Grace Gems

[nChrist]

This hateful, hated idol!

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

Oh! kill and crucify this SELF in me--this hateful,
hated idol! Come in, O precious Christ, and make
it fall before You!

Yes; vile, guilty, abominable as I am--my own Jesus
bathes me in His blood, robes me in His righteousness,
puts upon me His beauty, and then says, "You are
absolutely beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection
in you." (Song of Songs 4:7) Oh, the wonders of His
love! My heart is ravished and overcome!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Away with every idol!

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:
 I, the Lord, will punish the people of Israel who
 set up idols in their hearts." Ezekiel 14:4

Away with every idol! May Christ be all in all!

"For to me, to live is Christ!" Philippians 1:21

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Daily bread

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"As your days, so shall your strength be." Dt. 33:25

I seem to see with fresh light, that it is vain to
expect to come to a certain state, when we shall
live by grace, constantly and spontaneously. The
desirable position is, to live in felt dependence
and emptiness--seeking constant renewings of
the Holy Spirit--to live by simple faith on Jesus.

Therefore, if I receive ever such large and fresh
inflowings of grace today, I must not think that
it is a stock for tomorrow; or think then to act by
this day's power, or walk by this day's light.

"Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto You
 daily." Psalm 86:3

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who
 daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19

 

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

In my cage

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and
 change them into glorious bodies like His own."
     Philippians 3:21

There has been, indeed--but a step between me
and death. But here am I, still fettered in clay,
and my soul still encaged in the wires of mortality.
But through them beams the glory of the better
country, and the loveliness of my Beloved. And
though yet in my cage, I can sing His matchless
love and worthy praise, for the dear Comforter
has tuned my heart. How to recount the Lord's
mercies I know not, they have been so beautifully
unfolded in this affliction.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

What mortals so pursue

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

My Jesus is my rest and refreshing, in all my
weariness. As I lean on Him--I triumph. When
I confer with flesh, and look to creatures--I get
shame and loss.
`
I have now earnest desires for new commitment to
a precious Christ, as my all in all; that the shadowy
things of time may less cumber me, however contrary
to flesh; and to live Christ be my one concern.

Now I yield up all to You, and myself to follow afresh
hard after You, and afresh to "count all things but loss"
for Your sake. Oh, my beloved, my all-lovely Savior,
You are gain, and gain enough. My precious Jesus, Your
fellowship is what I seek; and for it give up as rubbish,
what mortals so pursue:
  riches,
  honor,
  appearance,
  fleshly indulgence.

I desire a quiet, secluded life--little with the world,
much with Jesus. Come, with Your conquering charms,
and all-absorb this longing soul of mine!

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with
 the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
 I have discarded everything else, counting it all as
 garbage, so that I may have Christ." Philippians 3:8

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Blissful exchange!

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

My exercise this evening is renouncing self entirely:
 good self,
 bad self,
 self pleased,
 self displeased,
 self in its complainings, beseechings, enticings, desirings,
 self entirely.

Oh that it may be once and forever!

I embrace my all-lovely, soul-satisfying Christ--
instead of my self! Blissful exchange! Perfect
purity and beauty--for ugliness and vileness!

O Holy Spirit, enable me ever to renounce self,
forsake creatures--and embrace Jesus!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Immortal scars?

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain,
 standing in the center of the throne." Revelation 5:6

Alas! those wondrous wounds! Have they left immortal
scars? Will You, through all eternity, wear those marks
of Your matchless love?

And will You, in those blissful realms, dissolve our souls
in holy rapture and adoring love, by saying, "Look at My
hands and My feet--it is I Myself!" Surely, if anything could
add beauty to that glorious form, it would be, in the eyes of
love, those deep engravings--"I have engraved you upon
the palms of My hands."

I am again almost overcome with love--my Beloved is so
precious! And surely You, O Beloved, are engraved on the
table of my longing heart. Oh, grant another glimpse of
Your surpassing charms! I would sink into Your arms, and
recline on the bosom of Your love!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

I loathe myself beyond expression

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

I feel a vile, unworthy, unholy being. I loathe
myself beyond expression. But the blood
and righteousness of Jehovah-Jesus is my
confidence, and here I have a place of refuge.

