Nothing to Pay

The Creator God of the Holy Bible must and will save your soul if you trust His Son's Finished Work. Bring nothing to Christ Jesus, but your sinfulness, come now empty-handed to the Cross. No money, no price, nothing to pay. Jesus only asks that you take everything, all gratis, from His nail-pierced hand. Don't try to add anything to Christ.  None but Jesus - must be your motto. The Cross Alone must be your creed.  He who has 'nothing to pay' gets all his debts cancelled instantly and forever by His Best Friend.  The Lord Jesus Christ so loved sinners that He built the Red Cross Hospital at Calvary. All patients received there must be sin-sick and bankrupt.

The free forgiveness of sins comes only through faith in Jesus' Blood.  *Romans 3:25; Colossians 1:14* Let your faith be fixated in the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh.  Salvation is all of grace, and the sole channel of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who lived, loved, bled, died, and rose again from the dead for our free salvation. Eternal life is Free to all sinners who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Perish every thought of human pride, let Christ be magnified. The free favor of God is what you need most.

The Gospel must be received freely, gratis. The Lord doesn't bargain or barter with bankrupt sinners;  now understand, you can never deserve God's mercy. You can't make yourself fit for God's Salvation. Come to Christ Jesus for everything you need. There is nothing spiritually good within you whatsoever.  Don't try to impress God with your puny dead works. Your own efforts only reveal your self-righteous rebellion and pride. Come and take freely what Christ provides. Spiritual death came through Eve's eye and mouth, but salvation comes through the ear and heart.

All of God's mercy to a sinner is all gratis, that is, free for the taking. God never sells; He always gives. He asks no payment from you.  Only divine grace can pardon such heinous sins as yours. Jesus is our Ransom, Substitute and Sin-Bearer.  He suffered for us what God's wrath and justice demanded of us. God punished Christ instead of you. If you trust Christ's payment, then God can no longer punish you, you are clear, free to go. Christ paid all your sin debts, the receipt is given, you debts are all gone; God's divine justice has no claims on you.

You cannot earn eternal life. You must received the forgiveness of sins as a penniless beggar by God's free mercy down low at Christ's pierced feet. You must receive and take everything freely from the hand of the Crucified Savior. Lie down utterly undone and ruined before Jesus. Your next stop will be the Judgment, prepare to meet thy God. Only Precious Blood can make Atonement for your guilty soul.

No one is neutral on the Blood of Christ. You are either going to Heaven through it, or to Hell without it. Every lie that you ever told came from the devil. You have a lying and lustful heart. If you reject the Blood of Jesus Christ, you are doomed for sure. Eternity is forever. Where will you spend it? The wages of sin is death. Sin kills your soul. It's not what you can do, it's what Jesus has done. The fig leaves of self-righteousness might hide your sins from each other, but not from God.

God has never changed His mind about sin, He still abhors it. God burned Sodom to the ground because of sin. Human nature says, "Well, I've done the best I could, and that should be good enough, I'm just as good as most people, if God let's anyone into heaven, He'll surely let me in." But the best you have done will not do the job. Without the shedding of Blood, there is no remission (forgiveness of sins). Poor sinner, you cannot be saved by any of your merits, works, penance, preparation, or feelings. Jesus alone must save you as a work of gratis mercy, not because you deserve it.

Salvation is free, gratis; at Calvary it's all for nothing, or nothing at all. Salvation is through eternal Love, through mercy alone, not of human merit at all. Your own righteousness is such an abominable thing to God, that it will surely damn you as your greatest profanities would; and the best thing for you to do with it is to bury it, and run away from it. Free grace is the glory of the Gospel. Grace is absolutely free, undeserved, given by God, because He delights in Mercy. Nothing else will satisfy real, convinced, awakened sinners. A real sinner knows salvation by himself is hopeless, he is shut up in a condemned cell, nothing he can do can possibly reverse his death sentence from divine justice.

You have nothing to pay, Jesus frankly forgives sinners, that is the only way. Bible Salvation is everything for nothing, pardon for free, Christ for free, Heaven for free. The Great Physician only receives gratis patients, He never charges you a thing for His services. The gifts which the God of all Grace grants to sinful men are beyond all price, He doesn't barter or haggle with self-righteous men, but makes His eternal blessings free as the air we breathe every day. To a thirsty man, the sound of a bubbling fountain is music. To a hungry man, the smell of a home cooked meal makes his mouth water.  And to a convicted heart and guilty soul, free pardon is the best news he has ever heard.

