Grace Gems

[nChrist]

The cause of all the miseries in the world!

(J. C. Ryle, 1890)

    It is my firm conviction, that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving religion. The first thing that God does when He makes man a new creature in Christ -- is to send light into his heart, and show him that he is a guilty sinner.

    I have an equally firm conviction, that a low and imperfect view of sin -- is the origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day. If a man does not realize the extent and dangerous nature of his soul's disease -- you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies. I believe that one of the chief needs of the Church, is for clearer and fuller teaching about sin.

    Sin is the corruption of the nature of every man. Therefore, every person born into the world, deserves God's wrath and damnation! Once let a man see his sin, and he must see his Savior -- in order to obtain rest for his soul. He feels stricken with a deadly disease -- and nothing will satisfy him but the Great Physician. He hungers and thirsts -- and he must have nothing less than the Bread of Life.

    Sin, in short, is that vast moral disease which affects the whole human race -- of every rank and class and name and nation and people and tongue! Sin is the plague of nations, the divider of churches, the destroyer of family happiness, the cause of all the miseries in the world!

    It is my thorough conviction, that the extent and vileness and deceitfulness of sin -- are a subject which is not sufficiently brought forward in the religious teaching of these days. It is not pressed on congregations in its Scriptural proportion. The consequences are very serious!

    We may depend upon it -- men will never truly come to Christ, and stay with Christ, and live for Christ -- unless they feel their sins, and know their need of a Savior. Those whom the Holy Spirit draws to Christ -- are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without real conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Christ and follow Him for a season - but they will soon fall away and return to the world. The words of one are most deeply true, "The consciousness of sin is the true pathway to heaven."

____________________

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]

Amid all the confusion and tangle

(J. R. Miller, "The Beauty of Self-control")

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

Certain ancient mariners were accustomed to say, as
they put out to sea, "Keep me, O God, for my boat is
so small--and the ocean is so great and stormy!"

There could not be a fitter prayer for a Christian--as
he sets out in life. The world is vast and full of perils,
and a Christian, even the best, is very weak and frail.
He has no ability to face the difficulties, the obstacles,
the hardships he must face, if he is to pass successfully
through life. The world is large, and full of storm and
struggle--and only a few get through it safely.

If there were no one greater and stronger than ourselves,
into whose keeping we may commit our lives, as we go
out to meet the perils--what hope could we have of ever
getting through safely?

The Christian cannot guide himself. He cannot master the
storms. He cannot shelter himself. "Keep of me safe, O God,
for in You I take refuge!" (Psalm 16:1) should be his prayer,
not only once when he launches his barque--but daily, hourly.

Christ alone, is able to keep our lives. But does Jesus really
care for our little individual lives? Yes! The very thing that
Jesus does for us--is to be the keeper of our lives as we
pass through the world with its storms and dangers.

Christ alone, is able to guide us. The world is a great mass
of tangled paths. They run everywhere, crossing each other
in all directions. Hands are forever beckoning us here and
there--and we know not which beckoning to follow. Even
friendship, loyal as it may be, sincere and sympathetic as
it is--lacks wisdom and may guide us mistakenly.

But there is One only whose wisdom is infallible, whose
advice never errs--and He is our Guide! There is a little
prayer in Psalm 143 which pleads: "Let the morning bring
me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in
You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up
my soul." This prayer, if sincere, will always be answered.
We may see no hand leading us. We may hear no voice
saying, as we walk in the darkness, "This is the way--walk
in it." Yet if we seek divine guidance and accept it implicitly
--we shall always have it.

Not only do we have keeping and guidance in Christ--but
everything we need on the way--and then eternal blessedness!
We may commit our lives into His hands with absolute confidence.
He will take us with all our faults and our sins--and will keep us
from hurt in all the perils of the way. He will lead us in the right
path amid all the confusion and tangle--and then He will
bring us to glory!

"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you
 before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to
 the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority,
 through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and
 forevermore!" Jude 1:24-25

____________________

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 man needs

(Horatius Bonar)

It is not 'opinions' which man needs--it is TRUTH!

It is not 'theology' which man needs--it is GOD!

It is not 'religion' which man needs--it is CHRIST!

