Friday, May 1, 2015

Christlike Living in a Sinful World # 5

An unreached goal in this life

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

No one can do all that he knows he ought to do, or that he wants to do. Yet when we have done our duty, faithfully and earnestly, according to the light and the wisdom given to us — we should not regret afterwards, if it appears that we might have done things with more wisdom or with greater skill. We cannot get thebenefits of experience, until we have already gone through the experience. We cannot have an elder's ripe wisdom, in the days of our youth. We are able to see when a day is done, how we might have lived it better. We should bring to every hour's work — our finest skill, our best wisdom, our purest strength — and then feel no regret, even if it does not seem well done. Perfection is always an unreached goal in this life. Duty is always too large for us. We can never do more than a portion of it.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect — but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

"Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things — I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!" Matthew 25:23
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No one gets the crown — without the conflict!

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God!" Revelation 2:7

The daily temptations which make every true life such a painful conflict from beginning to end — bring us constant opportunities for growth of character. Tostruggle — is to grow strong. The soldier's art can be learned, and the soldier's honors can be won — only on the field of battle.

If you would grow into the beauty of the Master, you must accept the conflicts, and fight the battles. You can live easy if you will, by declining every struggle — but you will then get little out of life which is truly noble and worthy. The best things all come after the battle — you must fight your way across the field to get them. Heaven is only for those who overcome. No one gets the crown — without the conflict!

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne!" Revelation 3:21
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A Beautiful Life!

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

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that one be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2

A life does not need to be great, to be beautiful. There may be as much beauty . . .
  in a tiny flower — as in a majestic tree;
  in a little gem — as in a great mountain;
  in the smallest creature — as in a massive one.

A life may be very lovely in God's eyes — and yet be insignificant in the world's eyes. A beautiful life fulfills its mission in this world, and is what God made it to be, doing what God created it to do. Those with only common gifts, are in danger of thinking that they cannot live a beautiful life, and cannot be a blessing in this world. But the most obscure life which fills its place well, is far lovelier in God's sight, than the grandest and most splendidly gifted life which fails in its divine mission.

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

"Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things — I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!" Matthew 25:23
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How slowly we learn it!

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you — so you must love one another." John 13:34-35

How did Christ love His disciples? How did He demonstrate His love to them? Was it not, among other ways . . .
  in His wonderful patience with them — with their faults, their ignorance, their unfaithfulness;
  in His considerate kindness;
  in His ever-watchful thoughtfulness;
  in His compassionate gentleness;
  in His ministering to them in every possible way?

What is it, then, to love one another, as He loves us? Is it not to take His example for our pattern? But how slowly we learn it! How hard it is to be gentle, patient, kind, thoughtful, even perfectly true and just, to one another! Still, the lesson stands and waits for us, and we must never falter in learning it.
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The light, the joy, the blessing, the inspiration of a home!

Home is the true wife's kingdom. There, first of all places, she must be strong and godly. She may touch life outside in many ways — if she can do it without slighting the duties that are hers within her own doors. But if any calls for her service must be declined, they should not be the duties of her home. These are hers, and no other one's. Very largely does the wife hold in her hands, as a sacred trust, the happiness and the highest good of the hearts that nestle there. The best husband — the truest, the noblest, the gentlest, the richest-hearted — cannot make his home happy — if his wife is not, in every reasonable sense, a helpmate to him.

In the last analysis, home happiness depends on the wife. Her spirit gives the home its atmosphere. Her hands fashion its beauty. Her heart makes its love. And the end is so worthy, so noble, so divine — that no woman who has been called to be a wife, and has listened to the call, should consider any price too great to pay — to be the light, the joy, the blessing, the inspiration of a home!

Men with fine artistic gifts, think it worth while to live to paint a few great pictures which shall be looked at and admired for generations; or to write a few songs which shall sing themselves into the ears and hearts of men.

But the woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity — is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies!
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Plank-eye

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye — and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3

Let us learn to seal our lips forever on the wretched, miserable habit of telling the world about the speck in our neighbor's eye! Who made us a judge of others?

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." Matthew 18:15. Tell him his faults, if you will, with love and sympathy in your heart, confessing your own in the meantime. Tell faults because you want to help your neighbor to become nobler, lovelier, and better, because you cannot bear to see your neighbor suffer — not because you want to humble him or triumph over her. Tell him his faults in secret — if you are ready for such holy work; but do not tell the world of these faults.

~J. R. Miller~

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