Earth's broken things
Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow — and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to Heaven's glory.
Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow — and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to Heaven's glory.
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Spiritual Greatness
Spiritual Greatness — sanctified character, beauty of soul, the likeness of Jesus upon our lives and hearts — shall endure forever. God wants to train every one of us into this true spiritual greatness.
Many Christians grow sadly disheartened, because they seem never to become any better. Year after year, the struggle goes on with the old bad habits and ugly dispositions, the old selfishness, pride, and hatefulness — and they appear never to be growing victorious.
Yet Christ is a most patient teacher. He never wearies of our slowness and dullness as learners. He will teach the same lesson over and over, until we have learned it. If we only persevere, He will never tire of us, and His gentleness will make us great.
"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go." Isaiah 48:17
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32:8
Spiritual Greatness — sanctified character, beauty of soul, the likeness of Jesus upon our lives and hearts — shall endure forever. God wants to train every one of us into this true spiritual greatness.
Many Christians grow sadly disheartened, because they seem never to become any better. Year after year, the struggle goes on with the old bad habits and ugly dispositions, the old selfishness, pride, and hatefulness — and they appear never to be growing victorious.
Yet Christ is a most patient teacher. He never wearies of our slowness and dullness as learners. He will teach the same lesson over and over, until we have learned it. If we only persevere, He will never tire of us, and His gentleness will make us great.
"Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go." Isaiah 48:17
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." Psalm 32:8
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It is better to be deaf!
"Whoever spreads slander is a fool!" Proverbs 10:18
In the case of slander, the listener is almost as bad as the speaker. The only proper response, is to shut your ears the moment you begin to hear an evil report of another from anyone. The person has no right to tell it to you — and you have no right to listen to it! If you refuse to listen — he will not be able to go on with his story. Ears are made to hear with, but on occasion it is better to be deaf. We all aim at courtesy, and courtesy requires that we be patient listeners, even to dull speakers; but even courtesy does not require us to listen to evil reports about a neighbor. Ears should be trained to shut instinctively when the breath of slandertouches it, just as our eyes shut at the slightest approach of harm.
"He who speaks a slander, carries the devil on his tongue — and he who listens to it, carries the devil in his ear!" Thomas Watson
"Whoever spreads slander is a fool!" Proverbs 10:18
In the case of slander, the listener is almost as bad as the speaker. The only proper response, is to shut your ears the moment you begin to hear an evil report of another from anyone. The person has no right to tell it to you — and you have no right to listen to it! If you refuse to listen — he will not be able to go on with his story. Ears are made to hear with, but on occasion it is better to be deaf. We all aim at courtesy, and courtesy requires that we be patient listeners, even to dull speakers; but even courtesy does not require us to listen to evil reports about a neighbor. Ears should be trained to shut instinctively when the breath of slandertouches it, just as our eyes shut at the slightest approach of harm.
"He who speaks a slander, carries the devil on his tongue — and he who listens to it, carries the devil in his ear!" Thomas Watson
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As we go along the dusty road of life
As we go along the dusty road of life — we all need sympathy, human kindness, cheer, fellowship, and the thousand little expressions of human love. These small tokens of affection are the bright side of every life that is blessed by rich friendships. It is this unceasing blessing that your heart hungers for, as its daily bread — not great gifts and large favors, but a gentle affection in your friend to bring cheer, comfort, inspiration, hope, and strength to your soul every time you look into his face.
As we go along the dusty road of life — we all need sympathy, human kindness, cheer, fellowship, and the thousand little expressions of human love. These small tokens of affection are the bright side of every life that is blessed by rich friendships. It is this unceasing blessing that your heart hungers for, as its daily bread — not great gifts and large favors, but a gentle affection in your friend to bring cheer, comfort, inspiration, hope, and strength to your soul every time you look into his face.
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One selfish soul
Love is always ready to deny itself, to give, sacrifice — -just in the measure of its sincerity and intensity. Perfect love is perfect self-forgetfulness. Hence where there is love in a home — unselfishness is the law. Each forgets self, and lives for others. But where there is selfishness, it mars joy. One selfish soul will destroy the sweetness of life in any home. It is like an ugly bush in the midst of a garden of flowers. It was selfishness that destroyed the first home and blighted all the loveliness of Paradise; and it has been blighting lovely things in earth's homes ever since. We need to guard against this selfish spirit.
