Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Glorious Gospel 5

Jesus came into this world as a Jewish baby, He lived a sinless life of service and suffering. Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane and sweat great drops of blood, then He was falsely condemned to die, His back was scourged, and nailed to a tree. The Blood ran from His head, hands, and feet. He died for sinners. He descended into the grave for three days, and then rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. Jesus paid all the sinner owed to divine justice. Jesus our Substitute has kept all the commandments. Jesus paid the whole penalty for our disobedience, and now instead of condemnation, Jesus demands as a debt of justice that we be acquitted. Come now and receive the free Forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life that is freely given for Jesus' sake. Only confess your sinfulness, emptiness, and need of the Savior. Trust the great Savior, and you are instantly and completely pardoned.

Disciples are learners, and as they learn, they do, as they are taught, they practice truth in their daily lives towards others practically. Disciples always trust to the Lord Jesus Christ to save them, not trusting to their doing or learning, but trusting alone to Jesus Christ. Only doing and learning because I trust and love Jesus. I will not live as I please, but as Jesus pleases. Consider Jesus - that is, look to Him through the window of Scripture until you see Him.

I am polluted and defiled; nothingness, emptiness, and sinfulness is all I can boast. My sins are great, the sinfulness of my human nature is grievous, and my case is beyond reach of human skill. You are guilty, lost, depraved, and condemned in your conscience by the divine law of God. Receive free pardon through Jesus' blood. He suffered in the sinner's place, He atones for our guilt, and we are acquitted. Cast yourself on Him, fall into the arms of His saving grace. No works, merits, fitness, preparation, self-righteousness, or doings are required. Look to the interests of your soul first.

Calvary exalted, Christ magnified. *John 3:14-15* Turn your eyes to Mount Calvary weary, heavy laden sinner, fix your gaze upon the bleeding Sufferer. See the Victim of divine justice, the sinless blood Sacrifice of Atonement for your transgressions. View the Savior in His agony with streams of blood purchasing your soul's ransom and freedom, and with intense agony enduring your punishment. Guilty soul, be of good cheer; there is one who died for you. Look to Calvary's Cross, behold the Lamb's wounds and blood, see the gore gushing from His side. He is your Mediator. He loves you with an everlasting love, and His chastisement was meant for your good, each stripe for your healing. As long as you look to yourself, there is no hope for you. Self-righteousness keeps men from the Savior. Look away from yourself to Jesus.

Self-righteousness will never qualify you to come to Christ. Sin and guilt are the only qualifications to come to the Savior. Sin will cause a man to come to Christ only when his sin's burden and danger is felt. When coming to Christ, the more sin you have, the more cause you have to hope for mercy. The bigger your sins, the better reason for asking for Mercy. The more vile you are, the welcomer you are to the Cross. The Sacrifice of Calvary was a complete and perfect payment (Atonement) for human sins. Poor soul, please believe in Christ, cast your soul upon the Atonement He made. Believe that the man who died on Calvary was God manifest in the flesh, and that He took your sins upon Himself. Christ was punished for your sins, and now you cannot be punished, for God cannot punish twice for the same offenses.

Jesus has satisfied the Law's demands, He kept the Law and satisfied the Law for me, I trust Him, and now Christ's Righteousness is mine freely by grace through faith in His shed blood. By faith look to the slain Victim of Calvary. The Gospel is meant only for sinners, and the Gospel can only be received by childlike faith. Whosoever believeth in Jesus is not condemned. Sin abounds, fears are thick, temptation are rampant, it is high time to trust in God. The Son of God came to save the guilty. I plead guilty. The Law is Just, but save me Lord God, for Jesus died for the ungodly. Fully and honestly trust Christ with your soul, and you will hate the sins you once loved, and get the victory by grace over them. Jesus loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Jesus is not a crutch, He is the Cure. Jesus sweat pardons, bled mercies, He tasted death for every man. Jesus suffered death, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Christ died for ungodly sinners. Simple Faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ's Blood and Righteousness.

Coming to Jesus, that is, to trust Christ, to depend upon Him, to believe Him, to cleave to Him for mercy, to rely upon Him for grace. Come with all your sins and needs about you. Give up your hold on everything but Christ. Jesus Christ, by His love and blood shall give you immediate rest and peace with God. Believe in Christ to conquer sin, as well as to pardon sin freely. Believe that the only power which can subdue the baser passions in you is the power of the Precious Blood. Trust Christ with the power of your sins, as well as the guilt of your sins. First trust Christ, prove in your own soul that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to your salvation. Your eyes must be opened by the Holy Ghost, turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. Really trust Christ with your soul now.

Trust Jesus, that is all, just as you are, with all your unfitness and uncleanness. The Gospel publishes and offers free salvation to the most ungodly. *Acts 16:31* Whosoever believeth in Jesus is not condemned. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Look only to the Crucified One. Trust all your sins with Him. Your bad habits, trust Jesus Christ to break them, give yourself up to Him to be renewed in your mind. Do not doubt it, you have God's word on it. Simple, childlike reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ gives immediate and complete salvation to the trustful soul. Ye must be born again. Reconciliation and Redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ, and Regeneration and Sanctification by the work of the Holy Ghost.

God in human flesh died the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Jesus Christ died in the place of guilty man, that He might bear our punishment. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. God sent His Son to be the Propitiation for human sin. Apprehend for yourself this truth. Whosoever trusts His soul with the Lord Jesus Christ, relying on His sinless Blood Sacrifice which He offered, and the awful death He endured is saved and pardoned freely and immediately.

The word "take" is a grand word to express the Gospel. The world's gospel is "bring". Christ's Gospel is "take". Human nature's gospel is "make". Just change one letter, and you have the Gospel of the Grace of God which is "take". The water of life is free and available. You don't have to dig a well to find it, you only have to take it. The way of salvation can be summed in just four letters: T-A-K-E. If you desire Christ Himself, pardon, a new heart, Heaven, eternal life, freedom from sin, come and take it all from Christ's hands. That is all.

Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Trust alone in the atoning blood of the Crucified Creator. Whosoever believeth in Jesus is saved to the uttermost - pardoned, freed - without money, without merit, without preparation, simply because he believes in Jesus' blood and righteousness. He is justified from all things which he could not be justified by the law of Moses. Forgiveness of all sins instantly, a new nature, immortality, everlasting peace with God, perfect reconciliation. The work of the Spirit - emptying, humbling, bringing down, leading to repentance and faith.

We owe our God an immeasurable debt of gratitude for giving us the power to become the sons of God, giving us the power and privilege to be adopted into His family. *John 1:12* Sinfulness craves for divine mercy, rest on His Grace, your inability hangs on His Strength, your nothingness hides in His all-sufficiency. Without Christ we can do nothing, and we are nothing. Come and close with Christ's free invitation to give you salvation freely. Forsake your sins, and come and be at peace with your Maker at the Cross. Lean hard on Jesus, and in adoring gratitude prove your love to Him daily. Trust Jesus for everything, at all times, in life, in death, and to all Eternity. God help you to trust Him now. Jesus loves to save atheists too; He receives all them that come unto Him. Trust Him, know Him, love Him, follow Him. Genuine faith trusts Christ both to pardon and to conquer the evil of sins. Jesus is the true God and eternal life. *I John 5:20* Come and let Him destroy the works of the devil within you.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Quicken Thou Me

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. And you hath God quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath God quickened together with Christ, having forgiven you all trespasses.

So will not we go back from Thee: quicken us, and we will call upon Thy name. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken Thou me according to Thy word. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can give us life and strength within. Quickening will make us steadfast in the work of the Lord. The one who first saved us must keep us alive. *John 10:10* Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way. A wandering, leering eye is controlled by a dirty heart. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Make Jesus Christ preeminent in all things. Recognize and regard God. You need inspiration, not just book learning. You need divine life from the Holy Ghost Himself. Listen to what God says in the Bible, fix your heart on God's Son, and desire what God wants. God has something for you to do, and if you don't do it, it won't ever be done.

Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts: quicken me in Thy righteousness. Plead for quickening often. We cannot do anything that has eternal value unless the Holy Ghost visits our spirit and give us more of His Life. This is my comfort in my affliction: for Thy word hath quickened me. God's words are quick and powerful; quick means the word of God is alive. If you want spiritual life, read the Bible with the eye of Faith, with the help of the Holy Ghost. None can keep alive his own soul. Always be knocking at mercy's gate. Children are always asking their parents for things for they don't have anything in themselves. The needy, helpless child of God is always going to his heavenly Father and asking for what he needs. Keep weeding the garden of your heart for the glory of God; keep thyself pure for His name's sake.

For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself. *John 5:26* Go directly to Jesus Christ for more of His life; for men ought always to pray, and not to faint. It will be your wisdom to plead for more enlivening grace from God. Your heart is the center of your being, and to have your heart quickened is the center blessing. The Holy Spirit's quickening brings all of God's graces and help to us in time of need. We must be continually strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man. Our best defense against temptation is more life. Quicken me after Thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of Thy mouth. Quickening helps us remember the LORD. Forgetting God is a great evil. We need more of Jesus' life in our daily life. Only Jesus can light the candle down in your spirit.

