By the Still Waters (J.R. Miller)

Psalms 23:3

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

In several ways does the shepherd restore his sheep. 
If one wanders away, he goes out after it, and seeks
it until he finds it, restoring it to the shelter of the 
fold. If one faints and grows sick by the way, in the 
hard journey or the burning heat — the shepherd does 
not leave it to die, but takes it up in his arms, and 
carries it home, restoring it to the fold. If a sheep is 
hurt, torn by a wild beast or injured by accident — the 
shepherd tends its wounds until they are healed.

All this suggests how our Good Shepherd restores our 
souls. Sometimes we wander away. It is very easy to 
drift off from Christ. The drifting is often unconscious
 — we do not realize that we are losing our first love — 
and little by little, we are far off from Christ. Perhaps 
it is a cherished sin which eats out our heart-life. Or
perhaps it is a worldly companionship which draws us 
away, loosening the bonds which bound us to Christ. 
Sometimes it is an absorbing business which leaves 
no room for God. Or it may be the cares of this world 
which choke the Word and quench the Spirit. We often 
need to have our soul restored, quickened, revived — or 
we would never get safely home, through this evil world.

Then, when sorrow has left the heart broken, it is 
only the Good Shepherd who can restore it. He is 
a most skillful physician. We may put all sorrow's
wounds into His hand. He is most gentle, and His 
hand is infinitely skillful. He is a wonderful comforter. 
No human hand can heal a heart that is bruised — but 
the hand of Jesus has infinite delicacy and skill. 

Psalms 147:3

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” 

http://www.gracegems.org/

God's Jewels (A.W. Pink)

Malachi 3:17

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” 

It almost surprises one to learn that the great and self-sufficient God has 'jewels,' but our surprise increases to astonishment when we learn that these 'jewels' are living creatures. And astonishment gives place to overwhelming amazement when we discover that these living creatures are fallen and depraved sinners redeemed from among men! Truly, nothing but Divine grace would ever liken such wretched worms of the dust, unto precious jewels! Yet that is the very thing which we find God doing in our text. It is not the unfallen angels, nor the holy seraphim and exalted cherubim who are spoken of as Jehovah's valued treasure--but lost and ruined sinners saved by amazing grace!

The Lord has likened His people to 'jewels' because of their inestimable value in His sight. This is an exceedingly hard thing for the Christian to really grasp, for he feels such a wretched and worthless creature in himself. That the Lord of Glory should deem him of great worth, is difficult to conceive. Yet so it is!

From the earliest times, men have thought much of precious gems, and fabulous prices have been paid for them. With great ardor and toil, do men hunt after gold; but with even greater eagerness and labor will they seek the diamond. Hundreds of men will labor for a whole year in one of the diamond mines of Africa, and the entire result of their efforts may be held in the palm of your hand. Princes have been known to barter their estates in order to obtain some gem of peculiar brilliance and rare excellence. 

Yet more desirable still, are His saints in the esteem of the Lord Jesus. The value of a thing in the eyes of its possessor, may be gauged by the price he was willing to pay for it. So valuable was the Church unto Christ that He gave Himself for it, and shed His precious blood to purchase it for Himself. Thus, the saints are likened unto 'jewels' because of the great value which the Lord places upon them.

"You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand, and a royal diadem in the palm of your God." (Isaiah 62:3) What marvelous words are these for faith and hope to lay hold of! Our feeble intellects cannot grasp them! Wondrous is it to think of rough stones, which first look like small pebbles, being found in the mud and mire of earth; then cut and polished until they scintillate with a brilliancy surpassing any earthly object, and being given an honored place in the diadem of a monarch. But infinitely more wonderful is it, that poor lost sinners, saved by sovereign grace, should be among the crown-jewels of the Son of God!

http://www.gracegems.org/

God's Jewels (Thomas Watson)

Malachi 3:17

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” 

God's people are His jewels — His own special treasure!

In what sense are the saints, God's jewels?

Jewels are precious things; the Hebrew word for jewels signifies a treasure. A treasure is made up of costly things: gold, and diamonds and rubies. Such a precious treasure, are the saints to God.

They are jewels for their sparkling quality. Their holiness shines and sparkles in God's eyes! (Song of Solomon 4:9), "You have ravished My heart, with one glance of your eyes!" That is, with one of your graces.

The godly are jewels for their scarcity. Diamonds are not common. Just so, the godly are scarce and rare. There are but few of these to be found. There are many false professors (as there are many plastic diamonds) but few true Christians. Among the millions in Rome, there were but few senators. Just so, among the swarms of people in the world — there are but few true believers.

The godly are jewels for their price. Queen Cleopatra had two jewels which were worth half the price of a kingdom. Thus the saints are jewels, for their value. God esteems them at a high rate; He parted with His best jewel for them — Christ's precious blood was shed to ransom these jewels!

The saints are jewels for their adorning quality. Jewels adorn those who wear them. The saints are jewels which adorn the world. Their piety mixed with prudence honors the gospel. Hypocrites eclipse true religion and make it badly spoken of. The saints as jewels, render it illustrious by their sanctity.

God the Father has chosen these jewels, and set them apart for Himself!

Christ has bought these jewels with His blood! 

The Holy Spirit has sanctified them. When they were a lump of sin — He made them into His jewels! He will string these pearls together — and put them into His celestial cabinet!