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Love is always ready to deny itself, to give, sacrifice — -just in the measure of its sincerity and intensity. Perfect love is perfect self-forgetfulness. Hence where there is love in a home — unselfishness is the law. Each forgets self, and lives for others. But where there is selfishness, it mars joy. One selfish soul will destroy the sweetness of life in any home. It is like an ugly bush in the midst of a garden of flowers. It was selfishness that destroyed the first home and blighted all the loveliness of Paradise; and it has been blighting lovely things in earth's homes ever since. We need to guard against this selfish spirit.
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The Law of Amusements
"All things are lawful — but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful — but not all things edify." 1 Corinthians 10:23
Amusements are proper, only so far as they make us better Christians. Whenever they become hindrances to us in our Christian living, or in our progress in sanctification — they are harmful, no matter how innocent they may be in themselves.
How do your amusements affect your spiritual life? What is their influence on you? They may be very pleasing to you and provide great pleasure. But what is their influence on you as a Christian? In other words, are they means of grace? Or are they making you careless regarding Christ, and hindering your advancement in spirituality? We ought to be honest enough with ourselves to answer these questions truthfully, and then act accordingly.
"All things are lawful — but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful — but not all things edify." 1 Corinthians 10:23
Amusements are proper, only so far as they make us better Christians. Whenever they become hindrances to us in our Christian living, or in our progress in sanctification — they are harmful, no matter how innocent they may be in themselves.
How do your amusements affect your spiritual life? What is their influence on you? They may be very pleasing to you and provide great pleasure. But what is their influence on you as a Christian? In other words, are they means of grace? Or are they making you careless regarding Christ, and hindering your advancement in spirituality? We ought to be honest enough with ourselves to answer these questions truthfully, and then act accordingly.
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A true disciple of Jesus
"Lord, what will You have me to do?" Acts 9:6
To be a true disciple of Jesus, is to say "Yes" to Him always, with our whole heart, and with our whole being.
It means giving up the sins that grieve Him.
It means cutting free from whatever displeases Him.
It is renouncing every other master, and taking orders from Him only.
It means walking with Him, following Him wherever He leads, without question, without reservation, not counting the cost.
It is saying "Yes" to Christ whatever He may ask us . . .
to do,
or to give up,
or to sacrifice,
or to suffer.
That was the way His first disciples followed Him. And that is the way His disciples must follow Him now. Absolute obedience to Him, is the condition of following Him completely.
"His disciples followed Him." Matthew 8:23
"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:38
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
"Lord, what will You have me to do?" Acts 9:6
To be a true disciple of Jesus, is to say "Yes" to Him always, with our whole heart, and with our whole being.
It means giving up the sins that grieve Him.
It means cutting free from whatever displeases Him.
It is renouncing every other master, and taking orders from Him only.
It means walking with Him, following Him wherever He leads, without question, without reservation, not counting the cost.
It is saying "Yes" to Christ whatever He may ask us . . .
to do,
or to give up,
or to sacrifice,
or to suffer.
That was the way His first disciples followed Him. And that is the way His disciples must follow Him now. Absolute obedience to Him, is the condition of following Him completely.
"His disciples followed Him." Matthew 8:23
"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me." Matthew 10:38
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24
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Character Building
"In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built." 1 Kings 6:7
The account of the silent temple builders on Mount Moriah, is the picture of all the worthwhile work within us. The builders are always at work on our characters, but they work quietly. The little blocks come from a thousand sources, and are laid upon the walls of our hearts.
The lessons we receive from others,
the influences friends exert upon us,
the books that feed our minds,
the impressions our experiences leave upon us,
the inspirations from the Holy Spirit —
in all these ways the quiet work of character-building goes on. It never ceases, because the builders never rest. By day and by night, your character-temple is rising. Is it completely beautiful? Are the stones all clean and white? Your character-temple is not yet completed.
"In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built." 1 Kings 6:7
The account of the silent temple builders on Mount Moriah, is the picture of all the worthwhile work within us. The builders are always at work on our characters, but they work quietly. The little blocks come from a thousand sources, and are laid upon the walls of our hearts.
