Thursday, March 31, 2016

End of Story

Behold The Lamb of God,
It is Finished,
Through His Blood,
He is Risen from the dead,
He is Coming Again,
Even so, Come, Lord Jesus,
Worthy is The Lamb!
End of story...

Some Sound Words

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.  Wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.  For God giveth to a man that is good in His sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner He giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that He may give to him that is good before God.  There's a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.  I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever.  God requireth that which is past.  God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.

Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.  Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.  A fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.  The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.  Where the word of a king is, there is power. A wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.  There is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.  I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.  Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.  The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill.  Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.  One sinner destroyeth much good.

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.  By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.  Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, 
with every secret thing, 
whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Be and Do

Many people get the cart before the horse with all of their religiousness.  You must first Be, and then you will be able to Do those things which are pleasing in God's sight.  You must Be in Christ, and then you can Do for Christ.  You must Be privately, and then Do publicly.  God sees your love for Him in private first of all, and then your love for Him and others publicly.  You must be what God wants within, and then you can accomplish without something that really matters eternally in God's sight.  Let love be without dissimulation, that is, let love be genuine and sincere.  Live to please Christ, not self.  Love wortketh no ill to his neighbour. Ye must Be born again, and ye must Be transformed by the renewing of your mind daily (the inward man is renewed day by day), and then you can go forth and do good works for Jesus' sake alone.  Be particular, never get the cart before the horse.

Be (privately)
and
Do (publicly)
For Jesus' sake. 

He Is Risen, As He Said!

The Lord Jesus Christ is risen indeed. But now is Christ risen from the dead! Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that Jesus should be holden of it. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.  But God raised Him from the dead!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?

But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it?

The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of Faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that *God hath raised Him from the dead*, thou shalt be saved.  For with the *heart* man believeth unto Righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation.

For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on *Him* shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon *Him*. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  Therefore disputed Paul in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.  And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.  So Paul departed from among them.  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Concerning God's Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  That I may know Jesus, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.

Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, rose from the dead on the third day defeating sin, death, and hell for us, so that we could have eternal life in heaven with Him. Hallelujah for the Risen Lamb of God! Muhammed, Buddha, Joseph Smith, the Popes, Mary, and all the rest of man's religious false gods are still dead, but Christ Jesus Himself is risen from the dead, and He is alive for evermore. *Revelation 1:18*

Be it known unto you all, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. But Jesus, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Because God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath given assurance unto all men, in that God hath raised Jesus from the dead.

Believe on God that raised up Jesus from the dead; Jesus was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. And God hath both raised up the Lord Jesus, and will also raise up us by His own power. Knowing that God which raised the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus. God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. And to wait from God's Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my Gospel.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Jesus up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. But God raised Him from the dead!  He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.
 ----------------------------------
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, worn, and sad,
I found in Jesus my Resting-Place,
And He has made me glad.
-----------------------------------
'Twas I that did it.
I see the crowd in Pilate's hall
I mark their wrathful mien;
Their shouts of 'Crucify!' appall,
With blasphemy between.

And of that shouting multitude
I feel that I am one;
And in that din of voices rude
I recognize my own.

I see the scourges tear His back,
I see the piercing crown;
And of that crowd who smite and mock,
I feel that I am one.

Around yon Cross the throng I see,
Mocking the Sufferer's groan;
Yet still my voice it seems to be,
As if I mocked alone.

'Twas I that shed the Sacred Blood,
I nailed Him to the tree,
My sins crucified the Christ of God
I joined the mockery.

Yet not the less that Precious Blood avails
To cleanse away all my sin,
And not the less that Cross prevails
To give me peace within.

-Horatius Bonar

Monday, March 21, 2016

A Little Praise

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.  In God will I praise His word: in the Lord will I praise His word.  In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust.  Then believed they His words; they sang His praise.  The dead praise not the LORD.  I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our Blessed Redeemer, for our sins He suffered and bled and died.  He is my Rock and Hope of Eternal Salvation.  All Glory be unto THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD AND LORDS.  Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  Christ Jesus is risen from the dead, He lives forever more, and He is mighty to save unto the uttermost.  The Blood of His Cross has put away my sins forever.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.  Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!  The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:  To Whom be glory for ever and ever.  O Holy Spirit, send out thy Light and Thy truth: let them lead me.  Let God be magnified; yea, let God be true, and every man a liar!

There's no telling where I'd be if Jesus hadn't passed by my way, and whispered, "Come unto Me", He drew me with His mercy, He saved me by His grace, and now I love to sing His praise and seek His face.

Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever.  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.  Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.  For Thou hast made Him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned Him with glory and honor.  Glory to God in the highest!

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, our risen King and Savior! Thy foes are vanquished, and Thou art omnipotent forever. Death, sin and hell no longer reign, and Satan’s pow’r is burst in twain; Eternal glory be to Thy Name: All hail to Thee Immanuel, God with us!  For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever.   Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness.  Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.  They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is Good; for His Mercy endureth for ever.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.  Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

There are not found that returned to give glory to God, 
save this stranger.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Mercy Cannot Be Earned

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10). We are all lawbreakers, no exceptions, not because we have broken every law of God, but because we have broken *The Laws of God, your Creator*.  The slightest transgression of any divine law condemns and kills your soul. Any lie, lust, or unclean desire brings you under the condemnation of God. If you stand before a judge guilty of murder and say, "Your honor, you know I've never committed adultery against my wife." The judge still will not let you off the hook for committing murder. The good judge will not let the one bad thing you've done go unpunished, even though you have not committed 100 other crimes.  Just stop trying to blame your sins on someone else, and take ownership of them.  You committed your sins; they belong only to you, not someone else.  You better get rid of your sins at the Cross.  You will pay for your sins forever in Eternity if die with your sins unforgiven.

