He Prays That We May Experience It!

Paul acknowledges that the love of Jesus is too great to be fully understood, yet he prays that we may experience it! The apostle is not referring to a merely intellectual understanding, but a personal, transformative relationship with the Lord Jesus. We can only truly experience this love, through the Gospel. Christ's love is most clearly seen in the cross.  

As we meditate on Jesus' wondrous sacrifice for our sins, we are overwhelmed by the vastness of His love. Though we may never fully comprehend it, we can rest in the assurance that His love for us is infinite, and deeper than all of our sins and shame! May His measureless love for us, lead us to a life of gratitude, worship, humility, and holiness. 

We shall never know the depths of Christ's love for us, until we feel the weight of our sin, and the worth of His sin-atoning death, which delivers us from the Hell that we rightly deserve. This unsearchable love of Jesus humbles the pride of man, exalts the grace of God, and calls us to a life of holiness! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Romans 5:8  ... But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 Ephesians 3:18-19 ... May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ❤

A New Creation!!

Whenever anyone is saved by the sovereign grace of God and regenerated by the Holy Spirit he becomes a new creation in Christ.  This is not a mere moral improvement, nor a religious reformation, nor the adoption of a more wholesome lifestyle but a supernatural work of the Spirit, producing a new nature. Having experienced this miracle of salvation, this new man now has new views, new ambitions, new convictions, new desires, new notions, new hopes, new dreads, new pleasures, new aims, new principles, new affections, new joys, and new pursuits. Everything about him is changed. He does, as it were, live in a new world! He was once spiritually dead, enslaved to sin, governed by the flesh, blind to truth, and hostile to God!

Now, his affections are changed he loves what he once hated and hates what he once loved! Now, his mind is renewed he no longer sees life through the lens of popular culture, but through the lens of Scripture. Now, his will is liberated he longs to do the will of God, though not without struggle. Though sin still remains in his flesh, it no longer reigns in his life. The believer is brought into a new realm: from darkness to light; from death to life; from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. He is adopted as God's child, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and sealed for the day of redemption. In Christ, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is now his! 

His past is forgiven, his present is transformed, and his future is secured. But the glory of this new creation lies not in the man himself, but in the One who made him new. Just as the original creation displayed the majesty of God, so this new creation displays the greatness of His sovereignty, mercy, and grace. Christian, never forget who you are--you are not what you once were. And though you are not yet what you will be--you are already made new in Christ. Let this truth humble you, encourage you, and move you to walk in newness of life, to the glory of God! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

 ✞  ✞   ✞ 

Ephesians 1:3 ... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Colossians 1:13–14 ... Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

2 Corinthians 5:17 ... Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ❤

Judging!!

Few verses are more misunderstood or misused than the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, lest you be judged!" In our day of moral relativism, blame-shifting, and self-justification, this verse is regularly pulled out of context to silence any voice that dares to call sin what it is. Yet such misuse turns the Lord's words on their head, distorting both His meaning and His purpose. 

First, what Jesus is NOT saying: He is not forbidding all forms of judgment. Scripture itself commands believers to discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14), to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), and to confront a brother or sister who is in sin (Galatians 6:1). In fact, just a few verses later in Matthew 7, Jesus warns against giving what is sacred to dogs (verse 6), and identifying false prophets by their fruits (verses 15-20) both of which require spiritual discernment and righteous judgment. 

Clearly then, Jesus is not promoting a blind tolerance of sin, or moral indifference. Nor is He forbidding the correction of others. His very command, "then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" implies that helping a brother overcome sin is a necessary and loving work. But it must be done with humility, self-awareness, and sincerity. What Jesus IS condemning, is self-righteous, hypocritical judgment, the kind that sees minor faults in others, while ignoring major ones in ourselves. He is exposing the pride that delights in criticizing others from a position of moral superiority, while remaining blind to our own sin. 

The image which Jesus paints is intentionally exaggerated in order to make His point: a man with a plank sticking out of his eye, trying to remove a speck of dust from someone else's eye. None are more unjust in their judgments of others, than those who have a high opinion of themselves. Until we have first humbled ourselves before God, repented of our own sin, and been cleansed by His grace we are not fit to help others. We must first judge ourselves rightly only then will we be able to see clearly and act compassionately. 

