Grace Gems

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The grand secret!

(Octavius Winslow, "Evening Thoughts")

"This is real love. It is not that we loved God--but that He loved us and sent His Son as a  sacrifice to take away our sins." 1 John 4:10

Deal much and closely with a crucified Savior! This is the grand secret of a constant ascending of the affections to God. If you find it difficult to comprehend the love of God towards you--then read it in the cross of His dear Son!

Dwell upon this amazing fact,
drink into this precious truth,
muse upon it,
ponder it,
search into it,
pray over it,
until your heart is melted down, and broken, and overwhelmed with God's wondrous love to you, in the gift of Jesus!

Oh, how will this rekindle the flame that is ready to die in your bosom! How it will draw you up in a holy and unreserved surrender of body, soul, and spirit!

Deal much with Jesus!

Whenever you detect . . .
  a waning of love,
  a reluctance to take up the daily cross,
  a shrinking from the precept
--go immediately to Calvary!

Go simply and directly to Jesus!

Get your heart warmed with ardent love by contemplating Him upon the cross--and soon will the frosts that gather round it melt away, and the congealed current shall begin to flow!

"Who loved me--and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20

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Is it nothing to you?

The death of our Lord Jesus Christ is the most wonderful, astounding, magnificent event in the history of the universe! Nothing that is, has been, or shall hereafter be--can be compared to it. Yet, as He was suffering the wrath of God, bearing the sins of His people, dying as the voluntary Substitute for guilty, hell-deserving, hell-bent sinners, such as we are--we hear the Son of God expressing the most woeful, unexplainable lamentation imaginable. He cried, "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like My suffering that was inflicted on Me, that the Lord brought on Me in the day of His fierce anger?" Lamentations 1:12

When I hear those words falling from the lips of the Son of God, as He hangs upon the cursed tree, I simply cannot avoid asking a question. Of whom does the bleeding Lamb of God speak these words? To whom is the death of Christ meaningless and insignificant?

Nothing in all the universe is more wonderful and magnificent in the eyes of God the Father--than the death of His dear Son!
The angels of heaven ever look into the mystery and wonder of redemption by the blood of Christ with astonishment!
Faithful gospel preachers are so overwhelmed with the wonders of redemption and the glory of the Redeemer--that they never cease to study, glory in, and preach the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Redeemed sinners on the earth cherish nothing, delight in nothing, marvel at nothing--like the death of our Lord Jesus Christ for them!
The ransomed in glory appear to think of nothing and speak of nothing--except the dying love of the Lamb in the midst of the throne! (Revelation 5:9-12).

Yet, there are some to whom our darling Savior speaks as it were, with astonishment, to whom His death is meaningless, insignificant, nothing! Who are these people to whom the sin-atoning death of Christ is nothing?

Our Lord is here addressing Himself to everyone who 'passes by' Him--passes by His death as the sinners' Substitute in unbelief. O unbelieving, Christless soul--it is you to whom the Son of God speaks!

O cold, calculating, heartless, preacher, you who pass by the crucified Christ--and take to your lips the meaningless, insignificant trifles of politics, social corruptions, moralisms, denominationalism, historical religion, creeds, and debates about nothing--it is you to whom the Master speaks!

Christ crucified is mundane, meaningless and insignificant--only to unregenerate, unbelieving souls!

It is my heart's prayer that you will hear these words echoing in your soul--until the death of our Lord Jesus Christ is made to be the most important thing in all the world to you. I pray that we may become totally consumed with the crucified Christ, that our hearts, our lives--every fiber of our souls may be constantly dominated by the death of Christ as our sin-atoning Savior. Let us meditate upon and study the great, sin-atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, until it consumes our every thought!

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God takes away the  creature!

(Thomas Brooks, "A Believer's Last Day, His Best Day")

Diogenes noted the folly of the men of his time--that they undervalued the best things--but overvalued the worst things. Ah, that this were not the sin and shame of professors in these days!

God sometimes strips His people of their nearest and dearest earthly mercies--that they may the more prize, and the better taste--of spiritual and heavenly mercies!

God takes away uncertain riches--that His people may the more prize certain riches!

God takes away natural strength--that His people may the more prize spiritual strength!

God takes away the creature--that His people may more prize their Savior.

Spiritual and heavenly things can alone satisfy the soul. The language of a godly man is this, "Ah, Lord! the good earthly things which I have from You, though they may refresh me--yet they cannot satisfy me without Yourself!"

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail--but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:25-26

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We did have a father--it was the devil!

