Grace Gems

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Look at it--there is blood still upon the handle!

(Charles Spurgeon)

A sight of Christ on the cross will cause us to hate our sins.

If you ever, by the eye of faith, see Jesus Christ dying for you--sin will never be sweet to you again.

What was it that slew our blessed Lord? It was our sin!

When we discover that our iniquities put our dearest and best Friend to death, we vow revenge against our iniquities, and henceforth hate them with a perfect hatred.

Let me illustrate this very simply:
Here is a knife with a richly carved ivory handle--a knife of excellent workmanship. Yonder woman, we will suppose, has had a dear child murdered by a cruel enemy. This knife is hers, she is pleased with it, and prizes it much. How can I make her throw that knife away? I can do it easily, for that is the knife with which her child was murdered! Look at it--there is blood still upon the handle! She drops it as though it were a scorpion--she cannot bear it. "Put it away," says she, "it killed my child! Oh, hateful thing!"

Now, sin is such a hateful thing. We play with it until we are told that it was sin which killed the Lord Jesus, who died out of love to us--pure, self-sacrificing love. Then we say, "Hateful thing--be gone! How can I endure you!"

See there the wounds of the Son of God;
behold the crimson stains on His blessed body;
mark the thorn-crown;
gaze upon those pierced hands;
weep over the nailed feet;
see the deep gash which the lance made in His side!

Sin did this cruel work--this bloody deed!

Down with our sins!
Drag them to the cross!
Slay them at Calvary!
Let not one of them escape, for they are the murderers of Christ!

"It was you, my sins, my cruel sins,
  His chief tormentors were;
  Each of my crimes became a nail,
  And unbelief the spear!"

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Where is Christ in your theological system?

(Charles Spurgeon)

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself." Luke 24:27

"These are the Scriptures that testify about Me!" John 5:39

Take this Book and distill it into one word--and that one word will be JESUS! The Bible itself, is but the body of Christ, and we may look upon all its pages as the swaddling bands of the infant Savior--for if we unroll the Scripture, we come upon Jesus Christ Himself.

Where is Christ in your theological system? He Himself is . . .
  the Doctor and Doctrine,
  the Revealer and Revelation,
  the Illuminator and the Light of men.

He is exalted in every word of truth, because He is its sum and substance.

He sits above the gospel, like a prince on His own throne.

Doctrine is most precious, when we see it distilling from His lips and embodied in His person.

Sermons are only valuable, in proportion as they speak of Him and point to Him!

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All comes from the hand of Him who is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind!

(Arthur Pink)

Faith endures as seeing Him who is invisible. Faith endures the disappointments, the hardships and the heartaches of life--by recognizing that all comes from the hand of Him who is too wise to err and too loving to be unkind.

So long as we are occupied with any other object than God Himself, there will be neither rest for the heart nor peace for the mind. But when we receive all that enters our lives as from His hand--then, no matter what may be our circumstances or surroundings; whether in a hovel, or prison-dungeon, or at a martyr's stake--we shall be enabled to say, "The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places" (Psalm 16:6). But that is the language of faith, not of sight nor of sense.

"Faith may swim--where reason cannot wade!" Thomas Watson

"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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This verse supplies us with an instance of Divine logic!

(Arthur Pink, "The Great Giver!" 1926)

"He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all--how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32

This verse supplies us with an instance of Divine logic! It contains a conclusion drawn from a premise. The premise is that God delivered up Christ for all His people--therefore everything else that is needed by them is sure to be given.

Here we are told why the Father made such a costly sacrifice: He spared not Christ--that He might spare us! It was not lack of love to the Savior--but wondrous, matchless, fathomless love for us! O marvel at the astonishing design of the Most High! "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son!" Truly, such love surpasses knowledge!

Moreover, He made this costly sacrifice not grudgingly or reluctantly, but freely out of love. He "delivered Him up" . . .
  to shame and spitting,
  to hatred and persecution,
  to cruel suffering and crucifixion.

And He delivered Him up for us:
  descendants of rebellious Adam,
  depraved and defiled,
  corrupt and sinful,
  vile and worthless!
For us who had gone into the "far country" of alienation from Him, and there spent all in riotous living.
Yes, "for us" who had gone astray like sheep, each one turning to "his own way".
For us "who were by nature the children of wrath, even as others"--in whom there dwelt no good thing.
For us who had . . .
  rebelled against our Creator,
  hated His holiness,
  despised His Word,
  broken His commandments,
  and resisted His Spirit!
For us who richly deserved to be cast into the everlasting burnings, and receive those wages which our sins so fully earned.

