Grace Gems

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What could more emphatically prove His love?

(Newman Hall, "The Voice of Jesus in the Storm")

"Christ died for the ungodly!" Romans 5:6

"Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God!" Ephesians 5:2

What could more emphatically prove His love--than coming to this world of sorrow and sin to suffer and die for us, when we were His enemies? He left . . .
  His habitation in glory--for the foul stable,
  the homage of angels--for the insults of men,
  the smile of His Father--for the temptations of the devil,
  the raptures of Heaven--for the groans of Gethsemane,
  the splendors of His heavenly throne--for the ignominy of the cruel cross,
  the brightness of the celestial glory--for the darkness of the tomb!

And why was this? It was love that prompted His sin-atoning sacrifice. Love to the undeserving, to the rebellious, to those who then crucified Him, and to those who now pierce Him by their sins!

"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully!" Ephesians 3:19

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The wise, unerring hand of His good providence!

(Don Fortner)

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

All that has been, is and shall hereafter be--is brought to pass by our God, for the everlasting good of His elect. Let us find in this blessed truth . . .
  comfort for every sorrow,
  strength to endure every trial,
  courage to face every foe and
  joy to lighten the load of our daily pilgrimage through this world.

Let us carry through the day, through the year and through all the days of our lives--the comfort of this blessed fact: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." As all things have their beginning with the will, purpose, and decree of our heavenly Father--so all things are brought to pass by the wise, unerring hand of His good providence, and shall ultimately bring forth everlasting praise to Him.

Let these things inspire our hearts to heed the admonition of 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

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Distinguishing Grace!

(Don Fortner)

"Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Genesis 6:8

What sad consequences there are to sin! That horrible, heart-hatred of God, which resides in the hearts of each of Adam's sons and daughters--works havoc in the earth and will bring us all down to Hell in the end--unless God intervenes to save. The only hope there is for fallen, depraved, helpless sinners--is the omnipotent intervention of God's irresistible grace!

The whole world was lost. The whole world was corrupt. The whole of Adam's race was degenerate and walked in wickedness, provoking the wrath of God. But God, in great pity, mercy and compassion--showed Himself gracious to one man. "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." God spared Noah. God saved Noah. Through him, God preserved His family, preserved our race and thus preserved His elect for all generations to come!

Blessed be His name, God does intervene to save! He does not have to save. No mortal will ever seek salvation from Him--until first he is sought by Him. But God has, in indescribable, infinite mercy, chosen to save a people for His own glory--and save them, He will!

"I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself!" Jeremiah 31:3

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Christ stands ready as a fire-escape!

(Arthur Pink)

O how very few ever are savingly convicted of sin by the Spirit! As the Spirit continues His work in the soul, plowing still deeper, revealing the hideousness and heinousness of sin, producing a horror of and hatred for it--He next presses upon that awakened soul, the claims of Christ's Lordship--set forth in such passages as Luke 14:26-33--and enlightens us to realize that Christ demands our hearts, lives, and all.

Then it is that He grants grace unto the quickened soul to renounce all other "lords," to turn away from all "idols", and to receive Christ as Prophet, Priest and King. And nothing but the sovereign and supernatural work of God the Spirit can bring this to pass. Surely this is self-evident.

A preacher may induce a man to believe what Scripture says about his lost and undone condition, persuade him to "bow to" the Divine verdict, and then "accept Christ as his personal Savior." No man wants to go to Hell, and if he is assured that Christ stands ready as a fire-escape, on the sole condition that he jump into His arms ("rests on His finished work"), thousands will do so!

But a hundred preachers are unable to make an unregenerate person realize the unspeakably dreadful nature of sin, make him feel that he has been a lifelong rebel against God, and so change his heart that he now hates his sin, and longs to please God, and serve Christ. Only God the Spirit can bring any man to the place where he is willing to forsake every idol, cut off a hindering right hand, or pluck out an offending right eye! Ah, a miracle of grace has been wrought when we give up ourselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5) to be ruled by Him.

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Ceaseless warfare!