(James Smith, "Comfort for the Christian")

"Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things!" Matthew 6:32

The Lord Jesus, as the great teacher, is instructing His disciples in the doctrine of divine providence, and teaching them to exercise faith in God. He tells them that God feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies--and therefore, He will not neglect, or refuse to feed and clothe His redeemed children!

He would have us act like His children!
As children who view the Most High God as their Father!
As children who are absolutely dependent upon Him!
As children who look to Him for all; and expect Him to supply them with all.

God is our FATHER. He has adopted us by His grace. We were by nature fatherless, so far as spiritual relationship is concerned. Or, to be more correct--we did have a father--it was the devil! Said Jesus, "You belong to your father--the devil!" John 8:44. We were in an abject and dreadful condition!

But in His infinite mercy, and for the glory of His own free grace--God adopted us, and placed us among His children!

We still have a heavenly Father who cares for us! And as the heaven is high above the earth--so far does God's relationship exceed all human relationships. To have God for our Father--is the height of blessedness, it is the crowning privilege!

Nothing can exceed this, for His love is infinite--and embraces all His children. His love cannot change--for that would imply a change in His nature. But He says, "I am Jehovah--I do not change!" Everything outside of the Divine nature will change. But Jehovah himself loves His people--and as His nature cannot change--neither can His love!

His resources are boundless--and He supplies all of His children. They are never sent to any other quarter for supply--but always bidden to come to their Father for all that they need.

His pity is exquisite--and He sympathizes with all of His children. "Like as a father pities his children--so the Lord pities all who fear Him. He knows our frame--He remembers that we are but dust."

His knowledge is perfect, therefore He is fully acquainted with them all. "All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." He knows exactly where each one is--and each of their wants, woes, and wishes! For "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on the behalf of all those who hearts are sincere towards Him."

His strength is omnipotent--and protects them all. He says, "No one is able to pluck you out of my hand! I will strengthen you! I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness."

His nature is unchangeable--and His covenant is sure; therefore He will be to us, and do for us--all that He has promised to us!

Scripture history unfolds God's love to, and the method of his dealing with His children. He is "the same yesterday, today--and forever!"

What a mercy--to have a Father--and such a Father!

What an astounding blessing--to have God for our Father in a world like this, and in times like these!

What a comfort--to look up to the High and Lofty one who inhabits eternity--and rejoice that He has a father's heart--and that His heart beats with unutterable love to me!

What an encouragement--to be able in the midst of trials, troubles, temptations, losses, crosses, disappointments, and vexations--to look up to my heavenly Father and say, "I will cry unto God most high, unto God who performs all things for me!"

"Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things!"

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God's threshing

(J. R. Miller, "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings")

"You will have tribulation in this world." John 16:33

The word tribulation is very suggestive. It comes from a root which means 'a flail'. The thresher uses the flail to beat the wheat sheaves, that he may separate the golden wheat from the chaff and straw.

Tribulation is God's threshing--not to destroy us, but to get what is good, heavenly, and spiritual in us--separated from what is wrong, earthly, and fleshly. Nothing less than blows of pain will do this. The golden wheat of goodness in us, is so closely wrapped up in the strong chaff of sin--that only the heavy flail of suffering can produce the separation!

Many of us would never enter the gates of pearl--were it not for this unwelcome messenger, pain! "We must go through many troubles to enter the kingdom of God!" Acts 14:22

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Our clumsy hands!

(J. R. Miller, "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings")

"I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted!" Job 42:2

We cannot do what we desire to do. Many of our purposes are thwarted. We desire to do good and beautiful things, and we try--but our actual achievements fall far below our desires. Our clumsy hands cannot fashion the loveliness which our hearts dream of. Our faltering weakness cannot do the brave things our souls aspire to do. No artist ever paints on his canvas--all the beauty of his ideal. No singer ever expresses--all the music which burns within him as he sings. No eloquent orator ever utters--all that he feels as he pleads for truth or for justice.

So in all our life--we do only a little of what we strive to do. We set out in the morning with purposes of usefulness, of true living, of gentle-heartedness, of patience, of victoriousness; but in the evening we find only little fragments of these good intentions actually wrought out!

But God's plans and intentions are all carried out! No power can withstand Him--or frustrate His will. It was in this thought, that Job found peace in his long, sore trial: all things were in God's hands, and nothing could hinder His designs of love! Our God is infinitely strong. In all earthly confusions, strifes, and troubles--His hand moves, bringing good out of evil for those who trust in Him. He executes all His purposes of good. He is never hindered in blessing His children.

"I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted!" Job 42:2

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Running here and there like ants on an anthill!

