Holy Unto the Lord!
Posted on January 06, 2011
My dad put me in touch with a website: www.gracegems.org. Be sure to check out the website, as it is absolutely PACKED with free downloadable solid Reformed books, articles, quotes, etc., both from the Puritans as well as more modern authors, such as Spurgeon, Ryle, Robert M'Cheyne, and Arthur Pink.
Anyway, I have been receiving their wonderful "Daily Grace Gems" for over a month. They are basically just small excerpts from Reformed authors, mostly Puritans, that are meant to encourage you in many different ways, depending on the nature of the gem.
I got this one a few days ago and was greatly blessed by it. I thought I would share it with all of you, praying that you would be greatly heartened and convicted, and inspired and motivated to greater levels of holiness, by God's grace alone.
Would such an inscription look well on some of our costly furniture?
(James Smith, "Holiness Unto the Lord" 1865)
"On that day even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these words: 'Holy unto the Lord.' And the cooking pots in the Temple of the Lord will be as sacred as the basins used beside the altar." Zechariah 14:20
We are to write on all that we ARE, on all that we HAVE--"Holy unto the Lord!" We are no longer live unto ourselves--but unto Him who loved us, and gave Himself up for us. We are to have . . . Christian, is there anything in your house, in your business, or on your person--on which it would be unfitting to write, "Holy unto the Lord?" If so--ought you to possess it, practice it, or wear it? O Spirit of holiness, come down and by the finger of Your power--write, "Holy unto the Lord!" upon our hearts!Enable us, as the effect, to write upon all we that have and are, upon all that we purpose, plan, and do--"Holy unto the Lord!" in large and pleasing characters, such as all may understand!
holy thoughts,
holy desires,
holy motives,
holy aims,
holy pleasures,
holy sorrows, and
pursue holy objects.
1. See then, what we should BE--holy. This was God's end in our election, redemption, and effectual calling. This is God's design in all our trials, troubles, and exercises; they are for our profit--that "we may be partakers of His holiness."
2. See also, what we should DO--write, "Holy unto the Lord!" on all that we possess. We have no right to possess, use, or wear anything--on which we cannot write, "Holy unto the Lord!"
Would such an inscription look well on some of our costly furniture, fine clothing, or entertainments? Would it? Do not shun the question--but let conscience take it up, examine, and return an honest answer.
We should use all that we have--as consecrated to Jehovah's service and praise:
our mental powers,
our physical strength,
our wealth,
our abilities,
our possessions
--all should be used for God, and for His glory! When about to employ any of these, we should pause, and ask, "Will putting them to this use honor God? Will it serve His cause? Will it bring praise to His most holy name?"
All who see us, dwell with us, or visit us--should be able to perceive that we have written upon all we have andare, "Holy unto the Lord." Until they can, we are not what we ought to be--and God's end in what He has done for us, and conferred upon us, is not answered.
Quotes
Grace Gems, James Smith, Holiness
10 responses to Holy Unto the Lord!
Pretty nice, River!
Hey--I relized you are on MemVerse--isn't it irritating when you have to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW the verses you know, such as Romans 3:23 and John 3:16?
Zachary: I like it, because it reminds me of the verses that I am really used to, and therefore am more liable to forget. =]
Thank you, River. Excellent. I never explored the gracegems website too much, but I will have to do that. Alex & Brett Harris of the Rebelution recommended J.C. Ryle's Thoughts for Young Men. After googling for a little while, I found it on gracegems and read it. It is excellent also. Here's the link in case you haven't seen it before: http://www.gracegems.org/BOOKS/thoughts_for_young_men.htm.
EDIT: River, I just re-read the first part of this post and realized that you referenced a daily email from GraceGems. I just subscribed, and got the one for today (which was good). I appreciate it. Thanks!
@Alex: Thank you for the comment. I have read Ryle's Thoughts for Young Men two times. It is certainly one of the best little books that are out there for young men to read--nothing like the cheap 'religious' stuff that's being published today. The Harris boys have a whole list of EXCELLENT books on their website, that they recommend for everyone to read…I haven't looked into it too much, but I'm definitely going to have to now…
Let me know what you think of the site, and alert us to any 'gems' that especially blessed you!
@Alex--Re: your EDIT.
Would you be against giving me your email so we can talk about the Grace Gems? They ARE really good, aren't they.
Thank you for the consideration!
River La Belle
I also started getting the Grace Gems yesterday. I really enjoyed the one about sympathy that they had today.
I wouldn't mind discussing some of the grace gems with you, River, if you wanted to.
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Thank you River, very good.