Grace Gems for OCTOBER 2024

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Luke 9:23,
"Then He said to them all:
If anyone would come after Me,
he must deny himself,
and take up his cross daily,
and follow Me!"

The Scriptures are wholly taken up in precepts that relate to ordinary life. They call us . . .
to renounce the world;
to differ from all the attitudes, desires and ways of the world;
to renounce all its so-called good things;
to fear none of its evil things;
to reject its vain joys;
to live as pilgrims—in holy fear, and heavenly aspirations;
to take up our daily cross;
to deny ourselves;
to seek the blessedness of poverty of spirit;
to forsake the pride and vanity of riches;
to have no anxious thoughts for the future;
to live in the profoundest state of humility;
to rejoice in sufferings for Christ;
to reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;
to humbly bear injuries;
to forgive and bless our enemies;
to give up our whole heart and affections to God;
and strive to enter through the narrow gate, into eternal glory!
Our blessed Savior taught each of these principles, as the ordinary life of every Christian!

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!" Colossians 3:1-2

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

"And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the world." Matthew 28:20

Are you going through a sorrowful affliction?

What a Friend,
what a Brother,
what a Helper,
is Jesus!

Never—no never, does He leave His suffering child to travel that mournful night unvisited and unsoothed by His presence.

He is with you now!

His faithfulness never falters.
His love never changes.
His tenderness never lessens.
His patience never wearies.
His grace never decays.
His watchfulness never slumbers.

Jesus loves to visit us in the stormy night of affliction. He says,
"Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!" Isaiah 41:10

The incarnate God delights to be near His helpless and timid children. He is near to you, as the strength of your sinking soul.

"Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior!" Isaiah 43:1-3

(Anonymous. You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Isaiah 45:7 declares,
"I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the Lord, do all these things!"

As we read these words, we are reminded that God is the one who is ultimately in control. He is the one who . . .
forms the light, and creates the darkness,
bringing prosperity, and creating disaster!

This means that no matter what we are going through, whether it's a season of abundance or a season of struggle, God is the one who is guiding and directing every event, every circumstance, and every outcome.

The Lord God Almighty reigns supreme over all of creation, exercising complete sovereignty and providential control over every aspect of His universe. Nothing happens by chance, or accident, or fate, or outside of His divine plan.

He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and everything—both the pleasant and the painful—falls under His sovereign will. The same God who blesses His people with prosperity and abundance, is the same God who, for His own wise purposes, may also bring disaster, suffering, and difficult circumstances into our lives.

We must recognize that God's sovereignty is not limited to just individual lives. God is sovereign over all of His creation, over all of history, and over all of His world! It means that God is the one who is guiding the course of human events, and that He is the one who is ultimately in control of the destiny of every nation and every government.

What does this mean for us as believers?

It means that we must trust in God's sovereignty, even when things don't make sense. It means that we must trust that God is working everything out for our good and His glory, even when we can't see how. As we encounter the vicissitudes of life, we must surrender our own desires and plans to God, and trust that He will guide us along His all-wise and gracious path.

No matter what we face in this life, we can take comfort in knowing that our lives are firmly held in the mighty, loving hands of our Savior-God, who loves His chosen and redeemed people with an everlasting love!

It has been wisely said, "When we can't trace His hand, we must trust His heart!"

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight!" Proverbs 3:5-6

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You!" Isaiah 26:3

(The following is a short addendum, if you care to read it.)

One has stated, "God does not permit things to happen. He purposed all that comes to pass in time, before time began. And all that He ordained from eternity and performs in time, is good." Sadly, many in Christendom do not accept the teaching of God's absolute Sovereignty over His world. I offer the following Scriptures, without comment, for your perusal:

"Who gave man his mouth?
Who makes him deaf or mute?
Who gives him sight or makes him blind?
Is it not I, the Lord?" Exodus 4:11

"See now that I myself am He!
There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no one can deliver out of my hand."
Deuteronomy 32:39

"The Lord brings death and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and raises up.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
He humbles and He exalts." 1 Samuel 2:6-7

"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10

"For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground." Job 5:6

"For He wounds, but He also binds up;
He injures, but His hands also heal." Job 5:18

"When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one as well as the other."
Ecclesiastes 7:14

"This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them." Jeremiah 32:42

"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?" Lamentations 3:38

"When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?" Amos 3:6

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him." Deuteronomy 33:12

Survey the picture. It is lovely in repose. We seem to see a child without a single care seated securely by a parent's side. No anxious fears disturb. Undoubting trust spreads its calm influence. A Father, strong and watchful, is at hand. An arm is ready to defend. The happy child knows it, and confides.

The image tenderly depicts the true believer's blessed state:
He sits in peace beside his God.
Faith's wings have borne him upwards.
His heart and thoughts have settled in a tranquil realm.
The restless wanderings of former days are past.

There was a time when he was tossed about on stormy waves. He wandered hopelessly in search of peace. But now he rests in his God. His home is by his Father's side! "The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him."

