THINK ABOUT IT…

Consider if you would for a moment the person or persons most dear to your heart. Maybe it is your son or daughter, your mother or father, your sister or brother, your husband or wife or your friend. With all your affections toward this individual, ask yourself this question: "Would I want this loved one to stand before God in His absolute holiness and justice and be judged based on MY righteousness and relationship with God?" Would you want this person to enter into judgment with the all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful God of glory based on what you are or what you have done? I believe most honest persons would have to say, "No, surely not!" But the truth is that you now stand before this same God based on these very things and these things condemn rather than justify YOU! If you would not want your loved one to meet God on these grounds, why would you want to meet Him yourself on them? If you fear for their acceptance with God based on your righteousness, why do you not fear for your own? The fact is that there is but one ground of acceptance before God for any or all sinners such as we are. We are only "accepted in the beloved." (Eph.1:6) The Lord Jesus Christ alone is the only ground upon which a sinner can meet a holy God and be accepted. God's justice must be totally satisfied in the matter of your sin and you must have a perfect righteousness if you are to be received and favored by God. Being a sinner, you cannot do anything toward satisfying that justice or establishing that righteousness. But Christ has done this for His people in His life and death. Many zealously make an effort but as Paul says in Romans 10, "they have a zeal toward God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." He fulfilled the law, satisfied the claims of the law and established righteousness under the law by His obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. If this standing before the law of God could have been secured by any other means, then Christ died in vain. Would you not have your loved ones to stand before God clothed in His righteousness and washed in His blood? Why then would you not have Him yourself? God will accept every sinner who trusts the blood and righteousness of His Son alone and only them!

Gary Shepard

Some touch of human weakness must always accompany whatever strength God may be pleased to give us. If we are allowed the high honor of carrying this untold treasure of the gospel, we must always be reminded that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." The Lord touched Jacob and he halted upon his thigh. Jacob might have limped the rest of his life, yet who would not consent to limp for life if he might meet God as Jacob did on that night by the brook of Jabbok?

C.H. Spurgeon

The Apostle Paul in II Timothy 1:12 talked about a COMMITMENT. "I have committed to Him." This is the life of true faith! Nothing short of a full commitment is acceptable. The believer is committed body and soul to Christ Jesus; and in that relationship he is committed to the GOSPEL, to the LORD'S CHURCH, to HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN, to the UNITY OF BELIEVERS, and to CONTINUE IN THE FAITH. Do not be deceived into thinking that the Lord God will be pleased with anything less. True faith is only justified by obedience to Christ, whatever the cost to me.

Henry Mahan

The longer I live, the more I feel that if there were one thing left undone, if the devil were not conquered, sin not expiated, justice not satisfied, the law not honored and magnified, death not overcome, and every burden not carried, I should not have a ray of hope. I used to think I saw this as clear as the noon-day thirty or forty years ago; but I saw it very differently then to what I see now; for I see and feel now that if one hair-breath is left for me to do to merit heaven, or bring as a plea before God, I am undone for ever and ever. But on the Mount of Calvary, the Lord Jesus Christ undertook the cause of His people; and there is not a jot nor a tittle that He left undone, but "by one offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified," and "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Here is complete perfection. "Saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation."

John Warburton 1853

The grace of God influences both the understanding and the affections. Warm affections without knowledge, can rise no higher than superstition; and that knowledge which does not influence the heart and affections will only make a hypocrite.

John Newton

WE GATHER TO PRAISE

We gather this morning to worship and praise,

The God of all glory, the Ancient of Days.

None other is worthy but Jesus alone

God’s Lamb once provided, His blood has atoned.

From sin and from darkness, He brings out His own

Through preaching the gospel to them He makes known,

The riches of glory and grace by His cross:

Eternal possessions which cannot be lost.

Praise be to the Father who chose us in grace.

Praise be to the Son who has died in our place.

Praise be to the Spirit who gave us new birth.

Praise be to the One God of heaven and earth.

With all of our hearts does the Lord bid us sing

Come humbly before Him , thanksgiving to bring.

All others are idols, He lives, God alone

By grace He has saved us and made us His own.

11.11.11.11

Gary Shepard

(Immortal, Invisible)

The story is told of a certain pastor who was disturbed greatly because one of his dear brethren was getting too involved in other things and was absent from the worship services. One Sunday evening at the close of the service, the pastor went to his friend's house and found him sitting before an open fire. Somewhat startled by the appearance of his pastor (who spoke not a word), the man pulled up another chair before the fire, waiting for words of rebuke from his visitor; but none came. The minister took his seat before the fire and silently took the tongs and lifted a glowing coal from the midst of its fellows and LAID IT BY ITSELF ON THE HEARTH. Remaining silent, both men watched the blaze die and the coal grow dark. Then the truant brother opened his mouth and said, "You need not say a word, pastor; I will be there Wednesday night. "