____________________

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]

Ask what you will, O Christian

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."
     Psalm 51:2

If the Lord would say to a gracious Christian: "Ask what
you will, O Christian--and it shall be granted to you."
The answer would be: "Lord, rid me of my sins! Lord, take
away my iniquities! Lord, mortify my corruptions! Lord,
whoever lives--let these lusts die! Lord, drown these
Egyptians in the red sea of your Son's blood, who have
so violently and unweariedly pursued after the blood of
my precious soul! Lord, kill and crucify all these sinful evils
which have killed and crucified the Lord of life and glory!
Lord, my carnal reason, and flesh and blood, would gladly
have such and such pleasurable sins, and such and such
profitable sins, indulged and spared. But, Lord, the earnest,
the ardent desires of my soul, are that I may be rid of them!"

And thus, every gracious soul is more willing to be rid of
his sins--than he is to keep his sins.

A sick man is not more willing to be rid of his disease,
nor a beggar of his nasty lousy rags, nor a prisoner
of his chains--than a gracious soul is willing to be rid
of his lusts!

"Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity."
    Psalm 51:9

____________________

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]

Fly to Jesus!

(Octavius Winslow, "My Times in God's Hand")

Believer, how precious is your soul to Him . . .
  who bore all its sins,
  who exhausted all its curse,
  who travailed for it in ignominy and suffering, and
  who ransomed it with His own most precious blood!

Oh! the unutterable blessings that flow
from a vital union with the Lord Jesus!

All of your cares are His cares.
All of your sorrows are His sorrows.
All of your needs are His supply.
All of your sicknesses are His cure.

Believer, nothing can . . .
  separate you from the love of Jesus,
  nor sever you from His care,
  nor exclude you from His sympathy,
  nor banish you from His heaven of
    eternal blessedness!

Fly to Jesus in the confidence of a loving Friend.

Reveal to Him your secret sorrow.

Confess to Him your hidden sin.

Acknowledge your backsliding to Him.

Tell Him your needs, your sufferings, your fears.
Tell Him how chilled your affections to Him are.
Tell Him how reserved is your obedience.
Tell Him how imperfect is your service.
Tell Him how you long to . . .
   love Him more ardently;
   follow Him more closely;
   serve Him more devotedly;
   and to be more wholly and holily His.

____________________

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]

Move, I beg You, upon my disordered heart

(A Puritan Prayer)

O Holy Spirit,
Move, I beg You, upon my disordered heart.
Take away my unruly desires and hateful lusts.
Lift the mists and darkness of unbelief. Brighten
my soul with the pure light of truth. Make it . . .
  fragrant as the garden of paradise,
  rich with every goodly fruit,
  beautiful with heavenly grace,
  radiant with rays of divine light.
Be my . . .
  comforter,
  light,
  guide,
  sanctifier.

Take of the things of Christ and show them to my
soul. Through You may I daily learn more of His . . .
  love,
  grace,
  compassion,
  faithfulness,
  beauty.
Lead me to the cross and show me . . .
  His wounds,
  the hateful nature of evil,
  the power of Satan.

May I there see my sins as . . .
  the nails which transfixed Him,
  the cords which bound Him,
  the thorns which tore Him,
  the sword which pierced Him.

Help me to find in His death--the
reality and immensity of His love.

Open for me the wondrous volumes of truth in His
death. Increase my faith in the clear knowledge of . . .
  atonement achieved,
  redemption completed,
  guilt done away,
  my debt paid,
  my sins forgiven,
  my soul saved,
  hell vanquished,
  heaven opened,
  eternity made mine.

O Holy Spirit, deepen in me these saving lessons.
Write them upon my heart, that my walk be . . .
  sin-loathing,
  sin-fleeing,
  Christ-loving.

____________________

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 only happy man in the world!

(Thomas Brooks, "An Ark for All God's Noahs")

God gives the trifling portions of this world to the
vilest and worst of men; but His gold--His Christ,
Himself--He gives only to His saints. Briers, which
are for hogs, grow upon every hedge; but roses,
which are for men, they only grow in pleasant
gardens. You know how to apply it.

Though many have counterfeit jewels, yet there are
but a few who have the true diamond; though many
have their earthly portions, yet there are but a few
who have God for their portion.

"Happy are the people whose God is the Lord."
    Psalm 144:15

All the happiness and blessedness of the people of
God consists in this--that God is their God, and that
He is their portion, and that they are His inheritance!

Oh, the heaped up happiness of those whose God
is the Lord! The happiness of such is so great and so
glorious, as cannot be conceived, as cannot be uttered!

