Grace Gems

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From Grace Gems:
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God does not simply remove our ugly character traits!

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:12-13

Each one's battle must be a personal one. No one can reach the summit, without climbing the steep mountain path. We cannot be borne up on another's strong shoulder. No one can carry us up.

God does not simply put beautiful Christian graces into our lives, as the jeweler sets gems in a coronet. God does not simply remove our ugly character traits--and replace them by lovely ones. Each Christian must persevere through trials, troubles and temptations--to all noble spiritual attainments. While God works in us--we are to work out our own salvation.

"To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me!" Colossians 1:29

"He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son!" Revelation 21:7

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The God of the broken-hearted!

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds!" Psalm 147:3

The God of the Bible, is the God of the broken-hearted.

The world cares little for broken hearts. Indeed, men often break hearts by their cruelty, their falseness, their injustice, their coldness--and then move on as heedlessly as if they had trodden only on a worm!

But God cares. The broken-heartedness of His people attracts Him. The lament of grief on earth, draws Him down from Heaven!

"The LORD is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

"He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted" Luke 4:18

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I was almost gone!

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone!" Psalm 73:2

The God of the Bible, is the God of those who have failed. Wherever there is a weak, stumbling Christian, unable to walk alone--to him the Divine heart goes out in tender thought and sympathy, and the Divine hand is extended to support him and keep him from falling. Wherever one has fallen, and lies in defeat or failure--over him bends the Heavenly Father in kindly pity, to raise him up and to help him to begin again.

"Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory!" Psalm 73:23-24

"My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me!" Psalm 63:8

"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117

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The countless lowly ministries of the every-days

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"She has done what she could!" Mark 14:8

It is in the everyday of life, that nearly all the world's best work is done.

The tall mountain-peaks lift their glittering crests into the clouds, and win attention and admiration. But it is in the great valleys and broad plains, that the harvests grow and the fruits ripen, on which the millions of earth feed their hunger.

In the same way, it is not from the few great and conspicuous deeds of life that the blessings chiefly come which make the world better, sweeter, holier--but from the countless lowly ministries of the every-days, the little faithfulnesses that fill long years.

"Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in a very little thing" Luke 19:17

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Following Jesus!

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me!" Matthew 16:24

"After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. 'Follow Me,' Jesus said to him; and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him." Luke 5:27-28

"We have left everything to follow You!" Mark 10:28

To follow Christ is to go where He leads, without questioning or demurring. It may be to a life of trial, suffering, or sacrifice--but no matter; we have nothing whatever to do with the kind of life to which our Lord calls us. Our only simple duty is to obey and follow.

We know that Jesus will lead us only in right paths, and that the way He takes slopes upward and ends in eternal glory!

Each new day on which we are about to enter is unopened, and we know not what shall befall us; but if we follow Christ, we need have no fear. So let us leave the old day with gratitude to God for its mercies, with penitence for its failures and sins--and let us enter the new day with earnest resolve in Christ's name to make it the holiest and most beautiful we have ever lived, as we follow Him.

"My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish--ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand!" John 10:27-28

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There is a wondrous charm in a gentle spirit

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart" Matthew 11:29

There is a wondrous charm in a gentle spirit.
For instance, the gentle girl in the home may not be . . .
  beautiful, nor
  well educated, nor
  clever in any way.
But wherever she moves, she leaves a blessing.

Close beside every Christian, stands One who holds all gifts and graces in His hands. Jesus looks into our face and asks what new adornment He shall give us. Let us pray for the spirit of gentleness, for no other gift will make us such a blessing to others.

"The fruit of the Spirit is . . . gentleness" Galatians 5:22

"Let your gentleness be evident to all." Philippians 4:5

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12

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Do we understand what love is?

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

Do we understand what love is? We like to be loved, that is, to have other people love us, and live for us, and do things for us. We like the gratifications of love. But that is only miserable selfishness, if it goes no further. It is a desecration of the sacred name, to think that love, at its heart, means getting, receiving. Nay, love gives.

That is what God's love does--it finds its blessedness in giving. "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." That is what Christ's love does--it pours out its very lifeblood, to the last drop!

The essential meaning of loving must always be giving, not receiving.

"Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her" Ephesians 5:25

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Your life preaches all the week!

(Robert Murray M'Cheyne)

Study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two--but your life preaches all the week!

If Satan can only make a covetous minister a lover of praise, of pleasure, of good eating--he has ruined your ministry.

In great measure, according to the purity and graces of the instrument, will be success. It is not great talents God blesses, so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an powerful weapon in the hand of God!

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O eternity!

(James Smith, "The Way of Salvation Set Forth")

My soul is immortal--it can never cease to be.

It is destined by the immutable decree of God, to exist eternally.

O eternity! Who can conceive your dimensions!

Forever--who can grasp the mighty idea!

To exist forever--solemn consideration!

Millions of ages as numerous . . .
  as the stars in the skies,
  as the sands on the sea-shore,
  as blades of grass on the surface of the globe,
  as leaves which fall from the trees in autumn
--are as nothing in comparison with eternity!

