When the Lost Say: 4.) How Can Jesus Save Me From My Sins?

Tonight we start getting to the real heart of our series on witnessing, we get to a detailed description of what Christ did for us. This is where we go from the utter hopelessness we left off in last night to the glorious promise of the grace of God!

Jesus Christ is one with God, let that sink in He is God, yet He left heaven and became man, Emmanuel, God with us – I say God with meat on. Through the virgin birth, He is both God and man. Since Jesus didn’t have an earthly father (just a step father, Joseph) He was born without a sinful nature which has been passed down through men since Adam sinned way back in Eden. That means He did what none of us ever can do; lived the perfect life — without ever sinning, not even once!

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.”  (Luke 23:39-41)

But when Jesus Christ was crucified, He died as a sinner and suffered not just the rejection of men but also the rejection of God the Father.

“He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  (Matthew 27:43-46)

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”  (Isaiah 53:3-11)

That’s because in death, Jesus Christ became our substitute and died our death to pay the penalty for our sins, He took our place! It was our sins that put Him on the cross, that drove the nails into Him, that crucified our Savior.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.”  (Romans 5:6-7)

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”  (1 Peter 2:24)

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”  (1 Peter 3:18)

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

But that’s not all His death accomplished, He not only died for our sins, but He rose from the dead to become our Living Savior! Our Mediator between God and man, our advocate before God the Father, the One who ever lives to make intercession for us.

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”  (Romans 5:10)

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”  (Romans 8:31-34)

“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”  (Hebrews 5:8-9)

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  (1 John 2:1-2)

The death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has provided for all mankind a complete and total salvation.

• His death upon the cross was for all mankind – everyone, everywhere, even you.

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”  (Romans 3:22)

• His death upon the cross is the payment for all our sins – all means all by the way as in past sins, present sins, and future sins. Cause think about it when Christ died around 2,000 years ago all our sins were yet future!

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”  (Acts 13:38-39)

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Corinthians 6:11)

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”  (Hebrews 10:17)

• By His death, He has provided the payment of the price for our salvation, He bought our redemption, and by His death He became our Redeemer! Through His blood we are redeemed.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”  (Romans 3:24)

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  (Titus 2:14)

• By His death, He is the propitiation (the perfect satisfying for our sins) to God the Father.

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”  (Romans 3:25)

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  (1 John 2:1-2)

“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. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  (1 John 4:9-10)

• His death paid for our sins and His resurrection has become the means for our justification, that means we are declared righteous before a Holy God even though we were filthy sinners because God sees His Sons perfection not our sin.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”  (Romans 3:24)

“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”  (Romans 3:26)

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”  (Romans 5:1)

• Through His death, burial, and resurrection Jesus Christ has taken away our sins and given His righteousness, (that’s the righteousness of God in case you hadn’t noticed!) to all who believe in Him and in the power of His blood. The moment we put our faith in Him and what He did for us, His righteousness is imputed to us, we’re covered by His perfection, it’s put to our account.

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”  (Romans 4:3)

“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”  (Romans 4:21-25)

“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 5:17-21)

• Thus the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ has provided the total (the ONLY) solution for all man’s problems before God. Our sins are taken away, Christ’s perfect righteousness is imputed to us, and sinful man is declared righteous before a Holy God. The Lord Jesus Christ has provided it all – He paid it all so we might be reconciled to God, redeemed, saved.

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”  (Romans 5:10)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may you be eternally gripped in His glorious grace.

