Napoleon’s Faith. (Pearls from Many Seas, 1899)

‘‘I know men, and I tell you that Jesus is not a man. The religion of Christ is a mystery which subsists by its own force, and proceeds from a mind which is not a human mind. We find in it a marked individuality, which originated a train of words and actions unknown before. Jesus is not a philosopher, for His proofs are miracles, and from the first His disciples adored Him. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and myself founded empires; but on what foundation did we rest the creatures of our genius? Upon force. But Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him. I die before my time, and my body will be given back to the earth to become food for worms. Such isthe fate of him who has been called the great Napoleon. What an abyss between my deep misery and the eternal kingdom of Christ, which is proclaimed, loved, adored, and is still existing over the whole earth!” Then, turning to Gen. Bertrand, the emperor added: ‘‘If you do not perceive that Jesus Christ is God, I did wrong in appointing you a general.”

NOTE: I pray that his faith, at the last, was unto salvation. (J. Ogles)

Can We Keep God’s Commandments Perfectly? (Pasche, F.E.)

"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." Job 14:4.

 God demands perfect fulfilment of His Law. Lev. 19, 2 He says: “Ye shall be holy; for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.” And Matt. 5, 48: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Can we, then, keep God’s command­ ments as He would have us keep them? Can we keep them per­ fectly? If we consider that God demands a perfect obedience of the whole Law every minute of our lives, no one will be so blind as to think he can obey the Law in such a manner, and be justified before God because of such obedience.

Does not Scripture say that all have gone aside and are all together become filthy ? We read Eccl. 7, 20: “ There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.” And Is. 64, 6: “ We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”

No; since the Fall natural man cannot keep the Law of God at all. And yet the Law was given to man to be obeyed, and obeyed it must be, or we are eternally lost. We cannot obey it, and therefore we are lost! Is there no way of escaping this doom? There is. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Having fully obeyed the entire Law for us, He, Christ, is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The regenerate can keep the Law, yet only imperfectly. Even they must daily pray: “And forgive us our trespasses.” Even the true Christians must confess with Paul: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after.”

The moralist, indeed, before his eyes are opened, imagines himself to be righteous. But sooner or later he must see his naked­ ness before God, because he cannot fulfil the Law’s demands.

Prayer.

We pray Thee, Thou God of mercy and grace, reward us not according to our iniquities, but cleanse our hearts and consciences by Thy Word that we may serve Thee in sorrow and in joy and render unto Thee thanks, honor, and praise in time and eternity. Be kind, comforting, gracious, and merciful toward us for the sake of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ, who was made under the Law to fulfil it in our stead. Yea, Jesus’ blood and righteousness our beauty are and glorious dress. Amen.

DAILY READINGS IN LIFE OF CHRIST - J.R. Miller (1890) 

March 1. When Earth's Wine Runs Out!

"And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine." John 2:3

This incident is a very fitting illustration of the failure of all this world's joys. The wine ran out at a wedding-feast. There was not enough of it to last through to the end of the feast.

It is just so with all earth's pleasures. It comes in cups — not in fountains; and the supply is limited — and soon exhausted.

It is so especially with sin's pleasures. The prodigal soon ran out of money, and began to be in need. A poet compared the pleasures of sin to a snowflake on the river, "a moment white — then gone forever!"

But it is true in a sense also — of pure earthly pleasures. Even the sweetness of human love is but a cupful, which will not last forever. The joy which so fills us today — tomorrow is changed to sorrow. Amid the gladness of the marriage altar — there is the knell of the end, in the words "until death do us part." One of every two friends must hold the other's hand in farewell at the edge of the valley of the shadow of death — and must stand by the other's grave, and walk alone for part of the way. The best wine of earthly life and of love — will fail. If there were nothing better in this world — how sad it would be!

But it is here that we see the glory of Christ's gospel. When earth's wine fails — Jesus comes, and gives Heaven's wine to supply the lack. How beautiful and how true is the picture here: the failing wine — and then Jesus coming with power and supplying the need! That is what He is doing continually. He takes lives which have drained their last drop of earthly gladness — and He satisfies them with spiritual good and blessing, so that they need nothing more.

When human joy fails — Jesus gives new joy, better than the world's, and in unfailing abundance! How sad it is for those who have not taken Christ into their lives, and who have nothing but the empty cup — when earth's wine runs out!