(J. C. Ryle)

Oh, that men and women would learn to live with the awareness that one day they are going to die! Truly, it is waste of time to set our hearts on a dying world and its short-lived comforts and pleasures; and for the sake of momentary pleasures--to lose a glorious eternity in Heaven! Here we are striving, laboring, exhausting ourselves about little things, and running here and there like ants on an anthill! And yet after a few years, we will all be gone--and another generation will take our place. Let us live for eternity! Let us seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness that can never be taken from us!

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things! When Christ, who is your life, appears--then you also will appear with Him in glory!" Colossians 3:1-4

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That ruthless invader of all happiness!

(John MacDuff, "Grapes of Eschol")

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. In My Father's house are many mansions! I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with Me--that you also may be where I am!" John 14:1-3

The verse speaks of PERMANENCY--they are "mansions." The word in the original is not a tent or temporary shelter--but a durable residence, never to be altered or demolished. "The tents of the East," says Professor Hackett, "seldom remain long in the same place. The traveler erects his temporary abode for the night, takes it down in the morning, and journeys onward. The shepherds of the country are also always moving from one place to another. The brook dries up on which they relied for water, or the grass required for the support of their flocks is consumed--and they wander on to a new station."

How strikingly illustrative is this of the Bible figure, "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands!" 2 Corinthians 5. This mortal body, like the nomadic tent, is up-reared for a time--but, after serving its temporary purpose--it is, pin by pin, demolished, and the place that once knew it, knows it no more.

Not so the ever-enduring mansions of our Father's house! "A priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is reserved in heaven for you--pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!" 1 Peter 1:4.  No failing of brooks there! No joys there will be withered and smitten like the grass of the wilderness. "The Lamb in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and lead them to living fountains of waters!"

Ah! it is the saddest, the most humiliating feature of the joys of earth, that, however pure, noble, elevating they may be at the moment--there is no calculating on their permanency. The mind will, in spite of itself, be haunted with the dark possibility of that ruthless invader of all happiness coming and dashing the full cup in a thousand fragments on the ground!

But in Heaven, no shadow of vicissitude or change can ever enter to dim an ever-brightening future! Once within that heavenly fold--we are in the fold forever! On the lintels of the eternal mansion are inscribed the words, "You shall never leave it!" Our happiness and joy will be as immutable and stable--as God's everlasting love and power and faithfulness can make them!

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It shall be well with him!

(John MacDuff, "The Christian's Pathway" 1858")

"Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him!" Isaiah 3:10

The human family is divided into a great variety of social and artificial distinctions. But, in the sight of God--there are but two classes, into which the multifarious elements of universal humanity can be resolved. There are only the righteous--and the wicked. Concerning one of these classes--God proclaims that it shall be well with them; while to the other--He pronounces a solemn woe.

What makes the condition of a wicked man to be so fearful, is the solemn fact that God is against him! And what makes that of the righteous to be so blessed--is that God is for him!
All the divine attributes are arrayed against the impenitent sinner--but when he becomes a saint, they all join to take his part. Such being the case, having the eternal Jehovah in all his boundless perfections on his side, it cannot be otherwise than well with him.

It shall be well with the righteous, not merely in life--but in death. It is appointed, by the irrevocable decree of God--that all men must die. There is no discharge in that war--no release from that mortal struggle!
Wealth has no bribe which death will receive.
Wisdom has no art by which death can be avoided.
Power has no defense against death.
Beauty has no charm to death's eye.
The voice of eloquence is lost to death's ear.
Even religion has no security from death's stroke!
Here the mightiest conqueror is vanquished--and the proudest of monarchs finds himself a slave! From its ruthless grasp--no age, no condition can escape!

Those who are in the bloom and freshness of youth cannot escape--for "man, at his best estate, is altogether vanity!"

The great and prosperous cannot escape--for "the rich man also died--and was buried."

The wicked cannot escape--he is driven, yes, dragged away in his wickedness; the most fearful of all deaths is his--that of dying in his sins!

Neither can the righteous escape--he must go the way of all the earth, and become a tenant of the silent grave!

But, at that solemn season, it shall be well with him!
When the last sands of the numbered hour are running out;
when his earthly friends will be compelled to leave him;
when the cold dews of death will be standing in large drops upon his pallid brow;
when every nerve and vein may be racked and wrenched in fearful agonies by the irresistible power of the grim tyrant--even then it shall be well with him! The dying strife will soon be over, and through death's gloomy portals--he will enter upon that blessed state where all is peace and bliss forever!

