Grace Audio Treasures

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Psalm 47:8, "God reigns over the nations! God sits on His holy throne!" When the soul is perfectly reconciled to God, and comes to delight in Him--then it rejoices in all of His attributes. At the first, perhaps, it dwells almost exclusively upon His love and His mercy, but it afterwards proceeds to find joy in God's sterner attributes, and especially delights itself in His holiness and in His power. It is a mark of Christian growth when we begin to distinguish the attributes, and to rejoice in God for each one of them. It betokens meditation and thought, when we are able thus to discern the things of God and to give to the Lord a song of praise for each one of His perfections. It also indicates a growingly intimate communion with our heavenly Father, when we begin to perceive His adorable character, and to rejoice so much in all that He is, that we can take the attributes in detail, and bless, and praise, and magnify Him on account of each one of them. We see the attribute of God's omnipotence manifested in His providential control and care of everything that He has made. His overruling hand controls all the major events in His universe, as well as all of the common events of our daily life. His mighty hand guides the fall of every leaf in autumn, and adorns each blade of grass with its own drop of dew. It is also clearly manifested in all the events of human history. His power is seen in the rise and fall of empires, in the growth of nations, or in their overthrow. It ought to be a subject of great joy to all the godly, that the world is not left to the control of chance, or luck, or accidents, or to tyrants. There is a Governor and Ruler who is Lord of all. Another

Go worship at Immanuel's feet; See in his face what wonders meet, Earth is too narrow to express His worth, his glory, or his grace. The whole creation can afford But some faint shadows of my Lord; Nature, to make his beauties known, Must mingle colours not her own. Is he compared to Wine or Bread? Dear Lord, our souls would thus be fed. That flesh, that dying blood of thine, Is bread of life, is heavenly wine. Is he a Tree? the world receives Salvation from his healing leaves; That righteous branch, that fruitful bough, Is David's root and offspring too. Is he a Rose? not Sharon yields Such fragrancy in all her fields; Or if the Lily he assume, The valleys bless the rich perfume. Is he a Vine? his heavenly root Supplies the boughs with life and fruit; O let a lasting union join My soul to Christ, the living Vine! Is he a Head? each member lives, And owns the vital power he gives – The saints below and saints above, Joined by his Spirit and his love. Is he a Fountain? there I bathe, And heal the plague of sin and death; These waters all my soul renew, And cleanse my spotted garments too. Is he a Fire? he'll purge my dross; But the true gold sustains no loss; Like a refiner shall he sit, And tread the refuse with his feet. Is he a Rock? how firm he proves! The Rock of Ages never moves; Yet the sweet streams that from him flow, Attend us all the desert through. Is he a Way? he leads to God; The path is drawn in lines of blood; There would I walk with hope and zeal, Till I arrive at Zion's hill. Is he a Door? I'll enter in; Behold the pastures large and green; A paradise divinely fair; None but the sheep have freedom there. Is he designed the Corner-stone, For me

Psalm 42:1-2, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God!" What the Christian longs for, is that he may so approach the Lord as to feel himself to be a friend of God, and know that God's love is most surely his own. Oh, the sweetness of knowing that there is nothing between God and you, but friendship and love; that all the sad and sinful past is forgiven and even blotted out of the Lord's remembrance; and that now you may speak to Him without fear and trust in Him without dread. Atonement has removed His righteous wrath and brought His boundless love. Now you may come and lie in His bosom for it is your Father's bosom; and hide under the shadow of His wing for it is your Father's wing, and it will cover you from all harm even as a hen covers her chicks. It is the prelude of Heaven to feel that: "The God that rules on high, And thunders when He please, Who rides upon the stormy sky, And manages the seas; This awesome God is mine!" All of His power is for my protection, all of His wisdom is for my direction, all of His tenderness is for my consolation, all of His truth is for my encouragement, all of His grandeur is for my ennobling, and all the infinity of His nature is for my eternal glorification. The Christian's grand ambition is to walk with God, and to dwell in communion with Him. He longs to abide in Him, to be forever God's beloved, and to become daily more and more conformed to Him. "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:25-26

The biblical doctrine of sin provides both the diagnosis of our fallen condition and the framework for understanding—and confronting—today's pervasive immorality. Several key truths emerge from Scripture that remain profoundly relevant as we navigate a culture that increasingly rejects absolute standards of right and wrong. 1. Sin Is Universal and Inescapable Scripture teaches that every person is born in a state of total depravity, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Today's culture may celebrate individual autonomy and self-expression, but the Bible shows that apart from Christ we are all enslaved by selfish desires, pride, and rebellion against our Creator. No amount of social progress or moral relativism can alter the fact that our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). 2. Sin's Manifestations Mirror Those of Biblical Times Though the forms of immorality shift with each generation, the underlying attitudes are unchanged. Paul warns that in the last days people will be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy" and "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Whether it's the normalization of sexual promiscuity, the deification of material success, or the elevation of self-fulfillment above all else, these attitudes trace directly back to the heart of sin exposed in Scripture. 3. Sin Carries Real Consequences In our culture immorality is often portrayed as harmless fun or even as an expression of "authentic self." Yet the Bible is uncompromising: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). Both physical and spiritual d

"The One enthroned in Heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath!" Psalm 2:4-5 "The Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming." Psalm 37:13 Scripture rarely speaks of God laughing, and when it does, it is never with levity or mirth. God's laughter in Scripture is always solemn, judicial, and scornful—a holy response to the arrogance and rebellion of sinners. There is no record of Jesus laughing in the Gospels. His ministry was marked by sorrow, compassion, and holy seriousness. There is no sound more dreadful to a guilty soul, than the laughter of Almighty God. In reality, it is His holy derision against the insolence of sinners who defy their Maker. When He laughs, it is not a careless chuckle, but a thunderous proclamation that their sin will not go unpunished. God's laugh is the prelude to His eternal wrath. Men may mock at their sin, boast in their rebellion, and strut upon the stage of life as though they were gods. They may ridicule God, His Word, and His people. They may defy His warnings, and scoff at the flames of Hell. But God laughs in contempt at them, because their pride is absurd, their plans are futile, and their doom is certain. God laughs to see men's folly—to see poor, helpless clay, strive with the Almighty Potter. But let the wicked remember that God is never more angry with them—than when He laughs. After His laughing, then He shall speak to them in His wrath. The Lord has appointed their day of judgment. Every beat of the lost sinner's heart moves him one step closer to eternal ruin. And though the wicked flourish for a season—though they build their towers to he

