Grace Gems for JULY, 2026
This God is mine, in all His glorious perfection!
(Archibald Brown, "This God Is Our God!" 1896)
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Deuteronomy 32:9, "The Lord's portion is His people!"
Lamentations 3:24, "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!"
The above two passages of Scripture ought never to be separated.
God and my soul possess each other.
God finds His portion in His people--and His people find their portion in their God!This God is mine, in all His glorious perfection!
His heart is mine, for He loves me with an infinite love.
His ear is mine, for I may pour into it all my tales of sorrow, and all my songs of joy.
His eyes are mine, for they keep watch on me from morning until night.
His hand is mine, for it is ever stretched out to uphold me.He is a God of infinite glory!
Abased in the very dust, and half bewildered by the thought, I yet dare to look up and say, "This God is my God forever and ever! He will be my guide even unto death!" Psalm 48:14
. . .
We have need to use this prayer at all times!
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O my God!" Psalm 38:21
Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation--but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy--in which we can do without His constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion with Him, or in temptation--we alike need the prayer, "Do not forsake me, O Lord!" "Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117
A little child, while learning to walk--always needs the parent's aid.
The ship left by the navigator--drifts at once from her course.
We cannot do without continuous preservation from our God!Let this be your prayer every day:
"Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O my God!
Father, do not forsake Your child--lest he fall by the hand of the enemy.
Shepherd, do not forsake Your lamb--lest he wander from the safety of the fold.
Great Gardener, do not forsake Your tender plant--lest it wither and die!
Do not forsake me now, O Lord! And do not forsake me at any moment of my life.
Do not forsake me in my joys--lest they absorb my heart.
Do not forsake me in my sorrows--lest I murmur against You.
Do not forsake me--for without You I am weak, but with You I am strong.
Do not forsake me--for my path is dangerous and full of snares.
Do not forsake me--for I cannot travel without Your guidance.
The hen does not forsake her chicks. O Lord, give me refuge under Your wings.
Do not be far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near--and there is none to help.
Do not forsake me, O Lord! Do not be far from me, O God of my salvation!". . .
The divine purpose of affliction
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Isaiah 48:10, "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have purified you in the furnace of affliction."
Affliction, in some of its many and varied forms, is the lot of all the Lord's people. Indeed, if we do not have it, then we lack an evidence of our true sonship, for the Father chastens every son whom He receives. Every believer is refined in the furnace of affliction.
To every follower of Jesus, how strong is the consolation flowing from this truth. God's afflictions are loving and parental towards His redeemed people; whereas towards His enemies, they are judicial and punitive. God refines His saints in the furnace of affliction, for their purification; but He places the ungodly in the furnace, for their destruction. The believer can welcome and patiently bear sickness, bereavement, and poverty; knowing that God's fatherly chastisements are not judgments, and His afflictions are not condemnations.
The furnace of affliction is needed in the process of sanctification:
to consume the dross which adheres so closely to the precious ore,
to purify the heart,
to center the affections on Jesus,
and to wean the soul from enticements of this vain world.The hour of affliction is the hour of softening, where:
the hardness of the heart yields,
the callousness of the spirit gives way,
the affections become heavenly,
and the conscience is made more tender.
It is a season of holy meditation, of prayer, and of withdrawal from the world and from creature delights; while the soul is more closely shut in with Jesus.Through these trials, the Holy Spirit comforts the afflicted soul by unfolding the deep and unchangeable love of Jesus, showing the believer that his sorrow is the fruit of Divine love, sent to draw the soul nearer to Himself. The Comforter opens the believer's ears to hear the voice of God's chastening rod, causing the disciplined heart to return from its wanderings and seek the wounded, bleeding, suffering Savior more eagerly than ever. In the furnace of affliction, the believer attains a deeper knowledge of God's all-sufficiency, and a truer knowledge of his own spiritual poverty and unworthiness.
In each season of affliction, the believer must turn from all creature sympathy, and look to Jesus, who was preeminently the man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief and suffering; making Him able to sustain and sympathize with His afflicted people.
In every stormy wind, in every darksome night, and in every rising fear, the voice of Jesus is heard saying, "Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid. Your affliction did not spring out of the ground, but came down from above; a heaven-sent blessing clad in a robe of ebony, sent entirely in love."
As you grow deeper into the loving heart of Jesus:
sorrow shall wound you less deeply,
affliction shall press you less heavily,
and tribulation shall affect you less keenly."We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
. . .
The believer's best day!
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"The day of death is better than the day of birth!" Ecclesiastes 7:1
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21
"I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" Philippians 1:23
William Nicholson:
"Death ends all the conflicts and trials and sorrows of the righteous.
Death is the commencement of all the woes of the wicked."Richard Sibbes:
"Death will be:
the death of my misery,
the death of my sins,
the death of my corruptions.
But death will be my birthday in regard of happiness."John Calvin:
"We may positively state that nobody has made any progress in the school of Christ, unless he cheerfully looks forward towards the day of his death."Samuel Bolton:
"It is the privilege of saints, that they shall not die until the best time; not until when, if they were but rightly informed, they would desire to die."Thomas Watson:
"For the child of God, death is the funeral of all his sorrows!"John Bunyan:
"Death is but a passage out of a prison, into a palace!"William Gurnall:
"Let your hope of Heaven master your fear of death.
Why should you be afraid to die, who hope to live by dying?"John Newton:
"I am packed, sealed, and waiting for the post!