Human nature defends itself by saying, "I have done this and that, but never that." But any sin is as sinful as any other sin; some sins carry worse consequences here on earth, but every sin in God's sight is heinous and hateful. We are all transgressors of God's law (we fail to walk the line, we to step over the line), and we are all guilty and in dire need of the Savior of sinners.  Human nature will tell you all the things it has never done, but it doesn't mention all the sins it has committed in secret that no one knows about. Human nature judges others without mercy, it classifies others, and step on others to gain what it wants.

The Law of God is a perfect unit - like a mirror. If you break any part of the holy mirror of God's perfect law, you have ruined it, and you have condemned yourself. You are a lawbreaker, you have broken THE LAW OF GOD. You show partiality and favoritism to others - This is EVIL according to Scriptures (James 2:4). You have never even gotten to first base, when it comes to keeping God's law. The Law of God is like ten bowling pins, you try to throw a strike every day, but you throw a gutter ball every time. You never can throw a "Strike" morally, no matter how much you try, because on your very best day, you're still a sinner. The ball you are using (human self-effort) is warped, and bent to evil. Your lame excuses won't work on your death bed. Human nature say, "Don't tell me, don't pressure me."

Human nature is brilliant when it comes to concocting excuses to sin and reject Christ. Human nature says, "I've lived a pretty good life, I have no regrets." Human nature defends itself, "I have never done this, this, this, or that. I did do this, but I didn't do that." Some of your life may seem good in your own eyes, but not in God's holy sight. "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3; 16:2; 21:2)." For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James 2:10). The Judge of all the earth doesn't want to Judge you, He wants to save you. God became a sinless Jewish man, and then He bore your sins and bled to death for you on Calvary's Cross. (I Corinthians 15:1-4) He is risen from the dead and wants to show mercy to your guilty soul. Christ Jesus is rich in Mercy. Jesus saves sinners according to His Mercy (Titus 3:5).

But God's Mercy can never be earned. There is coming a day when you will not receive mercy, if you die in your sins. There's will be no mercy at the Great White Throne Judgment, only Divine Justice. By God's law your sins are learned and felt, now tremble at the Law you've spurned, turn your guilty soul toward the Cross where the Lamb of God died for you, Mercy there is great, and Grace is Free, pardon there will be multiplied to you, your sin-burdened soul will find liberty at CALVARY. Close with the Blood of the Cross; draw nigh to the Savior; call upon His name in truth and sincerity; trust to His Blood implicitly. Be wise now unbelieving sinner, plead guilty to breaking God's law and rejecting His dear Son, run to the Mercy of God in Christ, ask the merciful Savior to save your guilty soul now (Romans 10:3-23).

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The Cross Alone! 2

If you're a born again Christian, and someone asks you, "What exactly is it that you believe?"  Respond with only three words - The Cross Alone!  If that is not your heartbeat and passion, then you need to revisit what you truly are believing and trusting.  The Cross, The Cross, and nothing but the Cross.  The one and only Remedy for your sin problem is the Blood of the Cross.  The love of God was poured out at the Cross through Christ's Precious Blood.  The Cross is my Joy Unspeakable, Good Hope, Everlasting Consolation, and Eternal Security.  The Cross is my message, philosophy, rest. hope, and gospel.

Men and women are always glorying and boasting about something or someone.  Human nature tends to be boastful and full of vanity.  Lost men glory in their shame and sinfulness.  Some people glory in their intellect, physical strength, money and talents, and they forget to give the God the glory who enabled them have anything.  To live only for personal vain glory is to live in emptiness.  Men will throw their soul away for a little praise from men and temporal success in worldly vanities.  But a Christian will glory only in the Cross.  A Christian's motto is "The Cross Alone".  I glory in the Cross:  I am not ashamed of what Jesus did for me.  I preach Christ Crucified!

The very worst part of Christ's life (The Cross) is what we glory in.  We do not glory in the incarnation where Jesus was virgin born, or the sinless life which He lived, or His resurrection from the dead, or His ascension into Heaven where He sat down on the right hand of God, or His Second Coming at the rapture.  The very center and highest glory of Christianity is the Cross where God manifest in the flesh suffered the wrath of God to pay the full penalty due to human sin.  The Lord Jesus Christ suffered especially for you - He was the LORD OF LORDS, He was Jesus the Savior, and He was Christ the anointed one.  Christ Jesus was the Godhead and manhood in one Person.

The Lord Jesus was made to be Sin for us, He bore our sins in His own body, He was Propitiation for our sins, Christ died for the ungodly, He appeared to put away Sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and He was the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.  A full Atonement and an utmost ransom was paid for human sin with the life and blood of the Lamb of God.  At the Cross we see the Just giving His life for the unjust that He might bring us to God, and the Innocent Savior bearing the crimes of guilty sinners, that we might be forgiven freely and accepted in the Beloved.

Whosoever believeth in Jesus is justified from all sin, that whosoever trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ is immediately forgiven, justified, and redeemed forever.  God showed His tender mercy to sinners at the Cross.  Salvation is not of your doings or ceremonies, but by simply and alone believing in the Crucified and Risen Creator.  You need divine Righteousness imputed to your soul by an act of trust in the Righteousness that Jesus has already finished and completed by His sinless life and bloody death on the Cross.

The bloody death of the Son of God upon Calvary's Cross is the crux of Christianity.  The Cross is a stigma, stumbling block, and rock of offense. Upon the Cross, Christ worked out the perfect Salvation of sinful men.  The Cross is my Gospel and Glory, and nothing else at all.  Be wise - set aside vanity and clearly declare the Cross throughout your life.  Make Christ's Perfect and Full Blood Atonement for human sin your central message, main ambition and chief point, always bring the Cross to front and center.  Glory in God Incarnate's effectual Atoning Blood Sacrifice.

