Deformed, Depraved and Dependent
The first link between my soul and Christ is,
not my goodness, but my badness;
not my merit, but my misery;
not my standing, but my falling;
not my riches, but my need.
He comes to visit His people,
yet not to admire their beauties, but to remove their deformities;
not to reward their virtues, but to forgive their sins.
--C. H. Spurgeon

The Lord’s Table
TUNE “LOVE DIVINE” 8.7.8.7. WORDS BY JIM BYRD

1. God in mercy sent the Savior, From His throne to earth below;
By His death and resurrection, He has conquered ev’ry foe.
See Him wounded, bruised, forsaken, Sacrifice of God was He;
Bearing all our sins and sorrows, Jesus died on Calvary.

2. So we gather by commandment, At this table which is spread;
To remember with thanksgiving, Christ Who suffered in our stead.
He the Bread of Life was given, For His people Jesus died;
Shed His blood for our salvation, God was fully satisfied.

3. Here for us the bread is broken, Emblem of that Holy One;
True Messiah, blest Redeemer, God the Father’s precious Son.
In remembrance of our Savior, Who redeemed us on the tree;
See the wine poured out before us, Speaks of blood which set us free.

4. God in justice punished Jesus, For He bore iniquity;
By His death He sealed our pardon, Saved His chosen family.
Now enthroned in matchless splendor, Christ our Savior - bless His Name;
Give unto Him laud and glory, Praise the Lord and spread His fame.

All Sufficient Grace --John MacDuff
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Corinthians 9:8
All-sufficiency in all things! Believer! Surely you are "thoroughly equipped for every good work!"
Grace is no scanty thing, doled out in pittances! It is a glorious treasury, which the key of prayer can always unlock - but can never empty! It is a fountain - full, flowing, ever flowing, over flowing!
Mark these three ALL'S in this precious promise. It is a three-fold link in a golden chain, let down from the throne of grace, by the God of grace. "All grace!" "all-sufficiency!" in "all things!" and these to "abound."
Oh! precious thought! My need cannot impoverish that inexhaustible treasury of grace! Myriads are hourly hanging on it, drawing from it - and yet there is no diminution. Out of that fullness we, too, may all receive, "grace upon grace!"
My soul, do you not love to dwell on that all-abounding grace! Your own insufficiency in everything, met with a divine "all-sufficiency in all things!"
Grace in all circumstances and situations!
Grace in all vicissitudes and changes!
Grace in all the varied phases of the Christian's being!
Grace in sunshine - and in storm!
Grace in health - and in sickness!
Grace in life - and in death!
Grace for the old believer - and the young believer.
Grace for the tried believer, and the weak believer, and the tempted believer.
Grace for duty - and grace in duty.
Grace to carry the joyous cup with a steady hand - and grace to drink the bitter cup with an unmurmuring spirit!
Grace to have prosperity sanctified - and grace to say through tears, "May Your will be done!"
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Corinthians 9:8

Faith Looks to Christ, Believes on Christ
John 11:25-26: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
We are saved by grace, through faith, it is a gift of God,
not of works lest any man should boast!
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall live! Now this faith which has been granted to the believer is not a dead, speculative faith or an intellectual faith but, the believer is born again to a new and living way: faith in Christ Jesus our Lord which is wrought by the operation of God the Holy Spirit in us!
This is a faith in Christ; He is the center of it, He is the object of it and faith looks away from ourselves and looks to Christ alone!
May God grant you faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!
--Pastor Wayne

Daily Readings -April 23-29, 2017