Who would desire to live always in this poor world?"William Nicholson:
"We are ever gliding down the stream of time into the ocean of eternity!"Charles Spurgeon:
"He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool. He is a madman!"
"The best moment of a Christian's life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest Heaven.""Only a few years will pass, before I go on the journey of no return!" Job 16:22
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom!" Psalm 90:12
"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
. . .
Superb 9 minute video, "Behold Our Sovereign God!"
Job 42:2, "I know that You can do all things, and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted."Psalm 115:3, "Our God is in Heaven; He does whatever He pleases."
Psalm 135:6, "The LORD does all that pleases Him--in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths."
Proverbs 19:21, "Many plans are in a man's heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail."
Isaiah 14:24, "The LORD Almighty has sworn: Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand."
Isaiah 14:27, "The LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is outstretched, so who can turn it back?"
Isaiah 45:7, "I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things."
Isaiah 46:9-10, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish."
Lamentations 3:37-38, "Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it? Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?"
Daniel 4:34-35, "For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the powers of Heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him: What have You done?"
Romans 9:15-18, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden."
Ephesians 1:11, "In Christ we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will"
Revelation 19:6, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns!"
. . .
Free Indeed!
Various authors
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
The world prizes freedom. Every generation longs for it. People fight for political freedom, financial freedom, personal freedom, and the freedom to live according to their own desires. Yet Jesus confronts us with a startling truth: a person may live in the freest nation on earth, and still be a slave.
The greatest tyranny is not imposed by governments, but by sin. The strongest chains are not forged from iron, but from guilt, corruption, fear, and death. Every son and daughter of Adam is born in bondage. We are slaves to sin, unable to free ourselves, condemned before a holy God, and unable to break our own chains of sin.
Yet into this hopeless condition comes the glorious promise of Jesus: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" John 8:36
This is not partial freedom. It is not temporary relief.
It is perfect, lasting, spiritual liberty purchased by Jesus Himself.Jesus frees us from slavery to SIN
Every person is born in sin, and is a slave to sin. In Jesus, however, we are liberated in every dimension of salvation. He removes . . .
the guilt of sin by forgiving us completely,
the penalty of sin by bearing God's judgment in our place,
the power of sin by breaking its dominion through the Holy Spirit,
and one day the very presence of sin when He glorifies His people.Jesus does not merely improve sinners--He sets captives free, and transforms them into sons and daughters of God.
Jesus frees us from the curse and condemnation of the LAW
God's Law is holy and good, but because of our sin, it pronounces a righteous curse upon every transgressor. Jesus fulfilled the Law perfectly, and willingly became a curse for His people on the cross, satisfying its every demand. Therefore, those who are united to Jesus by faith are no longer condemned, but stand clothed in His righteousness before God. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13
Jesus frees us from bondage to human opinions and customs
The fear of man enslaves countless hearts, causing people to seek acceptance from others. Jesus delivers believers from this tyranny, by giving them a greater fear--the fear of the Lord; and a greater approval--the smile of their heavenly Father. Freed from the need to please people, Christians are empowered to obey God regardless of the world's praise or ridicule.
Jesus frees us from the accusations of a guilty conscience
An awakened conscience rightly reminds us of our sin, but Satan delights in using those memories to accuse and discourage God's people. Jesus answers every accusation with His finished work. Because His blood has fully atoned for sin, the believer's conscience may rest in the certainty that every charge has been answered at Calvary.
Jesus frees us from slavery to the DEVIL
Before conversion, sinners live under Satan's dominion, blinded to the glory of Jesus and captive to His will. But through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated the devil, broke his authority over believers, and transferred them into His own kingdom. Satan still tempts, but he no longer owns those whom Jesus has redeemed.
Jesus frees us from slavery to the WORLD
The world entices with pleasure, wealth, popularity, comfort, and prestige. It promises satisfaction while leading souls farther from God. Jesus opens our eyes to the emptiness of these fleeting attractions, and gives us a greater treasure--Himself! Once captivated by the world's glitter, believers now see its pleasures as temporary and its promises as hollow, choosing instead the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus.
Jesus frees us from the fear of DEATH
Death is humanity's greatest enemy, yet Jesus has transformed it for His people. By His resurrection He conquered the grave, removing its sting and securing eternal life for His redeemed people. For the Christian, death is no longer the doorway into Hell, but an entrance into the eternal and glorious presence of Jesus.
Jesus frees us from God's righteous WRATH, and eternal HELL
The greatest freedom Jesus gives, is deliverance from the righteous wrath of God. Every sinner deserves eternal judgment, but Jesus willingly bore that wrath in the place of His people.
"God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!" Romans 5:8-9
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:9
"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13–14
. . .
Loathsome thoughts!
(Thomas Brooks, "Heaven on Earth" 1667)
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Ezekiel 20:43, "You will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done."
The sincere penitent loathes his sins, and be loathes himself also because of his sins. He cries out,
"Oh these wanton eyes!
Oh these wicked hands!
Oh this deceitful tongue!
Oh this crooked will!
Oh this corrupt heart!
Oh how do I loathe my sins--and how I loathe myself!
My sins are a burden to me, and they make me a burden to myself!
My sins are abhorrent to me, and they make me abhor myself in dust and ashes!"A true penitent has not only low thoughts of himself, but loathsome thoughts of himself. None can think or speak so vilely of a Christian--as he thinks and speaks so vilely of himself. "Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4
"They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done, and for all their detestable practices!" Ezekiel 6:9
. . .
My portion!
(James Smith, "Gleams of Grace" 1860)
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Psalm 119:57, "You are my portion, O Lord!"
