Grace Gems

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Its tones fall like soothing music on the quivering heart!

(J.R. Miller)

"His disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it--and went and told Jesus." Matthew 14:12

When one dies in our home, and our hearts are breaking--we should go and tell Jesus. It will do us good to tell Him.

We may not care to tell our trouble to any human friend. Some sorrows are too sacred to be unveiled to any eyes.

But we need never shrink from telling Jesus. He can understand our grief, for He knows all human pain; not alone as God--but as man, for He experienced all sorrow. He will treat our sorrow, too, with most delicate gentleness.

The very words which others speak to comfort us--often fall with crude impact upon our bruised heart and give fresh pain. The gentlest touch of a human hand, often hurts where it is meant to help. But the voice of Jesus is so gentle that its tones fall like soothing music on the quivering heart, and the hand of Jesus is so skillful that its touch gives healing.

We need never fear to tell Jesus of our sorrow. He is the truest Comforter, and the wisest Healer of hurt hearts.

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Not one grain too much!

(Henry Ward Beecher, 1813-1887)

"Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" Hebrews 12:7

Affliction comes to us all:
  not to make us sad--but sober;
  not to make us sorry--but to make us wise;
  not to impoverish us--but to enrich us!

We are always in the furnace--or on the anvil.
By trials, God is shaping us for nobler things.

Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things!

No physician ever weighed out medicine to his patients with half so much care and exactness, as God weighs out every trial to His children. Not one grain too much, does He ever permit to be put in the scale!

The troubles and worries of life may be as stumbling blocks in our way--or we may make them stepping-stones to a nobler character and to Heaven.

"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11

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The worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing which could befall me!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"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

Upon some points, a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that an invisible hand is always on the world's rudder. He also knows that wherever providence may drift--Jehovah steers it. That reassuring knowledge prepares him for everything.

He knows that God is always wise, and knowing this he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes--that nothing can occur which ought not to occur.

He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose it, than have it--if God so wills. The worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing which could befall me--if God ordains it!"

"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." The Christian does not merely hold this as a mere theory, but he knows it as a certain fact. Everything has worked for good as yet. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results.

So believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil--the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes.

The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what You will, my God--as long as it comes from You. There has never come a bad portion from Your table, to any of Your children!"

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Who could have conceived of the Eternal One as bursting forth into a song?

(Charles Spurgeon)

"As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride--so will your God rejoice over you!" Isaiah 62:5

How heart-cheering to the believer, is the fact that God delights in His redeemed people!

We cannot see any reason in ourselves, as to why the Lord should take pleasure in us. We cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan being burdened, conscious of our sinfulness and deploring our unfaithfulness. We also fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies--that they may rather lament our infirmities, than admire our graces.

But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride--so does our God rejoice over us! In what strong language He expresses His delight in His people! Who could have conceived of the Eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, "He will take great delight in you--He will rejoice over you with singing!" Zephaniah 3:17

As He looked upon His newly created world, He said, "It is very good"--but He did not sing.

As He views His works of providence--I do not read that He sings.

But But when He gazes on His redeemed people--the purchase of Jesus' blood, His own chosen ones--it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer--but, wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles--God, the Eternal One, sings out of the joy of His soul!

"He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing!"

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Of all the volumes that were ever written--this volume, printed in crimson upon the pure, lily-like flesh of Christ, is the best to read!

(Charles Spurgeon)

Oh! Think of the Savior descending from the starry heights of glory--and coming down into the Virgin's womb; and then descending from that lowly manger of Bethlehem--even to the cross and to the grave for you! Yes, for your sake He takes upon Himself the form of a servant and becomes obedient unto death, even the death of the bloody tree!

Many of the ancient saints were accustomed to spending hours in meditating upon the sacred wounds of Jesus upon the Calvary's Cross--and many of the martyrs have been for days engaged in solemn meditation upon those wounded hands and feet, and that pierced side.

Oh! Sit down at the foot of the Cross, and study the wounds of Jesus! Of all the volumes that were ever written--this volume, printed in crimson upon the pure, lily-like flesh of Christ, is the best to read!