In the end, this passage is not a prohibition against loving confrontation. The real force of Jesus' words is this: Judge yourself first. Deal with your own sinful heart, before you presume to deal with another's. And when you do speak to others about their sin, let it be from a place of grace, truth, and godly love never from hypocrisy. Judgment that aligns with God's Word, is exercised in humility and aims at restoration--is not only permitted it is commanded. 

The problem is not judgment itself, but self-righteous, hypocritical, or unjust judgment. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

Standing Firm!!

Always stand up for what’s right, even if it runs counter to what the crowd demands. 

 [Christopher Gregory]

Romans 12:2 ... And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 6:14 ... Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

1 Cornthians 16:13 ... Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.❤

The Objects of Christ's Mission

The objects of Christ's mission: His People WHO are the recipients of this glorious salvation? The text is unmistakably clear: "His people." Not all mankind indiscriminately, but those whom the Father gave to Him from eternity past (John 6:37; 17:2); those chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and for whom He laid down His life as their Good Shepherd. (John 10:11, 15) This truth exalts the sovereign grace of God. Jesus did not come to make salvation possible for all, but to secure salvation for His people a definite, elect, blood-bought multitude. 

His mission was not to offer redemption hypothetically, but to accomplish it perfectly. "He WILL save…" is the language of certainty, not possibility. Yet how can one know if he is among "His people"? The answer is found in the fruits of saving grace: conviction of sin, faith in Christ, repentance toward God, love for holiness, and perseverance in the truth. Those who trust in Christ and walk in His ways, show themselves to be the people He came to save. Do not rest in a shallow profession. Examine your heart. Has Christ truly delivered you from the love of sin, the dominion of self, and the darkness of unbelief? 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

Sleeping Soundly?

The world at large is thoroughly careless; sleeping soundly; dreaming its dreams of vanity; enjoying sin, vanity, luxury, pleasure, gaiety. 

Awake! sleep no more! Awake, lest the flash of God's avenging sword be the first thing that awakens you!

[Horatius Bonar]

 ✞  ✞   ✞ 

Ephesians 5:14 ... Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Romans 13:11 ... And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

1 Corinthians 15:34 ... Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. ❤

Don't Cease!!

Keep Praying!!

Matthew 21:22 ... And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Romans 12:12 ... Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Ephesians 6:18 ... Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; ❤

Scarcely Saved!

The Bible states that "the righteous are scarcely saved." (1 Peter 4:18) 

Now how can this be? Is not such a man sure to be saved? Is not salvation promised to him? Is there any doubt about it? None whatever. "The righteous" here means not one who is righteous in himself for there is no such person in the world but a true Christian, a converted man, one who is justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and seeks daily to live to His glory. There is no doubt about such a person's salvation. He is a branch of the true Vine, a sheep of the flock of Christ; eternal life is given him by Christ; he shall never perish, and none shall pluck him out of the good Shepherd's hand! (John 10:28) 

What then does this "scarcely" mean? Take a case by way of illustration. A fire once broke out in one of the large houses in Hatton Garden, London. It was thought all the inhabitants were saved, when a man was seen hanging by his hands from one of the upper windowsills. The fire escape was immediately placed, but did not reach him. The fireman then climbed up and called to him to let himself drop on the top step of the escape, but the man did not answer he was deaf and dumb. With great difficulty the fireman managed, by standing on the top step, to reach high enough to touch his foot, and so attracted his attention. The man was saved but "scarcely saved." 

Take another case. It was a frosty day in winter; the ice seemed strong, and the pond was crowded with people. Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound was heard, and an instant after the cry arose, "A boy is under the ice!" One of the skaters had ventured too near a dangerous part; the ice had given way, and he had sunk beneath. Not a moment was lost. A line was formed to the shore, and those nearest the hole stretched themselves flat on the ice. The boy rose to the surface, the nearest hand laid hold on him, the line moved gently toward the shore, and in a few minutes the boy lay on the bank. But he was senseless. They took him to the nearest house and applied the usual means for recovery but all, as it seemed, in vain. The eyes were closed; the limbs were stiff and cold; the breath was gone. At length, when hope was almost past, signs of life appeared; the limbs began to glow; the stiffness relaxed, and he breathed again. The boy was saved, but only just saved, "scarcely saved." 