Many people are proud of their possessions, and boast of their wealth; yet their possessions are very limited, and their wealth has wings and may flee away at any time!
A Christian may not be proud; but he has great reason to be thankful.
He can look over the whole earth, and say, "My wealth exceeds all this!"
He can look up and gaze on the starry heavens and say, "My property exceeds this vast expanse!"
He may try to conceive of the greatness and glory of the created universe, and then say, "I claim more than all this!"
Looking up to the Author, Owner, and Disposer of all worlds--he can say, "You are my portion, O Lord!"
What a privilege! A portion--and such a portion.
God Himself in all His greatness, and in all His goodness.
God with all He is, and all He has--is my portion!What kind of a portion is this? It is immense, for it comprehends all.
All the attributes of the Divine nature, are for us.
All the perfections of God's character, are on our side.
All the productions of the divine power, are for our good.
Therefore the apostle says, "All things are yours!"
Nothing good is withheld from us!What the father of the prodigal said to his eldest son--our heavenly Father says to every one of His children, "Son, you are ever with Me, and all that I have is yours!"
We may adopt similar language in speaking to our heavenly Father, to that used by the angel to Abraham, "By this I know that You love me, because You have not withheld Your Son, Your only Son from me!" And from this fact, we may draw the same conclusion as Paul did, "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also, freely give us all things!"
O beloved, God in all the glory of His nature and perfections, God with all His unsearchable riches--is our portion!
What kind of a portion is this? It is immutable. It remains forever. Others may lose their property, or it may become deteriorated and comparatively valueless--but our portion is forever the same!
Our portion can never be forfeited, or alienated, or reduced in value--because it is the unchangeable God Himself!
Blessed is the man that can say with Jeremiah, "The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in Him!"
Or with David, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance!""My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26
. . .
Our great lesson!
(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.
n.b. there are two small recording errors in the following.)"I will instruct you." Psalm 32:8
At best we know but little, and we are slow to learn.
But the Lord has promised to instruct us.
The Lord's teaching always produces . . .
humility,
self-loathing,
confidence in God,
zeal for His glory,
and heart-devotion to Him!The Lord's teaching always . . .
brings us to the feet of Jesus, and
delivers us from the present evil world.Under Divine instruction we learn . . .
the true nature of sin,
the vanity of the world,
the emptiness of creatures,
and the fullness and preciousness of Christ!Is God willing to instruct us?
Then let us be early and often at His throne of grace; praying, as the Psalmist did,
"Show me Your ways, O LORD,
teach me Your paths;
guide me in Your truth and teach me;
for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long." Psalm 25:4-5Then shall we exclaim, as Elihu did, "God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him!" Job 36:22
The Lord will teach us to profit, and sanctify us through the truth He imparts.Christ is our great lesson, and to know Him rightly is life, peace and joy!
Is Jesus your Teacher? Then . . .
sit at His feet,
treasure up His Words,
and show forth His praise!He says, "Learn of Me." Learn to . . .
know Him,
love Him,
obey Him,
and live upon Him!"Teach me Your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path!" Psalm 27:11
. . .
Poor in self--rich in Jesus!
(James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit")
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 5:3
The Lord's people are all poor; they see and feel that sin has stripped them of every excellence; and has left them wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. They can do nothing of themselves, they can procure nothing for themselves! But free grace has made ample provision for them, and the Gospel informs them that Jesus has everything they need--and that all that He has, is for them!
When they look at, or into themselves, they are discouraged.
But when they look to Jesus, they rejoice!
He has riches of grace--and riches of glory; and He says, "Every one who asks--receives." He gives liberally, and upbraids not.Here then is the present blessedness of the Lord's poor: Jesus has all they need! And He is their Redeemer and Friend! Those who seek Him shall not lack any truly good thing.
Am I poor? If so, Jesus bids me come to Him, and buy gold, clothing, wine, and milk without price--all that is necessary to comfort and support in time, and render me happy throughout eternity!
Poor in self--rich in Jesus!
Poor at present--rich in eternity!
"For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven!""All things are yours!" 1 Corinthians 3:21
"And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus!" Philippians 4:19
. . .
The Golden Key! The Golden Thread!
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Jesus is the one great theme both of the Old Testament and the New. The whole Bible is designed to testify of Christ, "The Scriptures point to Me!" John 5:39
In Christ the Messiah,
in Jesus the Savior,
in the Son of God the Redeemer
--all the truths of the Bible center.To Him all the types and shadows point!
Of Him all the prophecies give witness!
All the glory of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation--culminates at the cross of Christ!
The Bible would be an inexplicable mystery apart from Christ, who unfolds and explains it all.
He is the golden Key which unlocks the divine treasury of Scriptural revelation!
Until He is seen, the Bible is, in a sense--a great mystery. But when He is found, it is a glorious revelation.
Every mystery is opened,
every enigma is explained,
every discrepancy is harmonized,
and every truth and page, sentence and word--is quickened with a life and glowing with a light flowing down from the throne of the Eternal God.Christ is the substance of the Gospel.
All its divine doctrines,
all its holy precepts,
all its gracious instructions,
all its precious promises,
all its glorious hopes--
meet, center, and fill up their entire compass in Jesus!He is the Alpha and the Omega of the Bible--from the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation.
Oh, study the Scriptures of truth with a view of learning Christ.
Do not study the Bible as a mere history.
Do not read it as a mere poem.
Do not search it as a book of science.
It is all that, but infinitely more.
The Bible is the Book of Jesus!