I will never forget Thy precepts: for with them Thou hast quickened me. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto Thy word. Hear my voice according unto Thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to Thy judgment. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to Thy word. I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Great are Thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to Thy judgments. Consider how I love Thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to Thy lovingkindness. Quicken me, O LORD, for Thy name's sake: for Thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Psalm 119:25,37,40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156,159

Friday, July 27, 2012

Glad Tidings 4

You must prove to God that you're a sinner, not a good person; for Jesus gave Himself for our sins, not for our merits. You must sense your emptiness, before Jesus will give a drink. Your character is as bad as it can be. Plead for mercy. You are in awful need, for you need Righteousness, a new heart, a right spirit, a total change within, the New Birth. You need everything, for you have nothing but sin and misery. Faith is trusting wholly upon the person, work, merit, and power of the Son of God. You can rest assured on the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.

The ground of my salvation is the grace of God. I am not saved by any natural goodness, or because of anything that I have done, or ever shall do. The reason for divine love is only because God is gracious. It is best and safest to trust alone in the merits and sufferings of Jesus Christ. This is God's solemn pledge - whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Believe in Jesus Christ, and rest on Him alone. The immutability of God, the unchanging power and merit of His blood, the infallibility of Scripture. Religion shoots at the head; the Gospel shoots at the heart. Men want to drink pure water, and breath pure air, but they don't want a pure heart. *Matthew 5:8; II Timothy 2:22; I Peter 1:22*

Beware of conceit, religious conceit is a dangerous thing. Beware of this thought - Now I am somebody. A vain notion that you are no longer sinful. Only the Holy Ghost can burst the balloon of human conceit. The least sin ought to humble you. Human nature arrogantly puts human doing in the place of Christ. Free grace which is in Christ's blood is received by Faith. Faith is the root, feelings are like the leaves, which may be taken away, yet the tree will survive. Cling to the Promiser and His Promises. Rest you on Christ now.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. Your first business must be this - He that believeth in Him is not condemned. He that believeth in Jesus hath Everlasting Life. Human intellect refuses the wisdom of God. Instead of Faith, human nature would rather have presumption; instead of Regeneration, reformation; instead of Holiness, morality; instead of Purity, convictions; instead of Zeal, fanaticism; for Grace, fancy; for Christ and the Cross, human works and merit.

The merits of the Cross must be imputed into your soul; the Spirit of the Cross must be infused into your nature. Salvation is a miracle from God, not a work of man. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ with your soul. God's grace, or man's merit; faith in Christ, or faith in self. Leave sin, quit self, trust in Christ's blood - this is the way. Plead not merit, but Mercy. God will provide the grace, if you will provide the sinner. Not merit, but demerit is the qualification for God's divine Mercy. God will only give His salvation to ungodly men who have no merits. Come not in your own righteousness, for you have none. It is impossible for you to be saved by your own goodness, for you have broken the Law already, and any future obedience of yours cannot make up for your past defects. Your past sins and future sins make it impossible for you to save yourself.

Faith disowns all ideas of human merit. He that is penniless inwardly is the man for Christ's mercy. He that is shivering in his nakedness is the man for Christ's Robe of Righteousness. If you have no good works, no merits, nothing to recommend you, Jesus is precious to you. A man will never have Christ while he has enough of his own self. Jesus bore our sins and became Sin for us, so we could be made righteous in Him. Self-righteousness kicks at the idea that human works cannot help save. The most moral and excellent man needs Jesus Christ as much as the depraved and debauched man.

The self-righteous man cannot endure the fact that he must be saved merely by grace through faith in Jesus' atoning blood. The carnal man wants to be a great man, and he would have God to be a little god, for he is satisfied with himself. But if Christ is set on high, then the carnal man is offended. Look only to the merits of God's Son. God is now able to be Just, and yet deal with sinful men in pure Mercy, apart from their works, because all their sins were laid upon Jesus Christ, who offered complete satisfaction (Atonement) to divine justice, so that God is glorious in Holiness, and yet rich in Mercy.

Rest both your feet on the Rock. The Rock of Ages never fails. He that relies in the least degree upon any merit of his own cannot be saved. Now understand - An inheritance never comes by works. The wise man is more afraid of his own righteousness than his unrighteousness. You are without merit of any sort. Poverty leads us to Christ's riches. Human goodness is a vile odor in the nostrils of God. God can have no dealing with a sinful man at all except through the blood and merits of Jesus Christ.

The short cut of the whole matter is just to cry - God be merciful to me a sinner for Jesus' sake! God will only bless you through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Stop sinning away the precious years of your short life. It would be foolish to boast of merit before God, for you have no merit. He who pleads his own merit is a fool. Self-righteousness flies in the face of God. Have done with your own righteousness. God gives His Son to sinners without money and without price. Your so-called good works are evil and dead works, because you are doing them to set aside the finished work of Jesus Christ. Human nature labors to manufacture a righteousness of its own. But you must receive the Righteousness of Another freely. Worthy is the Lamb!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Saving Faith 5

Saving faith is made up of three key things: Knowledge, Belief, and Trust.

Knowledge comes first. A man must be informed of a fact, before he can believe it. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We must first hear, so that we know what is to be believed. True knowledge is essential to true faith. You must know the Gospel - search the Scriptures, and learn what the Holy Ghost teaches concerning Christ and His free Salvation. The Good News of free forgiveness, change of heart, adoption into God's family. The one Mediator between God and men is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. *II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 3:13; I Timothy 2:5-6* You must first be taught divine truth and know that Christ Jesus Himself is the only way to life eternal. If you reject Christ and remain in your sins and unbelief, you face the ever-present risk of dying, being condemned, and losing your soul.

Second, with the help of the Holy Ghost, the mind and heart go on to Believe that the Gospel is true. You must believe that God is, and that the Gospel is from God. Free Justification by Faith is the grand truth. Jesus is our God and Savior. *I John 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:9* His Atoning Sacrifice is complete and fully accepted by God, and now whosoever believeth on Jesus is not condemned, but saved from the wrath to come and the love of sin.

Finally, Trust is needed. *Ephesians 1:12-13* Commit yourself to the merciful Savior. Rest all your hope and confidence on the gracious Gospel. Trust your soul on the bleeding, dying, living Savior. Come to the Cross, and let Him wash away all your sins in His atoning blood. *Matthew 11:28* Receive His perfect Righteousness, and all is well with your soul. Trusting is the life-blood of Faith. There is no saving faith without trusting in Jesus' Blood. Lean with all your weight on Jesus. Rest your whole person upon the Rock. Fall flat upon Christ, rest on Him.

Knowledge tastes the Gospel (with the mind), Belief chews on the Gospel (with the will) and then decides to either reject or receive the Truth, and then Trust must swallow down the Gospel (with the heart). *Romans 10:10*

Faith always begins with knowledge. Then Faith believes Bible scriptural facts concerning God and Christ of which Faith is sure. Faith believes and trusts; Faith stakes its eternal destiny upon the truths and promises of Scripture. True faith is believing that Christ is what He is said to be in the Bible (God manifest in the flesh atoning for human sin), and that He will do what He has promised to do (save sinners by grace through faith), and then expecting and receiving Eternal Life from Him by faith in His Blood. The Scriptures say that Jesus of Nazareth was God in human flesh. *John 1:14; John 8:58; John 14:9; I Timothy 3:16* Jesus was sinless, and was made a sin offering on our behalf, when He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.

Faith believes that Christ Jesus will do what He has promised. We look only to Him for free pardon, justification, preservation, and eternal glory. We take freely from His hands, according as He has promised. Believe that Jesus is exactly what He is said to be in the Bible, and that He will do what He says He will do. Trust Him, and no one else. I leave my defenseless soul in His hands for safekeeping. I rest only upon His promises, that He will do even as He has said. This is Saving Faith which is a free gift from God, not of works, lest any man should boast. *Ephesians 2:8-9*

All have sinned. Your inmost soul is polluted through and through with sins. The fountain head of your being within is spewing the filth of sin continually. Human nature hates rules and restraints, and kicks against it. Human nature enjoys filthy music, vile movies, and polluted imaginations, cheating, loafing, and swindling others in business. Men by nature are careless, thoughtless, and Christ-less. The carnal mind defies God and denies Christ; the natural mind is thoughtless and regardless of God. Human nature always tries to duck this question: Will you come to Jesus Christ now and receive Him as your Substitute and Sin-Bearer? *John 1:12; I Peter 2:24*

The lost man disregards the Gospel, despises the words of God, tramples the Blood of Christ, defies his Maker, slights God's mercy and grace, mocks the Cross, neglects the Bible, foregoes the Gospel's merciful invitation, and despises the Spirit's warnings and wooing. Think about all your wrongs of days gone by; you hope some people never find out about your dirty secrets. Turn over the vile memories of your past, remember the sins you've committed openly and secretly; the sins of your youth, the crimes of your manhood, the viler sins of your later years. Like black waves they dash upon the dark shore of your mind continually. They roll in wave upon wave, upon your trouble conscience, washing up all the vile guilt, and one day if you keep rejecting Christ, a tsunami of divine wrath will come in upon you.

I have found Jesus to be trustworthy. How about you? How is it that you have no one to help you die? It is simple faith in Jesus' Precious Blood which conducts the Christian into heaven. A man is very unwise to make an exchange like this - his soul for the world. The best way you know how, immediately quit trusting your own righteousness, your religion, your church, sacraments, and all your foolishness, and put all your trust in God's Son to get you by the Judgment to come. Do it now!