Matthew 9:12-13, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Psalm 147:3, "He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds." Jesus is the only physician that can heal a sin-sick soul. There is no healing balm, but His sin-atoning blood. Jesus as a physician is proclaimed unto the world, that sinners of every class, nation, and color--may come to Him and be healed. He is in an especial sense, engaged to attend to the whole household of believers. The children may apply to him at all times, and for all they need. It is not necessary to wait until seized with a dangerous disease or paralysis, but we may go to Him with all our headaches and heartaches; with all our cuts and bruises. He always . . . receives us kindly, attends to us promptly, and prescribes for us wisely. We never ought to attempt to heal ourselves, but always, in all things, and for all we need--go to Jesus. He never lost a patient, nor ever will. He never pronounced an applicant's case desperate, or said to one who came to Him, "I can do nothing for you." With incomparable skill, He takes every case in hand, restores every patient to perfect health, and does all gratis. Christ alone is qualified to be our physician. He has fully healed every saint who is now in glory. Let us then apply to Him when we are in need. Let us go to Him with our slight cases, as well as our serious illnesses. Let us take our diseased hearts to Him--He will heal them, and restore them to perfect health. He can cure the deadness, the coldness and the worldliness, of the soul. "Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for

Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with God." A man who walks with God will necessarily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of God, and in likeness to Jesus. You cannot suppose a perpetual walk with God year after year, without the favored person being strengthened, sanctified, instructed, and rendered more able to glorify God. When we read that Enoch walked with God, we are to understand that he realized God's presence. Enoch's faith was a realizing faith. He did not believe things as a matter of creed, and then put them up on the shelf out of the way, as most do. He was not merely orthodox in head, but the truth had entered into his heart, and what he believed was true to him, practically true--true as a matter of fact in his daily life. Enoch walked with God. It was not that he merely thought of God, or that he speculated about God, or that he read about God, or that he talked about God. Enoch walked with God, which is the practical and experimental part of true godliness. In his daily life Enoch realized that God was with him, and he regarded God as a living friend in whom he confided, and by whom he was loved. This is the very flower and sweetness of Christian experience. If you would taste the cream of Christian life, it is found in having a realizing faith, and entering into intimate fellowship with the heavenly Father. Enoch did not commune with God by fits and starts, but he abode in the conscious love of God. He did not now and then climb to the heights of elevated piety, and then descend into the marshy valley of lukewarmness. He continued in the calm enjoyment of fellowship with God from day to day. Enoch's life must also have been a holy life, because he

The funeral Thomas Brooks, "The Transcendent Excellency of a Believer's Portion above All Earthly Portions" (You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.) A Christian knows that death shall be the funeral of all . . . his sins, his sorrows, his afflictions, his temptations, his vexations, his oppressions, his persecutions. He knows that death shall be the resurrection of all . . . his hopes, his joys, his delights, his comforts, his contentments. He knows that death shall bring him to a more clear, full, perfect, and constant enjoyment of God! This makes him sweetly and triumphantly to sing out, "O death! where is your sting? O grave! where is your victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:35-37

This insightful principle by the reformer Martin Luther means: "Simultaneously righteous, and a sinner." That is, a genuine believer in Jesus is simultaneously: 1. RIGHTEOUS (justus) in the sight of God through faith in Christ, having received His imputed righteousness. This is our identity in Christ. "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith, apart from observing the law." Romans 3:28 "However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 4:5 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 2. A SINNER (peccator) in his own sinful flesh, which remains unchanged even after conversion. "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing." Romans 7:18-19 "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." Galatians 5:17 Hence every believer daily experiences the constant battle between the flesh and the spirit--the new spiritual nature in Christ. Though we are genuinely converted, our sinful flesh remains with us until we receive our resurrection bodies. "He will transform our lowly bodies, so that they will be like His glorious body!" Philippians 3:21 "Simultaneously righteous, and a sinner." What I am in Christ: RIGHTEOUS. What I am in my flesh: SINNER. In justification, God credits Christ's perfect righteousness to our account, while our sinf

Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously 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,

Psalm 135:6, "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths." Psalm 147:16-18, "He sends the snow like white wool; He scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against His freezing cold? Then, at His command, it all melts. He sends His winds, and the ice thaws." Psalm 148:8, "Fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather obey Him." "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light, and create darkness, I bring prosperity, and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things!" Isaiah 45:6-7 Who is regulating affairs on this earth today: God, or the Devil? That God reigns supreme in Heaven, is generally conceded; but that He reigns supreme over this earth, is almost universally denied--if not directly, then indirectly. More and more are men relegating God to the background, in their philosophizing and theorizing. Take the material realm. Not only is it denied that God created everything, by personal and direct action, but few believe that He has any immediate concern in regulating the works of His own hands. It is common to hear disasters explained as impersonal "Forces of Nature," or mere outcomes of "Natural Laws," or "Bad Luck." Yet Scripture shatters that notion: War, pestilence, floods, storms, earthquakes, fires--all flow from the eternal decree and providential governance of our holy God. When hurricanes lash the coast, or fires consume forests--we must not bow the knee to the myth of "Mother Nature" but humble ourselves before the One who "commands and raises the stormy wind." Nahum 1:3, "He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The

The sheep's coat shall be stripped off the wolf's back! William Dyer, 1632-1696 Numbers 23:10, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!" There is no living a life that is wicked, and then dying a death that is righteous. Oh, that men would but deal truly with their own souls! Many talk like a Christian, but few walk like a Christian. Many know what is to be done, but never do what is to be done. Many wear Christ's livery, but do the devil's drudgery! Many have hands as white as snow, whose hearts are as black as Hell! Many appear righteous, who are only righteous in their appearance. But such as deceive others with a false show of holiness, only deceive themselves with a false hope of happiness! Remember, sirs, that the sheep's coat shall be stripped off the wolf's back! "They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves!" Matthew 7:15 Oh sirs, that you would consider well these weighty things! Tell me, sir: What did Judas get by all his deceitful dealings? Nothing but a noose, in which his body was hanged; and a fire, in which his soul was burned!