It is a Revelation of Christ!Christ is the golden thread which runs through the whole!
Blessed Lord Jesus! I will read and study and dig into the Scriptures, to find and learn more of You!
You, Immanuel, are the fragrance of this divine box of precious ointment.
You are the beauteous gem sparkling in this divine cabinet.
You are the Tree of life planted in the center of this divine garden.
You are the Ocean whose stream quickens and nourishes all who draw water out of this divine well of salvation.
The Bible is all about You!. . .
Go to Him just as you are, and receive from Him all you need!
James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"Come unto Me!" Matthew 11:28
Jesus calls you to His throne of grace. He is there waiting to hear, relieve and bless you. You are to go to Him just as you are, and receive from Him all you need.
He will give you:
wisdom, to direct your steps;
peace, to keep your hearts;
strength, to do His will;
righteousness, to justify your souls;
and rest, unspeakably sweet.He is glorified in bestowing these blessings upon you. He calls you this morning, this moment--to receive all you need, without money and without price. What a precious Savior is Jesus! What a kind and tender Friend!
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
"Come!" He says, "Come to Me!
Do not go to SELF, to the world, to the empty cisterns which creatures idolize; but come unto Me, and I will do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine!
Your sins, I will pardon;
your graces, I will revive;
your comforts, I will restore;
your holiness, I will increase;
your efforts to glorify Me, I will crown with success;
I will bless you, and you shall be a blessing!". . .
The Savior's dying love
Charles Spurgeon, et al.
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!"
There is no love on earth to compare with the love of Jesus. His love is not a mere sentiment--it is a mighty, active, sacrificial love. From eternity past, He set His heart upon a people given to Him by the Father. Knowing full well their rebellion, guilt, and depravity--He loved them still. And because He loved them, He came down from the heights of glory to the depths of shame--to be the sin-atoning sacrifice for their sins.
The love of Jesus is a SOVEREIGN love--free, undeserved, and initiated by Himself alone. "We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) There was nothing in us to attract Him--only vileness to repulse Him. Yet He set His love upon us with everlasting determination.
The love of Jesus is a SUFFERING love. He bore the wrath we deserved. He was pierced for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5) Every blow He received, every thorn pressed into His brow, every nail driven through His flesh--proclaimed the depth and cost of His love for His people. The wounds of Jesus are the sure pledges of His love. He wrote His love in crimson letters upon the cross.
The love of Jesus is a PERSONAL love. "The Son of God...loved ME and gave Himself for ME." (Galatians 2:20)
He knows and loves each of His redeemed people individually.
He sought us when we were wandering.
He drew us with cords of kindness.
He washed us in His blood.
He clothed us in His righteousness.
He calls us His brothers, His bride, His beloved.The love of Jesus is an UNCHANGING love. Human love fades and falters--but not His. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1) Nothing in Heaven or on earth, in life or death, can separate us from His love! (Romans 8:39) His love does not fluctuate with our failures. It is rooted in His eternal purpose, and secured by His substitutionary atonement on the cross. O wondrous love of Jesus--matchless, infinite, and everlasting!
May His love for us melt our hearts, stir our affections, and move us to live wholly for Him. How can we not love the One who so loved us? Let us sit at His feet, gaze upon His wounds, cling to His cross, and joyfully say, "I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine!" (Song of Songs 6:3)
"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)
. . .
These petty troubles and vexations!
George Everard, "Little Foxes, and How to Catch Them!" 1878
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
We must see our heavenly Father's hand in our lesser trials and cares, as much as in the greater ones.
David recognized the hand of God in Absalom rising against him in rebellion, but he saw it no less in Shimei throwing stones and dust and casting bitter words at him.
Just so, let us see God's hand in everything. These petty troubles and vexations are a part of our schooling for Heaven. They are just as much sent from above, as the fierce storm that wrecks our home and leaves us desolate in a cold world. They all come . . .
to prove us,
to humble us,
to draw out the grace which God has given us,
to break the tie that binds us too closely to earth,
to knit the tie that draws us nearer to Heaven.Let us ever fix this in our minds. Let us say to ourselves:
"My Father has sent this trial!
Not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him.
The very hairs of my head are numbered by Him.
So I will trust His heart, where I cannot trace His hand.
He is too wise to be mistaken--and too good to be unkind!". . .
Perhaps the most despised verse in the entire Bible!
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Romans 9:13, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
This is perhaps the most despised verse in the entire Bible!
There are only two kinds of people in this world--Jacobs and Esaus.
These two men represent the entire human race.
Jacob represents God's elect--and Esau represents the reprobate.
Jacob is loved by God--and Esau is hated by God.
Contrary to popular religious opinion, God does not love all people.God's love is sovereign and free. God's love for Jacob, did not depend on Jacob. God loved Jacob, simply because He chose to love Jacob--not because He saw something in Jacob that merited His love. In fact, Jacob proved himself to be completely unworthy of God's love--as do all whom God loves.
God's love depends on God, not Jacob. Jacob can't earn God's love, and Jacob cannot lose God's love--because it does not depend on him. The love of God is completely sovereign and free. God gives and withholds His love, as He sees fit.
God's love is discriminating love. Love is always discriminating. By definition, love is never common to all. Jacob was set apart by God's love, and being set apart by God's love--he had God's special favor, and the affection of God's heart. God's love is always particular and distinguishing. He does not love all people--He only loves His Jacobs.