With filial confidence, bring . . .
each trial,
    each trouble,
      each sorrow,
        each need,
      each affliction,
    each doubt,
each distress,
to your Father's listening ear!

God is near . . .
to cheer you,
    to bless you,
      to wipe your weeping eye,
        to soothe your wounded heart,
          to raise your drooping spirit,
            to send the pilgrim singing on his way.

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him." Deuteronomy 33:12

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

"Then one of the elders asked me: "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

And he said, "These are those who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!" Revelation 7:13-14

These white-robed inhabitants of Heaven, were once sinners, for they all needed to wash their robes. Had their robes been perfectly white, then there would have been no necessity to cleanse them—certainly not to cleanse them in the blood of Jesus!

Yes, those glorious ones were once sinners like ourselves! Look up at them now! Observe their ravishing beauty! See how faultless they ARE! And then, remember what they once WERE.

Oh, trembling sinners, whose bruised hearts dare not indulge a hope of salvation—those spotless ones in Heaven, were once like you! And you are today, what they once were!

They were all sinful at birth, and children of wrath—just as you were.

They were all placed in circumstances which allured them to sin; they had their temptations, and they lived in the midst of a wicked and depraved generation—even as you now do.

What is more, they all sinned, for mere temptation would not have soiled their robes, but actual sin defiled them.

There were thoughts of sin,
there were words of sin,
there were acts of sin
—in all of them!

You will say, perhaps, that none of those saints had committed sins like yours, but there I must flatly contradict you. Among that illustrious company, there are those who were once sinners of the deepest dye—adulterers, thieves, harlots, murderers! They have all been forgiven, sanctified, and at length glorified!

All those now in Heaven, were once great sinners, just as we now are. Each one now confesses with the apostle Paul, "By the grace of God, I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10

Saved sinner! You will soon be, what they now are! However atrocious your sins and crimes may be—you have washed your filthy sinful rags, and made them white in the precious sin-atoning blood of the slain Lamb! You will shortly be gathered to the white-robed multitude in Heaven, crying out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:10

"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!
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!" 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Luke 16:19-21, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores!"

There is a groundless notion abroad that those who suffer in this world, will certainly have it made up to them in the world to come. I have heard the parable of the rich man and Lazarus quoted, as though it taught that those who are poor in this life, will be rich in Heaven hereafter. There is not a shadow of reason for any such belief!

There is no efficacy in the tongues of dogs to lick away sin! Neither can a hungry belly atone for a guilty soul. Many a man has begged for crumbs on earth, and afterwards has craved in vain for a drop of water in Hell!

You may go through much tribulation to Hell, as well as to Heaven! A may a man have two Hells: the Hell which he brings upon himself in this life, by his extravagances, his wickedness, and his lusts—and the Hell that shall be his punishment forever in the world to come!

Believe me, many a ragged loathsome beggar has been damned! He was as poor as Lazarus, but had not the grace of Lazarus—and therefore no angels carried him to Abraham's bosom.

You must take care not to suck poisonous error, out of the flowers of truth!

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Song of Solomon 8:5, "Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her Beloved?"

A form is seen coming up from the wilderness; but not alone, not unsupported.
There is another form near the first, and on Him all weight is laid.
The truth is clear. We see the Christian deriving support from his Lord.
They proceed together along a path leading up from the wilderness.

The believer is called . . .
to leave all for Christ;
to come out from a fallen and polluted world;
to shun its pleasures;
to turn from its smiles;
to disregard its frowns;
to close its ear to its enticing voice;
to reject its fascinating cup;
to trample on its principles and maxims;
to feel that the world in its every aspect is opposed to Christ.
Such views are the true teachings of the Spirit.
The believer, a pupil in this school, arises and departs.

But there is no profit in what he abandons.
The world, when truly seen, is a waste wilderness.

It is no fair garden of Eden, fragrant with beauteous flowers.
It is no vineyard, in which grapes hang down in luxuriant clusters.
It is no peaceful meadow, free from incursions of devouring beasts.
It is no lovely grove, in which the melody of cheerful birds delights the ear.
It is no pleasant path, in which surrounding prospects give enchanting views.

It is a desert—wild, dismal, and unsatisfying!

It yields no nurture—but disappointment, misery and woe.

It is an enemy's land, beset with perils and encompassed with malignant foes.

The believer is called to come up from this cheating and deluding scene!

But how can the Christian obey? He is weak and powerless in himself.

But a mighty arm is near! Jesus says:
"Do not fear, for I am with you;
  do not be afraid, for I am your God.
  I will strengthen you; I will help you;
  I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand!"
He extends the arm of His omnipotence and cries, "Come, lean on Me!"

As without Jesus the first step cannot be taken, so without Him advance cannot be made. But He is ever near, willing, and able.

The heavenward path is a steep ascent. It requires strong limbs to climb.
But leaning on Jesus, the upward race may be run without loitering.