A hazardous game! (Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883) 1 Thessalonians 5:22, "Avoid every kind of evil!" "If we play around the viper's hole--it is no wonder that we are bitten!" An old proverb advises us not to play with sharp-edged tools, lest we cut our fingers. It is a sin to trifle with sin! If we must play, we had better find harmless toys! That evil which caused Christ a bloody death, is no fit theme for any man's sport. Playing with wickedness is a hazardous game! Sooner or later, we will pluck the lion of sin by the beard, and we shall be torn in pieces! This is true of indulgence in strong drink: "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper!" This is equally true of all other forms of evil, especially of the lusts of the flesh. Lewd words, soon lead to foul deeds. Yet such is the folly of men, that they run dreadful risks in sheer wantonness, as though vipers and cobras were fine playmates, and devils were merry-makers! "Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Do not let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin." Psalm 19:13

John 1:14, "We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:16, "From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another." There is in Jesus, not only a sufficiency of grace, but an all-sufficiency. He has enough to supply all our needs; and not only enough for us--but for all the saints who have ever lived or shall live! Jesus is a fountain of mercy and grace. From His fullness, as from an overflowing fountain, streams every spiritual blessing. He fills our empty vessels again and again, and still the fountain overflows. The more grace we draw from Jesus, the more is still in Him. The sun is never the less bright, after all the light we receive from it. In the same way, Jesus is never the less full, after all the grace we receive from Him. Grace from the heart of Jesus, is ever flowing out to His people: grace upon grace, blessing upon blessing, mercy upon mercy. There is in the crucified Jesus, grace sufficient to all the difficulties, necessities, and desires of His poor people. Jesus is . . . a garment to cover and adorn them, a counselor to advise them, a captain to defend them, a prince to rule them, a prophet to teach them, a priest to make atonement for them, a husband to protect them, a father to provide for them, a brother to relieve them, a foundation to support them, a head to guide them, and a treasure to enrich them! Jesus is the great storehouse of all heavenly treasures. In Him, are laid up all the riches of divine grace. From Him, all believers receive grace, not only

The sighs of Jesus--brief yet profound--reveal more about His heart than many lengthy sermons ever could. They are not the sighs of weariness or despair, but of holy sorrow and tender compassion. In the space of just two chapters in Mark's Gospel, we hear our Lord sigh twice--once over human suffering, and once over human sin. Both sighs speak volumes of the Savior's perfect heart. Mark 7:34, "He looked up to Heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, 'Ephphatha!' (which means, 'Be opened!')." In Mark 7:34, Jesus heals a man who is deaf and mute. Before speaking the word of healing, He looks up to Heaven and sighs. Why? Because He sees beyond the man's immediate affliction. He sees the deeper cause--the brokenness of a world cursed by sin. Every disease, every disability, every tear, is a consequence of mankind's fall into sin. Jesus does not sigh in frustration but in sympathetic grief. He feels the weight of this man's misery, and through that sigh, He enters into it. Our Savior is not distant or unsympathetic. He is "a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." (Isaiah 53:3) Every sigh of the suffering believer, finds a sympathetic echo in the soul of the Son of God. Mark 8, verse 12 tells us, "He sighed deeply and said, 'Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign?'" In Mark 8, however, the sigh is different. The Pharisees demand a sign--though they have seen countless miracles already. Their request does not spring from faith, but from unbelief and obstinacy. And so Jesus sighs deeply. This is not the sigh of grief over physical suffering, but over spiritual blindness--a willful refusal to believe. It is the sigh of divine sorrow over hardened

Matthew 1:21, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins!" The essence of Christ's mission: To Save from Sin This verse is a glorious declaration of the very heart of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not salvation from suffering. Not salvation from political oppression. Not salvation from earthly poverty. But salvation from their SIN--that which separates man from God, damns the soul, and defiles every part of life. He did not come to be a moral teacher, a political reformer, or a cultural icon. He came to save from sin. Sin is not a light matter. It is the rebellion of the creature against the Creator, the transgression of God's holy Word, and the corruption of human nature. Sin stains every thought, word, and deed. Sin places every sinner under the righteous wrath of Almighty God. Therefore, the greatest need of every human soul, is not self-improvement or religious reformation, but divine salvation. Jesus did not come merely to forgive sin, but to save from sin. That means He delivers . . . from sin's guilt by His atoning death, from sin's power by His Spirit's indwelling presence, and soon from sin's presence altogether in eternal glory. He came not only to justify, but to sanctify. Any gospel that offers pardon without purification, or Heaven without holiness--is a false gospel. Jesus saves entirely--from the penalty, power, and pollution of sin. 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 pas

Psalm 116:15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints." To the unsaved man, death is a dreaded enemy--a final and bitter end to a worthless life. But to the true Christian, death is not a calamity, but a coronation. It is not the ruin of life, but the very door to everlasting joy. Why does Scripture call the death of God's saints, precious? Because to God, nothing is more valuable than the final bringing home of those whom He has redeemed with the precious blood of His Son. And to the believer, death is the last step in the journey toward full and eternal communion with Jesus. 1. Death delivers us from all sin One of the chief blessings death brings to the believer, is deliverance from the presence and power of sin. Though justified and sanctified in Jesus, every Christian still laments with Paul, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24) In this life, sin clings to us, wars against us, and hinders every holy pursuit. But death severs that final tie. No more wandering affections. No more inward corruption. The soul is made perfect in holiness and enters immediately into the presence of the Lord! (Hebrews 12:23) 2. Death ends all of our suffering This poor world is a valley of tears. The believer is not spared from trial and sorrow--often, his path is harder because of his following of Jesus. But death silences every groan, and dries every tear. The Lord will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain! (Revelation 21:4) In the moment of death, all affliction ceases. No more physical pain, no more emotional anguish, no more persecution, no more b

