Today is September 23 and I am reading what C. H. Spurgeon is writing in his book MORNING AND EVENING (Daily Readings). His text is Mark 9:23 where we read: “If you can, said Jesus.”

Spurgeon  is teaching us a lesson and I hope I have learned it.

A father who had a demoniac son said to the Lord Jesus Christ, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus answered, “‘If you can,’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.'”

Spurgeon says that we are like the man who had the demoniac son, we are blundering by putting the “if” in the wrong place.

We say:

If you can, help me.

If you can, give me grace to overcome temptation.

If you can, give me pardon.

If you can, make me successful.

Spurgeon says that I have misplaced my “if.”

I should say:

If I can believe, the Lord can and will help me.

If  I can believe , the Lord can and will give me grace to overcome temptation.

If  I can believe, the Lord can and will give me pardon.

If  I can believe, the Lord can and will make me successful.