HE DID WONDEROUSLY

Take a minute from your busy schedule, look away from this world's noise, and focus your heart's interested attention on the Lamb of God: Behold the Sinner's Substitute, The Eternal Sin-Offering. This is the Good News of the Gospel in the simplest of terms.

God could not pass by me without punishing my sins: His Holiness and Justice demanded that I should die forever for my crimes. Nevertheless, Through the tender mercy of my God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give Light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide my feet into the Way of Peace. But God who is rich in Mercy, sent His dear Son to the Cross of Calvary, and now God can be Merciful to me a sinner, and yet still be Just and Righteous. The wrath due to me fell on Jesus' head. In JESUS' blood, my sin's awful debt was paid. Divine Justice can demand no more, and mercy can now be shown to me for Jesus' sake. The Savior died for me, and I point to His Atoning Blood, and say the Precious Blood has made my Peace with God. 

I stood before God as guilty as can be, I have felt the evil of my sins against God, I owned my eternal death sentence, but alas, I saw that my death sentence has been executed upon on Innocent one. The Holy Spirit gave me an interest in the Savior's Precious Blood. I looked to the Lamb of God; I trusted in Him and I was helped; and I took my place as no longer being liable for my sin's death sentence. My death penalty cannot be exacted twice. Two individuals cannot be punished for the same offense unless both of them are guilty. I rejoiced when I heard this Good News, and at once I fled to JESUS for refuge and deliverance. 

God cannot smite me any more, for He has smitten Christ instead of me. My sin debt has been fully paid with the Son of God's Precious Blood, and never be demanded of me ever again in time or Eternity. Christ nailed by sins' payment in full to the Cross in front of heaven, mankind and hell. Eternal Justice cannot charge me now with the penalty of my sins, for my sins, once for all, were charged to my Substitute and bore away by Him. My Surety did away with my debt, and now I am Free and rest in perfect Peace. 

All of this was made possible, only because JEHOVAH delights in Mercy and devised the plan of Substitution. The Justice of JEHOVAH and the dreadful penalty due to my sins demanded that the Innocent Surety, The Lord Jesus Christ, suffer and die in my place and bring exemption and freedom to me, or else God could not be both Just and the Justifier of a sinner like me. JESUS suffered as "my" Substitute, paid the quittance, and discharged me from all my debts with His own life's Blood. JEHOVAH laid my sins upon Christ, so He could never lay them upon me. JESUS was punished instead of me; He did Wonderously for me. So now there is no possibility for me to be punished. I know for a fact that God for Christ's sake has justly forgiven me, only because of Emmanuel's Blood.

The Lamb of God, the only Surety, undertook to make Atonement for my sins, and prepared the Way (John 14:6) to deliver me from the punishment to which I rendered myself liable before God. JESUS bore the full wrath of God's Divine Justice on my behalf. My sins have been imputed (charged/transferred) to the Mediator, the Surety, the Justifier, the Lamb of God Himself. Therefore, my sins are no longer mine. I am forgiven and discharged from sin's prison, and go my way rejoicing in peace and freedom. God cannot impute to me my trespasses any more, because God laid all my iniquities upon JESUS, my Surety and Substitute. 

So I was once guilty in the sight of God, but now I am no longer condemned, because Another has taken upon Him the condemnation and wrath which I truly deserved and was helplessly exposed to. Christ Jesus voluntarily came to Earth, made of a woman, made under the Law, and then obeyed and fulfilled the Law perfectly, so now according to the purpose and will of God, the Righteousness of Christ is imputed (granted/given) to me freely, for Jesus' sake. 

Christ stands condemned in my place, and I stand Innocent in Christ's place. As JEHOVAH looked upon Christ as He had been the sinner, yet He was without sin, but the Father dealt with the Son as if He was the guilty one. So now, JEHOVAH looks upon me as Righteous, even though I have no righteousness of my own. God delights in me and regards me as being covered in the Redeemer's Righteousness. My Faith now feasts and rests only upon my Substitute's Blood and Righteousness. 

For Jesus' sake, I am set free from my sins, for Christ bore my sins in His own body on the tree. Jesus became Sin itself for me, so I could receive His Righteousness freely by Faith. I am now Righteous before JEHOVAH forever for Christ's sake, for the Righteousness of Christ is mine freely by the divine operation called Imputation. Without any works of mine whatsoever I am justified freely through faith in His Precious Blood, according to the righteousness of Faith. 

