Grace Audio Treasures

Heavenly Father, Sovereign Lord of all creation, I come before You in humility, acknowledging that You are the God who ordains all things according to the counsel of Your will. Nothing befalls me apart from Your divine purpose, and even in my affliction, I trust that You are working all things for my good and for Your glory. Lord, You have said in Your Word that trials refine us like gold in the furnace. Though I do not always understand Your ways, I know that Your wisdom is perfect, and Your love is steadfast. Teach me to submit to Your wise providence, to see affliction not as punishment, but as a means of transforming me into the image of Your beloved Son. Strengthen me, O God, that I may not grow weary in suffering, but instead, fix my eyes on Jesus, who endured far greater affliction for my sake. Help me to take comfort in Your promises: that You will never leave me nor forsake me, that Your grace is sufficient for me, and that no trial can separate me from the love of Jesus. Father, in my weakness, uphold me by Your righteous right hand. When my heart is heavy, remind me that this light and momentary affliction is preparing for me an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Let my trials deepen my dependence on You, increase my love for You and Your Word, and conform me more into the image of Your Son. In the name of my Redeemer, Jesus, who bore my sins on Calvary's cursed tree. Amen. "God does not chasten us because He is angry, but because He loves us. Whom the Lord loves, He chastens. By affliction, the Lord separates the sin that He hates, from the soul that He loves." "He knows the way that I take. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as

Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved." By the Spirit's divine energy, He savingly convinces men of the truth of the gospel. Those whom He saves, are men like Saul of Tarsus, who abhor the whole thing. He pours His effectual influences upon men, and infidelity melts away like the iceberg in the warm Gulf Stream. He touches the indifferent and careless sinners, and they repent, believe, and obey the Savior. He makes proud men tremble, and wicked men quake for fear. The regenerating work of the Spirit can make . . . the harlot to be chaste, the drunkard to be sober, the thief to be honest, the malicious to be forgiving, the covetous to be generous, and above all, the self-righteous to be humble. Whether He quickens, consoles, enlightens, refreshes, sanctifies, anoints, or inflames the soul--the Spirit always does it by taking the things of Christ, and revealing them to us. The Spirit works through the gospel. He is Almighty, and has complete mastery over the realm of mind. He has the ability to effectually: illuminate the intellect, win the affections, curb the will, and radically change the nature of man! He works all things after His own pleasure, and like the wind, He "blows wherever He wishes." When He puts forth His omnipotent energy, none can stand against Him. He has converted three thousand in a day, and He could as readily convert three million, or three hundred million.

The humble bee, though small and silent, teaches profound lessons to the soul that has eyes to see the handiwork of God. Day after day, she leaves her hive in search of nectar, flitting from flower to flower. Each blossom is different--some rich, some poor; some radiant, some plain. And yet, when her work is done, and the nectar has been brought back, processed, and perfected--the result is always the same: sweet, golden honey. By a special God-given instinct, bees gather not only from the ruddy rose, but also from the snow-white lily. They visit every kind of bloom, drawing nectar from all the beauties of the garden, and from this wide variety, they concoct a sweetness altogether unsurpassed. So it is with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. He is the rare confection of all divine perfections. In Him, all excellencies compounded and commingled in divine harmony. He is the meeting of all sweetnesses, to make one perfect sweet. In Him are mercy and truth, majesty and meekness, justice and grace, glory and humility--each a full perfection, yet all blended without contradiction in the matchless Person of the Son of God. What a picture this is of the providence and grace of God in our own lives! The Lord gathers from every event--joy and sorrow, comfort and affliction, gain and loss--and by the secret working of His Spirit, produces the fruit of righteousness in His redeemed children. Even our bitter trials are made to serve His purpose. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace." Hebrews 12:11. Like the bee, we are not the authors of the sweetness--but vessels through which God brings it forth.

Some imagine that the doctrine of election will lead to pride. Quite the contrary! The truth of God's sovereign electing grace is the very instrument which cuts pride at its root. "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7 Christian! Look around you and see many of your own family hastening down the broad way that leads to eternal destruction, perhaps wrapped in religious traditions, and slaves of sin and Satan. Now, I ask you: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around your town, and see the drunkenness, profanity, drugs, degeneracy, prisons, and broken homes--and then tell me: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around the world, and see nine-tenths of it bound in sin, superstition, decadence, and spiritual darkness--and then ask yourself: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? How can a sinner saved by sovereign grace, be proud? Look down into the realms of darkness and damnation, and see the angels that fell, bound in everlasting chains. Look at whole nations who, like the fallen angels, have been passed by in God's wisdom and sovereignty--and tell me, who made you to differ from them? A proud believer would be totally inconsistent with free grace salvation! "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 no

"My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass." Psalm 102:11 "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes!" James 4:14 "Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it!" Psalm 39:6 It is of the greatest service to us, to be reminded that our life is but a mist, which appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Through forgetfulness of this obvious truth, worldlings live at ease, and Christians walk carelessly. Unless we consciously live in the light of eternity, worldliness soon eats into our heart like a canker! If you have this world's riches, believer--then remember that this poor world is not your rest, and do not place an excessive value on its comforts. If, on the other hand, you are afflicted, and are burdened with poverty--then do not be too much depressed thereby, for these light afflictions are but for a moment, and are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Remember that you are a part of a great procession which is always moving ahead; others are coming and going before your eyes--you see them for a short time, and they disappear into the eternal world. In the same way, you yourself are moving onward to eternity. It is most wise to contemplate the fact that our life is quickly passing away, and to be prepared to stand before God's great and final tribunal. "Remember Him, before . . . the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it!" Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep

