Come As You Are

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

"For by grace are ye saved through faith . . . Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians  2:8,9

     It was the year 1836 - a young girl was preparing to attend a dance.  On her way to her dressmaker to have a fine gown made for the occasion, she met her pastor.  Upon learning the purpose of her errand, he pleaded with her not to go, and spoke to her about receiving Christ.  She became very angry at this and said,  "I wish you would mind your own business!"

     When the ball was held, this young lady was among the gaiest of all those who attended.  She was flattered by her admirers, and danced until the wee hours of the morning.  However, when she lay her weary head on her pillow she found no rest, for she was far from being happy.  The sweet words of admonition by her preacher had pricked her conscience, and deep conviction made her extremely wretched.  For three days she struggled with her load of sin until life itself seemed to become intolerable.  Finally she went to her pastor and asked his forgiveness, which he readily gave.  Then she cried,  "Now I want to be a Christian; what must I do?"  "My child, give yourself to the Lamb of God, just as you are."  "Just as I am?"  she asked.  "I am one of the worst sinners in the world.  How can God accept me just as I am?"  The preacher assured her that it was "not by works of righteousness" but by faith in the One who said "it is finished," that she could ever hope to find peace.  She went home, knelt down, and after a struggle gave her heart to Christ, guilty and sinful as it was, for cleansing in His precious blood.  Peace and joy filled her soul to overflowing.  Grasping a pen she wrote her now immortal hymn:  "Just As I Am Without One Plea." Charlotte Elliot little dreamed of the fame or immortality the words she had written would attain.  She had but transcribed the truth of the Gospel in the language of her own heart - a heart which had experienced Ephesians 2:8,9 in all its fullness!

     Oh sinner, today stop trying, and try trusting!

"Bread For Each Day"

Self-Made Men

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

   "For who maketh thee to differ from another?  and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?"
   1 Corinthians  4:7

    The Apostle Paul, the greatest of the apostles, and who "labored more abundantly than they all"  (1 Corinthians  15:10), said in this same verse,  "But by the grace of God I am what I am."  Paul did not claim any credit for his success, but admits that it was "grace bestowed" upon him.

     A certain man once said to a friend,  "I am a self-made man."  His friend replied,  "That certainly relieves God of an embarrassing responsibility."  If you are a self-made man, you must have had some material to begin with.  You are a success in business, but you could not have been if God had not endowed you with a mind.  You had no choice in the matter of your birth.  You did not choose your parents, your environment. You could have been born an idiot.  You have excelled in athletics, but who gave you that strong body? You could have been a paralytic.  You are successful as an orator, but who gave you your voice?  No one asked you about it, but you were born with that great blessing.  Maybe you are a preacher who has had great apparent success.  But who called you to be a preacher?  Who ordered the circumstances of your life - praying parents, faithful ministers?  Who influenced you to be saved and to dedicate your life to Christ?  You cannot even claim credit for believing in Him, for even saving faith is the gift of God  (Ephesians  2:8).  "Where is boasting then?  It is excluded.  By what law?  Of works?  Nay but by the law of faith"  (Romans  3:27).

     A proud Christian is an immature Christian.  He is an anomaly.  Christian growth is expressed in John the Baptist's confession,  "He must increase but I must decrease"  (John  3:30).  Are you a self-made man? Then you make of yourself a god.  Oh, for true humility!  Stop making a "snow man" which will not endure the Sun of Righteousness.

"Bread For Each Day"