"What a wretched man I am!" Romans 7:24

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

"My salvation and glory depend on God; my
strong rock, my refuge, is in God." Psalm 62:7

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

If You gave me a mountain of gold

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

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

"I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6

I fall blushingly at Your dear feet, and loathe myself
for my many abominations and shortcomings. Glorious
Lord, pardon and restore vile, vile me! I fall into Your
arms of 'injured love', to accept whatever punishment
You shall appoint. I deserve the worst You can inflict.
But, oh! for love's sake, let me see Your loving frown,
and feel Your loving stripe--but not find You gone.

Your absence is hell to the heart which has seen Your
glorious charms, and felt Your matchless love. Oh, do
not, do not leave me! And do not let me leave You!
I fly to Your blood, and cleave to the crucified One.

O Lord, if You gave me a mountain of gold--I would
turn from it, or climb over it--to get at Your precious self!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

The key which fits every lock

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

"When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you
 into all the truth." John 16:13

What a wonderful book is God's Bible--as opened
to the heart by the Spirit! Christ is the key which
fits every lock, both in the book and in the heart.

"When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to
 you from the Father--the Spirit of truth who proceeds
 from the Father--He will testify about Me." John 15:26

Adorable Immanuel, Moses wrote of You, the Psalms
and prophets speak of You. Open my dull understanding
to discern You through the types and through the shadows.
Show Yourself through these lattices, and open my heart to
receive You experimentally in all. Eternity will be too short
to utter half Your praise. Oh, cause me to lisp it more
constantly and feelingly in the low notes of the wilderness!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

The precious Sufferer on that middle cross

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

I have been looking much at the last hours of my
precious Lord, this morning. I have been somewhat
beholding the precious Sufferer on that middle
cross.

Both the thieves railed on Him. But one of these thieves,
by the power Spirit, was brought to confess his own
sinfulness, and by the same Spirit to call Jesus "Lord."
Then how sweet was the answer of peace, "Today you
shall be with Me in paradise." Thus did redeeming love
break forth in a refreshing stream from that suffering
heart and those parched lips--to give drink to that other
sufferer, who was, indeed, "ready to perish."

After this, came the cry of agony, "My God, my
God, why have You forsaken Me?" Oh! that was
the climax of woe!

And then those mysterious words, "I thirst!" Mere bodily
suffering was not all which was couched in these words.
But that righteous One was dwelling with the devouring
fire, and enduring what would have been "everlasting
burnings" to us.  The wrath of the Lawgiver was going
forth upon the sin which was found upon Him. He thirsted,
as in hell--that He might "lead us to fountains of living
waters" in heaven!

And those tender looks and words to His mother and His
beloved John, do indeed manifest a heart without an atom
of that selfishness which we inherit by the fall.

Then came the end, when, after receiving the vinegar, Jesus
said, "It is finished!" Then bowing His head, He gave up His
spirit. What amazing weight and fullness is in those three
words, "It is finished!" Finished for me, the vilest of the vile,
whom You have privileged to stand, with dear Mary Magdalene,
at the foot of Your cross, and listen to Your dear lips, which,
even there, drop as the honeycomb. If these 'sips in grace'
are so sweet--what will those 'draughts in glory' be?

Truly, I have almost seemed to stand with Mary Magdalene
beside Your cross, and gathered up these precious fragments
with wondering love, and mingled joy and grief.

Oh, precious Christ, eclipse all earthly vanities, by revealing
Yourself more fully!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

All I need

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

Oh, my precious Savior! You are all I need
for time and for eternity. You are . . .
  my rest in weariness,
  my ease in pain,
  my strength in weakness.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Is anything too small for the Lord?

Is anything too great or heavy for the Lord?

No!

My beloved and my adorable Lord, I fall into
Your arms for support, guidance, and blessing.