JEHOVAH put Christ where I was, and then He put me where Christ is. Now the Highest Court in the universe says to me: Not Guilty, Absolved, Acquitted forever, For Jesus' sake. I believe and am Sure that thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and now my Soul is saved.

My soul needs the one and only healing Balm of JESUS' bleeding redeeming Love. No Balm was ever as potent and soothing as this one. I was so full of sin, but God put my sins away forever without any violation to His Divine Justice when I placed my Faith in His dear Son's Precious Blood. I like a sheep had went astray, but in Grace, JESUS came to seek and save me. Outside the gate of Jerusalem, on a hill called Golgotha, JEHOVAH laid on JESUS all the crimes I will ever commit against my Maker. I am a poor guilty Sinner, I trust Christ alone, and my sins are no longer mine, for they were laid on the soul of Christ when He was suffering and dying on the Cross. JEHOVAH forsook JESUS on the Cross when He was bearing my sins. JESUS was punished for my sins in my place. The lighting bolts of God's wrath struck JESUS over and over again, and now I am safe and sound forever, for JESUS' sake. 

JESUS whose name is WONDERFUL 

did Wonderously for me.

Now no more God's wrath I dread, because Vengeance smote the Surety's sacred head. My legal claims before God have been fully met, because JESUS' Blood paid my dreadful debt. The Sacrifice for my sins was nailed and fastened to the Cross, He suffered untold agonies, He was consumed instead of me. And now I shall not die eternally, because the innocent Victim has been consumed in my place. The fire of God's anger will not burn me, for it spent itself upon the Sacrifice. The Sacrifice died, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead according to the Scriptures. Then He ascended into Heaven and sat down on the right hand of God. The fire can never fall on me. It can never be that JEHOVAH made Him suffer, the Just for the unjust, and make me suffer too. Look now to the Cross by Faith, God accepts Christ, Receive Him now and be filled with contentment. It is Finished! was JESUS' cry before He died for you; He finished Salvation and the Atonement for you all by Himself. Come to Jesus now, the door to the Ark of Mercy could close any day. Hurry up the brow now, don't miss ship's movement.

You see, The Holy Spirit came and helped me to the Cross, He guided my feet into the Way of Peace. (John 14:6) He helped me understand and feel my sinful condition, He helped me repent and pray, He showed me the dear Son of God: God and man in one person, loving me to death on the Cross. Jesus was wounded and covered in blood for me. Then the Holy Spirit whispered to me: He is your Substitute; He bore the wrath of God, so you don't have to. Trust in His Precious Blood and be forgiven freely today. I did just that, and the Great Exchange between JESUS and me occurred instantly. Jesus took my sins, I took His Righteousness. He took my guilt; I took His Ransom. He took my darkness; I took His Light. Glory be to the Lamb of God!

THE GREAT EXCHANGE

Only JEHOVAH is able to forgive your human sin; you need God’s divine forgiveness before you die and go out into Eternity. But you may say, “I just can’t see how God can be just, and yet still forgive my sins.  You’re right; you’re so greatly guilty that if God Almighty does not punish someone for your sins, He could not remain Just if He were to let your sin go without punishment. How then, can it be that God can completely forgive (justify) an poor guilty sinner like you, and still remain JUST?  Well, it is only through the Innocent Precious Blood and merits of Jesus Christ.  But you may ask, “How does the Blood of Christ make God Just?” That is the key question.

This is the whole truth of Christ’s Blood Atonement, this is the essence of the Gospel, and this is the way Christ Jesus is able to forgive undeserving sinners: Suppose you had heinously murdered someone. You were a cold-blooded, first-degree murderer; you were tried in a court of Law, pronounced guilty, and condemned to die for capital murder, and you truly deserved it. But the Governor of your state was merciful and very desirous to save your life, and yet at the same time, the state’s justice demands that someone must die on account of the heinous deed that you’ve done. Now, how is the Governor to do this?  This is the main question. How can the Governor be inflexibly Just, and yet allow you to escape death?

But then on the day of your execution, a dear friend of yours goes into the Governor’s office and pleads for you to be spared. Your friend says to the Governor, “The poor murderer on death row that is scheduled to die today, he’s as guilty as sin, and he deserves to be executed. I cannot argue with you, he deserves the death sentence. I think his sentence is just, but Governor, if you please, I love that prisoner so, if you will execute me instead of him, I will be very willing to die in his place today.”  The Governor is amazed at this act of love, but he agrees to commute the criminal’s death sentence, and let him go free. The Governor orders the warden and the guards, “This innocent one will die today in the place of the guilty one, take him away to die.” The Governor signs the death-warrant, and the innocent man is taken away to the death chamber.

