Post by Char on Oct 28, 2008 10:06:47 GMT -6
THE GREATNESS OR THE DIVINE GIFTS A SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN
ENCOURAGEMENT.
JAMES 4:6... BUT HE GIVETH MORE GRACE..............
I. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE THAN WE DESERVE.
It is like saying He giveth what is undeserved to the undeserving—grace that is entirely beyond and above deserving, above all human merit of every kind.
We are so accustomed to its gifts and mercies that we seem to ourselves to have established some kind of right to them,.
We are so brought up among the precious things of God’s kingdom that we never pause to think that these are the fruits of amazing surpassing love. We shall never grow in grace as we ought until we have better perceptions of its true quality. It is from first to last to the undeserving.
All its gifts of unbounded goodness are the unmerited expression of Divine pity and love.
II. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE THAN WE DESIRE.
For we do desire it; if we be gracious persons at all, it is one of the laws of our life.
Just as the seed peeps upward from the soil to see the sun as it begins to live anew–just as rivers run to the ocean, as the sun hasteth to his going down, as ships speed on to their haven, as doves fly to their windows, as the exile sighs for his native land, as the weary pilgrim longs for his home, as each man seeks his own company–so the heaven born soul riseth to things above; the things that she desires. Have you no desire? Ah, then you are not yet a new creature.
If we have no spiritual desires we have no spiritual life. We are very apt to commit mistakes as to the strength of our desire for grace. We are very apt to mistake both ways, sometimes to think it is stronger that it is, and sometimes to think it is weaker then it is.
We have some temporary vehemence of affection; we mistake that for a settled desire, but God does not. He knows exactly how much there is of thirst and longing in our souls for purity, light, and love, and all that we understand by grace. He knows whether we really do wish to have more or His presence in our life, and how much.
We come asking to be received as hired servants in His great house, and He makes us sons. We stand knocking at the door of the temple, hoping to be admitted to the outer court, and He makes us priests. We stand by the palace of the great king, trembling and afraid to enter, and there is no more spirit in us; when, lo, we are carried by the power of His grace into the presence of the king.
Thus He conquers us with loving-kindness, HE GIVETH MORE GRACE—more than we desire.
III. HE GIVES US MORE GRACE THAN WE KNOW.
We are there only amid beginnings. We have the best things only in seed and germ.
The precious things of the Christian resemble the farmer’s seed corn. He lays it aside; it seems but little, but it will make his fields green next spring, and yellow next harvest, and fill his barns with plenty.
Now, so the Christian has everything here, but it is in seed. The seed is precious seed, however, and although he goes forth weeping, sometimes, to sow it, he will doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with Him.
Much of our joy hereafter will be the joy of admiration, the joy of surprise. We shall say, with wonder, "Was I so rich and did not know it?" Had I the germ of all this in store and yet thought of it so lightly? How could I despond, and weep and tremble as I did? But this tearful state of experience is now ended, and here I see, with adoring gratitude, that God was giving me more grace than even I knew.
IV. HE GIVETH ALL GRACE—MORE GRACE THAN WE USE.
All grace is for use, not for holding. It is likened by our blessed Lord Himself to talents, one, two, five; given to every man severally according to the man’s ability and according to the Master’s will.
It is not for holding, but for casting, as we have said, like seed-corn into the field of life. there is not one of these talents of which the Master will not require and account, not one which we may hide in the ground. And yet is not this last what we are so apt to do? The evils of this course are manifest. First we deprive ourselves of the blessedness of giving. Then we deprive others of the blessedness of receiving.
But there is more evil than this, and worse. It is more than disuse of talents; it is disease, it is corruption; it is decay, destruction, death, coming by misuse.
The gold and silver pieces which the miser hoards up will not, when produced years afterwards, be in the shining state they would have been by wear; and so when the talents committed to the Christian, which have been disused for a long lifetime, are brought out at last, they will not come out in the clear shining state in which they were; and the Master may then say, "Was this what I gave you these talents for?"
How is the fine gold become dim. I gave you pure knowledge that it might become still purer and wider, ever brightening toward perfect knowledge, and now it is all mingled with error, and the shadow of spiritual ignorance seems to have been deepening instead of passing away. I gave you a clear conscience, and left it free, and you have dimmed and fettered it–fresh sympathies with all the ardour of heaven, and now you bring them back weakened and petrified.. I gave you a bright eye, apt for the darting glance, and now it is dim as an old man’s vision. I gave you these talents to spend and use, and so increase; but this only the rust of them, and it will eat a man’s flesh as it were fire.
We all have more grace than we use, but we ought to use it far more than we do. The only preparation for receiving grace is–what?–coming to receive grace.
The only way in which we can be graciously better is by beginning to be better at once, and believing in God’s willingness to help us. God only requires on our parts more receptive hearts– the willing heart of love. Let us have grace then whereby we may serve God. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE.