But where shall I exist?

How will I spend eternity?

In happiness--or in torment?

That will entirely depend upon the character, the state, the condition, in which I live and die.

If I live in sin, if I serve self and Satan, if I die accursed--then I must suffer the due desert of my deeds.

But if I savingly believe in Jesus, if I live unto God, if I die under His saving grace--then I shall possess and enjoy glory, honor and eternal life--and these forever!

Let the solemn fact that you are immortal, deeply impress your mind.
Try to realize the overwhelming thought:
"I must live forever!
 I must live forever in unspeakable happiness--or inconceivable misery!
 My eternal state depends on my present state.
 If I live unconverted--then I must die accursed. I am lost, and once lost, lost forever!"

O eternity! Tremendous sound! Incomprehensible idea!

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment--but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:46

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Do not be afraid, for I am with you!

(James Smith, "The Believer's Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble" 1842)

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you!" Isaiah 43:5

The presence of a friend in trouble is cheering and consoling. But it is too often the case, that our friends, like the friends of Job, prove to be miserable comforters. They either do not enter into our troubles--or they cannot help us. The advice they give at times, only aggravates our woe, and adds to our distress.

But, believer, your God says, "I am with you!" What a thought is this! God, the great, the glorious, the omnipotent Jehovah--is with me! He is . . .
   with me to help me,
   with me to comfort me,
   with me to sanctify me,
   with me to save me,
   with me as a kind benignant Father,
   with me in every place, in every trouble, in every conflict,
   with me through all my journey and forevermore,
   with me on the bed of sickness,
   with me  to hold communion with me,
   with me to listen to my sighs,
   with me to number my tears, and
   with me to secure me from all injury!

Appearances may be very dark; the night may seem very long; and your pains, weakness, and fears may be many and great. Still, if the Lord is with you, you may sing, "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty--yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" Habakkuk 3:17-18

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Live near to God

(Robert Murray M'Cheyne)

Prayer is the link that connects earth with Heaven! Live near to God, and all things will appear little to you in comparison with eternal realities!

When you gaze upon the sun--it makes everything else dark. When you taste honey--it makes everything else tasteless. Likewise, when your soul feeds on Jesus--it takes away the sweetness of all earthly things--pride, pleasure, fleshly lusts, all lose their sweetness.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!" Hebrews 12:2. Keep a continued gaze! So will the world be crucified to you--and you unto the world!

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Dive and dive again!

(Robert Murray M'Cheyne)

"The riches of God's grace!" Ephesians 1:7

"The incomparable riches of His grace!" Ephesians 2:7

"The unsearchable riches of Christ!" Ephesians 3:8

Millions of dazzling pearls and gems lie hidden in the deep recesses of the ocean caves.

In the same way, unfathomable oceans of grace are in Christ for His redeemed people. Dive and dive again--you will never come to the bottom of these depths! One gem from that ocean, is worth all the pebbles from earthly streams!

"I pray that out of His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being!" Ephesians 3:16

"And my God will supply all your needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus!" Philippians 4:19

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The Christian's dress all the week

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

Religion and common life are not two different and distinct things. We may not cut our existence in two parts, and say, "Over this Christ shall rule--but over that He shall have no control."

True religion knows no difference between Sunday and Monday, so far as the ethics of life are concerned. Each day brings its own specific duties; but there are not moral precepts for the one day which are suspended when its sun sets, that for six days a mitigated or less holy law may prevail. Holiness is to be the Christian's dress all the week through, in every hour's conduct. All pleasures and amusements must be tested by the unvarying rule of right. The standard of perfect purity cannot be lowered.

"You ought to live holy and godly lives" 2 Peter 3:11

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With the fragments of the broken hopes and joys

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

It is strange how many of earth's most beautiful lives, have grown up out of what seemed defeat and failure. Indeed, God seems to love to build spiritual loveliness out of the castaway fragments of lives, even out of sin's debris.

In a great cathedral there is said to be a window made by an apprentice out of the bits of stained glass which were thrown away as refuse and worthless, when the other windows were made--and this is the most beautiful window of all.

In the same way, God can build a noble character for you, in spite of all the hurts and injuries done to you, wittingly or unwittingly, by others--with the fragments of the broken hopes and joys, and the lost opportunities that lie strewn about your feet. No others by their worst work of hurt or marring, can prevent your building a beautiful character for yourself.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds!" Psalm 147:3

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Love was the interpreter!

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

A young lady purchased a book and read a few pages--but was not interested in it. Some months afterwards she met the author--and a tender friendship sprang up, ripening into love and marriage. Then the book was dull no longer. Every sentence had a charm for her heart. Love was the interpreter!

In the same way, to those who do not know Christ personally, the Bible seems dry and uninteresting. But when they learn to know Him, and to love Him--then all is changed! The deeper their love for Him becomes--the more do the sacred pages glow with beauty and light!

"O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day!" Psalm 119:97