How is it that you have no Faith? All other good things will follow true faith in Jesus - the first and only matter is childlike trust in Jesus Christ. The common habit of the Christian is trusting to Jesus alone. The Christian's life is faith in the Precious Blood of the Crucified Creator. The atheist thinks and reasons himself right off into Hell. I'll go to Jesus for everything my soul needs. If you stay away from Jesus, you must forever die.

You just can't miss with Jesus only as your Savior. Come to the Cross, don't just go to Hell where you are sitting in darkness. Faith from God is what you need. Abandon your self-righteousness and put your heart trust in God's Son. If I want to really get Faith, I must hear the words of God, but I must mind what I hear, and how I hear. And what is Faith? Faith is trust, confidence, reliance upon Christ. Put your whole confidence in His Precious Blood.

Faith is the only passport to Heaven. Give up yourself to Jesus Christ, to be His servant, and to do all that He bids you. Rely completely upon His blood and mercy. Continue to lean, rest upon Him. Trusting alone in Him - that is saving faith. Real faith in the atoning Sacrifice, it purifies the man, and makes him hate his sins which caused the Savior's death. Believe in the crucified Savior, trust yourself with Him, for there is no salvation in any other. Salvation is in His Finished Work, not your feelings or merits.

Instead of accepting the simple plan of salvation by grace through faith in the Atoning Blood, human nature sets up the very opposite principle of salvation by human merit. Human merit is antichrist. The very essence of human nature is an inward spirit of setting up human goodness instead of Christ's Righteousness. There are two merits - your own merit, and the merit of Christ. If you trust to any of your own righteousness, you do in fact state that you are opposed to Christ's way of saving by His merits alone. Human nature says, "No I will do this myself, my moral character will serve as my righteousness." None can condemn whom Jesus absolves. You need personal spiritual contact with Christ Jesus by faith, that is coming by the mind, approaching Him with the heart through His Blood. To come to Christ is just this - to accept Him as your Sin-Bearer and Substitute. Never trust your imaginary merit. Cast away your good works, as well as your bad, and simply look to Jesus.

Your sins deserve punishment, God must and will punish your sins. But the way of Mercy is simply this - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and was punished in your place. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart. Renounce all your merit, for you have none. Forsake your self-righteousness forever, and lay hold on Christ now. Take off the polluted coat of your own righteousness, and put on Christ's spotless robe of divine Righteousness. Forsake yourself and all your self-made hopes. The vital matter is simple and direct faith in Jesus. The only saving faith is in Christ alone. Simple prayer for pardon and childlike trust in the Savior. Simply trust yourself to Jesus, and He will see to it that you are never condemned.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Way Everlasting

Now just for a few minutes, fix your attention on Jesus Christ. Man by nature is a moral failure, he cannot help himself spiritually. Everything in the universe does what God made it to do but man. Men want to do as they please, and keep on loving and serving their sin. Dark and lonely is the soul that has never trusted Jesus Christ. Men have no hope or sense of security, so they have no rest. Jesus is the only person big enough to save a guilty sinner. When it comes to sin, family can't help you, government can't help you, education can't help you, science and technology can't help you, and religion surely can't help you. Only Jesus can help you with your sin problem. Jesus must be enthroned in your heart, and your sins must be under His Blood.

Every man is going somewhere. You are passing through this world, you can't stop, time goes on, you have to die, you can't undo your sins against God on your own, someone has to suffer for your sins. You are on a journey on either the narrow path of life, or the broad way of death. It's never been easy since the fall of man, for anyone to do right. Human morality never took any man to heaven, just ask Cain. The bad road is easy to travel, but it leads to a dark place. It's not hard to do wrong, all you have to do is just let go.

Anybody can be a sinner, that's easy. It takes a real man or woman to give up their sins and a be a Christian. If you really want to quit your sins, God will help you. God's eyes are always looking at you. There is no night so dark that He cannot see you. Some day soon you are going to look into the all-seeing Eyes of God that have seen you at ever step of your life's journey. At the Judgment, the sins of midnight shall be seen in the light of noon-day. God knows all about you and your devilment. To God you must give account, never forget that. If you die in your sins without Jesus Christ, you will have to say "Amen" to your condemnation and damnation. You've had plenty of chances to be a Christian.

Doing right is always an upward climb, a struggle against wrong. Only divine grace can help you go the right way. Truth is very narrow; the devil's highway is wide. A lost sinner has physical life, but no spiritual life from God. The nicest, most courteous person you ever met without Jesus Christ has no life in their soul and spirit. Many dogs are loyal and obedient, but they have no spiritual life. The loveliest person that ever lived on this earth that is without Jesus Christ, his soul is absolutely dead in sins. Spiritual death is much worse than physical death. The wages of sin is spiritual death.

The way you know someone has physical life, he responds to things. The way you know you have spiritual life, is that you respond to the Holy Spirit. The living, saved soul responds to scriptural truth and divine light from God just as the human eye responds to light and darkness. To whom do you respond? To this world's voices, or to the voice of the invisible Creator God? An unregenerated PhD barbarian in some American university is no better off than a heathen in the jungles of Borneo. Education may give you better clothes, home, or an automobile, but your heart (the center of your being) is still desperately wicked and in need of the living Savior. Calvary, the Resurrection, and the word of God are meaningless to the dead, lost sinner.

If by a scientific discovery, some man could lengthen the average span of physical human life by 25 years, that man's name would be immortalized. But the name of Jesus is despised and blasphemed, and He can give you Eternal Life. He can make you live forever and ever, as long as God Almighty lives. Everlasting Life is only freely bestowed upon unworthy sinner by the sin-forgiving God named Jesus of Nazareth. Eternal Life is a spiritual and supernatural free gift; it comes from God only, not man. Divine Mercy is only offered freely to no-account sinful wretches.

Christ Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, and only He has power to forgive human sin. If you have Jesus Christ, you have Eternal Life. Jesus is the way everlasting. *Psalm 139:24* If you take the Jesus road, you'll end up at the right place. The way of worldly fame, honor, and wealth won't last. Time is slowly pinching wrinkles on your face, and piling up the weight of years on your shoulders and you are beginning to droop; beauty and strength is gradually fading and withering, your hands are getting a little shaky, your hair is starting to turn gray or turn loose, or both, and your vigor is beginning to wane. It's about time you trusted Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the only way to Heaven. *John 14:6* Jesus Himself is the way of life. Trust to His Precious Blood now. Moral reform can't help save you. There's only one road to Heaven. It's either Jesus Christ, or Hell. Superficial religiousness will damn you. You can't live right, unless you believe right. If you believe right, your conscience will guide you the right way. Everything depends on who you Believe. You better believe Jesus Christ, He'll never lead you the wrong way. With the heart man believeth unto Righteousness. He that believeth not shall be damned. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

You better quit playing with Eternity. Life is so short, Eternity is forever. You better play it safe with your precious soul. Christianity is Christ, and Christ is Christianity. If you have Jesus Christ, you are Safe forever more. Blessed is the man who knows when he is lost. No man can know he is saved, until he first knows that he is lost. Let Jesus guide you down the dark road of this world with the light of His words; you don't know the way, but Jesus does. When Jesus is near, there is fulness of joy.

Men today are trying to drown their sorrows and conscience with a pill, or a cocktail glass, or a syringe. Men and women today are going to hell in droves. Men reject Christ, because they refuse to part with their sins or their own righteousness; they put off Christ because they want be popular with their old buddies. Religious folks won't admit their lostness when the Holy Ghost reveals to them their sinful state, and having to admit publicly to everyone that they have only been playing the game of religion would be so embarrassing. The smiles and applause of men are worth nothing. Sinners are miserable and confounded, because death and hell is awaiting them at the end of the road they are traveling on. Take Jesus' way, the only way to God, the way of free saving grace and bleeding love, the way of the Cross leads to New Jerusalem. Live the life that is worth while - turn your life over to God, trust God's Son, and follow Him in the way everlasting.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Glad Tidings 3

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. The LORD hath laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. He bare the sins of many, not for my sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. Every sinner must be saved by Precious Blood. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. The kindness of God leads the vile rebel to repentance. Jesus paid the penalty of my offenses with His own Blood. Jesus suffered the penalty of wrath on my behalf. The Substitute bore the penalty and died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Sin must be punished, so Jesus came to suffer for me. He was innocent, but He voluntarily yielded Himself and suffer so that God could righteously forgive us guilty sinners.

This is why Jesus had to shed His blood for sinners: self-righteousness, unbelief, rebellion, stubbornness, enmity to God, idolatry, impenitence, vanity, indulgence, worldliness, selfishness, human reasoning, indifference, pride, lust, love of sin, carelessness, procrastination, thoughtlessness, prejudice, self-confidence, ungodliness, loose morals, forgetfulness, sinful pleasures, self-trust, self-rule, licentiousness, superstition, dishonesty, greed, hypocrisy, worldly honor.

