Grace Gems

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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We live on an enchanted ground, and are surrounded with snares!

(John Newton's Letters)

My dear Madam,
We all hope, by-and-bye, to have new bodies which are not subject to illness. In the mean time, if the Lord is pleased to sanctify the infirmities to which our present mortal frame is subject--we shall have cause to praise Him, no less for the bitter than the sweet.

I am convinced in my judgment, that a cross or a pinch somewhere or other, is so necessary to us--that we cannot go on well for a considerable time without one. We live on an enchanted ground, and are surrounded with snares! If we are not quickened by trials--we are very prone to sink into spiritual formality or carelessness. It is a shame it should be so--but so it is, that a long course of prosperity always makes us spiritually drowsy!

Trials therefore are medicines--which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes, because we need them. He proportions the frequency and the weight of them--to what our case requires.

Many of His people are sharply exercised by poverty, which is a continual trial every day, and all the year round. Others have trials in their families. Those who have comfortable firesides, and a competence for this world--often suffer by sickness, either in their own persons, or in the persons of those they love.

But any, or all of these crosses, are mercies--if the Lord works by them to prevent us from cleaving to the world, from backsliding in heart or life, and to keep us nearer to Himself.

Let us trust our Physician--as He will surely do us good. And let us thank Him for all His prescriptions, for without them our soul-sickness would quickly grow upon us!

I sympathize with Miss K. in her trials--yet I know she will profit by them. I hope her illness will find relief--but it is better to have a stiff neck with the grace of God--than to be stiff-necked in the sense in which many young people are, who can move their heads freely enough. I hope it is a mercy that she bears the yoke awhile in her youth. When the affliction has answered the good end for which it was sent--the Lord can easily remove it.

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Why?

(Arthur Pink)

Instead of a river, God often gives us a brook--which may be running today, and dried up tomorrow.

Why?

To teach us not to rest in our blessings--but in the blesser Himself.

"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117

"So do not fear--for I am with you! Do not be dismayed--for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!" Isaiah 41:10

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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For me!

(Octavius Winslow)

"The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20

Is Jesus precious to my heart?

Is He the object of my supreme admiration and delight?

Does He have my warmest affection?

Do I love Jesus above all?

I must light the torch of my affection for Christ--at the altar of Calvary. I must go there, and learn and believe what the love of Jesus is to me--the vastness of that love--the self-sacrifice of that love--how that love of Jesus . . .
  labored for me,
  and wept for me,
  and bled for me,
  and suffered for me,
  and died for me!

Can I stand before this love--this love . . .
  so precious,
  so great,
  so enduring,
  so self-consuming,
  so changeless--and know that . . .
    His sin-atoning sacrifice was for me,
    His cross was for me,
    His agony was for me,
    His scorn and insult was for me,
    His death was for me--
and feel no sensibility, no emotion, no love to Jesus? Impossible!

Do not be cast down, then, in vain regrets that your love to Christ is so frigid, so fickle, so dubious. Go and muse upon the reality and the greatness of the Savior's love to you--and if love can inspire love--while you muse, the fire will burn, and your soul shall be all in flame with love to Jesus!

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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The personal attractions of Jesus!

(Octavius Winslow)

"Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved--and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

The personal attractions of Jesus are all inviting and irresistible!

His love wins us.
His glory charms us.
His beauty attracts us.
His sympathy soothes us.
His gentleness subdues us.
His faithfulness inspires us.

He is the "altogether lovely One!"

Jesus is all that is tender in love.
Jesus is all that is wise in counsel.
Jesus is all that is patient and kind.
Jesus is all that is faithful in friendship.
Jesus is all that is soothing and healing.

The heart of Jesus is ever loving towards His children.
The disposition of Jesus is ever kind towards His children.
The nature of Jesus is ever sympathizing towards His children.

Jesus is your Brother, your Friend, your Redeemer.
As your Brother--He knows the need of His brethren in adversity.
As your Friend--He shows Himself friendly.
As your Redeemer--He has redeemed your soul from sin and Hell.

Jesus has ascended up on high to take possession of Heaven on your behalf, and to prepare a place for you!

Upon His heart, He wears your name as a precious pearl in the priestly breastplate.

