The Marvelous Magnet

Jesus is the spokesman here. He tells of His own death by crucifixion and of the result which will follow. It appears then, that our Lord's power to draw men to Himself lies mainly in His death. There is an attractive power about our Lord's person, and about His life, and about His teaching; but still, the main attractive force lies in His sin-atoning death upon the cross! 

Our Lord Jesus Christ died a most shameful death. Sadly, many have come to use the cross as an ornament to display, while others turn the crucifix into an object of idolatry. But the cross, to speak very plainly, was to the ancients what the gallows is to us an odious instrument of death for the worst of criminals. It was not only painful, but it was also disgraceful and ignominious! It is because of His shameful sacrificial death, that Jesus is able to draw men unto Himself. 

On that cruel cross, Prince Emanuel manifests the beauties of His dying love. The crucified Christ has irresistible attractions! The cross is the grand old story of the incarnate God who loved wicked sinners, and gave Himself to die in their stead, that they might escape Hell and have eternal life through Him. Whence this astonishing attractiveness of Jesus? It is the force of love; for Jesus is love incarnate. In Him we see one who divested Himself of His divine glory, that He might save guilty rebels. At length, His dying love compels the ungodly to believe and to adore. 

If I were asked the secret of the attractive power of the crucified Savior, I would answer that it is His invincible love! This it is this unique, unrivaled love which draws sinful men to Jesus. The pierced heart of Jesus is the marvelous magnet to draw hearts. By His agonies and death, men's affections are drawn and their hearts are enthralled. 

I turn my eyes to Jesus upon the cross, and view the thorn-crown, and the sacred head now wounded, and the eyes that were red with weeping, and the hands nailed fast to the wood, and the feet dripping with gore. I behold the Lord of life and glory suffering the most intensified pain and death; and when I remember that this shameful death was endured out of love to me, I am lost in wonder! His wounds distilled the richest balm that ever healed a sinner's wound! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

John 12:32-33 ... And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.

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"The Five Solas and the Doctrines of Grace"

The foundation of every answer rests on the Five Solas and the Doctrines of Grace, which summarize the gospel’s essence:

Sola Scriptura — Scripture alone is the ultimate authority (2 Timothy 3:16–17) 

Sola Gratia — Salvation is by grace alone. (Ephesians 2:8) 

Sola Fide — We are justified through faith alone. (Romans 5:1) 

Solus Christus — Christ alone is the mediator and Savior. (John 14:6) 

Soli Deo Gloria — All things are for the glory of God alone. (Romans 11:36)

The Doctrines of Grace affirm that salvation is entirely God’s work from start to finish: He chooses, redeems, regenerates, draws, and preserves His people according to His sovereign mercy. (John 6:37–44, Romans 8:29–30)

[AI Generated]

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There is a Difference!

The path to eternal life is narrow and challenging, while the path to destruction is broad and easy.  Choose Life. Choose Jesus.

Matthew 7:13-14 ...  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ❤

Society's View of Salvation

Just as our culture has redefined sin, and reshaped its understanding of God, it has also radically distorted the meaning of salvation. The prevailing message is that people are essentially good, that no one is truly guilty, and therefore no one needs to be saved from the righteous wrath of God. Salvation, if it is considered at all, has been reduced to becoming a better person, doing one's best, finding personal peace, discovering one's true identity, or simply being a decent human being.

But the Bible presents a radically different picture. Salvation is not self-improvement; it is deliverance from the guilt, the power and ultimately from the presence of sin! Salvation begins with the devastating recognition that we are heinous and destitute sinners who deserve God's righteous wrath and cannot save ourselves. It is not something we achieve; it is something God graciously accomplishes for helpless sinners. We are not saved because we imagine that we are better than others and deserve to be saved. We are saved because Christ died for undeserving, ill-deserving, and Hell-deserving sinners bearing the wrath which our sins deserved.

Our society instinctively resists this message because it wounds human pride. We want to believe that we are "good people", hence we deserve to be saved. We prefer a salvation that requires no repentance, no submission to Jesus, and no acknowledgment of guilt. Many have embraced the comforting idea that there are countless paths to God, that sincerity is what matters, and that a loving God would never condemn anyone. But Scripture offers no hope for such vain delusions.