Jesus' sufferings were a full justification to the Law of God for the free pardon of guilty men. The Lawmaker Himself died under the penalty of the Law, so the Law's penalty could be vindicated. Jesus took up the part and place of the guilty. He pleads for the guilty. Jesus defends the most polluted and guilty. Jesus will defend the guilty. An Atonement was offered because there is guilt. The grand old truth about free salvation to the guilty, full deliverance to whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The way of salvation is plain.

Now understand - Religion makes you proud and mean; but Jesus makes you humble and kind. Watch it - Religionists are eager to be seen of men. They are covetous for publicity.

The atheist is hurrying and rushing down to death and hell. They rush downward to eternal ruin. They hurry to be lost forever, they are eager to be damned. They choose their own delusion and covet destruction. The atheist's main problem is that he is not willing to part with his sins. They prefer Hell to Heaven, sin to purity, darkness to light. The atheist spends his life for vanity, trusting to the emptiness of human intellect.

You may attend a church, but you rarely or never call upon the name of the Lord. You may search the scriptures, but you will not come to Jesus. You would rather do anything than come to Jesus and receive Him into your being. Men stop short of calling upon Jesus. Only the Holy Ghost can move you to pray. He who created us and died for us deserves absolute trust. In Jesus Christ, there is divine forgiveness for the guilty soul. Only Jesus' Atonement can rescue the guilty from his doom. Place yourself among the guilty, for there divine Mercy can reach you. Lord God, save me now for Jesus' sake.

Human nature is hopelessly distracted and deluded and will not call upon God. Call upon the true and living God, call upon no idol, or Mary, or some saint. Call upon the God of the Bible, not your religion. Call upon the God who was manifest in the flesh. Whosoever shall call upon this God who was made flesh shall be saved. Call upon Jesus' Blood and power to save your helpless soul. Call upon God at one in Jesus' name. Trust Christ Jesus, and live. If you neglect Christ - it will be your eternal peril. God be merciful to me a sinner.

Call upon Jesus' worthy name, and you shall be pardoned. From your very heart call upon His name at once. Your inward wickedness and polluted mind condemns you. Sin is a polluting thing. O how great is your guilt! Lie low before the Lord Jesus Christ. Confess your sins with a broken penitent heart. The pollution and burden of sin is taken away at the Cross. Receive by faith the free remission of sins. You are polluted with sins; your sins have ruined your mind, and diseased your soul. Have mercy upon me, O God, for Jesus' sake.

Be more eager to spread the Gospel. Give all diligence to increase the kingdom of God. Proclaim God's words, and according to your ability go forth into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Walk in secret with God, be concerned about private godliness. Charity and purity is the Bible way. *I Timothy 1:5; James 1:27* Charity, pure heart, good conscience, unfeigned faith. Unconfessed sins, wrongs not made right with others, false teaching, improper attitudes, resentment, worldly ambition, envy, and strife lead us away from God.

Be sick of self, and eager for more of Jesus' love. Be most willing and eager to hear what God says. Give up selfhood and do God's will cheerfully. Earnestly remember the Lord. Ask and it shall be given you. Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Always ask God for more of His Faith. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Fervent gratitude to the Lord Jesus who loved us to death. Godly fear makes fervent parer. Never listen to this world's vain chatter.

You need more real faith and true dealings with God, private study of the word of God, more secret prayer. Make your walk with God solid work, have it in reality not just in appearance. Get down to the Rock every time. Do nothing with careless superficiality. Plead with God with all your heart. Put your very soul into seeking the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this be your motto every day - Make sure work for Eternity. Look well to the unseen parts of godliness. God knows your inward impulses, desires and feelings. He knows your likes and dislikes, your desires and plans, your imaginations and tendencies. God knows what you do, and what you would do if you could. He knows which way you would take if restraints and consequences were removed. God knows you better than you ever will; that is why it is wise to trust in God, and not in yourself. God knows what you think about, what you wish for, and what you delight in, and what you are pleased with.

God knows not only the surface of your character, but the secrets of your heart and what makes you tick. The LORD knows you altogether. Think of that. The LORD reads all the secrets of your heart. The Lord knows them that put their trust in Him. Practice private prayer, do good by stealth, seek to conquer your evil passions, honor Jesus by patience, present gifts to God which nobody hears of, He knows it all. God's smile is more important than man's praise. Never put the praise of men before the approval of God. I am glad that God knows what I do, for His approval is heaven for me. The Holy Ghost probes and presses us. Do not resist the Holy Spirit, or harden your neck against His rebuke. Be on your knees in private begging for God's blessing and presence. Behold, he prayeth! Always be asking God for more of His Wisdom. *James 3:17*

Struggle against your evil habits. Addict yourself to Bible reading, prayer, hearing the word of God, striving for inward purity, ministry of the saints, and helping the helpless. What you delight in is what you throw money at. Our private struggles against our sins prove that the heavenly germ of the divine nature is alive, resisting the force of evil within us. Sweet sins become bitter at the Cross. Humbly hide yourself beneath the blood and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am saved through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ alone. Plead the Precious Blood. My hope looks only to His blood and wounds. I look for mercy only through the atoning Sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

For it is written - that is the nail on which your everything must hang. Hold fast to God's words. God is always so good. God accepts me, because He accepts His Son, I trust Jesus alone, and now I am accepted in the Beloved all because Jesus died for me. I live for Christ out of gratitude, I strive to grow up into Christ, and become like Him in all things. The cause of Jesus is the one thing we must live for every day. Human nature wants health and wealth, but has no concern for imputed righteousness and private godliness. Be much in private prayer, seek to live near to God, to live in Him, to abide in Him, to be His disciple, and bring forth much fruit.

Sin to me is misery. God sees your secret sighs and mournings over sin, He hears your private prayers and praises, He knows your aspirations and consecration, He knows your lovings and longings. Delight in the Lord Jesus, trust His promises, look to His atoning blood, rejoice in His name. He knows my secret thoughts and desires. Each man must come into a individual relationship with the living God in Christ Jesus. Sit down at Jesus' feet, hearken to the Lord, derive strength from God's presence. In my life, Lord be glorified today.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Now Listen Up!

Ye must be born again *John 3:7* - This is what God said, not what man thinks. You have an evil nature within you call Sin, and the only thing that can change you within, and give you a new divine nature that loves God and purity, is to be Born Again by the power of the Holy Ghost, and that by simply trusting to Jesus Christ.

Now you can be certain about these things - God is going to punish sin, there is a burning Hell, your sins will damn you if you die in them, Jesus bore your sins, He bled and died to pay for your transgressions against God, men reap what they sow, you can't do wrong and get away it, if you love sin you're going to get it in the neck, God takes notice of your actions, and you must give account to God for those actions. The New Birth is absolutely necessary, you must be Born Again, God is no respecter of persons, the wages of sin is death for every soul, sin enslaves every man that plays with it.

Christ died for the ungodly, sinners can't help save themselves, God Almighty looks at the heart, Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, ungodly men are saved only by grace through faith in Jesus' atoning blood. What kind of heart do you have? Religion doesn't make you any better off. Baptism makes you wetter, but not any better. You better play it safe with your soul, trust Jesus Christ with your soul. Now don't forget - God looks at the heart. Turn, sinner, turn, for why will you die, God, your Maker, asks you why. The God who gave you your being, gave Himself to die for your sins. Will you spurn and grieve God's love, and die in your sins?

Anyone that wants to be saved from their sins can be saved. Only the Holy Ghost can shoot the arrows of conviction into a man's heart. In America, the divorce mill is grinding, the jails and prisons are filled with young people, the churches are empty, and there are no prayer meetings anymore. Millions and millions of dollars are invested in religion every year, and America is still going to Hell. Dead, cold, cursed formalism with no heart damns more souls than anything else. Religionists are very dogmatic, conceited, and opinionated - they have all the trappings, forms and ceremonies of dead religion, but it is all vain. Religionists are always loyal to their program or denomination. Religious bosses and ecclesiastic machinery hinder people from getting saved. Religionists are the meanest and proudest people you'll ever meet.

If you're not born again, the only thing between you and Hell right now is a heartbeat. If you don't have Jesus in your heart, you're going to Hell just like Usama bin Laden did. If you don't let Jesus in your heart, He'll never let you into Heaven.You better not play with sin. There's nothing as destructive and deadly as your sin. Watch your step, stay close to Jesus, flee youthful lusts, walk humbly before God, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, resist the devil, flee youthful and hurtful lusts, don't serve sin.

The Lord Jesus Christ - there is no better Friend, and there is no worse Enemy.

Now listen - read the Bible seriously, pray fervently in the Spirit, give cheerfully, serve God willingly, follow Jesus earnestly. Emphasize the New Birth, Free Justification by Faith, Imputed Righteousness, and Redemption by Precious Blood. Drive these great truths home. Don't strut your stuff, walk humbly before God, don't talk too wise, stick to the eternal essentials of Scripture, don't get off on tangents, let your heart be established with grace, adore Jesus and be devoted to Him, don't act the fool, don't look for trouble on purpose, help the helpless, always give Jesus the preeminence, long for inward purity, be a soul-winner, be disciplined (self-restraint), be faithful and loyal to God, strive against your sins, take God's side, exalt Jesus Christ, keep your eyes on Jesus, yield to the Holy Spirit, spread the Gospel, be thankful, practical and sensible. God be merciful to me a sinner, for Jesus' sake.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Glad Tidings 2

You have to be sad about your sins, before you can be made Glad. *Psalm 51:8* You have not sinned once or twice, but thousands and thousands of times. You have willfully revolted against God in your thoughts and in outward words and deeds. You have taken God's name in vain, and coveted your neighbor's possessions and position. You are a poor wretch who has sinned grievously against his Creator. You have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, and your conscience bears witness to that truth. You stand in deep need of divine Mercy. You are a depraved creature in need of a Savior. You old sins cry after you for vengeance.

