Grace Gems

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Afflicted one, you cannot believe it now!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

"I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of affliction!" Isaiah 48:10

Afflicted one, you cannot believe it now--but you will come out from that furnace seven times purified in the refining fires of God.

"When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold!" Job 23:10

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We are to learn to live the things which are Christly!

(J.R. Miller, "Living Victoriously")

Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me." Matthew 11:29

The course of instruction is long, and the lessons are many. The learning is not merely intellectual, but essentially practical. It is not enough to know what a Christian life should be--what qualities and virtues go to make up Christlikeness. We are to learn to live the things which are Christly! We are not merely to know what self-denial, patience, unselfishness, thoughtfulness, and kindness are--but we are to get these qualities wrought into our own disposition and character!

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them!" John 13:17

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The necessity of daily Bible reading

(J.R. Miller, "Living Victoriously")

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly!" Colossians 3:16

Probably prayer is less neglected in devotions, than is the reading of the Bible. Many people who would not go out any morning without a few moments of prayer, will go forth day after day into the thick of life's duties and perils, without reading even a verse of Scripture! They feel the necessity of asking God to keep, guide and bless them--but they fail to realize that it is in and through meditating on His Word, that God chiefly gives His richest and best blessings.

It is in His Word, that God reveals Himself. We cannot know what He is like, nor what the attributes of His character are--unless we ponder the Scriptures. We cannot learn what God's will is, nor what He would have us to do and to be--if we do not look into His Word. There is nothing that we need more, than to hear God speaking to us every morning. This is possible, only as we open the Bible and let its words whisper their messages to us.

No matter how familiar we may be with the teachings of the Scriptures, we need to ponder them anew every morning to keep their pure ideals and lofty requirements ever before us, lest we allow our standard of holy living to be lowered.

A celebrated painter always kept some purely-colored stones on his table. When asked by a visitor why he did so, he said it was to keep his eye up to tone. When he was working in pigments, unconsciously his sense of color was weakened. By keeping a pure color near him he brought his eye up to tone again, just as the musician by his tuning-fork brings himself up to the right pitch. In the same way, we continually need to turn to God's Word to keep our thoughts, and character, and life up to the true standard.

Rubenstein used to say that he could never omit his daily practice on the piano, for if he did, the quality of his playing would at once begin to deteriorate. He said that if he missed practice for three days--the public would know it; if he missed practice for two days--his friends would know it; and if he did not practice for even one day--he himself knew it!

It is no less true in Christian life, that in order to keep its holy tone up to what it should be, there must never be a break in the continuity of the study of God's Word. If we leave off for only one day, we shall become conscious of a loss of power in living. If for two successive days we fail to look into God's perfect law, our friends around us will notice the failure in the beauty, the sweetness and the grace of our character and disposition. If for three days we fail to study the Scriptures, to see how God would have us live, even the people of the world will see a lowering of the spiritual quality of our life!

One of the ways the Bible helps us, is by making Christ known to us. The noblest Christian is he before whose eyes, the character of Jesus shines in brightest splendor. Indeed, it is only when we have clear visions of Christ, that we really grow like Him.

"It seems to me," says a writer, "that nowadays men think and talk too much about improving their own character--but meditate too little on the perfectness of the divine character." Christ will never appear really great in our eyes, unless we make His Word our daily study. And only as He becomes great and glorious in our thought--will our character and standard of life be lifted up to what they should be.

Many of the blessings we seek in prayer, can come to us only through the Word of God:

We ask to be kept near the heart of Christ--but our Master tells us that only those who keep His commandments shall abide in His love. In order to keep His commandments, we must know them--and we can know them only by reading and re-reading them.

We ask God in the morning to guide us through the day, and in one of the psalms is the prayer, "Order my steps according to Your Word." That is, God leads us by His Word. If then we do not read the words of God, how can we get His guidance?

The leading He promises is not general, by long stretches--but by little steps. The Psalmist says, "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet." It is not said that prayer is the lamp--but the Word. We must carry it in our hand, too, as one carries a lantern to throw its beams about his feet.

We pray to be kept from sin, and in the Scriptures one says, "Your Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Our prayers to be kept from sin, can be answered only by getting the Word of God into our heart!

These are suggestions of the necessity of reading the Bible daily, as well as of praying. Neither is complete in itself alone. We must talk to God--but we must also listen to God talk to us through His Word. We must pray for blessings--but only through the divine words of Scripture, can these blessings come to us.

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Our blessings are always greater than our trials!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

Beware of a morbid dwelling on self with its crosses and losses. Our blessings are always greater than our trials; and most assuredly always greater than we deserve!

"Everything outside of Hell is mercy!"