If any of you doubt whether there is forgiveness with God--I ask you to stand on Calvary, in imagination, and to look into the wounds of Jesus. Gaze upon His nail-pierced hands and feet, His thorn-crowned brow, and look right into His heart where the soldier's spear was thrust!

Pardon of sin is only found in the wounds of Jesus! Your sins were atoned for upon the accursed Cross.

Abide close to the cross, and search the mystery of His wounds. We shall only hate sin, by living more where the groans of Calvary can meet our ears, and the sight of the Savior's wounds can melt our hearts! Keep a deep sense of your indebtedness to God alive in your soul--and you will feel that you can never do enough for Him who has forgiven you so much!

There is no solid joy, no hallowed peace this side of Heaven--except by living under the shadow of the Cross, and nestling in the wounds of Jesus!

    When I survey the wondrous cross
    On which the Prince of glory died,
    My richest gain I count but loss,
    And pour contempt on all my pride.

    Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
    Save in the death of Christ my God!
    All the vain things that charm me most,
    I sacrifice them to His blood.

    See from His head, His hands, His feet,
    Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
    Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
    Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

    Were the whole realm of nature mine,
    That were a present far too small;
    Love so amazing, so divine,
    Demands my soul, my life, my all!

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Engraved!

(John MacDuff, 1874)

"Can a mother forget the baby at her bosom and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Behold! I have engraved you on the palms of My hands!" Isaiah 49:15-16

"Behold," says infinite God, "I have engraved you on the palms of My hands!"
Not on the mountains, as colossal as they are, for they shall depart;
not on any page of nature's vast volume, for the last fires shall scorch them;
not on blazing sun, for it shall grow dim with age;
not on glorious heavens, for they shall be folded together as a scroll.

But on . . .
  the hand which made the worlds,
  the hand which was transfixed on the cruel cross,
  the hand of infinite might and unmeasurable love;
I have engraved you there! No corroding power can efface the writing, or obliterate your name!

You are Mine now, and Mine forever!

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name--you are Mine!" Isaiah 43:1

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All the jewels in the Savior's crown are without a single flaw!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away, and will present you faultless with great joy into His glorious presence!" Jude 1:24

Revolve in your mind that wondrous word "faultless"! We are far off from it now; but as our Lord never stops short of perfection in His work of redeeming love, every saved sinner shall be without blemish one day. The Savior who will keep His people to the end, will also present them at last to Himself as "a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing--but holy and without blemish!"

All the jewels in the Savior's crown are without a single flaw!

But how will Jesus make us faultless? He will wash us from our sins in His own blood, until we are as white and lovely as God's purest angel! We shall be clothed in His perfect righteousness, which makes the saint who wears it truly faultless, perfect in the sight of God.

Also, the work of the Holy Spirit within us will be altogether complete. He will make us so perfectly holy, that we shall have no lingering tendency to sin. We shall be as holy as God is holy, and we shall dwell in His presence forever!

"You are altogether beautiful, My beloved--there is no spot in you!" Song of Songs 4:7

Sin gone,
Satan shut out,
temptation past forever,
and ourselves "faultless" before God
--this will be Heaven indeed!

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Nothing is so subtle, so secret, so insinuating!

(Thomas Charles, "Pride" 1838)

Many think themselves most humble--when they are wholly devoid of this lovely and rare grace.

Often a great show of humility in speech and behavior, covers the rankest and most diabolical pride in the heart! They are filled, it may be, with a high opinion of their self-abasement. Their humility is without one spark of gratitude to God, or any disposition to give Him glory.

The deceitfulness of the heart, and the subtlety of Satan, in no one thing appears so great, as in the workings of pride. Nor have we in anything more cause for continual watchfulness, than pride. Nothing is so subtle, so secret, so insinuating--as pride! It often surprises us at an unexpected hour--and is in actual possession of us, before we are aware of its approach.

