Without shedding of blood is no remission. Remission is the canceling of a sin debt. A sinner will be granted eternal life and the forgiveness of sins only when he comes in contact with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith. A Blood Atonement is absolutely necessary in order for a holy God to come into contact with guilty sinners. An Atonement must be made by Blood for human sin, by the Sacrifice of an innocent life. The Blood of the Savior must be applied to the conscience and soul of man by the Holy Spirit. You should be shocked that your sins should require such a Sacrifice as God's Son. You're a sinner; you need supernatural help from the Holy Spirit in order to be born again. Earthly religion will leave you lost and confounded, but the Gospel will quicken and redeem.
The Crucified Creator poured out His heart's life-blood for the ungodly. Your sins required such a dreadful Atonement. You are so guilty before God that His own Son must bleed in order for your transgressions to be blotted out. The Cross should produce a shocking horror in you concerning your sins. The God of the Bible cannot be approached without Precious Blood, by a sinless sacrificial death. There is something horrible about human sin that only a sinless bloody death can hide. Come to Calvary and look with your mind's eye to Christ Jesus Himself being offered up as an Atoning Sacrifice for guilty men and women. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
You'll never hear a peep out of a religionist today concerning these precious truths: Free Justification by His Perfect Righteousness; Instantaneous, Irreversible Pardon by His Precious Blood; Full Atonement by His Great Sinless Substitution; Complete Satisfaction of Divine Justice by His Atoning Sacrifice; Immediate Reconciliation by the Cross; Continual Sanctification by His Spirit.
God Himself became a man like us, and being found in fashion as a man, He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. The gift of Jesus for sinners is the proof of God's infinite goodness and love. God Incarnate on our behalf vindicated the Law we had broken, and His sinless obedience honored the Law which we had greatly violated. The Lamb of God gave His life for rebellious lawbreakers. Jesus can really forgive all your sins. Christ Jesus is the center of God's heart, and the apple of God's eye. God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
There is nothing lovable in you; you are a real enemy to God, you are polluted with sin through and through, and you are polluting others with your sins. God so loved my soul that He gave Jesus Himself to die on my behalf. Jesus died in unspeakable agony so that guilty sinners like me could be freely pardoned. Listen closely - Seek peace with God through the Blood of Jesus Christ. Trust your soul with the Great Atoner of human sin.
Sin brings with it a penalty, pollution and power over you. What is Sin anyway? Whatever happened to Sin? Where are your sins right now? What can be done about all your sins? Who will answer for your sins in Eternity? Someone has to, that's for sure. Men today think sin is a light thing, just blunders and errors of those who cannot help making mistakes. Sin is only an error today, or a misjudgment or glandular malfunction. They do not think sin should be punished forever in Eternity. God with His commandments and statutes has set up barriers against evil, but we have crossed the line. Sin is not a mistake, it is an intentional crime against your Maker. The atheist says that Sin is the invention of the church to keep everyone in line. Sin is a clinched fist in the face of Almighty God. Remember when you cheated on that test, stole the answer so you could pass, told that lie to get out of trouble, stole stuff from the job to save a buck, or when you deceived your mother. The Bad News of your sinful condition makes the Good News of Gospel so good.
My sins were so heinous and evil that nothing else would do but that God Himself should become incarnate and be nailed to a cross to bleed and die like a criminal in order to pay the consequences due to my sins. My sin was so deadly that Jesus had to die. Sin is such a detestable and horrible thing that it could only be put away by the Sacrifice of Christ's perfect life and blood. The innocent life of the eternal Son of God, God manifest in the flesh, was laid down on my soul's behalf. He offered up His own spotless life to put away the filth and penalty of my transgressions. Your sins should sicken you, because they crucified the Son of God.
Christ was perfectly innocent, He stood condemned in my place, and the punishment due to my transgressions was so dreadful that only God's Son could pay the penalty. Jesus said that He was God in the flesh - He was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord of glory; He was either deceived, a deceiver, or Deity. Trust Christ - lose your sins; trust yourself - lose your soul.
You are so sinful that it required a dying God to save you. The more and more you understand the evil of your sins against God, the more precious the Blood of Jesus will become. Only the Holy Spirit can show you what your sins really deserve. The Holy Spirit must send His light down into the dark cellar of your heart, and then you will begin to discern how evil you really are. You will then realize that nothing else but Jesus' blood could ever cleanse and change you within. Divine Love led the Savior to give Himself as a Ransom for your sins, so the Justice of God could be fully satisfied, and so the Mercy of God could be freely bestowed on sinners. Jesus suffered all the penalty on our behalf because of our offenses against God's Law. Religion tries to trim, change, or amend the Gospel message to satisfy man's sinful tastes or self-righteousness.
Salvation is not by human merit. Poor sinner, you have nothing to do but to come and take Christ as your Sin-Bearer; put your trust in Him. He loved you, and gave Himself for you. By faith come and rest in His finished work. Water baptism and religiousness can never help take away a single one of your sins; your self-righteousness will never make amends for what you have done. You can work your fingers to the bone, but you will never attain to a righteousness that will cover your naked soul before the all-seeing God.
Once a lost soul departs Satan's kingdom of gross darkness and enters into Christ's kingdom of marvelous light by the grace of God; that soul goes from being unwanted to adopted, from worthless to precious, from enemy to child of the family, from outcast to accepted in the Beloved. The grace of God is unearned, undeserved, and unrepayable. A sinner can never obtain the grace of God because he earned it, and he can never do anything to repay the Giver of Grace. It is an impossibility to deserve the mercy and kindness of God found in Christ Jesus. A sinner can only be freed from sin by the grace and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ - freed for free for Jesus's sake.
The only hope for any sinner is to come to the Cross and trust what Jesus Christ has done for him, depending only upon the blood, wounds, agonies, and death of the Crucified Creator, who suffered in his place, that he might escape the wrath of God. Trust Christ, and your soul shall live. The bloody Sacrifice of Calvary is the only hope for the ungodly. If you reject Christ, you have sealed your soul's doom. You either have Christ's blood on your hands, and you are guilty; or you have His blood on your heart, and you are forgiven.
Your soul cannot be safe for Eternity unless the Blood of Lamb has redeemed you. Your so-called morality, outward religiousness, and good intentions could never make you acceptable with God's divine justice. If you reject the Blood of Christ, you have rejected the one thing which can save your soul from your sins. You need Christ's sin-atoning Sacrifice, the Atonement by Precious Blood. Jesus gave Himself and all that He had to save poor, needy, guilty sinners such as we are. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, I am a sinner, and my soul rests alone on Him for all my Salvation. The Blood of Jesus takes away the condemning guilt of sin, and the enslaving power of sin. The Blood of Jesus gives you a new heart, a new love, and a new desire; you begin to search and love God's words; you begin to love God's people; your desires become pure, your sin begins to bother you, and you long for the time when you will be rid of all your sins; and you wish for the coming day when you will be caught away to be forever with the Lord Jesus Christ. Once Christ enters your heart, He will begin to slowly drive out the sins that are there.
Come to the Cross now and accept Jesus' Atonement. Trust to His Blood alone. Whosoever believeth in Jesus is not condemned. When the Blood of Jesus is trusted, years of sins will be forgiven in a single instant. The Blood of Jesus kills the love of sin within. Only the Cross can kill the love of sin and nourish purity within you. When you begin to hate your sins and try to forsake them for Jesus' sake, that is when you know you've been born again. When the Precious Blood begins operating within your soul, you will have a growing strength against temptations, and a growing hatred of your inward evil, and you will begin to grow in grace and become more like Christ in your daily thoughts and behavior.
Flee to the Cross for the Savior's help. Trust Jesus now, and you shall be saved on the spot. God manifest in the flesh suffered and bled instead of you. Completely depend upon the Christ of God. The acceptance of the Atonement is the great source of virtue and piety within. The Blood of Jesus leads us to obey God out of gratitude and aspire after purity for Jesus' sake. The more a man understands about the Blood of Jesus, the more he will hate and forsake his sins. The work of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God in our hearts helps us to detect and deny the motions of sin. Fix your trust in the Atoning Blood of the Lamb of God. A saved man has been bought with a price, the blood of Jesus, and after he is born again, he is the property of Jesus for time and Eternity. All he has belongs to Jesus and he is set apart to be Jesus' servant. Dignus Est Agnus Dei!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
The Pure Gospel 2
The very center of Biblical Christianity is the Cross of Christ. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ Crucified must be kept to the front for us sinners are so forgetful. This is why we must continually set Christ's Atoning Sacrifice before the minds of men by communicating the Gospel to them. The salvation of a sinner lies wholly in Christ Jesus Himself. Christ's Humanity, Christ's Deity, Christ's Blood Atonement, Christ's Resurrection from the dead, Christ's imminent Return. There is in Christ all that a sinner really needs.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ Himself can meet all the spiritual needs of sinful mankind. He satiates the weary soul with His goodness, and replenishes every sorrowful soul. Christ will never save any man until he receives Jesus by an act of faith in His Precious Blood. How can a thrice-holy God be just and yet freely pardon a sinner like me? Answer: God manifest in the flesh bleeding and dying on the Cross instead of me. Sinners need the Gospel before anything else. My sins were punished on Christ, and as I see the agony and grief that Jesus endured there on Calvary on account of my sins, I can see the awful evil of my sins.