"He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." There is . . .
  not a moment of your time,
  nor an event of your life,
  nor a circumstance of your daily history,
  nor a mental or spiritual emotion of yours--
in which you are not borne upon the love, and remembered in the ceaseless intercession of Christ.

"Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved--and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Death--to the righteous and the wicked

(George Lawson, "A Practical Exposition of the Book of Proverbs" 1821)

"The wicked will be cut off from the land--and the unfaithful will be torn from it." Proverbs 2:22

Must not the righteous leave the earth too?
Yes! But the earth is a very different thing to the righteous, and to the wicked.

To the righteous--this world is a place of preparation or Heaven.
To the wicked--this world is all the Heaven they will ever have.

Death is a kind messenger sent to the righteous by their heavenly Father--calling them to the possession of their eternal inheritance!
To the wicked, death is a messenger of wrath--summoning them to the abodes of misery!

Death is the beginning of happiness to God's people.
Death is the final conclusion of all that the wicked counted their happiness.

To the righteous--death is a translation to a glorious eternity!
To the wicked--death is everlasting destruction and woe!

"If only they were wise and would understand this--and discern what their end will be!" Deuteronomy 32:29

"So teach us to number our days--that we may gain a heart of wisdom!" Psalm 90:12

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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If this is happiness--then give me misery!

(Thomas Sherman, "Divine Breathings; Or, a Pious Soul Thirsting after Christ")

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, and lived in luxury every day." Luke 16:19

How apt are many at the sight of a rich worldling--to envy him for what he has.
But, for my part, I rather pity him for what he lacks!
He has money--but he lacks wisdom to use it wisely;
he has a soul--but it lacks grace;
he has the creature--but he lacks the Creator;
he has a mansion--but he lacks Heaven.

In his life, he floats upon a torrent of vanity--which rolls along into an ocean of vexation!

And after death, it will be said of him, "Take this unprofitable servant, bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness! Consign his soul to the eternal lake of fire and brimstone!"

Where now is the object of your envy?

It is not his gold which can then rescue him,
nor his mansion which can then satisfy him,
nor his friends who can then comfort him.

Therefore, if he is worth the envying--then who can be worth the pitying?

If this is happiness--then give me misery!

Lord, rather make me poor, with a holy heart--than rich, with an evil heart of unbelief!

"Have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue--because I am in agony in this fire!" Luke 16:24

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment--but the righteous to eternal life!" Matthew 25:46

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Moral and spiritual parasites!

(Frederick Marsh)

There are moral and spiritual parasites which throttle, kill, injure, or retard the growth of the spiritual life!

1. The parasite of sloth will hinder the grace of watchfulness--as it did the five virgins. Matthew 25:5

2. The parasite of worldliness will kill the grace of devotion--as it did in Demas. 2 Timothy 4:10

3. The parasite of pride will devastate the grace of humility--as it did with the Devil. 1 Timothy 3:6

4. The parasite of unbelief will keep down the grace of faith--as is seen in the children of Israel. Hebrews 3:17-19

5. The parasite of self-importance will kill the grace of self-denial--as is stated of Diotrephes. 3 John 9

6. The parasite of avarice will stifle the grace of reality--as is evidenced in Achan. Joshua 7:21

7. The parasite of covetousness will strangle the grace of generosity--as is manifest in Balaam. 2 Peter 2:15

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Sanctifying grace, as well as pardoning mercy!

("Every Day!" Author unknown, 1872)

"You shall call His name Jesus--for He shall save His people from their sins!" Matthew 1:21

Jesus! Precious name, how sweet it is! How well it befits Him who bears it--and how glorious is the salvation which He accomplishes!

Misery is the natural consequence of sin. Everything that God enjoins is good--and everything that He forbids is evil. Jesus saves His people from their sins--and so saves them from misery. He died to atone for transgressions. He ever lives to save His people from the power and practice of sin--yes, and eventually from the very presence of sin.

My soul, let your whole trust be in Jesus, not only for deliverance from guilt and its consequences--but from sin in its manifold workings. You are powerless against your inward corruptions--but Jesus is "mighty to save." He can subdue your iniquities. Trust Him then, for sanctifying grace, as well as pardoning mercy!

Dwell much on all He did and suffered for you. In His agony in the garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross at Calvary--see something of the exceeding sinfulness of your sins, from which He died to save you.

