Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible for other souls spiritually before God? For instance, if I allow any private deflection from God in my life, everyone about me suffers.

We "sit together in heavenly places." "Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." When once you allow physical selfishness, mental slovenliness, moral obtuseness, spiritual density, everyone belonging to your crowd will suffer.

"But," you say, "who is sufficient for these things if you erect a standard like that?" "Our sufficiency is of God," and of Him alone.

"Ye shall be My witnesses." How many of us are willing to spend every ounce of nervous energy, of mental, moral and spiritual energy we have for Jesus Christ? That is the meaning of a witness in God's sense of the word. It takes time, be patient with yourself.

God has left us on the earth - what for? To be saved and sanctified? No, to be at it for Him. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured out wine for Him? To be spoilt for this age, for this life, to be spoilt from every standpoint but one - saving as I can disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ.

My life as a worker is the way I say "thank you" to God for His unspeakable salvation.

Remember it is quite possible for any one of us to be flung out as reprobate silver - ". . . lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

The Lord imparts to me the underlying strength of character that gives me the necessary energy and decision-making ability to live my life. He strengthens me “with power through his Spirit in [my] inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). And the strength He gives is continuous, for He is a source of power I cannot exhaust.

“Your strength will equal your days” (Deuteronomy 33:25)—my strength of will, affection, judgment, ideals, and achievement will last a lifetime.

“The LORD is my strength” (Exodus 15:2) to go on. He gives me the power to walk the long, straight, and level path, even when the monotonous way has no turns or curves offering pleasant surprises and when my spirit is depressed with the terrible drudgery.

“The LORD is my strength” to go up. He is my power to climb the straight and narrow path up the Hill of Difficulty, as Christian did in Pilgrim’s Progress, and not be afraid.

“The LORD is my strength” to go down. It is often once I leave the invigorating heights, where the wind and sunlight have surrounded me, and begin to descend to the more confining, humid, and stifling heat of the valley below that my heart grows faint. In fact, I recently heard someone say, referring to his own increasing physical frailty, “It is coming down that tires me most!”

“The LORD is my strength” to sit still. And what a difficult accomplishment this is! I often say to others during those times when I am compelled to be still, “If only I could do something!” I feel like the mother who stands by her sick child but is powerless to heal. What a severe test! Yet to do nothing except to sit still and wait requires tremendous strength.

“The LORD is my strength!” “Our competence comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). THE SILVER LINING

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Our sufficiency is of God.

Lead us not into temptation.

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

My times are in thy hand.

We were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.—Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.—Strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.—God is my strength and power: . . . he teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.—Our sufficiency is of God.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.—Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

The time would fail me to tell of [those] who through faith subdued kingdoms, . . . out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The God of peace, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ.

Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.—Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.—Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.—Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

In the way of thy judgments, O Lord , have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.

I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.—The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.—Our sufficiency is of God.—My grace is sufficient for thee.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.—A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.—No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.—And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Lord , thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.