A baby doesn't have to be taught to drink or eat. All you have to do is put food to a baby's mouth, and he begins to eat it, because of his appetite. Even a blind, or deaf, or illiterate man can eat. Likewise, all you have to do with Jesus is receive Him inwardly by faith. You can never take Christ away from the soul that has fed upon Him by faith. The only real food for the needy soul is Jesus Himself. Receive Christ spiritually into your heart. The only way we can get spiritually stronger is to feed spiritually upon this truth - God manifest in the flesh died to atone for our sins on Calvary's tree. Let your heart, soul and mind feed upon Christ Himself spiritually, and upon what He has done for you on the Cross. Meditate much on the Mediator. There is the Savior, I take Him, that is all. Christ crucified for me; Christ received by me.
Are you a true believer in Jesus? Has He forgiven all your sins freely through His atoning blood? It is a very simple thing to trust to Jesus. If you are willing to have Jesus, you can have Him right now on the spot. Your first business must be with Christ Himself, so go directly to the Cross and put your trust in Him. Believe on the Lamb of God to the saving of your soul. The act of trusting in Christ with all your heart makes Christ your own. Jesus' bloody death puts to death our sins and self-righteousness. Here is the main business - Look to the Lamb of God till your heart breaks over sinning against Him, and then begin to hate and forsake those sins for Jesus' sake. The bloody death of the Son of God is the great sin-killer. Stop seeking self-salvation; for your Salvation lies in Another Person, and Salvation can only be found in and received from the bleeding Lamb of Calvary. Look wholly out of yourself, and entirely to the sinless Blood Sacrifice which was offered up by Jesus Himself on Calvary.
Believe and receive this wondrous scriptural fact - God Himself was here on Earth among men in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and He laid down His life as a Sacrifice to make Atonement for your sins. The wounds of Christ can quieten an accusing conscience; the bleeding God can satisfy a condemning Law; the Precious Blood can make unbelief vanish away; come now to the Cross and expose your old sins to the Crucified Creator, and they will be driven away as well. The most vital of all truths is God Incarnate's Precious Atoning Blood. Without shedding of blood is no remission, and the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Salvation is a personal matter - if Christ ever saves you, you must personally seek and trust Him for yourself. Is your faith genuinely rooted in the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh? Sinner friend, be wise, simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, trust to Him implicitly.
The Lord Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem-Judah, and lived here on Earth as a poor Jewish peasant, and in due time He suffered, bled, died, and gave His life a Ransom for us all. God came here to Earth in human flesh and bled and died for our sins; He died and bore the vengeance due to our guilt, and the punishment which our transgressions had incurred. God Incarnate suffered in the sinner's place. The very heart of the Gospel is the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh. Christ's finished, perfect Atoning Sacrifice for sinners is the very essence and life of the Gospel. Christ Jesus must be received by faith into our hearts. We must believe that His bloody death was really for us; we must personally appropriate that Atoning Sacrifice as our own; we are to trust in it; we are to live spiritually upon the Lamb of God. As many as receive the Lord Jesus Christ, to them He gives the power to become the sons of God. Only Jesus' blood has the power to take away and forgive human sin forever.
The Lamb of God loved me, and gave Himself for me. Jesus suffered a violent and vicious death for the sins you commit from day to day. Christ has once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God; who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. God the Father was well pleased with the sinless Sacrifice which His Son offered on Calvary. It is finished! Come to the Cross, trembling at God's words, forsaking your sins, believing on Jesus' blood, rejoicing in His Sacrifice, and being grateful for His Bleeding Love. Come and trust Him all over again, come and give yourself over to Him once again. All my trust for Salvation rests in Jesus' Precious Blood. Look unto Jesus now - You must look to Him one day, either with repentance and faith here in time, or else with terror and despair out in Eternity. Choose now which it shall be for you. Will you take Jesus as your Savior, or as your Judge? If you are presently a Christ neglecter or rejecter, you are presently God's enemy and abide under the wrath of God.
The natural unregenerate man habituates himself to foul and degenerate thoughts and behavior, and addicts himself to the devil's bait. The dark place called Calvary gives us light, the bloody death of the Savior gives us life, His agony and wounds bring us peace within, and His torture gives our soul Rest. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The hearing of Faith is the Gospel way.
Think much of God Incarnate suffering on account of your sins. He poured out His soul unto death for you; think about the anguish and bloody sweat of dark Gethsemane; the scourging of Gabbatha; and how He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; He hid not His face from shame and spitting. Contemplate the cross and nails he bore; His grief of being forsaken; His anguish of thirst, the bitterness of scorn, the torments and throes of death; He endured all of this on account of your sins against God. Great sinners need a Great Savior with a great pardon. By a distinct act of personal faith, take Jesus to be yours. Simply take Christ, and trust to His finished cross-work; and He will become one with you; you will become one with Him; your life will be hid with Him; and because He lives, you shall live also.
Simply take what Christ offers freely to unworthy sinners. You must come to Christ first as a sinner, just as you are. Ponder the Redeemer. Study the Savior. Contemplate the Cross. Think deeply on Lamb of God. Meditate on His great Atoning Sacrifice by which your sins are put away forever. Come unto Jesus, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He will give you Rest. Come to Jesus by trusting with all your heart in His Atoning Sacrifice for your sins. Believe that Jesus died for your sins, according to the Scriptures; put your confidence in His bloody death and resurrection as making Reconciliation for you before God. Personally avow, that is, declare inwardly and openly, your own personal faith in His Blood. The great central truth of the Gospel is this - God's divine justice was vindicated by the bloody death of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and because of that, Free forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus' blood is now offered by the grace of God to every sinner on the face of the Earth.
Christ liveth in me, and the love of Christ constraineth me. Belief in the Gospel should make us upright in our conduct toward others, and constrain us to fear and please God in all that we think, say and do. The Holy Spirit must impart to you the inward and spiritual grace to help you live a life pleasing to God. Religion will make you religious; Christ Himself will make you spiritual - helpful, gracious, humble, merciful, thoughtful, watchful, thankful. How is your soul prospering? We love Jesus, because He first loved us. Now remember - Jesus was despised and rejected, and if you keep company with Him, you should expect to be despised and rejected as well. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. What can I do now to show my gratitude to the one Person who loved me enough to die for my sins?
Only the Lord Jesus Christ Himself can meet all the spiritual needs of sinful mankind. He satiates the weary soul with His goodness, and replenishes every sorrowful soul. Christ will never save any man until he receives Jesus by an act of faith in His Precious Blood. How can a thrice-holy God be just and yet freely pardon a sinner like me? Answer: God manifest in the flesh bleeding and dying on the Cross instead of me. Sinners need the Gospel before anything else. My sins were punished on Christ, and as I see the agony and grief that Jesus endured there on Calvary on account of my sins, I can see the awful evil of my sins.
A baby doesn't have to be taught to drink or eat. All you have to do is put food to a baby's mouth, and he begins to eat it, because of his appetite. Even a blind, or deaf, or illiterate man can eat. Likewise, all you have to do with Jesus is receive Him inwardly by faith. You can never take Christ away from the soul that has fed upon Him by faith. The only real food for the needy soul is Jesus Himself. Receive Christ spiritually into your heart. The only way we can get spiritually stronger is to feed spiritually upon this truth - God manifest in the flesh died to atone for our sins on Calvary's tree. Let your heart, soul and mind feed upon Christ Himself spiritually, and upon what He has done for you on the Cross. Meditate much on the Mediator. There is the Savior, I take Him, that is all. Christ crucified for me; Christ received by me.
Are you a true believer in Jesus? Has He forgiven all your sins freely through His atoning blood? It is a very simple thing to trust to Jesus. If you are willing to have Jesus, you can have Him right now on the spot. Your first business must be with Christ Himself, so go directly to the Cross and put your trust in Him. Believe on the Lamb of God to the saving of your soul. The act of trusting in Christ with all your heart makes Christ your own. Jesus' bloody death puts to death our sins and self-righteousness. Here is the main business - Look to the Lamb of God till your heart breaks over sinning against Him, and then begin to hate and forsake those sins for Jesus' sake. The bloody death of the Son of God is the great sin-killer. Stop seeking self-salvation; for your Salvation lies in Another Person, and Salvation can only be found in and received from the bleeding Lamb of Calvary. Look wholly out of yourself, and entirely to the sinless Blood Sacrifice which was offered up by Jesus Himself on Calvary.
Believe and receive this wondrous scriptural fact - God Himself was here on Earth among men in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, and He laid down His life as a Sacrifice to make Atonement for your sins. The wounds of Christ can quieten an accusing conscience; the bleeding God can satisfy a condemning Law; the Precious Blood can make unbelief vanish away; come now to the Cross and expose your old sins to the Crucified Creator, and they will be driven away as well. The most vital of all truths is God Incarnate's Precious Atoning Blood. Without shedding of blood is no remission, and the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Salvation is a personal matter - if Christ ever saves you, you must personally seek and trust Him for yourself. Is your faith genuinely rooted in the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh? Sinner friend, be wise, simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, trust to Him implicitly.