"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life!" Matthew 25:46

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Suppose your child was dying

(James Smith, "Our Father and Comforter")

Surely, if parents realized the value of their children's souls; if they had a vivid sight of the danger to which they are exposed; if they felt that they must be saved by the Lord Jesus--or perish for ever--then they would act very differently toward them!

Could a parent, if he believed the Scriptural representation of hell, as a place of torment; and saw that his child hung over that ever-burning lake as by a thread--and might, at any moment, by some accident, be plunged into the bottomless abyss; I say, if he saw and believed this--could he let his child go on, day after day, and month after month, without the tender expostulation, the affectionate appeal, and the heart-felt prayer with him? I think not!

Alas! alas! We do not half believe . . .
  in the horrors of hell,
  in the danger of our children, and
  in the absolute necessity of faith in Christ, in order to for them to be saved--or we could never live as we do!

What anxiety is manifested about their health and their education; and what indifference about their never-dying souls! One feels at times ready to conclude that many professing Christian parents must be half infidels, or wholly insane--to act as they do!

Reader, suppose your child was dying. His pulses are faint and few. He breathes short and hard. You approach his bedside. You take his hand in yours. He asks, "Father, did you believe I was a sinner? Did you know that it was possible I might die young? Were you aware that, without faith in Christ--I must perish forever? Did you, father?"

"I did, my child."

"Then how could you be so cruel, so hard-hearted, as to treat me in the way you have? You never took me aside to talk to me seriously. You never endeavored to impress upon my mind the importance of spiritual things. You never earnestly warned me to flee from the wrath to come. You never lovingly invited me to the Lord Jesus Christ. You never prayed with me as if you believed I was in danger of going to hell, and could only be saved by the grace of God. You were very earnest about temporal things--but indifferent about spiritual realities. You knew that I was going to hell--and you did not try to prevent it. Now I am lost! Lost for ever--and you are the cause of it! Or, at least, you are accessory to my everlasting damnation!"

Or, suppose you were before the Great White Throne, and the Judge seated thereon, and you meet your children there. One of them points to you, and says, "There is my mother! She showed great concern about my body--but she never showed anxiety about my soul. She never knelt by my side in prayer. I never heard her plead with God for my soul, nor did she ever, in downright earnest, plead with me. I charge her, before the Judge of all--with cruelty to my soul; and throughout eternity I shall curse the day that ever I had such a parent! No name will excite my enmity, or draw forth my bitter reproaches, like the name of my mother! I am lost, lost forever--and my mother never heartily tried to prevent it!"

Parents, how could you bear this? Parents, parents! By all the tender ties that unite you to your children, I beseech you to seek, first, principally, and most earnestly--the conversion of your children!

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It is not easy to be a man!

(J. R. Miller, "The Manliness of Jesus")

Christ is more than a teacher. A teacher shows us lofty qualities and attainments--and then leaves us in hopeless weakness in the dust. But Christ is Helper, Friend, Savior--as well as Teacher. He shows us what true manliness is--and then comes into our life and inspires us to strive after the things which He commends; and then breathes His life into us to help us to be what He teaches us to be.

It is not easy to be a man--a true, noble, Christlike man. It means continual struggle, for enemies of manliness meet us at every step! Every inch of the way must be won in battle. It means constant restraint and repression of sin--for the 'old man' in us must be subdued and kept under control. It means constant, painful discipline--for the powers of nature are evil and unruly, and hard to tame and control. It means unending toil and self-denial--for we must climb ever upward, and the way is steep and rugged, and SELF must be trampled to death under our feet as we rise to higher life! It is hard to be a true man--for all the odds seem against us. But Christ lives, and He is Helper, Friend, and Guide--to every man who truly receives Him as Lord and Master.

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A union which will last forever!

(John MacDuff, "The Christian's Pathway" 1858")

"My Beloved is mine--and I am His!" Song of Songs 2:14

This is the language of the Christian in the book of Canticles. How great is the blessedness involved in such an assurance! My beloved Jesus is mine . . .
  in the dignity of His person;
  in the suitability of His offices;
  in the immensity of His love;
  in the efficacy of His atonement;
  in the riches of His abounding grace!

His righteousness is mine--to justify me,
His Spirit is mine--to sanctify me,
His power is mine--to defend me,
His wisdom is mine--to guide me, and
His Heaven is mine--to receive me!

And what does Christ say to the believer in return?

"I am yours--and all that I have is yours! I have boundless and unsearchable riches--and those riches are for you! I have happiness to bestow, such as the mind in its largest grasp has never been able to conceive--and that happiness is for you! I have crowns and scepters at My disposal--and all those honors are for you! Yes, to him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My glorious throne!"