God's love for Jacob and hatred for Esau, are according to His eternal purpose--not according to their works. "Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works, but by Him who calls . . . Just as it is written: 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.' What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy!" Romans 9:11-16
Jacob was elected to salvation before he was born, and Esau was rejected by God before he was born--according to God's eternal purpose.
Because Jacob was loved by God--God sent His Son into this world to redeem him from his sins. Christ died for Jacob--not for Esau! "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
. . .
A hazardous game!
(Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883)
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
1 Thessalonians 5:22, "Avoid every kind of evil!"
"If we play around the viper's hole--it is no wonder that we are bitten!"
An old proverb advises us not to play with sharp-edged tools, lest we cut our fingers.
It is a sin to trifle with sin! If we must play, we had better find harmless toys!
That evil which caused Christ a bloody death, is no fit theme for any man's sport.
Playing with wickedness is a hazardous game! Sooner or later, we will pluck the lion of sin by the beard, and we shall be torn in pieces!
This is true of indulgence in strong drink: "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper!"
This is equally true of all other forms of evil, especially of the lusts of the flesh. Lewd words, soon lead to foul deeds. Yet such is the folly of men, that they run dreadful risks in sheer wantonness, as though vipers and cobras were fine playmates, and devils were merry-makers!
"Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Do not let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin." Psalm 19:13. . .
Am I a Jacob, or an Esau?
Various authors(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Romans 9:11-13, "Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by Him who calls--she was told, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
After reading Romans 9, many people immediately ask a deeply personal question: "How can I know whether I am a Jacob, or an Esau?"
It is an understandable question, but it is not the question Scripture directs us to ask.
The Bible never tells us to discover whether our name is written in God's eternal decree, before we come to Jesus. God's secret will belongs to Him. Instead, Scripture consistently calls us to respond to what God has plainly revealed: repent of your sins and believe in Lord Jesus alone for salvation.
Many people become paralyzed by trying to peer into God's hidden counsel. They ask, "What if I am not one of the elect?" Yet the Bible never encourages anyone to determine election by such speculation. Election is known by its fruit.
A "Jacob" is not someone who first discovers that God has elected them. A Jacob is someone whom God graciously brings to repentance and faith in Jesus. Such a person begins to hate sin, love Jesus, treasure His Word, and persevere in following Him. These are not the cause of election, but its evidence.
By contrast, an "Esau" is characterized by unbelief and indifference toward the things of God. Hebrews describes Esau as one who despised his birthright for temporary satisfaction. His life illustrates a heart that valued earthly pleasures above God's blessing.
This means the question is not, "What does God's decree say about me?"
The question is, "What is my response to the Lord Jesus?"If you hear the gospel and have no desire for Jesus, no grief over sin, and no concern for God's glory; then that should warn you that you are on your way to eternal Hell. Scripture repeatedly warns against merely presuming to be saved.
But if you find yourself burdened over your sin, longing for forgiveness, desiring Jesus, and trusting Him alone for salvation--then those are not reasons to despair. They are precisely the kinds of evidences that God is at work in a sinner's heart. Spiritually dead hearts do not seek Jesus. Those whom God draws come and joyfully, because He changes their hearts.
Perhaps the greatest mistake people make, is thinking they must solve the mystery of election before they can come to Jesus. The Bible never presents it that way. The gospel invitation is clear: Come to Jesus just as you are, with all your sin and filth! Everyone who sincerely comes to Him, finds that God had first been at work drawing them.
In the end, no believer will stand in Heaven saying, "I chose God." Every one will confess, "God had mercy on me--an undeserving, ill deserving, and Hell deserving sinner!"
Yet no condemned sinner will be able to say, "I wanted Jesus, but He refused me."The blame for unbelief belongs entirely to the lost sinner;
the praise for salvation belongs entirely to God.So, how can you tell whether you are a Jacob, or an Esau?
Do not try to climb into Heaven to read God's decree. Instead, look to Jesus! If you are trusting Him alone, repenting of your sin, and following Him--then you have every reason to thank God for His sovereign grace in saving you. The evidence of being a Jacob is not perfect obedience, but genuine faith and repentance.
"No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day!" John 6:44
. . .
The golden pipe through whom the Father's eternal love flows to His people!
Charles Spurgeon, "The Exceeding Riches of Grace"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Ephesians 2:7, " . . . the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus."
I could well read these words as, "the superabounding, immeasurable, overflowing riches of the grace of God!" If I were to heap up acclamations, I could never express all that Paul means. There never was, and never shall be, a human understanding that can fully grasp the incomprehensible riches of the grace and mercy of God in Jesus!
What are some of the incomparable riches of His grace?
He chose us before He lit the stars, those torches of the sky.
He wrote our names upon the heart of Jesus, before He laid the foundations of the world.
In the fullness of time, He gave Jesus for us--even that blessed Savior of whom we say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me."
He made with us in Jesus, a covenant ordered in all things and sure, which shall stand fast when all created things dissolve.
Having done this, He watched over and guarded us when we were slaves of the tyrant Satan.
He called us; and when we would not come, He drew us yet more forcibly by His effectual grace, until at last we yielded to the omnipotent love of His adorable Son.Oh, I cannot tell all that He did to save us, but this I know:
He washed us, and we were whiter than snow!
He brought forth the best robe and put it on us, and made us lovely in His sight!
He gave us the kiss of sweet acceptance, and He adopted us into His family!
He guided us, and led us, and instructed us, and upheld us, and sanctified us--in our dangerous journey through this polluted wilderness world!
The almighty Savior is still performing daily miracles of mercy for us.What has He done? I answer, what has He not done? What more could He do?