Yes, He delivered His blessed Son up for you fellow Christian who . . .
  are sometimes tempted to interpret your afflictions, as tokens of God's harshness,
  regard your poverty, as a mark of His neglect, and
  your seasons of darkness, as evidences of His desertion.
O, confess to Him now the wickedness of such dishonoring doubtings, and never again question the love of Him Who spared not His own Son!

Ponder well the glorious "conclusion" which the Spirit of God here draws from the wondrous fact stated in the first part of our text, "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all--how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" How conclusive and how comforting is the inspired reasoning of the Apostle. Arguing from the greater to the less--he proceeds to assure the believer of God's readiness also freely to bestow all needed blessings. The gift of His own Son, so ungrudgingly and unreservedly bestowed--is the pledge of every other needed mercy!

Here is the unfailing guaranty of perpetual sustenance to the drooping heart of the tried believer. If God has done the greater--will He leave the less undone? Infinite love can never change. The love that spared not Christ--cannot fail its objects, nor begrudge any needed blessings.

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Jesus Christ is completely sufficient!

(author unknown)

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power!" Colossians 2:9-10

One of the great tenets of Scripture, is the claim that Jesus Christ is completely sufficient for all matters of life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4)!

He is sufficient for:
  creation (Colossians 1:16-17)
  salvation (Hebrews 10:10-12)
  sanctification (Ephesians 5:26-27)
  and glorification (Romans 8:30).

So pure is He, that there is no blemish, stain, spot of sin, defilement, deception, corruption, error, or imperfection in Him! (1 Peter 1:18-20)

So complete is He, that . . .
  there is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5)
  He is the only begotten Son (John 1:14, John 1:18)
  all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him (Colossians 2:3)
  the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him (Colossians 2:9)
  He is heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2)
  He created all things--and all things were made
      by Him, through Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:16)
  He upholds all things by the word of His power (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3)
  He is the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15)
  He is the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3).

He has no beginning and no end (Revelation 1:17-18)
He is the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29)
He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14)
He is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1)
He is our life (Colossians 3:4)
He is the living and true Way (John 14:6)
He is the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
He is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11)
He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2)
He is Captain of our Salvation (Hebrews 2:10)
He is the Elect One (Isaiah 42:1)
He is the Apostle and High-Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1)
He is the Righteous Servant (Isaiah 53:11).
He is the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:17)
He is the Redeemer (Isaiah 41:14)
He is the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 54:5)
He is the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5)
He is the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3)
He is the Light of the world (John 9:5)
He is the Son of Man (Matthew 20:28)
He is the true Vine (John 15:5)
He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48)
He is the Door to Heaven (John 10:7)
He is the Sovereign Lord (Philippians 2:10-13)
He is Prophet, Priest and King (Hebrews 1:1-3)
He is our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9)
He is our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God,
   the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)
He is the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
He is the Rock of Salvation (Psalm 62:2)
He is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13)
He is the Counselor and Comforter (John 14:26)
He is the Messiah (John 4:25-26) and
He is the great I AM (John 8:58)!

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God is for me!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"This I know: God is for me!" Psalm 56:9

It is impossible for any human speech to express the full meaning of this precious phrase: "God is for me!"

He was "for me"--before the worlds were made.

He was "for me"--or He would not have given His well-beloved Son for me.

He was "for me"--when He smote the Only Begotten and laid the full weight of His wrath upon Him!
He was "for me"--though He was against Him.

He was "for me" when I was ruined in the fall--He loved me notwithstanding all.

He was "for me" when I was a rebel against Him, and with a high hand defied Him.

He was "for me"--or He would not have brought me humbly to seek His face.

He has been "for me" in my many struggles. I have encountered hosts of dangers, I have been assailed by temptations from without and within--how could I have remained unharmed to this hour, if He had not been "for me"?

He is "for me" . . .
  with all the infinity of His being,
  with all the omnipotence of His love,
  with all the infallibility of His wisdom.

Arrayed in all His divine attributes, He is "for me"--eternally and immutably "for me!"

He will be "for me" when yonder blue skies shall be rolled up like a worn-out vesture.
He will be "for me" throughout eternity!

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing!" 2 Timothy 4:8

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Hate Jesus!