The Christian's exaltation and bliss is not a matter of doubtful disputation. And what makes it so certain? It is the blessed truth that the union which exists between him and Christ--is an indissoluble union! All other relations, however close and endearing, must be broken. That union of husband and wife; and soul and body--has no power to resist the assault of death, the great destroyer.

All earthly ties must then be severed. But death, which breaks every other bond--only strengthens the bond between the Christian and Christ! Death, which quenches every other love--only kindles that of the believer for Jesus, into a purer and intenser flame! Death, which snatches every other object from our grasp--only brings us to the full enjoyment of Him, who is the fountain of life, the great center and source of all blessedness.

Christian, rejoice in your union with Jesus!
The changes of time cannot touch it!
The storms of life cannot injure it!
The sword of persecution cannot sever it!
The damps of death cannot affect it!
The malice of hell cannot move it!
It is a union which will last forever! It follows, therefore, that you, if a partaker of it--will be rich forever, safe forever, dignified forever, and blessed forever!

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He will not do it!

(J. R. Miller, "Miller's Year Book--a Year's Daily Readings")

"Cast your burden upon the Lord--and He shall sustain you!" Psalm 45:22

There are some mistaken notions current concerning the way in which God would help us. People think that whenever they have a little trouble, a bit of hard path to go over, a load to carry, a sorrow to endure--that all they have to do is to call upon God, and He will at once take away their sorrow, or free them from the trouble. But this is not the way that God helps us! His purpose of love concerning us is--not to make all things easy for us--but to make something of us!

When we ask God to save us from our trouble, to take the struggles out of our life, to make the paths mossy, to lift off every heavy load--He will not do it! It would be most unloving in Him to accommodate us. We must carry the burden ourselves! All God promises is, to sustain us--as we carry it! He wants us to learn life's lessons, and to do this--we must be left to work out the problems for ourselves.

There are rich blessings which can be gotten only in sorrow. It would be short-sighted love indeed--which would heed our cries, and spare us from sorrow--and thus deprive us of the wonderful blessings which can be gotten only in sorrow! God is too good to us to answer our prayers--which would save us from pain, cost, and sacrifice today--at the price of holier, better, truer life in the end. He would not rob us of the blessing that is in the burden--which we can get only by carrying it!

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Secret prayer

(Thomas Brooks, "A Word in Season to Suffering Saints")

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

In all the ages of the world, the saints have kept up secret prayer. In spite of all opposers and persecutors, in prisons, in dungeons, in dens, in chains, on racks, in banishments, and in the very flames--the saints have still kept up this secret prayer.

A Christian can as well . . .
  hear without ears, and
  live without food, and
  fight without hands, and
  walk without feet--
as he is able to live without secret prayer!

Look! as secret meals make fat bodies--so secret prayers make fat souls!

Secret prayer is the life of our lives--the soul, the sweet, the heaven of all our earthly enjoyments. Of all the duties of piety, secret prayer is the most . . .
  soul-sweetening,
  soul-strengthening,
  soul-enriching,
  soul-fattening,
  soul-refreshing,
  soul-satisfying, and
  soul-encouraging duty.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace--that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

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The representative of Christ in this world

(Theodore Cuyler, "Wayside Springs from the Fountain of Life" 1883)

"Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way." Titus 2:10

Christ enjoined upon every one of His disciples to study Him, to learn of Him, and to imitate His example. A true Christian is the representative of Christ in this world--the only embodiment of gospel teaching and influences, that is presented in human society. How vitally important is it, then, that those of us who profess and call ourselves Christians, should make our Christianity attractive! Multitudes of people know very little and think very little about the Lord Jesus; nearly all the ideas they get of His religion--is what they see in those who profess it!

An attractive Christian is the one who hits the most nearly that golden mean between love on the one hand--and firmness on the other hand. He is strict--but not censorious. He is sound--and yet sweet and mellow, as one who dwells much in the sunshine of Christ's countenance. He never incurs contempt by compromising with wrong--nor does he provoke others to dislike of him by doing right in a very harsh or hateful or bigoted fashion.

Our Master is our model. What marvelous example of gentleness, forbearance, and unselfish love adorned His life! What He was--we, in our imperfect measure, should pray and strive after. Study Jesus, brethren. Get your souls saturated with His spirit. His grace imparted to you and His example imitated--can turn your deformity into beauty, and adorn your lives with those things which are true and honest and lovely. We must make our daily religion more winsome!

"Leaving you an example--that you should follow in His steps. 1 Peter 2:21