Our Own Things, or His Treasure
James Buchanan Dunlop
Table of Contents
Our Own Things, or His Treasure?
Yet another year has rolled away, and we know not if we shall see another, or even a part of another, for "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." One of the greatest proofs being, (though with very much to praise and thank our gracious. God for) the general low, lukewarm state of things, among us, lukewarmness to Christ Himself, manifested in so many ways. And chiefly, I think I may say, in the fact that (with exceptions that bring glory to God,) most "seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ" Phil. 2:21. That is, He has not His proper, place in our hearts.
Our own thing; though not wrong things in themselves, perhaps, yet the heart; unduly occupied with them, the Lord Jesus, as the object to live for, and serve, is lost. His presence is slipped away from, and the soul is, unconsciously, at a distance from Him. And spiritual discernment, is dimmed and spiritual power is almost gone. And there is no, or little, caring for the things of Jesus Christ, as there once was, even if the appearance, now is not through covetousness getting into the heart. Suffer me, then, dear brethren, to urge upon you, and myself too, the truth, that we are "not our own;" but, "bought with a price." And what a price! He gave Himself for us. Himself?! That we are not left down here merely to live decent, moral, and respectable lives, till the Lord comes. But to live unto Him. As witnesses for Him And in some little way to serve each other, and souls around us, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice unto God; an all day, every day, sacrifice unto Him, which is our reasonable service; and "be not conformed unto this world, but transformed, by the renewing of our minds."
And what a happy thing this is! How we prove, "what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God," when heartily and really yielding ourselves up unto Him, as those that are alive from the dead. How self is practically gone too, when giving up ourselves "to God" and "for other;" and thus "walk in love" (Eph. 5). What a sweet savor to God.
How to have Christ as an object for our hearts as He ought to be? It is, in seeing that His heart is always thinking of, and caring for us. That we, are His treasure. That, as one has said, "It is as true of Him, as it is of us, that where His treasure is, there His heart is also."
Yes, dear children of God, to see that He is always thinking of, sympathizing with, watching over, and caring for us, loving us. Oh, to take it in more!
Let us judge ourselves for this, dear brethren, praying that prayer in Eph. 3 which ends in asking that we may know the love of Christ towards us, which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.
J.B. DUNLOP
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.