God's people are called to rejoice in His vengeance upon the wicked, as it displays His justice, "Rejoice over her, O Heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! For God has judged her for the way she treated you!" Revelation 18:20 The saints in glory will rejoice in God's perfect justice, including His righteous judgment on the wicked. The redeemed in Heaven shall be free from all sin-tainted sentimentality, and hence will regard the doom of the ungodly from the standpoint of God's righteous government. The just punishment of the finally rebellious will cause them no anguish. They will praise God for executing justice upon the wicked. "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in Heaven shouting, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of His servants. And again they shouted, Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever!" Revelation 19:1-3 Believers in Heaven do not rejoice in human suffering itself, but they rejoice in the manifestation of God's perfect justice and holiness. The damnation of the wicked is part of God's righteous rule--and in eternity the saints will fully align with God's will, loving all that He loves and hating all that He hates! On earth, our emotions are mixed with sin, sentimentality, and clouded understanding. But in Heaven, we will have glorified minds and hearts, perfectly aligned with God's will. When God, in His perfect holiness, decrees eternal punishment for the wicked, the redeemed will fully agree and delight in His righteo

We have fallen on very velvety days! Charles Spurgeon "All those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!" 2 Timothy 3:12 A little persecution would be a grand thing for the church! We have fallen on very velvety days, when zeal for God is rare, and decision for truth is scarcely is to be met with. The church has compromised with the world, and went to sleep with Satan rocking her cradle. Many profess to be a Christian, who are really nothing better than a baptized worldling. In the same way, many a man claims to be a minister of Christ, who is really a hireling, and does little for the feeding and caring of the sheep. The winnowing fan of persecution, if it purged the threshing floor of the church, would bestow great benefits upon her! "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you!" Matthew 5:11-12

Romans chapter 8:17-18, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings, in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." What grace is this, that those who were once rebels and enemies of God, are now called His children. Not merely pardoned, not only adopted--but made heirs of God Himself and co-heirs with Christ. This is a staggering truth, and one far beyond human merit or imagination. It is God's sovereign grace on display, lifting the ruined sons of Adam into the royal family of Heaven. To be a child of God is the highest privilege known to man. It is not something earned, but granted by divine grace to those who are united to Christ by faith. And with sonship comes inheritance, not merely an inheritance from God, but God Himself as our portion. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. But there is a condition, "If indeed we share in His sufferings." This is not a condition of merit, but of identity. To belong to Christ is to walk the path He walked. There can be no crown without the cross, no glory without the grief. This world that hated Him, will not embrace His followers. And while our afflictions may differ in kind and degree--every true believer will, in some form share in the fellowship of His sufferings. How can that be? Because the weight of glory is infinite. The suffering is momentary, yet the glory is eternal. The trials are temporal--yet the inheritance is incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading. If we are to reign with Christ, we must be content to suffer with Him. T

The silly moth is caught! Henry Law, 1858 Why is this world such a wide sea of evil? Why do earth's multitudes roll so easily to Hell? The tastes of the mass of the human race are groveling and vile. They only care to sip the vulgar cup of time and sense. Their sin-soiled garments and polluted feet prove, that they wallow in defiling mire. See the worldling. A temptation meets him. A gilded bait allures. A sweet indulgence opens its inviting arms. What follows? The silly moth is caught! Pleasure whispers, "Come and partake!" Desire acquiesces. Nature surrenders. Thus Satan leads his crowds down misery's downward slope. Quickly, easily--they glide along. The rolling pebble has no power to stop. The downhill torrent is incapable of turning. To them, liberty is unknown. The clash of heavy chains attests their bondage. Satan drags them--and they must obey. The world gives laws--they tremblingly submit. They crouch, the slaves of many an insulting tyrant! "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death!" James 1:14–15 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it!" 1 Corinthians 10:13

Christian, all the mercy in the heart of God belongs to you! Charles Spurgeon "For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting" Psalm 100:5 "The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him" Psalm 103:17 "Let those who fear the LORD now say: His mercy endures forever!" Psalm 118:4 Christian, all the mercy in the heart of God belongs to you! As great as your necessities may be, my dear brother, all the mercy that is in God belongs to you, and is engaged to meet your case. Let me put it in another light: If there were no other person in the world but you, and God loved you infinitely and exclusively--then would He not be able to do much for you, if all of His omnipotence was devoted to your good, and if all of His grace centered upon you, and you were the focus of all His wise and loving purposes? "Oh yes!" you say, "I would be favored indeed!" You are just as favored as that, for the multiplicity of the objects of divine love, necessitates no diminution to any one. God can love a million, and love each one as intensely as if there were but one to be favored! Our little minds are distracted with many objects. We cannot concentrate upon many, we are therefore confined. But the full concentrated love of the eternal God is set upon each one of His dear children! Is there not great comfort here? "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever!" Psalm 118:1 "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever" Psalm 89:1