Either of these cases may serve to explain how the righteous is said to be scarcely saved. It is not that he is not quite saved and certainly saved; but it is because of the great danger he was in, and the great difficulties he has been brought through. He was by nature a child of wrath, dead in trespasses and sins, with no power or wish to turn to God. But through grace he has been led to see his danger and to seek Christ; a change of heart has been wrought in him by the Spirit of God; he has become a new creature in Christ Jesus and has passed from death unto life. But his difficulties are not over. Snares and temptations lie in his path; and his heart, though renewed by grace, is by no means free from sin. He finds the Christian life to be no smooth and easy course but a race, a strife, a warfare, from first to last; and often has he to mourn over his own backslidings and shortcomings. And probably he has trials of another kind too losses, sorrows, afflictions; for God does not leave His children unchastised. The chastisements He sends are proofs of love, rather than of anger and sometimes seem to fall heaviest on the best Christians. Thus, it is through danger and difficulty, temptation and trial that the Christian is saved. 

Many a rough place must he pass; many a battle must he fight; many a sorrow must he bear before his course be done. He is saved, but "scarcely saved." Yet it is surely though scarcely. Tried and harassed he may be but not lost. Worn, tempted, and persecuted but not cast away. God's love and faithfulness are engaged for his salvation. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone pluck them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and my father are one" (John 10:27-30) 

But now comes a solemn question: If the righteous is scarcely saved—then what will become of the unrighteous? It is the Bible that puts this question about the unrighteous. The words are these: "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, then where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:18) They are in fact the words of God, though written by the apostle Peter. They are God's words to you, reader, if you are among the ungodly and the sinners God's solemn question to your soul. A question, but a question without an answer: the answer is left to you. 

"The ungodly and the sinner." Why are there two words instead of one? On purpose, it would seem, to take in sinners of all sorts the hardened transgressor, the man who lives in habits of sin, the bold wicked man the weak and wavering man, the light and careless, the worldly, the empty professor all who are living without God in the world, all who are not washed in the blood of Christ and renewed by the Spirit. It is quite plain that the apostle means here all who are not righteous; he puts the righteous on one side, and the ungodly and the sinner on the other side; and on one side or the other, he means to take in everybody. It is just the same as if he had said, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall all the rest appear?" 

Now, ask yourself honestly whether you are among the righteous. The question is not whether you are better or worse than your neighbors; that has nothing to do with it but are you righteous? Does what was said at the beginning apply to you? Are you converted? Do you believe with the heart? Are you seeking daily to live to God? If not, then this question about the ungodly and the sinner is for you. Perhaps you do not like either of these words. You do not pretend to be righteous, yet you are not so bad, you think, as those who are called ungodly or sinners. 

Then, reader, I ask you, if neither righteous nor ungodly what are you? Put your finger on that word in the Bible which describes you. You cannot. There is nothing in the Bible between righteous and unrighteous, godly and ungodly, reconciled and unreconciled. And if you are not righteous in God's sight, then before Him whatever you may be in your own eyes or in the eyes of the world before Him, you are ungodly or sinful. I beseech you weigh this well. And now we come to the question itself, "Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 

But this question must not be taken by itself; it hangs upon what has gone before about the righteous: "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, then where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" The full meaning is this. Seeing that even the righteous man is scarcely saved, that his dangers and difficulties are great; that he finds it necessary to "put on the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11), to "press toward the mark" (Philippians 3:14), to "strive to enter through the narrow gate" (Luke 13:24), and that, though saved to the uttermost by Jesus Christ yet it is as one is rescued from the water or the flames seeing all this, what will become of the wicked? 

Shall the righteous be scarcely saved and you so easily? Shall he reach Heaven by so rough a road and you by one so smooth? Shall he go in by the straight gate and the narrow way and shall you choose the broad gate and the wide road, and yet find it leads you at last to the same happy place? Shall he take up his cross and follow Christ and shall you follow nothing but your own will, and yet win Christ in the end? Never repenting, never turning, never believing and yet saved? Finding without seeking; not running the race, and yet winning the prize; wearing a crown, though never having taken up the cross? Impossible! Reason says so conscience says so, and, as plainly as words can speak, God Himself has said so. Have you never read of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:30), of the sheep and the goats, of the right hand and the left (Matthew 25:33)? 