Biblical salvation is therefore exclusive by the fact that there is only one way to be saved. Salvation is not found in our goodness, our religious achievements, our morality, or our sincerity; but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. The same holy God whom sinners have offended, has provided the only sufficient sacrifice for their sin.

And this salvation is received only through sincere repentance and faith. We are not merely called to profess that Jesus lived and died for sinners. We are called to turn from sin, surrender to Jesus, and trust wholly in Him for salvation. The gospel does not promise that God will receive us, so long as we are sincere and desire to go to Heaven. It promises that in Christ alone, sinners can be forgiven, justified, reconciled to God, and made new.

The world imagines that we all have good hearts at the bottom, and that God will receive everyone into Heaven. But the Scripture says, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked!" (Jeremiah 17:9)

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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

Lost and Found

When man is lost, he has earned it.

When man is saved, it is a gift.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

 

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

Acts 20:21 ... And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. ❤

Abracadabra!

f salvation was wholly a matter of outward ordinances, then this would be easy enough, and hence men cling to a religion of ceremonies; for heart religion is troublesome, and the ungodly cannot endure it.

Ritualism is the most popular religion in the world, because it is all "Abracadabra!" Done in a minute nothing to think of nothing to care about, nothing to sorrow over. It is all a mere matter of external religious forms. The little that is needed of them can be done without thought, and they can go on in their sins as pleasantly as ever.

Next to that in popularity, is the religion of mere morality. "Yes, we know we do amiss, but we will amend. We will at once purge ourselves from everything which our fellowmen would consider criminal. Is not that enough?" Many hope that it is and live as if they felt sure it was.

But the religion of the Word of God is not so. It is, "Rend your hearts, and not your garments!" "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength!" This is too hard a demand for the wicked. And as for repentance and faith, the ungodly cannot enter upon such spiritual duties, for they have no desire for them. The carnal mind hates the mention of spiritual things.

This I take it, while it makes the Christian religion so solemn, throws us back upon one of its great first principles: that salvation must be of grace. For if it is necessary that my heart must be changed, I simply cannot change it. Shall a fountain purify itself? "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" That would be a very simple business, for skin and spots are external things; but how shall a man change his heart his very nature? Do you expect the Crabtree to change itself into a tree bearing sweet apples? It cannot be.

Salvation is the work of God. If ever it is done, then God must intervene. It is a fact that nature cannot rise above itself. Just so, no man by his own power, is able to rise above his sinful and depraved nature.  The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.  We must be born from above, if ever we are to enter Heaven. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

John 3:7 ... Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

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Doggie Still Went!!

Dear friend, if you have been praying for a long time for the salvation of one who is near and dear to you, and your prayer has not been answered, and that person has even gone from bad to worse than I want you to never give up praying. Remember that Jesus can save any man, while he is yet out of Hell. No case is absolutely hopeless, while Jesus lives.

We sometimes meet with amazing instances where prayer is answered at last. I have read of a woman who prayed long for her unsaved husband. She used to attend a certain meeting-house in the north of England, but her husband never went with her. He was a drinking, swearing man, and she had much anguish of heart about him. She never ceased to pray, and yet she never saw any result. She went to the meetinghouse alone, and her dog always went with her. This faithful animal would curl himself up under her seat and lie quiet during the service.

When she was dead, her husband was still unsaved, but doggie still went to the meetinghouse. Curiosity made him follow the dog one Sunday. The dog led him down the aisle to the seat of his dear old mistress. The man sat on that seat, and the dog curled himself up as usual. God guided the minister that day; the Word came with power, and that man wept until he found the Savior.

Never give up hope for your loved ones; for the Lord may even use a dog to bring them to Jesus, when you are dead and gone. Never give up praying, hoping, and expecting.

Others have been converted to God under very extraordinary circumstances. Two vile fellows planned to rob the house of a minister, who was accustomed on Sunday evenings to gather people together in his parlor, and preach the gospel to them. The thieves thought that if they could get into the house with the people during the evening and hide themselves away then they could rob the house easily during the night; and so, they snuck into the room next to that in which the Word was being preached. But they never robbed that house, for through the godly minister's sermon, the Lord Jesus conquered their hearts, and they came forth to confess their sin, and to become followers of the Savior!

