"Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near My righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel My glory." (Isaiah 46:12-13)
"SALVATION TO OUR GOD" Tune - "THERE IS A FOUNTAIN" CM/DOUBLE Words by JIM BYRD
1. O hear the ransomed army sing, "Salvation to our God." All laud and glory to our King, Who on the earth once trod. The Lamb of God came down to earth, To save a chosen race; Behold His wondrous, virgin birth, What mercy, love and grace.
2. Christ dwelt on this terrestrial ball, A barren wilderness; To save His people from the fall, And bring in righteousness. So at that long-appointed hour, The Savior bled and died; His sacrifice had mighty pow’r, Justice He satisfied.
3. When Christ had conquered death and sin, He went back to His throne; Soon He will come to earth again, To take His people home. Then all the ransomed host will sing, And on Him honors pour; We’ll shout the praises of the King, And worship evermore.
CONGREGATIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY: MORNING: REVELATION 12 EVENING: LUKE 17:11-19
THE SCHOOL OF PAINFUL EXPERIENCE All Christians, even the most eminent servants of God, have their dead and dark seasons – when the life of God seems sunk to so low an ebb as to be hardly visible – so hidden is the stream by the mud-banks of their fallen nature. By these very dark and dead seasons, the people of God are instructed. They see and feel what "the flesh" really is – how alienated from the life of God; they learn in Whom all their strength and sufficiency lie; they are taught that in them, that is, in their flesh, dwells no good thing; that no exertions of their own can maintain in strength and vigor the life of God; and that all they are, and have – all they believe, know, feel, and enjoy – with all their ability, usefulness, gifts, and grace – flow from the pure, sovereign grace – the rich, free, undeserved, yet unceasing goodness and mercy of God! They learn in this hard school of painful experience, their emptiness and nothingness – and that without Christ they can do nothing. They thus become clothed with humility, that rare, yet lovely garb; cease from their own strength and wisdom; and learn experimentally that Christ is and ever must be, all in all to them, and all in all in them. –J. C. Philpot
THE NECESSITY OF CHRIST’S DEATH The perfect, sinless life of Christ was necessary to show His worthiness to be the sacrifice for sin. The broken law of God demanded a spotless offering to satisfy its justice and put away the sins of God’s elect. "It shall be perfect to be accepted" (Leviticus 22:21). We praise the Lord for the blameless life of Christ, but His life of exact obedience to the Father did not answer the demands of a broken law, otherwise there had been no need for Him to die. His life lived in complete and perfect submission to the Father served to prove that He was qualified to die in the stead of His sinful people. The law declared, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). In order for offended justice to be satisfied, the sins of the Lord’s people to be put away and everlasting righteousness to be brought in, Christ Jesus the Lord had to lay down His life for His people. None but Christ could save sinners, but even He could not save apart from dying in the room, place and stead of His people. –Pastor Jim Byrd
I AM NOT...
I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be, but thank God, I am not what I once was and I can say with the great apostle, "By the grace of God I am what I am" –John Newton
Engraved on the side of a monument in London are these words, "God buries the workmen and carries on the work." The cause of God survives and prospers, not due to the workmen He uses, but due to the Lord Himself. In fact, it would be more accurate to say, the cause of God survives and prospers in spite of the workers. The Lord’s purpose will go forward triumphantly, with or without us. –Pastor Jim Byrd
Older
Top