The Governor is now just in letting the guilty murderer go free. The Governor cannot execute two men for the same crime. The real murderer is granted a free pardon and walks away just like Barrabas did, and not one guard touches him on way out of the prison. All the guards and the other guilty prisoners look on with amazement as the pardoned man walks out the front gate of the prison, scot-free. This is same way Christ Jesus saves guilty sinners. Jesus says, “Father, I love these poor, guilty sinners so, let Me suffer and die instead of them!” “Very well!” says the Father, “Thou shalt bear the sinner's sins and die in the sinner’s place on Calvary’s Cross, and the sinner that trusts in your perfect finished work will go Free.”

So you see, Christ Jesus bore the guilt of your sins, He suffered the punishment which you ought to have suffered, so now, if you believe on Him, and trust that Christ was punished for you, you can never ever be punished for your sins. You see, God cannot punish the same sin twice. God did not turn away His wrath on human sin, but He poured it all on His Son’s heart on Calvary; God did not ignore your sin-debt, but it was paid for with drops of Precious Blood from Christ’s own heart and veins. Christ shed His own blood, so that you would be spared from the wrath to come. Jesus tasted death for you; He has a special interest in you.  Now today, the receipt for your sins is nailed to the Cross, it states, “Paid In Full by God’s own Blood.”  All you have to do now is come to the Cross by faith and take the receipt freely, and you can go free forever.

Stop and think of Christ dying for you, Look and live – look up to the Cross and see your Creator dying in your place, the Incarnate God bleeding for you, the Sinless Substitute paying for your sin’s guilt, the Innocent Sacrifice satisfying the vengeance and wrath of God for your vile sins, the Lamb of God delivering rebellious sinners through mercy and blood.  Only God can forgive sins, and only faith in God’s precious blood can wash away your sins from your soul.  Trust only in the God-Man that died for you on Calvary and rose from the dead, and you shall be saved  You deserved Hell, but Christ took your hell, and now if you believe on His Blood, all that is left for you is New Jerusalem, the streets of gold, and the glory of God forever. That is the Gospel of the Grace of God in plain simple English.

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.  

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. 

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power. 

LOOK UP!

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. I have waited for Thy Salvation, O Lord.

For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. My soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and I am escaped.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the Door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth? For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in His day.

He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise Him up at the last day. I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Because God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.

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. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Knowing  that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. The coming of the Just One.

Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. 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.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him. Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goeth out of His mouth. After it a voice roareth: He thundereth with the voice of His excellency; and He will not stay them when His voice is heard. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Ye do shew the Lord's till He come.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge his people. My Beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and His lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: He thundereth with the voice of His excellency; and He will not stay them when His voice is heard. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, He standeth behind our wall, He looketh forth at the windows, shewing Himself through the lattice.  

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.  You better listen UP, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Beggars Made Rich At Calvary

For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

that, though He was Rich, 

yet for your sakes He became poor, 

that ye through His poverty might be rich. 

II Corinthians 8:9 

All sinners are spiritual beggars without a penny of merit or goodness to their name. We are all flat broke when it comes to real righteousness. A beggar is short of money, and a sinner is short of merit. Only the Holy Spirit can make us realize our sad plight and spiritual poverty within. Penniless wretches that cannot earn a cent on their own. We are like weeds on the roadside that grow tall and only cumber the ground. Weeds grow tallest and easiest in the dirt of this world. Sins are like foul weeds that suck the life out of your Soul.

Sinners know nothing, are good for nothing, shiftless, useless, hopeless and helpless. They have no merit and it is impossible for them to earn a bit of merit. They try to establish their own righteousness, weary themselves in vain, but not a bit of righteousness can they earn. Sinners can never attain eternal life by any deeds of their own. You may watch your morals, change your habits, be careful in your speech, but you are not a step closer to being born again for all your efforts. If you are ever to be born again, the Holy Spirit must intervene on your behalf. Only Jesus' Blood has the Power to rescue you from your love to sin and from the enslavement to your sins.

Your sins have made you bankrupt. The money you try to earn by your own works down here is no good at Heaven's bank. The Holy Spirit must open your eyes, bring you to your senses, and show you what you really are deep inside. You must see yourself as you actually are in God's sight. You don't just sin every once in a while; You are nothing more than a walking breathing mass of Sin. You must see God, understand His holiness and justice, and then see your own sinfulness and guilt. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water. You must trade the filthy water of your iniquities for the Water of Life that flows from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. 