The Lord Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem-Judah, and lived here on Earth as a poor Jewish peasant, and in due time He suffered, bled, died, and gave His life a Ransom for us all. God came here to Earth in human flesh and bled and died for our sins; He died and bore the vengeance due to our guilt, and the punishment which our transgressions had incurred. God Incarnate suffered in the sinner's place. The very heart of the Gospel is the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh. Christ's finished, perfect Atoning Sacrifice for sinners is the very essence and life of the Gospel. Christ Jesus must be received by faith into our hearts. We must believe that His bloody death was really for us; we must personally appropriate that Atoning Sacrifice as our own; we are to trust in it; we are to live spiritually upon the Lamb of God. As many as receive the Lord Jesus Christ, to them He gives the power to become the sons of God. Only Jesus' blood has the power to take away and forgive human sin forever.
The Lamb of God loved me, and gave Himself for me. Jesus suffered a violent and vicious death for the sins you commit from day to day. Christ has once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God; who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. God the Father was well pleased with the sinless Sacrifice which His Son offered on Calvary. It is finished! Come to the Cross, trembling at God's words, forsaking your sins, believing on Jesus' blood, rejoicing in His Sacrifice, and being grateful for His Bleeding Love. Come and trust Him all over again, come and give yourself over to Him once again. All my trust for Salvation rests in Jesus' Precious Blood. Look unto Jesus now - You must look to Him one day, either with repentance and faith here in time, or else with terror and despair out in Eternity. Choose now which it shall be for you. Will you take Jesus as your Savior, or as your Judge? If you are presently a Christ neglecter or rejecter, you are presently God's enemy and abide under the wrath of God.
The natural unregenerate man habituates himself to foul and degenerate thoughts and behavior, and addicts himself to the devil's bait. The dark place called Calvary gives us light, the bloody death of the Savior gives us life, His agony and wounds bring us peace within, and His torture gives our soul Rest. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The hearing of Faith is the Gospel way.
Think much of God Incarnate suffering on account of your sins. He poured out His soul unto death for you; think about the anguish and bloody sweat of dark Gethsemane; the scourging of Gabbatha; and how He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; He hid not His face from shame and spitting. Contemplate the cross and nails he bore; His grief of being forsaken; His anguish of thirst, the bitterness of scorn, the torments and throes of death; He endured all of this on account of your sins against God. Great sinners need a Great Savior with a great pardon. By a distinct act of personal faith, take Jesus to be yours. Simply take Christ, and trust to His finished cross-work; and He will become one with you; you will become one with Him; your life will be hid with Him; and because He lives, you shall live also.
Simply take what Christ offers freely to unworthy sinners. You must come to Christ first as a sinner, just as you are. Ponder the Redeemer. Study the Savior. Contemplate the Cross. Think deeply on Lamb of God. Meditate on His great Atoning Sacrifice by which your sins are put away forever. Come unto Jesus, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He will give you Rest. Come to Jesus by trusting with all your heart in His Atoning Sacrifice for your sins. Believe that Jesus died for your sins, according to the Scriptures; put your confidence in His bloody death and resurrection as making Reconciliation for you before God. Personally avow, that is, declare inwardly and openly, your own personal faith in His Blood. The great central truth of the Gospel is this - God's divine justice was vindicated by the bloody death of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and because of that, Free forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus' blood is now offered by the grace of God to every sinner on the face of the Earth.
Christ liveth in me, and the love of Christ constraineth me. Belief in the Gospel should make us upright in our conduct toward others, and constrain us to fear and please God in all that we think, say and do. The Holy Spirit must impart to you the inward and spiritual grace to help you live a life pleasing to God. Religion will make you religious; Christ Himself will make you spiritual - helpful, gracious, humble, merciful, thoughtful, watchful, thankful. How is your soul prospering? We love Jesus, because He first loved us. Now remember - Jesus was despised and rejected, and if you keep company with Him, you should expect to be despised and rejected as well. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. What can I do now to show my gratitude to the one Person who loved me enough to die for my sins?
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Your Sins, Your Soul 7
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; He shed His blood for His enemies. Jesus loved His enemies to death. As He was bleeding and dying a violent death all alone in agony, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Until you get your sins atoned for, you will never have Jesus living within you. The sinless Victim of Calvary made an Atonement for all your sins. Come and feed upon Jesus Christ. The more we trust Jesus, the more we please God. Never be afraid of trusting Christ. Lean hard on Jesus with all your soul. Lay your sins, cares, burdens, and troubles at Jesus' feet.
You need a new nature and new heart within, pure and holy, that is tender and sensitive to the movements and leadership of the Holy Spirit. No longer, no more trifling with sins, go to the very heart of your sin. Will you keep your sins and go to Hell, or will you give up your sins and go to Heaven? Part with your sins and be joined to Christ. Men try to hide and bury themselves in business, entertainment, amusement, work, religion, and worldly companions. Man-made religious tradition will damn your soul quicker than anything under the sun. Fig leaves and filthy rags can't cover your sins in the sight of God. We can only be Righteous in God's sight through the Righteousness of Christ which is freely imputed to our soul by faith in Christ's Blood.
Jesus did the most for us He could ever do for us - He bore our sins and suffered the divine wrath due to those sins. There is no eternal life for you apart from the blood that was shed by the Lamb of God on Calvary's hill. Jesus is the Best Gift for the worst men. Your starving soul can never be satisfied by the husks of religion, your soul needs the kernel which is Christ Himself. Set your face with determination to seek God through the blood of His only begotten Son. All that you are hungry for is in Christ. If God is not your Father, then the Devil is.
The winds of Hell have blown, the world its hate hath shown, yet it is not overthrown, Hallelujah for the Cross!
You're in trouble with the Law, the Law of God. Your crimes against Divine Justice (lies, lust, blasphemy, thefts, hatred, idolatry, selfishness) can only be pardoned by God's Son. You're on the run, because Divine Justice is pursuing you. God witnesses your thoughts, words and deeds daily; He searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. The LORD will give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Come to your senses before it is everlasting too late. Stop loving your sins. Turn yourself in, surrender yourself to The Authority, the Crucified Creator.
Seek Christ's forgiveness for your sins, ask Him to erase your sinful past. Seek to the Precious Blood of God's Son. Lord Jesus, forgive me, give a new heart altogether, change my desires and appetites. Go to your knees, pray to God, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ Himself to you in the Scriptures. What your soul needs, beyond all else, is Jesus' Blood. If your soul is foul, diseased, starved, and fed up with sinning, come to Jesus' feet seeking His rich and free mercy. If you get JESUS, all will be right and well with your soul.
As you would be happy, do seek the Lord Jesus Christ. Seeking the Lord Jesus Christ - this is the noble and pure way. Never risk your soul on the rotten planks of human merit. Really trust Jesus with all your heart. No man could ever be good enough to undo his past. Come to Jesus now by an act of simple faith in His Precious Blood. The Holy Spirit must apply the words of God with power to your lost soul, nothing else will ever help you. Give up your false heart and false life. Receive Christ Himself personally, inwardly, instantly, and actively. Only Jesus will satisfy your soul's hunger.
Here is the Gospel in the plainest terms - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; He died a sinless Atoning Sacrifice for human sin. The blood that coursed through Jesus' veins is able to save you from your sins. Jesus was the invisible Creator God clothed in human flesh; He lived a sinless life and died upon Calvary's Cross for your sins, the Just for the unjust. He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. His head was crowned with thorns, His back was scourged, He bled and died in agony on the Cross.
Christ died for the ungodly; He made an Atonement for the sins of the whole word with His own blood. You don't have to go to Hell, John 3:16 says so. The Lord Jesus Christ can save you from being a slave to your sins. Flee to the Cross now, and seek mercy through the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh. He laid down His life as a Ransom for all of us. Believe in Jesus now, and you will be saved now. If you are willing to have Jesus, you may have Him. Christ Jesus will save you if you receive Him by an act of faith in His precious blood. If you reject the Blood of Jesus Christ, you have rejected your only Hope.
You need a new nature and new heart within, pure and holy, that is tender and sensitive to the movements and leadership of the Holy Spirit. No longer, no more trifling with sins, go to the very heart of your sin. Will you keep your sins and go to Hell, or will you give up your sins and go to Heaven? Part with your sins and be joined to Christ. Men try to hide and bury themselves in business, entertainment, amusement, work, religion, and worldly companions. Man-made religious tradition will damn your soul quicker than anything under the sun. Fig leaves and filthy rags can't cover your sins in the sight of God. We can only be Righteous in God's sight through the Righteousness of Christ which is freely imputed to our soul by faith in Christ's Blood.
Jesus did the most for us He could ever do for us - He bore our sins and suffered the divine wrath due to those sins. There is no eternal life for you apart from the blood that was shed by the Lamb of God on Calvary's hill. Jesus is the Best Gift for the worst men. Your starving soul can never be satisfied by the husks of religion, your soul needs the kernel which is Christ Himself. Set your face with determination to seek God through the blood of His only begotten Son. All that you are hungry for is in Christ. If God is not your Father, then the Devil is.
