Grace Gems

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A rich man and a beggar!

(J.C. Ryle, Riches and Poverty, 1878)

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores." Luke 16:19-21

The Lord Jesus begins the parable by telling us of a rich man and a beggar. He says not a word in praise either of poverty or of riches. He describes the circumstances of a wealthy man, and the circumstances of a poor man; but neither condemns the temporal position of one, nor praises that of the other.

We must take heed that we do not draw lessons from the parable which it was never meant to teach. The rich are not always evil men, and do not always go to Hell. The poor are not always holy men, and do not always go to Heaven. We must not rush into the extreme of supposing that it is sinful to be rich. We must not run away with the idea that there is anything wicked in the difference of condition here described, and that God intended all men to be equal. There is nothing in our Lord Jesus Christ's words to warrant any such conclusion. He simply describes things as they are often seen in the world, and as we must expect to see them.

Many in every age have disturbed society by stirring up the poor against the rich. But so long as the world is under the present order of things, universal equality cannot be attained.

So long as . . .
  some are wise, and some are foolish;
  some are strong, and some are weak;
  some are healthy, and some are diseased;
so long as children reap the fruit of their parent's misconduct;
so long as sun, and rain, and heat, and cold, and wind, and waves, and drought, and blight, and storm, and tempest are beyond man's control--so long will there be inequality in this world.

Take all the property in England by force this day, and divide it equally among the inhabitants. Give every man over twenty years old an equal portion. Let all share alike, and begin the world over again.
Do this, and see where you would be at the end of fifty years. You would just have come round to the point where you began! You would just find things as unequal as before!

   Some would have worked--and some would have been idle;
   some would have been always careless--and some always scheming;
   some would have sold--and others would have bought;
   some would have wasted--and others would have saved.
And the end would be, that some would be rich--and others poor.

We might as well say . . .
  that all men ought to be of the same height, weight, strength, and cleverness;
  or that all oak trees ought to be of the same shape and size;
  or that all blades of grass ought to be of the same length
--as that all men were meant to be equal.

Settle it in your mind that the main cause of all the suffering you see around you, is sin. Sin is the grand cause . . .
  of the enormous luxury of the rich--and the painful degradation of the poor;
  of the heartless selfishness of the highest classes--and the helpless poverty of the lowest.

Sin must be first cast out of the world;
the hearts of all men must be renewed and sanctified;
the devil must be bound;
the Prince of Peace must come down and take His great power and reign
--all this must be before there ever can be universal happiness, or the gulf be filled up which now divides the rich and poor.

Beware of expecting a millennium to be brought about . . .
  by any method of government,
  by any system of education,
  or by any political party.

Labor to do good to all men; pity your poorer brethren, and help every reasonable endeavor to raise them from their low estate; do not slacken your hand from any endeavor to increase knowledge--to promote morality--to improve the temporal condition of the poor.

But never, never forget that you live in a fallen world--that sin is all around you--and that the devil is abroad.

And be very sure that the rich man and Lazarus are emblems of two classes of people which will always be in the world until the Lord comes!

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Just a little bit, and off you go!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:2

Do not many of you read the Bible in a very hurried way--just a little bit, and off you go! Do you not soon forget what you have read, and lose what little effect it seemed to have?

How few of you are resolved to get at its soul, its juice, its life, its essence--and to drink in its meaning. Well, if you do not do that--then your reading is miserable reading, dead reading, unprofitable reading; it is not reading at all, the name would be misapplied. May the blessed Spirit give you repentance concerning this thing.

Meditation and careful thought, exercise us and strengthen the soul for the reception of the yet more lofty truths.

We must meditate, brethren. These grapes will yield no wine until we tread upon them.
These olives must be put under the wheel, and pressed again and again--that the oil may flow therefrom.

In a dish of nuts, you may know which nut has been eaten by a worm--because there is a little hole which the worm has punctured through the shell. It is just a little hole, and then inside there is the living worm eating up the kernel.

In the same way, it is a grand thing to bore through the shell of the letter of Scripture--and then to live inside feeding upon the kernel.

I would wish to be such a little worm as that, living within and upon the Word of God, having bored my way through the shell, and having reached the innermost mystery of the blessed gospel. The Word of God is always most precious to the man who most lives upon it.