(Arthur Pink)

"Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out!" Romans 7:18

"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." Galatians 5:17

Though grace had entered Job's heart, his native depravity had not been expelled. Though sin no longer had dominion over him--it often raged and prevailed against him.

There is ceaseless warfare within between the flesh and the spirit. There is no need for us to enlarge on this, for every Christian, because of the plague of his heart, groans within himself, "Oh what a wretched man I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death!" Romans 7:24

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Chance is a base heathenish idea!

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Sick Man Left Behind!"1880)

"But Trophimus have I left at Miletus sick." 2 Timothy 4:20

From the fact that Paul left Trophimus at Miletus sick, we learn that it is the will of God that some holy men should be sick. Whatever the malady may have been which affected Trophimus, Paul could certainly have healed him if God had permitted him. Paul had raised up Eutychus from death, and he had given the use of his limbs to the cripple at Lystra.

Not so, however, had the Lord willed; the good fruit-bearing vine must be pruned--and Trophimus must suffer. There were holy ends to be answered by his sickness, which could not be compassed by his health. Instantaneous restoration could have been given, but it was withheld under divine direction.

This doctrine leads us away from the vain idea of chance. We are not wounded by arrows shot at a venture--but we smart by the determinate counsel of the God of Heaven. An overruling hand is everywhere present--preventing or permitting affliction. No one shaft of disease is ever let fly by stealth, from the bow of death. It was a wise providence which selected Trophimus to be sick.

We cannot always see the hand of God in providence, but we may be always sure that it is there. If not a sparrow falls to the ground without our Father--then surely not a child of the divine family is laid low without His sacred will. Chance is a base heathenish idea, which cannot live in the presence of an everywhere present, living, and working God. Away with it from every Christian mind! It is alike dishonoring to the Lord--and grievous to ourselves!

Also, we may not think a shade the less of Trophimus because he is sick at Miletus; he is probably a far better man than any of us, and perhaps for that very reason he is more tried.
There is gold in him, which pays for putting into the crucible;
he bears such rich fruit, that he is worth pruning;
he is a diamond of so pure, that he will repay the lapidary's toil.

"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees!" Psalm 119:71

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Comfort for Suffering Saints!

(Jerome Zanchius, 1516-1590)

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans 8:28-29

The sovereignty of God is a comfort for suffering saints, acting to remove anxiety. How sweet must the following considerations be to a distressed believer!

1. There most certainly exists an almighty, all-wise and infinitely gracious God (Hebrews 11:6).

2. His love for His elect people is immutable; He never repents of it nor withdraws it (Jeremiah 31:3).

3. Whatever comes to pass in time, is the result of His sovereign will from everlasting (1 Corinthians 8:6).

4. Consequently my afflictions are a part of His sovereign will, and are all ordered in number, weight, and measure (Psalm 22:24).

5. The very hairs of my head (every one) are counted by Him; nor can a single hair fall to the ground but in consequence of His wise determination (Luke 12:7).

6. Hence my afflictions and distresses are not the result of chance, accident, or a fortuitous combination of circumstances (Psalm 56:8.).

7. They are the providential accomplishment of God's eternal purpose (Romans 8:28.), and are designed to answer some wise and gracious ends (James 5:10-11).

8. Nor shall my affliction continue a moment longer than God sees fit (2 Corinthians 7:6-7).

9. He who brought the affliction to me--has promised to support me under it and to carry me through it (Psalm 34:15-17).

10. All shall, most assuredly, work together for His glory and my good.

11. Therefore, "Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?" (John 18:11).

However keenly afflictions might wound us on their first access--yet, under the impression of such animating views, we should quickly come to ourselves again, and the arrows of affliction, would, in great measure lose their sharpness.

Christians need nothing but absolute resignation to God's wise and gracious Providence, to render them perfectly happy in every possible circumstance. And absolute resignation can only flow from an absolute belief of, and an absolute acquiescence in, God's absolute Providence, founded on His absolute predestination (1 Thessalonians 1:2-4).

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View Him yonder!