You have intentionally sinned against a God who is so kind. Only the Holy Ghost can bring you to attentively listen to the Gospel. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The Holy Ghost makes a man conscious of his sinfulness, danger, and inability. By nature, men believe in themselves, and avoid Jesus Christ, because they love their sins. No longer rely on yourself in any way, but cry out to the Strong for strength. The Sinless Substitute, Jesus Christ, is full of hope to a real sinner. Jesus came to cleanse our nature and take away our guilt. Jesus' Blood Atonement and Substitution reconciles us to God. Jesus loved me and gave Himself for me. Believe in Him with all your heart. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus' atoning blood. The Promise of Scripture and Preciousness of Jesus' Blood.

Trust only to Christ Jesus the great Sin Pardoner. Jesus is my Substitute, Refuge, Shield, Rock, and all my Trust. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, and I will give you Rest." There is such a person as Jesus Christ the Lord - Seek Him. You must come to a personal Savior by your own choosing, by putting your personal trust in Him alone. The heart of the Gospel is Redemption by Blood, and the essence of Redemption is the Substitutionary Sacrifice of the Lamb of God. *John 1:29* Not to trust Christ is to abide under the wrath of God. *John 3:36* The moment you trust Jesus Christ, your sins are no more. Jesus was slain for human sin. Trust Jesus to make al your peace with God through the Blood of His Cross. Only trust Jesus, and His death is for you, and His Righteousness is yours. Whosoever believeth in Jesus hath Everlasting Life, and is not condemned to eternal death. The act of Faith is when we come and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Mediator and Sacrifice. Faith is the true coming to the blood of sprinkling. Jesus is my Mediator, Pardoner, Defender, Advocate, Justifier, Redeemer.

The true and safe way to approach God is through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the one and only Mediator between God and men. Trust all to Him. *Acts 16:31* The Gospel is not do this or that work, but simply believe on Jesus. The more you look to Jesus Christ, the more you will grieve over your sins. Redemption by Substitution is the Gospel. Trust to the Great Sufferer. Look to Jesus, and that moment you are set in Christ's place, rewarded because of His Righteousness, accepted only because of His acceptableness with God. Salvation cost the Redeemer nothing less than Himself. The Ransom is paid in full; Jesus bids you go free. The Gospel is mercy, not merit; divine grace not human goodness; bleeding love not the stern law.

Men who do not wish to give up their favorite sins pretend the Gospel is very difficult to understand, or impossible to accept, and so they make excuse for going on in their iniquity. The Gospel is for out-and-out rebels, and for transgressors against God and man, so cry unto God for mercy at once. The Gospel is that God has mercy upon the guilty and undeserving sinner. The Gospel says that you must believe in Jesus Christ, and not in yourself at all. Trust nothing of your own, and you are safe. Come to Christ for you are guilty. True trust in Christ is an entire reliance upon Him. Rely upon Christ's Righteousness as your only acceptance before God, make His Person the sole delight of your soul. You cannot trust yourself and Christ at the same time. Faith is an entire reliance upon the entire Savior. Rely not on yourself in any measure or degree. Daily enjoyment of the Living Christ, and the earnest following of His example. Trusting in Jesus is better than all your efforts and resolving. Seek the Lord Jesus Christ, Trust Him implicitly at once. Put more and more faith in Jesus' Blood. Looking, coming, trusting, resting in Jesus' love and blood.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Saving Faith 4

Jesus is the only God who justifies the wicked. Faith is absolutely necessary to Salvation. What is it to believe on Christ? To believe on Jesus means to heartily give yourself up to Him, to follow Him as the way, the truth, and the life. Rejecting all rival confidences, the heart leans on Jesus with all its weight, and leaves with Jesus all its burdens. Repose all your concerns, for time and Eternity in Jesus' hands. To believe on Jesus is to rely implicitly. Believe all that He says. Believe on Jesus, the Substitute for sinners, living, dying, risen again, ascended into the heavens, trust to Him. Rest your helpless soul on Jesus - this is saving Faith.

Faith which produces repentance and good works is saving Faith. True faith goes directly to the Forgiver. Believe in the Promiser, and then you will believe the promise. Look first to the Giver, and then to the gift. Look to the Helper, and then for His help. Your first business is to believe in Jesus Christ. Seek His free pardon and full salvation. Trust yourself with the divine Savior. Set everything else aside, and trust yourself with the risen Savior. If you are conscious of great inward sin, go directly to the great Forgiver. His promise is true, the Promiser is faithful. If there is ever any good in us, we must acknowledge it is the work of divine grace. Only acknowledge your sinfulness, and put your trust in Christ the Sin-Bearer.

Human nature is snared by lust, self-will, ambition, covetousness, laziness, love of ease, love of attention and flattery. Faith is the only thing that will help you follow after Christ till you find Him. God is only apprehended by Faith. Come now and deal with God, who is near you know, by Faith. Believe that God is near you, speak to Him, gladly trust Him. Trust yourself to Christ, believe that He can save you, and you have everlasting life. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Faith is the surest evidence of the work of the Holy Ghost. Faith is the blessed wind vane that turns the way the Spirit of God blows. Cast yourself wholly upon Christ. He that believeth on Jesus is not condemned. Be of good cheer - Look to Jesus now.

Saving Faith never takes any glory to itself. Faith makes us earnest and importunate in prayer. Faith hangs on Christ in the dark; faith holds to a silent Christ; faith holds to a refusing Christ; faith clings to a rebuking Christ; faith will not let Jesus go. *Matthew 15:22-28* Believing and prayer is the only cure for fainting. Faith enlightens, enlivens, and strengthens. Believe Jesus now, or you will faint. Christ is looking for faith, love, earnestness, humility.

Don't just worry about your earthly future, be concerned about your Eternity. Faith thinks so much of Jesus. Faith believes God, trusts to Jesus, and lives by the Holy Spirit. Faith highly esteems Christ, not self. Christ highly esteems faith. Faith is the vehicle of Grace, the medium of Salvation. Faith brings mercy to us. Unbelief and doubt block the way. Faith embraces Christ with open arms. Faith gives Christ a hearty welcome. Faith receives Christ joyfully. Exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Precious Blood. Rest completely upon Christ without doubt or fear. Each individual sinner must receive Christ by his own act and deed. Believing is the distinct act of a person. You must believe for yourself. Faith must be your own distinct mental act. Faith is the free gift of God.

One grain of heavenly Faith from God is worth more than the whole world. Nothing can compare with the smallest bit of true faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is a divine miracle. Study Christ's bloody Sacrifice. God can now be Just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Faith is born at the Cross of Christ. *Psalm 57:2* Take heed that you have true faith in God. Beware of yourself. True faith in Christ Jesus means present salvation. Hearty reliance, childlike confidence in Jesus. Believe in God with all your being. Believe the Bible, every word of it. Come to the compassionate High Priest, and trust your case in His hands. Those hands were pierced with nails because of your sins. Trust your iniquities with Jesus. Stay under the shadow of God's wings. You are not to come to Christ, and then get half the work done yourself, for that is pure arrogance.

Come to Christ to have salvation finished by Him. Come along with you, and trust yourself to Jesus, the Incarnate God. Trust the man Christ Jesus, fall at His feet, accept Him as your Savior, trust Him as the Giver and Forgiver. Come and take Christ, and receive favor with God. Think much on these verses - *John 1:14; I Timothy 3:16; Romans 5:9* God came here among sinful men, and took the form of a mortal creature, and lived here and died for His enemies. Think of that.

This is Justification - You are a sinner, but then you trust to Christ, and then your sin is not imputed to you, because Jesus stood as your Surety and Substitute. Your sins no longer condemn you, for Christ has been condemned in your place. Your sin is not laid to your charge; you are no longer deceitful; you no longer try to palliate, cloak, conceal, condone, cover, disguise, make excuse for, lessen, make light of, or mask your sins before man or God.

God cannot punish the same sin twice - this can never be. The Judge of all the earth must do right. Christ Jesus bore the punishment of my sins. In that few hours upon Calvary's Cross, the infinity of His divine nature enabled Him to render to God's divine justice a vindication perfectly. Whosoever believes in Jesus Christ is justified and looked upon by God as being perfectly Righteous. The Righteousness of Christ is imputed to the sinner and he is accepted in the beloved. By Christ's Righteousness alone, the guilty man becomes innocent, pardoned, and he becomes praiseworthy before God.