(James Smith)

"They hated Me without a cause." John 15:25

"They kept shouting: Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Luke 23:21

It is a solemn thought, that many sinners who hear the gospel, hate Jesus. Hate Jesus! Yes, though He is . . .
  infinitely wise,
  exquisitely beautiful,
  perfect in holiness,
  unparalleled in goodness,
  almighty in power, and
  the very personification of love!

Jesus, who is represented by . . .
  the gentle lamb,
  the fructifying dew,
  the safe refuge,
  the fragrant rose,
  the desire of all nations,
  and the altogether lovely one!

Jesus, who . . .
   left Heaven and its glories,
   came and labored on earth,
   suffered unparalleled indignities and pains,
   died for sinners on the accursed tree, and
   now pleads in Heaven for all who seek salvation by Him.

Jesus, who is both able and willing to pardon all their sins, to lift them up to Heaven--and who has power and authority to thrust those who hate Him down to Hell.

O what folly, what madness to hate Jesus--and yet multitudes do so!

"If anyone does not love the Lord--that person is cursed!" 1 Corinthians 16:22

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Remember that you are the son of a king!

(William S. Plumer, "Sinners Saved by Unmerited Kindness")

When a prince was about to travel, he asked his tutor for some maxims by which to govern his behavior.
He received this answer: "Remember that you are the son of a king!"

Let all Christians remember that they are the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty--and "if sons, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ!"

"You are . . .
  a chosen people,
  a royal priesthood,
  a holy nation,
  God's special possession
--chosen that you may proclaim the excellence of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light!" 1 Peter 2:9

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Worse than Hell!

(Thomas Watson, "Religion Our True Interest")

Sin is the only evil thing--it is the evil of evils!

Sin is the poison which the old serpent spat into our virgin nature!

In sin there is both pollution and enmity. Sin is compared to a "thick cloud" (Isaiah 44:22), which not only hides the light of God's face--but brings down showers of His wrath!

Sin is worse than all evils. There is more evil in a drop of sin--than in a sea of affliction!

Sin is the cause of all evil. Out of this viperous womb of sin, come "evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness."

Sin is the quintessence of evil.

Sin puts a sting into death (1 Corinthians 15:56).

Sin is worse than Hell! Hell is a burden only to the sinner--but sin is a burden to God! Amos 2:13

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Nothing more than the common consent of fools!

(Charles Spurgeon)

Any kind of fad which rules the hour, draws a mad crowd after it. No matter how absurd or ridiculous the mania, the worshipers of fashion cry: "These are your gods!" Yes, Satan is marvelously well obeyed by his servants!

Yet many of you church people look around on society--to follow its customs and fashions.

You watch the general current--and then float upon it.

You study the popular breeze--and shift your sails to suit it.

You ask: "Is it fashionable?"
If it is fashionable, then you must do it.

Fashion is the law of multitudes--but it is nothing more than the common consent of fools!

To follow the fashions and customs of the times, is to be an enemy of God.

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?
 Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world, becomes an enemy of God!" James 4:4

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When the bird of thought was let go!

(A.W. Tozer)

Anyone who wishes to check on his true spiritual condition may do so, by noting what his voluntary thoughts have been over the last hours or days.
What has he thought about, when free to think of whatever he pleased?
Toward what has his inner heart turned, when it was free to turn wherever it desired?

When the bird of thought was let go, did it fly out like the raven to settle upon floating carcasses--or did it like the dove circle and return again to the ark of God?

Such a test is easy to run, and if we are honest with ourselves--we can discover not only what we are, but what we are going to become. We will soon be the sum of our voluntary thoughts!

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Short pithy gems from Elizabeth Prentiss (1818–1878)

~ ~ ~ ~

The longer I live, the more conscious I am of my human frailty--and of the constant, overwhelming need I have of God's grace.

~ ~ ~ ~

The thorny path bears some of the sweetest flowers that adorn life.
When with naked, bleeding feet we walk upon a flinty soil--we often find diamonds!

~ ~ ~ ~

If the loss of your earthly fortune gains Christ for you--it will be a beautiful loss.

~ ~ ~ ~

Dying grace is not usually given until it is needed. Death, to the disciple of Jesus, is only stepping from one room to another and far better room of our Father's house. And how little will all the sorrows of our earthly pilgrimage seem to us, when we get to our home above!

~ ~ ~ ~

You never will be really happy--until Christ becomes your dearest and most intimate friend.

~ ~ ~ ~

Seek Jesus--not joy!

~ ~ ~ ~

What does it matter, after all, from what point of time or space, that we go to our eternal home.
O how we shall smile after we get there--that we ever gave it one moment's thought.