"He will subdue our iniquities--and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea!" Micah 7:19

     Jesus' blood, for sinners spilt,
     Shows my sin in all its guilt.
     Ah, my soul, He bore your load,
     You have slain the Lamb of God!

     Farewell, world--your gold is dross!
     Now I see the bleeding cross!
     Jesus died to set me free,
     From the law, and sin, and thee!

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Let me joyfully be a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water!

("Every Day!" Author unknown, 1872)

"Lord, what will You have me to do?" Acts 9:6

What an honor it is to be permitted to do anything in the service of the King of kings and Lord of lords! But this honor have all the saints.

Happy it is, when we are constrained by the love of Christ to enter on a course of devoted service, and to ask, "Lord, what will You have me to do?"

You know, O Lord, what work I am best fitted to do. I would not choose my own employment--but would follow Your direction. Let me not attempt what is above my capacity. Let me not shrink from what You enable me to accomplish. Let me joyfully be a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water--if this would please You.

Or if You call me to arduous service, to stand in forefront of the battle, to defend Your cause and Your truth--let me not draw back from my post, for You will impart needful courage, and make Your strength perfect in my weakness.

Joyful is the thought that You have something for all Your children to do . . .
  some ignorant ones for them to instruct,
  or some troubled ones for them to comfort,
  or some needy ones for them to relieve--
some work of faith or labor of love--for all of them to perform!

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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My times are in Your hand!

("Every Day!" Author unknown, 1872)

"My times are in Your hand!"  Psalm 31:15

Is not this truth a joy to you, my soul?

It would be a sorry thing for me, if my times were in my own hands--and it would afford me little satisfaction, if my times were in an angel's hands. How restful should I be in knowing that my times are in my precious Savior's hands!
He sees the end from the beginning.
He knows how to apportion my sorrows and my joys.
He knows what to give--and what to withhold.
He knows also when to give--and when to take away.

But, alas! how often is my heart mistrustful--how often have I murmured under the trying dispensations of His providence! O my soul, be ashamed and confounded--be humbled in the dust that you should ever call in question the wisdom or kindness of the dealings of Him who so loved you as to give His only Son for your redemption!

Help me, O God of my salvation, henceforth, with childlike confidence and peaceful trust--to yield all to You, and to rejoice in the assurance that "My times are in Your hand!"

"My times are in Your hand;
 Why should I doubt or fear?
 My Father's hand will never cause
 His child a needless tear!"

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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Seeing that we deserve nothing--we should be content with, and thankful for anything!

(Ralph Venning, "The Plague of Plagues!" 1669)

It has been every man's lot to come into and go out of this world naked--to show that he has no right to anything, but lives on the alms of God's charity and grace. All that we have or hold between our birth and death--is the mere gift of God.

God might choose whether He would allow us anything or not; and when He has given--He may take back again, and none of us has cause to say anything but what Job said: "Naked I came into the world--and naked I shall return. The Lord has given--and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" Job 1:21

All that we have, our food and clothing and belongings--are only lent to us. Therefore, seeing that we deserve nothing--we should be content with, and thankful for anything.

"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1 Timothy 6:7-8

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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The hell of Hell!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

And as there are a diversity of torments in Hell--so the torments of Hell are everlasting.

"Depart from Me, you who are cursed--into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!" Matthew 25:41

The sentence which shall be passed upon them--is eternal.

God Himself, who damns them--is eternal.

The prison and chains which hold them--are eternal.

The worm which gnaws them--is eternal.

The fire which torments them--is eternal.

Grievous is the torment of the damned--for the bitterness of the punishments.
It is more grievous--for the diversity of the punishments.
But it is most grievous--for the eternity of the punishments!

If, after so many millions of years as there are drops in the ocean, there might be a deliverance out of Hell--this would yield a little ease, a little comfort to the damned. But oh, but this word, 'Eternity! Eternity! Eternity!'--this word, 'Everlasting! Everlasting! Everlasting!'--this word, 'Forever! Forever! Forever!'--will break the hearts of the damned into ten thousand pieces!