The path also, through life's course, is slippery. Our feet are liable to slip.
Snares and pitfalls are before us. Our feet are liable to stumble.
But leaning on Him we are upheld, and safely guided.

Thus let us pass through life leaning on our Beloved.

Let us lean on Him as we pass through the valley of the shadow of death.
His rod and staff will surely comfort us.

Let us enter Heaven leaning on the same arm.

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her Beloved?"

(Anonymous. You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Hebrews 11:13, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth!"

As followers of Christ, we are but pilgrims in this poor, fallen world—merely passing through on our way to our true and eternal home in Heaven. This present life is not our final destination, but rather a temporary sojourn where we must endure the trials, tribulations, and temptations of living in a sin-stained realm.

We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, who have been sent on a journey through a hostile and wicked land. Though we may face hardships in our wilderness wanderings, we take solace in the knowledge that our permanent residence lies beyond the veil of this mortal existence. Our heavenly inheritance awaits us—a glorious realm of unparalleled splendor, peace, and communion with our loving Savior.

Just as the Israelites wandered the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, we too are sojourners seeking the Celestial City, whose architect and builder is God. Though the path may be arduous, and the way often shrouded in darkness—we press onward, knowing that our true home is not in the transient trappings of this earthly life, but in the eternal bliss of our Father's house. As pilgrims journeying towards our final destination, let us hold fast to the hope of our heavenly inheritance, for it is there that we shall find our ultimate rest, joy, and fulfillment with Jesus—and pain and sorrow will be no more!

"Beloved, I beg you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul!" 1 Peter 2:11

"For our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body!" Philippians 3:20-21

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Jeremiah 23:29, "Is not My Word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"

Mr. Thorpe was a member of an 'infidel' club. In those days infidelity was more blasphemous than now. This infidel society took the name of the "Hell-Fire Club". Among their amusements, was that of holding mock religious services, and exhibiting caricatures of popular ministers.

Thorpe went to hear George Whitfield preach, that he might caricature him before his wicked friends. He listened to Whitfield so carefully, that he caught his tones and his manner, and somewhat of his doctrines.

When the "Hell-Fire Club" met to see his caricature of Whitfield, Thorpe opened the Bible that he might take a text to preach from, after the manner of Whitfield. His eye fell on the passage, "Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish!" As he spoke upon that text, he was carried beyond himself, lost all thought of mockery, spoke as one in earnest, and was the means of his own conversion! After his amazing conversion, Thorpe became a noted preacher of the gospel!

He was carried by the force of truth beyond his own intention, like one who would play in a river, and is swept away by its current.

In the same way, scoffers may be reached by the arrows of truth! Scripture has often been the sole means in the hands of its divine Author of converting the soul.

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God!" 1 Peter 1:23

"For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

John 10:27-29,
"My sheep listen to My voice;
I know them, and they follow Me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
no one can snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand!"

No stronger passage in all the Word of God, can be found guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God.

Note the seven strands in the rope which binds them to God:

First, they are Christ's sheep, and it is the duty of the Great Shepherd to care for each of His flock! To suggest that any of Christ's sheep may be lost, is to blaspheme the Shepherd Himself!

Second, it is said "They follow" Christ, and no exceptions are made. The Lord does not say they ought to, but declares they do follow Him. If the sheep "follow" Christ—then they must reach Heaven, for that is where the Good Shepherd has gone!

Third, to the sheep is imparted "eternal life". To speak of eternal life ending, is a contradiction in terms.

Fourth, this eternal life is "given" to them. They did nothing to merit it, consequently they can do nothing to demerit it.

Fifth, the Lord Himself declares that His sheep "shall never perish!" Consequently, the man who declares that it is possible for a child of God to go to Hell, is calling God a liar.

Sixth, from the Shepherd's hand none is able to snatch them. Hence the Devil is unable to encompass the destruction of a single one of them.

Seventh, above them is the Father's hand. Hence it is impossible for them to jump out of the hand of Christ, even if they tried to. It is impossible for one of Christ's sheep to perish, even if it desired to—as though one ever did!

Christian! The hand of Christ is beneath us—and the hand of the Father is above us. Thus are we secured between the clasped hands of Omnipotence!

It has been well said, that if one soul who trusted in Christ should be missing in Heaven—then there would be one vacant seat there, one crown unused, one harp unstrung; and this would grieve all Heaven, and proclaim a disappointed God. But such a thing is utterly impossible!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" Romans 8:1

"For I am convinced that . . .
neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers,
neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Romans 8:38-39

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

2 Corinthians 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

By nature, our course of life is wholly sinward.

Our every step is deviation from the ways of God.

Our back is turned to heaven and spiritual realities.

This world, with . . .
its polluting pleasures,
its empty vanities,
its unsatisfying shadows,
its deceitful pomps and honors,
is sought with blinded zeal!

Our daily movement is a Hellward descent.

But salvation turns the soul completely around!

Objects we once shunned, are now desired.