Let the same truth be fully believed as to yourselves. O my dear reader, you may think you have gone too far into sin to be saved, but you have not. You may imagine that your case is altogether hopeless; but you are just the sort of person that Jesus saves.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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1 Timothy 1:15 ...  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Luke 5:32 ...  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ❤

Let Us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus!

We cannot keep our eyes too exclusively or too intently fixed on Jesus. All salvation is in Him. All salvation proceeds from Him. All salvation leads to Him. And for the assurance and comfort of our salvation, we are to repose believingly and entirely on Him. Christ must be all! Christ the beginning, Christ the center, Christ the end. 

Oh, sweet truth to you who are sensible of your spiritual poverty, vileness, and insufficiency, and of the ten thousand flaws and failures of which, perhaps, no one is cognizant but God and your own soul! 

Oh, the blessedness to turn from self, and rest in Christ: a full Christ, a loving Christ, a tender Christ, whose heart's love never chills, from whose eye darts no reproof, from whose lips breathes no sentence of condemnation! 

[Octavius Winslow]

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Hebrews 12:2 ... Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Corinthians 15:28 ... And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Jude 21 ... And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.❤

Consider Them Rubbish!

When the grace of God commences its work in a man's soul, he begins to be serious and thoughtful. This is one of the first noticeable changes in him: he renounces his former foolishness and indifference, and becomes a sincere, considerate man, in whose mind there is a deep concern as to his own heart and character in the sight of God. He is concerned to avoid temptations, lest they should prove too much for him, and he should be betrayed into sin. 

He longs to lead a holy life; in fact, holiness is now his great aim and desire. He becomes a praying man, and studies God's Word devoutly. He is an earnest man now, concerned about his soul's affairs, his sins, his life, his death, and his eternal salvation. He hears the wheels of eternity sounding in his ears, and henceforth lives for Jesus, and puts away childish vanities. Such matters were sport to him once, but they are serious concerns to him now. 

He has thrown off the cap and bells of the jester and taken up the life of a pilgrim; confessing in an unmistakable manner, that life is short, death is sure, and Heaven and Hell are the most sobering realities. He is the best Christian, who most exemplifies in his own practice, what is recorded in the Gospel of the temperament, converse, and actions of the holy, the harmless, and undefiled Jesus; and depends the most absolutely upon Him, for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Philippians 3:7-8 ... But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

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The Twin Wonder ...

One of the most soul-exhilarating truths in all of Scripture is the twin wonder of God's grace and mercy.  These two divine attributes shine brightest when viewed against the dark backdrop of our utter unworthiness.  We have willfully rebelled against our Maker, transgressed His holy Word, and loved darkness rather than light. And yet, God, in infinite love and compassion, lavishes both grace and mercy upon vessels of wrath. 

GRACE is God's freely giving salvation to un-deserving, ill-deserving and Hell-deserving sinners. It is not merely a lifting of guilt; it is the bestowing of unimaginable blessing! Grace takes a vile rebel against God and makes him a beloved son of God.  Grace does not wait for worthiness it moves toward the unworthy and brings them nearby.  As Paul wrote, "It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast!" (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation is not a reward; it is a gift.  It is God placing a crown of blessing on the head of the one who deserved nothing but chains of punishment. 

MERCY, by contrast, is God withholding damnation to un-deserving, ill-deserving and Hell-deserving sinners. "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities!" (Psalm 103:10) Every breath we take outside of Hell, is a mercy. Every morning that dawns with fresh light, is a token of God's longsuffering. It is mercy that delays judgment and gives room for repentance. It is mercy that pities the guilty and restrains wrath. Together, grace and mercy reveal the full beauty of the gospel. Grace gives Heaven. Mercy withholds Hell. 