~ ~ ~ ~

In proportion to our devotion to the Savior--will be the blessedness of our life.

~ ~ ~ ~

The more we love Him--the more we see how sinful sin is, and the more sorry we are to have been guilty of it.

~ ~ ~ ~

It is sweet to be in the sunshine of the Master's smile--but I believe our souls need winter, as well as summer.

~ ~ ~ ~

I have lived to see that God never was so good to me--as when He seemed most severe.

~ ~ ~ ~

To love Christ more is my deepest need, and the constant cry of my soul!

~ ~ ~ ~

I am a wayward, foolish child--but He loves me!
I have disobeyed and grieved Him ten thousand times--but He loves me!
I have lost faith in some of my dearest friends and am very desolate--but He loves me!
I do not love Him much--but He loves me!

~ ~ ~ ~

If a glimpse of our Savior here on earth can be so refreshing and delightful--then what will Heaven be?

~ ~ ~ ~

Lay down this principle as a law: God does nothing arbitrary. If He takes away your health, for instance, it is because He has some reason for doing so. This is true of everything you value, and if you have real faith in Him, you will not insist on knowing this reason.

~ ~ ~ ~

All your tears will soon be wiped away. You will see the King in His beauty. You will see Christ your Redeemer, and realize all He is, and all He has done for you. As I think of these things my soul is in haste to be gone!

~ ~ ~ ~

Those words, "daily nearer God," have an inexpressible charm for me. I long for such nearness to Him that all other objects shall fade into comparative insignificance.

~ ~ ~ ~

I believe that there is no happiness on earth, to be compared with that of losing all things to possess Christ!

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A fine pig and a spoiled child!

(Charles Spurgeon)

Give to a pig when it grunts, and to a child when it cries--and you will have a fine pig and a spoiled child!

If you never have headaches through rebuking your children--you shall have plenty of heartaches when they grow up!

It is a common thing for a little child to be the idol of the family. Wherever that is the case, there is a rod laid up in store in that house! You cannot make idols of your children, without finding out, sooner or later, that God makes them into rods with which He will punish you for your idolatry!

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Proverbs 13:24

"Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death." Proverbs 19:18

"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." Proverbs 22:15

"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die." Proverbs 23:13

"Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul." Proverbs 29:17

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Brethren, we have two faults

(Charles Spurgeon)

Brethren, we have two faults:

   1. We do not think God to be as great as He is. (His transcendence)
   2. We do not think God can be as little as He can be. (His immanence)

We err on both sides. We neither know the height of His glory--nor the depth of His grace!

He who counts the brilliant stars--also numbers the very hairs of our head!
He never fails to hear the heart-lispings of His redeemed people.

I dare say that we think that we magnify Him, but in reality we belittle Him with our highest thoughts.

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Choice pithy sayings of William Tiptaft (1803-1864)

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Many who died last year are in Hell, who never committed half the sins some of you have!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

It is of God's grace, if we differ from the mirthful and foolish multitude around us.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

The world, in its various shapes--is Christ's great enemy!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

"God knows best!" and "May Your will be done!" are hard lessons to learn!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If you were to go about telling people that you had an inheritance worth a million worlds, and yet were out of temper for a trifle--they would not believe you.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

We come into the world crying,
we go through it complaining,
and we go out of it groaning!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

O Lord, deliver us from everything that may entangle our affections and harden our hearts.
Grant that we may hold the world with a loose hand.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If I love money more than Christ--then woe is me!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Pride and covetousness cling very close to us--they influence us more than we can imagine.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If rich men only knew when they died, how . . .
  their relatives would scramble for their money,
  the worms would scramble for their bodies, and
  the devil would scramble for their souls,
they would not be so anxious to save money!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

It is a bad sign when a minister has the smiles of worldly professors.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

O Lord, keep our hearts, keep our eyes, keep our feet, and keep our tongues.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Lord, teach us more what we are by nature--and what we are by grace.

    ~  ~  ~  ~

If the way to Heaven is so narrow, and so few find it--then what will become of those who never seek it?

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Are you ready to shake hands with death?

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Have you ever esteemed it a mercy--that you are out of Hell?

    ~  ~  ~  ~

Let worldly minds the world pursue,
It has no charms for me;
Once I admired its trifles too,
But grace has set me free!

    ~  ~  ~  ~

I have no stone to cast at the vilest of the vile.
It is all of grace that I am made to differ!