My Jewels!

(James Smith, "The Love of Christ! The Fullness, Freeness, and Immutability of the Savior's Grace Displayed!")

"They shall be Mine, says the Lord Almighty--in the day when I make up My jewels!" Malachi 3:17

Jewels are costly and are highly valued by their owners. We, though worthless in ourselves--cost our adorable Savior an immense price! To procure our release, to purchase our freedom--He left His Father's bosom, came into our world, labored, suffered, bled, and died! He gave Himself for us! We are bought at a very high price! We are His purchased possession, intended to deck His mediatorial crown, to reflect His praise, and to shine to His glory for evermore! He highly values us. "Since you were precious in My sight!" He says. We are valued not according to our intrinsic excellence--but according to His estimation of us.

For our safety--
He employs . . .
His watchful eye,
 His powerful arm,
His numerous angelic hosts!

 For our security and preservation--He arranges, directs, and controls all things; so that all things work together for the best, to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose. Soon we shall shine as the gemstones of His crown! How strange, that He should value us so highly! That He should compare us to all that is beautiful, desirable, or costly in nature! But He really does so! We are not only His subjects--His friends--His children--His brethren--His bride; but His ornaments--His jewels!

 Men may despise us--our Savior will not! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We have published William Bacon Stevens' challenging and helpful article, "Waiting and Watching!"

What a great difference, to those who love God and honor His Son, they are assured that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ

Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

29 For those whom He foreknew
     He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
        in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30 And those whom He predestined
   He also called,
      and those whom He called He also justified,
          and those whom He justified He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all,
        how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
   Shall tribulation, or distress,
    or persecution, or famine,
      or nakedness, or danger,
         or sword?
36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life,
                                  nor angels nor rulers,
                                  nor things present
                                  nor things to come, nor powers,
                              39 nor height nor depth,
                            nor anything else in all creation,
 will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.