That which we now love, we once hated.

Our former pleasures retain no relish.

The mask which once hid the hideous features of the world, has fallen off its face!

The other lords which so long exercised dominion over us, are now renounced as cruel tyrants. Their yoke is broken, and their scepter is shattered!

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory!" Colossians 3:1-4

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Matthew 17:18, "Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment!"

We must not forget that there are still many instances of Satan's spiritual dominion over young people, which are quite as painful as the case described in this passage.

There are thousands of young people who seem to have wholly given themselves up to Satan's temptations, and to be led captive at his will.

They cast off all fear of God, and all respect for His commandments.
They serve al kinds of wicked lusts and pleasures.
They run wildly into every vile excess.
They refuse to listen to the advice of parents, teachers or ministers.
They fling aside all regard for health, character or worldly respectability.
They do all that lies in their power to ruin themselves, body and soul, for time and eternity.
They are willing slaves of Satan!

Who has not seen such young people?
They are to be seen in both town and in country.
They are to be found among both rich and among poor.

Surely such young people give mournful proof, that Satan still exercises a fearful dominion over many men's souls.

Yet we must never despair, even over such young people as these. We must call to mind the almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ. As bad as this boy's case was, of whom we read in these verses, he was "was healed from that moment" that he was brought to Christ!

Parents, and teachers, and ministers should go on praying for young people, even at their worst.

As hard as their hearts seem now, God may yet soften them.
As desperate as their wickedness now appears, God may yet save them.
God may yet grant them faith and repentance, and they may become trophies of His sovereign and saving grace.

Who can tell?

Let it be a settled principle with us when we read our Lord's miracles, never to despair of the conversion of ANY soul.

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

The cold-hearted, half-devoted, earthly-minded race of professing Christians are among the most miserable beings on earth.

They compromise with the world.

They are foremost in pleasures and in recreations.

They are undistinguished, from the vain and trifling crowd.

Over their worldly-mindedness, their pride and hollow professions—thousands stumble into perdition!

They are a disgrace to the Christian church.

They are a standing scandal upon religion.

They are a grief to the pious.

They are a laughing stock to the world!

"Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live.
They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good!" Titus 1:16

"The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands, is a liar and the truth is not in him!" 1 John 2:4

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Knowledge is vain and fruitless, which is not reduced to practice.

Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire.
In Christ, God is a reconciled Father.

Our temptations, if not yielded to, are not sins; they are afflictions only.

Sin is the sickness, disease and torment of the soul!
Christ came to take away sin, and so to heal the soul.

A man may go idle to Hell; but he who will go to Heaven must be diligent.

It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at and press towards perfection in grace and holiness.

Pride is a subtle sin—it creeps into our pious duties before we are aware!

If God does not give His people what they ask for, it is because He knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good.

Even the richest of men are indebted to the mercy of God for their daily bread.

We cannot alter the disposals of Providence, therefore we must humbly submit and resign ourselves to them.

No guilt is so great, but there is a remedy in Christ's blood which atones for it.
No corruption is so strong, but there is a remedy in His grace which can subdue it.

Those who are passing with Christ over the ocean of this world, must expect storms.

The great intention of the blessed Jesus in the redemption He wrought, is to separate our hearts from sin.

In the gospel there is a salve for every sore, and a remedy for every malady.
There is no spiritual disease, but there is power in Christ for the cure of it!

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

"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

I can hide my heart, and my past, and my future plans from those around me—but I cannot hide anything from God!

I can talk in a way that deceives my fellow creatures as to what I really am—but nothing I say or do can deceive God. He sees through all my pretense. He knows me as I really am, better indeed than I know myself!

A God whose presence and scrutiny I could evade, would be a small and trivial deity. But the true and living God is great and awesome, just because He is always with me, and His eye is always upon me.

Living becomes an amazing experience, when I realize that I spend every moment of my life in the sight and company of the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy God!

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

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

"For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living." Job 30:23

"Man's days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months, and have set limits he cannot exceed!" Job 14:5

If you are in Christ, you may well bear your afflictions and trials—as death will put an end to all your troubles!

If a man on a journey has poor accommodations where he lodges only for a night—he will not trouble himself much about the matter. He knows that he is not to stay there—that it is not his home.

Let it not distress you, that you meet with some hardships in the 'inn of this world'.

Fret not, if things are not so well with you, as they are with some others. One man travels with a polished cane in his hand; while his fellow traveler, perhaps, has but a common stick—either of them will serve the turn. It is no great matter which of them are yours; as both will be laid aside when you come to your journey's end.

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Everything to which we give the heart, becomes our idol.

Pleasure, wealth and power—form the world's trinity!

Before these idols, the world bows down in adoration.

All their thoughts, time, and talents are employed in their service.

No sacrifice is deemed too great to obtain possession of these vanities.

Alas! thousands,
who call themselves Christians,
who have been baptized in the name of Christ,
and who make a nominal profession of Christianity
—worship these idols which Satan has set up!