No guilty man covered with sin, defiled and polluted, can ever deserve to be covered with the robe of divine Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and be made the Righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Justification is all of Grace and Mercy. Bring your loathsome, wretched case to Jesus now. Trust Christ, lay hold on Him and His Righteousness is yours. One moment you are unfit for earth, the next moment you are fit for Heave, pure in the sight of God only because of Jesus' Righteousness which he freely gives to unworthy sinners that cry to out to Him for mercy and forgiveness. *Romans 10:13*

Trust yourself to the Truth - that is Faith - the act of trusting in the Truth. *John 14:6* Jesus is the Truth Incarnate. If you would be saved from your sins, you must trust to a Person who bore your sins in His own body and died in your place. Faith is sanctified common sense. Faith believes in God, trusts God's Promises, faith trusts that God will keep His words. Faith, a holy trust in God, is the root of all true godliness. My faith is fixed in the words of God. Faith is obedience to the God in whom I believe. Faith is hiding in God. Faith is staying upon God. Faith is the work of the Holy Spirit. Lord, give to me saving faith, for Christ's sake. True faith is always accompanied by an open confession of Jesus Christ; a coming over to the Lord's side. Outwardly confess what you inwardly believe. Christ is the shadow of a Rock in a weary land; come and let His shadow come between you and the burning heat of the sun of divine justice. The heat of divine wrath falls on the Rock, not on us. Come now and put Christ between you and God.

Jesus is the Interposer and Mediator between God and men. True faith hides away beneath His sheltering wings and shade. Come trust your soul on Jesus Christ, for time and Eternity. Jesus came to save sinners, let Him save you. *I Timothy 1:15* Saving sinners is Jesus' business, not yours. Leave yourself in His hands, and He will save you, to the praise of the glory of His grace. Many men go to Hell because they are afraid of being embarrassed or ridiculed by their peers. Every man has apprehensions about death, they sense something terrible is going to take place, being unsaved, they know something is coming, but they're not sure what it is. The door is Mercy; to knock is Prayer; to turn the door knob, step across the threshold, and enter into Christ is Faith. If you refuse to trust Christ, there's something back there somewhere in your private life that you love more than Jesus Christ. Simply trust to the merits of His great atoning Blood.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Often Reproved

He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. *Proverbs 29:1* Those are God's words, not man's. Boast not thyself of tomorrow, Eternity is near, prepare to meet thy God. Before the sun rises again, you could be in Eternity. The people in Noah's day were reproved by his preaching for 120 years, and the judgment of God came suddenly via the flood and destroyed them all. *Luke 17:27* They laughed at Noah and the ark he was building. Pharaoh was reproved for seven years. Judas was reproved for three and a half years.

How long have you been reproved now? 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, maybe 40 or more? Time is running out for you. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. Your iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Watch lost men - they congregate around their gods - sports, politics, religion, music, and liquor.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. And when the Holy Spirit is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

God has a controversy with you, because you have rejected and neglected His Son. This world doesn't treat Jesus Christ right. This world spat in the face of the Son of God, they jerked out His beard, put a crown of thorns on His head, and nailed Him to a Cross. This world treated Jesus Christ worse than you would treat a dog. God is right, and this world is wrong. Your religiousness will never appease God's wrath. When God is against you, you are in a real mess. Sin has deluded your mind, and deceived your soul. High-browed folks usually wind up in Hell where they belong. God will only put up with your nonsense for so long; His long-suffering will run out one day for you. Human nature hates Jesus Christ with a passion for some odd reason. Don't get the wrong idea about God; He's going to settle with you sooner or later.

The Gospel of Christ is offensive to sinful man. A Cross with a mangled, bleeding, nailed, naked man hanging on it suffering the penalty due to sinners is offensive to the carnal mind. Every lost man has the Blood of Jesus Christ on his hands. Religion makes a man feel comfortable, respectable, and decent in his sins. The Gospel comes after your sins, and make you uneasy in your sins. What have you personally done with Jesus Christ? That is the main issue. You must Repent or Perish; Receive Christ, or you'll go to Hell where you belong. Folks don't want to be bothered about their sins. If you reject Jesus Christ, you are a rebel against God Almighty. There's some insults that love won't stand, and you have continually insulted a holy loving God long enough, and turned your back on His Son way too many times. No one can continue to sin against and attack God with impunity. *Romans 2:5-6*

God will only put up with so much from you. You slander God when you say He won't punish sin. God is running things, not you. The Holy Ghost is trying to get you to trust Jesus Christ, so you won't die in your sins. You better watch your step; there is a sin unto death; you are dealing with your Maker. You better quit rejecting Jesus Christ, and come clean with God. The Holy Ghost exalts Jesus Christ, not Himself. You better stop playing around with God Almighty. *I John 5:12*

God doesn't let people go to Hell, they want to go to Hell, because they love sin. Men love to strut, and think they are somebody. You are playing with Sin, and all the cards of the universe are stacked against you. When you wind up in Hell one day, take it like a man, because you didn't have to go. You chose to enjoy sin, and then go to Hell. Men don't like to be told how to live and think. If you go to Hell, you'll have to kick over all of God's barriers to go there. *II Peter 3:9*

You have been "often reproved." You've had fair warning quite often. The people of Nineveh in Jonah's day only had one warning, and they repented. You've been reproved by your parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, strangers, preachers, neighbors, relatives. The Gospel is heard on TV, the internet, and the radio today. The providence of God has reproved you at times through sickness, deaths of others, conscience, or dreams. Every Bible you see or sermon you hear is a reproof to you. Every Christian testimony is a reproof for you to trust Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost patiently convicts, knocks, woos, nudges, tenderly calls, and warns sinners every day.

You have hardened your neck against Jesus Christ. You won't take time to listen, you are rebellious, because you love your sins and this world's pleasures. You are defiant against God at times, cursing His name. You have doubted God's Bible. Your doubts, unbelief and pride will damn you before long. You are willingly ignorant of God and His Son; you stop your ears and shut your eyes. A hard neck leads to a hard head and a hard heart. Sin leads you down a hard road, and then to a hard death and terrible Eternity. You have a long row to hoe without Jesus Christ. Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. You refuse to bow your knee to the KING OF KINGS - Jesus Christ. You will not bow your head and put your neck into the yoke of Christ's will. He that refuseth reproof erreth. He that refuseth reproof despiseth his own soul. To day if ye will hear God's voice, harden not your heart. Who hath hardened himself against God, and hath prospered?

One day soon, you could be "suddenly destroyed." God is no respecter of persons. Your life is but a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. You may think you dwell in peace and safety, but then sudden destruction shall come upon you. Sodom was destroyed in a few minutes, Noah's flood started all of a sudden, the rich fool's soul was required of him when he least expected it. 9/11/2001 happened suddenly to America. The wrath of God abides on every unsaved soul right now. *John 3:36* I can tell you the Gospel truth, but only the Holy Ghost can make sin real to you, and reveal to you your need of Jesus Christ's Precious Blood. No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. I can explain the Gospel to you, but the Holy Spirit must draw you to Christ Jesus. In Romans Chapter 1, God gave them up to their filthy ways (Romans 1:24,26), and then He gave them over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).

If you die without Jesus Christ, you will die "without remedy" for your sins. There won't be any answer for your sins in Hell. Light rejected becomes lightning. You won't go to Hell, because of your outward sins; you go to Hell because of the inward light you have rejected. You may die without a moment to pray, without a chance to seek counsel, with no chance to talk to family, children or a minister. Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them. *Luke 12:19-21*

The only remedy for your sinful condition is simple childlike faith the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ which cleanseth us from all sin. There is no remedy for your sins in religion or in your doings. If you wait till tomorrow, you will lose today, and you could lose your soul.

Friday, July 13, 2012

The Incarnate God 3

God came down to this earth in human flesh and suffered and loved you to death on Calvary. To get rid of God, and leave God out of everything, is the enmity of a lost man's heart. God was made man, and suffered in human form to take away human guilt, and now whosoever will come and rest in what Christ has done shall be saved. The Lamb of God laid down His sinless life for sinners. The imminent peril is to be without Christ Jesus Himself in life and death. If you are neglecting Jesus Christ, there's must be something or someone you don't want to give up. Simply trust the Incarnate God who bled for sinners on Calvary. Jesus is my Friend, He knows much better than I do, I go to Him for help, I draw on HIS resources, for I have none. JESUS - No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy.

Reliance upon God Incarnate suffering in my place. *I Timothy 3:16* Trust Jesus simply, rely on Him implicitly. If you laugh at the Cross, you will lose your soul. Stop trying to dodge the main issue - the salvation of your soul through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Give the Cross the proper place and emphasis in your thoughts. If you think you can go to Heaven by any other way but the Cross, you are a perishing soul. The Cross is God's way of pardoning and justifying sinful men. The door to Heaven swings on the hinges of Calvary. The Substitution of the Lamb of God for the sinner. God in human flesh shedding His Precious Blood to atone for the sins of all men. In the Cross of Christ I glory. The way of salvation is so simple - no works, merits, or preparations are required, but simply trusting to Jesus - that is all. Believe in Jesus, not yourself. Rely upon the Lamb of God, depend upon the finished work of Calvary.

