Faith is the gift of God. It is the fruit of everlasting love, the effect of grace; we believe through grace. The faith which is the evidence of salvation, includes giving credit to the gospel report, of a free and full salvation for poor, unworthy sinners; an application to Jesus on the throne of grace, founded on that report; and a trusting in the word, work, and death of Jesus, for life and salvation. This always produces love to Jesus, and leads the soul to obey Him out of gratitude.
It is precious; being scarce, few thus believe; being valuable, without it we cannot please God, cannot be justified, cannot rejoice in hope, or enjoy gospel blessings; but he that believeth is entitled to every precious promise, to all the fulness of Christ, to enjoy God in every new-covenant relation, and shall never see death. He is passed from death to life, and shall never come into condemnation.
Gracious God! Give unto Thy people, and unto me especially, much precious faith, that believing in Jesus, I may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O to believe this day without wavering! O to be strong in faith, giving glory to God!
O for a strong, a lasting faith, To credit what th' Almighty saith! To embrace the message of His Son, And call the joys of heaven our own.
Written by James Smith for his own flock around 1840, but such was the demand that by 1846 over thirty thousand copies where in circulation.
James Smith was a predecessor of Charles Spurgeon at New Park Street Chapel in London from 1841-1850. He also ministered with great blessing in Cheltenham. His devotional, The Believer's Daily Remembrancer, subtitled Pastor's Morning and Evening Visit, was very popular in its own day, and has received a new lease of life through recent republication.
Faith is the gift of God. It is the fruit of everlasting love, the effect of grace; we believe through grace. The faith which is the evidence of salvation, includes giving credit to the gospel report, of a free and full salvation for poor, unworthy sinners; an application to Jesus on the throne of grace, founded on that report; and a trusting in the word, work, and death of Jesus, for life and salvation. This always produces love to Jesus, and leads the soul to obey Him out of gratitude.
It is precious; being scarce, few thus believe; being valuable, without it we cannot please God, cannot be justified, cannot rejoice in hope, or enjoy gospel blessings; but he that believeth is entitled to every precious promise, to all the fulness of Christ, to enjoy God in every new-covenant relation, and shall never see death. He is passed from death to life, and shall never come into condemnation.
Gracious God! Give unto Thy people, and unto me especially, much precious faith, that believing in Jesus, I may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O to believe this day without wavering! O to be strong in faith, giving glory to God!
O for a strong, a lasting faith, To credit what th' Almighty saith! To embrace the message of His Son, And call the joys of heaven our own.