"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols!" 1 John 5:21

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

"He tends His flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those that have young."
Isaiah 40:11

Jesus leads those who are burdened, and need a skillful, sure and gentle shepherd.

Our journey to Heaven is across a waste howling wilderness, through an enemy's country—all armed and combined to resist, dispute, and oppose our every step.

It is a road, also, all untraveled and unknown. Over the entrance of every new path is written, "You have not passed this way before!" A new bend in our life transpires, a new path in our pilgrimage is presented—involving new duties and responsibilities, new cares and trials. And with fear and trembling we gird ourselves for the new cloud-veiled pilgrimage which God in His goodness has appointed us.

But why these doubts, these tremblings, these fears? Jesus is our Leader!
He knows all the way we take—has mapped every road, and has appointed every path.

As a Teacher, He leads us into all truth.

As a Guide, He leads us along our difficult path—skillfully, gently, and safely.

How does Jesus lead us? He leads us graciously. He leads us along all the stages, and through all the exercises of our Christian experience—not leaving us when our frames are low, and our faith is assailed, and darkness, often thick darkness, covers our soul.

Who could skillfully, patiently, and faithfully lead us along all the mazes, intricacies, and perils of our Christian course, safely to glory—but Christ our Leader?

Commit yourself, O my soul, confidently to the Lord's leading.
The way may appear all wrong to you, but it is the right way.
Mystery may enshroud it,
trials may pave it,
sorrows may darken it,
tears may bedew it—
nevertheless He is leading you by the right way home.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them,
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

"Lord, I am a poor, blind child—not knowing my way. And when I do see it, I am often so burdened that I cannot walk. Take me by the hand, and gently, skillfully lead me until traveling days are over, and I am at home with You forever! You have promised gently to lead the burdened and feeble who cannot keep up with the flock. Lord, lead ME!"

(Anonymous. You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!"

The profound truths of the above verse, offer immense comfort and reassurance to genuine believers in Christ. This verse reminds us that no matter what circumstances we face in life, God is sovereignly orchestrating all things to ultimately work together for our good. Even when the path ahead is shrouded in darkness, uncertainty, or pain—we can cling to the unwavering truth that our Heavenly Father is intimately involved in the details of our lives. He is not a distant, uninvolved deity—but an all-loving, all-wise, all-powerful God who has a perfect plan and purpose for each of His redeemed people.

Though we may not understand the reasoning behind the trials and tribulations we encounter, we can have unwavering confidence that God is using those very experiences to shape us, mold us and draw us closer to Himself.

Though His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are far beyond our own limited comprehension; we can take solace in knowing that He works all things—the joyful and the sorrowful, the easy and the difficult; for the ultimate good of those who love Him and are called according to His divine purpose.

The truths of this verse provide a beacon of hope that illuminates the darkest of circumstances, reminding us that God is always at work, orchestrating the events of our lives to fulfill His perfect will. As we cling to God's Word, we can face each day with unshakable hope, trusting that our Heavenly Father is lovingly guiding our steps, even when the path ahead appears darksome and bewildering!

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You!" Isaiah 26:3

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

James 4:4, "You adulterous people! Don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God!"

If our daily life is not a common course of . . .
humility,
self-denial,
  renunciation of the world,
  poverty of spirit,
  and heavenly affection,
we do not live the lives of Christians!
It is thus plain that this, and this alone, is Christianity: a uniform practice of all these virtues. Yet it is as plain that there is little or nothing of this to be found, even among those who profess to be the people of God.

You see them often at Church—attentive and pleased with fine preachers. But look into their daily lives, and you see them just the same sort of people as others are, who make no pretenses to godliness whatever. They have . . .
the same taste for the world;
  the same worldly cares, and fears, and joys;
the same vain and worldly desires;
and the same worldly activities.

You see the same fondness for worldly honor,
you see the same pride and vanity of dress,
    you see the same self-love, and selfish indulgence,
      you see the same foolish friendships, and groundless hatreds,
        you see the same levity of mind, and trifling spirit,
        you see the same fondness for diversions,
      you see the same idle dispositions,
    you see the same vain ways of spending their time and money,
you see the same vain and worldly desires—
as the rest of the world, who make no pretenses to Christianity!

"Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For everything in the world:
   the cravings of sinful man,
   the lust of his eyes and
   the boasting of what he has and does,
comes not from the Father but from the world!" 1 John 2:15-16

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

1. Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.
Do not be content to just read the words of Scripture.
Seek to grasp the message they contain.

2. Read the Scriptures with a simple, childlike faith and humility.
Believe what God reveals.
Our reason must bow to God's revelation.

3. Read the Word with a spirit of obedience and self-application.
Apply what God says to yourself, and obey His will in all things.

4. Read the Holy Scriptures every day.
We quickly lose the nourishment and strength of yesterday's food.
We must feed our souls daily upon the manna God has given to us.