Beloved, never be satisfied with a sound creed--but desire to have it engraved on the tablets of your heart.

The doctrines of grace are good, but the grace of the doctrines is better still. See that you have it, and be not content with the idea that you are well-instructed--until you so understand the doctrine that you have felt its spiritual power.

O living Christ, make this a living Word to me. Your Word is life, but not without the Holy Spirit. I may know this book of Yours from beginning to end, and repeat it all from Genesis to Revelation--and yet it may be a dead book, and I may be a dead soul.

Oh, cling to Scripture. Scripture is not Christ, but it is the silken clue which will lead you to Him. Follow its leadings faithfully.

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A beloved child--watched over, cared for, supplied and defended!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"The Lord takes pleasure in His people!" Psalm 149:4

How comprehensive is the love of Jesus! There is no part of His people's interests that He does not consider; and there is nothing that concerns their welfare, which is not important to Him. Not merely does He think of you, believer, as an immortal being--but as a mortal being, also. Do not deny it or doubt it: "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in His way." Believer, rest assured that the heart of Jesus cares about your common affairs.

The breadth of His tender love is such that you may resort to Him in all matters; for as a father pities his children, so does He pity you. Oh, what a heart is His--which comprehends all the diverse and innumerable concerns of all His redeemed people!

Do you think that you can measure the love of Christ? Think of what His love has brought you--justification, adoption, sanctification and eternal life! The riches of His goodness are unsearchable--you shall never be able to count them out or even conceive of them all. Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! You are no desolate wanderer, but a beloved child--watched over, cared for, supplied and defended by your Lord!

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book!" Psalm 56:8

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Afterward!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

How happy are tried Christians afterward. There is no calm more deep, than that which follows a storm.

Our sorrows, like the passing keels of the vessels upon the sea, leave a silver line of holy light behind them afterward.

It is peace--sweet, deep peace--which follows the horrible turmoil that once reigned in our tormented, guilty souls.

The Christian has his best things last, and he therefore in this world receives his worst things first.

But even his worst things afterward become good things. Even now . . .
  he grows rich, by his losses,
  he rises, by his falls,
  he lives, by dying and
  becomes full, by being emptied.
If then his grievous afflictions yield him so much peaceable fruit in this life--then what shall the full vintage of joy be afterward in Heaven?

If his dark nights are as bright as the world's days--then what shall his days be?

If even his starlight is more splendid than the sun--then what must his sunlight be?

If he can sing in a dungeon--then how sweetly will he sing in Heaven?

If he can praise the Lord in the fires--then how will he extol Him before the eternal throne?

If trials are good to him now--then what will the overflowing goodness of God be to him then?

Who would not bear the present light cross--for the glorious crown which comes afterward?

"You do not realize now what I am doing, but afterward you will understand." John 13:7

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

"There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day--and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing!" 2 Timothy 4:8

"But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body!" Philippians 3:20-21

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

"Therefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:18

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The Christian is not a good man

(Martyn Lloyd Jones)

The Christian is not a good man.

He is a vile wretch who has been saved by the grace of God!

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"When we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son" Romans 5:10

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst!" 1 Timothy 1:15

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The door of the Word can only opened with the key of diligence!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Search the Scriptures!" John 5:39

The Greek word here rendered "search" signifies a strict, close, diligent, thorough search--such as men make when they are seeking gold. We must not rest content with having given a superficial reading to a chapter or two, but with the candle of the Spirit, we must deliberately seek out the spiritual essence of the Word. Holy Scripture requires searching--much of it can only be learned by careful study. There is milk for babes, but also meat for strong men.

No man who merely skims the book of God, can profit from it. We must dig and mine, until we obtain the hidden treasure. The door of the Word can only opened with the key of diligence! The Scriptures warrant searching. They are the writings of God--we dare to treat them with levity. He who despises them--despises the God who wrote them. God forbid that any of us should leave our Bibles to become swift witnesses against us in the great day of account. The Word of God will repay searching. Scripture grows upon the student. It is full of wonders!

The Scriptures reveal Jesus: "These very Scriptures speak about Me!" No more powerful motive can be urged upon Bible readers than this: He who finds Jesus finds life, Heaven, all things. Happy is he who, searching his Bible, discovers his Savior!