Grace bestows riches. Mercy averts ruin. In Christ, both flow freely. The cross is where mercy and grace meet justice satisfied by the blood of the Son, and favor poured out without measure upon the utterly unworthy. There, the Hell-deserving are pardoned, adopted, and promised glory. Brethren, we have nothing to boast in. The only thing we contribute to our salvation, is our sin! And believer, never cease to marvel that you are now an heir of Heaven because God has not given you what you do deserve, and has given you what you could never deserve. Fall on your face before this God who is rich in mercy and abounding in grace. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Hebrews 4:16 ... Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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Needle Gate

I believe that Jesus was referring to a literal needle in this teaching, rather than a small door. Here is my reasoning: There is debate about this teaching by Jesus, about whether He is speaking of a literal camel going through the tiny hole of a needle, or if instead he was referring to the "Needle Gate" which was supposedly a very small entrance through the walls of Jerusalem. I personally lean on the first explanation and here is why: 

First, there is no historical evidence that an actual Needle Gate even existed. That doesn't disprove anything, but it seems like more of a tradition and folklore than an actual fact. Secondly, there was a similar idiom used in other parts of the world like "as impossible an elephant going through the eye of a needle."  For Israel, the largest land animal was the camel, so it seemed like this was a Jewish version of this impossible phrase. Finally, this Needle Gate was supposedly very difficult to get through. The camel would have to remove all of its baggage, then kneel low, and awkwardly crawl through the opening. And while it was difficult, it was certainly possible with enough hard work.  I think that misses the overall point of Jesus' teaching. 

Jesus was teaching that getting into heaven was impossible. That's especially true anyone who is relying on worldly treasures like money, fame, good works, or good morals. You'd be more likely to squeeze a huge animal through a tiny hole than find heaven through your own efforts. The disciples heard this from Jesus and they were astonished. The Greek word literally means "at a loss of one's senses" to understand what just happened. They immediately asked, "Who then can be saved?" They were perplexed, confused, and probably discouraged at their own chances of ever seeing heaven one day. But Jesus boldly responded, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) 

That is the point of the whole phrase. It's not about a tiny hole that you can squeeze through if you try hard enough. It's an impossible action that you can never EVER accomplish without God. You cannot be saved on your own merits. Being rich is not a sin, nor does God forbid anyone with money to enter heaven. However, anyone who has many earthly treasures may falsely believe that their life and wellbeing is secure. But the Bible is clear: apart from the finished work of Jesus, there is nothing that can be done to earn salvation.

[Kevin Carden]

 www.ChristianPhotoshops.com

Matthew 19:24 ... And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ❤

"Fellowship"

1 John 1:7 ... But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 Corinthians 1:9 ... God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Philippians 3:9-11 ... And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ❤

Blessedness of Contemplating Jesus

There is no sweeter occupation for the soul than to set its gaze steadily upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He who was once despised and rejected by men, is now exalted in the heavens. The heart that contemplates His beauty, drinks deeply of Heaven's own joy. The world seeks gratification in a thousand fleeting things, but the believer finds his satisfaction in contemplating Jesus. This contemplation is not mere wandering thoughts it is a sanctifying gaze that changes the heart. "I meditate on You through the watches of the night." (Psalm 63:6) 

In the silence of the night, when all earthly distractions fade, the soul communes with its Savior and finds in Him a peace which surpasses all understanding. The Scriptures declare that the man is blessed whose "delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night!" (Psalm 1:2) 

Even more so, what joy is found when the soul meditates upon the living Word Himself, Jesus Christ! To fix our eyes upon Him, is to behold the fountain of mercy, and the King of glory. This world with all its vanities beckons us to fix our minds below. But the Spirit calls us higher: "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!" (Colossians 3:1-2) 

True blessedness is not found by looking within or around but by looking upward to the Savior who reigns. 

[Author Unknown] 

Hebrews 12:2 ... Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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If God Feeds His Birds ...

Romans 8:32 ... He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

This glorious promise carries us from Calvary's crimson hill to the spacious plains of God's boundless provision. The Father, having offered His beloved Son as a substitutionary sacrifice for His people, thereby demonstrated that every cost of our redemption was borne in full. If the Sovereign of Heaven did not count the anguish of Golgotha too great to spare His only begotten Son, then will He now withhold from us any good thing? Never! 