5. Read the whole Bible and read it in an orderly way.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable."
I know of no better way to read the Bible than to start at the beginning and read straight through to the end, a portion every day, comparing Scripture with Scripture.

6. Read the Word of God fairly and honestly.
As a general rule, any passage of Scripture means what it appears to mean.
Interpret every passage in this simple manner, in its context.

7. Read the Scriptures prayerfully, ever asking the Holy Spirit to illumine the Word.

"Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Luke 24:45

"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." Psalm 119:18

8. Read the Bible with Christ constantly in view.
The whole Book is about Him. Look for Him on every page.
He is there. If you fail to see Him there, you need to read that page again.

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

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

There is much indeed in ourselves of which we have reason truly to be ashamed, and to be filled with profound self-abhorrence. We have need to be ashamed . . .
of our unbelief
of our low thoughts of the Savior,
of our little love to God,
of our slow advance in the divine life,
of our imperfect conformity to Christ,
of the power of our indwelling sin,
of our slender spiritual attainments . . .
in knowledge,
in personal holiness,
and in heavenly meekness.

What shamefacedness should cover us, that we are so ready . . .
to compromise,
to falter,
and to halt.

How deeply humbled should we be that there still exists in us:
so much carnality,
so much love of the world,
and so much conformity to the world.

We have so little of the crucified spirit of a cross bearing Savior!

What cause of shame that, with all our profession . . .
the pulse of spiritual life beats in our souls so faintly,
the spirit of prayer breathes in us so feebly,
that we possess so little real, vital religion,
that we follow Christ at so great a distance!

We should be so filled with self-abasement . . .
that the fruits and graces of the Spirit in us are so sickly, drooping and dwarfed;
that we have so limited a measure of faith, love and humility;
that we are so defective in our patience and meekness, wisdom and gentleness;
that, with all our blossom and foliage—there is so little real fruit to the glory of our Father.

May we not, in view of all this, exclaim with Ezra, in his deep grief and humiliation for the sins of the people, "O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to You. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens!" Ezra 9:6

Oh, where shall we fly? Where shall we hide our blushing face, but in the blood of atonement—sprinkled afresh with which, we may lift up our heads and not be ashamed!

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

As He was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"
"Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." Mark 13:1-2

We are naturally inclined to judge things by the outward appearance, like children who value flowers more than wholesome grain. We are too apt to suppose that where there is . . .
a stately ecclesiastical building,
and magnificent ceremonies,
and carved stone,
and stained-glass windows,
and fine music,
and handsomely dressed ministers
—that there must be genuine religion in such a place.

And yet there may be no true religion at all!
It may be all form, and show, and appeal to the senses!

The ministers may perhaps be utterly ignorant of the Gospel, and the worshipers may be dead in trespasses and sins! We need not doubt that God sees no beauty in such a building as this. We need not doubt that the stately Greek Parthenon had no value in God's sight, compared to the dens and caves where the early Christians worshiped; or that the poorest room where Christ is preached at this day, is more honorable in His eyes, than St. Peter's Cathedral at Rome.

Let it be a settled principle in our religion, however beautiful we make our churches—to regard pure doctrine and holy practice as their principal ornaments! Without these two things, the noblest ecclesiastical edifice is radically defective. It has no glory, if God is not there. With these two things, the humblest poor cottage where the Gospel is preached, is lovely and beautiful. It is consecrated by Christ's own presence, and the Holy Spirit's own blessing.

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Dear brother,
I have been informed of the loss of your dear wife. She has now put off mortality, and has become immortal! Can this grieve you?

Oh, that I was where she now is:
"Safe landed on that peaceful shore,
Where pilgrims meet to part no more!"

She was once a mourning sinner in this poor wilderness, but she is now a glorified saint in Zion! The Lord has become her everlasting light, and the days of her mourning are ended! Does this trouble you?

She was once . . .
afflicted with bodily pains and weakness,
encompassed with cares, and
harassed with a crowd of anxious and needless fears.
She has now arrived at her Father's house, and He has wiped away all tears from her eyes. He has freed her in a moment . . .
from all her pains,
from all her cares,
from all her fears,
and from all her needs!
And shall this distress you?

You have not lost your wife, she has only gone ahead of you for a short time.

She expects your arrival there soon, to join the Hallelujahs for redeeming love.

Are you still weeping? Shame upon you, brother!

Are you weeping because she is joined to that assembly where all are kings and priests?

Are you weeping because she is daily feasted with heavenly manna in her Father's kingdom?

O shameful weeping!

Jesus has fetched your bride triumphantly home to His kingdom, to draw your soul more ardently thither.

He has broken up your cistern—to bring you nearer, and keep you closer to the ever-flowing fountain!

Jesus has caused a moment's separation, to divorce your affections from the creature.

He has torn a heart-string from you, to set your heart a-panting more vehemently for Himself.

Hereafter you will see how gracious the Lord has been, in calling your beloved wife home, in order to betroth you more effectually to Himself.