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Sweet Uses of Adversity")

"They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son!" Zechariah 12:10

View Him yonder, sinner, sweating in the garden. See the ruby drops of blood as they fall from that dear visage!

Oh, see Him sinner, see Him in Pilate's hall. View the streams of gore as they gush from those lacerated shoulders!

See Him, sinner--see Him on His cross!

View that holy head still marked with the wounds with which the thorns pierced His sacred temples!

Oh, view that pure face, emaciated and marred!

See the vile spittle still hanging there--the spittle of cruel mockers!

View those loving eyes floating in tears with languid pity!

Look, too, at those kind hands, and view them as they stream like fountains of blood!

Oh, stand and listen while He cries, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Matthew 27:46

"A bleeding Savior I have viewed--and now I hate my sins!" John Newton

"The dearest idol I have known,
 Whatever that idol be,
 Help me to tear it from its throne,
 And worship only Thee!"

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Blessed is the mouth that spits upon us!

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Sweet Uses of Adversity")

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son!" Romans 8:29

"That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." Philippians 3:10

As Jesus was in this world--even so must we be. We must have fellowship with Him in His sufferings--that we may be conformed unto His death.

None can be like the Man of Sorrow--unless they have sorrows too! How can you be like unto Him who sweat as it were great drops of blood--if you do not sometimes cry, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death!"

Do not think, O beloved, that you can be like the thorn-crowned head--and yet never feel the thorn!

Can you be like your dying Lord--and yet be uncrucified?

Must your hand be without a nail, and your foot without a wound? You cannot be like Him, unless like Him you are compelled to say, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"

God is chiseling you--and you are but a rough block. He is making you into the image of Christ--and that sharp chisel is taking away much which prevents your being like Him.

Must He who is our head, be marred in His visage by reason of grief--and must we forever rejoice and sing? It cannot be! "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22

Sweet is the affliction which gives us fellowship with Christ.

Blessed is the plough that ploughs deep furrows--if the furrows are like His.

Blessed is the mouth that spits upon us--if the spittle is from the same cause as that which defiled His holy face.

Blessed are the nails and thorns, and vinegar and spear--if they but make us somewhat like Him, in whose glory we shall be partakers when we shall see Him as He is.

This is a matter which all cannot understand, for it is a path which no unhallowed foot has trodden, and no careless eye has so much as seen it. But the true believer can rejoice therein, for he has had fellowship with Christ in his sufferings.

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps!" 1 Peter 2:21

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Glorify God in the fire!

(George Whitefield, "Glorify God in the Fire!")

"Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit!" John 15:2
"I have refined you in the furnace of suffering!" Isaiah 48:10

Fire not only burns and purges, but it separates one thing from another.

God Almighty knows that we are often purged more in one hour by a good sound trial--than by a thousand manifestations of His love. It is a fine thing to come purified, to come pardoned out of the furnace of affliction. The furnace is intended to purge us to separate the precious from the vile, the chaff from the wheat. And God, in order to do this, is pleased to put us into one fire after another.

There are some roads which are finely paved and smooth--but the King's road to Heaven is strewed with crosses and afflictions!

My brethren, we need to be purged! How apt are we to want to go to Heaven upon a featherbed. But many go lying upon beds of pain and languishing, which is the King's highway there.

God will not put us into the fire--if there was not something to be purged away. The grand thing, is to learn to glorify God in the fire.

We glorify God in the fire, when we quietly endure it as a chastisement, and when we bear it patiently. It is a dreadful thing when we are saying with Cain, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!" But the language of a soul that glorifies God in the fire is this, "Shall I, Lord, shall I a sinful man, complain for the punishment of my sins?"

We glorify God in the fire, when, though we feel pain and anguish, we at the same time say, "Lord, we deserve this and ten thousands times more!"

We glorify God in the fire also, when we are really and fully persuaded that God will put us in the furnace only for our good, and His own glory.

We glorify God in the fire when we say, "Lord don't let the fire go out until it has purged away all my dross!"

We glorify God in the fire when the soul can say, "Here I am, my God, do with me as seems good in Your sight! I know that I shall not have one unnecessary stroke!"

