Grace Gems for AUGUST, 2020

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Such guilty, filthy, and polluted souls!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

What a sad roster of vile people! These monstrous sinners and prodigious sins were enough to have brought another flood upon the world; or to have provoked the Lord to rain hell out of heaven upon them-as once he did upon Sodom and Gomorrah; or to have caused the ground to open and swallow them up-as once it did Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!

And yet behold some of these are changed and sanctified! "And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." verse 11.

Oh, the infinite goodness!

Oh, the infinite grace!

Oh, the infinite wisdom and power of God-which has pardoned, washed, sanctified, and cleansed such guilty, filthy, and polluted souls! The worst of sinners should never despair of being made saints-considering what notorious sinners have been made holy. There is no heart so wicked, b ut grace can make it holy.

Well! sinners, remember this-it is possible that those . . .
proud hearts of yours may be humbled;
hard hearts of yours may be softened;
impure hearts of yours may be sanctified;
blind minds of yours may be enlightened;
stubborn wills of yours may be tamed;
disordered affections of yours may be regulated;
defiled consciences of yours may be awakened and purged;
vile and polluted natures of yours may be changed and purified.

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The conflagration of the world!

(Samuel Davies, "The Universal Judgment!")

"The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare!" 2 Peter 3:7, 10

The present state is but the infancy of the world. All the events of time, even those which make such great noise to us, and determine the fate of kingdoms-are but as the trivial games of little children. But if we look forward and trace events to maturity, we meet with vast, significant and majestic events! To one of those scenes I would direct your attention this day; I mean the solemn, tremendous, and glorious scene of the universal judgment!

You have sometimes seen a stately building in ruins; come now, and view the ruins of a demolished world! Come now, and view the whole universe severely laboring and agonizing in her last convulsions, and her well-ordered system dissolved!

You have heard of earthquakes here and there which have laid huge cities in ruins. Come now, and feel the tremors and convulsions of the whole globe, which blend cities and countries, oceans and continents, mountains, plains and valleys-in one giant heap!

You have a thousand times beheld the moon walking in brightness, and the sun shining in its strength. Come now, look and see the sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood!

It is our lot to live in an age of war, blood, and slaughter; an age in which our attention is engaged by the dubious fate of kingdoms. Draw off your thoughts from these trifling objects for an hour, and fix them on more solemn and vital objects. Come view this dread scene!
"The world alarmed, both earth and heaven o'erthrown,
And gasping nature's last tremendous groan;
Death's ancient scepter broke, the teeming tomb,
The Righteous Judge, and man's eternal doom!"

Let us now enter upon the majestic scene! But alas! what images shall I use to represent it? Nothing that we have ever seen, nothing that we have ever heard, nothing that has ever happened on the stage of time-can furnish us with proper illustrations. All here is low and groveling-when compared with the grand phenomena of that day!

We are so accustomed to trifling earthly objects, that it is impossible that we should ever raise our thoughts to a suitable pitch of elevation. But before long, we shall be amazed spectators of these majestic wonders-and our eyes and our ears will be our instructors!

But it is now necessary we should have such ideas of them-as may affect our hearts, and prepare us for them. Let us therefore present to our view, those representations which divine revelation-our only guide in this case, give us . . .
of the person of the Judge, and the manner of His appearance;
of the resurrection of the dead, and the transformation of the living;
of the universal gathering of all men before the supreme tribunal;
of their separation to the right and left hand of the Judge, according to their characters;
of the judicial process itself;
of the decisive sentence;
of its execution, and
of the conflagration of the world!

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What is it to follow the Lamb?

(William Dyer, "Follow the Lamb")

"These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes!" Revelation 14:4

What is it to follow the Lamb?

To follow the Lamb wherever He goes-is to follow Him in four things:

1st, We follow the Lamb in His COMMANDMENTS. "If you love Me-you will keep My commandments!" John 14:15. "You are My friends-if you do what I command you." John 15:14. Oh, beloved, we cannot follow the Lamb wherever He goes, unless we follow Him in His commandments! True Christians take as much delight in those precepts that enjoin holiness-as in those promises that assure happiness.

2ndly, We follow the Lamb in His TEACHING. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me! But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:5, 27

3rdly, We follow the Lamb in His PROVIDENCE. Through all afflictions, all straits, all discouragements and sorrows whatever, though it is the way of death! We must forsake all to follow a crucified Christ, a condemned Christ, in bloody paths of sufferings-if He calls us to it. "For," says Paul, "I am ready not to be bound only-but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!" We must be willing to venture the loss of all for Him: our liberty, our estates, our relations, and our life itself! "We have forsaken all-and followed You!" Matthew 19:27

4thly, We follow the Lamb in His EXAMPLE. "I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you." John 13:15. "Christ has suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21. To follow in Christ's steps-is to take Him for our example. We must not follow wicked men's example, who walk in the broad way that leads to death, for "They are the children of their father the Devil, and they love to do the evil things he does!" John 8:44. But we must follow our head Christ, who went about doing good. Acts 10:38

Now this is to follow the Lamb wherever He goes:
in His commands,
in His teaching,
in His providences,
in His examples.