Can you suggest a mercy? He has already given it.
Can you desire a grace? It is yours already.
Oh the goodness, the manifold goodness, the overflowing, surpassing, inconceivable goodness of God in His kindness toward us in Jesus.I must dwell a moment on that last phrase: "His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Jesus is the channel through which all of the Father's blessings have come to us. God gives common mercies to men as His creatures; but these riches of His grace, these covenant blessings--all come to us as His chosen ones, through Jesus the Mediator. You can see the mark of the cross on every spiritual grace which the Father has bestowed! Some drops of bloody sweat have fallen upon every treasured gem in the jewel box of Redemption.
And does not this endear the mercy of God to you--that it all comes through the Lord Jesus? It seems to me to enhance its value, and to make every spiritual blessing more and more dear, because it is brought to us by the hand of the Well-beloved Savior. By His atonement, all is procured to us; and by His matchless intercession, all is actually bestowed upon us.
I have a theme which is too deep and too high for me! I might detain you many a day upon this one phrase, "in Christ Jesus"--in and through the incarnate God, through His life and death and resurrection, and His intercession at the right hand of the throne of the majesty on high. All grace and mercy come to us through the Lord Jesus! He is the golden pipe through whom the Father's eternal love flows to His people!
. . .
Therefore we do not lose heart
Charles Spurgeon, "Freshness"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)Matthew 6:19, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."
The Lord Jesus here teaches us that we must not put our trust in the stability of earthly things. Change is written upon the face of all things. If, then, you have built your nest on high, then do not reckon too surely that you shall die in your nest, for the storm or the axe may fell the tree, and bring it down at an untimely hour.
If your children are round about you in good health, then do not make too sure of them, for they may be carried to an early grave, and the parent may yet be childless.
If hitherto you have been great in the esteem of men, then think less than nothing of that; for the breath of popular applause is more fleeting than a vapor. It scarcely comes, before it goes. Those who yesterday cried, "Hosanna!" in the streets at your coming, may before tomorrow's sun is set, be crying, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" They did that to the Master; do not marvel if they do it to His servants.
The treasures of earth are like the dew upon the grass--soon gone when the sun arises. He who builds his nest in this poor world, builds upon a tree that is marked for the axe.
This is the view that makes all mortal things insignificant to a wise and holy man. He will not put them among his treasures, for they melt before they are counted, like coins of ice. They are but as the toy coins that a child plays with, having only an imaginary value. The things which are seen are shadows; invisible things are the only substances.
Reckon then, at their real price, these transient advantages of wealth, health, or fame. Store up treasure "where neither moth nor rust destroy," and seek for stability in eternal realities, rather than these poor earthly vanities.
The Christian's riches are not in time, but in eternity; not in the creature, but in the Creator.
Hold all earthly things loosely, because some day you will lose them; but hold heavenly things with a death grip!
Get the feet of your joy upon the Rock of Ages, and reckon all else to be but sand at its very best!
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!" 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
. . .He never lacks an apple for an Eve
("The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod" or, "The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes" by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London.)
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)1 Peter 5:8, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!"
The devil is . . .
not a lamb, but a lion;
not a sleeping lion, but a roaring lion;
not a lion standing still, but a lion prowling around to devour!
He is not satisfied with the prey he has already gotten, but is restless in his designs to fill Hell with damned souls.He never lacks . . .
an apple for an Eve;
nor a grape, for a Noah;
nor a change of clothing, for a Gehazi;
nor a wedge of gold, for an Achan;
nor a crown, for an Absalom;
nor a bag of silver, for a Judas;
nor a world, for a Demas!If you look into one company, you shall find Satan a-dishing out his dainties to every taste.
If you look into another company, you shall find him fitting a lace to every shoe.
If you look into a third company, you shall find him suiting a garment to every back.Here, with Jael, he allures poor souls in with milk; and murders them with a nail!
There, with Joab, he embraces with one hand; and stabs with another!
Here with Judas, he kisses; and betrays!
And there, with the whore of Babylon, he presents a golden cup, with poison in it!"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8
. . .
The way to do good is to amuse people!
J.C. Ryle, 1884
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Matthew 11:1, "After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples; He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee."
A great change has taken place in the last forty years. A large quantity of church-work is continually being carried on both by clergymen and laymen, which, however well-meant, can hardly be called Christian--and in reality has a painful tendency to throw true Christian work into the background, if not to throw it entirely out!
No one, for instance, can fail to observe that a large number of professors are spending all their time and strength on church music, church decorations, church programs, and an incessant round of church attractions. Others are equally absorbed in social work, feeding the poor, and improved dwellings for everyone. Others are incessantly getting up popular concerts, secular lectures, and evening recreations. These things proclaim everywhere, that the way to do good is to amuse people!
Others are always occupied with secular clubs, and societies, and associations--and think that you are very wrong and heathenish, if you do not join them. Myriads of professors are restlessly busy about such mundane things from one end of the land to the other; and superficial observers are often saying, "What a great deal of church-work there is in these days!"
Now I would not for a moment be supposed to mean that all the things I have just mentioned, are wrong and wicked. Yet I doubt whether the present state of things is spiritually healthy. I doubt whether the work of the Holy Spirit on hearts and consciences, is not insensibly being left out in the cold and neglected. Amidst the incessant hustle and bustle about matters of entirely secondary importance--I doubt whether the sort of direct spiritual work to which Jesus and the Apostles wholly gave themselves, receives as much attention as it ought.