I spoke just now of a broad road and a narrow road, a straight gate and a wide gate; do you remember what the Bible says about them, and about the places to which they lead? Here are the words our Lord's own words: "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14) The righteous and the wicked are traveling different roads and will come to different ends. It is true, they are mixed now, as plants growing in one field are mixed; but it will not always be so. A great separation day is coming, when every plant which God has not planted shall be rooted up (Matthew 25:13); and all refuges of lies shall be swept away (Isaiah 28:17), and the true sheep of Christ from every quarter shall be gathered together into one-fold, into which no mere pretender shall ever come. 

 To that great day, this question itself seems to point, "Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Appear when? Why, on that very day when the Lord Jesus shall appear in His glory, and the saints who slept shall appear with Him, and His waiting people on earth shall appear with joy to meet Him. Then, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Appear they must, somewhere. They cannot hide themselves. "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him." (Revelation 1:7) 

Oh, sinner! Careless and stout-hearted now where will you appear, and how will you feel then? In vain will you call upon the mountains and rocks to fall on you and hide you "from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb!" (Revelation 6:16) You must come forth you cannot escape from that all-seeing eye you must meet the Judge. Where will you appear? I leave the question to your conscience. "If the righteous one is scarcely saved then where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Look on to that great day so sure to come and coming so swiftly! Look on to it as if already come imagine yourself even now before the throne; imagine that, just as you are, you are suddenly called to stand there. Where do you appear? What do you feel? Which side are you placed on? What words do you hear? How does it fare with your soul? Can you think of this and yet continue in sin and still put off coming to Christ? 

Come with us. "We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us, and we will treat you well; for the Lord has promised good things to Israel" (Numbers 10:29) His word cannot fail. Not one true believer shall be lost. "He is also able to save to the uttermost, those who come to God through Him" (Hebrews 7:25) and He will save them with an everlasting salvation. "Come with us." Turn from sin and the world. Leave the broad road and begin to walk in the narrow way. It is a safe way, though narrow the only safe way; and happy, though rough. And it is not always rough; it has many green spots, many pleasant places; and even when rough, one is with us in it, to help and cheer us by His presence. 

Oh, set out on this road without delay! Too much time has been lost already lose no more. No longer run the risk of appearing among the ungodly and the sinners at His coming flee to Christ at once; be instant and urgent at the mercy seat; pray for the Holy Spirit, for light, pardon, grace, and strength; and ask that, for Christ's sake, you may even now be reckoned among the righteous, and be saved in the day of the Lord! 

[Francis Bourdillon]

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

My Heart is Christ Home

Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there. Christ will make the human heart His abode. Our Lord said to His disciples, "If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23) It was difficult for them to understand what He was saying. How was it possible for Him to make his abode with them in this sense? It is interesting that our Lord used the same word here that He gave them in the first of the fourteenth chapter of John: "I go to prepare a place for you that where I am, you may be also." Our Lord was promising his disciples that, just as He was going to Heaven to prepare a place for them and would welcome them one day, now it would be possible for them to prepare a place for Him in their hearts, and He would come and make His abode with them. 

They could not understand this. How could it be? Then came Pentecost. The Spirit of the living Christ was given to the church, and they understood. God did not dwell in Herod's temple in Jerusalem! God did not dwell in a temple made with hands; but now, through the miracle of the outpoured Spirit, God would dwell in human hearts. The body of the believer would be the temple of the living God, and the human heart would be the home of Jesus Christ. It is difficult for me to think of a higher privilege than to make Christ a home in my heart, to welcome, to serve, to please, to fellowship with him there. 

One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my heart. What an entrance He made! It was not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very real. It was at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness, and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship. I have never regretted opening the door to Christ and I never will, not into eternity! 

This, of course, is the first step in making the heart Christ's home. He has said, "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20) If you are interested in making your life an abode of the living God, let me encourage you to invite Christ into your heart and He will surely come. After Christ entered my heart and in the joy of this new relationship I said to Him, "Lord, I want this heart of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around and introduce you to the various features of the home, that You may be more comfortable and that we may have fuller fellowship together." He was very glad to come, of course, and happier still to be given a place in the heart. 