The gift of Christ for our salvation, secures every lesser gift. As we behold the infinite compassion manifested in the cross, we trust that such love will daily supply our every need. If God did not spare His beloved Son for us, then He will withhold no needful blessing from those for whom Jesus died. If God has given you Jesus, then He has engaged all the riches of Heaven for your good. He who gave the greater, will not deny the lesser. If God feeds His birds, then surely, He will not starve His babes. 

Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace along the way, and glory at the end all this our Savior has promised to give! Believer, when fear whispers that your burdens exceed your father's care, return to Calvary. There you see the height of His giving and there you find the answer to your every need. Rather than sinking under anxiety, let faith boldly think: "Will my God, who gave His darling Son for my salvation refuse to give me daily bread, comfort in sorrow, or needed strength?" 

No trial can outstrip His upholding grace; no Scriptural request can exceed His generosity. 

Heavenly Father, you did not spare Your own Son but delivered Him up for us. Teach us to rest in that matchless gift. Grant us faith to plead Your promises, courage to cast all our cares on You, and joy in anticipating Your gracious provision. May our lives overflow with gratitude as we receive the riches of Your grace. Amen. 

[Thomas Watson] 

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"Christmas Day"

Lord, we will extol You, O God, our King. We will bless Your name forever and ever. But especially on this hallowed morn, we desire to pour forth floods of adoring praise. O our souls, bless the Lord. O every faculty within us, magnify His boundless love. We bring our thanks for the gift of gifts. Your only begotten Son is born into this world. He is made bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh. The least gift from heaven to guilty earth exceeds all praise. 

What shall we render unto You for sending Your own dear Son to take upon Him our nature, and truly to be one of the family of man! Utterance cannot express due gratitude. But accept, we beseech You, the breathings of Your Spirit in our hearts. Mark how fervently we love You, and how we strive to testify thanksgiving. "Wonder of wonders! The Son of God comes down from heaven that to heaven we poor sinners may be raised. Our Lord Jesus Christ takes the manhood into God that we may become partakers of the divine nature. He is born one with us that we may be one with Him forever. 

Herein is love, when we could not rise to Him, He flies down on the wings of grace to raise us to Himself. Herein is power, that when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart, God has joined them in indissoluble oneness. He has united infinite opposites in one Christ. Herein is God's wisdom in the highest, that when we were utterly undone by sin, without will to return, without intellect to devise recovery Jesus appears on earth, able as God to save us to the uttermost, and qualified as man to die our death, to shed sin-atoning blood in our stead, and to work out perfect righteousness in our behalf. 

Father, God most merciful, help us to bless You more. In spirit we take our station by the watching shepherds. So, we strive to expand our contracted hearts. We hear, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord!" (Luke 2:10-11)

We hear, we believe, we rejoice, we give thanks, we adore. We bid all fears to flee away. We call upon our consciences to bathe in an ocean of repose. We look up with filial confidence. We see You our reconciled Father. Separation has ceased. We draw near, because You have thus drawn near to us. We love You because we have this proof that You have so loved us. A Redeemer has come! We put all our trust in Him. We believe that we are fully and forever redeemed from sin, and all sin's penalties and woes. You have raised up a horn of salvation for us. We see its all-sufficient might. We embrace it with undoubting faith. We realize that You have saved us. Like Simeon we clasp the new-born Savior to our hearts. 

We exult that He is ours, and we are His. We are one with Him. Therefore, You are our Father because His Father, and His God because our God. Father, again we say, help us to bless You for all the benefits of this wondrous birth. Give us grace, that our lives may praise You better than our lips. Keep our thanksgiving free from every blot. You have given so much for us, that heaven itself could give no more. Here we present ourselves to Your undivided service. Accept us. Preserve us. Rule within us. 

May Your dear Son indeed be born within us. May His continual indwelling sanctify every movement of our minds. May the good tidings of this day have free course and be glorified throughout earth's length and breadth. Wherever man lives, may he rejoice in the Child born, the son given. Hasten the time when He who as at this time came to visit us in great humility, shall come again in His glorious majesty with all His saints. Holy Father, we offer our prayers and praises in the way which You have ordained Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

[Henry Law]

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Merry Christmas!