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Ebenezer!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it 'Ebenezer' saying: Thus far has the LORD helped us!" 1 Samuel 7:12

What a retrospect will that be at the end of life's journey! The rough paths, the jagged precipices, the valleys of humiliation--all will be seen to have been bathed in the luminous light of God's love. There will be nothing more but to erect earth's farewell monument, and to carve upon it, "Ebenezer!"

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28

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The Gospel crucible!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!" 1 Corinthians 1:18

It will never cease to be one of the marvels of Christianity, that her antidotes are the same in every climate, every age, and every bosom. Just as the chemist can infallibly pronounce on the action of the various elements he throws into his crucible--so in the Gospel crucible, cast the human heart in its every form and type, that of . . .
  the degraded African,
  the superstitious Hindu,
  the ferocious Arab,
  the reprobate European--
the Gospel of Christ, by a heavenly alchemy, melts that heart! It dissolves . . .
  the pride of reason,
  the power of superstition,
  the curse and misery of vice!
It is the only universal balm!

It was tried . . .
  on ignorant fishermen of Galilee,
  on poor wayside beggars of Judea,
  on hardened Roman soldiers and
  on crouching slaves of sin and Satan.
It was tried on the great persecutor of the church--and by him on the disciples of Plato on Mars Hill. It was tried amid the tears of Bethany--and amid the courtly splendor and uncongenial influences of Caesar's household. And in not one of all these varied cases, has it failed!

The king clothed in ermine,
the pauper clothed in rags,
the statesman in his senate-house,
the merchant at his desk,
the artisan in his workshop,
the cottager at her wheel--
all feel the power of the same Gospel, all own the beauteous simplicity of the same healing words, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ--and you shall be saved!"

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The world's coveted possessions!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

The pride of title and the pride of riches--hereditary rank--high-sounding names--barns filled to repletion--piles of hoarded gold--these are the world's coveted possessions!

But pause and ask:
Will these bribe death?
Will these arrest the winged arrow in its flight?
Will these ferry a man easier across Jordan?
No!
The monarch and the slave;
the king and the peasant;
the millionaire and the beggar
--are the same at last!

But, here is a glorious title--enduring riches which death cannot rob, and the grave cannot spoil, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is!" 1 John 3:2

"In Your presence is fullness of joy! At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!" Psalm 16:11

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True beauty is not of the face--but of the soul!

(Mabel Hale, "Beautiful Girlhood" 1922)

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised!" Proverbs 31:30

Every girl is a lover of beauty. Beautiful homes, beautiful furnishings, beautiful flowers, beautiful clothes, beautiful faces--anything wherein beauty is found, there will be found girls to admire it. From the time her little hands can reach up, and her baby lips can lisp the words, she is admiring "pretty things." And when a little of that beauty is her own--her pleasure is unbounded.

Every girl longs to be beautiful. There is in woman a nature, as deep as humanity, which compels her to strive for good looks. There is no more forlorn sorrow for a young girl, than for her to be convinced that she is hopelessly ugly and undesirable. Oh, the bitter tears that have been shed over freckles, or a rough and pimply skin--and the energy that has been expended in painting and powdering and waving and curling herself into beauty!

A desire to be beautiful is not unwomanly. But, mark it: true beauty is not of the face--but of the soul! There is a beauty so deep and lasting, that it will shine out of the homeliest face and make it lovely! This is the beauty to be first sought and admired. It is a quality of the mind and heart--and is manifested in word and deed.

A happy heart,
a smiling face,
loving words and deeds, and
a desire to be of service--
will make any girl beautiful!

A beautiful soul shining out of a homely face--is far more attractive than a beautiful face out of which looks a soul full of selfishness and pride!

Let your chief charm be of heart and mind--not of face and form. Seek the true beauty which lasts even into old age!

Solomon, in one of his wise sayings, expressed plainly the evil that comes to a woman who is beautiful of face, but lacks the true beauty of soul: "Like a gold ring in a swine's snout--is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion!" Proverbs 11:22. As the swine would plunge the golden jewel into the filth and the mire as he dug in the dirt--so will a pretty woman who is not godly, drag her beauty down to the very lowest.

There are many peculiar temptations to those who are only lovely of face. Without true beauty of soul--a pretty face is a dangerous gift!

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight!" 1 Peter 3:3-4

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The chisel and mallet of affliction!

(John MacDuff, "Ripples in the Twilight" 1885)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans 8:28-29

In that great block of uncut marble, there is, in the mind of the sculptor, a slumbering angel. As chip by chip flies off, the form becomes crudely and slowly developed. In the course of time--after months of long labor--his conception is realized, and the masterpiece is completed.