The old, old story of the Cross is still what sinners near to hear about, the grace and mercy of God was shown there to a world of lost sinners.  Jesus made a real substitutionary sacrifice for human guilt, that is a plain matter of Fact.  Spread the word about the blood-stained Cross and Savior who loved you and gave Himself for you.  At the Cross there was a final vindication of Divine Justice.  The death God Himself in the Person of His dear Son, Jesus of Nazareth, had to happen in order for Divine Justice to be assuaged and satisfied. God exacted the penalty due to human sin, but He paid the penalty Himself.  Jesus endured the punishment for my sins.  My sin had to be punished, and Jesus paid the full debt that was incurred by my sins.  Self-righteousness is a foul, rotten thing - throw it overboard before it damns you.

Jesus removed all my guilt by His precious blood.  He that believeth in Jesus is justified from all things which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.  My sins were laid on Jesus, and God's justice struck Him with full force.  My Substitute endured my sins' chastisement.  Only the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can kill sin's sting and pain you have within due to your sinning against God.  Free Salvation for the guilty is yours through the Substitution of the Innocent Son of God.  At the Cross, we see Sin and Justice, Misery and Mercy, Folly and Wisdom, Wrath and Tenderness, Recompense and Grace, Vengeance and Pity.

A wise man will prepare for the inevitable - be wise - Prepare to enter Eternity at the Cross now.  The Cross lifts of the fallen and delivers the depraved.  The Lord Jesus bore my sins away as my Scapegoat, dying for me as my Sin-Offering.  His Blood brings peace of heart and satisfaction of conscience.  Perfect cleansing and divine Salvation is available at the Cross.  Jesus' Atoning Sacrifice is my Rock.  Jesus stood in my place, bore and put my sins away.  Atonement by Blood, Full deliverance from Sin's Curse, Perfect Safety, Wisdom, Joy, Gratitude, Purity, Worship, Zeal. Christ took my human guilt, I live in Him, for Him, and through Him.  Faith in the Cross is my Eternal Life.

The Cross Alone!

Saturday, March 12, 2016

The Good Grace of God

God's ways are contrary to man's ways. Man thinks that for God to save him from his sins, he needs to deserve, earn, and merit God's favor by his own self-efforts. The carnal man naturally thinks that God's salvation is based on his own personal performance and good works. However, God's gospel way is not about human achieving, but about freely receiving. The world's system of success is built on self-effort and diligence. It is all about achieving, doing, and relying on self-efforts. You are driven to "do, do, do," but Biblical Christianity is actually all about "done, done, done."

The 'world' says the more you do, the harder you work, the more hours you put in, the more success you will have. The world says work harder and longer, don't worry about family or church. The world will tell you, "You must 'pay the price,' and they'll say, "No pain, no gain, and there's no such thing as a free lunch." But, in order to be saved from the damning power of your sins, you must receive freely two things from Christ Jesus Himself: His abundant grace and the free gift of His righteousness.

God's blessing of salvation is based entirely on His grace, not your performance. There is 'nothing' you can do to deserve God's forgiveness of sins. Salvation is based solely on 'receiving' Jesus, and trusting HIS works. The only thing that works is trusting Christ's works.

Stop trying to do what is already DONE! Stop doing and simply receive what Jesus has already done perfectly. Many self-righteous sinners kick at the free gospel of God and wilfully reject Christ and continue to depend on their self-efforts to qualify themselves in the sight of a holy God. Remember - Never trust in your own wisdom, intelligence, or qualifications to bring you any of the blessings of God. Going to Heaven is all about Jesus and His finished work.

The Law of God was given from a distance, but the Grace of God came near to man through Jesus Christ. The Law of God is hard, cold, and impersonal. You can have no relationship with two tables of stone. The law is holy, just, and good, but it cannot made you holy, just, and good. The law was given by God to expose our inability to be holy, just, and good. The law was given to bring sinful man to the end of himself, and to help him see his need of a Savior. The law exposes our ungodliness. The law condemns the best sinners, but God's grace can save the worst sinners.

Grace is a Person full of love and mercy. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. God (Jesus) came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died a cruel death on the Cross, paid the full debt of sin with His own life's blood. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He came to reconcile sinful man with a holy God. We are made holy and righteous only by Jesus' precious blood once and for all. Once we receive and trust CHRIST HIMSELF, no guilt, condemnation, or the expectation of punishment rests on us any longer. At the Cross of Calvary, the Lamb of God paid the price for sin in full, the justice of God was executed, the wrath of God toward sin was exhausted, the veil of the temple was torn, and the way to God was opened. The debt is paid, stop trying to send in payments to God by your self-efforts. Receive Christ as your eternal payment and He will be your 'title deed' for eternal forgiveness.

The righteousness of God is a free gift, not an earned reward. You must be clothed in God's righteousness to be saved from sin, not your own righteousness, which is self-righteousness. God saves you not because you are good, but because He is so good. Grace is based on God's faithfulness and goodness, not yours. Grace is undeserved favor - Jesus obeyed the law of God perfectly for you, believe in CHRIST alone and you will live eternally with HIM. Grace IS the Gospel. Remember - Grace is a Person - His name is JESUS. You can do nothing to become righteous in the sight of God. Jesus did nothing to become sin. Christ's righteousness is a gift He purchased for you with His life's blood on the Cross. Righteousness before the Lord cannot be earned by a selfish, hell-deserving sinner. Your righteous standing before God can only be received as a free gift. You must stand as a pauper in the heavenly WELFARE line and take a free handout from the pierced hand of God.

The sum and substance of the Gospel lies in one word, Substitution,— Christ standing in the stead of sinners. You deserve to be lost and ruined; the only reason why you should not be damned is this, that Christ was punished in your stead, and there is no need to execute a sentence twice for the same sin. On the other hand, you cannot enter heaven unless you have a perfect righteousness; you can be absolutely certain that you shall never have a perfect righteousness of your own, for you sin every day; but Christ has made perfect righteousness, and He says, “There, take my garment, put it on; you shall stand before God as if you were Christ, and I will stand before God as if I had been the sinner; I will suffer in your stead, and you shall be rewarded for works which you did not do, but which I did for you.”