He Will Save His People From Their Sins!

Here we stand on holy ground. This verse (Matthew 1:21) is the first explicit announcement of the mission and purpose of the incarnate Son. Before He speaks a word, works a miracle, or calls a disciple Heaven unveils His identity in one radiant sentence. He is Jesus, which means Savior. Not counselor, not social reformer, not moral example, but Savior. He does not come to assist men in saving themselves, but to save them altogether. He enters this fallen world, not to improve sinners, but to rescue them from their sins and damnation. 

The name Jesus reveals the very heart of God toward sinners. The Father ordains salvation, the Son accomplishes salvation, and the Spirit applies salvation. Jesus is God coming down from Heaven to earth, to save His people from their sins. His very name announces His office: He WILL save. Not might save, or try to save, but WILL save His people from their sins. His saving purpose cannot fail, because it rests upon His divine nature and His sin-atoning death. Sin is man's greatest plague. 

Sin alienates from the thrice holy God, blinds the mind, hardens the heart, corrupts the will, and damns the soul forever! All misery in time and eternity, flows from sin! Yet here is the good news: Jesus rescues His people from sin's penalty by His sacrifice, from sin's power by His Spirit, and from sin's presence when He returns. Being a Divine work, this salvation is complete, eternal, and irrevocable. How sweet this name is to sin-wearied hearts. His righteousness satisfies the law which we broke. His sin-atoning death pays the full punishment for our sins. His intercession secures the eternal glory of every soul He redeems. None for whom He died, shall ever be lost. 

Mark the objects of His salvation: His people. Jesus did not come to make salvation a possibility, but to save an actual people whom the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world. He purchased them, effectually calls them, sanctifies them, and will one day present them faultless before His glory with great joy. Their salvation does not depend upon their hold on Him but upon His hold on them. Here, then, is the essence of the gospel: Jesus will save His people from their sins! To utter His name with faith, is to confess both our ruin, and His remedy, both our sin, and His salvation. His name is His promise: Jesus will save His people from their sins. Eternally blessed are all who trust in Him. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Matthew 1:21 ... And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. ❤

I Scarce Can Take It In!

"And when I think that God His Son not sparing Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in That on the cross my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin!" by Carl Gustav Boberg, 1885

The words of this beloved hymn capture something far greater than poetic beauty they express the soul-staggering wonder of the gospel. "And when I think that God, His Son not sparing sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in!" This is the awe-filled confession of a redeemed sinner who has glimpsed the infinite cost of divine love! That the glorious God infinitely righteous and perfectly holy would not spare His own beloved Son but deliver Him up for an ungodly people who had rebelled against Him, is a truth that overwhelms the heart! 

When Abraham was asked to offer Isaac, his only son, as a sacrifice, God provided a substitute. But when the Father gave His Son at Calvary, there was no substitute for Him for Jesus was the substitute! The cross is not merely a demonstration of love it is the only means of salvation. On that cursed tree, the spotless Lamb bore the full weight of divine wrath not for His own sins, for He had none but for the countless, crimson sins of His people! 

"That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin!" The sin was ours. The guilt was ours. The punishment was ours. Yet Christ bore it all, gladly and willingly. This was not a cold transaction, but a mission of infinite compassion. He who knew the joy of perfect fellowship with the Father, took upon Himself the horror of forsakenness and wrath. He who upholds all things by the word of His power, was nailed to the accursed tree by sinful hands for all of the sins of all of His people. 

Who can comprehend such mercy? The angels veil their faces in awe before this redeeming grace, and the saints shall sing of it forever. Let your heart be stirred again by the wonder of the cross. Meditate on the cost. Marvel at the love. Worship the Savior who bled and died to take away your sin. And when you think on such love, such sacrifice, such glory does not be ashamed if you scarce can take it in. Eternity will not exhaust the praise due to Him who gave His life for us. Let every breath now be spent in adoration of the One who bore both your sin, and the divine wrath due to you. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

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

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The Thief on The Cross

How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology? 