Nothing can make that man truly miserable, who has
God for his portion; nor can anything make that man
truly happy, who lacks God for his portion.

God is the author of all true happiness.

God is the giver of all true happiness.

God is the maintainer of all true happiness.

God is the center of all true happiness and
blessedness.

Therefore, he who has Him for his God, for his
portion, is the only happy man in the world!

"Happy are the people whose God is the Lord."
    Psalm 144:15

____________________

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]

Over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon

(John Flavel)

Whatever we have over-loved, idolized, and
leaned upon--God has from time to time broken
it, and made us to see the vanity of it; so that we
find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts
--is to set our hearts inordinately upon them.

____________________

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 demon was gone!

(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Mark" 1857)

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out
 of her daughter." Mark 7:26

"And when she arrived home, her little girl was
 lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone!"
    Mark 7:30

This passage is meant to encourage us to pray
for others. The woman who came to our Lord, in
the history now before us--must doubtless have
been in deep affliction. She saw her beloved child
possessed by a demon. She saw her in a condition
in which no teaching could reach the mind, and no
medicine could heal the body; a condition only
one degree better than death itself.

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out  of her
daughter." She prays for one who could not pray for
herself, and never rests until her prayer is granted.
By prayer she obtains the cure which no human
means could obtain. Through the prayer of the
mother--the daughter is healed. On her own behalf
that daughter did not speak a word; but her mother
spoke for her to the Lord, and did not speak in vain.
Hopeless and desperate as her case appeared, she
had a praying mother--and where there is a
praying other--there is always hope.

Fathers and mothers are especially bound to remember
the case of this woman. They cannot give their children
new hearts. They can give them Christian education, and
show them the way of life; but they cannot give them--a
heart to love God. Yet there is one thing they can always
do--they can pray for them.

They can pray for the conversion of profligate sons,
who will have their own way, and run greedily into sin.

They can pray for the conversion of worldly
daughters, who set their affections on things
below, and love pleasure more than God.

Such prayers are heard in heaven. Such prayers will often
bring down blessings. Never, never let us forget that the
children for whom many prayers have been offered, seldom
finally perish. Let us pray more for our sons and daughters.
Even when they will not let us speak to them about true
religion, they cannot prevent us speaking for them to God.

"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out
 of her daughter." Mark 7:26

"And when she arrived home, her little girl was
 lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone!"
    Mark 7:30

____________________

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]

You have no reason to complain

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

"Why does a living man complain?" Lamentations 3:39

You have no reason to complain, as long as you are
out of hell. Do you murmur, because you are under pain
and sickness? Nay, bless God, you are not there where
the worm never dies! Do you grudge, that you are not in
so good a condition in the world as some of your neighbors
are? Be thankful, rather, that you are not in the condition
of the damned! Is your money gone from you? Thank God
that the fire of His wrath has not consumed you! Kiss the
rod, O sinner! and acknowledge mercy!

____________________

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]

Well done!

(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Mark" 1857)

People were overwhelmed with amazement.
"He has done all things well!" they said.
     Mark 7:37

The truth to which they gave utterance, is full
of deep and unspeakable comfort; and ought
to be daily remembered by all true Christians.

Let us remember it, as we look BACK over the
past days of our lives, from the hour of our
conversion. "Our Lord has done all things well!"
In the first bringing us out of darkness into His
marvelous light; in humbling us and teaching
us our weakness, guilt, and folly; in stripping
us of our idols; in choosing all our portions; in
placing us where we are, and giving us what
we have--how well everything has been done!
How great the mercy--that we have not had
our own way!

Let us remember it as we look FORWARD to the
days yet to come. We know not what they may be:
bright or dark, many or few. But we do know, that
we are in the hands of Him who does all things well!

He will not err in any of His dealings with us.

He will take away and give;
He will afflict and bereave;
He will move and He will settle, with . . .
  perfect wisdom,
  at the right time,
  in the right way.

The great Shepherd of the sheep makes
no mistakes! He leads every lamb of His flock
by the right way--to eternal glory.

We shall never see the full beauty of these
words, until the resurrection morning. We shall
then look back over our lives, and know the
meaning of everything which happened--from
first to last. We shall remember all the way
by which we were led--and confess that "all
was well done!"

The why and the wherefore, the causes and the
reasons of everything which now perplexes us--
will be as clear and plain as the sun at noon day.

We shall wonder at our own past blindness,
and marvel that we could ever have doubted
our Lord's love!