The winds of Hell have blown, the world its hate hath shown, yet it is not overthrown, Hallelujah for the Cross!
You're in trouble with the Law, the Law of God. Your crimes against Divine Justice (lies, lust, blasphemy, thefts, hatred, idolatry, selfishness) can only be pardoned by God's Son. You're on the run, because Divine Justice is pursuing you. God witnesses your thoughts, words and deeds daily; He searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. The LORD will give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Come to your senses before it is everlasting too late. Stop loving your sins. Turn yourself in, surrender yourself to The Authority, the Crucified Creator.
Seek Christ's forgiveness for your sins, ask Him to erase your sinful past. Seek to the Precious Blood of God's Son. Lord Jesus, forgive me, give a new heart altogether, change my desires and appetites. Go to your knees, pray to God, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ Himself to you in the Scriptures. What your soul needs, beyond all else, is Jesus' Blood. If your soul is foul, diseased, starved, and fed up with sinning, come to Jesus' feet seeking His rich and free mercy. If you get JESUS, all will be right and well with your soul.
As you would be happy, do seek the Lord Jesus Christ. Seeking the Lord Jesus Christ - this is the noble and pure way. Never risk your soul on the rotten planks of human merit. Really trust Jesus with all your heart. No man could ever be good enough to undo his past. Come to Jesus now by an act of simple faith in His Precious Blood. The Holy Spirit must apply the words of God with power to your lost soul, nothing else will ever help you. Give up your false heart and false life. Receive Christ Himself personally, inwardly, instantly, and actively. Only Jesus will satisfy your soul's hunger.
Here is the Gospel in the plainest terms - Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; He died a sinless Atoning Sacrifice for human sin. The blood that coursed through Jesus' veins is able to save you from your sins. Jesus was the invisible Creator God clothed in human flesh; He lived a sinless life and died upon Calvary's Cross for your sins, the Just for the unjust. He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. His head was crowned with thorns, His back was scourged, He bled and died in agony on the Cross.
Christ died for the ungodly; He made an Atonement for the sins of the whole word with His own blood. You don't have to go to Hell, John 3:16 says so. The Lord Jesus Christ can save you from being a slave to your sins. Flee to the Cross now, and seek mercy through the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh. He laid down His life as a Ransom for all of us. Believe in Jesus now, and you will be saved now. If you are willing to have Jesus, you may have Him. Christ Jesus will save you if you receive Him by an act of faith in His precious blood. If you reject the Blood of Jesus Christ, you have rejected your only Hope.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
O Taste and See!
Your mind is the mouth where the Gospel is tasted, your will is the throat where the Gospel is swallowed, and your soul is the stomach where the Gospel is digested and enjoyed and where your spiritual thirst and appetite will be satisfied.My heart is where the Gospel is absorbed and assimilated.
There is no possibility of taking away from a man that which he has drank or eaten, and likewise, when you really receive Christ by faith, there is no possible way of someone taking Him from you. Lay hold on Christ, take Him, receive Him into your soul, for in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Feed on Christ Himself, on His Sufferings and Sacrifice, not just His doctrines. The true food for the soul of a believer is Christ Jesus Himself. Feed on the Lamb of God spiritually - let your heart and mind rest and trust upon what Christ is (God manifest in the flesh), and what He has done (shed His precious blood to atone for human sin).
The Lord Jesus Christ must always be brought before the human mind. Let your memory look Him in the face again. Remember back when you did not know Jesus and when the Holy Spirit first began to work in your heart and mind to show you your sinfulness, God's holiness, and Christ's graciousness. You realized that your natural sinful state would eventually lead to eternal separation from God. You heard of Jesus, then you believed on Him, and then you desired to be His disciple, and to take up His cross and follow Him in this life.
Let Jesus fill the central position of your heart and mind. Jesus of Nazareth was really God manifest in the flesh. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Jesus suffered hunger, thirst, and weariness just like we do. The Jesus of the Bible was no religious recluse who sat around in some religious monastery, muttering vain repetitions, for God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power: who went about doing good. He was always among the people, and He dealt with sinners one on one like Nicodemus in John 3, and the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus was a friend of sinners and had compassion on them.
Look now to Jesus with your mind's eye. See how Jesus' body was broken, and His blood was shed for sinners. The suffering and bleeding of the Incarnate God was for your sins. The bloody sweat and tears of Gethsemane, the terrible scourging at Gabbatha, the cruel nails on Golgotha, and the stone cold tomb where He was buried for three days was all endured by Him, so that you could be saved from the love of sin and the wrath of God. The punishment for your sins is a literal death, that's why Jesus had to die as a man. Christ Jesus died so that the debt which was due from you to the Justice of God could be fully paid on your behalf.
Pay close attention to this most important matter - You must receive the Lord Jesus Christ, God's only begotten and well-beloved Son, by simple childlike faith into your innermost self. *John 1:12* Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. The Gospel and Christ's divine nature must be implanted into your mind and heart by the Holy Spirit. You need two things: the Redemption of Christ (the free forgiveness of sins) and the Regeneration of the Holy Spirit (the new birth - newness of life within). Christ must be received into the mind, soul, and heart, where no religiousness can ever reach.
Faith is the mouth of the soul, and into that mouth you must receive Christ Himself, and then your soul will begin to live upon Him. That new life within you must be fed and sustained by the great truth of the Blood Atonement of God manifest in the flesh, that is, the substitutionary Atoning Sacrifice of God Incarnate on behalf of the ungodly. This is the act that makes your soul alive unto God - faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ. *Romans 3:25* There is no truth which the human mind so readily forgets more than God Incarnate's Precious Blood. Any religionist that is not bringing that truth to your memory is doing incalculable damage to your soul. After you are born again, the very name of JESUS will be music in your ear, and joy to your heart. Salvation can only come to a sinner by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and through the effectual working of the Spirit of God within the sinner's heart and mind.
The moment your soul truly rests and trusts in Christ's blood alone, you are instantly and eternally pardoned, accepted, and saved. Ye must be born again. Faith in Christ alone must be first and foremost. The all-important matter is faith in the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. Go now to the Cross, confessing your sins, trusting in the Lamb of God, believing only on Him. You are not required to bring something to the Cross, but you are required to receive Someone. Seek Jesus at once at the Cross!
Come to Jesus now - from your filthiness to the cleansing fountain of His blood, from your sickness to His healing, from your prison-house of sin to the great Liberator, from your poverty to His Riches, from your lost state to His Great Salvation. Let your heart focus on Jesus' great Sacrifice of Himself for your sins upon the Cross. Utterly abhor your sins and reject your self-righteousness. Stop looking within yourself, and look away to Jesus. Remember what Jesus went through for your soul - His shame, sorrow, grief, torment, torture, bleeding, dying, and triumphant resurrection. Jesus fought and won the fight over sin and death that you could never win. Christ Crucified! Christ crucified for me, Christ received by me.
Dead religiousness is the chaff without the wheat, and salt without the savour. Reject all religiousness that would lead you to think that you can help save yourself from divine justice, for that is absurd nonsense. Mr. TooGood doesn't think he needs the Savior of the world. The Holy Spirit must press home this truth upon your heart, or you will never be saved. All my confidence is in the Crucified Creator; the Lord of glory loved me, and gave Himself for me. All my hope hangs upon Him who hung, bled, and died upon the Cross for me. By faith I have put Jesus to the test, and His Blood still works. Jesus' blood still saves from the love of sin.
Come to Jesus as a pauper, an utter beggar, come begging the Savior to give you the Grace to feed upon Him spiritually, that you by Faith may receive Him into your inward parts (mind, soul, heart, spirit, conscience). Ask the Holy Spirit for His quickening and help, and into your inmost being swallow down the virtue of Jesus' life and death. There must be a distinct reception of the Savior by you personally. Jesus suffered and bled for me, and I now have a personal interest in Him. Spiritually feed on the suffering of Jesus' body and the Blood of the Atonement. Come to the Cross hungering and thirsting, and receiving from Jesus the spiritual sustenance and nutriment which your soul requires daily. O taste and see that the Lord Jesus Christ is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in His Precious Blood.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Observe the Sabbath?
Most Jews think they can observe the Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The Seventh Day Adventists try their best to observe the Sabbath on Saturday, but they fall way short. Most religionists in the South think they observe the Sabbath on Sunday, but they are all misguided and lost as a golf ball in high weeds. The Pharisees used to split hairs on the Sabbath, and they tried to condemn Jesus for doing good things for others on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were looking their one true Sabbath right in the face, and they didn't even know Him. You see, Sabbath means "to rest from labor." Religion will tell you to labor and labor and labor for your Salvation. But in the New Testament, in the Gospel of the Grace of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is our Sabbath.
Christ Jesus, the living God Himself, is my Sabbath right now and every day of the week, for I rest in Him, that is, in what He has accomplished for me in His sinless life, bloody death, and miraculous resurrection from the dead, and now he ever liveth to make intercession for me. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest." That Rest that Jesus offers to you is Rest from your sins, your self-righteousness and self-will. Self will lead you to sin against God, and your sins will lead you off into Hell. Self-righteousness will lead you to think you can satisfy God's divine justice by your own doings, and that is a devilish thought.