No turning from his sins, No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, and no church clothes. He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner's prayer and among other things, he was a thief.  Jesus didn’t take away his pain, heal his body, or smite the scoffers. 

Yet it was a thief who walked into heaven the same hour as Jesus simply by believing in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who he said he was. No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No Shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No haze machine, donuts, or coffee in the entrance. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.” 

For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) 

I read this today and was reminded of the simplicity of the Gospel. 

[Author Unknown]

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Acts 16:31 ... And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:13 ... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Mark 1:15 ...  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. ❤

Storing Up Wrath Against Yourself!

Every day that an unrepentant sinner draws breath, is a fresh act of divine mercy and yet, also, a fresh addition to the mountain of wrath that awaits him. Paul's words above, pierce through all excuses and strip away every illusion of safety. The lost sinner imagines that because he lives another day, God must be indifferent toward his sin. But the opposite is true. Every sunrise that finds him unconverted, is not a sign of divine forgetfulness it is an extension of divine patience. (Romans 2:4) 

Yet that patience, if despised, becomes the very means by which his condemnation increases. The apostle does not say the sinner "receives" wrath daily, but that he "stores it up." Each sin each godless thought, each careless word, each act of rebellion adds to a dreadful account that must one day be settled. The longer the unbeliever lives, the more his sins accumulate. His life becomes like a vast reservoir behind a dam, filling higher and higher, until at last, on the day of judgment, it bursts forth in unstoppable fury! 

The day of judgment will be the righteous revelation of God's justice measured, exact, and fully deserved. Every additional day of rebellion is another day of accumulating wrath. Every refusal to repent deepens the sinner's ruin. To live long in sin is not a blessing it is a curse with eternal consequences. It would be a mercy to unbelievers if they died early; for the longer they live the more they sin; and the more they sin the more wrath they are storing up against themselves. Let no one presume upon God's kindness. His patience is meant to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4) not to grant you more time to sin. 

The righteous Judge has not forgotten, He has an iron memory. "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) The only refuge from this wrath is Jesus Himself who bore the full fury of divine justice on behalf of His people. On the cross He drained the cup of wrath so that repentant sinners might drink the cup of salvation. Every day the ungodly are making deposits into their treasury of wrath. When the bank of vengeance shall be opened there will be a fearful payout indeed! May the dread of deserved wrath, drive you swiftly to the mercy of the Savior! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

Romans 2:5-6 ... But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

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The Most Precious Spot!

Take your place with Mary near to the cross of Jesus. There meet and blend suffering-and love, sorrow and sympathy. Standing in faith near the cross you are near the suffering Savior, the loving Son, the sympathizing Brother born for your present grief. Jesus, in the depth and tenderness of His love, is at this moment all that He was when, in soul travail. He cast that ineffable look of filial love and sympathy upon His anguished mother. 

Likewise, He can enter into your circumstances, understand your grief, and sustain and soothe your spirit as one only can, who has partaken of the cup of woe which now trembles in your hand. Drink that cup submissive to His will for He drank deeply of it before you and has left the fragrance of His sympathy upon its brim. Your sorrow is not new to Christ. Stand close to the cross of Jesus! It is the most accessible and precious spot on this side of Heaven, the most solemn and awesome spot on this side of eternity! 

The cross of Jesus is the focus of divine love, divine sympathy, and divine power. Stand by it in suffering, in persecution, and in temptation. Stand by it in the brightness of prosperity and in the gloom of adversity. Go to Christ's cross in trouble, repair to it in weakness, cling to it in danger, and hide beneath it when the wintry storm rushes fiercely over you. Near to the cross, you are near your Father's heart, and your Savior's side you seem to enter the gate of Heaven to stand beneath the vestibule of glory! 

Nothing but love will welcome your approach to the cross of Jesus divine love that pardons all your sins, flows over all your unworthiness, heals all your soul-wounds, soothes all your sorrows, and will shelter you within its blessed pavilion until earth is exchanged for Heaven, and you lay down the warrior's sword for the victor's palm, and spring from the foot of the cross to the foot of the throne to be forever with your precious Lord! 

[Octavius Winslow] 

John 19:25 ... Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

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