Grace Gems for NOVEMBER 2004

Grace Gems for NOVEMBER 2004 A little drop of purity in the midst of impurity (Letters of J. C. Philpot) How mysterious is the life of God in the soul. It seems like a little drop of purity in the midst of impurity. We shall always find sin to be our worst enemy, and self our greatest foe. We need not fear anything but sin--nothing else can do us any real injury. Though the Lord in tender mercy forgives His erring wandering children, yet He makes them all deeply feel that indeed it is an evil and a bitter thing to sin against Him. If Mr. Pride gets a wound in the head (Letters of J. C. Philpot) "Some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives." Philip. 1:15 I hope I can rejoice in the Lord's blessing the labors of other good men. It is indeed a sad spirit when ministers are jealous of each other, and would rather cavil and find fault with each other, instead of desiring that the blessing of God might rest upon them and their labors. Oh that miserable spirit of detraction and envy, which would gladly pull others down, that we might stand as it were, a little higher upon their bodies! Where is there any . . . true humility of mind, simplicity of spirit, brotherly love, or an eye to God's glory, when this wretched spirit is indulged? If Mr. Pride gets a wound in the head, it will not be the worse for the grace of humility. Our greatest enemy (Letters of J. C. Philpot) I am more afraid of myself--my lusts and passions, and strong and horrible corruptions--than of anybody in the whole world. SELF is and ever will be our greatest enemy. And all our enemies would be as weak as water against us, were we not such vile wretches in ourselves. Sin's sweetness and smiles (Henry Law, "The Burnt Offering") Sin's sweetness tempts by its flattering baits. But bitterness ensues. It shows enticements in its front. It seems to call to rich delights. It promises a honied feast. But ah! the juice is gall. The dregs are wormwood. Sin's smiles end in hell pains! Poor worldlings snatch at miscalled pleasure's husk. They eat, and fret, and pine, and perish! The sure conclusion of a godless life! (Henry Law, "Deuteronomy" 1858) "They always heap up their sins to the limit! The wrath of God has come upon them at last!" 1 Thes. 2:16 All men are born spiritually dead. SIN entered with murderous hand. It planted deep its dagger in the heart. Knowledge of God, love of His name, delight in holy communion, sweet fellowship with heaven, the happy worship of unsullied praise, the blissful gaze on the Creator's smile, and all the circle of pure joy-- were buried in a deep grave. The soul became . . . a total wreck, a withered tree, a dried up stream, a wilderness of weeds, a starless night, a chaos of beclouded thought, a rebel's camp, the shattered home of misery, the region in which death reigned. The eyes were dim and saw not God. The face was turned away. Each step led downward. The hands were lifted in defiance. The mouth was opened to blaspheme. Man was a dying body holding a dead soul. He moved as an unmixed evil--as a sin-spreading pest. All this is sad--but there are sadder things yet! This is tremendous woe--but deeper woe comes on! This is dark night--but darker shades will deepen yet. This is full wretchedness--but still the cup may hold more drops. This fleeting scene must end! The earthly home must be left! DEATH comes! It drives poor sinners to their final home. And what is that? Reader, shrink not! Withdraw the darksome veil. Look down into the dread abode. Ponder the lost in their low cells. HELL is their everlasting doom! Think not, that hell is the mere phantom of brain-sick thought. It is no fable fondly framed to scare weak minds. It is a dreadful reality! It is a gigantic certainty! It is the sure conclusion of a godless life! It is the gulf, to which transgressing streams rush hopelessly. And it is not far away! It gapes before the feet! Another step may plunge the ruined into this abyss! But hearken! There is a Savior, who delivers from this death. There is a friend, who bestows heavenly life. Jesus appears, and on the cross endures the death, and by His righteousness brings in new life. "Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath!" 1 Thes. 1:10 The muddy waters of this world (Favell Lee Mortimer, "Family Devotions") "Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again." John 4:13 There is a defect in all earthly pleasures and comforts--they seem to satisfy us for a little while, but soon the tormenting thirst returns. Have we not often experienced the truth of this? We have partaken of some pleasure, and have felt satisfied--but O how short was our satisfaction! We soon become restless and uneasy again. Thus we continue to thirst until we are made partakers of the Holy Spirit--then we feel satisfied. Then we find within ourselves a source of happiness. What