Now understand - The money-making religionists will always emphasize a certain day or place in order for you to worship, and the self-exalting religionist will always naturally put emphasis on "anything, anything" but the *Atoning Blood* of God Incarnate. The religionist steers clear of the Blood because it is THE ONLY sin extinguisher and soul-saving agent. But in the Holy Bible, Christ Jesus Himself is the one true Sabbath for the spirit and soul of the born again believer - Come unto *Him* and Rest in His Person, Words, Righteousness and Precious Blood. *Matthew 11:28-30*
Now, if you want to truly observe the Sabbath, observe the Lord Jesus Christ Himself closely, that is, consider Him, look to Him, behold Him, acknowledge Him, believe on Him, receive Him, worship Him, obey Him, love Him, praise Him, bless Him, magnify Him, adore Him, follow Him, and ye shall find true Rest unto your soul. The Holy Spirit shall go with you, and He will give you rest. A poor soul can only rest at Jesus' feet; and I will take my Rest right there. To Him shall the Gentiles seek, and His Rest shall be glorious. I also rest completely on Jesus' precious promises found in the Bible, these promises are my soul's quiet resting places. I observe the Sabbath every day of the week, my Sabbath is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ; He is my soul's only resting place.
Now understand - The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot until she returned to Noah into the ark. You will find no rest for your soul until you enter into Christ. You can only enter into God's Rest at the Cross; and if you want to enter, you must first cease from your own works, and trust only to Jesus' finished cross-work. A lost man never has any rest within his heart and soul; there is no rest saith my God to the wicked. If you die in your sin-loving state, you will perish. Don't forget, your soul's only resting place is at Calvary's tree. So now today, Jesus invites the sinful and ungodly to come to Him for Rest. I have by faith rested in Jesus.
My soul is resting content on the Rock and Foundation of the Bible - His name is JESUS. Observe the Sabbath today - come unto Jesus now by faith in His words and Blood. *Matthew 11:28* Return unto thy Rest, O my soul for the Lord Jesus Christ hath dealt bountifully with thee. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Calvary's Lamb - He is my Rest forever, here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Resting and trusting in who Jesus is and what He has done for me - that is all.
How can you escape the damnation of Hell, if you neglect so great a salvation that is freely offered to you by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, God manifest in the flesh? Christ Jesus wants to save you from being a slave to your sins. Christ rejecters who die in their sins go straight to Hell when they die and have to endure God's divine justice that is due to their sins forever and ever. Stop laboring to try to save yourself. You don't have to go Hell - Behold the Lamb of God, and trust only to His Blood, and you will begin to hate your sins and forsake them. Human sin is highly flammable in Eternity; and only Jesus can remove that sin from your soul with His own blood. Soli Autem Crucis!
Christ Jesus, the living God Himself, is my Sabbath right now and every day of the week, for I rest in Him, that is, in what He has accomplished for me in His sinless life, bloody death, and miraculous resurrection from the dead, and now he ever liveth to make intercession for me. Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest." That Rest that Jesus offers to you is Rest from your sins, your self-righteousness and self-will. Self will lead you to sin against God, and your sins will lead you off into Hell. Self-righteousness will lead you to think you can satisfy God's divine justice by your own doings, and that is a devilish thought.
Now understand - The money-making religionists will always emphasize a certain day or place in order for you to worship, and the self-exalting religionist will always naturally put emphasis on "anything, anything" but the *Atoning Blood* of God Incarnate. The religionist steers clear of the Blood because it is THE ONLY sin extinguisher and soul-saving agent. But in the Holy Bible, Christ Jesus Himself is the one true Sabbath for the spirit and soul of the born again believer - Come unto *Him* and Rest in His Person, Words, Righteousness and Precious Blood. *Matthew 11:28-30*
Now, if you want to truly observe the Sabbath, observe the Lord Jesus Christ Himself closely, that is, consider Him, look to Him, behold Him, acknowledge Him, believe on Him, receive Him, worship Him, obey Him, love Him, praise Him, bless Him, magnify Him, adore Him, follow Him, and ye shall find true Rest unto your soul. The Holy Spirit shall go with you, and He will give you rest. A poor soul can only rest at Jesus' feet; and I will take my Rest right there. To Him shall the Gentiles seek, and His Rest shall be glorious. I also rest completely on Jesus' precious promises found in the Bible, these promises are my soul's quiet resting places. I observe the Sabbath every day of the week, my Sabbath is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ; He is my soul's only resting place.
Now understand - The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot until she returned to Noah into the ark. You will find no rest for your soul until you enter into Christ. You can only enter into God's Rest at the Cross; and if you want to enter, you must first cease from your own works, and trust only to Jesus' finished cross-work. A lost man never has any rest within his heart and soul; there is no rest saith my God to the wicked. If you die in your sin-loving state, you will perish. Don't forget, your soul's only resting place is at Calvary's tree. So now today, Jesus invites the sinful and ungodly to come to Him for Rest. I have by faith rested in Jesus.
My soul is resting content on the Rock and Foundation of the Bible - His name is JESUS. Observe the Sabbath today - come unto Jesus now by faith in His words and Blood. *Matthew 11:28* Return unto thy Rest, O my soul for the Lord Jesus Christ hath dealt bountifully with thee. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Calvary's Lamb - He is my Rest forever, here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Resting and trusting in who Jesus is and what He has done for me - that is all.
How can you escape the damnation of Hell, if you neglect so great a salvation that is freely offered to you by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, God manifest in the flesh? Christ Jesus wants to save you from being a slave to your sins. Christ rejecters who die in their sins go straight to Hell when they die and have to endure God's divine justice that is due to their sins forever and ever. Stop laboring to try to save yourself. You don't have to go Hell - Behold the Lamb of God, and trust only to His Blood, and you will begin to hate your sins and forsake them. Human sin is highly flammable in Eternity; and only Jesus can remove that sin from your soul with His own blood. Soli Autem Crucis!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Rarely Heard Truths
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* 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. 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.
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.
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. 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, 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.
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, 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.
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.
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, and emptiness. Trust Christ for full Pardon now. Rest upon Christ for all that concerns your eternal interests.
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, 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, March 17, 2014
St. Patrick's Day Facts
For hundreds of years, people all over the world have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. But very little is known about the man whose life the holiday honors. Much of St. Patrick’s story is a mystery, shrouded by centuries of myth and legend. This much we do know: St. Patrick was not Irish, He was Scottish; His real name was Maewyn Succat, and then later changed to Patricius. He lived from 389-465 AD.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in the United States. The Irish have been celebrating the feast of St. Patrick since the ninth century, but the first recorded parade anywhere was in Boston in 1737. The first parade was not Catholic in nature, though, because the majority of Irish immigrants to the colonies were Protestant. Ireland did not have a parade of its own until 1931, in Dublin. Even today, 18 out of the 20 largest St. Patrick's Day parades are in the U.S. -- New York's parade is the largest.
St. Patrick used a three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, forever linking the shamrock with him and the Irish. St. Patrick would tie shamrocks to his robes, which is why the color green is worn today on St. Patrick's Day.
The first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in the United States. The Irish have been celebrating the feast of St. Patrick since the ninth century, but the first recorded parade anywhere was in Boston in 1737. The first parade was not Catholic in nature, though, because the majority of Irish immigrants to the colonies were Protestant. Ireland did not have a parade of its own until 1931, in Dublin. Even today, 18 out of the 20 largest St. Patrick's Day parades are in the U.S. -- New York's parade is the largest.
St. Patrick used a three-leafed shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, forever linking the shamrock with him and the Irish. St. Patrick would tie shamrocks to his robes, which is why the color green is worn today on St. Patrick's Day.
Saint Patrick was the son of a deacon and the grandson of a priest. Patrick’s father was Calpornius, a magistrate and a deacon to the British church. Patrick was born in Scotland near a village called Bannavem Taberniae, which is now called Kilpatrick near Dumbarton (just northwest of Glasgow, Scotland); it is located at the joining of the Clyde and Leven rivers. He was a Scotsman, not an Irishman. He was buried in a church yard of a Protestant Cathedral in Downpatrick, Ireland. His tombstone only has one word inscribed on it: “Patric.” Church historians refer to him as “The Apostle to Ireland.” The color associated mostly with St. Patrick is blue, not green.
In Saint Patrick’s letters (The Confessions, consisting of twenty-five chapters, The Letter to Corocticus, consisting of ten chapters and The Book of Armagh which contains a Hymn written in ancient Irish called “St. Patrici Canticum Scotticum”, he is clear on some facts: He is not an Irishman; he never mentions Rome or any pope in connection with anything Biblical or Christian; and he was not born on March 17. Furthermore, Patricius was not canonized (made into a saint) until four centuries after his death; and he never even visited Dublin. Patrick recognized only the scriptures as the final authority in matters of faith and practice, not the Pope or the Roman Catholic Church. He never appealed to a bishop, council, pope, or king for any religious advice regarding any spiritual issue.