[Robert Munger]

Ephesians 3:17 ... That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ❤

"The Attributes of God" 2

13. The Grace of God “By grace you have been saved, through faith.” Ephesians 2:8 God's GRACE is His freely giving salvation and Heaven to un-deserving, ill-deserving and Hell-deserving sinners. It was grace that chose us, grace that redeemed us, grace that sustains us. We contributed nothing but sin. Grace shatters pride and fuels worship. The believer lives by grace, serves by grace, and will be glorified by grace. Soli Deo Gloria! 

14. The Mercy of God “His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:1 God's MERCY is His not giving damnation and Hell to un-deserving, ill-deserving and Hell-deserving sinners. It is God's tender heart moved to act on behalf of the miserable. The cross is the mercy seat where justice and mercy met. Every sinner awakened to his dreadful plight must flee there. Let us thank God daily that He delights in mercy and extend that mercy to others. 

15. The Loving-kindness of God “Because Your loving-kindness is better than life…” Psalm 63:3 God's loving-kindness is His steadfast, covenant love expressed in action. It reaches to the heavens, surrounds the believer, and never let's go. It comforts in sorrow, and disciplines in love. The soul that rests in His loving-kindness knows a joy deeper than any worldly pleasure. May it lead you to praise, obedience, and peace. 

16. The Love of God “God is love.” 1 John 4:8 God's love is holy, sovereign, and everlasting. He does not love because of who we are, but because of who He is. This love sent Christ to die for enemies, to purchase a people for Himself. It is a love that transforms and keeps. Rest in it. Rejoice in it. Reflect it to others. 

17. The Love of God to Us “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” Jeremiah 31:3 That the holy God would love sinful men, is staggering. His love to us is personal, sacrificial, and unbreakable. It is the fountain of every spiritual blessing. Not even death can separate us from it. When all else fails, His love remains. Cling to it in the dark; rejoice in it in the light. 

18. The Wrath of God “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven…” Romans 1:18 God's wrath is His holy hatred of sin. It is not uncontrolled rage, but righteous justice. It burned against sin at the cross, and it will be poured out eternally on the unrepentant. Tremble before it but run to Christ, who bore it for all who believe. To ignore God's wrath is spiritual suicide. 

19. The Contemplation of God “Fix your thoughts on Jesus…” Hebrews 3:1 To contemplate God is the highest occupation of the soul. In beholding His glory, we are transformed. The more we meditate on His attributes, the more we are lifted from this world's vanities. Let your thoughts be filled with His greatness. You become what you behold gaze on God and be changed. 

20. The Blessings of God “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” James 1:17 All blessings flow from God's fatherly hand spiritual and temporal, earthly and eternal. But the greatest blessing is Himself. To have God is to have all. Blessings are not earned but graciously given in Christ. Receive them with gratitude, steward them with faithfulness, and let them turn your heart to the Giver. 

21. The Cursing of God “If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed!” 1 Corinthians 16:22 God's curse is the solemn sentence upon sin. It reveals the seriousness of transgression. Yet Christ became a curse for us, that we might be freed from condemnation. The believer no longer fears the curse, for it has fallen on Another. But let us warn others, for outside of Christ, the curse remains. 

22. The Gifts of God “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15 God gives freely, fully, and forever. The gift of His Son is the fountain of every other gift. He gives wisdom, strength, righteousness, and eternal life. We deserve nothing—yet He gives us everything in Christ. Receive His gifts with reverence and use them for His glory. 

23. The Guidance of God “He guides the humble in what is right.” Psalm 25:9 God does not leave His people to wander. He guides by His Word, His Spirit, and His providence. His paths may not be smooth, but they are always good. Seek His direction in prayer, submit to it with joy, and trust that He leads with perfect wisdom and fatherly care. 

24. The Gospel of the Grace of God “The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16 The gospel is not advice, but divine announcement God saves sinners! It is grace from first to last planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, applied by the Spirit. It humbles the proud, exalts Christ, and transforms the heart. Proclaim it, cherish it, and never move beyond it.

[A. W. Pink]

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

Practical Kindness

Kindness must be practical not merely emotional and sentimental. It will not be satisfied merely with good wishes, with sympathetic words, or even with prayers. It should be put into some form that will do practical good. 

