Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. Psalm 3:7-8
In Everything Give Thanks
Someone said, “Justice is getting what we deserve, mercy is NOT getting what we do deserve, and grace is receiving what we do not deserve.” Oh, how abundant and abounding is the mercy and grace of God to us! How is it that we do not live in a constant attitude of praise and thanksgiving? (1 Thes. 5:16-17).
I feel as deeply convicted before God of the sin of ingratitude and murmuring and for being discontented as I do of any other sin. To find fault with the good providence of God is COVETOUSNESS (which is idolatry). (Col. 3:5).
There’s no need for me to list our spiritual, material, and physical blessings. Anyone with an understanding of God’s holiness and man’s sin can rejoice that he is not now in eternal darkness. Anyone with eyes to see the dreadful effects of Adam’s fall can rejoice that all of these afflictions are not visited upon him. Anyone who is aware of the poverty and want which much of the world’s population experiences ought to give thanks for every thread of clothing, bite of food, and comfort of home and family.
“Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” Lord, I give thanks; help my ingratitude.
Pastor Henry T. Mahan (bulletin 1984)
Moses besought the LORD with this desire…“Show me Thy glory” (Exodus 33:18). Without a doubt, Moses asked this as he was moved by the Holy Spirit, not only for Moses’ good, but for ours too. But that which especially enflames the heart of every regenerated sinner, as he considers this passage, is the glorious answer from the mouth and heart of Jehovah…that answer which reveals Christ to be God’s glory and goodness in the salvation of His people…“I will make all My goodness pass before thee,” I will show Myself in Christ to be the Fountain of inexhaustible compassion, “and will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee,” making known that I AM, the LORD; “and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercyon whom I will shew mercy.”(Exodus 33:19). It is the glory of the LORD to sovereignly save whomsoever He will, and therein, the vessels of His mercy truly rejoice.
Pastor Marvin Stalnaker
Water Made Wine
When the water was made wine at the marriage feast, the water was not made to look like wine, the water was not made to taste like wine, the water was not treated as though it were wine, and they didn’t put post-it notes on the water pots saying “Wine.” The water was made wine! And when the Son of God was made sin for us, He was not made to look like sin, treated as though He were sin, or merely have sin pasted on Him, He was, “Made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Pastor Scott Richardson
DID CHRIST DIE FOR ME?
We know that Christ did not die for all men. Christ died for the elect the Father chose unto salvation (John 6:37-39 and 17:24). Christ died for His sheep not goats (John 10:11-15). Then how do I know if Christ died for me? Christ died for you if you fit the description of the people for whom He died. Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6). Christ died for sinners (Rom. 5:8). If you are an ungodly sinner, Christ died for you. Come to Him as all of your salvation. If you see some goodness in yourself or something that would make God save you, I pray God would give you an accurate view of yourself because Christ “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32)
The Gospel is not an offer from God. He does not offer His mercy and grace so that it is up to your acceptance or rejection of what is offered as to whether or not you will have it. He does not offer anyone the forgiveness of sins. He does not offer salvation, and then wait and see if we accept His offer. If any aspect of salvation is an offer that means the determining factor of salvation lies in man’s decision to accept or reject the offer. That is salvation by works in grace clothing. The Gospel is a gracious command. When He says, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden”, that is an imperative. “If any man thirst let him come to Me and drink”, that is an imperative. When we read, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”, that is a gracious command.
I need not wonder if I am offered salvation or invited to believe. Being weary and heavy laden, I am commanded to come to Him for rest. Thirsting, I am commanded to come to Him and drink. Having nothing to pay, I am commanded to take the water of life freely. God does not offer. He commands. And the ability to obey the command comes with the commandment. When He commanded the man with the withered hand to stretch forth his hand, the man stretched forth his withered hand. When He says to a man….believe…..they believe!
Pastor Todd Nibert
ZEBULON
GRACE
CHURCH
“We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”
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