It is quite certain that musical performances, and church decorations, and concerts, and bazaars, and social work, and the like--will not save souls. It is equally certain that, without repentance, and faith, and holy living--that no one will enter Heaven. Do these simple, old-fashioned graces fill the place which they ought to do, in the daily proceedings of many so-called church-workers in this day? I exceedingly doubt it.
I certainly see on every side, a vast increase of what people call "church-work." But there is little or no increase of true religion. There undoubtedly is more show and glitter and display. But I extremely doubt whether there is more spiritual reality, and more practical godliness.
"He said to them: Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!" Mark 16:15
. . .
Do not judge a minister . . .
Thomas Brooks, "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ!"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)1 Timothy 4:6, "If you point these things out to the brethren, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed."
It is sad to see how many preachers in our days make it their business to enrich men's heads with lofty, empty, airy notions--instead of enriching their souls with holy truths.
Fix yourself under that man's ministry who makes it his business, his work--to enrich the soul, and to build up the soul; not to tickle the ear, or please the imagination. This age is full of such light, vain souls--who dislike everything but what is empty and airy.
Do not judge a minister . . .
by his voice,
nor by the multitude who follow him,
nor by his flashes of wit,
nor by his rhetoric;
but by the holiness, heavenliness, and spiritualness of his teaching!Many ministers are like empty orators, who have a flood of words--but a drop of matter!
Some preachers love their high-sounding incomprehensible strains; they strive to parade their intelligence as they soar aloft in dark and cloudy expressions; and so shoot their arrows over their hearers' heads--instead of bettering their hearers' hearts.
Amusing or witty things in a sermon, are only for men to gaze upon and admire.
He is the best preacher, not who tickles the ear--but who breaks the heart!
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power!" 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
. . .
Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean!
Charles Spurgeon, et al.
(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Psalm 119:117, "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!"
There is a glorious humility in this brief prayer. It is the cry of one who knows both his weakness, and his heavenly Father's ability. The psalmist does not say, "I will hold myself up!" or "I will stand in my own strength!" He knows better. He has learned the painful lesson of his own weakness and instability, and proneness to wander from God. Instead, he casts himself entirely upon the Lord: "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!" Only God can uphold His redeemed people, with corruption in their hearts, in a world full of spiritual dangers and deceits.
This verse is a declaration of the utter necessity of God's sustaining grace. The redeemed are not kept by their own will-power, intelligence, or resolve--they are "kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5). It is . . .
sovereign grace that chose them,
grace that effectually called them,
grace that redeemed them,
and grace that will preserve them to the end.Were it not for God's moment-by-moment upholding grace, no believer could endure to the end. The world entices, the flesh rebels, the devil accuses--and divine grace alone keeps their feet from slipping.
The Lord's people shall not fall away finally or totally. They may fall foully, but they shall not fall finally. He who began the good work in them, will carry it on until He completes it. The same hand which gave us spiritual life, must preserve that life. Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean--it would be utterly quenched, unless the Lord kept it alive.
Yet God's sustaining grace is not merely a necessity--it is a comfort beyond all measure. What greater security could the believer have, than to be upheld by God's everlasting arms! What sweeter assurance than to know that our safety depends, not on our grip on God, but on His mighty hold on us! "The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When fear arises, when temptations threaten, when strength fails--may this prayer be our rock of refuge: "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!"
Let every believer pray this daily. Let us not rely on our own wisdom or strength. Let us lean wholly on Him who never fails. And when we are upheld, when we find ourselves still walking with God, still standing in grace, still looking to Jesus--let us give Him all the praise. For it is not we who have held fast to Him--but He who has held fast to us.
"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 24–25)
. . .
I am coming for you soon!
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
1 Corinthians 15:19, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied!"
"Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions." Psalm 49:14
"You always overpower them, and then they pass from the scene. You disfigure them in death and send them away." Job 14:20
"Dust you are, and to dust you will return!" Genesis 3:19
The Scriptures confront us with a truth that the proud heart hates to ponder: man is but dust. Beauty, wealth, strength, and status--all of these perish at the grave's edge. What is more frail than the body? It is but a heap of dust, held together by the breath of God--and when He withdraws it, it returns to the earth from whence it came. So do not boast in outward beauty, or earthly treasure.
Death makes the greatest beauty so loathsome, that it must be buried out of sight! The fairest face, so admired in life, will in time become an object of horror. The smooth skin will shrivel. The bright eyes will dim. The laughter, the voice, the charm--will be silenced forever in death. The body, now so tenderly cared for, shall be turned into a lump of corruption, and lie moldering in the dust.
Death will strip you of all your ornaments, tear the mask from your face, and leave you loathsome to those who once admired you. Your corpse shall be carried to the grave, the house appointed for all living; and there the worms shall cover you--yes, the worms shall feed sweetly on you.
What has become of the loveliness that once charmed the eyes of beholders? Death has blasted it! And what of the fine clothing, and the gold and glitter of this world? The finest clothes are but badges of our sin and shame. Soon enough, they will be exchanged for a burial shroud. And the body, no matter how pampered or praised, will become a feast for worms!
Such truths are not morbid. They are merciful. For they strip away our illusions, and compel us to look beyond this vain and fleeting world.
At every funeral we attend, we should ever hearken to death's voice, for it always says to us: "I am coming for you soon!"
"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment!" Hebrews 9:27
. . .
These Canaanites!
(Thomas Reade, "Christian Meditations")
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Joshua 17:12, "They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there."
Sin is ever abhorrent to a holy God, and distressing to a renewed mind. Can the believer, then, derive any benefit from the indwelling sin which he hates, and against which he hourly combats?
