Whispers of His Power – JULY 31

2 Cor. 7.1:  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the Aesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I have been sent some beautiful Caladium flowers.  When this flower first opens it is hot inside (its temperature has been taken, 104°F), but as it grows to perfection this excitement of heat passes.  The perfect flower is normal.  

In the spiritual world, too, there can be heat and excitement.  The ferment of an old truth newly apprehended (for there is no such thing as a new truth) may very easily cause it.  The devil delights to have it so, and it is easy to see why.  If we become interested in ourselves and occupied in taking our own temperatures, so to speak, then that truth which should bring blessing will either slip out of sight or be put out of focus.

Our Lord said (in Luke 12.27) Consider the lilies how they grow; – consider the Caladiums – they toil not, they spin not.  God lays His cool hand upon them and perfects them.  Think of that word in 2 Corinthians 7.1, perfecting holiness.  There is a crisis of new birth, then – if the Lord has His way unhindered – a quiet growth and perfecting, which may take the form of a series of crises.  But always it is and inwardly quiet thing.

Just before Paul wrote about perfecting holiness he wrote about common life (2 Cor. 6.3-10).  Isn’t this a wonderful word for us?  Giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be nor blamed:  but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience…

I am glad patience comes first.  But read it all.

oooOOOooo

These words are from ’Whispers of His Power’ a collection of writings that Amy Carmichael wrote for her ‘children’ and others associated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. and are Copyright © The Dohnavur Fellowship 1982

Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

The following abbreviations are used to refer to other versions and sources:

BCP:               Book of Common Prayer, the Great Bible of Coverdale

Conybeare:       W. J. Conybeare, The Epistles of Paul (a translation)

Delitzsch:        F. Delitzsch, Notes on Job and the Psalms

Kay:                W. Kay, The Psalms (a translation)

LXX:              The Septuagint

Moffatt:           J. Moffatt, The New Testament: a new translation

Rotherham:      J. B. Rotherham, The Emphasized Bible Revised Version

RV:                 Revised Version

Way:              A. Way, The Letters of St Paul (a translation)

Westcott:         F. Westcott, Notes on the Gospel of St John

Weymouth:      R. F. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech

Young:            R. Young, A Literal Translation of the Bible

Verses of poetry without quotation marks were written by Amy Carmichael.