If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all noble things are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome. Do we so appreciate the marvelous salvation of Jesus Christ that we are our utmost for His highest?

God saves men by His sovereign grace through the Atonement of Jesus; He works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure; but we have to work out that salvation in practical living. If once we start on the basis of His Redemption to do what He commands, we find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not practised. The crisis will reveal whether we have been practising or not. If we obey the Spirit of God and practise in our physical life what God has put in us by His Spirit, then when the crisis comes, we shall find that our own nature as well as the grace of God will stand by us.

Thank God He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a glad thing, but it is also a heroic, holy thing. It tests us for all we are worth.

Jesus is bringing many "sons" unto glory, and God will not shield us from the requirements of a son. God's grace turns out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not milk sops. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the noble life of a disciple of Jesus in actual things. It is always necessary to make an effort to be noble.

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction: . . . strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.—The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.—Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.—Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: . . . for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.—So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.—The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

Thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.—I will teach you the good and the right way.— I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.—Follow me.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.—Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.—Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.

Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.

None of us liveth to himself.

Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

When ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.