Just over 1,500 years ago (around 405 A.D), a young Scottish teenager was stolen away from his family—kidnapped by a band of Irish raiders—and sold into slavery in a foreign land (Ireland). He was carried away from Scotland to Belfast, Ireland, when he was 16 years old by a gang of marauding Picts (or Celts). After six years of tending the sheep of his slave master, he escaped and returned to England where he was again in captivity as a slave for a while. Upon receiving a commission (in a vision) to evangelize Ireland, he returned and labored there for about 53 years. Legend surrounds St. Patrick’s work from start to finish, but the documents containing these fabrications were not gathered or published as facts until St. Patrick was romanized by the Catholic church in the 8th century.
Years later, he finally managed to escape and make his way home . . . only to feel God calling him to return to the land of his slavery! Patrick was to preach the light of truth to a people lost in darkness: the people of Ireland. At that time, the Irish were pagans and druids. They worshipped all kinds of gods and spirits and supernatural beings. Their lives were held captive by fear and superstition. So great was the love God gave Patrick for the people of Ireland that he was willing to risk the very real possibility of imprisonment, torture, and death. Earlier attempts to reach the Irish had been unsuccessful. Others had thoroughly failed. But having lived in the land for six years himself, Patrick understood the language, the culture, the customs. He was able to communicate with the people in a way they understood. His mission field was wild and primitive. The people who inhabited its primeval forests were animists and they worshiped such things as trees and stones and wells. They believed that spirits dwelt in these idols and they sacrificed their little children on heathen alters to appease the gods and to secure, so they thought, better harvests.
About a year after his arrival in Ireland, Patrick did something that called much attention to his ministry. He challenged the "royal authority by lighting the Paschal fire on the hill of Slane on the night of Easter Eve. It chanced to be the occasion of a pagan festival at Tara, during which no fire might be kindled until the royal fire had been lit."
Ah, this should put iron in our blood! Glorious, audacious Patrick challenged all the forces of hell. Not a little flame did he kindle, but a bonfire! All the people were transfixed and King Loigaire was amazed at his daring and said: "If we do not extinguish this flame it will sweep over all Ireland." This prophecy proved true for it seemed that a holy fire fell from the altar of heaven and for years there were such tears of repentance as have seldom been witnessed by the angels of glory. When the flames of the great conflagration on Tara's hill, ignited by Patrick, illumined the countryside, the king was curious to see what kind of mortal this Patrick could be, and he sent for him. The druid priests were infuriated and declared they would destroy the preacher by sorcery if he dared to come.
But in the dim light of that Easter morn, in the year 428 A.D., the valiant hero of the Cross and his assistant missionaries marched boldly into the presence of the monarch and told him that Christ was the light of the world and preached Jesus crucified and risen from the dead with such persuasive eloquence that the king was born again by the Spirit of the living God. We are told that Patrick and his company advanced toward the Irish sovereign arrayed in white and carrying crosses and singing an evangelist hymn. After this the king believed on Christ, Patrick won and baptized multiplied thousands of converts and when his years of ministry were finished, most of Ireland was evangelized. Innumerable churches dotted its hills and valleys and from their ranks sent forth zealous missionaries to proclaim the message of redemption with incomparable passion to the pagan tribes of Scotland, England, Germany and Gaul.
Patrick preached that the people had good reason to live in fear—though not because they might offend some imaginary spirit beings or fail to appease man-made gods. They should fear the judgment of the one true God. Someday every human being would have to stand before Him and account for their sin—every evil thought, every unkind act, every cruel word: Sins of ignorance and sins of willful presumptuous disobedience to God’s commands.
Patricius himself, speaks of having baptized thousands of grown men. Intimately familiar with the Irish clan system (his former slave master, Milchu, had been a chieftain), Patrick's strategy was to convert chiefs first, who would then convert their clans through their influence. Reportedly, Milchu was one of his earliest converts. He is credited for having started over 300 local assemblies. It is interesting to notice that after Patrick’s death that Ireland came to be called the “island of saints.” Saint Patrick was a “Bible-believing missionary-minded evangelist. All of the monasteries set up following his ministry were missionary institutions (located in Ireland at Armagh, Bancho, Clonar, Clonmacnois, Derry, and Glendolough); they were organized to train missionaries in companies of twelve to thirteen to convert sinners in Scotland, North Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland and North Italy. The thousands of Christian converts won by these missionaries never worshipped Mary or took the roman mass. Saint Patrick would walk through villages and beat a big drum to draw the people to him, and then he would stand on the drum and preach the gospel to them.
The Roman Catholic Church down through the years has been very adept at "saint-making," but this old preacher was certainly not one of them. "I, Patrick, a sinner" -- that is the way the "Patron Saint of Ireland" begins his own "Confession." He starts his letter to Coroticus in the same striking manner.
Saint Patrick’s faith was grounded soundly in the word of God. Patricius was a real man of God with gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ burning in his heart. Though he was not solely responsible for converting the island, Saint Patrick was quite successful. He made missionary journeys all over Ireland, and it soon became known as one of Europe's Christian centers. This, of course, was very important to fifth-century Christians, for Ireland at that time was one of the "uttermost parts of the earth." Hands that once fought and killed with the sword were now folded reverently in prayer. The heathen stone idols, known as Cromlechs, that once marked their graves gave way to the cross of Jesus. Druid paganism was crushed and Ireland became known as the "Isle of Saints."
This was true for the people Patrick preached to in Ireland, and it’s true for us today. The Bible tells us that all of us have fallen short of God’s holy and righteous standards. We’ve all sinned. Ultimately, the punishment for sin is death and hell—eternal separation from God. But in His goodness and mercy, God made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). God sent Jesus to take the punishment in our place—to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus said, “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?” (John 11:25-26).
We don’t have to live in fear of death. Because of Jesus, the power of sin and death has been broken. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). No matter what challenges we face, no matter how difficult our lives may be, we can draw comfort from this blessed assurance: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).
All who trust in Him can look forward to experiencing this love forever in Heaven, a place so beautiful it defies description. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Thousands of people responded to Patrick’s message. They found peace with God, experienced His forgiveness, and began a new life through Jesus Christ. What about you? Would you like to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and receive eternal life through Him? If you haven’t already committed your life to Christ, you might pray something like this: Dear Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Thank You for loving me so much that You were willing to sacrifice Your life to save me, to die on the cross to set me free from sin. Help me to live in that freedom day by day. Fill my heart with joy and peace as I learn to trust in You. Amen.
A story is told about St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, and the little plant we call the Shamrock, the national emblem of Ireland. Whether the story be true or only a legend, it has in it a great truth which every one of us must know for it lies at the very foundation of the Gospel. When Patrick was preaching at Tara some of the Irish people came to him and said, "Your preaching is wrong. You tell us there is only one true God, and yet you speak of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. How can that be? You have three Gods, not one." "I have one God in three," said Patrick. The people shook their heads and said, "We cannot understand that." Patrick seemed distressed at their ignorance. He stooped down and plucked a shamrock which grew close by his feet, and holding it up before them, asked, "How many leaves are there?" "One," said some of the people. "Three," said others.
"Both answers are right," said Patrick; "the one divides into three; the three unite in one, and my God is three in one and one in three--Father, Son, and Spirit--one God." This is one of the great mysteries of the Book of God at which the great and wise ones of earth have stumbled. It is one of God's revelations, which we are called to believe just because He has made it known. The greatest wonder of all is that the three-one God should interest Himself in lost and ruined sinners.
This great truth is wonderfully unfolded in the gospel and in the salvation of a sinner. God loves the sinner. Christ died for him. The Spirit convicts and converts him. Thus the Godhead--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--are deeply interested in you, reader. Have you believed the love of God? Have you rested on the blood of Christ? Have you yielded to the Spirit's stirrings? Can you say, "I know God as my Father, Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and the Holy Spirit as my Teacher and Guide"? They are truly rich who can say this in truth. "Without God" the wordling is poor, even though he may be worth millions.
Saint Patrick believe the Jesus Christ was the head of the church, not the pope. He believed the word of God. There were 113 references or quotations from Scripture found in his two epistles and his alphabetical poem and, incidentally, there is never a mention of the merits of saints, salvation by sacraments, the Eucharist, relics or holy places, and you will search in vain for any superstitious teaching about the Virgin Mary and the heathenish doctrine of purgatory. The real Patrick was a Bible-reading, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching missionary and it was the Gospel of the Son of God that lifted the Irish out of the darkness of paganism into the glorious light of the Truth.
Patricius also believed that all believers were equal. Additionally, Patricius believed in repentance, faith and conversion, before baptism: He said in one of his writing: "Go, ye, teach. Meet is the order of teaching, before baptism. For it cannot be that the body, receive baptism, before the soul receives the verity of faith." He only believed in baptism by immersion, not the Roman sprinkling of babies.