The whole substance of salvation lies in the thought that Christ has stood in the place of sinner. The prisoner is standing in the dock before the judge, he is about to be taken away to death; he deserves to die, for he has been a great rebel and criminal. But before he is removed, the judge asks whether there is any possible plan whereby the prisoner’s life can be spared. Up rises ONE who is Himself pure and perfect, and has known no sin, and by the allowance of the judge, for that is necessary, the Perfect One steps into the dock, and says, “Consider Me to be the prisoner; pass your sentence on me, and let Me die. Reckon the guilty prisoner to be Myself. I will die for him; I have deserved a reward for what I have done; but instead, reward the sinner as if he had done good, and punish me as if I had committed his sin.” You say, “Such a thing could not occur in an earthly court of law.” No, but it has happened in God’s court of law, in the great court of the Eternal King’s Bench where God is the Judge of all, it has happened. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “The sinner deserves to die; But let Me die in his stead, and let Him be clothed in my righteousness.” This is the GOOD GRACE OF GOD.

You have an awful sin debt, you must pay it, or let Jesus pay it for you.  One day if you die in your sins putting off Christ, your sins will be punished forever, and all your deeds will be laid bare before the White Throne Judgment on the great day of Almighty God.   For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. I beg you friend, look to Christ at once - cease looking to yourself. If you are thirsty, what good does it do you to look down your own throat? What is the good of complaining that you feel too thirsty, or not thirsty enough? Man! rise up and drink. Poor sinner, get away from yourself to Christ, and take Christ into yourself as a man takes water into his body by simply drinking it. Take Christ Himself by faith to be your own Savior, receive Him to be your sole reliance; and you are a saved man on the spot. Call upon Him now for free salvation through His most precious Blood.

Friday, March 11, 2016

What Is Your Delight?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?  For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.  Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.  Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.  I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.  In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.  Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments.  I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word.  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.  Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight.  And I will delight myself in Thy commandments, which I have loved.  Let Thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for Thy law is my delight.

What do you treasure and enjoy most of all?

Unless Thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.  Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.  I have longed for Thy salvation, O Lord; and Thy law is my delight.  A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight.  Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are His delight.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy.

The Message of Mercy

Here’s the ‘Message of Mercy’ that’s music in the sinner’s ears. Time is flying by, life is short, death is near, and Eternity is drawing nigh to you. Your life is very frail and could end any day. You've neglected and rejected Christ time and time again; you've sinned against God Himself and violated His divine Law; and your sins deserve God’s divine justice and recompense. The wrath of God abides on you rich now, because of your secret and public sins, and your rejection of Christ. God sees the sins of your youth as though they were committed yesterday. God sees your thought-life and imaginations. Your root problem is that you love sin. Everything you've every thought, said, or done has been done in the eye sight of God. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God. The test of your character is how you treat people you don't need and that can't help or repay you. Jesus didn't need us, and we couldn't help or repay Him, but He still sought us and had Mercy on us, for His love and goodness' sake.

Every time you sin, you harden your heart a little more; and the harder your heart becomes, the more difficult it is for God to reach you and for you to respond to God. But God has provided a great Remedy for your sin. It is high time for you to make the wisest decision a sinner can make – Trust heartily and simply to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (His person and blood). Your good works are good-for-nothing and meaningless to God; for you cannot help save yourself. All have sinned, there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good, and sinneth not. You are a sinner by birth, by nature, by practice, and by choice. You have no hope of forgiveness apart the bloody death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God cannot overlook your sin. If God ceased to judge sin, He would cease to be holy and just. God cannot let one sin of yours go unpunished. Your sin will either be pardoned by Christ, or punished in Hell, but it will never be overlooked by your holy Creator.

Now, there is nothing freer than a gift, and truly, there is nothing freer than the free gift of God, eternal life. *Romans 6:23* God the Father *gave* His Son to die for poor sinners like you. The eternal God, who made all things, was not willing that any should perish; therefore, He gave His Son to ransom you from sin's curse. God provided a Sinless Blood Sacrifice in person of Jesus of Nazareth to take away your guilt, and, to do this. God gave His Son to live and die here on this earth. God gave us Himself by becoming a Jewish man and then bearing our sins and dying for our sins. Repent of your sinfulness and renounce your self-righteousness, place and fix all your trust in the person of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, and His blood that was shed for ungodly sinners, especially you.

God is holy, man is sinful, Christ Jesus (God manifest in the flesh) alone lived a sinless life, and then He became Sin, that is, He bore our sins in His own body on the Tree, He died for sinners and suffered the wrath of God for us all. Jesus died the death for sin that we deserved. Jesus was buried and raised again from the dead victorious over sin, death, hell, and the grave. He is ascended into heaven and is coming again to judge the quick and the dead. God now commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel of Christ. Submit to Christ's righteousness, fix all your confidence on His precious blood Atonement for sinful wretches. Trust Christ, not yourself. After Jesus saves your soul, love and follow Him in gratitude.

The Gospel is life changing, God honoring, and Christ centered. The broad way leads to destruction in hell, and the narrow way, the way of the Cross, leads to eternal life. See Acts 4:12; John 14:6; I Timothy 2:5-6. Receive Christ, receive the Spirit of God within your body. Renounce your works and sinful ways, flee to the Lamb of God who died upon the Cross for you, find Shelter under Christ's blood from the coming wrath of God.

JEHOVAH GOD was manifested in human flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The Creator who had never been seen by the eye of man was veiled in human flesh. Jesus was God and Man in one person. He was the gift of Grace, the gift of Love, the gift of God’s own Self. The eternal Son of God came to earth to suffer as a Sinless Substitute, so that miserable wretches like us might not perish. God Incarnate bled and died for your sins to save you from the wrath to come. God gave His Son; the Son gave Himself to die; and by an act of faith; if you will TRUST HIM, Christ is your Savior forever.