If you reject Christ, you are under the spell of the Devil; if you neglect Him, you are bewitched by your own sins. Jesus took your place, and died on your account. Trust Jesus alone, that is the meaning of the New Testament word - Believe. Rely upon His merits and blood alone. Cast yourself down at Jesus' feet. The way to be saved is to come to Jesus. To come to Jesus means to pray to Him, seek Him, trust in Him. Come to Jesus first. *Matthew 6:33* Renounce every evil way, seek to please Him who redeems you by His blood. Look to Jesus' Blood to take your guilt away. Confide in Jesus, and in Him alone. If you ever get Faith, Christ must give it to you by His words. Look to God's mercy and grace, the Incarnate God, the Finished Work of Christ, His merits and blood. Look to the Incarnate God upon the Cross, the Substitute atoning for human guilt. If you are not related to the Cross in the right way, you will never be related to God in the right way. Never treat the Cross lightly. Stick to the eternal verities of the Holy Scriptures, and don't let this world bother or discourage you. Jesus is the Almighty God. *Revelation 1:8*

The Cross represents a sinless Sacrifice which fully satisfied the justice and wrath of God, and which delivers the rebel sinner. There is eternal virtue in Jesus' blood, virtue enough to give you victory over your sins. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, that means you too. Atheists think they are big shots and smarty pants, but they'll wind up weeping, wailing, and gnashing their teeth in Hell Fire forever and ever. The God who created the heaven and the earth became a man and died for your sins. *John 1:3* God incarnated Himself that He might bear the punishment that our sins deserved, and the wrath we should have borne, He took upon Himself the sins we committed and the guilt we incurred. This is the mystery of mysteries - God was manifest in the flesh as a Jewish man. This mystery confounds the carnal mind that is wise in its own conceits.

Now, soul-saving faith rests upon Christ Himself. Faith, first of all, rests upon Christ as God Incarnate. Jesus, the Son of God, was born in Bethlehem's manger; God was made flesh and dwelt among us. *John 1:14* Faith sees Christ in His sinless life. He is perfect, in perfect obedience. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Christ kept the Law for me. Faith looks to Christ's Righteousness for covering from the wrath to come. Faith looks to Christ as offering up Himself upon the tree as the Substitute for sinners. God made flesh, bleeding, dying in agonies and death throes unutterable, He was obedient even unto death. The wounds and blood wash away my sin. In His Blood there is enough power to avert the anger of God, and enough Righteousness to cover my soul from head to foot, and win for me the smile of Infinite Justice. Faith follows hard after Jesus. Jesus lives, Jesus saves, Jesus is coming again, says Faith.

God is completely satisfied with Christ's substitutionary work. Faith does not build on human merit. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Faith looks altogether beyond self and out of self to Christ Himself. Christ Jesus alone is the object of true Faith's confidence. Believe that Christ's perfect Righteousness is enough for you. The nature of Faith is "with the heart." Saving Faith must be sincere. Faith first goes directly to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself for mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. Faith deals immediately with the Lord God, just as a frightened, helpless child runs directly to its mother when he is in danger.

Jesus is the God who saves sinners. He is worthy of all our praises. Broken lives and wounded souls are made anew at the Cross. Jesus' presence takes away all our fears. Your immediate need is for God's presence and blessing; you need God to visit your soul in mercy. As long as you think you can partly save yourself, you're lost. As long as you think Salvation depends upon anything you can do, you're still dead in your sins. Come unto Jesus, and take His rest and security. There is salvation in no other name but JESUS. Give up your tiring struggle to save yourself, quit all your efforts to fix yourself up and making yourself presentable to God. Stop dabbling with religion, humble yourself, and Come on to Jesus. In my hand no price I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling! You have no claim on God, mercy only comes through what Jesus has done.

God took upon Himself human flesh as a helpless Jewish baby in Bethlehem's manger. Every sin was laid on Jesus, the wrath of God was satisfied at the Cross. God is just and in His justice He cannot ignore our sins. Your sins have to be punished, someone has to pay for them. In Christ alone my hope is found. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can take away your guilt and fear of death. You've had many other notions, but now come along to the Cross, and take Jesus to be your light and life. You've had many other confidences, forsake them all and believe on Jesus, for He is worthy of your utmost confidence. Faith is the relinquishment of all trust in self, once for all, and the trusting in Jesus' blood and merits forever. Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength, mind, and checkbook.

The Holy Father is the Root, the Lord Jesus is the Plant, and the Holy Ghost is the Fruit and Fragrance. Believe in Jesus once for all. Stop hesitating and procrastinating. Right here and now believe on the Crucified Creator. Get rid of your self-righteousness, just lay your guilty soul down at Jesus' pierced feet. Human nature trusts in its own goodness, honesty, good deeds, giving, religiousness, charity, prayers. But you must trust to Jesus, God Incarnate, supremely and completely. Reject all other confidences, and with all your heart lean on Jesus with all your weight, leave all your sin burden with Him. Repose all your concerns for time and Eternity in Jesus' wounded hands.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Glad Tidings 1

It is Righteousness and Forgiveness of Sins which the guilty man pants and yearns after. First, the Holy Ghost begins to quicken his mind to his dangerous and sinful state, he feels that he is not right with God, and this discovery causes him great distress. The Holy Spirit shows him that he is all wrong with God, for he has broken the Law which he ought to have kept. The Holy Spirit then causes him to long to get right with God, his conscience is aroused, he cannot rest till this is done. He needs the free pardon of offenses, and receive a Righteousness which makes him acceptable to God. Stop seeking righteousness by your own works. Jesus loved me, and gave Himself for me. *Galatians 2:20* "For me" - those two words are sweet to the needy soul. Jesus is only Giver of grace, He is full of Mercy.

A lustful look is adultery, a covetous desire is idolatry, wrongful anger is murder. The fountain of his being within must be cleansed. Impure looks, desires and passions are all sins in God's sight. Human nature wants health and wealth, not imputed righteousness and private godliness, and public purity. Human nature says, I don't like the God who made me, I want my own god who I can control and manipulate. There is an Almighty God to whom he is accountable; he begins to sense his sinfulness, danger, and inability. He yearns for Pardon, Justification, Full Acceptance, Adoption, Glory. If I take your property, or your spouse, or your life, you know that is wrong. Self-made religion will only damn his soul.

The guilty man then cries out to God for mercy through Jesus' Precious Blood. How can an ungodly man be just with God? A sinner can only be put right with God by childlike faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The guilty man leaps at these glad tidings, lays hold upon Christ, and Jesus meets his case perfectly.

Now the saved man desires to be right in thought, word, conduct, and motive. He pines to be righteous in his whole life, so that he may please the forgiving Savior. Lord Jesus, please end the reign of sin in my life. He dreads sinning against his God who loved Him so. He follows after integrity, kindness, mercifulness, humility, charity and purity. He ardently longs to be correct in his desires and conduct before God, to do right in God's sight. He now wants to know, obey, and love God. He wants to be righteous before the heart-searching God. Irregular desires and tendencies toward unrighteousness, they are hated by him. Longing after forbidden pleasures, he rejects them with loathing. Sin vexes his righteous soul. He now hungers for godly company and fellowship.

Publish glad tidings of good things to sinners - Reconciliation, Free Forgiveness, Eternal Redemption, Everlasting Life, Grace and Mercy, Acceptance with God, Precious Blood, Full Atonement, Christ's Righteousness freely imputed without works. Tell out the story of Substitution - How a just and holy God cannot pass by sin without a penalty - how that the just God, in the person of Jesus, came here to earth and in His perfect manhood, He took the sins of the whole world upon Himself, and bore them in His own body on the tree, and then He bore the penalty and curse that was due to God's violated law, so that He could freely put away sin, so that God might be just, and yet the Justifier of whosoever believeth in Jesus alone. The offending sinner can only meet the offended God through Jesus' atoning blood. The penalty due to sin is eternal death. Jesus Christ my Substitute poured out His soul unto death and bore the deadly price that is due to my sins. If sin is to be put away, it must be by the Sacrifice of a sinless life. Jesus bore the death penalty which guilty men incurred.

There is only one just and righteous way to forgive sins, and that is by Jesus bearing the death penalty in the sinner's place. And now whosoever believeth in Jesus is justified from all things, from which the Law could not deliver him. Every one of your transgressions must receive its penalty. The innocent Substitute had to die because sin was laid upon Him. Jesus has fully paid the penalty due to human sin. Jesus saved me from guilt, penalty, the power of sin, and the wrath to come. Jesus' atoning death paid the sin debt of the whole world.

This is the miracle of the Incarnation. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost. He created all the worlds. *Hebrews 1:3* He dwelt in the bosom of the Father, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God. In order to redeem sinful men, the Son of the Highest became the Son of man. Jesus was born of a Jewish virgin, and took upon Himself all the infirmities of our human nature. He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. The Word condescended to be made flesh.

Jesus was Immanuel, God with us. Being found in fashion as a man, Jesus became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. We have all disobeyed the law, and denied God's just claims. Our violation of God's law has brought us under its deadly penalty which is called "the curse." No man has always kept the Law. If you read the Ten Commandments very carefully, you have to say, "I have broken this." Remember that the truth of the Law is spiritual, that means that the Law deals with our desires, thoughts, imaginations, motives, our inward rebellious sinful nature. We are guilty in every way, and guilty every day. By nature, we are all under the curse of the Law's guilt. You may think you have been moral, and outwardly commendable in the sight of man, but the thoughts and intents are what the Lord looks at. You have not loved the Lord God with all your heart, soul, strength, mind, and have not loved your neighbor as yourself.

