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We are taught here the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must seek the spiritual good of others. In watering others, we are ourselves watered. How? Our efforts to be useful, bring out our powers for usefulness. We have latend talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise. Our strength for labour is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture forth to fight the Lord's battles, or to climb the mountains of difficulty. We do not know what tender sympathies we possess until we try to dry the widow's tears, and soothe the orphan's grief.

We often find in attempting to teach others, that we gain instruction for ourselves. Oh, what gracious lessons some of us have learned at sick beds! We went to teach the Scriptures, we came away blushing that we knew so little of them. In our converse with poor saints, we are taught the way of God more perfectly for ourselves and get a deeper insight into divine truth. So that watering others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked for it; and how much the poor saint may outstrip us in knowledge.

Our own comfort is also increased by our working for others. We endeavour to cheer them, and the consolation gladdens our own hurt. Like the two men in the snow; one chafed the other's limbs to keep him from dying, and in so doing kept his own blood in circulation, and saved his own life. The poor widow of Sarepta gave from her scanty store a supply for the prophet's wants, and from that day she never again knew what want was. Give then, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and running over.

— Charles H. Spurgeon

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"Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Hebrews 3:1

Oh, brethren, could you and I pass this day through these heavens, and see what is now going on in the sanctuary above,--could you see what the child of God now sees who died last night,--could you see the Lamb with the scars of His five deep wounds in the very midst of the throne, surrounded by all the odors,--could you see the many angels round about the throne, whose number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, all singing, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,"--and were one of these angels to tell you, "This is He that undertook the cause of lost sinners; He undertook to be the second Adam,--the man in their stead; and lo! there He is upon the throne of heaven;--consider Him,--look long and earnestly upon His wounds--upon His glory,--and tell me, do you think it would be safe to trust Him?

Do you think His sufferings and obedience will have been enough?--Yes, yes, every soul exclaims, Lord, it is enough! Lord, stay thy hand! Show me no more, for I can bear no more. Oh, rather let me ever stand and gaze upon the almighty, all-worthy, all-divine Saviour, till my soul drink in complete assurance that His work undertaken for sinners is a finished work! Yes, though the sins of all the world were on my one wicked head, still I could not doubt that His work is complete, and that I am quite safe when I believe in Him.

— Robert Murray McCheyne

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Men seem to say, "It is of no use going on in the old way, fetching out one here and another there from the great mass. We want a quicker way. To wait till people are born again, and become followers of Christ, is a long process: let us abolish the separation between the regenerate and unregenerate. Come into the church, all of you, converted or unconverted. You have good wishes and good resolutions; that will do: don't trouble about more. It is true you do not believe the gospel, but neither do we. You believe something or other. Come along; if you do not believe anything, no matter; your "honest doubt' is better by far than faith." "But," say you, "nobody talks so."

Possibly they do not use the same words, but this is the real meaning of the present-day religion; this is the drift of the times. I can justify the broadest statement I have made by the action of certain ministers, who are treacherously betraying our holy religion under pretence of adapting it to this progressive age.

The new plan is to assimilate the church to the world, and so include a larger area within its bounds. By semi-dramatic performances they make houses of prayer to approximate to the theatre; they turn their services into musical displays, and their sermons into political harangues or philosophical essays - in fact, they exchange the temple for the theatre, and turn the ministers of God into actors whose business it is to amuse men.

Is it not so, that the Lord's day is becoming more and more a day of recreation or of idleness, and the Lord's house either a joss house full of idols, or a political club where there is more enthusiasm for a party than zeal of God? Ah me! the hedges are broken down, the walls are leveled, and to many there is, henceforth, no church except as a portion of the world, no God except as an unknowable force by which the laws of nature work. I will not dwell longer on so loathsome a proposal.

— Charles H. Spurgeon

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"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD." Psalms 112:7

A spiritual taste, and a disposition to account all things mean and vain, in comparison of the knowledge and love of God in Christ, are essential to a true Christian. The world can never be his prevailing choice; I John 2:15. Yet we are renewed but in part, and are prone to an undone attachment to worldly things. Our spirits cleave to the dust, in defiance to the dictates of our better judgments; and I believe the Lord seldom gives his people a considerable victory over this evil principle, until he has let them feel how deeply it is rooted in their hearts.

We may often see persons entangled and clogged in this respect, of whose sincerity in the main we cannot justly doubt; especially upon some sudden and unexpected turn in life, which brings them into a situation they have not been accustomed to. A considerable part of our trials are mercifully appointed to wean us from this propensity; and it is gradually weakened by the Lord's showing us at one time the vanity of the creature, and at another his own excellence and all-sufficiency.