They Love the Creature Not the Creator

I try to focus here on the grace life side of things but every now and again I have to get really real and hit some hard truths here that I don’t like. Tonight’s one of those nights. I have been reading and listening to Romans everyday for a few weeks now. Some days I get it all in, some days I jump around in it but I spend time in it each day. It has helped ground me in my faith, given me a deeper richer understanding of God’s grace and also taught me how to rightly divide scripture so I don’t get all jacked up in my spirit when I think something doesn’t make sense but it’s because I’m making it about me when it’s not. It’s been a great thing except that it’s brought a hard truth up again and again for me. Romans 1. See the last half of the chapter is a scathing truth about our world today. It chills me to read it and it grieves me deeply as people I love are the ones being described in those verses. I pray for salvation for them and I have tried to reach them with the good news of the gospel of grace but they love the creature more than the Creator and they will not hear truth. And it’s not just people I know I look at the people around me each day and I see the reality of this passage becoming more and more common as they have rejected God and therefore He is giving them up to their own desires. They wanna say we come from animals He’s gonna let Em act like em! It’s sad, heartbreaking but God told us it was the result of man’s desire to spurn God. Read this passage and know that time is running out for the people described therein. Sin is choking the life out of humanity, it’s turning men into beasts like those of the field. Women are killing their babies in the womb the place where they ought to be most protected, that is most definitely not natural for a woman whom God created to be a mother. We’ve made weird sex a sensation even teaching it in our schools to the youngest of children. We deny God and forbid Him to be mentioned or enter in our schools, government facilities, homes and in the vast majority of our churches! Sin runs rampant around this world; murder, perversions, deception, desecration of all that is true and pure. But God will not be mocked and His Word tells us plainly that this world is only getting what it asked for and soon what it deserves. The only hope of escaping that fate which is swift approaching is the cross of Christ and His precious blood washing away your filthy sin. We have all sinned, all been guilty of denying the God who made us, all broken His laws, and for that we have earned what we deserve- death and eternal damnation in that lake of fire where the worm dieth not. That’s what we deserve for the wages of sin is death, and after that the judgement. That thought tormented me for years as Satan’s demons nipped at my heels trying to drag my sin black soul to hell. But 2,000 years ago God put on flesh, became a man in the form of His only begotten Son, and 33 sinless years later He bled and died upon that cross at Calvary for me! Praise God for that precious cleansing flood that flowed that day as He bore my death and punishment for my sins so that I could be cleansed, my soul no longer black as pitch but in his crimson blood He washed it white as snow. He cried “It is finished ” as he died and with those words I was immediately made pure. My sin was gone before God the debt paid in full, but the best part was still to come. In that cold dark tomb they laid the Lamb of God but on the third day God raised Him from it alive and glorified! Praise God Jesus forever lives and when in His death burial and resurrection I believe I am know I do too! God’s proof is all around us from the uttermost of space to the tiniest quark of an atom, God’s fingerprint is on it all. All we have to do is admit it, see that He made us, bought us, and we are His. Believe in the death burial and resurrection of Christ and avoid the fate that Romans 1 tells of those who deny God as Creator. Rest knowing you are complete in Jesus.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 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. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”  (Romans 1:18-32)

Gripped In His Grace

I’ve always been a dispensationalist but it was just recently that I realized I wasn’t enough of one and I learned how to truly rightly divide the Word, thus clearing up the remaining questions and confusion I had. When I read the Bible literally and take the plain meaning of the words, just let them say what they say and to whom they say it, stop trying to make it all about me when it’s not, then it makes perfect sense. My peace is even stronger my faith more secure because I truly see that I remain forever gripped in His glorious grace and that is the safest place I can ever be! I pray if you are reading this you are gripped along with me in the hands of grace that will never fail, never let you go. If not I pray you know you are a lost sinner bound for an eternity in hell just as I once was.

The result of your sin means you are separated from God, who is perfect, Holy, just. He can’t abide sin for it breaks his laws so he must punish it. And such a permanent terrible punishment it is, death! That’s the wages of sin when you live in it, death. But there is good news because someone already paid that wage for you, they took your place and took your wage upon their own body. They died so you don’t have to, they took your sin as their own because they had never sinned, therefore you can have their sinless righteousness bestowed upon you. You can be restored before God your sin forgiven and wiped away.

Jesus is the only way! He paid it all on the cross when he was crucified for your sins. He died in your place but he rose alive and triumphant the third day, sitting at God’s right hand today. All you have to do to get this gift is believe it. Believe he died for you, took your sins and set you free! Believe and live!