Bless God who has wrought such a change in you! From lumps of dirt and sin — He has made you into His jewels!

http://www.gracegems.org/

What A Wonderful Person! (James Smith)

Psalms 104:34

“My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” 

What a wonderful person is my glorious Lord Jesus! All the divine attributes are found in Him. As there are no limits to His fullness — there can be no limit to my supplies, or the least prospect of need.

Jesus is my divine Savior!
His bounty will supply me,
His omnipotence will deliver me,
His omnipresence will protect me,
His omniscience will guard me,
His love will animate me,
His mercy will heal me,
His grace will support me,
His compassion will comfort me,
His pity will relieve me,
His goodness will provide for me,
His tenderness will soothe me,
His kindness will encourage me,
His patience will bear with me,
His justice will avenge me,
His faithfulness will embolden me,
His holiness will beautify me,
His anger will awe me,
His life will quicken me,
His light will illumine me,
His Word will regulate me,
His joy will delight me,
His blessedness will elevate me,
His long-suffering will lead me to repentance,
His immutability will secure the fulfillment of all the promises to me,
His truth will be my shield and buckler,
His sovereignty will raise my admiration,
His condescension will inspire me with gratitude and love,
and His all-sufficiency will satisfy me both in time and eternity!

In Jesus, God has reconciled me to Himself — imputing my trespasses to Him — and His obedience to me.

God by Jesus, takes away . . .
 all my sins, 
 His own wrath, and 
 my deserved condemnation!

All good things . . .
 are treasured up in Christ, 
 were procured for me by Christ, 
 flow to me through Christ, and
 are conferred on me for the sake of Christ!

How exactly suited is the Lord Jesus to my case! Inflexible justice demands my blood — but He becomes my substitute, and spills His own!

In Jesus, I see my sin — and God's justice meet!
He removes the one — and satisfies the other!

What is Jesus called in God's holy Word? 
A Savior — in reference to my lost condition.
A Reconciler — in reference to the enmity that existed between myself and God.
A Redeemer — in reference to my slavery to sin.
A Mediator — in respect to the disagreement between myself and the Most High God.
A Refiner — with respect to my filthiness.
An Advocate — with regard to my perplexed cause.
A Prophet — in respect to my ignorance.
A Priest — with a view to my guiltiness.
A King — in regard to my weakness and foes.
A Bridegroom — regarding my lowly estate and relationship.
A Physician — with regard to my many soul maladies. 
In a word, Jesus is "All In All." 

O to know more of Jesus, in . . .
 the glory of His person,
 the riches of His grace, 
 the perfection of His work,
 the tenderness of His heart,
 the strength of His love and
 the effectual working of His power! 

http://www.gracegems.org/

The Grand Object of the Eye of Faith (C.H. Spurgeon)

2 Corinthians 4:18

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 

In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part — to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown — and onward is the goal. Whether it is for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love — the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith!

Looking into the future — the Christian sees sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of eternal glory. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river passed. He sees himself . . .

 enter within the pearly gates,
 hailed as more than conqueror,
 crowned by the hand of Christ,
 embraced in the arms of Jesus,
 glorified with Him, and
 made to sit together with Him on His throne!

Contemplation of my glorious future may well relieve,

 the darkness of the past, and
 the gloom of the present! 

The joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows of earth! 

Hush, hush, my fears! 
Death is but a narrow stream — and you shall soon have forded it!
Death — how brief! Immortality — how endless! 
Time — how short! Eternity — how long! 
The road is so, so short! I shall soon be there!

2 Timothy 4:8

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 

http://www.gracegems.org/

No Chance, Accident, or Luck!

Matthew 10:29-32

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."

"God who feeds the sparrows, will not starve His saints! God controls all the concerns of His people, even of those that are most minute, and least regarded. This is an encouragement to live in a continual dependence upon God's providential care! If God numbers our hairs, much more does He number our heads. He takes care of our lives, our needs, our concerns, and our souls. God's universal providence extends itself to all creatures, and to all their actions — even the smallest and most minute!" 

~Matthew Henry

"I am sure there is no more delightful doctrine to a 
Christian, than that of CHRIST'S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY!
I am glad there is no such thing as 'chance',
that nothing is left to itself,
but that Christ everywhere has sway.
If I thought that there was a devil in hell that Christ did not
govern, I should be afraid that devil would destroy me.
If I thought there was a circumstance on earth, which Christ did
not over-rule, I should fear that circumstance would ruin me.
Nay, if there were an angel in heaven that was not one
of Jehovah's subjects, I should tremble even at him.
But since Christ is King of kings, and I am his poor brother,
one whom he loves, I give all my cares to him, for he cares
for me; and leaning on his breast, my soul has full repose,
confidence, and security."

~C.H. Spurgeon

"We ofttimes forget that the common mercies of life are evidences of our Father's loving thought and care for His children. There is no such thing as 'chance' in this world. God sends the rains, orders the seasons, and brings the harvests. In enjoying the gifts — we should not forget the Giver. In accepting and using the blessings — we should not fail to see the Hand which brings them to us!" 

~J.R. Miller

"Nothing can happen in this world without God's permission. There is no such thing in reality, as chance, accident, or luck!" 

~J.C. Ryle

"Scripture everywhere teaches that even the minutest details of life are of divine ordering!"

~Louis Berkhof

What a sad world this would be—were it governed by Fate!—Were its blended lights and shadows, its joys and sorrows—the result of capricious accident—or blind and wayward chance! How blessed to think that each separate circumstance which befalls me—is the fulfillment of God’s own immutable purpose! 
~John MacDuff

http://www.gracegems.org/