The Shamrocks
The Four-Leaf Shamrock has an additional heart in it. As you know, four-leaf clovers are hard to find. The Four-Leaf Shamrock’s additional heart represents a Sinner that places his heart’s trust in God’s Son – the Lord Jesus Christ. When you place your trust in God’s Son, your heart becomes one with God’s heart forever and ever. Remember this truth whenever you are taking a stroll outside and you see a patch of clover on the ground. In the clover, you will see a great number of hearts looking up at you. These hearts always trying to speak to you and say, “God loved so much, He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to bleed and die in your place.” Will you not receive the Lord Jesus today as your Savior? The main things that keeps people from Jesus are self-righteousness and the love of sin.
You need a perfect Righteousness when you meet God at the judgment. Human nature is innately self-righeous and hates to obey God. Everything you do, say, or think is being recorded in books in heaven (Revelation 20:11-15). These books will be opened on the last day at the Judgment. Your sins keep piling up against you every day. The world's phony religious systems work hard to cover up, ridicule, and hide the Gospel of the Grace of God. God will not weigh your good deeds against your evil deeds, because you don't have any good deeds. Christ-less self-righteous religion is cruel and dangerous. Religion leads you to pretend to be fine without receiving Christ and trusting Him alone. If you die in your sins without Christ's Righteousness, you'll wind up in the Lake of Fire.
Your sin blocks you from going to heaven. You sin must be paid for by someone. God looked down from Heaven and saw the sinfulness and hopefulness of mankind who couldn't keep His laws. He saw them desperately laboring to gain heaven by their religious works. A perfect blood Sacrifice was needed to wash away man's sins. Jesus' blood was holy, pure, and without sin. The Creator of the universe (Christ Jesus) was virgin born without sin. Jesus lived a Perfect life (in thought, word and deed) and worked out a perfect Righteousness for you to receive as a Gift. Jesus shed His Precious Blood to set you free from sin. God will only be looking for Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness to be on your soul at the Judgment. Your good works and religious efforts will not help you at all when you face the holiness and justice of God. There is none righteous, no, not one. God became a Jesus man 2,000 years ago: His name was Jesus Christ. God loved you at Calvary’s cross where Christ bled and died for you. Jesus took your place and suffered the punishment for your sins on the Cross.
God the Father loved you – He sent His Son from Heaven to die for you. The Gospel is simple - Just believe on Jesus and what He has done for you, and He'll forgive all your sins. Christ Jesus loved you and gave Himself for you – He died for your sins, was buried and rose again the third day. The Holy Ghost loves you – He is calling you today to come to Jesus before it’s too late. Christ Jesus is the only way to Heaven – all other roads lead to Hell and the Lake of Fire. Can you say today, "I know God as my Father, Jesus Christ as my Savior, and the Holy Spirit as my Comforter"? If not, please humble yourself and look to Jesus alone. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Remember: Life is Short, Death is sure, Sin is the curse, and Christ is the Cure. Jesus shed His holy blood to save your ungodly soul. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while he is near. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Don’t put off Salvation – there is danger and death in delay. Admit you’re a sinner, be willing to turn from sin (repent), believe in your heart that Jesus died and rose again for you, and receive Jesus into your heart by faith. Please submit to Him and humbly seek the Lord in prayer.
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Ancient Ireland was a land of mystery and tradition, a place shrouded in myths and legends. It all started with the Celts, who came to Ireland from Europe around 1000BC. The Celts were a sophisticated people, but they also had a dark side. Battle was a way of life for the Celts and slavery was one of their most lucrative occupations. Slaves were captured at home and snatched from neighboring lands.
In 401AD Irish raiders while plundering their way across the British Isles, seized a 16-year old boy by the name of Patrick. They brought him back to Ireland and sold him to a local chieftain named Milchu. Patrick was put in charge of tending his new master’s flock of sheep and he spent his days on top of a cold barren mountain isolated from almost everyone. Lonely and afraid, Patrick turned to God in prayer, and became a devout Christian.
After six years Patrick escapes and returns back to his home in Scotland. There he received a divine calling from God: Return to Ireland and spread the word of the Lord. Around 432AD at the age of 45, Patrick returned to Ireland and was very successful in his gospel ministry as a missionary. He knew the language and loved the people of Ireland and understood their culture. During his lifetime, Patrick founded hundreds of churches and baptized thousands of converts in Ireland.
To this day, the Irish continue to honor Saint Patrick. One way the faithful show their devotion is with pilgrimages to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in western Ireland. This mountain is where Patrick was said to have banished the snakes (pagan religions) from Ireland. Within 200 years after this event, Ireland was almost completely Christian.
St. Patrick’s Day has come to mean different things to different people. For some in Ireland and around the world, it is a holy day, a day to honor the man that brought Christianity to Ireland. For others, it’s a celebration – a day to honor their Irish heritage, their ancestry, and all things Irish. Saint Patrick quote: “Christ in every eye that sees me. Christ in every ear that hears me.”
Here’s some interesting Irish trivia for you to ponder:
* The official emblem for Ireland is the ‘Harp.’
* The traditional St. Patrick's day meal is corned-beef and cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.
* The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City on March 17, 1762.
* Patrick was a Bible-preaching born-again Christian, not a catholic bishop.
* “Aer Lingus” is a Gaelic phrase which means “Air Fleet”. “Aer Lingus” is the Irish national airline today and its logo is a Shamrock.
* The Blarney Stone is located at Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland.
* “Erin Go Braugh” is a Gaelic phrase used to express allegiance to Ireland and it means “Ireland Forever.”
* An Irish drum is called a ‘bodhran'.
* The longest river in Great Britain, the Shannon River, is located in Ireland.
* The real name for Northern Ireland is “Ulster.”
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Glad Day!
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Jesus may come today, Glad day! Glad day!
And I would see my Friend,
Troubles and trials would end,
If Jesus should come today.
I may go Home today, Glad day! Glad day!
Seemeth I hear their song,
Hail to the radiant throng!
If I should go Home today.
Why should I anxious be? Glad day! Glad day!
Lights appear on the shore,
Storms will affright nevermore,
For He is "at hand" today.
Faithful I'll be today, Glad day! Glad day!
And I will freely tell,
Why I should love Him so well,
For He is my All today.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Jesus said, In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Jesus may come today, Glad day! Glad day!
And I would see my Friend,
Troubles and trials would end,
If Jesus should come today.
I may go Home today, Glad day! Glad day!
Seemeth I hear their song,
Hail to the radiant throng!
If I should go Home today.
Why should I anxious be? Glad day! Glad day!
Lights appear on the shore,
Storms will affright nevermore,
For He is "at hand" today.
Faithful I'll be today, Glad day! Glad day!
And I will freely tell,
Why I should love Him so well,
For He is my All today.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Jesus said, In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Words of Comfort
Death and sin are consuming and devouring the outward man every day (the wages of sin is death). Decay, deterioration, and death always works hard on carnal, earth-loving sinners. Daily, death slowly draws the memory out of our brains, the sight out of our eyes, the hearing out of our ears, the teeth out of our mouths, the taste out of our tongues, the elasticity and clarity out of our skin, the firmness out of our muscles and flesh, the hormones out of our body, the form out of our shape, the strength out of your bones, the power out of your muscles, the flexibility out of our joints, the color and shine out of our hair, the hair off our heads, the brightness out of our eyes, the insulin out of our pancreas, the processing out of our kidneys, the discs out of our spines, the beats out of our hearts, but one day we will receive a glorious body from the Lord Jesus Christ (but the gift of God is eternal life).
Now he is comforted... (Luke 16:25). Death is a comfort to the saved soul. God shall wipe away all tears...(Rev 21:4). I go to prepare a place for you... And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:2-3). Because I live, ye shall live also (John 14:19 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I Thess 4:16-18 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. I John 5:12
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. I Timothy 4:8 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. I Corinthians 2:9
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, I Peter 1:4 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: II Timothy 1:10 Blessed are they which die in the LORD... Revelation 14.13 Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows... Isaiah 53.4 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4.16 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee. Isaiah 43.1-2 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13.5 Though He slay me, yet will I trust him. Job 13.15 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart. Psalm 73.26
I, even I, am He that comforteth you...the God of all comfort. Isaiah 51.12; II Corinthians 1.3-4 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. Psalm 116.15 What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. John 13.7 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14.18 Having a desire to depart, and be with Christ; which is far better. Philippians 1.23 Ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Hebrews 10.34 I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Psalm 17.15 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God. I Cor 15.55-57, Isaiah 25.8, Hosea 13.14 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Psalm 23.4 The righteous hath hope in his death. Proverbs 14.32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death. John 8.51 Jesus by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2.9 Thank God we will never have to taste death in Eternity.
The LORD will be our guide even unto death. Psalm 48.14 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave. Psalm 49.15 For I am persuaded, that neither death. Romams 8.38-39 None considereth that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. Isaiah 57.1-2 I wait, till my change come. Job 14.14 There the weary be at rest. Job 3.17 Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. Numbers 23.10 In Thy presence is fulness of joy, at Thy right there are pleasure for evermore. Psalm 16.11 Verily I say unto thee, To day, shalt thou be with Me in paradise. Luke 23.43 Thine eyes shall see the king in His beauty. Isaiah 33.17 Looking unto Jesus, the author and 'finisher' of our faith. Hebrews 12.2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2
* Learn to die daily, that will make 'giving up' the ghost so much easier. The man who practices dying every day, the man who has a daily rehearsal of it, will not be afraid of the reality when it comes. Death will come up into our own windows, but Jesus will be with us. Dip your foot in Jordan each morning before you leave your bedroom.