Just believe for you are saved by grace alone through faith alone. Praise God for that because if it were up to us in any way to keep our salvation we’d jack it up beyond all recognition but it and we rest in our Saviors hands as well as the Father’s, trust them it’s a done secure deal.

He’s a little selection from Spurgeon to encourage you:

“I in them.” — Joh 17:23

If such be the union which subsists between our souls and the person of our Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion! This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, it is a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whose glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods. Behold he hath set before us an open door, let us not be slow to enter. This city of communion hath many pearly gates, every several gate is of one pearl, and each gate is thrown open to the uttermost that we may enter, assured of welcome. If there were but one small loophole through which to talk with Jesus, it would be a high privilege to thrust a word of fellowship through the narrow door; how much we are blessed in having so large an entrance! Had the Lord Jesus been far away from us, with many a stormy sea between, we should have longed to send a messenger to him to carry him our loves, and bring us tidings from his Father’s house; but see his kindness, he has built his house next door to ours, nay, more, he takes lodging with us, and tabernacles in poor humble hearts, that so he may have perpetual intercourse with us. O how foolish must we be, if we do not live in habitual communion with him. When the road is long, and dangerous, and difficult, we need not wonder that friends seldom meet each other, but when they live together, shall Jonathan forget his David? A wife may when her husband is upon a journey, abide many days without holding converse with him, but she could never endure to be separated from him if she knew him to be in one of the chambers of her own house. Why, believer, dost not thou sit at his banquet of wine? Seek thy Lord, for he is near; embrace him, for he is thy Brother. Hold Him fast, for he is thine Husband; and press him to thine heart, for he is of thine own flesh.

When God Buts In

During the sermon last night Pastor Locke was particularly fired up and in the midst of his sermon on Ephesians 2 he paused a moment in the reading of the text he was discussing and goes “But God.  I just love it when God buts in, don’t you?”  Amen, brother, amen!  Yes I love it when God buts in, that’s when He really shows up and shows out, when he gets the utmost honor and glory.  That’s when He is most likely the God of the impossible, the God of all grace and mercy, the God of all heaven and earth!  Those but God moments are glory, glory, glory moments!  Which got me to thinking about the phrase and wondering just how those but God situations play out in Scripture.  So I want to do a quick study on that very phrase tonight.

The exact phrase is used 44 times throughout the Bible, that’s a lot of times and few too many to list each one individually here so I am choosing some of my favorites to share; I would highly recommend a complete study of God’s but ins for all of you though.  Every second we spend in God’s word is highly profitable, restoring and renewing our strength, faith and hope.

So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:8

This is one of my favorite occurrences as it makes so clear just how glorious those “but God” moments can be,   Joseph’s brothers had been real jerks and in a moment of weakness, selfishness, depravity they had thrown that 17 year old boy in a pit then drug him out and sold him to Midianite slave traders.  They sold him as a slave and told their father Jacob he had been killed by wild animals.  But God had other plans and used that pit and those slave traders to get Joseph to Egypt where he would basically save the whole world years later!  One of these days I am going to share a study on Joseph but that’s another day, right now, let’s just look at what happened with Joseph when God butted in as noted in these next verses:

And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.  Acts 7:9-10

And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:18-20

God buts in to move people where they need to be, preserve them once they are their and even fight their battles for them – and win them of course!

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15

This next instance of God butting in is so weird to me but absolutely cool and maybe a little gross; actually a lot gross but still so cool.  I mean who else but God would think this one up!

But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day. Judges 15:19

God does amazing miracles when He buts in but none so great as the miracle of His Son, Jesus.  God’s ultimate but in was His greatest gift of grace to us.  He butted in, became one of us, Jesus Christ his only Son,  and then provided the way for us to be restored to God, reconnected.  He paid our debt to God offering salvation to all who believe in Him.  Just look how God butted in His Son’s life for us!