The greatest proof of Jesus’ condescending love is when He came down from the Throne of Glory to the Cross of Calvary. “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.” *Gal 2:20* Jesus obeyed the Law of God perfectly and was without sin; He was absolutely pure in thought, word, and deed. He descended from Heaven to the manger of Bethlehem – then He stooped even further to bear your sins in His own body on the Cross. Christ Jesus, out of mighty love, came here to earth, lived, labored, and died, giving His whole life away, so that ungodly sinners might be saved freely through Him. He did not come to gain anything for Himself, but out of pure love, He suffered the wrath of God for you. He endured untold anguish even unto death on Calvary’s Cross for your redemption. Remember this – Jesus bled for your sins!

God so loved the world that He gave His Son, who yielded His life an Atonement for sin, and opened the Life Gate that all guilty sinners may go in. Behold, the Son of God did all this for your soul! After JESUS died for you, He was buried, and then He rose from the dead. Then He ascended, and is now seated at the right hand of God. He is alive right now, and He still gives Himself to those that Trust Him. Through faith in His Precious Blood, Jesus can save you from all the guilt of your sin, all the power of your sin, and all the penalty of your sin. This is the best news that lost sinners have ever heard. Jesus is the Great Savior for great sinners. HE is the only answer to your misery and fear of death. You're going to die and meet your Maker; you're not ready. You have no merit; there is not an atom of goodness in you - you deserve eternal death for your sins against God. You are spiritually bankrupt - you have nothing to offer God.

But God is ready to pardon you; He is willing to save you now, if you will but trust His Son. Christ died for ungodly and guilty sinners, not good people. Good people that are self-righteous and trust in themselves end up in Hell. Simply Trust Christ Himself (rely and rest entirely on what Jesus did for you) and your sins shall be freely pardoned by mercy divine. You will be saved in an instant – when you call upon Jesus’ name. Humble yourself, send out a ‘distress call’ from your soul to Heaven, and God will save you by His grace. The instantaneous forgiveness of sins and irreversible eternal life is what your sin-sick soul needs the most.

If you reject Christ, there is no hope for you, and if you neglect HIM, you will deliberately and willfully commit spiritual suicide. Believe the Gospel and live; if you refuse HIM, you will be damned. Only TRUST JESUS, fall down at His feet in repentance, confess your sins, and ask Him to deliver you. Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while HE IS NEAR.

When Christ Jesus died on Calvary's Cross, He died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, "offering up" our sins for judgment and punishment by a holy God, and He simultaneously "offered up" Himself as the one who would submit to that judgment and bear that punishment for us. Jesus was able to do this because He was both the infinite Creator and the one sinless man, who needed not to offer a sacrifice for His own sins. He was willing to do this because He loved us and wanted to save us by His grace. Jesus suffered and bled and died for your sins, so He could save you from the wrath of God and eternal death.

The matchless doctrine of Christ's substitutionary blood Sacrifice is central to the Gospel of Salvation, and therefore precious to the saint. But its central importance also means that it is grossly offensive to the natural man. Many acclaim Jesus as a great martyr or moral teacher, but deny either His deity or His humanity, and certainly deny the universal efficacy of His shed blood in substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of a lost world. Nevertheless, Jesus did bear our sins, and He did completely settle our account with God. In both Hebrews 7:27 and 9:28, the word "once". Jesus did have to die once--but only once--as our sin-bearing Substitute.

Salvation is now Free to you, but it cost God’s Son His life and blood. Salvation is the free gift of God’s Grace, but you must seek it, you must call upon God for it. Do it at once! This is the ‘Message of Mercy’ - God’s Free salvation is only offered to lost and guilty sinners through God's Blood shed by Jesus Christ Himself. Whosoever believeth in Christ Jesus hath everlasting life. Trust Christ Now! Trust Him wholly and fully. Repent, that is, leave your sins and your dark master behind, flee to Christ, leave all other trusts, leave your self-righteousness, quit it all! Simply Rely upon Christ’s shed blood to save your soul from the wrath of God. God be merciful to me a sinner for Jesus’ sake! *Soli Autem Crucis - The Cross Alone*

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Misunderstood

The Lord Jesus Christ was the most misunderstood person who ever lived. He challenged and upset the "religious establishment". He threatened the religious big boys' pocket book and position. His simple truth, humility, and sincerity exposed their religious falsehoods, arrogance, and hypocrisy, and the religionists nailed the innocent Lamb of God to the Cross for that. The religious crowd hated Christ Jesus without a cause, for they loved darkness rather than the Light of the world. And mark it down friend, if you bring up Jesus Christ and the Bible too much, people will start to hate you and begin to plot your demise. Now understand - If you follow in Jesus' steps, you'll be misunderstood, avoided, and persecuted as well.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. *John 15:20*

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus *shall* suffer persecution. *II Timothy 3:12*

P.S. "Be (private) and do (public) whatever God wants for Jesus' sake" - this should be the root motivation and central purpose of our lives.  Everything else is wasted energy and time.

Saturday, March 5, 2016

A Little Help 7

God with us (Incarnation), Christ for us (Substitution). Incarnation and Substitution is God's divine way of Salvation for needy sinners. *I John 1:7*  Glory only in the Lamb and His Cross.  Christ for me, Christ for me - To Him alone will I look. A full Christ for empty sinners. As a sinner I look to Christ for Everything. Christ is Everything for me, my sole and only Hope. Trust in Christ for yourself.  Blessed be His name. The bleeding Christ for me.

