What Will You Give?

The wise men brought their treasure,

Their gold and precious spice

They gave in heartfelt measure,

Not shrinking at the price

The lad his loaves he offered—

His lunch for Christ that day

So small, yet gladly proffered

—his own to give away

The woman brought her oil,

—the savings of a year

To One she reckoned Royal,

She poured her gift so dear

The widow in her trouble,

Her poverty and need

Delighted, not in double,

But all to give indeed 

Behold and see all heaven

Was poured out for our race

For Christ Himself was given—

Amazing gift of grace!

::Refrain::

What will you give for Jesus—who’s given all for you? What will you give? What will you give? He’s given all for you. 

Philippians: 102 Rest

“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:2. 

Context: Who is "you"? Verse one tells us, “all the saints in (in = relation of rest) (with) Christ Jesus which are at (interestingly, at also = relation of rest) Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” 

This was no external rest. Humanity, Philippian or not, hunger for a rest that reaches the deepest turmoil. It is a rest in the soul that the sons and daughters of Adam lack. This rest, the Philippians found in God. Thus, they obtained rest also in their relation to life: at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. This rest, this quietness is not an earthly commodity. It is a rest that is possible even amid earthly unrest. It is experienced only through connection with Heaven. And such a link is our only access to grace and peace. Calvary’s cross is that link. It bridges the impassable gulf between the soul and salvation. Apart from Christ, peace is as illusive as a shadow. “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” - Isaiah 30:15. 

Psalm 85:12 says, Yea, the Lord will give that which is good. And this He gives. Grace with power of change. Peace though submission to Christ. Rest that reaches the heart.

Reflections on His Heart

Though disease obeyed His voice
And the blind received their sight,
Though the deafness had no choice
But to hear without a fight,
Though the waves of Galilee
Could not rise against His word,
Yet their minds refused to see
What the lake itself had heard.

Though He took the servants' role
Grasping not for wealth or fame,
And though while a King paid toll
When the crown, His right to claim,
Though His kingdom was not of
Earthly prowess, strength, or throne,
Yet rejected was His Love
For it "seeketh not her own."

Though He read the traitor's heart
Though He knew that base design,
Yet He bore it from the start
Yes, both Judas' sin, and mine.
Though He saw His love refused
As a millstone in a stream,
Yet He chose to be thus bruised
That some soul He might redeem.

Remember

Let distractions, delusions, deceptive delights, and disarming duplicity be forgotten. Despite the cost, there is but one Desire worth desiring. That "one thing" the psalmist sought. A closeness with the Man of Sorrows, the Master, the Redeemer, the Conquering King.  

"...Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great." Revelation 19:5.

•  •  •  •  •  •  • 

When afflicted for My sake

Remember Me.

When oppressed and soon to break

Remember Me.

When rejected on this earth,

Don't forget to Me you're worth

Every cross I bore from birth.

Remember Me.

When your duties seem severe

Remember Me.

When like mountains they appear

Remember Me.

When your burdens are too great,

When they have a dreadful weight,

Then My own cross contemplate.

Remember Me.

When you'd shrink from the ordeal

Remember Me.

When too great the pain you feel 

Remember Me.

For I live to intercede,

I, who answers human need,

I, who also in this lead.

Remember Me.*

*See the book, Desire of Ages page 659.2

love.Me.more

{John 12:24-26, Matthew 20:28}

My English: {With help from Strong’s Concordance}

This is very true: A Seed of wheat must fall into the earth and give away its breath, its life, or else that Seed will remain alone. But, by yielding it’s existence, the seed is multiplied. 

(Self-sacrifice is really self-preservation. Self-serving is self-destruction. The seed that protects itself has no fruit at harvest time. Only in giving is there gain.)

If you are a friend to your own life, if you fondle over your breath, you will smother it. But if you love temporal life less, you will be preserved. You will guard, keep, and save your breath for the place, time, and purpose of eternal life. 

If you are My friend, come walk with Me on the road I travel. Accompany Me. Be My servant. Wherever I go, My servant will go and do there what I ask of them. If you are My friend, your breath, will be prized by My Father. He will hold it dear. He will honor it. It will be beloved by the One who gave it: the One who also calls you to love it less. 

In exactly the same way as I ask you to love your life less, I came. I was born with the face of a human on this earth- not to be accompanied or served, but to perform menial duties, to serve, and to give up My breath, which means freedom for you. 

That’s the way I am.

    I gave My life to the soil of humanity. Will you?

        I walked through life as a servant. Will you?

            I gave My breath for you. But will you give yours for Me?

Whatever the cost, whatever is lost, despise not My cross,

love.Me.more

For the Love of Sacrifice

Too often, it is reduced to a cotton-candy fluffiness. Nothing to satisfy. Nothing worth the price to gain.

Yet, it’s most gripping revelation is in sacrifice.

Where there is no sacrifice, there is no love.

But where there is Love, can it be called sacrifice? For the one who loves, nothing is too much to give. The genuine stuff doesn’t shrink at the word “all”. Love delights in it. Beyond the point of pain, Love gives. And loves to do it. 

The soldier’s sacrifice? It’s as nothing. For the King has taken pain from the hands of death. The scaffold, the fire, the dungeon, the most inhumane atrocity cannot sever one soul from His love. 

But at the cross, mystery. Love cut off from Love. Sacrifice beyond measure. Beyond comprehension. 

He gave, yet said, I delight. 

I give, and call it sacrifice. 

Oh, for the love that shrinks at nothing… and gives because it is it’s greatest delight to do so. To know no sacrifice save His, because mine has faded into absolute nothingness in the light of the love of the cross. 

Oh, to love sacrifice, because I love His love.