God is the Supreme Sculptor, and it is very often by the chisel and mallet of affliction that He is now fabricating and fashioning His people for Heaven. The tools are in His hands. Let us trust Him that no stroke is unnecessary or redundant in the working out of His own Divine ideal, which is nothing short of this, "to be conformed to the image of His Son."

"Now He who has fashioned us ('chiseled'--so the word means) for this very thing is God." (2 Corinthians 5:5)

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Father knows best!

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light")

"He led them forth by the right way." Psalm 107:7

God leads every one of His children by the right way. He knows where and under what influences, each particular life will mature best.

One tree grows best in the sheltered valley, another by the water's edge, another on the bleak mountain-top swept by storms. Every tree or plant is found in the precise locality where the conditions for its growth exist.

And does God give more thought to trees and plants, than to His own children?

He places us amid the circumstances and experiences in which our life will grow and mature into Christlikeness. The peculiar discipline to which we are each subjected, is the discipline we each need to bring out in us the beauties and graces of true spiritual character. Our heavenly Father knows what is best--He makes no mistakes!

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans 8:28-29

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God crowns faithfulness

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light")

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

"It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2

It is not great things that God requires of us--unless our mission is to do great things. He only asks that we be faithful in the duties that come to our hand in our commonplace days. That means:
1. that we do all our work as well as we can;
2. that we serve well in all of our varied relationships of life;
3. that we stand heroically in our lot, resisting temptation and continuing true and loyal to God;
4. that we fulfill our mission in all ways according to the grace given unto us, using every gift and talent for the glory of God and the good of others.

The world crowns success.
God crowns faithfulness.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:23

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The human interpretation

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light" 1911)

"Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

Every Christian life is beautiful--so far as it fairly and truly represents Christ. Anything in a believer's life which is not beautiful--is not a just or adequate expression of our precious Lord Jesus. Holiness of character is simply the reproduction of the likeness of Christ in our life. Any feature that is not lovely and winning is not truly Christlike, and misrepresents Christ. It is not the Christian religion itself that is unlovely in any case--but the human interpretation of it in disposition and conduct.

"He who says he abides in Him, ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 1 John 2:6

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How to read the Bible

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light" 1911)

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them!" John 13:17

It is necessary to read the Bible, not just to know the will of God--but that we may do it. If Scripture is not the practice of our life--it is nothing to us.

Its truths are to be applied. If we read the Beatitudes, we are to compare ourselves with their Divine requirements, and seek to be conformed to them. If we come upon a verse that rebukes any habit or sin of ours--we are immediately to make the needed amendment.

We are to accept its promises, believe them--and then act as believing them.

We are to allow its comforts to enter our hearts and support us in sorrow.

There is nothing written in the Bible merely for ornament or beauty. Every word is practical! There is no truth in Scripture which has not some bearing upon actual living. When we come to it eager to know how to live, and ready to obey its precepts--we shall find it opening its inmost meaning to us!

"If you love Me, you will obey My commandments." John 14:15

"We know that we have come to know Him, IF we obey His commands. The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him!" 1 John 2:3-4

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True consecration

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light" 1911)

"It is the Lord's will. Let Him do what He thinks best." 1 Samuel 3:18

The heart of consecration is not devotion to this or that kind of service for Christ--but devotion to the Divine will, whatever God may ordain. It may not be any form of activity--sometimes it is quiet waiting. Consecration is not bringing a great many souls to Christ, attending a great many religious meetings, or teaching or preaching.

Some weary one, shut away in the darkness, in the chamber of pain, may be illustrating true consecration far more beautifully than those whose hands are fullest of Christian activities in the bustling world.

Consecration is devotion to the will of God. It is readiness to do, not what we want to do in His service--but what He gives us to do.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away! Blessed be the name of the LORD!" Job 1:21

"Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Nevertheless, I want Your will to be done, not Mine!" Luke 22:42

"Let the Lord's will be done!" Acts 21:14

Your way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be,
Lead me by Your own hand,
Choose out the path for me.

I dare not choose my lot,
I would not, if I might;
Choose for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright!
Horatius Bonar

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The happiest homes in the world!

(J.R. Miller, "The Shining Light" 1911)

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

Nothing is lovelier in life, than the spirit of contentment.

Fretting mars the beauty of many a face. Discontent spoils all one's world. Out of whatever window he looks, the discontented person sees something that is not pleasing.

But to a contented person, there is only good seen everywhere. The happiest homes in the world are not those in which are the finest carpets, the costliest pictures, the most luxurious furniture--but those in which glad, peaceful hearts dwell. A contented heart beautifies the plainest surroundings, and even the hardest conditions.

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength!" Philippians 4:11-13