"My son, if you accept My words and store up My commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure--then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

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Painted pageantry to go to Hell in!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

Many people think that, when we preach salvation, we mean salvation from going to Hell. We do mean that, but we mean a great deal more.

We preach salvation from sin. We say that Christ is able to save a man; and we mean by that, that He is able to save him from sin and to make him holy--to make him into a new man.

No person has any right to say, "I am saved," while he continues in sin as he did before. How can you be saved from sin, while you are living in it?

You will always know whether you are delivered from the guilt and condemnation of sin, by answering this question: "Am I delivered from the love of sin?"

It is faith that saves us--not works. But that faith which saves us, always produces works.

Does the world satisfy you? Then you have your reward and portion in this life. Make much of it--for you shall know no other joy!

If your religion does not make you holy--it will damn you! It is simply painted pageantry to go to Hell in!

If you have lived like the wicked--then you will die like the wicked, and be damned like the wicked!

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People are like grass and flowers!

(Thomas Boston, 1676-1732, "Death")

"You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning--though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered." Psalm 90:5-6

"As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more." Psalm 103:15-16

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass." Isaiah 40:6-7

People are like grass and flowers!

"All people," even the strongest and most healthy people, are like the grass that dies away. Their beauty fades as quickly as the beauty of flowers in a field.

The grass is flourishing in the morning; but, being cut down by the mowers, in the evening it is withered. Likewise, man sometimes is walking up and down at ease in the morning--and in the evening is lying as a corpse, being struck down by a sudden blow, with one or another of death's weapons.

The flower, at best, is but a weak and tender thing, of short continuance wherever it grows. But observe, man is not compared to the flower of the 'garden'; but to the "flower in the field"--which the foot of every beast may tread down at any time.

Thus is our life liable to a thousand accidents every day, any of which may cut us off. But though we should escape all these--yet at length the LORD sweeps them away, and they are gone!

"Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow!" Psalm 144:4

"You turn men back to dust, saying: Return to dust, O sons of men." Psalm 90:3

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

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Choice quotes from Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The tragedy of sin, is that it affects man in his highest faculties.
Sin causes us to become fools, and behave in an irrational manner.
Modern man, far from being ruled by reason, is ruled by lust and passion.

   ~  ~  ~  ~

The man who refuses to face the fact of his own death, is a fool!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

The more Christian a person is, the simpler will that person's life be.

   ~  ~  ~  ~

I'd rather hobble into Heaven, than walk into Hell!

   ~  ~  ~  ~

God is nowhere more hidden, than in most churches!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Some tend to think that Christianity is a matter of being nice.
But niceness is purely biological. One dog is nicer than another dog!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

We must never parade ourselves!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Do you think that you deserve forgiveness? If you do, you are not a Christian.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

When a man truly sees himself, he knows that nobody can say anything about him that is too bad.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The trouble with man is not intellectual--but moral.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If you claim to love Christ and yet are living an unholy life, there is only one thing to say about you: You are a bare-faced liar!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

To divorce forgiveness of sins from the actual living of the Christian life, is nothing but rank heresy!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Christians are generally at their best, when they are in the furnace of affliction and being persecuted and tried.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If you are not holy, you are not a Christian.
 
   ~  ~  ~  ~

There are no shortcuts in the Christian life--no simple remedies.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Nothing we do in the Christian life, is harder than prayer.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The state of the world today, is nothing but an appalling monument to human failure.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Intellectual pride is the last citadel of self.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

We have come to realize that a man can be educated and cultured, and still be a beast!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The biggest hoax in the world for the last 150 years, has been the theory of evolution!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The natural man is always looking at himself and admiring himself.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

I would rather make bricks without straw--than try to live the Sermon on the Mount in my own strength.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

No difficulty in believing the gospel is intellectual--it is always moral.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The whole trouble in life, is ultimately a concern about self.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

A man is not a Christian unless he can say with Paul, "I am what I am by the grace of God!"

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Many who go to the psychiatrist are like the woman in the Gospels--they are nothing bettered, but rather grow worse!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

There is little difference between a fashion parade, and a dog show!