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead:  Acts 13:29-30

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

He raised Him from the dead!  But he’s not finished butting in – he buts into the lives of all who believe in him, place their trust in him and he will one day raise us from the dead as well!  One day we will be raised bodily from this earth to join Jesus our savior in heaven, but God buts in and raises us spiritually now, the second we believe in faith in Jesus and his death, burial and resurrection.  God buts in and makes us new, whole, saved!

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:4-10

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12
knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

 

 

 

Spiritual Arsenal pt.3

In my last post of this Spiritual Arsenal series I shared some of the verses and passages of scripture that I go to to remind me of just who Jesus is; the Son of God the Son of man, King of kings, and my precious Redeemer.  I started with that because if we don’t know who He is we can never hope to tell others why we need Him so desperately.  These are the verses that convict the heart, grieve the soul and ultimately lead the lost to the only hope they will ever have the blood of Christ to wash them clean, the blood shed for them on the cross at Calvary.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Daniel 9:10

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

That all above really does mean all, every single man, woman and child who has ever lived was born under the curse of sin due to Adam’s fall way back in the garden.  All of creation has groaned under it ever since, in fact.  The results of that sin are dire, hopeless, eternal.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Praise God that the story doesn’t end there though.  Nay, for God loves us, much more than we will ever understand and because of that love, well He made a way!  A glorious, perfect way – Jesus!

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:8-10

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12
knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

Stand Strong

My nursery room at the church we work at has become known as the KJV meat class to the small remnant of true believers and followers of Jesus in that otherwise apostate, at best, pagan at worst congregation. I talk openly about my faith and I don’t water down the truth of the Gospel, basically I’m about God and his only Son Jesus Christ who was crucified on the cross at Calvary for the repentance of sins. I owe my life to Jesus and I am going to live for him, no matter the cost. Cause being about His name, His life, His story really could cost me – it could cost me my job, I’ve already had one child pulled because I taught the Bible as truth not as just stories; it could even cost my husband because he shares my convictions that we stand for God above all. I try to encourage others to be bold and strong in their faith as well which is what led to the conversation I had with a brother in Christ yesterday.

He often joins my husband and I before Sunday school as we discuss sermons we’ve watched or some topic we are studying or scripture we’re diving into. It surprised me yesterday when he began talking about standing strong on the truth even if it meant our jobs, homes, food, etc. He seemed genuinely surprised when I said that we will trust in the Lord knowing that He will see us through it. Everything we have comes from Him anyway and we trust that if something or a lot of things are taken away through persecution he will never leave or forsake us and that all things ultimately work for the good of those who love him and his glory. I pray for God’s will to be done here on earth and I mean it, even if I don’t understand his will at any given moment. He is the sovereign and all powerful all mighty all knowing God of the universe, I trust that He’s got it all under control. Our friend couldn’t answer so boldly or with as much faith, he expressed concern that he would not be able to stand in the face of persecution. I put it too Him this way when he tried to justify choosing his job over standing for Christ even if you lost your job, or life, as a result – when you stand before God do you think that reason will be justified to Him?

If like our brother in Christ you are worried you might not have the strength to stand when it really matters will you always remember that question. In all you do think am I going to have to answer for this one day and explain why I choose the world over my Savior. And here is the devotional reading for yesterday which I read last night from Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon.

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“My grace is sufficient for thee.” — 2Co 12:9

If none of God’s saints were poor and tried, we should not know half so well the consolations of divine grace. When we find the wanderer who has not where to lay his head, who yet can say, “Still will I trust in the Lord;” when we see the pauper starving on bread and water, who still glories in Jesus; when we see the bereaved widow overwhelmed in affliction, and yet having faith in Christ, oh! what honour it reflects on the gospel. God’s grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers. Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring-that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as he is pleased to keep them in it. This patience of the saints proves the power of divine grace. There is a lighthouse out at sea: it is a calm night-I cannot tell whether the edifice is firm; the tempest must rage about it, and then I shall know whether it will stand. So with the Spirit’s work: if it were not on many occasions surrounded with tempestuous waters, we should not know that it was true and strong; if the winds did not blow upon it, we should not know how firm and secure it was. The master-works of God are those men who stand in the midst of difficulties, stedfast, unmoveable,-

“Calm mid the bewildering cry,

Confident of victory.”