"Freely" means salvation is an absolute gift. Sinners can neither purchase, procure, earn, or produce salvation by their own efforts, sacrifice, or service. Salvation is only given to us sinners, not because we deserve it, but because we need it. We are empty, and Jesus fills us; we are hungry, and Jesus feeds us; we are naked, and Jesus clothes us; we are Guilty, and Jesus forgives us. No preparation or payment is required, simply confess you are guilty and need Jesus' Blood, desire to have Him, and take Jesus by trusting to His Precious Blood now. That is all.

Food for Thought 10

The Holy Spirit's gift to us is Faith, and in order for Faith to be increased in our lives, the Holy Spirit must increase it.  Faith is the very first grace, the root of purity, the foundation of holiness, the beginning and end of godliness.  Faith is the breath in our spiritual lungs.  Faith is the mainspring in the heart of the Christian.  Man-made, self-righteous religion is just this - I believe in myself, I have made up mind that I am going to help save myself from the wrath to come; never mind bothering with the instantaneous free forgiveness of sins and irreversible eternal life that the Gospel of Christ offers.

The whole act of Faith is the simple matter of believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh who bled to death to atone for human sin, and then throwing your soul upon Jesus to save your soul.  Trust Jesus now, rely upon Him implicitly, fix your reliance in His Blood.  Christ Jesus bore your sins, God the Father punished Jesus for your sins, and if you trust to Jesus, God will never punish you.  In divine justice God cannot punished both the Substitute and the offender for the same sins.

The act of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ's person and blood alone for all your Salvation is the act which brings the soul into a state of grace and peace with God, and is the mark and evidence of being born again by the Spirit of God.  This is the way of human nature:  Self-made men, self-reliance, believe in yourself, make money any way you can, always take care of number one.

Lord Jesus, increase my Faith in You, help me to trust the Unseen, rely upon your promises and faithfulness.  The simplicity of the Cross is the grandest message.  You are truly a sinner, and have no righteousness of your own; you deserve God's wrath.  Gravity and cheerfulness; prayer and praise; works and witnessing; common sense and spiritual gifts; mental intellect and faith; talent and purity, simplicity and sincerity; not symbolism and formalism.

Receiving Christ is the hardest possible act of human nature to perform.  To trust Jesus, to lean with all your soul upon Him, to make Him all your confidence and rest.  Come to Christ by thinking of Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, loving and honoring Him.  Trust your defenseless soul with Jesus; only He can save you from loving your sins.  Come to the Cross sinful and defiled, cast yourself at the feet of Jesus Christ the Lord by a simple act of faith in His precious blood.  My ultimate Safety is of through Jesus' grace and blood.

I am utterly dependent upon the Lord Jesus Christ; I absolutely rest upon Him.  The only remedy for sin that God will ever offer to the sons of men is the remedy of a bleeding Substitute, suffering and dying in the sinner's place, believed on, received into the heart.  The way of Salvation is just this - rest alone upon Christ Jesus Himself, depending wholly upon His Finished Work and Precious Blood.  Stop clinging to your sins or to your good works - they will both certainly damn you.  It is not your doings, it is leaving off doing.  It is not working, it is trusting to the work which Jesus has already accomplished in His sinless life and bloody death.  *Trust* - that is the word - simple, solid, hearty, earnest trust in Jesus, not in yourself.

The moment you trust to Jesus' atoning blood, you are saved and wholly forgiven forever, and instantly justified in the sight of God.  Christ Jesus is my All in All.  Rest on Christ, depend on His Blood.  The Lord Jesus is the Foundation of my dependence, the guide of my actions, and the chief delight of my soul.  Faith is the mouth of the soul - by faith we feed upon the person of Christ spiritually.  Chris must be spiritually digested and assimilated by God-given Faith; He must be received inwardly as the Bread of Life and the Water of Life.  He that hath the Son hath life.  Look to Jesus for life eternal, depend on Him alone.

God Almighty was made flesh and bled and died to save sinners from the wrath to come.  Depend upon the Holy Spirit to put divine energy into everything you say and do.  Seek to wins souls to Christ Jesus every day.  Have done with trusting to your good works and merits; take Christ's works, merits, and rest alone upon Him for all your Salvation.  Full dependence upon Jesus is key.  I know I trust Christ, I have no reliance but in Him; this is the only way to get Joy and Peace through believing. Your main business must be with Christ Jesus Himself.  Free pardon for all your sins; Justification through Faith in His Atoning Sacrifice on Calvary's Cross; eternal life through His bloody death; sanctifying power from the Blood of Jesus; preservation and acceptance depends solely upon Christ's mercy and righteousness.