Daily feasting on the slain Lamb Charles Spurgeon, et al. Matthew 6:11, "Give us today our daily bread." While this applies to physical provision, it also reflects our need for continual spiritual sustenance. Just as our bodies need daily food, our souls need to feed on Jesus daily. John 6:35, "I am the Bread of Life!" The same Jesus who saved us, must also sustain us. We need Him as much for our continual spiritual nourishment, as we did for our initial salvation. Spurgeon rightly said, "A living Jesus must be the food of a living Christian." Just as the physical body will waste away without food, so will the soul wither without a continual feeding on Jesus. Yesterday's grace will not sustain us today. Yesterday's strength will not triumph in today's trial. We must feast afresh on Jesus, drawing from Him all that we need for living a holy life, pleasing to Him. The true food of the believer is Jesus as the slain Lamb. His sin-atoning sacrifice is not just the foundation of our forgiveness, but the daily food for our souls. This continual feasting on Jesus as the slain Lamb, is the secret of a healthy Christian life. Many believers are weak and tossed about, because they are malnourished. They snack on the spiritual junk-food that is continually distributed by the shallow and lukewarm churches of our day. Neither can today's pseudo-Christian books provide any soul-nourishment. They may nibble on Scripture--but they do not provide the true Bread of Life, Jesus Himself. Christian, do not neglect your daily Bread. Feed on the slain Lamb, and your soul shall thrive.

Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God..." So begins Paul's earnest plea. He entreats us by the wondrous mercies of our wondrous God described in the previous chapters of Romans: Justification by faith. (Romans 3:24) Peace with God. (Romans 5:1) Access to God's grace. (Romans 5:2) Hope of glory. (Romans 5:2) God's love poured into our hearts. (Romans 5:5) Christ's substitutionary and sin-atoning death. (Romans 5:8) Union with Christ. (Romans 6:4-5) Freedom from sin's dominion. (Romans 6:14) Freedom from condemnation. (Romans 8:1) The indwelling Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:9) Adoption into God's family. (Romans 8:15) God's control of all things for the good of His people. (Romans 8:28) Effectual calling, justification, and glorification. (Romans 8:30) God's invincible love. (Romans 8:38-39) God's sovereign mercy. (Romans 9:15-16) Paul's entreaty is all-encompassing: "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice." Not merely your thoughts, words, or Sundays--but your whole life. A living sacrifice means continual yielding, moment by moment; not a one time gesture, but a continuous daily surrender. Unlike Old Testament sacrifices, which were slain and offered once, we are called to crawl continually upon the altar--offering our eyes, our hands, our tongues, our feet, our time, our energy, our all. Such surrender is described as "holy and pleasing to God." Astonishingly our imperfect obedience, when offered sincerely in Christ--is pleasing to our Father! This sacrifice is our "reasonable service." It is not extreme or fanatical. To hold anything back from the God who gave His Son to die for our sins, is

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34 Behold the Lamb of God suspended between earth and Heaven--mocked, scourged, bleeding, and yet praying. Not for deliverance. Not for vengeance. But for His enemies. "Father, forgive them." Here we are given a glimpse into the unfathomable grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. As men drove nails through His hands, as they crowned Him with thorns, and hurled insults at His holy head--He interceded for them. This is no mere sentiment. This is divine mercy in its purest expression. These words were not uttered in comfort, but in the hour of His deepest agony. Even as He bore the weight of His people's sins, His heart overflowed with compassion. Here is the High Priest, fulfilling His office--not behind a veil in an earthly tabernacle, but on a cross, shedding His own blood. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). This first saying from the cross reveals the very heart of the gospel: God's forgiveness extended to the undeserving. The Savior did not plead the ignorance of man as an excuse, but as an occasion for bestowing forgiveness. For though they knew not what they were doing, their guilt remained--yet He, the sinless One, bore it all. What mere man could respond to cruelty, with mercy? Only He who is both God and Man. And so, dear believer, be humbled. Was it not for your sins, too, that He prayed? Was it not your rebellion that brought Him to that tree? And yet He loved you still. Here is the assurance for every contrite soul: if Christ prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified Him--then surely His blood avails for you. Nothing in you prompted His love. Everything

At the Cross we see the outshining of the attributes of God as nowhere else. The Cross is the blazing center of the divine perfections. The Cross of Christ exhibits, in the most solemn and awe-inspiring manner, the inviolability of God's justice. Sin can only be put away by the shedding of blood. In the Cross, God did not relax His justice in order to manifest His love; He satisfied His justice in the outpouring of His love. Nowhere does the love of God shine forth so fully and gloriously as at the Cross. There we behold His heart laid bare, as He spared not His own Son. The Cross reveals the infinite wisdom of God. None but an omniscient mind could have devised a plan whereby divine justice could be satisfied and mercy flow freely to the chief of sinners. The Cross demonstrates the holiness of God more clearly than Sinai. There, the Law was given; here, the penalty of that Law was exacted upon the sinless Substitute. Calvary was not merely the place where man's sin reached its climax—but where God's grace triumphed in its fullness. Christ crucified is not only the foundation of the Christian faith—it is the focal point of all God's dealings with man. The Cross is the key that unlocks the mystery of divine providence. There we see that God is able to bring the highest good, from the worst evil. To stand at the foot of the Cross is to witness the confluence of God's hatred of sin, and His compassion for sinners. Let us draw near with reverence and worship, for we are treading on holy ground. May our study of these seven sayings stir repentance, kindle gratitude, and deepen love for the crucified Savior.

"I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise!" Luke 23:43 What grace is this, that the dying Savior would turn His bloodied face to a condemned thief and utter the sweetest words ever spoken to a guilty soul! The man had nothing to offer. No good works. No religious pedigree. He could not be baptized, catechized, or confirmed. He was nailed to a cross, justly punished, and moments from eternity--yet mercy met him there! What changed this man? A divine work of grace! One thief railed in unbelief. The other was awakened to his sin, rebuked his companion, and cast himself upon the crucified Christ: "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (Luke 23:42). He believed that the bleeding Man beside him was the King of glory. He looked beyond the shame of the cross, to the certainty of Christ's reign. That is saving faith--God-given, Christ-centered, and resting in sheer grace. And how does the Savior respond? Not with hesitation, not with conditions, but with an immediate promise: "Today you will be with Me in paradise!" What a word! Here is the assurance of salvation--instant, personal, eternal. The dying thief would not pass into oblivion, nor into purgatory, but into the presence of Christ. To be with Christ is the essence of paradise. Salvation is not merely deliverance from Hell; it is communion with the Redeemer Himself. Here the gospel shines in full glory. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The thief was saved without works, without sacraments, without delay. And so are all who truly believe. Let every trembling sinner take heart: Christ saves to the uttermost. None are too vile, too late, or too far gone!

"Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." John 19:26-27 Amid the unthinkable anguish of Calvary, the Lord Jesus paused--not to relieve His own suffering, but to care for another. With thorns piercing His brow and breath growing short, He fixed His eyes upon His mother. To Mary, He said, "Dear woman, here is your son." To John, "Here is your mother." In the very act of redemption, He demonstrated tender affection and perfect obedience. This scene is rich in divine beauty. At the height of His suffering, Christ was not absorbed in Himself. Though He was bearing the full wrath of God for the sins of His people, He was not forgetful of the needs of His earthly mother. The law He came to fulfill commanded, "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), and even from the cross, the sinless Son rendered full obedience. Though Mary had no claim upon Him as Savior above any other, yet as her Son, He provided for her with holy compassion. What love is this? He who sustains the universe ensures the earthly care of one widow. He who was forsaken by the Father does not forsake His mother. He Who was giving His life for the Church did not overlook the needs of one aged saint. Here is the heart of Christ--tender, attentive, selfless. Let every believer draw comfort from this: if the Lord showed such affection in His darkest hour, will He not now--glorified and enthroned--care for His own? "Casting all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Christ is not indifferent to your sorrow, your loneliness, or your need. He who appointed John to care for Mary appoints all your circumstances with wisdom and love. And let this word o

The Word of ANGUISH Matthew 27:46, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" This anguishing cry pierces time and eternity. It echoes with a depth of sorrow which no human mind can fully grasp. It was not the physical pain of His torture, nor the mockery of men--but the awful withdrawal of the Father's presence that wrung this cry of torment from the Savior's heart. This was not loss of faith, but the deepest agony of love, deprived of its joy. Never had the Son known such a moment. From all eternity, He had dwelt in perfect fellowship with the Father--one in essence, joy and will. Yet here, at Calvary's apex, Jesus was forsaken. Not as a sinner, for He was sinless. But as our sin-bearer. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The absolutely Holy One, stood in the place of vile sinners. The Beloved One became accursed, that the cursed ones might become beloved. In this forsaking, Hell's horror was compressed into a moment--and endured by One Who could not sin and would not turn away. Here we behold the infinite cost of our redemption. Christ endured the wrath of the Father, so that we might have communion with Him. He was abandoned that we might be adopted. He was plunged into darkness so that we could walk in the light of God's favor. Let us tremble at this dreadful picture. Sin is no light thing. It required the cross. Not moral reformations. Not religious rituals. But the wrath-bearing death of the spotless Lamb. If the Father did not spare His own Son when sin was imputed to Him, then how can any presume to escape judgment apart from Jesus? Yet let us also adore. For this cry--as agonizing as it was--marks the very foundation of

The Word of SUFFERING John 19:28, "I am thirsty." So brief. So human. Yet so infinitely profound. With parched lips and a burning throat, the Lord of glory uttered the cry: "I am thirsty." This anguishing cry, from the One who turned water into wine; from the One who spoke of "living water" that quenches the soul forever. Yet here on the cruel cross, He thirsts. This word reveals the Savior's full identification with His people. He was no phantom on the cross, no divine being immune to suffering. He was truly Man--flesh and blood, nerves and sinews. He took upon Himself our nature, not merely in appearance, but in reality. In the furnace of affliction, He drank the bitter cup to its dregs! And this thirst was no mere physical craving--it was the cry of One consumed by the wrath of God against our sin. The fire of divine judgment dried up every drop of His vitality. Yet this word also reveals His perfect submission. John tells us that Jesus said this, "so that the Scripture would be fulfilled" (John 19:28). Even in dire agony, He was obedient. He suffered not as a victim of chance, but as the Servant of the Father's will, and out of love for His people. Every moment on the cross was the outworking of God's eternal purpose. Every pang fulfilled prophecy. His sin-atoning suffering accomplished our redemption. This agonizing cry is a precious balm to the believer's soul. Are you weary? He was weary. Are you in pain? He was pierced. Are you thirsty for righteousness, for peace, for God? He thirsted first--that He might give you the water of life freely. "To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21:6). Christian, this

"It is finished!" John 19:30 One word in the Greek. Three in English. But infinite in meaning. "It is finished!" Not a cry of despair, but a shout of triumph. Not the sigh of one overcome, but the proclamation of a Conqueror. As the Savior bowed His thorn-crowned head, He declared that the work He had come to do was fully accomplished. Every step of obedience, every act of righteousness, every prophecy fulfilled--finished forever! The Law, perfectly honored. The justice of God, fully satisfied. The cup of wrath, drained to the last drop! Satan defeated. Sin atoned for. Redemption purchased. No loose ends remain. Nothing is lacking. Nothing is left for man to add. Christ did not say, "I have done My part; now you do yours." He said, "It is finished!" Here lies the ground of the believer's peace. Not in our feelings. Not in our performance. But in the finished work of Christ. It is not our grip on Him, but His grip on us, that secures salvation. All whom the Father gave to the Son were loved, redeemed, and secured by this one glorious act. "By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever, those who are being made holy" (Hebrews 10:14). Are you weary from striving to earn God's favor? Lay down your burden at the foot of the cross. Do not insult the sufficiency of Christ's sin-atoning sacrifice by trying to supplement it. There is no purgatory to endure, no penance to perform, nothing to merit or earn. The bloody death of Jesus has done it all. Let this word of victory fill your heart with holy joy and reverent awe. If "It is finished," then you are free--free to serve God, free to love God, free to worship God--not to gain salvation, but because salvation has been secured.

"Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." Luke 23:46 This final utterance from the cross is not one of defeat--but of divine serenity. Having borne the wrath of God and completed the work of our redemption, the Lord Jesus now breathes out a word of rest and trust: "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." This is not resignation--it is resolution. Not despair--but deep satisfaction in the will of God. Notice the address: "Father." Though moments earlier He had cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"--now the darkness lifts, and communion is restored. The cry of abandonment, has given way to the voice of fellowship. Christ dies not in fear, but in faith. Not under wrath, but in the embrace of love. The Lord Jesus did not cling to His life; in love for His people, He sacrificed it. Voluntarily. Confidently. Peacefully. He had said earlier, "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord" (John 10:18). And now, He lays it down in perfect contentment. He entrusts His spirit to the Father--not into the void, not into oblivion--but into sovereign, loving hands. Here is the death of the believer's Substitute--and the model for every believer's own death. Christ has taken the sting out of death. The grave has lost its victory. For the Christian, death is no longer a leap into darkness, but a Home-going to the Father. The moment the spirit leaves the body, it enters the presence of God. Believer, are you anxious? Do you fear what lies ahead? Learn from your Savior. Live in such communion with God, that you may die as He did--trusting, resting, content. Say daily with faith, "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." Not only at death, but in

O Sirs! In the grave it is all the same--to one who has had all, and to another who has had nothing. What folly is it to lay up goods for many years, when we cannot lay up one day for the enjoyment of our goods! Jesus, who never miscalled any, calls him "fool!" who had much of the world in his hands--but nothing of God in his heart. All the world is not proportionate to the precious soul. All of its riches cannot pacify conscience, nor secure eternity, nor prevent death, nor help you in the day of judgment. Therefore be contented with a little. All the good things of this world, are but cold comforts. They cannot stretch to eternity, they will not go with us into the eternal world. Therefore why should the lack of such things either trouble our thoughts, or break our hearts? The whole world is but . . . a paradise for fools, a beautiful but deceitful harlot, a dreamed sweetness an ocean of gall. There is nothing to be found in it, which has not mutability and uncertainty, vanity and vexation stamped upon it. And therefore he cannot be truly happy who enjoys it; nor can he be miserable who lacks it. And why then should not he be contented--who has but a little of it? The greatest outward happiness is but honeyed poison; and therefore do not mutter or murmur because you have but little of the world. Ah, what fools are they who spend their time and strength in following after these butterflies--the honors, profits, and pleasures of this world--which will all perish in the using! He who makes the world his god, shall find it to be a broken cistern, a shadow, a shell, a nothing. But he who finds contentment in having little of the world, and much of Jesus, has

Song of Songs 2:16, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His!" What a sweet and wondrous relationship exists between the believer and the Lord Jesus! What a privilege to call Him my Beloved! He is not only my Savior, but my daily Bread, my hourly Companion, my constant Joy. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. This short verse is a wellspring of soul-satisfying truth. It is the language of holy intimacy, breathed from the heart of a redeemed sinner who has been saved from eternal perdition by Jesus. Here the sincere Christian speaks with the warmth of experiential knowledge: "My Beloved is mine, and I am His!" "My Beloved is mine!" Who is this Beloved? He is the altogether lovely One, the fairest of ten thousand, the eternal Son of God. The believer dares to say that this glorious Person--this Prince of Heaven--is his! The One who reigns over angels, who upholds all creation by the word of His power--has freely given Himself to His redeemed people. All that He is, and all that He has, becomes theirs. His righteousness covers them. His intercession sustains them. His Spirit indwells them. His love surrounds them. His promises anchor them. Oh what infinite condescension, that such a Savior would belong to such unworthy and Hell-deserving sinners. "And I am His!" The believer belongs to Jesus--not merely by profession, but by redemption. He is bought with a price, sealed with His Spirit, and set apart for His glory. The Christian is not his own. His heart, his will, his time, his affections, his very life--are bound up in the One who gave Himself for him. What a glorious blessing it is to wholly belong to the tender, faithful, wise, and holy One, who loves us perfectly.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." This is the desire of a man who has been saved from sin and damnation by Jesus, and now lives only for Him. Paul's dilemma is not born of doubt, but of devotion. His heart is stretched between two holy desires: to serve Jesus on earth--or to see Jesus in Heaven. "For to me, to live is Christ" meant that Paul viewed Jesus as his absolute Lord and Master. His life was not his own. Whether preaching in synagogues, writing letters in prison, or suffering beatings and rejection--he counted it all as "fruitful labor" for his Savior. He did not crave ease, pleasure, or honor. So long as his heart beat, it would beat for the Lord Jesus. Yet "to die is gain." Not because Paul saw death as an escape from trouble, but because he saw death as the entrance to endless joy. Death for him was not the end of life--it was the beginning of glory. He does not speak of death with hesitation, but with longing. "To depart and be with Christ... which is better by far!" Not just better, but far better! His heart was not attached to this fleeting and disappointing world. Paul realized that on the day of his death, he would behold King Jesus in all of His beauty! Still, Paul says, "it is more necessary for you that I remain." This is the heart of a true shepherd of souls. Though he yearned for Heaven, he willingly delays his crown for the sake of God's flock. What an example of selfless devotion. Dear believer, are you living in Paul's dilemma? Does your heart long for Jesus above all, yet remain gladly willing to labor on for His name's sake? The Christian life is marked by a holy tension: a life fully yielded here, and a soul homesick for Hea

Mark 8:36, "What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" When a lost man dies: his relatives scramble for his money; the worms scramble for his body; and the demons scramble for his soul. What a fearful and sobering picture this is. The world may dress death in velvet and flowers, but God reveals its true horror for the unregenerate soul. The instant a man without Christ breathes his last, everything he loved is torn from him. His money is left behind, becoming a point of contention and greed among his relatives. The body he once adorned and pampered, is claimed by corruption and decay. And his soul--the most precious part of his being--is cast into eternal Hell. The world's goods, its riches, its pleasures, its pomp, its fame--what are all these without Jesus? They are a painted pageantry to go to Hell in! They are a mockery to an immortal spirit. They are like a mirage in the desert, deluding the traveler, but not yielding one substantial drop of joy. "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind!" (Ecclesiastes 1:14). Yes! This poor world is a heap of chaff; the only enduring treasure is to be found in Jesus. If you neglect Him, you neglect all that is worth having. For the lost, death is not an escape--it is the doorway to everlasting punishment. Jesus spoke more often of Hell than of Heaven, warning us with great compassion: "Fear Him who, after killing the body, has power to throw you into Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:5). The man who lives for himself and dies without Jesus, does not rest in peace. He awakens to eternal torment, where hope never

