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eph. 1:9
Throw the Tools Away! Salvation, to some, is a big word that is not comprehended. To others it is a great doctrine of grace and truth. Yet to many in the Christian realm it is often by tradition misunderstood. Therefore we find error in various preachings and teachings in our pulpits. Salvation: it would take a life time to write about it, a billion years to even attempt to describe it, and an eternity to try and grasp even the simplest concept of the question “why did
God spoke to Moses in Exodus Chapter 20 concerning the Ten commandments. In the same context of giving command, God said in verse 25, “And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou has polluted it.” From the beginning God has never accepted anything produced by our depraved hands. Cain’s offering was work from his hands thus God had no respect for it. Here in Exodus 20:25 God clearly said if the hand
“...!" ha# polluted it.”
it come to me?” In this article I want to give some scriptures to help refresh us and to increase our hunger for truth; truth to be preached and taught without fear or favor of men. This essential doctrine is one that is the very fabric of Christendom. It must not be compromised.
of man was involved in the construction of the holy altar, in which the sacrifice would be offered, it then would be polluted. Man from the start of it all has wanted to get his hands and his doings engaged in the workings of God. O How our fallen corrupted nature dictates that we need to produce something of our own efforts to secure some means of salvation.
Heretical teachings of easy believisim have lead many people, and even the generations to come, toward a humanistic way of perceiving God and the fundamental truth of Salvation. “Pray this simple prayer and believe in these verses and my brother you are saved!” Statements like these are on the opposite spectrum of truth. Salvation is more than believing in a set of facts or in saying a special repeated prayer. According to the scriptures Salvation is of the Lord.(Jonah 2:9) It is a supernatural act of God in redeeming fallen man to right fellowship with Himself. Ephesians 2:8 further tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” It is by grace, unmerited favor, that God would even issue a depraved sinner the gift of saving faith. Saving faith starts with God. Abraham is our Faith example in the Scripture, the faith he possessed was even counted unto him for Righteousness.(Gen. 15:5-7) This faith Abraham had started with God. He didn't get up one day and all by himself say, “I think I’ll go unto a new land.” Moreover, it was God whom came unto him. We in our fallen state are dead unto the Spirit of God.(Eph. 2:1,2) Thus there is a need to be reborn into fellowship with God by Christ.
When I finally realized I could not free myself... ...Jesus set me free! Jesus himself clearly said in John 3:7, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” God is the initiator of salvation and the leader to salvation. Romans 2:4 states, “...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance...” God Himself knows where to cross you at your sin. It is His loving hand that leads along the solemn path of repentance. Where the heart and will turns against its own-self and is in full and utter compliance with God; agreeing with His holy terms. A miracle indeed. Let’s take a moment and survey our own heart to see whether we are truly Born Again. If so, what are we preaching to others? What are we telling others? Let’s look at the effects on this generation because one truth is not preached. I wonder how many folk think they are saved and hold on to religion for salvation. A religion is never a replacement for the body of Christ. Religions are only outside rules which attempt to change the wicked heart inside of man; it will never work. Salvation is God changing the heart of man from the inside out. Stop trying to hew out converts in your own efforts, preach truth and let God be God.
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” I
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I feel as if I have have barely even begun to scratch the surface in coming to an understanding about sickness and affliction in the Christian life. Nevertheless the Lord is teaching me day-by-day that His Grace is sufficient. God has brought me to a great realization and truth: that God is going to do what He wants to do. What He has determined to do from the beginning, thus what He has chose to do. Simply put, He’s sovereign. The life He gives is one that is pre-blessed, which He himself has purposed. Furthermore, the very person whom pleases God is living in me, and that is Christ. It is Christ in us the hope of Glory. There would be no hope for God to receive any Glory through fallen man without Christ. II Corinthians 2:14 tells us, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ,...” The only way we can bear fruit is in Christ. God has invested everything in our life and He will cause us to triumph in Christ. I can say even through this time of repeated sickness and weakness that it has been the mighty sovereign hand of God causing me to triumph in Christ.
PURIFY MY HEART AND LET ME BE AS GOLD, PURE GOLD PUT ME INTO THE REFINERS FIRE, CLEANSE ME OF MY SIN, DEEP WITHIN. MY HEARTS ONE DESIRE IS TO BE HOLY, SET-APART, FOR YOU LORD, MASTER, AND KING READY TO DO YOUR WILL.
