Let men say what they want,
yet they cannot change the Word of God.
Let men make their determinations,
yet the decree of God shall stand.
Let men boast of the power of their will,
yet the sovereign purpose of God shall be accomplished.
Let men speak of "letting God do this or that,"
yet the Lord of glory declared,
"I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it" (Isaiah 46:11). --Pastor Jim Byrd

The Refuge
Author: John Kent Tune: How Firm A Foundation

1. A refuge for sinners the gospel makes known;
'Tis found in the merits of Jesus alone;
The weary, the tempted, and burdened by sin,
Were never exempted from entering therein.

2. This refuge for sinners His love did ordain,
In Jesus the Lamb, from eternity slain;
And if God the Spirit reveal this to you,
Take refuge in Jesus, though Hell should pursue.

3. The soul that shall enter in safety shall dwell;
There's no peradventure of sinking to Hell;
The oath of Jehovah secures him from fear,
Nor shall the avenger of blood enter there.

4. Here's refuge for sinners, whose guilt shall appear
As black as the confines of endless despair;
Who, stripped of all merit whereon to rely,
Are taught by the Spirit to Jesus to fly.

5. Should conscience accuse us, as oft-times it may,
Here's blood that can take its defilement away.
In Jesus the Savior, the sinner shall view
A city of refuge and righteousness too.
*****

"The Time of My Departure Is at Hand" 2 Timothy 4:6
"DEPARTURE"
is an appropriate and easy representation of death because I understand that a departure signifies moving from one place to another. It is not to cease to exist. We depart this world of sin to dwell eternally with our Lord and with our friends who have departed.
"THE TIME"
for my departure has nothing to do with chance, good or bad health, nor accidents; but that day has been set and settled by my heavenly Father since eternity past. It cannot be altered, nor would we desire it to be.
"IS AT HAND."
"Don't talk about death," says one? But our Lord tells us to "number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom." Why would I not talk about, consider, and plan for the greatest event of my entire existence- "to be absent from this body and to be present forever with the Lord?” My advanced age, weakness of body, and the absence of so many of my peers all cry loud and clear, "The time of my departure is at hand." "Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Luke 21:28). --Pastor Henry Mahan

*****
Philip Henry, Matthew Henry's father, wrote a little book on Christ is All. And he said, “The fact that Jesus Christ is our righteousness will do us well three times:

When we do something awful,
how sweet it is to know that Jesus Christ is our righteousness.

When we do something good,
how necessary it is to know that
Jesus Christ is our righteousness.

And when we come down to die and we know that in moments we go out to face the most holy God, the thrice holy God, and the God before whom the stars and moon are not pure in His sight, the God whose eyes are too pure to behold evil. I will tell you what I want. I want Christ as my righteousness. And that righteousness is righteousness accounted to us, imputed to us, based on the fact that God the Son glorifies God the Father and gave us eternal life.” --Pastor Tim James