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1 Corinthians 1:23-24
“But we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumblingblock,
and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

Jesus, the Soul's Help in Times of Trouble
Words By J. Franklin Tune To: Amazing Grace (CM)

1. In all my troubles and distress,
The Lord my soul does own;
Jehovah does my griefs redress,
And make His mercy known.

2. He helps me on Him to rely;
He is my Strength and Tower;
'Tis He that hears me when I cry,
And manifests His power.

3. In every storm, in every sea,
My Jesus makes a way;
His light shall make the darkness flee,
And turn the shade to day.

4. 'Tis He in trouble bears me up,
And leads me safely through;
My Jesus does maintain my cup,
And daily strength renew.

REMEMBER, SINNER, it is not THY HOLD of Christ that saves thee--it is Christ;
- it is not THY JOY in Christ that saves thee--it is Christ;
- it is NOT EVEN FAITH in Christ (though that is the instrument)--it is Christ's blood and merits;
therefore,
look not to the hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope;
look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith. ..
--C. H. Spurgeon

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Bless the Lord, O My Soul
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities" (Psalm 103:2).
Every time I read this Psalm, I must stop in wonder at the very first of God's benefits mentioned, `Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.' There are many blessings mentioned afterward, but none can rival the glory and sheer wonder of this first one. That He should be willing to forgive my `smaller offenses' is a wonder; or that He should be willing to forgive an offense once or twice. But that He would, yea, does forgive all my iniquities each and every time they appear is more than this poor sinner can grasp. He has not dealt with me according to my transgressions, nor shall He ever. He has removed my transgressions as far from me as the east is from the west. Having withdrawn the frowning face of a Judge, He has shown me the merciful face of a loving Father. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all the redeemed of the Lord, bless His holy name with me. Forget not this one wonderful benefit, and it shall give strength to your heart and health to your bones. All that is within me bless His holy name!
--Joe Terrell
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I admire what the Apostle saith of giving thanks to the Father, both for His original choice of the Church to an inheritance in and with Christ; and for the translation of the Church as children of His adoption, from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of His dear Son. Depend upon it, the beginnings of the triumphs of faith are found in these things. For, though by regeneration our eyes are opened to see and feel sin; and the first joy of the newly awakened soul is the consciousness, when we are delivered from darkness to light by Christ; yea, when God the Spirit hath brought us on to see further, and that it was God the Father who by His original choice of the Church in Christ, made us meet to be partakers of an inheritance of the saints in light; here we trace our mercies to the fountain-head. We cry out with the Apostle: “Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:19).
--Robert Hawker