There are times when even prayer is a mockery. At times it is our duty to answer our own prayers; to be the messengers we ask God to send to help others. We are God's messengers, when we find ourselves in the presence of human needs and sorrows, which we can supply or comfort. 

Expressions of pity or sympathy are mockeries when we do nothing to relieve the distress. 

[J.R. Miller] 

 ✞  ✞  ✞ 

1 Peter 1:22 ... Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Romans 12:9 ... Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Ephesians 4:32 ... And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. ❤

God's Love to Us!!

The love of God to sinners is an ocean without shore, a mystery that stretches beyond the grasp of the highest angel. That the infinitely holy God--before whom seraphim cover their faces should set His heart upon those who were defiled, defiant, and dead in sin is the most humbling truth in all of Scripture. His love was not merited by anything in us, for we were altogether sinful and unlovely. Yet He loved us! 

And His love was not a mere sentiment it took action. He gave His Son, His only, His beloved to bear the curse we deserved. The Father did not spare Him, but handed Him over to be mocked, scourged, and nailed to a cross! There, the spotless Lamb of God endured the sin-atoning wrath due to the very ones who hated Him. What tongue can express such love? What mind can fathom its depth? This love is not a relic of the past it is alive and active this very moment. He loves us still. 

In discipline and direction, in provision and pain His love sustains and sanctifies us. It is unchanging, invincible, and ever nearby. No failure of ours exhausts it; no affliction removes it. His love is as eternal as He is. This love is the well-spring of every spiritual blessing. Let this melt the pride of our hearts, still our restless fears, and ignite a life of glad obedience. Nothing strengthens faith, calms the soul, or drives us to holiness like the felt reality of Christ's astonishing love in dying for such vile, undeserving sinners like us! 

O believer, marvel and rejoice you are loved with a love that never began, will never fade, and can never be broken! 

[A.W Pink] 

 ✞  ✞  ✞ 

Isaiah 53:5 ... But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Ephesians 5:2 ... And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.❤

Comforting Words ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:18!!

There is much food for thought in these verses, closing with this exhortation: "Wherefore, comfort one another with these words" (v 18). There is comfort here concerning:

I. The Second Advent. "The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven" (v. 16) The Lord does not promise to send death, or any other messenger, to take His Bride home. He is coming Himself for her. It is "this same Jesus, which was taken up into Heaven, that is coming in like manner as He was seen to go" (Acts 1:11); and "they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). What a comforting hope this is in these "perilous times." 

II. Our Departed Friends. We are not to be in ignorance about them, nor to be in sorrow for them, for we believe that Jesus rose again, and that when He comes He will bring them with Him (vv. 13, 14), for in spirit they are with Him now (2 Corinthians 5:8) It is the "dead in Christ" who will rise first (v. 16). This rising means the putting on of the incorruptible body, being changed into His resurrection image. They shall lose nothing by being put to sleep before the Coming of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:52). For we who are alive at the Coming of the Lord shall have no precedence over those who have gone to sleep (v. 15). Comforting words indeed. 

III. The Living Saints. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air" (v 17). We are assured, as God's people, that all shall not die before He Comes. "We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of His last trumpet" (1 Corinthians 1 51, 52). When all in every age who have been put to sleep in Jesus have been raised and clothed with immortality, and when all the believers who are alive on the earth, when He comes, are changed in a moment and caught up together with them. What a host of ransomed souls. "A multitude whom no man can number" Tell me, will any man say on that day that the Church of God has been a failure? "He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied." "Comfort one another with these words" (v. 18). 

IV. The Place of Reunion. "Caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air" (v. 17). The air is spoken of as the sphere of Satan's stronghold. He is called "the prince of the power of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). Does it mean that the transfiguration and reunion of all Christ's redeemed ones will take place right in the heart of Satan's territory? What a triumph this would be for "The Lamb that was slain," and for all those who all their lives were warring against the prince of darkness? And what a shameful defeat for the Devil. "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven" (Luke 10:18). V. Our Final Position. "And so shall we ever be with the Lord" (v. 17). Saved by Him. Made like Him. Then forever with Him. 