Rest upon Jesus with sincere, childlike, loving confidence; obey His faintest summons and warnings; neglect not His inward whispers; turn not aside from His teachings in the words of God.  The object of your Faith must be the work which Christ Jesus accomplished upon the Cross for sinners.  The true way to get comfort is to close with the Cross; this is the way to comfort - think much of the Lamb of God bleeding and dying for you until you are comforted.  Precious Savior, at your feet I lie, here to receive a cure or die. To trust Christ Himself is the root of all genuine Salvation.  The grandest thing that a man can do is to trust Christ as He reveals Himself in His words found in the Holy Bible.  Jesus must be the object of your search; nothing else is worth seeking for; be wise, make Salvation from sin and hell the first object of your soul's desire.

Depend simply upon the merit of Christ and the work of the Spirit of God.  Salvation is coming to Christ, depending and relying upon Him alone; this will bring your soul God's blessing.  Without Jesus ye can do nothing.  Make Jesus your sole reliance today.  Become completely dependent upon the mercy and charity of God in Christ.  To depend entirely upon the sinner's Savior is the sinner's Salvation.  Plead the promises of the of the Holy Spirit in simple, childlike Faith.  Be willing to learn from Jesus in a childlike spirit.  Ascribe all your salvation to Christ Jesus, simple childlike confidence which casts itself into the arms of Jesus who suffered a bloody death on Calvary's Cross for all your sins against God.  Sit quietly at the feet of Jesus with a childlike spirit of discipleship.

The meaning of Faith is to trust, to confide in, to commit to, to entrust with, to place confidence in, have upon reliance upon.  Faith is just this - to simply have done altogether with reliance upon yourself; to have done with confidence in anything but Jesus, and to rest alone upon Him; to place undivided confidence in Him, and in what He has done for sinners.  Rely with all you have upon the Finished Work of the Savior.   Faith, in a word, is a reliance from the heart upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  You can never think too highly of Jesus Christ.  You can never place too much reliance in the blood of Jesus Christ, never look any where else but Jesus for spiritual strength. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ (His Precious Blood and perfect Atoning Sacrifice) will make you a saved soul instantly on the spot.  Faith in the Atoning Blood of God manifest in the flesh is the grand cure for your love of sin.