     ~  ~  ~  ~

By definition, a Christian should be an enigma to every person who is not a Christian.

     ~  ~  ~  ~

The first sign of spiritual life, is to feel that you are dead!

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How despicable our troubles and trials will seem!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!" Psalm 30:5

Christian! If you are in a night of trial, think of tomorrow. Be patient!

Your head may now be crowned with thorny troubles--but it shall wear a jeweled diadem before long!
Your hand may now be filled with cares--it shall sweep the strings of the harp of Heaven soon.
Your garments may be soiled with filth now--they shall be white as snow in a short time.

Wait a little longer.

How despicable our troubles and trials will seem--when we look back upon them from Heaven's glory! Looking at them presently, they seem to be immense--but they will then seem as light and momentary afflictions. Let us go on boldly. After the dark of night, the morning comes. We should be thankful that we are not shut up in the eternal darkness of Hell.

Do you know what it is to live in the future--to live on expectation--to anticipate Heaven?

It may be dark now, but it will soon be light.
It may be all trial now, but it will soon be all happiness.
What does it matter if weeping may endure for a night--when eternal joy comes in the morning!

"You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!" Psalm 16:11

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!" 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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The bishop and the knight tumble into the box with the pawns--and the king and the queen fare no better!

(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883)

"All go to the same place. All come from dust, and to dust all return!" Ecclesiastes 3:20

"As chessmen are all thrown into the box together--so in the grave there is no distinction.
 Skulls wear no wreaths, and corpses carry no marks of honor."

The bishop and the knight tumble into the box with the pawns--and the king and the queen fare no better! Death is a terrible leveler! It is a pity that some men carry their heads so high above their fellows all the day--for they will have to sleep at night in the same bed of clay with those whom they despise!

"Poor weeds, rich grain, gay flowers together stand.
 Alas! death mows down all with an impartial hand!"

"You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning--though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered." Psalm 90:5-6. Here is the history of the grass--sown, grown, blown, mown, gone! The history of man is not much more!

There they come, streams of them, hurrying impatiently, rushing down to death and Hell--yes, eagerly panting, hurrying, dashing against one another to descend to that awful gulf from which there is no return!

Time, how short!
Death, how brief!
Eternity, how long!

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Let us try and not attend to its gewgaws!

(Mary Winslow)

How poor and unsatisfying are all things here below--even the best and the loveliest! Is it not strange that we can lose sight of Heaven and eternal glory--and grovel in the dust to gather pebbles, for the pleasure of throwing them away afterwards?

Oh, to walk more intimately with Him, to live above the world, and hold the creature with a looser hand, taking God's Word as our guiding light and our unfailing spring of comfort. God has eternally provided such a magnificent and holy Heaven for us above, that He is jealous lest we should set our hearts too fondly and closely upon the fleeting attractions of earth. Therefore it is that He withers our gourds and breaks our cisterns--only to dislodge us from this poor world, and lead us to seek those things which are above, where Christ our treasure is.

Let us keep our eye and our hearts upon our blessed eternal home. Earth is but a stage erected as our passage to the place Jesus has gone to prepare for us. What a place must that be--which infinite power and love has engaged to provide! Oh, let us not lose sight of Heaven for a moment.

How prone are we to allow our minds and hearts (our treacherous hearts!) to become entangled with the baubles of a dying world. No wonder Christ exhorted us to watch and pray. Heaven is our home--our glorious home. We are but strangers and pilgrims here on earth. Try and realize it. Let us keep ourselves ready to enter with Him to the marriage supper of the Lamb. In a little while, and we shall see Him, not as the 'Man of sorrows,' but the 'King in His beauty!' Then let us fight against the world and all its vain attractions, for it is passing away.

The world and its 'nothings' are often a sad snare to God's saints. Oh that by faith we may overcome it all, and keep close to Jesus! We are not of the world--let us try and not attend to its gewgaws!

Keep a more steadfast, unwavering eye upon Christ. He has gone a little before us, and stands beckoning us to follow!

Live for eternity! Let go of your hold upon the world!