Were we under the continual influence of a humble spirit, our religious attainments would not be so apt to glitter in our own eyes. We would be daily ashamed of, and sorely lament . . .
  our great blindness and ignorance of God,
  our astonishing ingratitude, and
  the coldness of our love to Him!

The spirit of pride is eminently the work of the devil within our souls. Pride enters into the very essence of every other corruption, and is the life and soul of every other sin! Until this wretched pride is in a measure brought down and mortified--no grace will grow and thrive in the heart.

Until we are brought to this state of true humility, taking shame to ourselves, and giving glory to God in and for everything--we cannot possibly enjoy communion with God, and growth in grace cannot possibly take place.

Real humility takes nothing to itself, but sin and shame.
Real humility gives all the glory to God, who is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.

There is not one single blessing from god that can be received, but by a humble spirit.
Nor can we be partakers of the consolations of Christ, but in proportion as this humble spirit prevails.

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When a tear is wept by you--do not think that God does not behold it

(Charles Spurgeon)

"The LORD said:
  I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt.
  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers,
  and I am concerned about their suffering.
  So I have come down to rescue them . . ." Exodus 3:7, 8

Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light, than when He is spoken of as stooping from His throne and coming down from Heaven to attend to the wants and woes of His redeemed people.

How can we but love Him, when we know that He . . .
  numbers the very hairs of our heads,
  marks all our paths, and
  orders all our ways?

When a tear is wept by you--do not think that God does not behold it, for . . .
"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

Your sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah,
your whisper can incline His ear unto you,
your prayer can stay His hand,
your faith can move His arm!

Do not think that God sits on high taking no account of you. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him.

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You yourself will sit with Him upon His throne!

(Charles Spurgeon)

What enlightenment, what joys, what consolation, what delight of heart--is experienced by that man who has learned to feed on Jesus, and on Jesus alone! Yet the realization that we have of Christ's preciousness is, in this life, imperfect at the best. We have but tasted "that the Lord is gracious." We do not yet know how good and gracious He is--although what we know of His sweetness, makes us long for more.

We are but beginners now in spiritual education. For although we have learned the first letters of the alphabet, we cannot read words yet, much less can we put sentences together. As one says, "He who has been in Heaven but five minutes, knows more than all the theologians on earth put together."

We have many ungratified desires at present, but soon every wish will be satisfied--and all our powers shall find the sweetest employment in that world of eternal joy.

Oh, Christian, within a very little time you will be rid of all your trials and your troubles! Your eyes now suffused with tears, will weep no longer. You will gaze in ineffable rapture upon the splendor of Him who sits upon His glorious throne. "Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory!" John 17:24

Even more, you yourself will sit with Him upon His throne! "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne!" Revelation 3:21

You will share the triumph of His glory! His crown, His joy, His paradise--these will be yours, and you will be co-heir with Him who is the heir of all things! "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ!" Romans 8:17

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Do not grieve the Holy Spirit!

(Thomas Charles, "The Operations of the Holy Spirit" 1838)

"Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30

See how great is the sin of grieving the Spirit.

We grieve Him, when we take little or no notice of His amazing condescension and love--in coming freely and willingly to be our Comforter and Sanctifier.

We grieve Him, when we make no returns of love to Him--by bringing forth in a holy walk and conduct, the fruits of the Spirit.

We grieve Him, when by careless neglect and unwatchfulness, we fall into those habits and courses which He abhors.

He is grieved, because He loves us and has our happiness much at heart--for to promote our holiness and happiness is the object of His indwelling us. When we put obstructions in His way, and we promote our own misery--how is the Spirit of love grieved!

Let us therefore, above all things, attend to His motions, and beware of a barren and unfruitful profession of religion, and of defiling by secret indulgences--the temple and habitation of the Spirit.

Shall we grieve Him who dwells with us as our Comforter? How unworthy--how base a conduct! Shall we, who have tasted that the Lord is gracious--by our negligence, sin and folly, grieve Him who has come on purpose to comfort us?

Shall we grieve Him, without whom we cannot live, cannot think one good thought, nor breathe one good desire!