Rarely Asked Questions 2

* Is the person of Jesus the dearest of all things to you?
* Do you have any little sins?  People that have little sins have a little God.   A very little sin, as the  world calls it, is a very great sin to a true Christian.
* Is there any evil way in me that might grieve the Holy Spirit and bring dishonor to the name of Christ?
* Is it a delight for you to pray and dwell near to God privately?  Like sparks out of a smithy chimney, short prayers fly up all day long from the hearts of truly devout souls.
* Should not Christ Jesus be the one object of your life, to do the will of Him who made you and died for you?
* Are you ungodly?  Do you live from day to day without any love to God, or fear of God, or faith in God?
* Are you resting your everlasting hope upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead? Do you trust in Him alone, believing with all thine heart that He bled, died and rose again for you? Do you place your entire dependence upon the merits of His precious blood certified by the fact of His rising again from the dead?
* Have you ever been saved from the love of sin?
* When's the last time you sought wisdom from above?  *James 3:17*
* Do you really expect to improve your life by rejecting Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh?
* Have you submitted your will to God's will?
* Is Salvation to be partly by your own works?
* Can you go 24 hours without running someone down?
* Have you repented of the love of sin?
* Have you any evidence of the Spirit of God's working and fruit within you?
* Has your Salvation "experience" disturbed your sinful habits?
* Is the Blood Atonement of God manifest in the flesh all your trust?
* Have you any sins that need Christ's forgiveness, for which you can make no atonement yourself?
* What works of yours can have merit in them to make atonement for your sins?
* Without Christ, what is your life but one long Sin?
* Are you willing to be saved on Jesus' terms, which are that you yield yourself up to Him entirely, so that He shall have all the glory for your Salvation, and that you cannot be saved by any merit of your own, but be pardoned freely by faith in His Precious Blood alone?
* Was there ever a time when you passed from death to life, or are you still abiding in the death of Sin?
* Have you made the Crucified Creator your soul's resting-place?
* Are you willing to let Jesus have the entire glory for putting away your sins?
* Is it for Jesus that you live?  Is His glory your highest aim?
* Are you no longer governed by the love of sin?
* Does your heart long for a lost person's Salvation?
* Is there any evidence that Christ has set you free from sin?
* Are willing to stoop to be saved entirely by Christ's merits, and acknowledge Him as your Substitute, Savior and God?
* Are you something creditable in your own estimation?
* Will you just give up and let Christ save you freely by His grace?
* Did not Christ die for the ungodly?  Do you ever expect to have any worthiness in yourself?  Did not Jesus come into this world to save sinners?  The "ungodly" and "sinners" are two terms in which there will never be anything good, yet these are the type of people which Jesus came to seek and save.
* Do you prize Christ above all things?
* Why will ye die in your sins?
* Do you actually think you can alter your inner sinful nature by some occasional religiousness?
* Is the Lord Jesus Christ precious to you?
* Do your sins bother you?
* Does your Salvation rest wholly upon Christ and what He has done?
* Has a supernatural change been made within you by the Holy Spirit Himself?  If not, ask Him to do so.
* Am I doing this for Christ's sake and glory and in His strength?
* Have you ever felt a heavenly homesickness?  Have you ever pined for Jesus' coming?
* Will you not be reconciled to God by faith in the Precious Blood of God manifest in the flesh?
* Is your soul still under Sin's tyrannic rule?
* Are you getting fed up with your sins?
* Have you given up all confidence in everything but Christ and relied wholly upon His Blood?
* Why are you still remaining an enemy to God in an unregenerate state?
* Why will you not honor Jesus Christ with your life?
* How long halt ye between two opinions?
* Is not Christ's blood enough?
* Has your soul been saved by what Christ has done?
* What exactly do you have against Jesus Christ?  Is it because you love sin, and He is Righteousness?
* What are you going to do with your life, keep it for yourself and lose it, or give it over to Christ and save it?
* Are you willing to give up your love for sin?
* Have you done some good things that you can boast of?
* How long will you go on spurning Christ's bleeding love and forgiving grace?
* Have you the witness in yourself that you've been operated upon by the Holy Spirit?  Have you had a divine nature implanted within you by the Holy Spirit Himself that loves Christ?
* Are you ready to depart this life and enter into Eternity?
* How long will you continue to hug your sins and kiss your iniquities?
* On your job, are you always upright and straightforward as a Christian should be?
* Are you enslaved by your sins?
* Have you the Spirit of Christ in you?
* Have you been fully delivered from all confidence in yourself?
* Have you been doing those things lately which are pleasing in God's sight?
* Are your sins forgiven you for Jesus' sake?
* Are you going to play the fool with your soul?
* What think ye of Christ, whose Son is He?
* What do you have against Jesus Christ?  Is it because you love sin, and He is Righteousness and Holiness Incarnate?
* How can I get my sins forgiven? How can a sinful man like me be prepared to meet a holy God at the Judgment?
* Are you the worst sinner that has ever existed?  Paul thought he was the chief of sinners.
* Do you actually think you can work and earn your way into God's Heaven?
* Are you trusting (faith-ing) only to Christ's atoning substitution for sinners?
* Do you imagine that water baptism can help wash away your sins, or that some other outward ordinance or sacrament of man's devising or God's instituting can help deliver your soul from the wrath to come?
* For what reason do you hate God and reject Christ?  For which of God's works are you His enemy? He keeps your breath within your nostrils every moment, He sent His Son to die for your sins, He has raised you up from a sick bed, and He gives you health, shelter, food, raiment and other provisions for this life every day.  For which of these good things do you hate Him?  Do you hate God because He is infinitely good?  Or do you hate Him because is so Holy and Pure?
* Do you really serve Christ Himself?  "His servants ye are to whom ye obey." *Romans 6:16*
* Should not the one object of your life be to please the Lord Jesus Christ?  That is the fear of God.