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This is to follow the Lamb wherever He goes

(William Dyer, "Follow the Lamb")

"These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes!" Revelation 14:4

A believer follows the Lamb TRULY, without hypocrisy. Many follow the Lamb, as beggars follow a rich man-only for his money. They prize the wages of religion-above the works of religion! "I tell you the truth, you are looking for Me . . . because you ate the loaves and had your fill!" John 6:26. Oh, beloved, God abhors a hypocrite more than a Sodomite! Hell is provided on purpose for hypocrites, "He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites-where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!" Matthew 24:51

My beloved, following the Lamb fully is to have the heart fixed and resolved for God. "My whole being follows hard after You, and clings closely to You," says David in Psalm 63:8. "As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God-for the living God!" Psalm 42:1-2

A believer follows the Lamb CONSTANTLY, without apostasy. A true believer never stops following the Lamb.

He does not follow the Lamb wherever He goes-who follows the Lamb earnestly for a while, but afterwards forsakes Him when the storm arises! "Since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away!" Matthew 13:21

He does not follow the Lamb wherever He goes, who follows the Lamb in some things-and the beast in other things! "They worshiped the Lord-but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought." 2 Kings 17:33

He does not follow the Lamb wherever He goes-who follows the Lord in a dull heavy manner, and lukewarm temper. "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold-I am going to vomit you out of My mouth!" Revelation 3:15-16

Oh! this is not following the Lamb!

Those who follow the Lamb-abide in the Lamb, and cleave to the Lamb, and continue constantly in the Lamb's ways, unto the end of their days. "Yet the righteous person will hold to his way!" Job 17:9. The righteous man follows the Lamb wherever He goes. "Oh that we might know the Lord. Let us press on to know Him." Hosea 6:3

This is to follow the Lamb wherever He goes:

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The great day of His wrath has come!

(William Dyer, "The Great Day of Gods Wrath!")

"The great day of His wrath has come-and who shall be able to stand!" Revelation 6:17

Who may abide the day of His coming? Who shall stand when He appears? Oh, beloved! this is not the day of man's wrath! Men have had their day of reigning and raging, and despising God-but that day is over and gone, and now God's day has come! This is the day of His wrath-and woe to wicked, and woe to the whore of Babylon, for the hour of her judgment has come!

This will be a day of great ASTONISHMENT to the wicked and ungodly, "The Lord shall smite them with madness and blindness, and astonishment of heart!" Deuteronomy 28:28

This will be a day of great TERROR to those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus! Therefore, says the apostle, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Corinthians 5:11

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great DISTRESS to the wicked, "I in turn will laugh at your disaster! I will mock when calamity overtakes you-when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you!" Proverbs 1:26-27

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great CONTEMPT to the ungodly, "The Lord Almighty has purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth!" Isaiah 23:9

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great DESTRUCTION, "The wicked are reserved to the day of destruction; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath!" Job 21:30

Oh, beloved! God's GREAT wrath will be very terrible to the wicked!

1. God's great wrath will tear them in pieces like a lion! "I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces! I will carry them off, and no one will be left to rescue them!" Hosea 5:14. "Consider this, all you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue you!" Psalm 50:22

2. God's great wrath will consume them like fire! "The Lord Almighty says-The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed-roots, branches, and all." Malachi 4:1

3. God's great wrath will swallow up all His enemies! "You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate You. You will throw them in a fiery furnace when You appear. In His wrath the Lord will swallow them up, and His fire will consume them!" Psalm 21:8-9

Oh! the wrath of the Almighty is called in the Scripture:
"The fierceness of His great wrath!" 2 Kings 23:26
"The fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation!" Psalm 78:49
"The fury of His wrath!" Revelation 16:19

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The whore of Babylon's golden goblet!

(William Dyer, "The Strait Way to Heaven")

"The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. She held in her hand a golden goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality." Revelation 17:4

Beware of the whore of Babylon's golden goblet, and her sweet wine! Be like the virgin spouse of Christ-who follows Him wherever He goes.

Beware of false teachers! The devil has his ministers-as well as Christ! "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves!" Matthew 7:15. Yes, they are ferocious wolves-they never have enough! "They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain!" Isaiah 56:11

Oh! false teachers do not feed the flock-but fleece the flock!