He who would glorify his God must set his account upon meeting with many trials. No man can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts be many. If then, yours be a much-tried path, rejoice in it, because you will the better show forth the all-sufficient grace of God. As for his failing you, never dream of it-hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless and keep you as you are busy spreading and standing for the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

LOVE TRIUMPHANT OVER DEATH

From Our Daily Walk by F. B. Meyer.

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“Fear not. I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold,! am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” — Revelation 1:18.

IT WAS not possible, said St. Peter, that our Lord should be holden of death (Acts 2:24). It behooved Christ to suffer; but all the bitter waters of suffering could not quench his love. He was the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, every man, even those who pierced Him, is included in His great love.
Christ died, not only to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, but to rob death of its terrors, and deprive it of its sting. In death our Lord Jesus destroyed both the Devil and his power; the prince of this world has been judged, and cast out of the seat of power (Hebrews 2:14-15; John 12:31; John 16:11).
Let us not be afraid of the mystery of death. Christ has shown us that it is the gateway into another life. There is the same spirit, but a different environment. It is a condition of existence in which the same voices are heard, the same human fellowship persists. During the forty days in which Jesus tarried on our earth after His Resurrection, He solved many of the problems of life after death, and illuminated its mystery. To die is to be with Him, and to be welcomed into the great company of loving spirits (2Peter 1:11).
Let us not fear the loneliness of death. The soul passing through the dark valley becomes aware of Another by its side—”Thou art with me.‘” Death cannot separate us, even for a moment, from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus died alone; He felt forsaken; but none of us need pass through that terrible experience; for He has said: “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.”
We need not fear what comes after death. The curse and penalty of sin have been put away for ever. “Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again.” That which others call death, we dread no more than sleep. Our bodies lie down exhausted with our long working-day, to awake in the fresh energy of the Eternal Morning, while our spirit is presented before the Presence of His Glory, faultless, and with exceeding joy (Jude 1:24).

PRAYER
O God, may we so trust Thee this day, that, when the day is done, our trust shall be firmer than ever. Then, when our last day comes, and our work is done, may we trust Thee in death and forever, in the spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Regret, Remorse, Repentance – HOPE

I want to talk about the different characters we learn about in the crucifixion story.  Judas, Peter, the thief, and the centurion they all have a story to tell.  Maybe one of these stories is similar to your own, I know I can relate to all of them in some way.  Like Judas I betrayed my Lord, like Peter I denied him, like the thief I broke God’s laws, and like the centurion I followed the world and it’s ways.  But one glorious day I found hope; my heart broke with regret and remorse, leading me to repentance and ultimately to the hope I have today in my Lord and Savior Christ.

Let’s start with Judas, the betrayer.  Here was a man who was a follower of  Jesus, he was a trusted friend, yet for 30 pieces of silver he sold our Lord and his soul.  30 pieces of silver, that’s like $600.  That’s what serving the Lord was worth to this man consumed with greed, with lust for money.  30 pieces of silver was all it took to allow the devil to have control of his life, to turn his heart and soul from the only one who could save them.  Jesus knew he what Judas would do and repeatedly we see him giving him the opportunity to repent of his deeds but alas Judas was consumed with the guilt for what he’d done, with remorse but he never sought repentance with the Lord, never sought forgiveness from the one he had betrayed.  Instead his story ends terribly with him taking his own life.  That’s what pride, vanity and greed get us.  Let’s read his story.