Rarely Asked Questions 1

* Does any of your salvation involve your good behavior?
* Are you sensitive towards grieving the Holy Spirit?
* What is your motivation and destination?
* Could you ever deserve to go to Heaven?
* How good does a man have to be to satisfy Divine Justice?
* Are you allergic to sin?
* Do you deserve anything except Hell?
* Has God been good to you?
* Does your religion have anything to do with your Salvation?
* Can you say anything good about yourself?
* Does God owe you His mercy?
* Are you blood related to Jesus Christ?
* Is there anything in my life that is grieving the Holy Spirit?
* Where is God in all this?
* Are you a thankful praiser or an ungrateful griper?
* What are those things which have control over you?
* Is your faith genuinely rooted in the Blood Atonement of God manifest in the flesh?
* Can your works help cancel your guilt and sin debt?
* Do your sins sicken you?
* Are you trying to make yourself better, and then let Christ do the rest of the work?
* Do you want everyone to know how you really live and think?
* Who would ever dare to try to add anything to what Christ Jesus has already finished on Calvary's Cross?
* Is there any merit in anything you're ever done?
* Is there one good thing about you?
* Do you deserve to be saved from the wrath of God that is coming on sin?
* Is your best good enough to satisfy God's divine justice?
* Do you believe human imagination or divine revelation?
* Is there a way out of my sins?
* How can I get rid of my guilt?
* Does God owe you His Salvation?
* Will the object of your life die with your dying?
* Is your righteousness one that you have worked out yourself, or has the Righteousness of Christ been freely imputed to your soul?
* Are you ungodly?  Have you ever been a child of the devil?
* Do you have any merits of your own that will commend your soul to God in the last day?
* A question from a soul in Hell - Why did I love my sin and lose my soul?
* Who is the only person who loved you to death?  Why won't you trust Him?
* Are you worthy of eternal life?
* Did I do right today?
* What are you counting on to keep you out of Hell?
* Are you trying to help Christ out?
* Have you done enough works to merit Salvation?
* Do you claim to have been absolutely perfect before your Maker from your childhood/conversion until now?
* Are you too good to be saved?
* Does your soul and body belong to Jesus Christ?
* Does your soul's eternal safety depend upon yourself at all?
* Are you morally perfect in thought, word and deed?
* Are you Perfect, or are you a sinner?
* What is your Righteousness anyway?
* Do you have free, instantaneous, irreversible Salvation?
* Do you have anything of your own to boast of?
* Do you have any trust in your own righteousness?
* At the Judgment, will you be able to claim any credit for your Salvation?
* Are you trusting at all on what you've done to help save your soul from divine justice?
* Do you have any claim upon God's mercy?
* Do you deserve God's forgiving lovingkindness?
* Have you lived it perfectly up to this day?
* Do you still owe God some righteousness?
* Is part of your Salvation left up to you?  If it is, you are lost right now?
* Where will you spend Forever?
* Do you know any sinner that Jesus Christ died for?
* Do you have any trouble with your thought life?
* Does God owe you Heaven?
* Who are you trying to please?
* How good do you have to be to go to Heaven?  Answer:  No good.
* Have your sins been freely forgiven for Jesus' sake?
* Where are your sins right now?
* Are you trying to be your own savior?
* What do you throw money at?
* Do you have any confidence in yourself?
*Have you been born twice?  *John 3:7*
* Dost thou not fear God?
* Are you ready to bet your soul on any of your works?
* Was the Savior necessary in your case?
* What do you think of most?
* Is God Incarnate's Atoning Blood your only hope of Heaven?
* Are you glorying only in the Cross?
* Is there anything good about you?
* Have you ever abandoned your self-righteousness?
* Is there anything in you that can help save you from your sinful nature?
* Have you any sins that you cannot get rid of on your own?
* Will any of your doings help atone for your sins?
* Does a man have to do anything to help save himself?
* Do you have an inner conflict with your sins?
* Have you earned the right to go to Heaven?

Remember Now Thy Creator

All things were made by the Lord Jesus Christ; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. *John 1:3* But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. *Mark 10:6* Hath not one God created us? *Malachi 2:10* Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. *Ecclesiastes 12:1* For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed. *Exodus 31:17* Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth. *II Kings 19:15* Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth. *Isaiah 40:26* For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. *I Chronicles 16:26*

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that made heaven and earth. *II Chronicles 2:12* Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. *Nehemiah 9:6* By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. *Psalm 33:6* My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. *Psalm 121:2* O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. *Isaiah 37:16*

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. *Isaiah 40:28* Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. *Psalm 124:8* To the LORD that by wisdom made the heavens: for His mercy endureth for ever. *Psalm 136:5* Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever. *Psalm 146:5-6* The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. *Proverbs 3:19*

I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. *Isaiah 45:12* For, lo, He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is His name. *Amos 4:13* For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. *Isaiah 45:18* In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. *Genesis 1:1* Thus saith God the Lord, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. *Isaiah 42:5*

JEHOVAH hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion. *Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15* Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee. Jeremiah 32:17* I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. *Jonah 1:9* Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. *Romans 1:25* The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. In God's hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. *Psalm 95:4-6*

Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is. *Acts 4:24* I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. *Isaiah 45:12* We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein. *Acts 14:15* God that made the world and all the things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. *Acts 17:24* Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. *Revelation 14:7*

For by Jesus Christ were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him. *Colossians 1:16* Thou art worthy, O Lord Jesus, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. *Revelation 4:11* All things were made by the Lord Jesus Christ; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. *John 1:3*

Herein is Love

Christ Jesus has cared for me all of my days, He laid down His life for me, and He has saved me from my sins and eternal death. For many years you have been indifferent to God. He has tried many times and many ways to draw you to Himself, but you did not want to see Him, or hear about Him. You chose rather to sow your wild oats. You've sinned against God incessantly, compulsively, and indiscriminately. You've lived for years up to your neck in sin, a careless life full of opposition to God. You have not cared what God would have you do, you have been defiant to His claims on your life. The life you have lived has been insulting to God. You have used God and His Son's name as a cuss word.