* Hold very loosely everything on earth. Lay hold on eternal life. One day we will put off the work clothes of the flesh and put on our Sunday best (heavenly body). 'Things on earth' make it hard to die. We are strangers and pilgrims here, just passing through. Check your luggage before you depart: lay up your treasure in heaven before you depart this life. What I spent, I had; What I kept, I lost; What I gave away for Jesus' sake, I will have forever.
* Set your affection on things above. Pray for God's grace to help you. Visit the throne of grace often. Look away from this vile earth to the city of God, New Jerusalem. Long for glory where God the Father and the Lord Jesus are on the throne. No more pain, trials, sorrow, sin or death. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
* Believe wholly in the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Our fears and faith battle one another. Simple childlike trust in the Precious Blood of Lamb of God will extinguish our doubts and fears. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. Behold, God is my Salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
* Walk with God every day like it was your last. Live each day as it were to be your last. Live with all your might for the Lamb of God. We should be standing like a passenger at the train station. Your luggage has been checked, your ticket in hand, and only waiting to step into the train and be gone forever.
We are like a traveler on a journey (life) that is staying at a hotel (this world). If his room (lot in life) is not quite to his taste, he doesn't trouble himself. He doesn't fret himself about little inconveniences (trials and disappointments), because the taxi will arrive in the morning. Then he will be packed and ready, and then go and fly away to rest in his permanent home that he loves so well.
At death we will be rid of our troubles, rid of our sin, delivered from temptation forever, no more pain, we will be like Jesus, we will see Jesus face to face, see our loved ones and the brethren that passed on before us. Death will answer many of our prayers. The world may laugh and joke about death, but watch them closely at a funeral, on a death bed, or at the ICU. If you're a little too godly or too spiritual, standby, for God will have to bring you down and make you human, so you can reach humans for His Son. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (II Cor 5:8).
Friday, March 14, 2014
Don't Miss This
Now understand -- God Incarnate’s Atoning Blood must come between your soul and God’s Divine Justice, or you will have to pay for the sins you have committed forever.
Divine Justice
God Incarnate’s Atoning Blood
Sinful Man
A ‘transgression’ is a crossing over of the line which God has laid down in His word. An ‘iniquity’ is a want of equity, that is, a lack of the “right spirit” within which God alone can give, and without that right spirit, right thoughts, right works and right actions are impossible. A “sinner” is a creature which commits crimes against its Creator. You have provoked God to anger by your transgressions and iniquities: you have not loved Him with all your heart, you have rejected His Son’s bleeding love and free Salvation, you have set up your will against God’s will, and you have continually insulted and blasphemed God by your words and actions.
You may conceal your real character from your friends and relatives, but God knows all about you. The only claim you have upon God is Justice. You are a Felon against the Majesty of Heaven. You have been caught red-handed, and you have forfeited all your rights. Judgment and Punishment are the only rights you can now claim. You are simply in the hands of God awaiting your death sentence. The Ten Commandments will be swift and sure witnesses against you at the Judgment bar of God. You can never solve your sin problem on your own - you need the power of God - Christ Jesus Himself.
Picture yourself standing in front of a firing squad of ten men, where you are condemned to die for your crimes. There are ten loaded rifles pointing directly at your heart. You begin to sweat and tremble and cry out for mercy. Likewise, you stand now condemned before God, and His Ten Commandments are all aimed right at you where you stand; they are ready to unload their justice on you at any time. You are dreading the coming doom that you know you deserve, and all God has to do is speak the word, and His swift and awful punishment which your sins justly deserve will be meted out upon your soul.
But then a Substitute steps forth, and stands in front of you, and willingly takes all the bullets that your crimes deserve. The name of that Substitute is Christ Jesus, God manifest in the flesh. This is only an illustration to help show you what Jesus did for you on Calvary’s Cross. No Gospel is ever preached where Substitution is omitted. Sinners must be plainly and simply taught that Christ Jesus bore their sins and guilt, and died as a Substitute in their place to bear their sins away. Divine Love found a way to have mercy on my sinful soul through through the blood of Calvary's Lamb. *Colossians 1:14*
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not the Lord of glory was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
there my burdened soul found Liberty - At Calvary.
The Lord Jesus Christ has met the severe demands of God’s divine justice to the uttermost. God the Father requires perfect obedience to His holy Law, and Jesus lived that pure and spotless life for us all. The offended majesty of God’s divine Law demands retribution and punishment for our violations of the Law, and Jesus’ sinless life and perfect Atoning Sacrifice on Calvary’s tree has fully paid the penalty due to our sins. Jesus by His obedience magnified and glorified the Law, and by His bloody death, He has completely satisfied divine justice. *Colossians 1:20* His innocent blood fully atoned for our sins; He has suffered everything that we deserved to suffer, and now God will accepted His substitutionary sacrifice for the sinner who believes in Jesus. God Himself in the flesh for sinful man a bleeding Victim made. Let me give you some good advice, trust your soul with Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh. Come to the Cross now, look up and see Pity divine in Jesus' face.
Jesus suffered in my place, I trust in His Blood, and now divine justice demands that I go free forever. Through the Blood Atonement of His Son, God has made a way by which He can satisfy all the demands of His inflexible justice, yet still bestow His mercy upon the guilty. As Creator and Judge, God has the right to punish the guilty, but as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has the right to pardon the ungodly without violating His justice in the slightest degree. God is willing to hand down a pardon even for you if you will receive and trust to His dear Son. God gave His sinless Son to die for the crimes you have done. Simply take God at His word. On the Cross, the debt was paid for my sins fully. The work was finished and the whole debt was paid, and the only thing left for you to do is to trust what Jesus has finished, and then praise and glorify Him the rest of your life out of gratitude to His forgiving love.
How can divine justice ever smile on a sinner? When Jesus bore our sins and offered up Himself on Calvary, He made full reparation to God’s broken Law, and rendered complete Satisfaction to God’s offended justice. Jesus took all the divine vengeance that our sins deserved. All the thunderings and lightnings of God’s divine vengeance were launched at Jesus on Calvary that day, and now divine justice is fully satisfied, because the dear Lamb of God endured the full penalty of all your guilt. That is what Jesus meant when He cried out, “It is finished!”, when He was dying upon the Cross for you. I no longer owe any debts to divine justice, for all my debts have been paid with Jesus’ Atoning Blood. There is no longer any condemnation for me, for the Lord Jesus Christ has suffered on my behalf all the punishment that was due to my sins.
If God had dealt with you with His strict justice without any mercy, you would not be living upon the Earth right now. God is inflexibly stern in His justice, but He is gracious to us sinners for Jesus’ sake. You must believe on Jesus, for God could never forgive your sins without exacting a harsh penalty for them. God hates your sins so much that He had to allow His Son, Jesus, to become Sin for you, that is, He bore your sins in His own body on the tree, and then He died to pay for those sins, so His enemies could be freely forgiven through His own life’s blood. Jesus endured the full penalty for all my sins (past-present-future). Because of Calvary, God is Just, and also the Justifier of every sinner which believes in Jesus. God’s justice is so inexorable that it cannot be persuaded or affected by human entreaties or works. Inexorable means unbending, severe, unrelenting, inflexible, rigid, unappeasable, unflinching.
The only thing that can appease God’s wrath that now abides on your sinful soul is the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. If you had only committed one sin in your entire life, God’s justice is so severe that it would have to condemn you for that one solitary offense. If you had only sinned once in the past, and the remainder of your life was faultless, divine vengeance would still be pursuing you, and the wrath of God would abide on you. Unless you have a sincere interest and saving faith in Christ’s Blood, you are condemned where you stand right now. The soul that sinneth against God, it shall die. But Jesus Himself loved you and bled to death in your place, and now God is able to righteously and freely pardon the guilty, only because Jesus met all the claims of divine justice on your account.
Man’s religions make up a god who is loving but without any Justice. But the God found in the Holy Bible is severely dreadful in His wrath while at the same time, He has provided a way through His beloved Son that He can be gracious, merciful, and compassionate to His enemies. The God of the Bible must your punish your sins; He will never violate the principles of His eternal justice. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do Right? The Cross is where the Goodness and Severity of God shook hands. At the Cross, we see both the bleeding love and divine justice in the person of the Lamb of God. What are you going to do with all your sins? At the Cross, there's a dear bleeding God and hope of pardon even for you.
Christ the great Mediator shed His own life's blood and came between us and God’s fierce justice and took all the consequences due to our sins, and endured all our sins’ death penalty. Trust your immortal soul upon Jesus’ Atoning Sacrifice, rest implicitly on His Blood with simple childlike faith, and your soul is safe forever from the wrath to come. Now understand – The Holy Spirit must first prepare the sinner’s heart by plowing the field of the heart with His ten black horses – The Ten Commandments – and then by cross plowing that same field with His white horses - The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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