Christ died for the ungodly.  Faith in Jesus' blood.  Love Jesus, not your sins.  It is Finished, Through His Blood, Worthy is the Lamb, That is All.  There is Hope, He is risen.  Stay humble, helpful and thankful.  Depart from evil, that is wisdom.  Wisdom from above is first pure.  Prepare to enter Eternity at the Cross.  Keep thyself pure.  Be good to God.  Christ first, self last.

As blood is the life to our flesh, so is Christ’s Blood life to our soul. Your personal dealings with Christ Jesus Himself is the the one thing that is Needful.  *Luke 10:42* Flee to Christ for mercy.  Repent, confess your sins, forsake them, and look to Christ for cleansing.  In a word – rest on Jesus, the eternal Son of God, God in human flesh, bleeding to death for sinful man.  Jesus’ work for us – gratis.  Rest your weary feet upon the truth of the great Substitution.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the Christ of God died for our sins. This is only meat and drink for the hungry soul. God in human flesh, only the Incarnate God, living, loving, bleeding, suffering, dying, making Atonement for human sin, rising from the dead, and then ascending up to the throne of Glory to make intercession for us. Vain is the help of man.

The Incarnate God and the Atoning Savior - Jesus of Nazareth was His name. God Himself was nailed to a tree, and bled to death bearing the sins of every man.  Simply let Jesus save your soul from the love of sin.  The Cross Alone.  Incarnate Love came down from Heaven to save sinners.  God Incarnate, the Christ of God, suffering for sinners.  His one Sacrifice for sins forever is our sole Hope of Heaven.  He voluntarily made Atonement for all our sins. The Incarnate God died a shameful bloody death to save the guilty.  I do believe in the dying Savior’s love, and I rest my soul upon Him.

This is the way of Salvation – just to Rest in Christ. *Matthew 11:28* As the cup hangs on the nail, so must we helplessly hang on Christ. We must be nothing, and Christ Everything. The Incarnate God, the Atoning Blood, the risen Lord, the coming Glory.  Cheerfully consent to be nothing for Jesus' sake who made Himself of no reputation for your sake. I’m counting on Jesus’ Blood, not darwin’s theory. Christ must be Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

A salvation that is made up of any of your doings is a falsehood. Salvation must have Christ as the cornerstone, the foundation, and the capstone. Trust in Jesus Christ for perfect pardon and free justification.  Live nearer to Christ, and you will have a desire after purity and holiness.  You can’t be tricky in business and feel comfortable.  The Gospel will give you a strong desire after inward purity.  You should feel a horror and dread of sinning.

You should walk tenderly and watch cautiously.  Watch and pray.  You should be grieved over your vile impulses and unclean thoughts. Once in Christ, in Christ forever, nothing from His love can sever.  Instantaneous Forgiveness of Sins, and Irreversible, Free Eternal Life.  God punished Christ for all my sins. Come to Christ now for free everlasting life. Jesus Christ came down from heaven and accomplished our salvation for us. The Son of God died especially for you. Christ is All.

Your so-called merits are good for nothing. Your own works are useless when it comes to everlasting life.  Your sinfulness is your only title to God's Salvation. Even faith is God's Free Gift.  There is a Christ for you.  It is Christ that is Everything. Come to Christ for Mercy - He is perfect, He is All there is to it.  Christ for big sinners, little sinners, gray heads and children, poor and rich, for chimney sweeps and kings, for prostitutes and respectable folks. God condemned Christ for me. You owe so much to that Precious Blood which redeemed you. Religion exalts human merit, baptismal water, denominations, sacraments, ceremonies, buildings, certain days; but the Gospel exalts the Lord Jesus Christ and magnifies His Blood and Righteousness.

Take Christ for nothing, without money and without price. Jesus is Free. Come to Christ for all you need. Look to Christ first for faith. Christ is only for poor, perishing sinners. Trust in what Jesus did, trust Christ for the merits which He has performed on your behalf.  Jesus’ death must be your life, His wounds must be your healing.  Look out of yourself to Christ for Everything.  Believe in Jesus Christ alone for all your eternal salvation. Depend on Him implicitly, completely. Needy, guilty sinners will come to Christ for free pardon. While you are anything, Christ is nothing to you, but when you finally become nothing, Christ will be Everything.

The fear and dread of of eternal wrath and punishment weighs on the mind of the Christ rejecter.  The dread of judgment to come in the future constantly harasses the unconverted soul.  God is rarely mentioned today, for He is not known or respected.  Let your desire be to be kept from sinning in the future as you did before.  Sin shall not have dominion over you.  Let your sins be abhorred and forsaken for Jesus' sake.

Men naturally prefer their own foul, filthy lust to Christ. Men prefer making money, cheating their neighbor, loving the world, and chasing the harlot rather than seeking Christ. Men prefer lusts, pleasures, and earthly profits to Christ. Christ for me. Jesus is everything which is good. The vicarious sacrifice of Christ for the sinner, Christ suffering for the sinner.  Christ being made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him. Christ offered up Himself as a sinless substitutionary Sacrifice. Sinners must be alarmed and shut up to the Cross for help. Christ for me. Be willing to have Christ for your Savior. A great Savior for great offenders. Never forget your indebtedness to Christ for what He has done for you.

God never pardons a sin without first punishing that sin – God punished Sin on Christ for us. The Holy Spirit creates a sense of sin, and a grateful sense of the forgiveness of sins. Think of Christ, not your own doings. Draw near to Christ, not just to religious buildings; be baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit, not into some superstitious, religious water by a religionist. Yield to a simple faith in Jesus. Simple faith in the Crucified Creator saves the sinner. Daily resort to Christ for help. Repair to the Redeemer.

There’s nothing for you to do, nothing to pay, nothing to be, nothing to bring - Come to Jesus for Everything. The Atonement of Christ is for my sins. Guilty sinners rest on Christ. *Matthew 11:28* Flee to Christ for mercy and everlasting life. Just cry out to Christ for mercy. Rest in the Precious Blood for pardon, and in His righteousness for acceptance. I am nothing but a mass of sinfulness in myself. Think of your sins, and repent of them, think of Jesus and personally believe on Him. Think of His Cross always.