They do not convert-but pervert!

They do not purify-but poison!

They do not edify for salvation-but destroy for damnation!

Instead of curing souls-they kill souls!

Just so long as they pilfer the people's money-they care not, though the devil has their souls!

They are dogs and wolves combining together to massacre the flock of Christ! Oh! therefore keep yourselves from Babylon's merchants, who make merchandise of the souls of men. Revelation 18:13

Oh! the sins of teachers-are the teachers of sins!

Now, beloved, let . . .
your hearts be upright,
your judgments sound,
and your lives holy!

Love the truth,
and obey the truth,
and hold fast the truth!

Keep yourselves . . .
from false teachers,
from false doctrines,
from false worship,
from false opinions!

If you will be tasting and sipping of Babylon's golden goblet-you must resolve to receive Babylon's plagues!

What unsearchable riches there are in this golden mine!

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

In books I converse with men; in the Bible I converse with God.
The more I read, the more I long to read.
The Scripture is always new, always instructing, always delightful.

The value of the Bible is inestimable. It is not only a perfect map of the spiritual world; but the believer surveying its riches and beauties and pleasures, has a good warrant to say, "All these are mine, for God Himself is mine!"

God has spared me to read through His Word once more. Oh, what a treasure-what unsearchable riches there are in this golden mine! I have never dug deeper, nor found more precious jewels than upon this last perusal. Indeed, upon every reading of the Bible it grows more precious to me, as it has become the conveyance of the unsearchable riches of Christ to me.

This I chiefly seek for, that I may get a growing experience of the wisdom of God and of the power of God in His Word-and may thereby enjoy the blessings of His love promised in it.

It is our duty to read and meditate on the Word, but we should always do it with the fixed dependence of our hearts upon His divine teaching; without which the Word itself will profit us nothing. May the Spirit keep us in the use of means, but entirely dependent upon Him in the use of them. The Word of God can be made useful to us, only by the enlightening of the Spirit of God.

It is by continual dependence on the teaching of the Spirit, in and by the Word, and by mixing faith with it-that we come to find its value and to taste its pleasures. For it then opens a new world to us, a spiritual and eternal world.

Thanks be to Him . . .
who revealed His Word to me,
who opened my eyes to see wondrous things out of His law,
who often made me look up and say, "Oh, how sweet are Your words to my taste; yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

God has made His Word very precious to me. My love for it has grown much in taste and value: in taste, it is sweeter than honey; in value, it is more precious than gold, yes, than much fine gold! As I dig deeper, the mine becomes richer, and the treasures of grace are greatly enhanced by their being the pledges of glory.

The great end and design of the Scripture, is to conform us to itself. When the Word is understood and believed and lived upon-He then makes it the means of conforming the whole man to it. The believer is cast into the mold of it; he takes the impression-every feature. It is so assimilating that every tint is to be seen upon him. He lives the Word-it is to be read in his looks, visible in his walk, manifest in his tempers. See him, study him-he is the living picture of a Bible-Christian!

Why me, Lord?

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

"By the grace of God I am what I am!"

Oh, what was I, that God should set His love upon me before time; and in time to call me to the saving knowledge of His Son, whom to know aright is life eternal? Why me, Lord?

And what am I even now, since I have felt something of the power of His precious gospel? Why me, Lord?

What was I, what am I-that I should be eternally chosen and effectually called and perfectly accepted in the Beloved? Not unto me, in the least, not unto me, but unto Your sovereign grace be all the praise!

"Oh, help me to ascribe to You the glory due to Your great name; for I am surrounded, I am loaded with Your benefits. All Your dealings with me show forth Your loving-kindness. In temporals, as well as spirituals, I am singularly favored. Oh, let me never be allowed to rob You of Your glory, but help me to give it all where it is due, in life and death and to all eternity-to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen."

A proud sinner fighting against a holy God!

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13

Nothing stops the current of His blessings so much as pride. He resists the proud-He is at war with them. A futile war! A proud sinner fighting against a holy God! Who do you think will conquer?

Oh, beware of all high thoughts of yourself and your doings. Take heed of admiring your own greatness or goodness. Self-delight is a very pleasing sin, but more odious to a jealous God than the gross sins of the flesh.

I am sure that the more we love Him, the less we shall admire ourselves.

The Pharisee, full of self-delight, remained in his guilt.
The poor publican, who loathed himself, went home justified.

There is no perfect humility but in Heaven. Until we get there, we should be learning, and every day seeking for more grace to humble us-learning from our Master to be meek and lowly of heart. May God make us better scholars.

"If God," says Augustine, "did not spare the angels when they grew proud; will He spare you-who are but dust and sin?"