The Holy Spirit must give you a humbling view of yourself, for you will never seek the true Righteousness of Christ, until you are fully conscious of your own unrighteousness. The power of the Holy Spirit must give you Light and show you the gross darkness within yourself. The purity of God must reveal your impurities. Before the Holy Spirit visits your heart, you have need of nothing and boast that you are no worse than other sinners; but when he quickens your conscience and mind, you begin to feel the weight of your sins, and start to understand your wretched, miserable state. No one can help you out of your spiritual poverty but the Lord Jesus Christ: He has unsearchable riches. He became poor, that you may become rich.

Your poverty is far too great for you to cure. You have not one friend here below who can help rescue you from your condition. You have no merit to help yourself, and no moral strength to earn any true merit. You cannot recommend yourself to God, for you are a beggar indeed. The Holy Spirit must cause you to see your sad plight and moral character. You are like the dog that comes into the dining room, and slips under the table, and watches for crumbs that may fall to the floor. But remember, self-condemned wretches are always welcome at the Cross. 

Beggars are entirely dependent upon charity. If sinners receive a pardon, it must be simply an act of divine Grace. We can only be reconciled and brought nigh to God by the bloody death of His dear Son. Salvation is an act of God's Charity which we can do nothing to deserve. We must appeal to the goodness, graciousness and mercy of God found only in Christ Jesus. God displayed and commended His love and grace toward us in the person of His bleeding and dying Son. Don't despise the riches of His goodness.

For that reason; ask, seek, knock, be importunate as a beggar knocking at the door of the house where the owner has a great big Heart, and you are welcome, received, fed, and sheltered. Jesus is most hospitable and welcomes beggars every day to come to Him without delay. Your sins are the most urgent reasons for you to come to Christ. Your filthy rags are your best outfit, your emptiness is your only preparation, and your ruin is the reason for coming to Christ. As a poor mendicant, plead for Mercy through His Precious Blood. No Soul ever perished who came to Jesus as a beggar, and neither will you. Jesus is Rich in Mercy.

When the Holy Spirit helps you realize your true sinful condition, you will flee to Jesus. Before a natural man gets a glimpse of his natural state and the ruin which sin has brought upon him, he cleaves to his own righteousness, which the Bible calls filthy rags. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. You can have Redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the Riches of His Grace. Wake up poor sinner, take advantage of the exceeding Riches of His Grace in His Kindness towards you. Your guilty can be frankly acquitted through the Precious Blood Atonement and justified freely through Christ's Righteousness. Only Blood-Bought Mercy can set you completely free.

Without Christ, every day you are helplessly and hopelessly lost, teetering on the very brink of hell. When you humble yourself and come to Christ as a beggar, you are lifted out of the black quicksand of Sin, washed clean in Jesus' Precious Blood, clothed with the glorious robe of Christ's Righteousness, guarded and protected by Jesus' endless love, fed with manna from above, satisfied with the water of life, and feed upon the flesh and blood of Christ that is filled with divine Life. Also, you are housed, dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. You become an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. You are pardoned, accepted, adopted, regenerated, and eternally secure. You do not eat with the servants, for you have a place set for you at the King's table. 

Christ Jesus Himself will raise you up, heal your broken heart, and bind up your wounds. But first, The Holy Spirit must open your eyes to see your state as a beggar, and leads you to look away from yourself to the Lamb of God, and find in Him Unsearchable Riches -- Eternal Salvation and the Forgiveness of sins. Jesus' name and nature is LOVE. Jesus pours out His lovingkindness and tender mercies on us miserable and helpless wretches. He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, set my feet upon the Rock, and established my goings. 

Jesus loved you and gave Himself for you. I beseech you to put all your confidence in His Atoning Sacrifice on Calvary's Cross, and then live only to praise His redeeming love. Be wise now, Put your Soul's trust in Jesus alone, for He is the one and only Savior of sinners, and then give Him all the praise and glory.  Lord Jesus, you are my only resort, if you do not save me, I am a goner, I must perish in my sins, please save me altogether, for I cannot help myself, I can't give a penny to you. I'm a drowning, sinking man in the quicksand of my sins, I reach out and grasp for You as I sink. please save my Soul for your Mercy's sake!

For ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

that, though He was Rich, 

yet for your sakes He became poor, 

that ye through His poverty might be rich. 