He only wants your Life, not your fruit! Often times we have an idea that we have to produce something in order for God to be happy with us. A life always striving to please God will end in frustration and confusion. I want to remind you that God is already pleased with His only begotten Son. At the baptism waters of Jordan the clear voice of God rung out saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Again at the Mount of Transfiguration was where God also spoke saying, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.” That is amazing, Jesus had yet to perform a single miracle or enter into His earthly ministry and the Father was already well pleased! Even in the midst of His ministry God was well pleased. Maybe you are at a waiting period in your life or in the middle of long term ministry, don't worry but remember God is pleased with Christ and He indwells the born-again believer. Remember Cain and Abel? God had respect to the offering of Abel but that of Cain God had not respect. Cain’s offering was what he could do, produce himself. As Christians we alone can’t produce any fruit for God. It is Christ in us that produces the fruit, lasting fruit. He is the vine we are the branches. There is fruit because of the vine not the branch. The branch is a mere means in which the vine uses to channel its growing properties to produce the fruit. May we ever abide in Christ!
“LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER OF OUR FAITH;...”
Christ in you, the Hope of Glory. The wealth of the root hidden in the ground is revealed in the brilliant hues and lofty scents of an orchid or a rose. When we accept the fact of Jesus and that His existence within us is deeper than our own, and when we make one of the aims of life to draw upon it and develop it, we shall be conscious of a glory not of ourself, transfiguring our life in which the things on earth fade away only to reveal a clearer picture of Heaven. The Summit of Mt. Hermon
Thoughts from - Steps into the Blessed Life
F. B. Meyer
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.” II Cor. 3:17 The Christ-life is the only life worth living. A life Every second of our life He is doing things through full of joy, liberty, and love that comes from deep us to build His Church. I’m glad He doesn't always within the child of God. Resting in Christ. Trusting tell us what He is doing or what He has done, Him who is able to perform exactly what the because in our depraved selfish nature, we Father has purposed. He is doing it. He would find some way to pat ourselves on will do it. (Phil. 1:6) A yielded life to the back and take credit for it. What a Grace Christ is never a wasted life. After all, Saviour! What a mystery! I choose life always flows that is all Jesus wants: your life. A life and liberty in Christ over the drudgery of down. in full liberty is a glowing reflection of performance and law any day. May God A. Whyte. Jesus. Not a free ticket to indulge in sin help us to see His wonderful, life giving and wrong but a freedom to unshakably truth. F.B. Meyer once said, “God has a serve. No more chains of bondage. How cruel purpose in every life, and when the soul is religion is to the Christ-life, always trying to steal completely yielded and acquiescent, He will and take away the glory from Christ and give it to certainly realize it. Blessed is he who has never itself. Even more so how precious a life is to Christ thwarted the working of the divine ideal.” God has that is in liberty. He can do so much with it, to placed a desperate plea within for the fruitful, bring Honor and Glory to His thrice Holy name. abiding life.
Refocus on the Unchanging God. Isaiah 33:14 says, “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness had surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” We know there is a world full of people that do not profess Christ as Saviour. However, after reading this text we come to an understanding that sinners are around us even in church. Notice the questioning here, “who among US,” they were intermixed, even in Zion. With sinners comes sin. Let’s face the facts, it is very possible that many of whom we see Sunday after Sunday may end up in Hell. Often times when faced with this truth we can get our attention solely focused on these ones in the church and perhaps the difficulties they cause. However, I appreciate verse 20. The Word says, “Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.” Wow, what a verse about the Sovereign! Let come what may He will not ever change. Let us find and our gaze focused upon our never changing God. If our main focus is on sinners or even the problems they cause, our nature wants to fix it. In this case, we often overlook the good that God is doing because our focus is always on the wrong and the problems. If our focus is God-centered we can see, even in a world that’s all around us and in-spite of the ever-growing problems caused by sin, because of Christ we can make a difference! Let’s refocus upon the One that never Changes!
True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will. - Jonathan Edwards
Free grace can go into the gutter, and bring up a jewel! - C. H. Spurgeon
Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God's motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Worry is nothing but The man or woman who is wholly or Him and resting in Him as the practical infidelity. The Sovereign who knows what person who worries reveals joyously surrendered to Christ can't his lack of trust in God and make a wrong choice - any choice will He is doing and does all that he is trusting too much things well. -Eareckson Tada be the right one. - A.W. Tozer in self. - Lee Robertson
Tears are the material out of which heaven weaves its brightest rainbow. - F. M. Meyer