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.  Matthew 26:14-16

And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went away, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them in the absence of the multitude.  Luke 22:3-6

And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,  John 13:2

Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples; and as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, Is it I, Lord? And he answered and said, He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born. And Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.  Matthew 26:20-25

And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Luke 22:21-23

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in the spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. The disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. There was at the table reclining in Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh. He leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus therefore answereth, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. And after the sop, then entered Satan into him. Jesus therefore saith unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.  John 13:21-27

Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: take him. And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.  Matthew 26:46-50

But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?  Luke 22:47-48

Now Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, was standing with them. When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Again therefore he asked them, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, Of those whom thou hast given me I lost not one.  John 18:2-9

Then Judas, which betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to it. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the children of Israel did price; and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.  Matthew 27:3-10

Brethren, it was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and received his portion in this ministry. (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take.  Acts 1:16-20

As we read the sad story of Judas we see that his end was, well it was bad.  Matthew simply tells us he hanged himself; driven to seek his own death by his regret and remorse.  But in Acts we learn the rest of the story we learn that after his death he hung in the hot Judean sun so long that when his robe broke or he was cut down that he fell headlong to the ground and his guts burst spilling out his innards.  Had he only repented then maybe his story would have had a better ending; one more like Peter’s perhaps.

See Peter denied Jesus 3 times the night of his trial and torture.  3 times he said he never knew the Lord.  Just as Jesus had said he would, all before the cock crowed in the morn.  Peter thought no way would he ever do this but fear is a powerful thing, makes us do things we often regret.  But in Peters case the regret turned to deep remorse which led to true repentance as we see in that beautiful beach seen around the fire after the Resurrection when Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves him, once for every denial.  And we see the moment it finally sinks in that because of his repentance, his deep heart felt remorse that Jesus sees he is truly sorry and he let’s him know all is well, Feed my sheep he tells his friend.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.  Matthew 26:31-35

Now Peter was sitting without in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilaean. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and saith unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene. And again he denied with an oath, I know not the man. And after a little while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And straightway the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.  Matthew 26:69-75

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also come with thee. They went forth, and entered into the boat; and that night they took nothing. But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach: howbeit the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his coat about him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits off), dragging the net full of fishes. So when they got out upon the land, they see a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now taken. Simon Peter therefore went up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus saith unto them, Come and break your fast. And none of the disciples durst inquire of him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.  John 21:3-19

I just love that passage in John telling of how he forgave Peter, how all was made right through Jesus’ love and Peter’s repentance.   Through the stories of these 2 disciples, followers of Christ, we begin to see the world.  One chose it, following Satan where he led, even unto a brutal and gruesome final end alone.  The other however truly knew and loved the Lord, he realized his mistake, he repented of it and that made all the difference.  Peter wasn’t the only one forgiven through this story though.  No there was one more.  The thief that died beside our sweet Savior.

His story is short, but in so many ways it is just like ours.  We don’t know anything about him other than that he was a thief and he professes to deserve his punishment which leads me to think he wasn’t a good guy caught in a bad situation.  No, I think he was a bad guy who meets the good guy and knows the truth in the end.  His story is hard for me, I see a lot of myself in him.  But like that thief I came to know my Lord and Savior and through the regret. remorse and repentance that knowing brought I am forgiven.  I have hope that one day I will see my sweet Lord in paradise.  I’ll get to meet that thief too.  Let’s read his story.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.  Luke 23:39-43

 

And finally we come to the centurion.  We don’t know his final fate, I like to belief I will meet him one day in heaven but we aren’t told that part of his story.  What we are told is that after what he witnessed in that long, painful, earth shattering, earth changing day was enough to begin to open his eyes.  For he sees the truth that truly Jesus is the Son of God.

Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.  Matthew 27:54

And when the centurion, which stood by over against him, saw that he so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.  Mark 15:39

And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.  Luke 23:47

Think about your own life?  We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we are all guilty.  Just like Judas we betray God, just like Peter we deny him, just like the thief we break his laws, and just like the centurion we serve the world.