Suppose that the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand, and that a little bird would come once every thousand years and carry away one grain of sand from that heap. What an infinite number of years would be spent before this great mountain of sand would be fetched away! Just so--if a man should lie in everlasting burnings so long a time as this, and then have an end of his woe--it would give him some ease, some hope, and some comfort.

But when that immortal bird shall have carried away this great mountain of sand--a thousand times over and over--alas, alas, sinful man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was! He shall be no nearer coming out of Hell--than he was the very first moment that he entered into Hell!

Suppose, say others, that a man were to endure the torments of Hell for as many years as there are . . .
  sands on the sea-shore,
  drops of water in the sea,
  stars in the heavens,
  leaves on the trees,
  blades of grass on the ground
--then he would comfort himself with this poor thought, "Well, there will come a day when my misery and torment shall have an end."

But woe and alas! this word, "Forever! Forever! Forever!" will fill the hearts of the damned with the greatest . . .
  horror and terror,
  anger and rage,
  bewilderment and astonishment!

If the fire of Hell were terminable--then it might be tolerable.
But being endless--it must needs be easeless, and remediless.

The eternity of Hell--is the hell of Hell.

The damned shall live as long in Hell--as long as God Himself shall live in Heaven!

"The reprobate shall have . . .
  punishment--without pity,
  misery--without mercy,
  sorrow--without support,
  crying--without compassion,
  mischief--without measure,
  and torment--without end!"

"And they will go away into eternal punishment--but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46

All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect--fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied! "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath--but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Oh, exalt that Christ! Oh, extol that Savior--who has saved you from that eternal wrath!

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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I am the Devil--I am a deceiver! I will lead you into Hell!

(Ralph Venning, "The Plague of Plagues!" 1669)

"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light!" 2 Corinthians 11:14

The Devil disguises himself as an angel of light--that he may more effectually lead us into darkness. If he were to come like a devil, like an enemy--then everyone would run from him. But he comes masked and puts on the face of a friend--and so he tricks and cheats us. Indeed, he prevails more by his wily subtleties--than by his power.

If the Devil had come to Eve and spoken to her as follows: 'I was once a glorious angel and lived above in the Court of Heaven--but I have sinned and am now cast down to Hell. Eat the forbidden fruit--and you will be like me!' Would this have succeeded? Surely not!

Thus if he came and tempted men to sin, by telling them that sin is the sure way to Hell--would this prevail with them to sin? No! The Devil is a subtle old serpent--he cloaks and paints sin. He covers his hook with a bait--and draws men in before they are aware of it. He is a deceiver--and lest he should be known, he puts on a false garb and disguises himself as an angel of light.

He dare not say, "I am the Devil--I am a deceiver! I will lead you into Hell!"--for that would spoil his wily schemes.

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" Matthew 7:15

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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http://www.gracegems.org/19/literature.htm
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You will never come to the bottom of these depths!

(Robert Murray M'Cheyne)

"Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved--and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

Learn much of the Lord Jesus. For every look at yourself--take ten looks at Christ!

Such infinite majesty, and yet such meekness and grace--and all for sinners, even the chief!

Unfathomable oceans of grace are in Christ for you. Dive and dive again--you will never come to the bottom of these depths! Yes, He is altogether lovely!

Live much in His smiles--bask in His beams. Feel His all-seeing eye settled on you in love, and repose in His almighty arms!

Live near to Him--and all worldly things will appear little to you in comparison.

"Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be!"

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From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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http://www.gracegems.org/19/literature.htm
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When will it be my time to be eaten?

(Charles Spurgeon)

All men persist in thinking all men mortal, but themselves.

If there were a great monster in our city, which ate ten of the inhabitants alive every day--we would be dreadfully miserable, especially if we never knew when it would be our turn to be devoured!

If we were certain that it would eat all in our city by-and-bye, but would only eat ten in a day--we would all tremble as we passed by the huge monster's den, and say, "When will it be my time to be eaten?" This would cast a dark cloud over the whole metropolis, blacker than its usual fog.

But here is a monster, DEATH, which devours its hundreds at its meal. With its iron tongue, the funeral knell keeps crying out for more! Its greedy and insatiable throat is never filled--its teeth are never blunted--and its ravenous hunger is never satisfied.

And though it will be our turn by-and-bye to be devoured of this great monster--yet how little do we think about it!

All men persist in thinking all men mortal, but themselves.