People were overwhelmed with amazement.
"He has done all things well!" they said.
     Mark 7:37

____________________

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]

He who can truly say this, is a God

(Thomas Brooks, "An Ark for All God's Noahs" 1662)

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore
 I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24

God is every believer's portion.

Riches are not every believer's portion
--but God is every believer's portion.

Liberty and freedom are not every believer's
portion--but God is every believer's portion.

Honor and applause are not every believer's
portion--but God is every believer's portion.

Prosperity and success are not every believer's
portion--but God is every believer's portion.

God is a universal portion. God is a portion that includes
all other portions. God has Himself the good, the sweet,
the profit, the pleasure, the delight, the comfort--of all
portions. There is no good in wife, child, father, friend,
husband, health, wealth, wit, wisdom, learning, honor
--but is all found in God.

There is in God--an immense fullness, an ocean of goodness,
and an abundance of all that graciousness, sweetness, and
kindness--that is to be found in all other things or creatures.
All the goodnesses of all the creatures, are eminently and
perfectly to be enjoyed in God. The cream, the good, the
sweet, the beauty, and the glory of every creature, and of
every thing--centers in God.

God is a universal excellency. All the particular excellencies
that are scattered up and down among angels, men, and all
other creatures--are virtually and transcendently in Him. He
has them all in His own being. All creatures in heaven and
earth have but their particular excellencies; but God has in
Himself the very quintessence of all excellencies!

The creatures have but drops of that sea, that ocean--which
is in God. They have but their parts of that power, wisdom,
goodness, righteousness, holiness, faithfulness, loveliness,
desirableness, sweetness, graciousness, beauty, and glory
--which is in God. One has this part, and another has that;
one has this particular excellency, and another has that.
But the whole of all these parts and excellencies, are to
be found in God alone!

There is none but that God, who is the universal good,
who can truly say, "All power, all wisdom, all strength,
all knowledge, all goodness, all sweetness, all beauty,
all glory, all excellency, etc., dwells in Me!" He who
can truly say this, is a God; and he who cannot,
is no God.

All the excellencies that are scattered up and down in the
creatures, are united into one excellency in God. There is
a glorious union of all excellencies in God--and only in God.

Now this God, who is such a universal good, and who has
all excellencies dwelling in Himself, says to the believer,
"I am yours, and all that I have is yours!"

Every believer has the whole God wholly; he has all
of God for his portion. God is not a believer's portion
in a limited sense, nor in a comparative sense--but
in an absolute sense.

God Himself is theirs.

He is wholly theirs.

He is always theirs.

Our property reaches to all that God is,
and to all that God has.

He has all--who has the Possessor of all.

To be able to say, "God is mine!" is more than
if I were able to say that ten thousand worlds,
yes, and as many heavens, are mine!

Oh what a spring of joy and comfort should
this be to all the saints!

"This God is our God forever and ever!" Ps. 48:14

____________________

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]

Just what suits me!

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

Oh, what blessed heavenly lessons have I had
from the Spirit--and how has my heart burned
within me in fresh enjoyment of a precious
Jesus, and His all-fullness! My precious Jesus
is just what suits me--in every case and every
place! Oh, what a gift has my Father bestowed!
Never, in all eternity, shall we fully learn His glories,
beauty, and love. He will be ever revealing Himself
more and more, and filling all our enlarging powers
with ineffable and inconceivable bliss!

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

____________________

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 we were more occupied

(Arthur Pink, "The Attributes of God")

"I have come that they might have life, and that
 they might have it more abundantly!" John 10:10

If we were more occupied with . . .
  God's riches--than with our poverty,
  Christ's fullness--than our emptiness,
  the divine bounties--than our leanness;
on what a different level of experience we would live!

____________________

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]

No mistakes!

(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of John")

"My times are in Your hands." Psalm 31:15

The servants of Christ in every age should
treasure up the doctrine before us, and
remember it in time of need. It is full of
sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort
to godly people.

Let such never forget that they live in a world
where God overrules all times and events, and
where nothing can happen but by God's
permission. The very hairs of their heads are
all numbered. Sorrow and sickness, and poverty,
and persecution, can never touch them--unless
God sees fit.

Then let them work on confidently.

They are immortal--until their work is done.

Let them suffer patiently--if needs be that
they suffer.

That hand guides and governs all things
here below, and makes no mistakes!

"My times are in Your hands." Psalm 31:15

____________________

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