There is nothing in you that is lovable. There is not a spot of merit in your soul where a pin's point could rest. You have kicked and struggled against the thought of submitting to Christ as your Righteousness. You don't like to think of God at all, the thought of God terrifies you. If there were no God at all, it would make no difference to you. For the unbelieving Christ rejecter, his existence in this world is a breathing death and a horrible slavery to his own depravity.

But God who is rich in mercy still loved you even when you have tried your hardest to get rid of Him. You are at enmity against God, and will not listen to the Gospel of His grace. Yet He loved you even in your rebellious condition. God loves the ungodly who have nothing in them that is lovable. God loved those who slander and despise Him daily. Jesus loved wicked, ungrateful, ungodly, deceiving sinners.

Bleeding love was displayed to thankless sinners at Calvary's Cross by the Lamb of God. All your sins are offenses against God. Sin shocks and disgusts God; sin is the abominable thing which God hates. Men love sin and are calloused and hardened by the deceitfulness of their sin. God sent His only begotten Son into this sinful world to deliver men from their sins. Mercy to the sinful is only available in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Divine justice was fully satisfied by the bloody death of God manifest in the flesh - Jesus of Nazareth.

God devised and provided a perfect Atonement for human sin with the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. He that is God was also a Jewish man - His name was JESUS. Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on tree. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us. You have committed sin, but God Himself bore that sin and its punishment in your place. Jesus stooped to poverty, to hunger, to thirst, to death, to becoming Sin for all of us. Jesus had to endure shame, agony, and a bloody death if sinners were to be freely pardoned. God in human flesh did actually lay down His life for our sins. *I John 3:16* In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

How to Love Life

And Jesus put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. *Luke 14:7-11*

1. Humble yourself at Jesus' feet, take the lowest place.

But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a Ransom for many. *Matthew 20:25-28*

2. Become a servant of Christ.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a Ransom for many. *Mark 10:42-45*

3. Minister to those around you.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. *Luke 18:13-14*

4. Seek God's mercy daily.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the Greatest. And Jesus said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. *Luke 22:25-27*

5. Walk humbly with Thy God, follow Jesus, yield to the Holy Spirit, and become a servant of others just like Jesus was here on earth.

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. *I Peter 3:10-11* *Psalm 39:1*

6. Loving life starts to happen when we repent and stop speaking evil and guile, and when we begin to eschew (hate and avoid) evil, and do good. Always do good works for the glory of God, but never trust to them to help save you. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. That's what Jesus did at Calvary, the Good Lamb of God overcame the evil of sin when He loved us and gave Himself for us. Sin to me is misery and a pest, a plague; sin is a thought at which I shudder.

Defraud Not

To Defraud means to obtain something by deception, or by taking something wrongfully without the knowledge or consent of the owner; to cheat someone. You can defraud (cheat) your employer out of his money by not working a full day. "Stinting" is an old term used for someone who is loafing on the job, and doing just enough work so he'll still get paid.  No stinting is allowed on the job for a Christian.  You can defraud your employee by retaining wages that are due to him.  A preacher can defraud his church by being lazy spiritually.  A bum can cheat his neighbor out of his paycheck by craftily using a government handout program to get a something-for-nothing check while the taxpayer goes to work all day and earns it.  Never expect something for nothing; pay your own bills.  Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor. *Leviticus 19:13* Jesus said, Thou knowest the Commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. *Mark 10:19*

Are you a worker or a shirker?  It is a great "Sin" to plot and scheme to get something for nothing, and selfishly take advantage of someone else's paycheck and hard work.  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.  We have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. *II Corinthians 7:2* Are you a giver or a taker?  Do not desire another man's finances, or by any means, seek to lessen someone's paycheck in order to enlarge your own pocketbook.  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  That no man go beyond and "defraud" his brother in any matter:  because that the LORD is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. *I Thessalonians 4:6* These verses in the Bible show us that defrauding someone is a Sin and that the LORD will avenge those that deceitfully try to take advantage of others. We should never selfishly take advantage of someone's else wages, taxes, and hard work.  Mooching, leeching, freeloading, loafing, stinting, laziness, wanting something for nothing is still a sin.  Defraud not.

The Best Things 2

One of the best cures for pride is for the Holy Ghost to bring your haughtiness down. The reproving, humbling, regenerating, strengthening and sanctifying operations of the Holy Ghost in every one of us withers vain human glory, and then magnifies Christ. The best thing to do if you are scorned for Jesus' sake, do not defend yourself, do not get bad-tempered about it, the best reply is complete silence. Never give scorn for scorning. It is good to preach with your mouth, but the best thing in the world to preach with is your feet and hands, in your daily walk and work. The best thing is to live well, and then you can die well. Life is filled with depressions, heavy toil, earnest cares - the best thing to do is encourage one another to press on for Jesus' sake.

