"The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe." (Proverbs 28:25)
IF GOD BE FOR US TUNE: "AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS?" CM WORDS BY JIM BYRD
1. Who shall a charge against us lay When God has justified? For ev’ry chosen soul is safe, The law is satisfied.
2. Who shall condemn the sons of God? Our Substitute has died. And all our sins were washed away, When Christ was crucified.
3. If God Himself be for us then Let those who would oppose; Christ rose again and intercedes, He triumphed o’er our foes.
4. From us and love which is divine, What pow’r could ever rend? Not life or death or anything, That love will never end.
SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY: MORNING: ROMANS 8:28-39 EVENING: LUKE 20:1-18
Daily Readings: October 14-20 Sunday - Luke 1 Monday - Luke 2-3 Tuesday - Luke 4-5 Wednesday- Luke 6-7 Thursday - Luke 8-9 Friday - Luke 10-11 Saturday - Luke 12-13
"ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE" "And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48) Every artifice of human ingenuity has been employed to blunt the sharp edge of this Scripture and to explain away the obvious meaning of these words, but it has been employed in vain, though nothing will ever be able to reconcile this and similar passages to the mind of the natural man. "As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." Here we learn four things. First, that believing is the consequence and not the cause of God’s decree. Second, that a limited number only are "ordained to eternal life," for if all men without exception were thus ordained by God, then the words "as many as" are a meaningless qualification. Third, that this ordination of God is not to mere external privileges but to "eternal life," not to service but to salvation itself. Fourth, that all—"as many as," not one less—who are thus ordained by God to eternal life will most certainly believe. –A. W. Pink
"Let your moderation be known to all." (Philippians 4:5) This is the only time the word "moderation" is used in the Bible; and it does not have to do with temperance in food and drink; but it has to do with attitude and conduct. The meaning is "mild and gentle." Let all people in the church and in the world see and recognize you as a gentle and kind person. Be known, not as harsh and demanding (this seems to be the code of the day), but as "kind and tenderhearted" (Eph. 4:32). –copied
ROMANS 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." This promise is not addressed to all mankind, but only to those who love the Lord, as He has revealed Himself in His Word, and who are the called according to His eternal determination of grace. Those who rest in Christ for their salvation, their acceptance with God, the forgiveness of their sins and their righteousness can truly find consolation in these words. "And we know" - Paul does not set forth his theory, but that which he knows is factual. We are confident of the validity of the promise for it came from the Spirit of Truth. "All things work together" - not some or most things, but all things temporal, spiritual and eternal. "All things work together for good," that is, they all work in partnership, in cooperation with one another for our benefit. When things happen which are unpleasant to the flesh and we conclude like Jacob, "all these things are against me" (Genesis 42:36), we are just as wrong as he was. Though he should have trusted the God of providence, Jacob could not see the big picture. In fact, all of the things which occurred were designed by the Lord. He had determined that Joseph would be exalted in Egypt and the family of Jacob gathered there and provided for abundantly in the time of famine. Contrary, therefore, to Jacob’s faulty reasoning, rather than all those things being against him, all those things were actually working together for his good!
"All things" also includes every attribute of God: justice and grace, mercy and truth, righteousness and peace. These work in total cooperation for our eternal salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ. "To them that love God, to them who are the called" - God’s children love the Lord because they have been regenerated by the Spirit and consequently love His way of salvation which is by grace alone through the pardoning blood and justifying righteousness of Christ. "According to His purpose" - all who are born of the Spirit are called to believe the gospel according to the eternal, irresistible and unchangeable will of God. –Pastor Jim Byrd
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