The lessons we receive from others,
the influences friends exert upon us,
the books that feed our minds,
the impressions our experiences leave upon us,
the inspirations from the Holy Spirit —
in all these ways the quiet work of character-building goes on. It never ceases, because the builders never rest. By day and by night, your character-temple is rising. Is it completely beautiful? Are the stones all clean and white? Your character-temple is not yet completed.
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The continuing debt
"Owe no one anything, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8
If we have the true spirit of service, we will look upon everyone we meet, even casually, as one to whom we owe some debt of love, one sent to us to receive . . .
some blessing,
some cheerful word,
some comfort,
some strength,
some inspiration,
some touch of beauty from our hand.
We may never do even one great or noticeable thing that people will talk about, or that will be reported in the newspapers. Yet every word we speak, every small act, every influence we bring out, even unconsciously — all "in His name," meeting human need and pain and sorrow as we pass by — will prove to be a sweet and blessed ministry of love and will impart strength and help to others. The name of Christ consecrates every smallest deed or influence, pouring it full of love.
"The King will answer and say to them: Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them — you did it to Me!" Matthew 25:40
"Owe no one anything, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8
If we have the true spirit of service, we will look upon everyone we meet, even casually, as one to whom we owe some debt of love, one sent to us to receive . . .
some blessing,
some cheerful word,
some comfort,
some strength,
some inspiration,
some touch of beauty from our hand.
We may never do even one great or noticeable thing that people will talk about, or that will be reported in the newspapers. Yet every word we speak, every small act, every influence we bring out, even unconsciously — all "in His name," meeting human need and pain and sorrow as we pass by — will prove to be a sweet and blessed ministry of love and will impart strength and help to others. The name of Christ consecrates every smallest deed or influence, pouring it full of love.
"The King will answer and say to them: Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them — you did it to Me!" Matthew 25:40
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The balanced Christian life
While the Christian life is firm and yielding in its integrity and uprightness — it is still beautiful in its love and gentleness. The unchangeable principles of uprightness, like mountain-crags, are covered over with tender vines, and with the sweet flowers of grace and charity.
True religion is never meant to dry up our life and make it cold, hard, and formal. It is meant to bring out new beauty, and to clothe the soul in garments of loveliness. It asks for the development of every power of body, mind, and spirit to the greatest possibility. It demands the strongest motives for godliness. It demonstrates the finest examples. Its ideal includes not only "whatever things are true, whatever things are just," but also "whatever things are lovely."
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While the Christian life is firm and yielding in its integrity and uprightness — it is still beautiful in its love and gentleness. The unchangeable principles of uprightness, like mountain-crags, are covered over with tender vines, and with the sweet flowers of grace and charity.
True religion is never meant to dry up our life and make it cold, hard, and formal. It is meant to bring out new beauty, and to clothe the soul in garments of loveliness. It asks for the development of every power of body, mind, and spirit to the greatest possibility. It demands the strongest motives for godliness. It demonstrates the finest examples. Its ideal includes not only "whatever things are true, whatever things are just," but also "whatever things are lovely."
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Don't worry about the package!
"No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trainedby it." Hebrews 12:11
Beyond the River of Sorrow, there is a Promised Land. No trial for the present seems joyous, yet afterward it leads to blessing. There are rich possibilities for good — beyond every pain and trial. There are green fields beyond Jordan's sorrows. Our disappointments are really God's appointments, and bring rich rewards. God takes our losses — and molds them into gains for us. There is nothing really evil in the experiences of a Christian, for "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Our Father sends us nothing but good. Don't worry about the package! Be it dull or attractive, it enfolds a 'gift of love'.
"No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trainedby it." Hebrews 12:11
Beyond the River of Sorrow, there is a Promised Land. No trial for the present seems joyous, yet afterward it leads to blessing. There are rich possibilities for good — beyond every pain and trial. There are green fields beyond Jordan's sorrows. Our disappointments are really God's appointments, and bring rich rewards. God takes our losses — and molds them into gains for us. There is nothing really evil in the experiences of a Christian, for "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Our Father sends us nothing but good. Don't worry about the package! Be it dull or attractive, it enfolds a 'gift of love'.
~J. R. Miller~
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