May all your tears flow in a heavenly channel, and every sigh waft your soul nearer to Jesus!

May the God of all consolation, comfort you through life, and in death afford you a triumphant entrance into His glorious kingdom!

So prays your friend and brother in the gospel of Christ,
John Berridge

"The day of death, is better than the day of birth!" Ecclesiastes 7:1

"Blessed are those who die in the Lord!" Revelation 14:13

"Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!" Numbers 23:10

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Revelation 21:7, "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son."

To be a true Christian is not so easy a thing as some suppose. It is not merely . . .
true beliefs,
an evangelical creed,
attending a scriptural church,
a comfortable sermon once or twice a week.
It is not this, which constitutes genuine Christianity.

You who think that religion is so very easy a thing—be apprehensive lest, when too late, you find that you have experienced nothing of saving religion.

Easy? For a depraved being, to trample upon his lusts?
For a proud being, to lie prostrate with humility and self-reproach?
For those who are slow of heart, to believe?
For the educated man, to receive the Gospel as a little child?

Easy? To crucify the flesh?
To deny ungodliness?
To cut off a right hand, and to pluck out a right eye?

Easy? To be in the world, and yet not of the world?
To come out from it, not by the seclusion of the cloister, but by holiness of life?
To be diligent in its duties, yet not absorbed by them?
To appreciate its innocent delights, and yet not ensnared by them?
To behold its attractions, and yet rise superior to them?
To live surrounded by objects which appeal to the sight, and yet to endure as seeing what is invisible?

Easy? To pray and see no answer to prayer—and still pray on?
To fight this battle, and find new foes ever rising up—and still to fight on?
To be harassed with doubts and fears—and yet walk on in darkness, staying ourselves upon God?

Easy? To be preparing for a world we have never visited, in opposition to so much that is captivating in a world where we have always dwelt . . .
whose beauties we have seen,
whose music we have heard, and
whose pleasures we have experienced?

Easy? To resist that subtle foe who has cast down so many of the wise and the mighty?

Easy? When Jesus says it is a "narrow gate," and that if we would enter, we must strive, bidding us to "take up our cross daily, deny ourselves, and follow Him?"

Ah! It is no soft flowery meadow, along which we may languidly stroll—but a rough, craggy cliff that we must climb.

It is no smooth, placid stream, along which we may dreamily float—but a tempestuous ocean that we must stem!

"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to!" Luke 13:24

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

The Word of God is:
a counselor to instruct you,
a comforter to console you in your troubles,
a light to guide you in the right path,
a staff to support you in your trials, and
a sword to defend you against all your enemies.

The Scripture is the only standard by which we must measure each thought, word, and action!
If anything agrees with it, then it is right.
If anything disagrees with it, then it is wrong.

William Tyndale:
God's Word is the food of the soul. As the body is fed by food—so the soul is nourished by the Word.

John Bunyan:
This book will keep you from sin—or sin will keep you from this book!

Jeremiah Burroughs:
Every time you read the Word, you must remember that God is speaking to you!

Thomas Watson:
All the wondrous privileges and promises of the saints, are found in the Word.

Thomas Shepard:
The Scripture is the only safe and infallible guide to eternal life!

John Flavel:
The Bible is a love letter, which God has sent to us.
Prayer is a love letter, which we send to Him.

William Gurnall:
Scripture is the field in which Christ, the pearl of great price, is hidden!

Thomas Watson:
The Scripture is the steady anchor that holds us fast in the stormy sea of life, and the sure compass that guides us through the uncertain waters of this world.

The Scripture is a spiritual magnifying glass, in which we behold:
God's infinite wisdom,
His impeccable holiness,
His wondrous goodness,
and His unfathomable glory!

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Cotton Mather:
"The very air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the sleep we enjoy, the clothes that cover us, the houses that shelter us—all of these are God's common mercies to us!"

Thomas Vincent:
"The common mercies of life are a means of teaching us to be humble, and to acknowledge our dependence on God."

Thomas Watson:
"Every crumb of bread that we eat, is the gift of God's bounty!"

Jeremiah Burroughs:
"The smallest drop of God's mercy, is more than we deserve."

William Gurnall:
"We are debtors for every hour we enjoy, every meal we taste, every breath we take."

Thomas Shepard:
"Every mercy we enjoy, is a drop from the fountain of God's goodness."

John Flavel:
"The mercies of God come streaming down every day—new mercies, for new needs."

Thomas Manton:
"The least mercy is not to be despised, for it is a gift from God's hand."

Charles Spurgeon:
"Let us praise God for common mercies, for they prove to be uncommonly precious, when once they are taken away! The common joys of this life which God blesses us with, ought to make us increase in gratitude, and ought to be a sufficient motive for the very highest form of consecration!"

"Praise the Lord, O my soul! With all that is within me, praise His holy name!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! May I never forget the good things He does for me!"
Psalm 103:1-2

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Jeremiah 17:9, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked! Who really knows how bad it is?"