You have come short of the demands of God's righteous Law, which is Perfection. Only Jesus did that. You are under the curse, that is, the condemnation of the Law. Whosoever believes in Jesus is not condemned. I am in Christ; therefore, I am just in God's sight, because of Jesus' Righteousness. I am now justified eternally by faith in His blood alone. Joy in God through Jesus' Atonement, and rest in His peace. The fact is very clear - Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the Law, being made a Curse for me. Jesus bore my sins, and all the Curse which came with them. This world hated and loathed Jesus Christ without a cause. Away with Him, crucify Him! they cried with a loud voice. Jesus cried out on the Cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" God the Father forsook the man Christ Jesus because He was bearing my sins and their punishment. God the Father made Jesus to be Sin for me. The penal consequences of my sins were brought upon the great Substitute of Calvary, and He vindicated the Law of God with His own life for me. These are the glad tidings of good things which Jesus did for sinners.

The Incarnate God 2

This is way to come to God - Ceasing from your own works to save yourself, and resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ. In due time, God became a human being; He was a perfect sinless man who bore my sins and died in my place. Jesus was indeed Himself God. The great central truth of the Scriptures - God in human flesh was made the Substitute for sinners. God in human form was made a sinless blood Sacrifice for human guilt. Behold the Lamb of God - means believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, trust in Him as your Savior, accept God's revelation concerning Him, rely upon Jesus' blood alone to save you from sins.

This is the way of salvation - the Incarnated God was made to be Sin for me, that I might be made the Righteousness of God in Him. Receive the meat and drink indeed of the incarnation and the atoning Sacrifice of the Son of God. Emmanuel, God with us, was born at Bethlehem, and He died on Calvary - Incarnation and Substitution, Deity and Atoning Sacrifice. You must believe that God laid upon Jesus the sins of the whole world, including yours. Jesus of Nazareth, the Incarnate God, was crucified on Calvary for me.

If you are a believer in Jesus, God is yours, Christ is yours - His death, blood, righteousness, intercession, incarnation, and Second Advent are all yours. Ask boldly, receive gratefully, wait patiently, hope trustfully, walk rejoicingly. Substitution is the key-word to all true theology. The divine and all-sufficient Substitute for sinners. God Incarnate, Christ yielding up His life voluntarily, dying in the place of guilty sinners. The Incarnate God is the soul's bread of life and the bleeding Savior in His substitutionary Sacrifice become the heart's new wine. Draw near to the Crucified One; contemplate Christ Jesus; meditate on the Mediator. Let your faith look only to Him. Let your love embrace Him. Cast away all other confidences. Trust in nothing but Jesus' atoning blood. Let all your confidence be in His person, work, life, death, blood, resurrection, ascension, intercession, Second Coming.

Repentance is a complete change of mind from the Holy Spirit with regard to your sins. Atonement by Precious Blood. Simply this - sin is an evil and bitter thing, and God must punish it, so God's own dear Son became a sinless Jewish man, and suffered for our sins, so that our sins could be freely pardoned because Christ suffered the full punishment due to them. Trust your soul with the Son of God. Your sins took a dying and resurrected God to put them away. God came to earth in human form, so He could be capable of suffering and death. God Incarnate died that sinners might live forever. God must punish sin, your sins have incurred penalty, and God exacted that full penalty on the Substitute, the sin debt was paid by the Surety. Believe in Jesus as your Substitute. We depend upon Him, we rest secure. Christ's Righteousness and Riches were transferred to my bankruptcy.

God has visited this world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Son of the Highest has been here. Man could never come to God, until God came down to him. Believe on Jesus, the Incarnate God, and your sins, doubts and fears will vanish instantly. Jesus came to save the guilty, fallen, unworthy, the lost. The Gospel has nothing to do with those who are good and righteous in themselves. God became a man out of love to ungodly men. But men loved Him not, they hunted and hounded Jesus to death. Men spend their lives on vanity, and turn their backs on God Incarnate. God became a poor man, so that He could suffer the penalty that is due to human sin, and now whosoever trusts in Jesus Christ, the Substitute for sinners, shall be saved from the love of sin. God who made the heavens, came down to earth and died on Calvary.

God descended from the highest throne of glory and became a Jewish peasant born of a virgin named Mary. *II Corinthians 8:9* He suffered in human flesh, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Believe in His blood that has virtue for putting away of sin and making Atonement to Almighty God, so that sinners may be accepted in the beloved. Implicity trust the merits of His bleeding agonies. Fully rely upon Jesus for all your Salvation. Without any other confidence, cast yourself fully upon the great atoning Sacrifice of Calvary. Simple faith will give you Christ instantly. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was made flesh, died for sinners, the Just for the unjust, whosoever believeth in His blood shall be saved from the wrath to come. But the king spared Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake. *Ephesians 4:32*

Look away from all other confidences, and rely upon the sufferings and death of the Incarnate God. Trust the merits of Jesus' blood that was poured forth on Calvary for sinners. The Word became incarnated and stooped from the throne of Heaven to the manger of Bethlehem. Trust, trust, trust Christ and live, depend simply upon His blood and merits, rely only upon His Righteousness, and be found just in the sight of God. Propitiation through faith in His Blood. Faith is trusting implicitly in Christ, and not in yourself at all. When you trust the Blood, all your sins (past, present, future) are forgiven in a moment. Humbly rely upon the Savior's finished work. Cast yourself on His promises; rely upon His merits. Come, trust, believe in Jesus, rely upon Him, throw yourself upon God's Son, lean on Him, hang helplessly on Him, depend on Him. I am justified freely, but it cost the Savior dearly.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

The Glorious Gospel 4

Christ Jesus must save us from sin, for we cannot save ourselves. How can a guilty sinner be put right with a holy God? What is a sinner's only hope in life and death before the thrice-holy God who is both our Lawgiver and Judge? These are the vital questions of life and death. All men by nature are slaves to their own vile passions and unclean desires. We are all in a sinful mess without Jesus Christ. The world incessently tries to psychologize away your sinful condition. Sin will enslave and alienate you. Human nature stubbornly tries to fix itself, but it can't, because human nature is dead in sins. There is a place called Hell, and if you have done wrong things (sins) like lying and stealing, and you know what you have done is wrong, you will go to Hell for those things. You need someone to save you from the curse and guilt of your sins.

You need a Savior, you cannot save yourself, you are in the wrong with God, you have offended God. You have worshipped gods of your own making, and loved sins that have left you feeling empty, helpless, sad, alone, and guilty. Sin always complicates life. Only the Bible tells you of your true sinful condition, and only the Holy Ghost can convince you of your dangerous sinful condition. Men are always on the defense when they are called a sinner; they try to pass the buck to someone else. The Holy Ghost must make your sin clear to you. Jesus stepped out of Eternity down into time, so He could do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Men have light thoughts of God, so they don't fear Him. Superstitious men long for a supernatural realm, a love that is stronger than death, a good that triumphs over evil, and a closer relationship with nature. But these same men and women abhor the reality and truths of the Holy Scriptures.

God is your Maker and Judge before whom you will stand and give account of yourself. Committing sins make you feel guilty and depressed, but you still love it. The standard of God is absolute Perfection, and you are busted. Your sins demand the justice of God, you need a Substitute to take your place. You have sinned against Heaven, but God is rich in mercy to sinners for Jesus' sake. The ground of salvation is in the finished work of Jesus and the free mercy of God. Help me, Lord Jesus, save me by your Grace, be merciful to me a sinner. The just punishment that was due to my sins was inflicted upon the Lamb of God for my sake. Christ Jesus bore every one of your sins which you commit every day, and He died in your place with those sins on Him, He paid the penalty for every one of your sins.

Ye must be born again spiritually, for you were born wrong the first time. *John 3:7* Regeneration is an instantaneous, inward, radical change by the Spirit and Grace of God. The Holy Ghost must change us from the inside out. Crying, feeding, crawling, resting are all symptoms of the New Birth. After we receive Jesus Christ and are born again, we begin to cry Abba, Father in supplication and prayer; we desire the sincere milk of the word of God and begin to grow; we crawl to God for help and comfort; we love resting in Jesus' arms of love and mercy. True regeneration by the Holy Ghost makes us a new creature in Christ and brings with it spiritual activity and appetite. The world says no to nothing today; nothing is a sin anymore. But once we are born again, we start saying no to our old dirty and selfish ways (ungodliness and worldly lusts), and start saying yes to the ways and things of Christ. Leave your old life and walk in newness of life for Jesus' sake, for the glory of God. Daily choose to follow truth and obey the Spirit's leading; put off the old man, and put on the new man. Don't let your mind be controlled by this world's culture or by some worldly person.

We are not what God intended us to be, we are flawed and fallen in sin. All of our sins were involved in the death of Jesus Christ. You and I are what is wrong with the world today. Sinners can only be saved by God's mercy, not by human merit. Jesus saves you, you don't save yourself. You must come to the end of trying to save yourself. Education, examples, and experiences cannot help you. Meticulous religiousness is all vain and useless. You must seek God's goodness and lovingkindness through simple faith in the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ. You cannot make yourself commendable to God, for your sin has already condemned you. Human nature thinks God owes it Heaven. Now understand - A good God will not reward nice people for doing their best. God will only have mercy on you for Jesus' sake. Men that are at ease in their sins and self-righteousness won't call upon the Savior God. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved from the love of sin and divine justice.