These Canaanites in the land, though grievous to the spirit of a true Israelite, as thorns are to his flesh--may be overruled by Infinite Love to teach him many lessons:
These Canaanites remind him of his former condition, of the rock from where he was hewn, and of the hole of the pit from where he was dug; of his natural depravity, wretchedness, and misery--so that he may loathe himself in his own sight.
These Canaanites constrain him to acknowledge the grace of God in saving him, when he had nothing to expect but fiery indignation and judgment without mercy.
These Canaanites make him distrust himself, through the constant experience of his own weakness in resisting the world, the flesh, and the devil.
These Canaanites bring into exercise the graces of faith and patience, courage and self-denial, watchfulness and prayer. The weapons of his warfare are not allowed to rust, having daily to fight the good fight of faith.
These Canaanites make him value the blood and righteousness of Christ, which rise in value in proportion to the knowledge which he acquires of his sinful self. Thus, the more he is convinced of his sins and imperfections, the more earnestly does he seek after a better righteousness to justify him in the sight of God--even the spotless righteousness of Jesus Christ.
These Canaanites make him long more ardently for the rest which remains for the people of God. For that pure world, where sorrow cannot enter, where indwelling sin will never harass the soul, but where he will forever behold his adorable Redeemer, and be made like Him, when he shall see Him as He is!
"They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there." Joshua 17:12
. . .
This one thought is a fountain of unfailing happiness!
George Everard, 1884
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
Ephesians 1:5, "He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ"
Galatians 3:26, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus!"
Here is one of the sweetest privileges of the Christian life. The Christian is God's beloved child, and shares all the love and tenderness of the Father's heart!
This one thought is a fountain of unfailing happiness!
"I am at home with God!
Once I was far off--but now I am brought near.
Once I was a stranger--but now I am His beloved child!
Once the thought of His presence was fear and dread--but now it is life, and joy and peace.
He is my Father, and in this Name all heart-joys meet.
He knows me by name, and cares for me in all my cares.
He pities me, and in tender compassion marks each tear I shed, and each sorrow that weighs upon my heart.
He opens His hand, and each day gives me all that I need.
He bows down His ear and hearkens to each prayer I offer.
I have boldness and liberty to go at all times into His presence-chamber, and may tell Him my every desire and ask of Him whatever is for my good.""How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1
. . .
Living in a world full of disease and death!
J.C. Ryle, "The Gospel of John"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
John 11:3, "Lord, the one You love is very sick."
True Christians may be sick and ill as well as others. We read that Lazarus was one whom Jesus loved. Yet Lazarus was sick, even unto death! The Lord Jesus, who had power over all diseases, could no doubt have prevented this illness, if He had thought fit. But He did not do so. He allowed Lazarus to be sick, and in pain, and weary, and to languish and suffer like any other man.
The lesson is one which ought to be deeply engraved in our memories. Living in a world full of disease and death, we are sure to need it some day.
Sickness, in the very nature of things, can never be anything but trying to flesh and blood. Our bodies and souls are strangely linked together, and that which vexes and weakens the body can hardly fail to vex the mind and soul.
But we must always remember, that sickness is no sign that God is displeased with us.
Also, it is generally sent for the good of our souls.Sickness tends to draw our affections away from this world, and direct them to spiritual realities.
Sickness sends us to our Bibles, and teaches us to pray better.
Sickness helps to prove our faith and patience, and shows us the real value of our hope in Jesus.
Sickness reminds us that we are not to live always in this poor polluted world, and that we are citizens of Heaven; and that we must eagerly await the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body!
Then let us be patient and cheerful when we are laid aside by illness. Let us believe that the Lord Jesus loves us when we are sick, no less than when we are well.
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word!"
"It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your decrees."
"I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me!"
Psalm 119:67, 71, 75. . .
The flowers in the Lord's garden
J.C. Ryle, "The Gospel of John"
(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)
"Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside." John 20:3-6
We are taught in these verses, that there are widely different temperaments in different believers.
This is a point which is curiously brought out in the conduct of Peter and John, when Mary told them that the Lord's body was gone. We are told that they both ran to the sepulcher; but John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, outran Peter, and reached the empty grave first. Then the difference between the two men comes out.
John, of the two more gentle, quiet, tender, reserved, retiring, deep feeling, stooped down and looked in, but went no further. Peter, more hot, and zealous, and impulsive, and fervent, and forward, cannot be content without going down into the sepulcher, and actually seeing with his own eyes.
Both, we may be sure, were deeply attached to our Lord. The hearts of both, at this critical juncture, were full of hopes, and fears, and anxieties, and expectations--all tangled together. Yet each behaves in his own characteristic fashion.
We need not doubt that these things were intentionally written for our learning. Let us learn, from the case before us, to make allowances for wide varieties in the inward character of believers. To do so will save us much trouble in the journey of life, and prevent many an uncharitable thought.
Let us not judge brethren harshly, and set them down in a low place, because they do not see or feel things exactly as we see and feel, and because things do not affect or strike them just as they affect and strike us.
The flowers in the Lord's garden are not all of one color and one scent, though they are all planted by one Spirit.
The subjects of His kingdom are not all exactly of one tone and temperament, though they all love the same Savior, and are written in the same Book of Life.
The Church of Christ has some in its ranks who are like Peter, and some who are like John; and a place for all, and a work for all to do. Let us love all who love Christ in sincerity, and to thank God that they love Him at all. The great thing is to love Jesus!