Christ, the Keeper of His Saints Author: R. Burnham Tune: Amazing Grace
1. Christ is the Keeper of His saints, He guards them by His power; Subdues their numerous complaints, In every gloomy hour.
2. What though they fear each dread alarm, Tried, and severely tossed; Held by the Savior's mighty arm, None, none can e'er be lost.
3. He'll lead them on fair Zion's road, Though weary, weak, and faint; For O! they ne'er shall lose their God, Or God e'er lose a saint.
4. How sure His great salvation shines; How full the vast reward; How firm the promise e'er remains: How faithful is the Lord! ***** Scripture Readings Today: Morning: Jeremiah 30:12-17 Evening: Romans 15:1-14 ***** The Mercy of God Christ did not bring the mercy of God to us. IT WAS THE MERCY OF GOD THAT BROUGHT CHRIST TO US! Christ is the channel of mercy, not the cause of mercy. The death of Christ makes it possible for God to righteously bestow covenant mercies on His people, justice having been fully satisfied by Christ the Surety. Mercy comes from God, but only through Jesus Christ. We have a concrete example of the mercy of God in the regeneration of Saul of Tarsus. He attributes his conversion to the mercy of God. He says that he was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious; "but I obtained mercy," says he, "because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (I Tim. 1:13). This does not mean that ignorance and unbelief were the grounds of mercy, but the evidence that his salvation was an act of mercy. Paul was the chief of sinners, but he obtained mercy. There is no sinner too bad for mercy to save. Mercy implies that the sinner has nothing to say in his own defense. We understand the meaning of mercy when the defendant throws himself on the mercy of the court. That means that he is guilty and has nothing of merit to plead before the law. And this is exactly the condition of every one of us before the bar of divine justice. Mercy is our only hope. We may plead before our fellowman, but to ask God for justice (to ask God to give us what we deserve) is the same as asking for a room in the regions of the damned. --C. D. Cole *****
Exhort One Another “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 All those adopted into God's family should cultivate a continual care and concern for each family member. How can we do this? Look at what the scriptures proclaim and be willing to obey God in all things. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”James 1:22 I Corinthians 12:25; "Care one for another" John 13:34; "Love one another" James 5:16; "Pray for one another" I Thessalonians 4:18; "Comfort one another" Romans 12:10; "Preferring one another" Romans 15:7; "Receive one another" Romans 15:14; "Admonish one another" Galatians 6:2; "Bear one another's burdens" I Thessalonians 5:11; "Edify one another" Mark 9:50; "To be at peace with one another" Ephesians 4:32: "Forgive one another" Colossians 3:13; "Forbearing one another" --Author Unknown *****
The Debt Fully Paid There is a twofold debt paid by Christ as the Surety of His people. The one is a debt of obedience to the law of God. This He engaged to do, when He said, ‘Lo, I come to do Thy will, Thy law is within My heart:’ and accordingly He was made under the law, and yielded perfect obedience to it, by which His people are made righteous. The other is a debt of punishment, incurred through failure of obedience in them. The curse of the law He has endured, the penalty of it, death; and by paying both these debts, the whole righteousness of the law is fulfilled in His people, considered in Him their Head and Surety. --John Gill ***** Daily Readings - November 6-12, 2016 Sunday - John 11-12 Monday - John 13-16 Tuesday - John 17-18 Wednesday-John 19-21 Thursday -Acts 1-2 Friday -Acts 3-4 Saturday -Acts 5-6 *****