"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Proverbs 16:5

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What He takes from me, I gain most by

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

Because I am a very dull scholar and the Master is meek and lowly, He therefore bears with me and takes a great deal of pains to instruct me in my lessons.

I think this is one great end and aim in all His dealings with His dear people-He would have them to trust Him, to live on Him, and to love Him always.

But how can He do this so effectually, as by bringing them off from trusting in, living on, and loving other things? He would take these out of the heart, in order to make room for Himself. He is a jealous God. He will not sit on the same throne with idols! If there is one idol still in the heart, it must come down! The more we cleave to it, He will put forth the more of His strength to divorce us from it.

While He is in much mercy doing this, the foolish heart thinks Christ is hurting it and intending it evil-when He means nothing but good, and is taking the best means to bestow good. He is removing the shadow-to make way for the substance. He is deadening the soul to worldly enjoyments-that it may be thereby more alive to God, and fitter for closer communion with Him.

Graciously is He teaching me these blessed lessons. What He takes from me, I gain most by. For I am an immense, yes, an eternal gainer, when He fills up with Himself the lack of that which He takes away. Whatever brings me this blessing, I can welcome it.

Welcome every cross which brings me nearer to my Jesus, and makes me live in closer fellowship with Him. And then I can say, and feel it too, "Farewell, fine world! Farewell all your fine things! Farewell forever!" when they would keep me one moment from the enjoyment of my greatest good, and from the love of my best and eternal Friend, my Jesus.

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You have them because you need them!

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

"Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows." John 16:33

My dear sister,
It is but a little way and a short time, and we shall be at our eternal home! We ought every moment to be pressing forward.

You will have afflictions and troubles along the way, and so have all God's children. You have them because you need them! You could not grow in grace without them. How could you take up your cross and deny yourself daily-if you did not have daily troubles?

It is the exercise of faith to bear them, and to believe that God deals them out by number, weight, and measure. You have not one pain more than you stand in need of!

And further, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." If we do but attain to this glory, it signifies very little by what way we come to the attainment of it.

Think on these things, and through the blessing of God, they may help to make you see and feel that the way of suffering is the royal way to the kingdom.

We shall soon meet in our Father's Kingdom, and inherit all that Jesus purchased for us!

I commend you to God and to the riches of His grace, praying Him to do for you exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think.

"Your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus" Revelation 1:9

I remain, your loving brother,
William Romaine

"Every trial comes from the hand of God! That is our comfort.
When we are obedient, He sends trials to purify us.
When we are disobedient, He sends trials to chasten us."

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Indeed, my dear friend, these are sovereign blessings!

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

My dear friend,
He does all things for the best! And He is teaching you not only to say it, but also to feel it. He will make you sensible that all His dealings with you are in loving-kindness and great tenderness.

Look back; see and admire in what a gracious way He has led all your steps thus far. Oh, what distinguishing mercies . . .
   to call you by His grace,
   to make you obedient to His call,
   to teach you His gospel in a manner granted to very few,
   to keep you by His own power for so many years, that you have not fallen nor disgraced your profession of our most holy faith.

To this hour He preserves you waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal life!
Indeed, my dear friend, these are sovereign blessings!

"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! Amen." Jude 1:24-25

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Your worst days & your best days

(Jerry Bridges)

GRACE is God's free and unmerited favor shown to guilty sinners who deserve only judgment.

It's the love of God shown to the unlovely.

It is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him.

Christian! Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace.
And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.

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Sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God

(Octavius Winslow)

"You hate all workers of iniquity!" Psalm 5:5

An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of all sin, was never invented by any of Adam's fallen descendants! The fact is, that nothing makes more manifest the terrible depravity of man's heart and his enmity against the living God, than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy.

No, sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God, than to create the Lake of Fire in which he will be tormented forever and ever!

"God is angry with the wicked every day!" Psalm 7:11

"Our God is a consuming fire!" Hebrews 12:29

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Complaining Christian!

(Francis Quarles, 1592-1644)

"How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me?
I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me." Numbers 14:27

Complaining Christian! How you wrong the God of mercy, and how you slight the God of truth!

He who hears the cry of ravens, and feeds them with a gracious hand-will He be deaf to the cries of His redeemed children?

He who robes the lilies of the field, that neither sew nor care to be appareled-will He deny your necessities.

Are you hungry? He is the Bread of Life.
Are you thirsty? He is the Water of Life.
Are you stripped? Fly to Him, and He will give you the righteousness of His own Son.
Are you a prodigal? Yet remember that you are His son, and He is your Father.

Come, therefore, with a filial boldness, and He will grant your heart's desire.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

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Yours! mine!

(John Flavel, 1627-1691)

"The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

The condemnation was Yours, that the justification might be mine!

The agony was Yours, that the victory might be mine!