But we don’t have to.  Because Jesus was obedient unto the cross, because he died that day so long ago for the forgiveness of the sins of the world, all of them, mine, yours, the thief’s, Peter’s, we have hope today.  We can be forgiven just like Peter and the the thief.   Or we can continue to embrace our sin, allow it to control and rule us, and eventually collect the just wages of our choices.  Death. Just like Judas.  Maybe you’re the centurion.  You’re eyes are opened, you see the truth, you can’t deny it any longer – but your holding back, riding the fence, waiting.  Please do not wait too long.  You know the truth, accept it and the free gift of grace that Jesus offers with it.  Let Jesus know you regret your sins, all of them, and are sorry you sinned and that he had to die for those sins.  Then ask him to come into your heart and cleanse those sins away, ask him to wash you white as snow with his precious blood.  Repent and allow Jesus to make you into a new person, transformed, made whole.  Embrace the hope that Peter and that thief found, the hope that I found.  Call on Christ as your Lord and Savior, welcome him in, enter into the relationship he longs to have with you.  Enter grace, enter hope!

 

May God bless and keep you brothers and sisters.

Save

VICTORY OVER DEATH

Today I felt led to share this devotional from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Myer

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“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” — Isaiah 25:8.
“O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?” — 1Corinthians 15:55.
“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” — Revelation 7:17.

IN THIS marvellous chapter, Isaiah sings a Song of Hope, as he sees the return of the Hebrew people from captivity, and the overthrow of their foes. The Apostle Paul takes up this thought in 1 Cor. 15. He shows that death is the penalty of sin, and it is by the demands of the law that sin is stirred to activity. But Christ has satisfied and met the claims of the law, and gives power by which we are enabled to obey it; therefore the strength of sin is broken, and the sting of death is gone.
The Christian need not dread to die. For him there is no uncertainty about the future. There is no fear of what may come after death, for the condemnation of the law has been met and borne. We may apostrophise death in these exultant words. The viper has been deprived of its fangs! the prison-house cannot hold its inmates! Bunyan describes Satan as exhorting Captain Sepulchre to be sure to hold Christ, but the injunction was useless. No bars or bolts, no seal or sentry would suffice.
Notice that we are to “Put on” incorruption and immortality (1Co_15:53-54). It is as though the new body will be put on over the old, and as this takes place, all the elements of the old body will be swallowed up and absorbed. when the Holy Spirit completes his work in our souls, there will be no trace of the old rags left in the shining robes in which we shall be arrayed as we go forth to meet the welcome of our Lord. Death to those who believe in Christ is now only a Home-going; the falling asleep to open the eyes in the City of God; the loosening of the anchor, to float down stream in the full tide. “There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”

PRAYER
O God, whensoever Thy ways in nature or in the soul are hard to be understood, then may our quiet confidence, our patient trust, our loving faith in Thee be great, and as children knowing that they are loved, cared for, guarded, kept, may we with a quiet mind at all times put our trust in the unseen God. So may we face life without fear, and death without fainting. AMEN.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

This mornings sermon is from Devotional Sermons by George H. Morrison.  It is a continuation of our theme from last night on the consequences of greed.

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There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day — Luke16:14

The Passion Was the Same
Our Lord had been speaking against the sin of covetousness, when the Pharisees, who were themselves lovers of money (Luke 16:14), began to ridicule Him. In these circumstances the parable was spoken; it was meant to enforce the warnings against mammon (Luke 16:13). And there is something highly significant in the unexpected turn that the enforcing takes. Between the typical Pharisee and this rich man there was little outward resemblance. The bitterest enemy could not accuse the Pharisees of faring sumptuously every day. Whatever their faults were, they were austere and rigid. They honestly despised luxurious living. Yet in drawing this picture of luxurious living, there is no doubt that Jesus was thinking first of them. Now, where lay the point of contact, do you think? It lay in a common love of money. The Pharisee loved it, and he secretly hoarded it. The rich man loved it for the pleasure it bought. Each showed his passion for wealth in his own way, but the same passion was supreme in both. Learn, then, how one deep-seated vice may fashion itself in the most diverse garbs. A hundred miles may separate two rivers, but for all that, they flow from the one lake. Our eyes might fail to discover kinship between the secret hoarding of the Pharisee and the prodigal squandering of this rich man; but in the eyes of Christ, both ran down to a common selfishness, and to a common heart neglect of God.