We glorify God in the fire when we are not grumbling, but humbly submitting to His will. When that awful message was brought to Eli, what does he say? "It is the LORD; let Him do what seems good to Him." Let my children be killed, whatever is done, it is the Lord's doing!

We glorify God in the fire when we rejoice in Him--when we can thank God for striking us--when we can thank Him for whipping us!

Happy are you who have got into Christ's fire!

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That glory is inconceivable and inexpressible!

(Thomas Brooks, "Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod" 1659)

"I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things--things that man is not permitted to tell!" 2 Corinthians 12:3-4

Such is the splendor, the brightness, the glory, the happiness, and blessedness that are reserved for the saints in Heaven--that had I all the tongues of men on earth, and all the excellencies of the angels in Heaven--yet I would not be able to conceive nor to express that vision of glory to you! That glory is inconceivable and inexpressible!

It is best to be hastening there, that we may feel and enjoy that which we shall never be able to declare! All the troubles, afflictions, and sorrows of this life, in comparison with eternal happiness and blessedness--are to be considered as nothing. They are but as the point of a pin--compared to the starry heavens! "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us!" Romans 8:18

"In Your presence is fullness of joy! In Your right hand there are pleasures forever!" Psalm 16:11

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9

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The beard!

(Martin Luther)

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out!" Romans 7:18

Sin in us, is like the beard. We are shaved today and look clean, and have a smooth chin. Tomorrow our beard has grown again--nor does it cease growing while we remain on earth. In like manner sin cannot be extirpated from us; it springs up in us as long as we live!

"Oh what a wretched man I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death!" Romans 7:24

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Who am I that God should be so mindful of me?

(Frank Hall)

"What is man that You are mindful of him?" Psalm 8:4

What is man that God should even look in his direction? Who am I that the infinite, glorious, triune God should glance my way--much less be mindful of me?

Beloved in Christ, understand that your God is without a doubt ever-mindful of you. He has . . .
  numbered every hair on your precious head,
  appointed the bounds of your habitation, and
  determined the very second of your death.

He . . .
  bottles your every tear,
  knows your every sorrow,
  records your every work, and
  remembers every cup of cold water given in His name. He is deeply concerned for your immortal soul, has purposed to do you good, and has staked His glory on your everlasting salvation. Your God is more mindful of you, your soul, your life, and your welfare than you will ever understand in this life.

In the light of such staggering knowledge--who God is, and what you are--do you not ask yourself in utter astonishment, "Who am I that God should be so mindful of me?"

As mere creatures such a thought is beyond profound--but as guilty sinners the thought surpasses the unthinkable!

"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated!" Romans 9:13

God loved Jacob, and hated Esau. Who am I that I should be identified with the former, and not the latter? Christ died for His elect and put away their sins forever by the sacrifice of Himself--and the rest of humanity He leaves to themselves.

Who am I that my name should be written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world? The Sovereign dispenser of all grace and all blessedness--has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens. Who am I that I should be a vessel of honor prepared for glory--and not a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction?

Who are we, brothers and sisters, that we should . . .
  partake of the boundless provision of grace in Christ,
  be redeemed, justified, and forgiven,
  should live forever with Him in glory?

Who are we that the incomprehensibly glorious God would be so mindful of us, that He not only took on our nature, but . . .
 lived a perfect life for us, that we could never live,
 died a sin-atoning death for us, that we could never die, and
 satisfied a Law for us, that we could never satisfy?

"By the grace of God I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10

The only difference between a saved sinner and a lost sinner--is the difference that God makes by His distinguishing grace! It is not our decisions, lives, prayers, or works that make the difference, but God and God alone.

Though all who read these lines deserve to be in Hell for their sin--God has been pleased to save some freely by His grace. Though all are equally sinful, equally guilty, and equally deserving of everlasting torment--God has been pleased to save some for no other reason than His own glory.

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An ice house, instead of a hot house!