The pain was Yours, that eternal pleasure might be mine!

The stripes were Yours, and the healing balm issuing from them were mine!

The vinegar and gall were Yours, that the honey and sweet issuing from them might be mine!

The curse was Yours, that the blessing might be mine!

The crown of thorns was Yours, that the crown of glory might be mine!

The sin-atoning death was Yours, that the heavenly life purchased by it might be mine!

You paid the price, that I might enjoy the priceless inheritance!

"Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:2

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Poor man, poor lost man, poor dying man!

(John Bunyan)

Poor man, poor lost man, poor dying man! If you should lose but a limb or a child-it would not be so much. But, poor man, it is your eternal soul!

If you were to lie in Hell but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand years, it would be nothing-but oh, it is forever! Oh this scathing forever crushes the heart.

"Then He will say to those on His left: "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41

"These will go away into eternal punishment" Matthew 25:46

"And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever" Revelation 14:11

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His understanding is infinite

(Cornelius Tyree, "The Glorious Sufficiency of Christ!" 1879)

"Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite." Psalm 147:5

"He knows all things." 1 John 3:20

Christ's knowledge is as limitless as His power,
His understanding is boundless;
He knows the end from the beginning;
He knows all things in their origin, connections, tendencies, and consequences.

Everything that has occurred in the universe,
everything that is now taking place,
and everything that will take place-
is mapped out before His omniscient eye in perfect transparency.

At a single glance, He looks through immensity and eternity, and takes in at one view all beings and events.

He knows what will take place and what His people will need a thousand years to come.

Nothing can surprise, or baffle, or disappoint Him.

He knows how to make the most malicious wiles of Hell redound to His people's greatest good and His greatest glory.

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable." Isaiah 40:28

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13

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What is this? What is this cry that we hear?

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him." Genesis 4:8

"The blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel." Hebrews 12:24

"The sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance]." Hebrews 12:24 (NLT)

There is a cry heard in Heaven; the angels are astonished; they rise up from their golden seats and inquire, "What is that cry?"

God looks upon them, and says, "It is the cry of blood; a man has been slain by his fellow; a brother is slain by him who came from the womb of the same mother, has been murdered in cold blood, through malice. One of My saints has been murdered, and here he comes."

And Abel entered into Heaven, blood-red, the first of God's elect who had entered Paradise, and the first of God's children who had worn the blood-red crown of martyrdom.

And then the cry was heard, loud and clear and strong; and thus it spoke: "Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!" And God Himself, rising from His throne, summoned the culprit to His presence; questioned him, condemned him out of His own mouth, and made him henceforth a fugitive and a vagabond, to wander over the surface of the earth, which was to be sterile to his plough.

And now, beloved, contrast the blood of Christ with this. There is Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God; He hangs upon a tree; He is murdered-murdered by His own brethren. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him-but put Him to death.

He bleeds; He dies; and then a cry is heard in Heaven.

The astonished angels again start from their seats, and they say, "What is this? What is this cry that we hear?" And the mighty Maker answers yet again, "It is the cry of blood; it is the cry of the blood of My only-begotten and well-beloved Son!"

And God, uprising from His throne, looks down from Heaven and listens to the cry. And what is the cry? It is not revenge; but the voice cries "Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!" Did you hear it? It said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"

"The sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance]." Hebrews 12:24 (NLT)

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If you really want to get folks to open their wallets, you should . . .

(Don Fortner)

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?" Ezekiel 34:2

While eating lunch at one of our favorite restaurants a few years ago, my wife and I could not help overhearing the conversation of two men sitting next to us. They were preachers. One was a young pastor. His guest was a middle-aged evangelist. I listened as the older man gave instructions to the younger man.

He talked about one trick and then another to get men and women to give their money, having special meetings to teach people to give, etc. Every word they spoke to one another was about how to get people's money. Finally, the older preacher said, "If you really want to get folks to open their wallets, you should . . .", and proceeded to suggests another method of religious thievery as the young pastor sat spell-bound before his advisor.

In the thirty or forty minutes it took us to eat, not one word was spoken about God, His Son, His glory, His grace, His salvation, or the souls of men. The whole conversation was about raising money!

Because it was a public place, and I was not a part of the conversation, I chose to say nothing; but I said to my wife, "I would like to say to that young man: If you will preach the free, saving grace of God in Christ three times a week to them, God's people will give generously because they want to. You will not have to trick them to give."

My abhorrence of such men is inexpressible. They are self-serving thieves! God's people do not have to be tricked into opening their wallets, or talked into being generous; nor will they be threatened into tithing.