O! what a wretched being is man, when left to himself! Every evil nestles in his heart, producing a thousand stings to torment him in time and through eternity.

It is awful to think what delusions men practice upon themselves. Through the artifices of Satan, and the false reasonings of their own hearts, they are deceived to their own ruin.

They compare themselves with those who are more notoriously wicked—and thus think themselves to be good before God.

They magnify their supposed virtues—and soften down their vices.

They presume upon the mercy of God, as if He were too benevolent to put His threatenings into execution!

They depend upon a 'death bed repentance', not considering that repentance is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

They disbelieve the eternity of Hell-torments, as being a punishment too cruel and severe for the all bounteous Creator to inflict upon His rebellious creatures.

They deny the particular providence of God; esteeming it beneath His glorious Majesty to inspect their trivial concerns, or to notice each trifling deviation from His holy Word.

In short, they suppose the Almighty to be such a one as themselves.

"These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue!" Psalm 50:21-22

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

(You will find it helpful to Listen to the Audio, as you read the text below.)

Romans 8:28, "We know that God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God—to those who are called according to His purpose."

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

He knows that God is always wise—and knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes in God's world. He knows that nothing can occur, which God does not desire to occur.

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

"We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God—to those who are called according to His purpose." The Christian does not merely hold this verse as a mere theory, but he knows it as a certain fact. Everything has worked for good thus far. Every event has worked out the most divinely blessed results.

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

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

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Bernard of Clairvaux once mentioned an old man who, upon hearing about any professing Christian who fell into sin, would say to himself: "He fell today; I may fall tomorrow!"

The apostle Paul commended the same mindset when he wrote, "let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

There is great wisdom in not trusting our own ability to stand. When I was a boy, my father would often say, "The person I trust least of all is myself." It should shock us to hear a professing Christian say, "I would never do that," or, "How could anyone do that?"

Consider the following:
If Adam, an innocent man, could choose a piece of fruit over the infinitely valuable God (Genesis 3:6);
if Noah, the most righteous man of his day, could get so drunk that he passed out naked before his sons in his tent (Genesis 9:21);
if Abraham, the most faithful man of his day, could father a child with his wife's handmaiden (Genesis 16:1-4) and twice hand his wife over to other men (Genesis 12:11-15; 20:1-2);
if Sarah, the mother of promise, could laugh at the words of the God of promise and then lie to Him about doing so (Genesis 18:9-15);
if "righteous Lot" could greedily pick the most materialistic and sexually depraved place for himself and his family to live (Genesis 13:8-13), and could hand his daughters over to the sexually perverse men of the city (Genesis 19:4-8);
if Isaac, the son of promise, could show partiality to his oldest son because he liked his hunting skills (Genesis 25:28), and he, too, could hand his wife over to another man (Genesis 26:6-11);
and if Jacob, the namesake of Israel, could swindle his brother for a birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), then so could I.

If Moses, the meekest man on the planet, could act in such sinful anger and unbelief that God would not let him into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:7-12);
if his successor Joshua, could disobediently covenant with pagans (Joshua 9);
if Gideon, the mighty man of valor, could fall into idolatry at the end of his life (Judges 8:22-27);
and if Samson, the strongest man who ever lived, could be defeated by wine and women (Judges 14-16), then so could I.

if David, the man after God's own heart, could commit adultery and premeditate the murder of one of his mighty men (2 Samuel 11);
if Solomon, the wisest man, could foolishly allow his heart to be led astray by a thousand women to worship foreign gods (1 Kings 11);
if Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, could charge God with deceiving His people (Jeremiah 4:10);
and if Elijah, a prophet of Israel, could self-righteously run from the mission of God (Jonah 1-3), then so could I.

If John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, could doubt the identity of the One to whom he bore witness (Matthew 11:2-3);
and if the Apostle Peter could try to stop Jesus from going to the cross (Matthew 16:21-23), deny Jesus (Luke 22:54-61), argue with the Lord about the gospel and its implications (John 13:6-10; Acts 10:9-16), and support division in the church over the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Galatians 2:11-21), then so could I.

If James and John could use Jesus to get to the top (Mark 10:35-37) and could want to call fire down from Heaven on those who did not believe the gospel (Luke 9:51-55);
and if the Apostle John could twice fall down to worship angels (Revelation 19:9-10; Revelation 22:8-9), then so could I.

We must resist the temptation of thinking that we can stand in our own strength. We must depend on the grace of the One who said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

The greatest believers are subject to great weaknesses.

In no way do these truths give a license to sin; instead, they give a sober realization that by nature, "nothing good dwells in us" (Romans 7:18). We must . . .
distrust ourselves,
bear with the weak,
and hold fast to Christ.
We must flee to our Great High Priest, who was tempted in all points as we are, yet never sinned. We must go to Him for grace and mercy to withstand temptations, and we must go to Him for grace and mercy if we fall.

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

"By the grace of God I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10

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