"In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God." (Psalm 62:7) ______________________________________________________________________ GOD'S SOVEREIGN REIGN Tune to "O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES" CM Words by JIM BYRD
Let every heart and voice unite To sing our Maker’s praise; Extol the glories of our God, And loud His anthems raise.
He works His perfect, holy will Throughout His vast domain; For time and all eternity, God sovereignly shall reign.
All men and angels, demons too, Accomplish His design; All of creation works His will And makes His glories shine.
Bow humbly at the sovereign throne, Of Him who is our King; Come praise the Lord with heart and voice, And of His greatness sing. ______________________________________________________________________ Daily Readings - May 1-7
"For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" (Luke 23:31). These words were uttered by our Savior to the multitude that wept for Him as He made His way toward the place of crucifixion. The Lord Jesus Christ is the green tree, full of the sap of life, delightful and well-pleasing to the Father. The agonies which awaited Him were brought about because the sins of His people were imputed to Him. The innocent Lamb of God had taken responsibility for the redemption of unworthy sinners in the everlasting covenant of grace. The time had now arrived when He would retire our indebtedness by enduring divine wrath in our stead. Though He was, in Himself, the sinless One, yet when He bore our transgressions, He would not be spared the sword of judgment and He "died for our sins according to the Scriptures." We are assured from the Word of God that when Christ offered Himself as the sacrifice for our offenses His people were redeemed by His precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). The just vengeance of God which fell upon the Shepherd, Who died as the Substitute for His sheep, will never fall upon those in whose place He died.
Now, if these things happened "in a green tree," that is, if the Father dealt so severely with Him Who had no inward guilt, no sins of His own, what will happen to those who leave this world laden with guilt and sin reigns within them? They are as dry trees, fit only to be cast away and forevermore endure the fiery indignation of God. In the destruction of the wicked we see the just consequence of having no Substitute, no Sin-Offering and no Mediator. What unspeakable horror awaits those who die clinging to their self-righteous rags and despising the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. The cross-death of the Son of God stands as solemn proof that the God of the Bible must and will punish sin. ______________________________________________________________________ "I Have Found a Ransom" (Job 33:24).
"Then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him (let the sinner be rescued) from going down to the pit (of everlasting destruction): I have found (devised and secured) a ransom (propitiation, satisfaction)." The ransom the Father found was none other than His only begotten Son. He found our Surety before the world was made and appointed Him not only to be the Redeemer of His elect people, but the price of redemption as well. Behold Him sent forth by the Father in marvelous grace and given as the ransom for the deliverance of chosen sinners from the claims of the law in His sufferings, agonies, death and resurrection. Who else except an infinitely wise God could have ever found so glorious, so precious and so worthy a ransom as this. Christ was the Priest Who offered the Sacrifice, and He was the Sacrifice Who was offered. In the ransom of sinners, Christ is all. ______________________________________________________________________
"What Manner of Man Is This?" (Matthew 8:27).
ALL religious reformers and messiahs come to live; Christ came to die.
ALL others leave monuments and memorials: no one can find His birthplace, grave, nor one possession.
ALL others write diaries and memoirs; He wrote on the sand.
ALL others choose their followers from the rich, powerful, and influential; He chose the poor and needy.
ALL others praise human righteousness; He condemned it.
ALL others seek those who can help them; He sought those whom He could help.
ALL others promise success and happiness to their followers; He promised tribulation and suffering.
ALL others held their disciples with fear and force; He invited His to leave Him if they would.
ALL others have palaces, mansions, and headquarters; He had no place to lay His head.
ALL others reward the most talented with recognition, titles, and honor; He said, "The least should be the greatest."
ALL others say, "Follow me; I will show you the way;" He said, "Come to me, I AM THE WAY."
ALL others claim to be the messengers of God; He said, "HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN GOD."
ALL others stay dead; He arose; and all of His claims, works, and promises are true because God raised Him from the dead.
Older
Top