Arthur Pink: "Beware of all who solicit money! There are few things we loathe more than to see those professing to be engaged in a work of faith, soliciting money. We sincerely trust that many of these bogus 'faith' enterprises, which have for so long preyed upon a credulous public, will soon go out of business. The world will be no worse off, and God will be less dishonored."

"I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what you have, but you." 2 Corinthians 12:14

"Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit." 2 Corinthians 2:17

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How precious is Your unfailing love, O God!

(Arthur Pink)

God's love to His people is infinite.
There is a depth to it which none can fathom;
there is a height to it which none can scale;
there is a breadth to it which defies measurement.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

How blessed to know that the great and holy God loved His people before Heaven and earth were called into existence, that He had set His heart upon them from all eternity. Clear proof is this that His love is eternal, for He loved them endless ages before they had any being.

Marvelous it is, that One so infinitely above us, so inconceivably glorious, so ineffably holy-should not only notice such worms of the earth, but also set His heart upon them, give His Son for them, send His Spirit to indwell them, and so bear with all their imperfections and waywardness as never to remove His loving-kindness from them!

This steadfast love of the Lord is never removed from His children. Since the believer is in Christ, nothing can separate him from the love of God (Romans 8:39). God has solemnly engaged Himself by covenant, and our sins cannot make it void.

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10).

Calvary is the supreme demonstration of divine love. Whenever you are tempted to doubt the love of God, Christian reader-go back to Calvary.

"How precious is Your unfailing love, O God!" Psalm 36:7

"May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should-how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully." Ephesians 3:18-19

Ten thousand times more precious

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(William Dyer, "Christ's Famous Titles")

"To you who believe, He is precious." 1 Peter 2:7

Christ is MOST precious. Oh, sirs, angels are precious, saints are precious, friends are precious, Heaven is precious-but Christ is ten thousand times more precious than these.

A believer had rather have Christ without Heaven, than Heaven without Christ. "Whom have I in Heaven but You? and there is none on earth that I desire besides You." Psalm 73:25. Let a believer search Heaven and earth, and yet he will find nothing comparable to Christ.
To be like to Him, is our happiness.
To draw near to Him, is our holiness.

You see, beloved, life is precious, freedom is precious, health is precious, peace is precious, food and clothing are precious, gold and silver are precious, kingdoms and crowns are precious. Indeed they are, in their places, but nothing is as precious as Jesus Christ.

Mark, sirs, what the apostle says, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:7-8

The believer is the only blessed man, the only happy man, the only rich man. Revelation 21:7, "He who overcomes shall inherit all things." Oh what a glorious inheritance are they born to, who are new-born. All things are theirs, and they shall inherit all things. What can they desire, more than ALL? All that Christ has, is theirs:
His wisdom is theirs to teach them,
His love is theirs to pity them,
His Spirit is theirs to comfort them,
His righteousness is theirs to justify them,
His power is theirs to protect them, and
His glory is theirs to crown them.

Oh sirs, Christ cannot but be most precious to a believer, because all his precious comforts come from Christ. The Lord Jesus is . . .
fairer than the fairest,
sweeter than the sweetest,
nearer than the nearest,
dearer than the dearest,
richer than the richest,
and better than the best.

"Yes, He is very precious to you who believe." 1 Peter 2:7

Jesus Christ is more precious to believers, than a thousand worlds.

Oh sirs. to the believing soul . . .
   Christ is precious,
   He is very precious,
   He is most precious,
   He is always precious,
   He is altogether precious.

"Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." Song of Solomon 5:16. Jesus Christ is indeed our best friend. He is . . .
a faithful friend,
a prudent friend,
a providing friend,
a compassionate friend,
a constant friend,
a loving friend,
an everlasting friend.

He loves us to the end-and there is no end of His love.

Oh, what a sweet friend is Christ!

Murder all his hearers at once!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"The leaders of the people have led them down the path of destruction!" Isaiah 9:16

Take heed of settling yourselves under an unholy minister-of one whose life gives the lie to his doctrine. An unholy preacher is the greatest destroyer of the souls of men! He who preaches well, but lives bad-does what he can, to murder all his hearers at once! There is no greater bar to holiness, than ministers' unholy lives. An unholy life mars the soundest and the sweetest doctrine. The sins of teachers are the teachers of sins!

An unholy minister is the greatest pest, the worst plague, and the greatest mischief-that can be to a people; for his enormities, his wickednesses, will have the strongest influences upon the souls and lives of men-to make them eternally miserable. His falls will be the fall and ruin of many; for people are prone to . . .
live more by examples-than by precepts;
mind more what the minister does-than what he says;
eye more how he walks-than how he talks.

Let a minister be ever so learned, solid, quaint, elegant, zealous, judicious, sententious, etc.-yet if he is carnal, covetous, worldly, vain, and loose in his life and walk, his hearers will rather slight and abhor the holy things of God.