(J. A. James, "Earnestness in Personal Piety" 1847)

It appears quite clear that great numbers of Christian professors are very imperfectly acquainted with the requirements of "pure and undefiled religion," and need to be led to re-study it in the pages of Holy Scripture. We have lost sight of the 'Divine Original', and have confined our attention to the 'imperfect transcripts' which we find on every hand in our churches. We have by tacit consent reduced the standard, and fixed our eye and our aim upon an inferior object. We are a law to each other--instead of making the Word of God the law to us all.

We tolerate a worldly-minded, diluted, and weakened piety in others--because we expect a similar toleration for ourselves. We make excuses for them--because we expect the like excuses for our own conduct in return. We have abused, shamefully abused, the fact that 'there is no perfection upon earth,' and converted it into a license for any measure and any number of imperfections!

Our highest notion of religion requires only . . .
  abstinence from open immorality and
  the more polluting worldly amusements,
  an attendance upon an evangelical ministry,
  and an approval of orthodox doctrine.
This, this, is the religion of multitudes! There may be . . .
  no habitual spirituality,
  no heavenly-mindedness,
  no life of faith,
  no communion with God,
  no struggling against sin, Satan, and the world,
  no concern to grow in grace,
  no supreme regard to eternity,
  no studied and advancing fitness for the eternal world,
  no tenderness of conscience,
  no careful discipline of our disposition,
  no cultivation of love,
  no making piety our chief business and highest pleasure,
  no separation in spirit from the world.
In short, there may be no impress upon the whole mind, and heart, and conscience and life--of the character of the Christian, as delineated upon the page of Scripture.

We all need to be taken out of 'the religious world', as it is called, and collected again around the Bible to study what it is to be a Christian! Let us endeavor to forget what the bulk of professors are, and begin afresh to learn what they ought to be.

It is to be feared that we are corrupting each other, leading each other to be satisfied with a 'conventional piety'. Many have been actually the worse for attending church. They were more intensely concerned and earnest before they came into church fellowship. Their piety seemed to come into an ice house, instead of a hot house! They grew better outside the church--than in the church. At first they were surprised and shocked to see . . .
  the lukewarmness,
  the irregularities,
  the worldliness,
  the inconsistencies,
of many older professors, and exclaimed, with grief and disappointment, "Is this the church of Christ!" But after a while, the fatal influence came over them, and their piety sank to the temperature around them!

"Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth!" Revelation 3:16

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Constant multiplication of corrupted copies!

(J. A. James, "Earnestness in Personal Religion" 1847)

Our idea of the nature of earnest individual piety must be taken, not from the conventional customs of the age--but from the Word of God. Once give up the Bible as the only true standard of personal piety, and there is no rule left but custom, which is ever varying with the opinions and corruptions of the times.

Yet how prevalent is the disposition to conform ourselves to the prevailing religion of the day and of the church to which we belong, and to satisfy ourselves with the average measure of piety around us! "I am as good as my fellow members!" is the shield with which many a professor wards off the allegation of his living below his Scriptural duty.

This has been the fatal practical error of the church through every age of its existence, by which . . .
  its beauty has been disfigured,
  its power weakened, and
  its usefulness impeded!

Professing Christians, instead of looking into the perfect standard of Scripture, and seeing themselves reflected from that faithful mirror, and adjusting their character and conduct by its infallible revelations--placed before themselves the standard of the Christian profession as it was found in the church of the day, and regulated their behavior by what they saw in the prevailing character of their fellow Christians!

Thus a constant multiplication of corrupted copies has ever been going on! And religion, as seen in the conduct of its professors, compared with that which is described in the pages of its own inspired rule--have been quite different things!

Let us turn away from the religion we see in the church--to the religion we read in the Bible! Let us not go to the imperfect and blurred copy--but to the perfect and unspotted original! The Bible's representation of the nature of true piety is intended for us as our guide, and is obligatory upon us!

But the inspired, unalterable, and infallible standard of Scripture is . . .
  too spiritual,
  too devout,
  too unearthly,
  too humbling,
  too self-denying,
for many professors.

This is still the stern, unbending demand of Christ: "If any of you wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me!"