When you do as you please without regard for what God wants you are saying, “I don’t care who I hurt”. Some have even come right out and said it–“I don’t care who it hurts I’m going to do what I want!”. How sad to think that they think so little of God. Yet it happens everyday. When you disobey God’s commands,despise  God’s instructions, and disregard warnings, and disrespect God’s promises, you not only hurt yourself, you hurt the One who loves you most.

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

Never rest satisfied with present attainments. God has much to bestow, and we are capable of receiving, enjoying, and using it to His glory. As the tree planted in a good soil grows both in the root and the branches, so should the Christian; he should be rooted in the love of God, and grow up in conformity to Jesus. If we grow in grace, we shall discover more of our own wretchedness, misery, and weakness; and more of the preciousness, fulness, and glory of Christ. We shall be humble before God, and active before men. We shall trust in Jesus more simply, having no confidence in the flesh. Grace always leads out of self to Jesus, and puts the crown of crowns upon His head. Grace is spiritual beauty; it is the very glory of God. To grow in grace is to grow like Jesus, meek and lowly in heart; active and devoted in life; blameless and harmless as the sons of God. Let us have grace, for God loves to bestow it; let us grow in grace, for God commands it; let us look forward for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the coming of Jesus, for God has promised it. Look for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of Jesus. (James Smith)

Though holy deeds and fruits of grace
Are in believers found,
‘Tis Christ’s command, that they increase
And more and more abound;
O Saviour, may I grow in grace,
Till I behold Thee face to face!

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”–2 Cor. 5:21

The fact that God hates sin is evident–He tells us so! Over and over again the Bible affirms that God, who is holy, hates sin. Not only does He tell us so, He shows us. No where is God’s hatred of sin seen more clearly than at Calvary. Sin never appears more awful than it does when you consider the cost of being cleansed from it–the crucifixion of Christ, God’s own dear Son.

Since sin cannot go unpunished, Christ became sin for us and allowed Himself to be put to death that He might pay the awful cost and provide life for those dead in trespasses and sin. God hates sin and loves the sinner to such a great degree that He gave Himself to be both “just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”(Rom. 3:26). While my mind cannot comprehend so great a love, my heart cannot constrain itself– I am compelled to shout, “Hallelujah what a Savior”. There is no greater love than this–nor is there any greater hatred of sin! He who is pure and spotless became “sin for us— that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”(2 Cor. 5:21). As to how such love and hatred should affect us, Samuel Davies wrote:

“Oh! what still more dreadful havoc would Sin have made, if it had been punished upon the sinner himself in his own person! Surely all the various miseries which have been inflicted upon our guilty world in all ages, and even all the punishments of Hell–do not so loudly proclaim the terrible desert and malignity of sin–as the cross of Christ! The infinite malignity of sin, and God’s hatred to it, appear nowhere in so striking and dreadful a light–as in the cross of Christ! Let a reasonable creature take but one serious view of that cross–and surely he must ever after tremble at the thought of the least sin!”

Saying you have faith that everything will turn out okay doesn’t mean it will. Faith in faith, looking on the bright side, keeping a positive attitude might cheer you up, but it won’t solve your problems. The only time we can know we are right is when our faith is in God’s Word. He cannot lie and He never fails. When you look on the right side you are looking on the bright side. Remember, God’s will is always right, best, and safest.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”– Pr 4:23

Do not spare your judgment of yourself. Never permit yourself to do things which you would be the first to condemn in others. Never suppose that there are reasons for you to do a wrong, which, under no circumstances would you tolerate in your neighbor.

Do not spare yourself in confessing your sins and mistakes. Confession is one of the tests of nobility. Not a few are willing to confess to God, who never attempt to confess to men. It is a serious question whether that sorrow for sin is genuine and deep enough which does not lead the offender to ask his fellow-man for pardon, even as he asks his God. Nothing could be clearer than Christ’s words, that whenever we remember that our brother has aught against us, we are to leave our gift at the altar, and go first to seek reconciliation with him, before we offer our sacrifice to God.

The supreme test of goodness is not in the greater but in the smaller incidents of our character and practice; not what we are when standing in the searchlight of public scrutiny, but when we reach the firelight flicker of our homes; not what we are when some clarion-call rings through the air, summoning us to fight for life and liberty, but our attitude when we are called to sentry-duty in the grey morning, when the watch-fire is burning low. It is impossible to be our best at the supreme moment if character is corroded and eaten into by dally inconsistency, unfaithfulness, and besetting sin.

You cannot really help people without expending yourself. The only work that tells must cost you something. Gold, silver, and precious stones can never be built into the new Jerusalem unless you are willing to part with them from the stores of your own life.

Most loving Father, may love fill and rule my heart. For then there will spring up and be cherished between Thee and me a likeness of character, and union of will, so that I may choose and refuse what Thou dost. AMEN. (F B Meyer)