II Corinthians 8:9 

The Irksome Task

The art of witnessing to acquaintances, friends and relatives is a dreaded chore that we must do here below. Witnessing to the ones, not to the masses. We must get a hold of one man or woman alone, and in love, quietly and prayerfully, witness to them. Jesus sat on the well to preach to one woman, and did good to all the city of Samaria through her. We must not give way to timidness or the fear of man. Sinners are unwarned by our negligence, and Christ is unknown through our silence and carelessness. We must deal personally with the unconverted, and force ourselves to witness and complete the irksome task, until it becomes easy. We must wins souls, we must be up and doing, and let none around us die unwarned, uncared for. 

A gospel tract is a useful thing, but a living Spirit-led witness, face to face, will help the sinner to remember. Your Spirit-filled witness and words will be written on their heart forever. The sincerity in your eyes, face, voice will help them remember. Your own speech is much better that a piece of paper. They may never read the tract, but they will remember your testimony. Attend to this, for Jesus' sake. It is one thing to be bold before men, and another to be true in the secret chamber of your own soul. There is nothing like personally speaking to souls about Christ, getting their attention, detaining them for a few minutes, looking them in the eye, telling them your testimony of how you were saved, and the testimony of God - The Gospel. 

Our witnessing one-on-one with a Soul proves our sincerity concerning the Gospel and the condition of a lost Soul. Persuading and Pleading with the Soul to flee to Christ for Refuge from the wrath to come. It is a blessed privilege to personally witness to a Soul, to be able persuade a Soul to Christ, to speak to the individual about their imminent danger, and the Way to escape from it. Cultivate and acquire the art of soul-winning. Hunt for Souls, track them to their hiding places. Stop up the holes, cast out and take them up in the Gospel Net. 

The rod and reel is our witness. The fishing line is our prayers that reach out to them in the places where they are, when we cannot get to them. The hook is the Holy Spirit. The bait is the Gospel. The Holy Spirit uses all of these things as we fish for men. Gifts are good, but Grace is better. Grace causes us to have compassion toward our fellow men, and go after them. We must Go fishing for men. Get more Grace from the Holy Spirit - to glorify God and to be more useful. 

Strike up a conversation; initiate a discussion with a Soul. Find any opportunity you can of talking to individuals one by one. Confront them about Eternity. Approach and address them when possible. There is great power in persuading people and speaking to them personally about Christ and their Soul. Try to say something for JESUS wherever you go each day. Hang on to Jesus and the Holy Spirit in your thoughts fervently, especially when you are witnessing to a Soul.

There's no perfect way to witness to a Soul, but the main thing is that the Spirit of God is directing and helping you. The natural man never thinks about Christ at all throughout a day or week. The years roll on and, they have scarcely a thought of The Lord Jesus Christ. They slight the Gospel and do not retain God in their thoughts. They regard the Gospel as an idle tale. They neglect and reject the plan of Salvation by the great Substitute who gave Himself as an Atoning Sacrifice for human sin. They do not care to be saved by the Lamb of God: they would soon trust in themselves or something else. Get hold of a Soul's attention, and don't let him go until you have put to him this question: Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 

Let me put it to you like this, dear friend: God sent His Son, Christ Jesus, to be the Messiah, the Mediator between God and you. God sent His dear Son into this world to save sinners and gave Him to be the Atonement for all your sins. Do you refuse to be saved by the merits of His matchless bloody death? Will you tempt the Justice of God by rejecting His Mercy? The plan of Salvation cost God the Father His dear Son. Do you mean to say that you care not what it cost God to save your Soul? Will you fling the Atonement out the window, and have nothing to do with Christ? You may not want Christ, but He wants you. Do you mean to give Christ the go-by or not? Are you wise to live every day in danger of eternal death and judgment, and remain unprepared to meet your Maker? 

The first Business of your life should be to ensure your Soul is saved from Divine Justice that you richly deserve. Before long, the bell shall toll for you, and six feet of dirt shall hold you down. Nothing in the form of wealth or reputation will compensate for you losing your Soul. Oh, whatever you may do, do not procrastinate. You reject Christ as your own peril. You must visit the world to come sooner or later, and Faith in Jesus' Precious Blood is the only preparation for time and Eternity. Cast yourself on Christ's atoning work, and trust HIM alone to save your Soul. Confess your sins of unbelief and rejection of Christ, and seek His Mercy through trusting to His Precious Blood for the free forgiveness of sins.