I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalm 40:1-3

CHRIST IS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS

The religious people during the Lord’s earthly ministry would not come to Him for salvation because they looked down on a man who would be the friend of sinners. “The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!” (Luke 7:24) But this is the very reason sinners flock to Christ: He is the friend of sinners! The Lord Jesus Christ is such a friend of sinners that He did everything necessary to redeem them from their sin.

I ask you which are you? Are you a religious person who is so good you look down on and despise sinners? If you are, you will see no need of the Friend of sinners. But if you are a helpless sinner, run to Christ Jesus because He is the Friend who forgives the sin of sinners. Pastor Frank Tate

Cast All On Christ

The most difficult thing for any of us to do is to TOTALLY and COMPLETELY trust and rest in our blessed Lord Jesus to redeem us, sanctify us, and make us accepted of the Father. We are so prone to self-righteousness and works that we have a constant battle trying to remember that “man at his BEST STATE is altogether vanity” but also that, in his WEAKEST MOMENTS, is no less loved and accepted if he is in Christ.

As Bro. Fortner said, “My relationship with the eternal God (in Christ) does in great measure determine what I do. But what I do (good or bad) in no way determines my relationship with the eternal God.” Actually, “In my flesh dwelleth NO GOOD THING.” It is in Christ that the Father is well-pleased; and only in Christ can He love, accept, and be pleased with me.

I did not come to Christ on the basis of my works, nor am I kept in Christ on the basis of my works! I looked to Him THEN for ALL THINGS, and I look to Him NOW for ALL THINGS! Any look within will serve only to discourage and depress me; but, looking to Christ, the author and finisher of my faith, will only encourage me, for He never changes. His gift of life and calling to grace is without change.

The command, “Look unto Me and be ye saved,” is not only the hope and strength of the seeking sinner, but it is the constant hope and strength of the believing sinner. I know my sins, but I rejoice in his grace. I know my weakness, but I rest in His strength. I know my emptiness, but I am complete in Him.

Pastor Henry T. Mahan (Bulletin 1985)

The Fullness Of The Blessings Of The Gospel

“And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:29).

The apostle Paul was an ambitious, zealous missionary and preacher of the gospel of Christ. He had a desire not only to travel and preach the gospel to those in Rome, but also to travel into Spain and preach the gospel there (Rom. 15:24, 28). He assured the believers in Rome that on his way to Spain he would stop in Rome also and minister the gospel to them personally and fully (Rom. 1:10-15; 15:19).

But what Paul says by the power of Holy Spirit inspiration that really caught and fixed my attention in the way and how he says that he will come to Rome, “I shall come in the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of Christ;” that is also true of every believer in how we come before God right now; in the fullness of all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ep. 1:3; 1 Cor. 1:30).

Consider what the scriptures teach about our fullness in Christ. “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:9-10). “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24).