Frequently think of Christ. We naturally think of food, because we live upon it. Your inward appetite renders food impossible to forget. Long for Jesus, because of the new appetites and cravings within your new nature. Think of Christ joyfully, with admiration, wishing to be conformed to His image. Gracious Savior, make me like Yourself. Change me within, make me pure in thought. Help His cause, succor His people, proclaim His truth, aid His church, pity lost sinners. Alway speak well of Jesus.

Thoughts of Jesus should keep you back from sinning, and to continue in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Adore Him, fellowship with Him, talk with Him, give to Him, work for Him. By instinct the new born Christian knows where to search for the nipple of Scripture, and feed on the sincere milk of the word. The fear and dread of sin, leads to a hatred of sin. Christ for me, Christ for me, None but Christ can do helpless sinners good. Submit yourself to the whole word of God, let it search your inmost soul. Leave your creeds and bad habits behind. Flee to Christ, God manifest in the flesh, for pardon this very hour. Stay the course for His cause. Trust to Him and go forward. “To the End” take Christ for your Substitute.

Christ for me, Christ in my place. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Looking alone to Jesus Christ for pardon. Believe in Jesus for Righteousness. Keep to the one point – I am nothing, Christ is everything; I am sin, He is my Righteousness; I am guilty, He is my Pardon; I am death, He is my Life. I look to Him for everything. I trust not in my doings, I rely on Jesus only. A man will never believe in Jesus till He knows Himself to be nothing. Hang upon Christ for everything, entire dependence upon Christ Himself. Sin results in nakedness, poverty, emptiness, misery, death, impotence, wretchedness. Bring your soul and commit it to Christ for safekeeping, entrusting your soul to Jesus. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for Righteousness, and be made just through faith in His Blood. That is it, that is the whole of it.

Trust Christ alone, and then your soul shall live. Be nothing and nobody, and let Christ be everything. I am content to be nothing and nobody. Human nature wants to be something and do something. But you must be nothing, and Christ is to be Everything. Take salvation freely as a Gift. The Blood of Christ was for sinner’s shed, the Righteousness of Christ to sinners imputed. Look to Christ for His free mercy. My heart is terribly deceitful, and has strong passions, and evil habits. My sin is to be hated, avoided, abhorred, conquered by the power of the Holy Ghost. Be nothing, less than nothing, to have no will and no desire about life or death, about sickness or health, about poverty or wealth, no self-will about anything, but strong resolve to deny self, “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Jesus is all Goodness, and I am all badness, sin, need, misery and emptiness. Trust Christ for full Pardon now. Rest upon Christ for all that concerns your eternal interests.

There must be no reliance for you but upon Christ. The Substitution of the Just for the unjust, God for man, the perfect Christ for us guilty, hell-deserving rebels. To be nothing is ours by nature (Galatians 6:3). Try to be something, and you shall be Nothing. Be nothing, and you shall live. You must be nothing, if God is to save you. You must come down from your high horse, you must give up your trust in works, ceremonies, and natural goodness, and just be a nothing.

God with us, Christ for us. Incarnation, Substitution, Propitiation, Justification, Sanctification, Translation, Glorification. We must be nothing, and Christ everything. When we do this, we shall get rest from the plague of our heart. Salvation’s grand advertisement – “To be given away.” Salvation is everything for nothing, pardon free, Christ free, heaven free. The Great Physician has none but Gratis patients. Yield to be nothing and let Jesus be all. Be nothing and let Him be everything. Trust Him wholly and alone. Drop into His arms and let Him bear the whole weight of your sins. Invite men to come to Christ for mercy. Trust in Christ for salvation. Ask Christ to help you overcome sin day by day.

Trust to the Crucified One, rely upon His full Atonement. The Gospel is dreary talk and a weariness to those who are lost and lingering in their sins. Come to Christ for yourself. The Gospel way is "Everything for Nothing". Put out the penniless hand of faith, and say, “I am a sinner for sure, Christ died for sinners; and I take Christ to be my Savior.” Go to Jesus for everything. Trust in Jesus Christ for everything you want between here and Heaven. Take Christ to be yours. Religionists are partisan hacks - they would rather make and a love a lie and neglect the living God, Jesus Christ. God gave Jesus to save sinners. God laid your sin upon Jesus, that He might take it off the sinner. Pray to Jesus now for mercy. Come to Jesus for rest and satisfaction.

If you feel the filthiness and guilt of your sin, come to Jesus for cleansing. Rely on Jesus for all your Salvation. Die with your face to the Cross. Jesus is the way, the living way, the only way, the sure way.  *John 14:6*  Salvation has Jesus as its Author and Finisher. Come to Christ for faith and repentance. The Gospel provides a full Christ for empty sinners, pardon on earth and bliss in heaven. The Substitution of Christ for the sinner is the essence of the Gospel. Preach the pierced One. Look to Jesus for the living water. Jesus said, "He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." Look for pardon in the Precious Blood alone. Look to the name, the person, the character, the work, the teaching of Christ. You must distinctly go to Christ for yourself. Draw sinners’ attention to Christ alone. Christ is All.

If you feel, confess, and own your guilt, then Christ is for you. Trust Christ personally for everlasting salvation. Your poor, longing, needy spirit needs to trust in the Savior. They that are sinful will come to Christ for pardon, but they that are self-righteous never will come to the feet of Jesus Christ. Christ for me - Christ in me. Those that are full of themselves will not come to Christ. Self-conceited folks will never own and confess their awful guilt. Quit your vanities, seek Christ’s verities. Receive at once the merit of the Savior and His eternal salvation. If you feel your own sinfulness, flee to the Lord Jesus Christ for Righteousness.