Indeed, I am unworthy of the least of Your
mercies, and I feel it. But Your mercies are
free! Oh, the wonders of Your love, that can
bear with such weakness and wanderings as
mine! I worship and adore You, and would
joyfully sink into Love's unfathomable abyss,
where sins and self are lost!

Oh! my precious Savior, how blessed is Your
presence amidst the storms of this weary land!
How does all that is of earth recede before the
overshadowings of Your presence! Precious Lord,
draw me more and more into Your secret chamber,
where worldling never came, where the flesh was
never fed.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

A little, poor, helpless child

(Jonathan Edwards)

In all your path, walk with Christ as a little,
poor, helpless child--taking hold of His hand,
keeping your eye on the marks of the wounds
in His hands and side, whence came the blood
that cleanses you from sin, and hiding your
nakedness under the skirt of the white shining
robes of His righteousness.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

The secret of peace and power

(Letters of Ruth Bryan)

The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to be
experimentally nothing, and to make Jesus our
"all in all," thereby teaching us to live by faith
upon Him.

Oh, may you, by the Spirit's power, so lift up your
eyes from all but Jesus, that you will be conformed
to His image (2 Cor. 3:18). But do not expect to
receive any better account of yourself--rather a
worse one; for, as you get nearer the light, you
will see more of your own sinfulness. I do hope,
however, to hear you speak well of Him, and that,
as you feelingly cry out, "Behold, I am vile!" He will
melt your heart by responding, "You are absolutely
beautiful, my darling, with no imperfection in you!"

Oh, this wondrous Savior! He opens the secret of
our wanderings and transgressions--only to declare
how entirely He has put them all away by the
sacrifice of Himself! Oh, what mercy that He did
not say, "Let them alone, they have loved idols,
after idols let them go!" What mercy that by His
light, He has manifested our darkness. You shall
see greater things than these.

More of your own vile heart--and more of His loving heart.

More of your sin--and more of His great salvation.

More of your deformity--and more of His beauty.

Do not be considering so much how you love Jesus,
as how He loves you. Your love is but the effect; His
is the cause; and the more you have to do with the
cause, the more fully will the effect flow from it
(1 John 4:19, and John 15:9).

So with faith; if you would have it grow, it must be
by looking at Him, not at your faith.

In short, the more you "consider Him," and are continually
coming unto Him, the more lively and healthy will be the
graces of the Spirit in your soul; while yet you rejoice, not
in your fruitfulness--but only in Jesus and in what He has
done and suffered. If the Holy Spirit opens this to you, you
will find the secret of peace and power. It is all in
Christ! He says, "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come
away." Away from self, away from all besides--to be
absorbed in Him. We must learn . . .
 our weakness--as well as His strength;
 our emptiness--as well as His fullness;
 our ignorance--as well as His wisdom.

May your eye and heart to be fixed on Him. Then will your
course be steady, and you will not be greatly moved by the
many changes you will ever find within. Oh, press on after
a life of faith in Jesus, for it is next in blessedness to a life
of glory with Jesus. Beg of the blessed Spirit to draw your
faith out continually upon His precious Person and work. Oh!
may He cause you to come out of self continually, and find
your all in Jesus! The more you are brought so to live upon
Jesus, the more stability of soul you will experience. To Him
I commend you--may He be revealed more fully in your soul.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Why cling to the ash-heap?

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

Oh, why should kings' sons and daughters go lean
from day to day? True, these heavenly viands do
spoil one for earth-born cares--but then much less
of earth's good things suffice, when we thus live in
and upon a glorious Christ.

Oh, come, Spirit-born and heaven-bound ones--
why do you so linger around earthly trifles? Why
cling to the ash-heap? You are princes--this
befits you not! There are such loves, and glories,
and wonders in Jehovah-Jesus to be enjoyed even
below, as yet we little think of! Oh, come, let us
arise, and go to Jesus!

"Earth has no dainties half so sweet
    As my Redeemer brings."

Jesus, our divine Magnet, attract us to Your dear Self!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________