The Strange Contrasts of the Worm
Here are two men, and day after day there is not the space of twenty yards between them, yet a distance like the sea divides the two. The one is rich, the other is a beggar. The one has every dainty on his table, the other gathers the crumbs to stay his hunger. The one is clothed in the fine linen of Egypt; the other on the doorstep is in rags. The one has servants to do his smallest bidding, they are fanning him in the long hot afternoon to drive away the flies; the other has no one to drive away the dogs when they gather round him and lick his sores with their unclean tongues. It would be impossible to conceive a greater contrast—and there is only a porch and a door between the two! Yet with such contrasts all the world is teeming. Do you live in a roomy terrace in a great city? There is want and misery within a stone’s throw. Is your home a little villa in some quiet town? Learn something of that lane that you pass on Sundays going to the church. Are you a farmer’s daughter? Who was that tramp that the dog barked off today? Wherever you are, there is a Lazarus near.

The Changed Conditions of Eternity
A great philosopher has written in his books that we should view all things sub specie oeternitatis. The boys who are learning Latin will tell us what that means: it means that we ought to consider things under the light, so to speak, of eternity. Now, I feel that it was under that eternal light that Jesus was moving when He spoke this parable. And why? Because we are told the beggar’s name, but we are not told the name of the rich man. When a great man gives a public banquet, the newspapers tell us all about it. We get the names of the host and of all his guests, and we hear, too, how the ladies were dressed; but we never dream of finding in the newspaper the names and addresses of the poor around the gates. But when Jesus tells the story of this feasting, and tells it as it is written in the books of God, the beggar is named—and a noble name he had—and the host is only “a certain rich man.” Here the one man is great and he is known; the other is a beggar and a nuisance. Here the one man has everything he wants; the other lives and dies in want of everything. But yonder, in the world beyond the grave, where the wrong is righted, and God’s strange ways are justified, Lazarus lies upon the bosom of peace, and the rich man bitterly reaps what he has sown. Do you see the contrast between the now and then ? Do you mark the complete reversal of the lots? It is by such unveilings of eternity, that Christ has eased the problems of the world.

The Sin of the Rich Man Was Selfishness
There was nothing sinful in his being rich—Abraham himself has been a wealthy man. It is not hinted that the rich man of the story had made his money in unlawful ways. He is not charged with oppression of the poor, nor with enriching himself by others’ ruin. Had you asked his boon-companions what they thought of him, they would have called him the finest fellow in town. It was neglecting Lazarus that was his sin. His crime was the unrelieved beggar at his gate. And he could not plead that he was ignorant of Lazarus, for he recognized him at once in Abraham’s bosom. It was not want of knowledge, then, but want of thought that was the innermost secret of his tragedy. He was so engrossed in his own life of pleasure, that his heart was dulled to the suffering at his door; and every day he lived he grew more selfish till at last he went to his own place. Let the children learn how needful it is to begin doing kindly deeds when they are young. We grow so accustomed to misery by and by, that our hearts turn callous before we are aware. It is a priceless blessing when the sympathies of childhood are turned into the channel of activity. Caught in their freshness, and expressed in deeds, they form those habits of help and brotherly kindness that were utterly wanting in this rich man’s heart.

It Will Never Be Easier to Believe Than Now
Did you ever read of the boy who stood on a muddy road, and who promised God that he would be a Christian if there and then God would dry up the puddles? He wanted a miracle to make him a believer; he thought he would become Christ’s if he got that. Jesus here tells us that is a great mistake. It will never be easier to believe than now. The man who is not persuaded by the Gospel will never be persuaded by a ghost. Let no one wait, then, before accepting Jesus, for something extraordinary to happen. That something is never going to happen, and if it did, it would leave us as we were. Now is the time, under God’s silent guidance, and in the quiet morning of our days, to range ourselves under the conquering banner of the great Captain who lives forevermore.

As always brothers and sister in Christ may God bless and keep you.