Come with all your sins and burdens and lay down your deadly load at the Cross. Quit your dirty ways and wicked thoughts, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, who will abundantly pardon. Your heart is a well of defilement. Quit your false righteousness. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for immediate salvation. Trust Him. Christ is the Savior, it is His main business to save sinners. Put your soul into the Redeemer’s hand. He saves all who trust Him. To trust Jesus right now is most wise. Resort to Jesus for aid. Jesus is your sole hope. Repent, believe, lay hold on Christ and quit your hold on sin. All out for Jesus.

The blessed Substitute for sinners loved you and gave Himself for you. All you have to do is to simply trust Jesus’ blood. Christ for me. Trust Christ for yourself, believe in Jesus now. Depend upon the blood for cleansing, the righteousness of Christ for clothing. Take Christ for your pattern. Quit your sin, or quit all hope. Cut your sinful connections, quit your evil companions. Believe on the great Substitution of Christ for sinners. If you are dreading condemnation and fearing death, Christ is for you.  Come to Christ just as you are, quit your love and life of sin, love Christ, love His holiness, seek to serve Him. Flee from the guilt, penalty, dread, bondage, misery of sin at Calvary.

 Christ rejectors have much fear of death, dread of judgment, dark premonitions of wrath to come. Christ neglecters face a horrible, dreadful, Christ-less death. They are burdened with sin, and full of guilt. Matthew 11:28. Asking and trusting Christ for mercy is most wise. God Almighty Incarnate in the bleeding man of sorrows. Whosoever believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Quit your sinning, leave it and loathe it. Keep close to Christ, for He is your life. Keep close to His church, for they are your comfort. Trust to Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul. Christ for me. Simply depend upon Christ for salvation. Come to the Cross just as you are right now, with no goodness, or virtue, or hope; come to Christ for it all. Quit the evil trade, have done with it. Away with your self-righteousness. Religious bosses, the flesh, the world and the devil are all against you.

Come to Christ for rest at once. You must by the Holy Spirit’s power, trust in Christ for yourself, no one can believe for you. Leave your sin, leave your self-righteousness, just quit it all. Give yourself up to Christ Himself to be made holy, to be taught to do His will, and to be His servant all your days. You are devoid of all goodness, make Christ your goodness, devoid of everything right, take Christ, and He is yours. All you have to do is cast yourself, with all your weight of sin, upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believe in Jesus Christ for your whole life. Desiring to please the Lord all your days in all your ways, that's fearing the Lord. Trusting nothing of your own, but simply trust Christ for everything, and you’re saved. Take Christ for your All in All. It’s nice to be nice, it doesn’t cost you a penny. Christ for me, first and last, Alpha and Omega, the beginner and finisher of my faith. Make Christ all your standing before God. Standing before God in Christ alone I am accepted forever. Flat out live for Jesus out of gratitude. Cast yourself upon Christ, have nothing but Jesus for your soul’s reliance.

The only safe rule is to keep close to the Scriptures in everything. Quit the sin which holds you spellbound. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. Confess your own sins, repent of your own sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself, love God, obey the Lord, personal godliness is key. God is my Father, Christ is my Savior, the Holy Spirit is my Comforter, Heaven is my home. One Christ for every sinner, one Blood to cleanse, one Salvation to rescue, one Righteousness to cover. Delay is dangerous, Trust in Jesus for yourself now, and then point others to Him. We need more grace and tact.  Have done with your particular besetting sin. Give up your sins, and seek the Holy Spirit to mortify the member in which the lust does dwell. The safest thing to do is to trust the blood of Jesus Christ right now. God has forgiven me for Christ’s sake. Let me tell you about Jesus Christ for a few minutes; I won’t tire you, and let me pray with you before I go.  God with us (Incarnation), and Christ for us (Substitution). 

Today, Christianity is a convenient thing, not a fighting force. There is a tendency today to accommodate the Gospel to unregenerated human nature without calling for a conversion, repentance, and faith. The necessity of the New Birth. Every unsaved man is in a bad fix. Go directly to Christ for truth and light. Really come to Christ for His free and full salvation. Ask Christ personally to forgive all your sins now through His Precious Blood. Take Jesus Christ on God’s terms. You can only have Christ for nothing. Have Christ for your daily and hourly Companion. Always hit the Bible note. Get back to the Bible. Really rest in Jesus for all your salvation. Don’t flinch, trim, or compromise. Church has more influence today, but no power. Personally quit your sins, and lay hold on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, lived and died for sinners, you are bidden to trust Him now. Rely upon Him, depend upon Him, hang your whole weight upon Him. Come unto Him, He will give you rest. Personally trust your soul to Jesus Christ right now.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

A Good Question

A good question to ask yourself each morning is this - Am I being led by the Spirit of God? *Romans 8:9* He is the Quickener, Strengthener, and Comforter. We can't do anything for Jesus that will matter eternally without the help of the Holy Spirit. If we feel weak, empty, insufficient, and distrustful of self, the Holy Spirit is working. The weaker we feel, the more we will Seek Him for faith and strength to press on toward the mark. The Spirit must be the Life in our words and works. The Spirit leads us aways from the love of sin and from a dependence on our own self-righteousness. The Spirit leads us to the person, blood, words, and righteousness of Christ Jesus. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Stay humble, pure, gracious, forgiving, and useful for Jesus' sake. Keep close to the words of God - It is written, and thus saith the Lord. Our own thoughts and words must be influenced by Him. We cannot work for Christ except through the Holy Spirit. *Romans 8:14* Be ready to obey the gentlest corrections from the Spirit of Christ - His inward advice. Remain little in God's sight, be easily led and taught, recognize the Spirit's yeas and nays, obey Him quickly, be eager to learn of him, cheerfully yield to Him, and walk with Him today.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
they are the sons of God.

Am I being led by the Spirit of God?