is this source of never-failing delight? It is the sense of pardoned sin, of God's love in Christ, the hope of heaven, and of meeting our Redeemer there. Have you not heard of people racked with pain, who yet enjoyed a peace that passes all understanding? Perhaps you have seen such people, and have wondered at their case. Behold the mystery explained! They drank, indeed, of no stream of earthly comforts, but there was in them a well of water springing up that never could be exhausted, and therefore they did not thirst after the muddy waters of this world. "Please, sir give me some of that water! Then I'll never be thirsty again!" John 4:15 A self-pleasing, self-indulging, worldly-minded people. (J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of Luke" 1858) "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 See the absolute necessity of daily self denial. We ought every day . . . to crucify the flesh, to overcome the world, and to resist the devil. Now what do we know of all this? Surely this is a question which ought to be asked. A little formal church going, and a decent attendance at a place of worship, can never be the Christianity of which Christ speaks in this place. Where is our self denial? Where is our daily carrying of the cross? Where is our following of Christ? Without a religion of this kind we shall never be saved. A crucified Savior will never be content to have a self-pleasing, self-indulging, worldly-minded people. No self denial--no real grace! No cross--no crown! "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 Our own amusement? (Favell Lee Mortimer, "Family Devotions") For what purpose did we come into the world? Our own amusement? O no! Yet many live as if they were born merely to live in pleasure, and then to die like the beasts! A young lady was once converted by meditating on the first question in the catechism--"What is the chief end of man?" The answer, "To glorify God, and enjoy Him forever." She felt that she was not fulfilling this end while spending her time in vain and worldly pleasures. By the grace of God she gave them up, and became an eminent Christian. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Col. 3:1-2 "God bless us." (Favell Lee Mortimer, "Family Devotions") "And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak." Matthew 12:36 The Lord Jesus observes the expressions we use in our common conversation. He notices every reproachful word we utter to each other. He also notices every irreverent word we speak of God. Let us never forget that He still listens to our words, and is displeased with every profane expression, such as, "God bless us." Ungodly people are so much in the habit of uttering these exclamations, that they scarcely know when they use them. They have no reverence for the majesty of the Almighty God, nor care how they insult His name. Editor's note: Though sacrilege (the speaking of God--and the things of God--in an unthinking, frivolous, trivial way) is a common sin among professing Christians, God does not treat such irreverence lightly. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you use His name in vain." Exodus 20:7 A leprosy in our souls! (Favell Lee Mortimer, "Family Devotions") "But he was a leper!" 2 Kings 5:1 Of all diseases, none represents sin in a more striking manner than leprosy. Leprosy is a POLLUTING disease. It rendered a man unfit to enter the temple, or even to associate with his fellows; as by God's law anyone who touched him became unclean. Thus sin unfits man from entering heaven, and for the society of spotless saints and angels. Leprosy is also a SPREADING disease. It covered a man with white scales from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. Thus sin has defiled all our faculties. It has . . . disordered our affections, blinded our understandings, hardened our consciences, perverted our wills. Leprosy is a PAINFUL disease. The hands and feet of the poor leper are often eaten away, and in this crippled state he drags out a miserable existence. But what disease is as painful as sin-- the swellings of pride, the tumults of passion, the anxieties of covetousness, the gnawings of envy, the gloom of unbelief? Leprosy is an INCURABLE disease. Sin also is incurable by MAN. None can forgive sins but God alone; none can overcome sins but God alone. Tears cannot wash out our past sins, nor can good resolutions keep us from committing them in time to come. Having then a leprosy in our souls, let us imitate the poor leper of whom we read-- A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, "If you are willing, You can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. "I am willing," He said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured!

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Grace Gems for NOVEMBER 2004

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