He has gone to prepare a place for His Church in the coming Kingdom. He will come again and receive it unto "Himself, that where He is, there shall the bride be also (John 14:3). Then the Bridegroom's prayer will be gloriously answered. "Father, I will that they also whom You have given Me be with Me where I am; that They may behold My glory" (John 17:24); and be "forever with the Lord." Earth's greatest blessing is to find Him. Heaven's greatest honor is to be forever with Him. This honor has all the saints. 

"Comfort one another with these words." 

[James Smith]

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

"The MERCY of God"

Mercy is God's tender-hearted compassion toward the miserable and the guilty. It is the pity of a holy God stooping down to the helpless sinner not because He must, but because He delights to. Mercy is the overflow of His eternal love relieving the wretched, pardoning the guilty, and raising the fallen. From the beginning, God's mercy has been on display. It spared Adam and Eve in the garden. It delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. It sent prophets to warn the rebellious nation. And in the fullness of time, it sent the Savior to redeem His people. Mercy is not a reluctant gesture it is the joy of God's heart. "God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ!" (Ephesians 2:4-5) 

God's mercy is not exhausted by repeated sins, nor limited by the depth of our guilt. The dying thief found mercy in his final breath and so may any who call on the Lord. Yet God's mercy never sets aside His justice. Mercy does not sweep sin under the rug it satisfies God's justice. This is the wonder of the cross where divine justice was upheld, and mercy was poured out. God did not overlook our sin He condemned it in Christ. At Calvary, mercy and justice met; righteousness and peace kissed! (Psalm 85:10)  

If we have received such undeserved mercy, then how can we withhold it from others? Shall we, who have been forgiven much remain unmerciful? Let us be as our father kind, compassionate, and forgiving. And let us never forget we stand by mercy alone. Here is our hope and our song that God delights in mercy, and His mercy never fails. 

[A. W. Pink] 

 ✞  ✞  ✞ 

Titus 3:5 ... Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Psalm 103:8 ... The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. ❤

God's True Grace

But if we attend to what the Bible says of grace, we shall discover that the True Grace of God is different from what man conceives. Instead of its being an enemy to holiness grace is the root on which holiness grows, the fountain from which holiness springs, and the principle that produces holiness in the heart. 

True grace brings home the Word with power, conviction, and demonstration to the soul! Acts 14:3 

True grace works faith in the hearts of poor sinners, who are said "to believe through grace!" Acts 18:27 

True grace calls its objects out of a state of nature, sin, and rebellion against God and teaches them to pray, and mourn before the Lord! Galatians 1:15; Zechariah 12:10 

True grace makes obedient to the faith and leads the soul to receive "grace upon grace" out of the fullness of Jesus! Romans 1:5; John 1:16 

True grace destroys the love and dominion of sin and leads us from the law to the gospel! Romans 6:14 

True grace brings home a sense of pardon to the soul and imparts everlasting consolation! Ephesians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:16 

True grace removes condemnation, and justifies us freely, fully, and eternally! Romans 3:24; Titus 3:7 

True grace strengthens, supports, and carries the Christian through all his conflicts, tribulations, and trials! 2 Corinthians 12:9 

True grace builds up and establishes its possessor in truth, in faith, and in love! Acts 20:32; Hebrews 13:9 

True grace leads to holy, scriptural, and consistent practice! Titus 2:11-15 

True grace will make a man labor for God and the good of immortal souls! 1 Corinthians 15:10 

True grace will regulate his lifestyle according to gospel precepts! 2 Corinthians 1:12 

True grace will make him generous and liberal in the Lord's cause, and to the poor! 2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 9:6-14 

True grace flows in abundance, saves all its objects, and raises them to reign in life! Romans 5:17; Ephesians 2:6-8 

True grace is always a gift and is invariably free! Romans 11:6; Ephesians 4:7 

True grace communicates more and more to its possessor, until the victory and conquest is complete! James 4:6 

The man that possesses the True Grace of God and is living under its sacred influence mourns over his state as a sinner, longs for perfection as a believer, and cannot be perfectly happy until purged from all pollution. 

[James Smith]

 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞ 🕊 ✞

At Calvary ...

The cross is God's way to punish sin and forgive sinners at the same time.

[Adrian Rogers] 

 ✞  ✞  ✞ 

Ephesians 1:7 ...  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1:14 ... In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Hebrews 10:10 ...  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ❤

Be Joy-Full

Baby steps towards the better leads towards your best. Press through in Joy and see the beauty of its finished purpose. Rest in His love as you move, and do not give into fear. Flow in His peace and rejoice in the details that are forming. 