Shall we grieve Him, whose presence in the soul is Heaven, and whose absence is a Hell of corruption, darkness, and misery!

Is it possible that we should make such base returns for such love, and be such enemies to our own happiness!

Alas! what is man! In what dust and ashes ought even the best of us to lie down before Him!

Shall we not rather take notice of His love and His kindness, and thankfully receive all our comforts from His hands, and observe His love and grace in every refreshing thought put into our minds?

Yes, shall we not carefully watch and promote all His strivings and motions within us, and cheerfully comply with them, however self-denying and contrary to flesh and blood?

When He convinces of sin--let us set our hearts mightily against it. When He speaks comfort--let us hear Him as the Lord our Comforter, making known the riches of love and grace to our souls.

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A head full of froth!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"I hate vain thoughts--but I love Your law!" Psalm 119:113

Many of you know more about your magazines and novels--than what God has written in His holy Word!

Many of you will read a novel from the beginning to the end, and what have you got? A head full of froth when you are done! But you cannot read the Bible--that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect--while anything that man writes, a best-seller of the day--you greedily devour!

"Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things!" Psalm 119:37

"Set your minds on things above--not on earthly things!" Colossians 3:2

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Yet it is a profitable loss!

(Thomas Charles, "The Benefits of Affliction" 1838)

"God disciplines us for our profit, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11

Inasmuch as God has assured us that He causes all things to work together for our good--patience and resignation to the divine will in all things, is our duty. In His good time He may allow us to see such wisdom and goodness in all of our circumstances, as to fill our hearts with transports of joy. To follow Him is our part--without murmuring or complaining.

Nothing befalls us without a cause--no trouble comes upon us sooner, or presses more heavily, or continues longer--than what God knows that our case requires. What our short-sighted ignorance calls adversities or evils--are in reality and truth, well-designed and gracious blessings, and form a part of the means employed by God's goodness and grace, to prepare us for the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Away then with all impatience and all murmurings!

All our desire in this world, should be to live holily and live usefully--and affliction, by the blessing of God, has great influence in promoting both. Sanctified affliction greatly promotes holiness, and is also a great preparative for usefulness. It is working out at the same time a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory in the eternal world. God always chastens us, for our profit. Though we may thereby lose earthly comforts, ease and enjoyments--yet it is a profitable loss. What we lose in these things--we gain in holiness. It is for our profit, to become partakers of His holiness.

"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

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Every feature of this hideous monster!

(Thomas Charles, "Sanctification" 1838)

Meditation on the sufferings and death of Jesus, produces a hatred towards sin.

It was sin which made it necessary for the Lord of glory to come down from Heaven and take on Him the form of a servant. Sin was the cause of His deep humiliation, abasement and sufferings. Viewing sin through the cross--the believer abhors it, and regards it with perfect hatred. He therefore diligently strives against it, and strenuously resists Satan, from whose iron chains he could never have been delivered, had it not been for the death of the Son of God.

Sin will never appear in its own deformity and horrid nature--until we see it in its effects in the Son of God--until we "behold the Lamb of God" bearing our sin on the cruel tree. Christ crucified, like a magnifying glass--exhibits to view every feature of this hideous monster!

'Anything rather than sin!' is the language of the Christian's heart!

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

"Look to the cross, and hate your sin--for sin nailed your Well-Beloved to the accursed tree!" Charles Spurgeon

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Never did God appear more glorious!
 
(Thomas Charles, "Conformity to the Image of God" 1838)

"We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.
 He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities.
 The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
 and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5

God is as glorious in punishing sin--as He is in pardoning sin.

Never did God appear more glorious, than when He was pouring out His wrath on the Son of His love, for our sins. Justice and mercy, holiness and love--there shone with united and transcendent splendor.

The same glory of God which shines in punishing sin in Hell--appeared in His punishing it on the cross!

Does not God deserve to be loved for the one, as well as for the other? Does He not deserve to be loved wherever and in whatever manner He causes His glorious justice to appear?

That man never had true grace--who does not love God for punishing sin, as well as for pardoning it.

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree" 1 Peter 2:24