Receive this exhortation from an aged pilgrim, who, as she nears the solemn scenes of eternity, and more realizes the inexpressible joys that await us there, is anxious that all believers who are traveling the same road might have their hearts and minds more disentangled from worthless earthly things, and themselves unreservedly given to Christ. Let us aim in all things to follow Him who, despising this world's show, left us an example how we should walk. Have your lamp trimmed and brightly burning, for every day and every hour brings us nearer and nearer to your home!

"Dearest Jesus! help Your pilgrims to live more like pilgrims--above a poor dying world, and more in full view of the glory that awaits us when we shall see You face to face!"

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. When Christ, who is your life, appears--then you also will appear with Him in glory!" Colossians 3:1-4

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus!" Hebrews 3:1

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Are the chips of the cross so heavy?

(Thomas Case, "The Rod and the Word, A Treatise on Afflictions" 1653)

In the school of affliction, God teaches how to estimate, or at least to make some remote and imperfect guess, at the sufferings of Jesus Christ. In times of prosperity we pass by the Cross carelessly--at the best we do but shake our heads a little. The reading of the story of Christ's passion stirs us up some pity towards Him--but it is quickly gone; we forget as soon as we get into the world again.

But now . . .
  let God pinch our flesh with some sore affliction;
  let Him fill our bones with pain, and set us on fire with a burning fever;
  let our feet be hurt in the stocks, and the irons enter into our souls;
  let our souls be exceedingly filled with the scorning and contempt of the proud;
  let us be destitute, afflicted, tormented, and so forth--
then we sit down and look upon Him whom we have pierced, and begin to say within ourselves:

"Are the chips of the cross so heavy? What then was the cross itself, which my Redeemer bore?
 Are a few bodily pains so bitter? What then were those agonies which the Lord of glory sustained in His soul?
 Is the wrath of man so piercing? What then was the wrath of God, which scorched His righteous soul, and forced His very heart's blood through His flesh on a cold winter's night, so that His sweat was as great drops of blood falling down to the ground?
  Are the buffetings of men so grievous? What then were the buffetings of Satan, which our Lord sustained, when all the brood of the serpent lay nibbling at His heels?
  Is a burning fever so hot? How then did the flames of Hell itself scald my Savior's soul?
  Is a chain so heavy, a prison so loathsome, the sentence and execution of death so dreadful? O what then was it for Him who made Heaven and earth to be bound with chains, mocked, abused, spit upon, buffeted, reviled, cast into prison, arraigned, condemned, and executed in a most shameful and accursed manner?"

Blessed be God,
  my prison is not the bottomless pit,
  my burnings are not unquenchable flames,
  my cup is not filled with divine wrath!
In a word, my sufferings are not Hell.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, by whom I am delivered from wrath to come!

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Christians have unfailing grounds of satisfaction and contentment

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

"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

Christians have unfailing grounds of satisfaction and contentment, for they know that all their affairs are managed by a wise and gracious Providence.

The calamities which the believer suffers are unstinged to him through the Redeemer's cross, which, like the tree that Moses cast into the waters of Marah, makes bitter things sweet.

He is not visited with any unnecessary evil, and those evils which visit him are made good on the whole, by the tendency which they have to do him good, and make him good.

Reproaches and tribulations, sicknesses and deaths, are the common lot of men. And they are very evil things to those who are strangers to God--but they are good to those who love God, for they are appointed and useful means to make them partakers of God's holiness, and prepare them for that blessed world where sins and sorrows are no more!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!" 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

[nChrist]

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What is death, father?

(J.R. Miller)

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

The voyage of life is a perilous ocean!

People talk about the terrors of death--but living has greater terrors than dying!

In Miss Procter's poem, a child asks, "What is life, father?" and gets the answer that life is a battle, where many fall and fail.

Then the child asks, "What is death, father?" We are not surprised that when she learns that death is the rest which comes at the end of the strife of life, she says: "Let me die, father--for I fear to live."

The wise answer is, "You must live first--and persevere through the battlefields of life."

Life is full of perils--but there is One who can guard us from stumbling, and present us faultless before the presence of God at last. We need only to have Christ for our Friend--and He will bring us safely through all peril. But without Christ, we never can get home to Heaven.

"I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" Philippians 1:23

"Blessed are those who die in the Lord!" Revelation 14:13