Closer and closer you are moving towards your time of exposure and ministry. Stay close to Him in the mundane and He will fill your heart with love and purpose. Enjoy the journey and savor the minutes of this miracle life you live. 

Savor and see the people through the eyes of His love.  Speak ‘sincere love’ over their dry ground and see the life come forth!  You are a life-giving vessel, created to expand His glory and bring LIGHT and LIFE to those trapped in darkness and lies. 

[Troi Nelson Cockayne]

2 Corinthians 3:18 ... But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Ephesians 5:8 ... For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: ❤

The Astonishing Love of Jesus For Us!

There is no greater wonder in all the universe than this: that the infinitely holy Son of God would set His heart upon vile, guilty, Hell-deserving sinners. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" Not when we were seeking Him. Not when we were repenting. Not when we were bettering ourselves. But while we were rebels, with hearts full of enmity against Him, He loved us still. (Romans 5:6, 8, 10) 

Paul, once a blasphemer and persecutor of Christ's church, could only marvel: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinner of whom I am the worst!" (1 Timothy 1:15)   So, it is with all who have been given eyes to see their corruption, and hearts to feel their need. When we know ourselves rightly, we are utterly astonished that Jesus would save such ungodly ones as ourselves. 

Our salvation was not the fruit of our seeking, but of His. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost!" (Luke 19:10) It was the overflowing of His sovereign, unmerited love. Dead in sin, blind in mind, corrupt in heart yet He loved us, and by His great mercy made us spiritually alive. (Ephesians 2:4–5) 

What love is this, that stooped so low? "He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5) The pure and spotless Lamb bore the filth and condemnation of our sin. He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, "so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21) It was not out of obligation, but out of sheer grace. "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." (Titus 3:4–5) 

Christian! Jesus loved you before the world began, He loves you now and He will love you forever! His love for you is unfathomable it is as boundless as infinity. Oh, the precious love of Jesus! It is the sun in the heavens of grace, the river in the garden of mercy, and the foundation of the temple of redemption! 

The love of Jesus is the most amazing thing under Heaven, if not in Heaven itself. Oh, what a Savior is ours! His love is not shallow or sentimental it is a love that bleeds, and bears wrath. It is a love that will never let us go. It is a love that astonishes us now and will be our wonder and song for all eternity. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Revelation 1:5–6 ... And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫

The Gospel of The Grace of God

The heart of the Gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. The gospel is not a moral code, or religious sentiment. It is the divine proclamation that the thrice-holy God saves guilty Hell-deserving sinners freely, sovereignly, and eternally through the sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cruel cross. 

It is the gospel of grace unmerited and undeserved. Grace authored salvation in eternity past. Grace sent the eternal Son, clothed in frail humanity. Grace sustained Him in Gethsemane, nailed Him to the cross, and raised Him in triumph. That same grace now calls the unworthy, convicts the hard-hearted, converts the dead in sin, and keeps them to the end. This gospel lays man in the dust, and crowns Christ with glory. 

It shuts every mouth and saves the worst of sinners. It declares with finality, that salvation is of the Lord from beginning to end. The condemned are pardoned. The dead are made alive. Rebels are adopted as sons and daughters of God. Let us proclaim the gospel of grace with boldness, treasure it with reverence, and walk in its power daily. 

The gospel is not man's achievement it is God's mercy. The gospel is the refuge of the desperate, the song of the redeemed, and the everlasting praise of Heaven. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

 ✞  ✞  ✞ 

Romans 1:16-17 ...  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Acts 20:24 ... But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Ephesians 2:8 ... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:❤

The Unconverted

The problem with conservative churches is not that they lack members. The problem is that many of those members are not converted. 

Millions of members of evangelical churches are absent from worship services each Sunday and are equally absent from Christian living during the rest of the week. 

Biblical illiteracy and unethical conduct by Christians seem to be on the rise. Many people who attend are indifferent to the truths of Christianity, and others are divisive, even mean-spirited. 

[Paul House]

Ephesians 4:18 ... Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

2 Corinthians 6:14 ...  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Romans 8:9 ... But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.❤