From hence arises a peaceful reliance upon the Lord; he has nothing which he cannot commit into his hands, which he is not habitually aiming to resign to his disposal. Therefore he is not afraid of evil tidings; but when the hearts of others shake like the leaves of a tree, he is fixed, trusting in the Lord, who he believes can and will make good every loss, sweeten every bitter, and appoint all things to work together for his advantage. He sees that the time is short, lives upon the foretastes of glory, and therefore accounts not his life, or any inferior concernment, dear, so that he may finish his course with joy.

— John Newton

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1.) Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ
as the only ground of any claim for blessing.

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14)

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16)

2.) Separation from all known sin

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" (Psalm 66:18)

3.) Faith in God's Word of promise as confirmed by His oath
Not to believe Him is to make Him a liar and a perjurer

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

4.) Asking in accordance with His will
Our motives must be Godly

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3)

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:" (I John 5:14)

5.) Importunity in supplication
There must be waiting on God

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." (James 5:7)

— George Mueller

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"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14)

Every one that gets to the throne must put their foot upon the thorn. The way to the crown is by the cross. We must taste the gall if we are to taste the glory. When justified by faith, God brought Israel through the Red Sea, He led them into the wilderness; so, when God saves a soul, He tries it. He never gives faith without trying it. The way to Zion is through the valley of Baca.

You must go through the wilderness of Jordan if you are to come to the Land of Promise. Some believers are much surprised when they are called to suffer. They thought they would do some great thing for God; but all that God permits them to do is to suffer. Go round every one in glory,--every one has a different story, yet every one has a tale of suffering.

One was persecuted in his family,--by his friends and companions; another was visited by sore pains and humbling disease,--neglected by the world; another was bereaved of children; another had all these afflictions meeting in one,--deep called unto deep. Mark, all are brought out of then. It was a dark cloud, but it passed away; the water was deep, but they have reached the other side. Not one of them blames God for the road He led them:

"Salvation" is their only cry. Is there any of you, dear children, murmuring at your lot? Do not sin against God. This is the way God leads all His redeemed ones. You must have a palm as well as a white robe. No pain, no palm; no cross, no crown; no thorn, no throne; no gall, no glory. Learn to glory in tribulations also. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."

— Robert Murray McCheyne

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What think you? Do you not begin to see that the sin of prayerlessness has had a more terrible effect than you at first supposed? It is because of this hasty and superficial converse with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and flee from sin as you ought.

Nothing, nothing except the hidden, humble, constant fellowship with God can teach you, as a child of God, to hate sin as God wants you to hate it. Nothing, nothing but the constant nearness and unceasing power of the living Christ can make it possible for you rightly to understand what sin is and to detest it. And without this deeper understanding of sin, there will be no thought of appropriating the victory which is made possible for you in Christ Jesus, and will be wrought in you by the Spirit.

0 my God, cause me to know my sin and teaching me to tarry before thee and to wait on thee till thy Spirit causes something of thy holiness to rest upon me! 0 my God, cause me to know my sin, and let this drive me to listen to the promise: 'He that abideth in him sinneth not,' and to expect the fulfillment from Thee!

— Andrew Murray

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"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)

Every living thing which God creates requires food. The life that God imparts needs sustaining and nourishing. It is so with animal and vegetable life, with birds, beasts, fishes, reptiles, insects, and plants. It is equally so with spiritual life. When the Holy Ghost raises a man from the death of sin and makes him a new creature in Christ Jesus, the new principle in that man's heart requires food, and the only food which will sustain it is the Word of God....

Love to the Word is one of the characteristics we see in Job. Little as we know of this Patriarch and his age, this at least stands out clearly He says, "I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12).

Love to the Word is a shining feature in the character of David. Mark how it appears all through that wonderful part of Scripture, the 119th Psalm. He might well say, "Oh, how I love thy law!" (Psalms 119:97).

Love to the Word is a striking point in the character of St. Paul. What were he and his companions but men "mighty in the Scriptures?" What were his sermons but expositions and applications of the Word?

Love to the Word appears pre-eminently in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He read it publicly. He quoted it continually. He expounded it frequently He advised the Jews to search it. He used it as His weapon to resist the devil. He said repeatedly, "The Scripture must be fulfilled." Almost the last thing He did was to "open the understanding of His disciples, that they might understand the Scriptures." (Luke 24:45). I am afraid that man can be no true servant of Christ, who has not something of his Master's mind and feeling towards the Bible.