When the preacher departs out of the way of holiness, the people will quickly wander from all that is good. He whose life is not a standing reproof to sin-will, by his life, encourage sinners more and more in a way of sin. There is nothing which keeps men so off from the love of holiness, and from the pursuing after holiness-than the unholy lives of their ministers.

"Watch your life and doctrine closely." 1 Timothy 4:16

"Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good." Titus 2:7

As if we saw two shining eyes looking on us out of the darkness!

(Thomas Guthrie, 1803-1873)

"Does He not see my ways and count my every step?" Job 31:4

"A man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all his paths." Proverbs 5:21

"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good." Proverbs 15:3

"My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from Me, nor is their sin concealed from My eyes." Jeremiah 16:17

How solemn is the thought, that an invisible Being is ever at our side and watching us-recording with rapid pen each deed and word, every desire that rises, though it is to burst like a soap-bubble, and every thought that passes, though on an eagle's wing.

We cannot shake off the presence of God! When doors are shut, and curtains drawn, and all is still, and darkest night fills our chamber, and we are left alone with our thoughts-it might keep them pure and holy to say, as if we saw two shining eyes looking on us out of the darkness, "You, O God, see me!"

May God help you to feel yourselves at all times in His immediate presence!

How promptly then would every evil thought be banished!
What unholy deeds would be crushed in the desire, nipped in the bud, strangled in the birth!
What crimes would remain uncommitted.
How feeble would the strongest temptations prove!
What a purity, nobility, loftiness, holiness, heavenliness-would be imparted to your whole bearing and conduct!

"Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD. Jeremiah 23:23-24

Christ enjoyed

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

Christ enjoyed, being the death of every selfish affection . . .
mortifies the carnal heart,
crucifies worldly tempers,
and subdues creature-love.

If we would daily walk with a happy heart, we must learn to draw all of our happiness from the precious love which God has for us in His dear Son.

We must look quite away from our graces, our gifts, our righteousness, our duties-for God does not love us for these. He loves us only in His Son! Believing this, is to find all our salvation and to enjoy all our happiness.

Love covers, overlooks, speedily forgives and forgets

(Don Fortner)

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses." Proverbs 10:12

Hatred is the selfish principle of an unregenerate man. It may be varnished by religion and smoothed by hypocrisy, but it is a subterranean storm, continually stirring up mischief and evil. Hatred creates or keeps alive carnal strifes. It causes coldness. It creates disharmony. It stirs up envy, malicious talk, and evil suspicions. Hatred carps at the least infirmity in others, and aggravates the least fault. Hatred resents the most trifling offense. It is provoked by the least imaginary wrong. 'An ungodly man digs up evil.' Such strifes are kindled to the great dishonor of God. They mar the beauty of the gospel. Let us resist this evil of the old man by watchfulness and prayer 'and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God'.

Love is the fruit of the Spirit. It covers a multitude of evils. Let us study 1 Corinthians 13 in all its detail, and make it the pattern for our lives. Let this be the mirror of our hearts and the standard of our profession. Love covers, overlooks, speedily forgives and forgets. Love invents reasons to avoid strife. Love puts the best possible construction on doubtful matters. Love seeks unity and agreement. Love does not rigidly examine a brother's failures. It will not deliberately expose a brother's faults. It refuses to uncover the sins of another.

To refrain from gross slander, while leaving room for needless and unkind doubt, is not covering sin. Nor is the 'seven-times forgiveness' the true standard of love. Love, like its divine Author, covers ALL sins.

Who among us does not need the full extent of this covering? What is our brother's evil against us, compared with our sin against God? Can we hesitate to blot out our brother's few dollars, who look for a covering for our debt of ten million dollars to God? Let us imitate Christ's spirit of forbearing, forgiving, self-sacrificing love!

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

I could wish He would have spared my son

(Letters of William Romaine, 1714-1795)

My good Friend,
I never was more obliged to you than for your Christian sympathy with us in this time of need. It is a great trial, but it is the Lord who has a right to do what He will with His own. It is my Lord, my old Friend, who never alters His love to me. He has acted for His own glory, and has done the best-what more would I wish? Nothing, but only for His grace to make me submit to His sovereign will.

I could wish He would have spared my son-my soul delighted in him. He was a sweet youth. The remembrance of his person and manners and behavior, his dutifulness (for he never offended me but once in his life), his upright conduct-these draw tears from my eyes while I am writing. I do feel as a parent; I am no stoic.