Pant for God Himself, personally have an insatiable thirst for Him, a longing for God, a sincere desire for His presence. Grace causes us to long after the living God. The best thing you will ever do after you are saved is to take up your cross, deny yourself daily, and follow closely after Jesus. Men hunt after gold on earth, but it is tread upon in heaven. Lord, help me to fall down in my utter insignificance before your throne of grace, and adore your eternal Majesty; make me more conscious of my sinfulness and insignificance. None can keep alive his own soul. Jesus helped me live, and He will help me die. Bring your mind down to your estate, for you cannot bring your estate up to your mind. What goes up, must come down, so you better stay humble.

This is the way to learn the secret of true happiness - be perfectly content with what the Lord provides. The best thing that unrenewed human nature can possibly produce is nothing better than a filthy rag in God's sight. Self-salvation is entirely impossible. You cannot produce a righteousness that God will accept, for you have sinned all your life. Do what you will, you cannot satisfy divine justice with your doings. Your best service is offensive to God. To obey Jesus every day is the best form of gratitude. The best thing to do for Christ is to do what Christ bids you to do next. The best gratitude is that which scrupulously renders humble obedience to every command of Jesus Christ. Take this to heart, and do ye so.

The tongue can no man tame, only the grace of God can tame it. Happy is the man whose tongue is tamed by Grace. A tender heart, a scrupulous conscience, a tenacity of not offending God in thought, word, or deed - these will hold us in check every day and every hour. Desire to get rid of every evil way, to be holy in character, sincere and without offense, a sensitivity to the Spirit's leading, to be obedient to God's words. Instantly obey Jesus, consider Him, acknowledge Him, enquire and ascertain to His will, with an eagerness to do His bidding. Take up your Cross for Jesus' sake, face worldly opposition, jeering, and ridicule; face your old companions and witness to them; confront the sneers of the workplace, be not afraid of the upper circles and their opinion, be not ashamed of Jesus. Human nature puts off trusting Jesus Christ, because of self-righteousness, a love of some secret sin, a love of religion, a fear of the loss of men's admiration, or loss of money. Nothing frightens a man more than the thought of giving up his darling sins.

The independent atheistic thinker is bound by no judgment but his own. He looks with indifference on all things whatsoever that his private judgment has not endorsed. He doubts the inspiration of the Bible.  He professes much intelligence, but he exhibits gross negligence and ignorance. He is so wise that he exalts himself above God's revelation. The atheist is a degenerate that is only concerned with his immediate carnal needs; he hates truth and purity, because he loves his sins. He says the best thing is to push ahead on one's own account, save money, get rich, rise in the world, take care of your own interests. The atheist's highest wisdom is to attend to this world, and ignore the world to come. He gives no heed to the Bible, he thinks there is no need to depend upon a God that he cannot see. "Seeing is believing" is his theme. The atheist says, "Two strong arms and a good clear brain is all you need to make your own way in this world. Rely upon good health, brain and intellect, cunning planning, and scheming plans."

Without Christ Jesus, disaster and everlasting confusion is your inevitable fate. Trust in the Cross, and place a holy reliance on the finished work and Righteousness of Jesus Christ. The death warrant is gone out from God against everything that is of human nature. Never rely on your good nature, your virtues and merits - never venture to put them in the place of Christ. The work of Christ for us, the work of the Spirit in us. This must be your motto - Christ's Blood only for my hope, and the Holy Spirit's work only for my life. Yield your sinful soul over to Jesus who gave Himself to save you from sin and hell.

The Best Things 1

The best thing to do is to believe God's words, to have a full belief in them, so that the enemy cannot pull you away. Make your calling and election Sure, simply trust to the Blood of Jesus Christ. Believe on Christ, and then take up your cross, and follow Him. Behave yourself in this world, be weaned from yourself, and delivered from looking to self for help. Come on to Jesus Christ. Think about and do those things which promote personal, private purity and piety. Reverence and adoration for the Most High, love of His character, obedience to His will, devotion to His service, seek His honor and happiness.  Be good to God, for He is so good to you.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Lay up treasure in heaven. Throw all your works overboard and rest on Jesus Christ alone. Cease from yourself, and drop into the hands of the Savior. The best thing to do is get rid of your self-righteousness. Your best performances are not worth anything in the sight of God. You must count the best things in you to be but filthy rags, fit only to be cast away. There is nothing in our inward nature that is lovely. Think less and less of yourself, and utterly abhor yourself before God, and begin to admire and esteem Jesus Christ.

