He poured out His heart unto the Father. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). In telling his disciples “to pray, and not to faint”, He intends intense persistent prayer. It is not the mumbling of a few ritualistic words in the general direction of Heaven that avails much. It is “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man” that “availeth much” (James 5:16).

Effectual fervent prayer is an intense exchange with God. This sort of prayer engages the whole man. You cannot pour out your heart and be pondering the condition of the stock exchange. You cannot pour out your heart to God while wondering what the ballgame score is. You must be involved in prayer. Once before prayer, Jesus said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death” (Mark 14:34). He went to the Father with a burden. He had nothing short of communion with God in mind when He prayed. Once on the mount, His prayer grew so intense that He began to shine with radiant light. He came so close to God in communion that the glory of the Father swept over Him and the disciples were amazed.

I long for those hours of prayer when my heart grows hot within me. I long for the times when I become so engaged in fellowship with my Lord that I begin to feel the wind of the heavenly world blow upon me. I desire to pray and for my soul to be ravished and caught up in rapturous glory. I then cry aloud like the Psalmist that said, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17). Oh, how easy prayer comes at these times. Almost without effort, we pour out our hearts to Him in the morning, at noon, and at night. Praise God! I sing with John Newton:

His name yields the richest perfume, And sweeter than music His voice;
His presence disperses my gloom, And makes all within me rejoice:
I should, were He always thus nigh, Have nothing to wish or to fear;
No mortal so happy as I; My summer would last all the year.

He also purposed to teach that in prayer, men are “not to faint.” You may say, “I have never had the kind of experience, that you described, when I pray.” You need to heed the words of Christ “not to faint.” There is a persistence required in prayer if we are to secure the blessings of it. We must be like Jacob who wrestled with God and said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me” (Genesis 32:26). We must be like Daniel who said, “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3). We must “come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). We must be like a spiritual Samson that will uproot the very gates of Heaven rather than be denied an entrance.

If you are a child of God, “ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). You have a right to call on God. You have a right to cast “all your care upon Him.” This right is not because of anything that we are or that we have done it is because of Jesus Christ who came “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:5). He is our righteousness! He is our advocate! He is our reason! Have faith in the finished work of Christ and pray to God. Do not rest until you have laid hold of Heaven through prayer. Not all Christians have this sort of fellowship with God, but do not be satisfied without it.

Though prayer is not natural to us, it is a discipline in which we should be much practiced. Let us never fail through want of prayer. There may be many reasons that we do not accomplish what we set out to do, but may our enterprise never languish for want of prayer. Additionally, we may run out of time for many things in a day. I hope that never shall the sun rise or set but what I have been much engaged with my Lord in prayer. Christian, seek His face continually and lay hold of the riches we have in Christ Jesus.