But thanks be to my good God, His grace conquers nature. The struggle is hard, but God is with me-and through Him, I conquer myself. He forces me to go to Him every moment for His support and His comforts. I have no stock of resignation. It is outside of myself, laid up in the fullness of Jesus; and while I live upon Him for it, He helps me to kiss His chastening rod. He keeps my rebel will under control, and teaches me to say from my heart, "Not my will, Lord, but may Your will be done." Such is the kindness of my Jesus, for which I adore and worship Him.

"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away." He has a right to do what He will with His own. He has enabled me to reply, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." And I do praise Him for giving me some of Job's resignation, that I could use his words with the same spirit.

Every groan of your wounded heart!

(Thomas Guthrie, 1803-1873)

If Jesus was only a man-then how could He guard the interests, and manage all the affairs of all His redeemed people scattered far and wide over the face of the habitable globe?
What heart were large enough to embrace them all?
What eyes could see them all?
What ears could hear them all?

Think of the ten thousand prayers pronounced in a hundred different tongues that go up at once, and all together, to His ear! Yet there is no confusion; none are lost; none are missed in the crowd. Nor are they heard by Him as, standing on yonder lofty crag, we hear the din of the city that lies stretched out far beneath us, with all its separate sounds of cries, and rumbling wheels, and human voices, mixed up into one deep, confused, hollow roar-like the boom of the sea's distant breakers.

No! Every believer may feel as if he were alone with Jesus-enjoying a private audience of the King in His presence-chamber!

Be of good cheer. Every groan of your wounded heart, your every sigh, and cry, and prayer-falls as distinctly on Jesus' ear as if you stood beside His throne; or, nearer still, lay with John on His bosom, and felt the beating of His heart against your own.

How full of encouragement and comfort is this to those, like us, who have sins to confess, sorrows to tell Him, and many a heavy care to cast upon His sympathy and kindness.

Believer, let Him sustain your cares. Your case cannot be too difficult, nor can your burden be too heavy for the One who guides the rolling planets on their course, and bears on His unwearied arm the weight of the universe.

All that He has, and all that He is, is theirs

(Charles Spurgeon)

"I will be their God." Jeremiah 31:33

Child of God, let me urge you to make use of your God. Make use of him in prayer; I beseech you, go to Him often, because He is your God. He has made Himself over to you, and He has become the property of all His children, so that all that He has, and all that He is, is theirs. O child of God, will you let your treasury lie idle, when you need it? No! go and draw from it by prayer.

Fly to Him, tell Him all your needs. Use Him constantly by faith, at all times.

Oh! I beseech you, if some dark providence has come over you-use your God as a sun, for He is a sun.

If some strong enemy has come out against you-use your God for a shield, for He is a shield to protect you.

If you have lost your way in the mazes of life-use Him for a guide, for the great Jehovah will direct you.

If you are in storms-use Him, for He is the God who stills the raging of the sea, and says unto the waves, "Be still."

If you are a poor thing, knowing not which way to turn-use Him for a shepherd, for the Lord is your Shepherd, and you shall not want.

Whatever you are, and wherever you are, remember that God is just what you need. I beseech you, then, make use of your God!

Amidst the multitude of supplicants who daily and hourly present their various petitions

(Arthur Pink)

The omniscience of God is an encouragement to prayer. There is no cause for fearing that the petitions of the righteous will not be heard, or that their sighs and tears shall escape the notice of God-since He knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.

There is no danger of the individual saint being overlooked amidst the multitude of supplicants who daily and hourly present their various petitions, for an infinite mind is as capable of paying the same attention to millions, as if only one individual were seeking its attention.

So too the lack of appropriate language, the inability to give expression to the deepest longing of the soul-will not jeopardize our prayers, for "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).

This is strange food to reason

(Letters of William Romaine, 1782)

"Behold, I will feed them with bitter food." Jeremiah 9:15

My dear friend,
Our Lord has been showing you some tokens of His singular regard for you. All whom He loves, He chastens. He has been trying you with His rod. The trial on His part was altogether love, and graciously intended for your improvement: "I will feed them," says the Good Shepherd, "with bitter food." This is strange food to reason-but rendered truly nourishing to faith. It learns to feel what sin, exceedingly sinful sin, is.

The pain says, "Sin deserves ten thousand times more than this!"

The pain continues, "Lord Jesus, may Your will be done-only let faith and patience have their perfect work, that I may love You for mortifying my corruptions."

The disorder abates, "Oh, dear Savior, keep me humble and thankful, that I may so cleave to You with full purpose of heart, as to be dying daily to other objects and be more alive to You. As the pain drove me to You-so may the removing of it keep me nearer to You that I may practically learn to set You always before me."

These and many other improvements, I hope, followed your recent painful visitation. It was sent to yield you the peaceable fruits of righteousness; yes, a harvest of blessings. May they be rich and ripe to the glory of the Giver!

"For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives." Hebrews 12:6

"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 12:11