Grace and Peace to you. Todays Fresh Manna. To Encourage, Edify & Equip You: 25 (31.1.14): Quality! ***** INTRODUCING the subject of His Church, Lord Jesus brings us straight to the Rock. He Himself is the precious corner stone of the sure foundation (Isa. 28:16). Each child of God who has life and is redeemed by His Blood stands upon this foundation, and upon it he builds. Unbelievers have no part here at all. We are ... Gods building, Paul writes to Corinthians in one of his letters, and then goes on : As a wise master builder I laid a foundation... but let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (I Cor. 3:9-II). In other words the choice of foundation is no longer our responsibility. God Himself has laid it, and no man can lay any other; no man can begin any where else. The apostles witness to this, and God does not ask our approval! He has done it, and He knows what He is doing. Whenever a soul comes to Christ, and Christ enters into the life, that foundation is laid. On it the child of God stands, on it he builds. What does matter, however, is what he puts on it. God looks for quality. He is not concerned so much with whether we do the work as with what we use to do it. Many argue, If my work is well done, surely that is enough ! But God asks not merely whether we have served Him, given ourselves to His work, and built on the foundation, important though these things are. His question goes deeper. What, He inquires, have we used to do these things? He looks, not only at the things done, but at the materials used. Among those who preach the Gospel, He is aware of a difference of quality, and readily distinguishes the solid from the superficial worker. Among those who see spiritual truth, He recognizes a like difference in their seeing. Among those who pray, He discerns what lies behind each ones Amen. This is what Paul means when he warns us: If any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones wood, hay, stubble; each mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire (verses 12,13). It is weight that counts. Wood, hay, stubble are cheap, light, temporary; gold, silver, precious stones are costly, weighty, eternal. Here is the key to value. The heavy metals, the gold of the divine character and glory, the silver of His redemptive work: these are the materials He prizes. Not merely What we preach, but what we are, weighs with God; not doctrine, but the character of Christ wrought out in us by Gods orderings, by Gods testings, by the Spirits patient workings. The problem lies in our failure to understand that, in Gods work, man in himself is of no use. Wood, hay, stubble, these suggest what is essentially of man and of the flesh. They imply what is common, ordinary, easily and cheaply acquired-and of course perishable. Grass to-day may clothe the earth with beauty, but where is it to-morrow? God looks for more solid values than these. Too much of our work for God depends not on His will and purpose but on our feelings-or even, God forgive us! On the weather. Like chaff and stubble, it is carried away by the wind. Given the right mood we accomplish a lot, but just as easily, in adverse conditions we may down tools entirely. No work, as the fire will one day prove, dependent on feelings or on the wind of revival is of little use to God. When God commands, feelings or no feelings, we must learn to do. Such values are costly. Those unwilling to pay the price will never come by them. Grace is free, but this isnt. Only a high price buys costly stones. Do not wonder, then at Gods concern for the materials of His house. Imitation jewelry may have a certain beauty, but what woman that has once possessed the real thing would give another thought? The apostle Paul leaves us in no doubt of his own valuation. Ten coolie-loads of stubble can never approach the price of one single gem-stone. All flesh, all mere feelings, all that is essentially of man , is grass and must vanish away. What is of Christ, the gold, the silver, the costly stones, these alone are eternal, incorruptible, imperishable. It is this lasting character of Gods Church that must now claim our attention. Praise God, this is the Vision God has given me of His work- quality in life and ministry! Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 11:20:57 +0000
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