Fixed admiration, adoring gaze to the Lamb of God, this will cause others to look to Him. To be dead indeed unto sin, and alive to Jesus Christ. Lord increase my faith. Be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The best thing about the Gospel is Christ Himself. Go and do something in the strength of the Lord. Draw nearer and nearer to the Father of spirits. Take the rock of sin out of your shoe, and walk closer to Jesus. Take what God reveals to you and believe that, obey the light you have. The best thing you can do is ask for God's mercy through Jesus' blood. The best thing (God's word), in the best place (my heart), for the best reason (that I might not sin against God). Purity is the true fruit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cling to Christ alone.

Outward religiousness without heart piety does a man serious injury. God desires truth in the inward parts, He will not quibble with dishonest men. The next best thing to actually being in heaven is to be assured that you will be there one day. The best thing is to remember that there is an open door at Calvary to every soul who lives. Give your money to the Lord before it flies away. Troubles wake us up like guard dogs before the thief gets into our life and steals everything we got. To spend and be spent in the Lord's service is the very best thing that can happen to us. Love God, get nearer to Christ, seek the power of His blood, dwell in Him, live upon Him. Bring others to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The very best thing you can do in trials is just to rest in God, and wait patiently for His leading and help and wisdom. The very best thing you can do is go directly to Christ first. Keep your eyes ever upon the Cross, for Christ Crucified is the one and only hope for sinners. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, that is, the highest wisdom to be obtained, to depart from evil, and to please the Lord out of gratitude and love to Him.

To be cast down is often the best thing that happen to us. Troubles check our pride. We are very apt to grow too big for our britches. It is always a good thing for us to be taken down a notch or two or four. We often rise too high in our own estimation. If I want to go to heaven, it is so simple - I simply go by faith to Christ, trust myself wholly to Him, and I freely get to heaven through Him. Go and tell Jesus all about your problems. Sin leads us to delusion, deception, degradation, and death. The best things come to the lowly in heart.

The best thing that I've ever heard is that, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The best thing to do is to do our best in the sight of God by seeking our own personal sanctification (well behaved and grateful). When doubts and fears arise, the best thing to do is Pray - God be merciful to me a sinner for Jesus' sake. Come repenting and humbled, and take the Lord Jesus Christ to be your All in All, take Him to be your living, loving Savior. The best thing is to seek the Lord's blessing on whatever you are doing for Him. If you want to be happy and do the best thing that is possible in your whole life, love your Maker - Jesus Christ. To ask for more Faith in order to obey is always the best thing to do. The best thing in the world to do with our problems is to write them down on a piece of paper, and then kneel down at Jesus' feet and spread those problems out before Him, and ask Him for help and direction, and then leave those problems there before Him.

A good appetite is one of the signs of good physical health, it is the same with the soul. Hunger after Christ, His holiness, thirst after that which is right, good, pure and lovely. It is sweet to know that our best things are ahead. O lost sinner, you are leaving your best things behind you, and you are going to your worst things, but the Christian is going to his best things. The Christian's turn is coming, he will have the best of it before long. Here's a good question - Will this be the best thing I can do for the glory of God? If you feel dull and dead inside, fly away to Jesus Christ, cry out to the Holy Ghost for help and strength, and He will bless you. Never look within yourself. Break off your evil habits, develop clean habits, pray to God for more grace and wisdom. Whenever you think of sinning, the best thing to do is Pray, say, "O God, help me to love You, not my sin."

To believe in Jesus alone for Salvation is your highest wisdom, to repent of sin a joyful necessity, to follow after holiness a noble pursuit, and to serve God our greatest privilege. Jesus saves sinners, He shall save me, for I am a sinner. Jesus changes hearts, and He shall change mine. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart.. If you have something in your mouth that you desire to eat, the best thing to do is just swallow it down. This is what Faith does. Faith swallows Christ Himself down spiritually into the inmost heart and soul. There is no antidote against your sins like the word of God and the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The best thing possible to do is to be calm, deliberate, and diligent in the Lord's service. When you get weary and worried, sometimes the best thing you can do is to just take a nap.

Here's the Best Thing to Believe - You are a sinner; all the sins you've committed in your past are currently on your soul. You have sin all over your soul, and there's nothing you can do to get it off. If you die without the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to your soul, you will die in your sins. God can't take you back in your natural sinful state, because God is sinless and holy. Here's the only Remedy for your sinful condition - God Almighty came down to this earth as a Jewish man; He bore your sins in His own body on the Cross, He suffered what was due to your sins in your place. He bled and died and endured the wrath of God on account of your sins. The question is simple - Are you going to die in your sins and pay for your own sins, or are you going to trust Jesus Christ as your Sin-Bearer, and die with your sins on Him? It's that simple - God help you to do the right thing. The right thing to do is to receive Jesus Christ into your heart, and trust to Him as your personal Sin-Bearer. He was wounded for your transgressions, and bruised for your iniquities.