ALL OF "GRACE GEMS" FROM JULY 2003 IN ONE FILE
The only thing that makes you differ
(Octavius Winslow, "Jesus, Full of Grace")
"But by the grace of God I am what I am."
1 Cor. 15:10
Christian! the only thing that makes you differ
from the vilest being that pollutes the earth, or
from the darkest fiend that gnaws his chains in
hell, is the free grace of God!
What delusions!
(Thomas Reade, "Christian Experience")
"The human heart is most deceitful and
desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17:9
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 good.
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; or in other words, too good to be true.
They depend upon a 'death bed repentance',
not considering that repentance is the work
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 erring 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 Law.
They suppose the Almighty to be such
a one as themselves.
Opinions? Theology? Religion?
(Horatius Bonar)
It is not opinions that man needs, it is TRUTH.
It is not theology that man needs, it is GOD.
It is not religion that man needs, it is CHRIST.
Entangling things?
(Spurgeon, "The One Thing Needful" #1015)
Around us are a thousand entangling things.
I see all around me a crowd of alluring,
fascinating, pleasurable and dazzling things.
Pleasure calls to me; I hear her siren song.
Philosophy and learning charm me;
fain would I yield my heart to them.
This world is very much like the pools we have
heard of in India, in which grows a long grass of
so clinging a character that, if a man once falls
into the water, it in almost certain to be his death,
for only with the utmost difficulty could he be
rescued from the meshes of the deadly, weedy
net, which immediately wraps itself around him.
This world is even thus entangling.
All the efforts of grace are needed to preserve
men from being ensnared with the deceitfulness
of riches, and the cares of this life . . .
the ledger demands you,
the shop requires you,
the warehouse bell rings for you;
the theater invites,
the ballroom calls.
You must live, you say, and you must have
a little enjoyment, and, consequently,
you give your heart to the world.
These things, I say, are very entangling;
but we must be disentangled from them,
for we cannot afford to lose our souls.
"What shall it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and lose his own soul?"
If a ship is going down, and a passenger has
his gold in a bag about him, see how he acts.
With regret he flings his bag of treasure down
upon the deck, for his life is dearer than gold.
If he may but save his life, he is willing to lose
all else besides.
Oh, sirs! for the one thing needful, all
entangling things must be given up.
Half the diseases of Christianity
(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Matthew" 1856)
"These are the names of the twelve apostles . . .
and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him." Mt. 10:2-4
We are taught here, that all ministers are not
necessarily saved men. We see our Lord choosing
a Judas Iscariot to be one of His apostles. We
cannot doubt that He who knew all hearts, knew
well the characters of the men whom He chose.
And He includes in the list of apostles one who
was a traitor!
We shall do well to bear in mind this fact.
Ordination does not confer the saving grace of the
Holy Spirit. Ordained men are not necessarily
converted. We are not to regard them as infallible,
either in doctrine or in practice.
We are not to make popes or idols of them,
and insensibly put them in Christ's place. We
are to regard them as "men of like passions"
with ourselves, liable to the same infirmities,
and daily requiring the same grace.
We are not to think it impossible for them
to do very bad things, or to expect them to
be above the reach of harm from flattery,
covetousness, and the world.
We are to prove their teaching by the word
of God, and follow them so far as they follow
Christ, but no further.
Above all, we ought to pray for them, that they
may be successors not of Judas Iscariot; but of
James and John. It is an dreadful thing to be
a minister of the Gospel!
Ministers need many prayers.
It is plain that the life of a faithful minister of
Christ cannot be one of ease. He must be ready
to spend body and mind, time and strength, in
the work of His calling. Laziness and frivolity are
bad enough in any profession, but worst of all in
that of a watchman for souls.
It is plain, for another thing, that the position
of the ministers of Christ is not that which
ignorant people sometimes ascribe to them,
and which they unhappily sometimes claim for
themselves. They are not so much ordained
to rule as to serve. They are not intended so
much to have dominion over the Church, as
to supply its needs, and serve its members.
Happy would it be for the cause of true religion,
if these things were better understood! Half the
diseases of Christianity have arisen from
mistaken notions about the pastor's office!
Money can hire workers.
Universities can give learning.
Congregations may elect.
Bishops may ordain.
But the Holy Spirit alone can
make ministers of the Gospel.
Satan's spiritual dominion over young people
(J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Matthew" 1856)
"Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of
the boy, and he was healed from that moment."
Matthew 17:18
We must not forget that there are many instances
of Satan's spiritual dominion over young people,
which are quite as painful, in their way, 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 diverse lusts and pleasures.
They run wildly into every excess of riot.
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 bondslaves of Satan.
Who has not seen such young people?
They are to be seen in town and in country.
They are to be found among rich and among poor.
Surely such young people give mournful proof,
that Satan still exercises a fearful dominion
over some men's souls.