ENCOURAGEMENT.
JAMES 4:6... BUT HE GIVETH MORE GRACE..............
I. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE THAN WE DESERVE.
It is like saying He giveth what is undeserved to the undeserving—grace that is entirely beyond and above deserving, above all human merit of every kind.
We are so accustomed to its gifts and mercies that we seem to ourselves to have established some kind of right to them,.
We are so brought up among the precious things of God’s kingdom that we never pause to think that these are the fruits of amazing surpassing love. We shall never grow in grace as we ought until we have better perceptions of its true quality. It is from first to last to the undeserving.
All its gifts of unbounded goodness are the unmerited expression of Divine pity and love.
II. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE THAN WE DESIRE.
For we do desire it; if we be gracious persons at all, it is one of the laws of our life.
Just as the seed peeps upward from the soil to see the sun as it begins to live anew–just as rivers run to the ocean, as the sun hasteth to his going down, as ships speed on to their haven, as doves fly to their windows, as the exile sighs for his native land, as the weary pilgrim longs for his home, as each man seeks his own company–so the heaven born soul riseth to things above; the things that she desires. Have you no desire? Ah, then you are not yet a new creature.
If we have no spiritual desires we have no spiritual life. We are very apt to commit mistakes as to the strength of our desire for grace. We are very apt to mistake both ways, sometimes to think it is stronger that it is, and sometimes to think it is weaker then it is.
We have some temporary vehemence of affection; we mistake that for a settled desire, but God does not. He knows exactly how much there is of thirst and longing in our souls for purity, light, and love, and all that we understand by grace. He knows whether we really do wish to have more or His presence in our life, and how much.
We come asking to be received as hired servants in His great house, and He makes us sons. We stand knocking at the door of the temple, hoping to be admitted to the outer court, and He makes us priests. We stand by the palace of the great king, trembling and afraid to enter, and there is no more spirit in us; when, lo, we are carried by the power of His grace into the presence of the king.
Thus He conquers us with loving-kindness, HE GIVETH MORE GRACE—more than we desire.
III. HE GIVES US MORE GRACE THAN WE KNOW.
We are there only amid beginnings. We have the best things only in seed and germ.
The precious things of the Christian resemble the farmer’s seed corn. He lays it aside; it seems but little, but it will make his fields green next spring, and yellow next harvest, and fill his barns with plenty.
Now, so the Christian has everything here, but it is in seed. The seed is precious seed, however, and although he goes forth weeping, sometimes, to sow it, he will doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with Him.
Much of our joy hereafter will be the joy of admiration, the joy of surprise. We shall say, with wonder, "Was I so rich and did not know it?" Had I the germ of all this in store and yet thought of it so lightly? How could I despond, and weep and tremble as I did? But this tearful state of experience is now ended, and here I see, with adoring gratitude, that God was giving me more grace than even I knew.
IV. HE GIVETH ALL GRACE—MORE GRACE THAN WE USE.
All grace is for use, not for holding. It is likened by our blessed Lord Himself to talents, one, two, five; given to every man severally according to the man’s ability and according to the Master’s will.
It is not for holding, but for casting, as we have said, like seed-corn into the field of life. there is not one of these talents of which the Master will not require and account, not one which we may hide in the ground. And yet is not this last what we are so apt to do? The evils of this course are manifest. First we deprive ourselves of the blessedness of giving. Then we deprive others of the blessedness of receiving.
But there is more evil than this, and worse. It is more than disuse of talents; it is disease, it is corruption; it is decay, destruction, death, coming by misuse.
The gold and silver pieces which the miser hoards up will not, when produced years afterwards, be in the shining state they would have been by wear; and so when the talents committed to the Christian, which have been disused for a long lifetime, are brought out at last, they will not come out in the clear shining state in which they were; and the Master may then say, "Was this what I gave you these talents for?"
How is the fine gold become dim. I gave you pure knowledge that it might become still purer and wider, ever brightening toward perfect knowledge, and now it is all mingled with error, and the shadow of spiritual ignorance seems to have been deepening instead of passing away. I gave you a clear conscience, and left it free, and you have dimmed and fettered it–fresh sympathies with all the ardour of heaven, and now you bring them back weakened and petrified.. I gave you a bright eye, apt for the darting glance, and now it is dim as an old man’s vision. I gave you these talents to spend and use, and so increase; but this only the rust of them, and it will eat a man’s flesh as it were fire.
We all have more grace than we use, but we ought to use it far more than we do. The only preparation for receiving grace is–what?–coming to receive grace.
The only way in which we can be graciously better is by beginning to be better at once, and believing in God’s willingness to help us. God only requires on our parts more receptive hearts– the willing heart of love. Let us have grace then whereby we may serve God. HE GIVETH MORE GRACE.