"The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time!" Genesis 6:5 "Her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes!" Revelation 18:5 "Fools mock at sin!" Proverbs 14:9 "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them!" Romans 1:32 Man by nature is insane! He suffers from a deep rooted psychosis called sin! An unseen principle of madness permeates his entire being! Fallen man is a stark raving lunatic - whose depravity, rebellion, and malice against God literally knows no limit. Thoroughly degraded, man is a weak, tiny, insignificant, little dung-beetle - yet, in his senseless audacity and brazen insolence he daily tempts God to destroy him by stubbornly refusing to obey Him. If it is madness for maggots on a dunghill to oppose the all-powerful boot of man - then we worms of the earth dare not oppose the Most High God, whose invisible boot of omnipotent sovereignty could squash our souls into Hell with unthinkable ease! Such unwarranted impudence is not only futile, but completely and utterly insane! "You have sinned against the Lord. Be sure your sin will find you out!" Numbers 32:23 "I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless!" Isaiah 13:11

"Do not love the world or anything in the world." 1 John 2:15 There are two ways in which a person may attempt to displace the love of the world from the heart: 1. By a demonstration of the world's vanity, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it. "When I surveyed all that I had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve-everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun!" Ecclesiastes 2:11 "This world is passing away along with its desires!" 1 John 2:17 2. By setting forth another object, even Christ, as more worthy of its attachment, so that the heart shall be prevailed upon to exchange an old affection for a new one. The best way to overcome the world, is not with morality or self-discipline. Christians overcome the world by seeing the beauty and excellence of Christ. They overcome the world by seeing something more attractive than the world-the Lord Jesus Christ! "Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

Psalm 119:117, "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!" There is a glorious humility in this brief prayer. It is the cry of one who knows both his weakness, and his heavenly Father's ability. The psalmist does not say, "I will hold myself up!" or "I will stand in my own strength!" He knows better. He has learned the painful lesson of his own weakness and instability, and proneness to wander from God. Instead, he casts himself entirely upon the Lord: "Hold me up, and I shall be safe!" Only God can uphold His redeemed people, with corruption in their hearts, in a world full of spiritual dangers and deceits. This verse is a declaration of the utter necessity of God's sustaining grace. The redeemed are not kept by their own will-power, intelligence, or resolve--they are "kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5). It is sovereign grace that chose them, grace that effectually called them, grace that redeemed them, and grace that will preserve them to the end. Were it not for God's moment-by-moment upholding grace, no believer could endure to the end. The world entices, the flesh rebels, the devil accuses--and divine grace alone keeps the feet from slipping. The Lord's people shall not fall away finally or totally. They may fall foully, but they shall not fall finally. He who began the good work in them, will carry it on until He completes it. The same hand which gave us spiritual life, must preserve that life. Grace in the heart, is like a spark in the ocean; it would be utterly quenched, unless the Lord kept it alive. Yet God's sustaining grace is not merely a necessity--it is a comfort beyond all measure. What greater security could the believer have, than to be uph

These petty troubles and vexations! George Everard, "Little Foxes, and How to Catch Them!" 1878 (You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.) We must see our heavenly Father's hand in our lesser trials and cares, as much as in the greater ones. David recognized the hand of God, in Absalom rising against him in rebellion--but he saw it no less in Shimei throwing stones and dust and casting bitter words at him. Just so, let us see God's hand in everything. These petty troubles and vexations are a part of our schooling for Heaven. They are just as much sent from above, as the fierce storm that wrecks our home and leaves us desolate in a cold world. They all come . . . to prove us, to humble us, to draw out the grace which God has given us, to break the tie that binds us too closely to earth, to knit the tie that draws us nearer to Heaven. Let us ever fix this in our minds. Let us say to ourselves: "My Father has sent this trial!  Not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him.  The very hairs of my head are numbered by Him.  So I will trust His heart, where I cannot trace His hand.  He is too wise to be mistaken--and too good to be unkind!"

John 13:7, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." There is infinite mercy in that gentle correction of Jesus to Peter. The Lord was stooping to wash the feet of His disciples--a task far beneath His dignity, but not beneath His love. Peter objected, unable to reconcile this lowly act with the majesty of the One he knew to be the Son of God. But Jesus silences Peter's protest, not with an explanation, but with a quiet assurance: "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." This assurance is not for Peter only. It is for every believer who walks through the shadowy mysteries of God's providence. In the Lord's dealings with His redeemed people, there is much that is concealed--and rightly so. Our finite minds cannot trace the lines of His infinite wisdom. What He hides from us is not meant to wound us, but to humble us, teach us, and draw us to trust Him. It is not ours to demand the explanation of God's dealings with us. It is ours to say, "It is the Lord! Let Him do what is good in His sight." To pry into the hidden counsels of the Almighty, is both presumption and folly. The Judge of all the earth will do right--even when we cannot yet comprehend it. Shall the clay rise up to challenge the Potter? Shall dust and ashes cross-examine the Most High? Faith bows and adores. Faith says, "Though He slays me, yet I will hope in Him." God's providences may appear darksome to us, but they are never erring. All must be right--because He does it. And what is true in providence is even more true in grace. Why did God choose us, the most unlikely and unworthy? Why were we made to hear His voice, while other

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us--that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 Those whom Jesus loves, being chosen of God to holiness here on earth, and happiness in eternity--are predestined to the adoption of His children--to the praise of the glory of His grace. They are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son--they are to . . . partake of His nature, receive of His spirit, wear His image, and be associated with Him in honor and glory forever! Jesus calls them: His brethren, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Himself! Being His redeemed children, they . . . have a saving interest in Him, are eternally loved by Him, are in eternal union with Him, and shall never be separated from Him! O wondrous mercy! That God should condescend to make up a family of such vile, polluted, and wretched beings as we are! O wondrous mercy! That He should write our names in His book of life, give us the gift of the Holy Spirit, privilege us as His children at His throne, and associate us with Jesus as fellow-heirs. O wondrous mercy! That all this should have been fixed upon and settled--before the beginning of time, and all for the praise of His glorious grace!

"Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!" Ephesians 5:25 Thoughts of love nestled in His heart; words of love lingered on His lips; deeds of love flew from His hands; and His steps left behind them, the impress of love! Love threw its soft halo over His cradle at Bethlehem, and it fringed with its mellow splendors, the gloom of the cloud under which He expired on Calvary. Love gave bounds to His reproofs, and pathos to His invitations. Love was the magnet that guided Him in all His wanderings. Love bound Him to the cross and held Him there, and not the iron nails which pierced His hands and His feet! Love thrilled in His bosom, and glistened in His eye! Love prompted Him to impart miraculous aid on every opportunity. His meekness was but one of its features. It clothed itself in forgiveness toward His enemies, and its last pulsation was in a prayer for His murderers. Love was the spiritual atmosphere in which He lived, moved, and had His being. And all this love had His own redeemed people for its central object, around whom it ever hovered with sleepless tenderness and assiduity! "Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!" But those exhibitions of love during His life, are eclipsed by the displays of it in His death! Love shines out with wondrous charms amidst the gloom of death, for it did not shrink from the shame and woe of the cross! His severest anguish was that of His soul. Oh! it was not shame, persecution, or crucifixion--for these terrible sufferings could have been easily borne! It was not the rage and malice of Satan--these also could have been trampled on! But it was the endurance in Himself of the punishment du

1 John 3:2-3, "Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him--for we shall see Him as He is!" Let us endeavor to realize our present sonship; it will produce . . . boldness at His throne of grace, contrition at His cross, confidence in His Word, love to His person, contentment with our lot, victory over the world, zeal for His glory, and encouragement under all our trials and troubles! We are either children of God, or enemies of God! Every child of God . . . mourns over sin, flies to the Savior, and departs from iniquity! God is now his Father. All the promises are his. The eternal inheritance is his. Let us look back to the rock from whence we were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence we were dug: How base was our origin--the dust! How degraded was our condition--slaves of sin and Satan! How fearful was our character--enemies to God! How dreadful was our eternal doom--the lake which burns with brimstone and fire! Contrast this with . . . our present relationship--children of God; our high standing--in heavenly places in Christ; our glorious privilege--justified from all things; our fixed destiny--to be forever with the Lord! And to what is this astonishing change to be ascribed? To the love of God in Christ Jesus! "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us--that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 What a mystery of mercy is this! But if we are unbelievers, then we are . . . God's enemies, children of wrath, under the curse, in imminent danger! Satan is our father! Sin

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word." "It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your decrees." "I know, O LORD, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me." Trials, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, are a great help to overcome our corruptions. The sharper the trial, the sweeter the result--when it is sanctified by the Spirit. When trials come, they whip us home to our heavenly Father! Sheep do not stray very far when the big black dog is after them--his barkings make them run to their shepherd. In the same way, affliction is the Good Shepherd's black dog which He sends to fetch us back to Him; otherwise we would wander to our ruin. When trouble comes, it should drive us to God, just as the shipwrecked sailor is driven to the shore. If the gold knew why it was cast into the fire--it would thank the Refiner for putting it there. Our heavenly Father loves us too much to exempt us from trials. Let us believe that His choicest love-letters are sent to us in black-edged envelopes. We are frightened at the envelope; but inside, if we know how to break the seal, we shall find riches for our souls. We draw nearest to God, in our brokenness. There is no school like the school of trial, and the rod of affliction is the best instructor. By affliction, the Lord separates the sin which He hates, from the soul which He loves. It is a blessed thing when the mind is brought to humbly submit to the chastisements of God, and to acquiesce in all of His providential trials. Knowing as we do, that God causes all things to work together for our good, and that we never endure a single trial more than our heavenly Fath

Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" There is no love on earth to compare with the love of Jesus. His love is not a mere sentiment--it is a mighty, active, sacrificial love. From eternity past, He set His heart upon a people given to Him by the Father. Knowing full well their rebellion, guilt, and depravity--He loved them still. And because He loved them, He came down from the heights of glory to the depths of shame--to be the sin-atoning sacrifice for their sins. The love of Jesus is a SOVEREIGN love--free, undeserved, and initiated by Himself alone. "We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) There was nothing in us to attract Him--only vileness to repulse Him. Yet He set His love upon us with everlasting determination. The love of Jesus is a SUFFERING love. He bore the wrath we deserved. He was pierced for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5) Every blow He received, every thorn pressed into His brow, every nail driven through His flesh--proclaimed the depth and cost of His love for His people. The wounds of Jesus are the sure pledges of His love. He wrote His love in crimson letters upon the cross. The love of Jesus is a PERSONAL love. "The Son of God...loved ME and gave Himself for ME." (Galatians 2:20) He knows and loves each of His redeemed people individually. He sought us when we were wandering. He drew us with cords of kindness. He washed us in His blood. He clothed us in His righteousness. He calls us His brothers, His bride, His beloved. The love of Jesus is an UNCHANGING love. Human love fades and falters--but not His. Having loved His own who

Romans 8:30, "Those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified." The Christian's journey is not a random path through this wilderness world--it is a divinely ordained pilgrimage that begins in GRACE, and ends in GLORY. Every believer is the object of God's eternal love, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and predestined not merely for salvation, but for full conformity to His image. Grace is not the end of the story--it is the beginning of a glorious journey to glory. The same God who begins the good work of salvation in us, will bring it to completion. He Who predestined us, and effectually called us, and justified us, will also glorify us. Our final state is one of radiant perfection, fully reflecting the character of Jesus. This is the believer's unshakable hope. Our salvation is not uncertain or dependent on our frail efforts. The God who saved us by His grace, will surely bring us to glory. Between grace and glory, there will be suffering, trials, and valleys--but none of them can sever this golden chain of salvation forged by divine love. Let every redeemed soul rejoice in this truth: God's grace will carry us all the way home to Heaven. From His electing love in eternity past, to our glorification in eternity future--we are held fast by His unchanging purpose. The One who called us by grace, will crown us with glory. We shall see His face, and be like Him forever. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, to

Luke 4:33-34, "In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice: Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" Luke 4:41, "Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting: 'You are Christ, the Son of God!' But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ." We should notice in this passage, the clear religious knowledge possessed by the devil and his agents. Twice in these verses we have proof of this. "I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" was the language of an evil spirit in one case. "You are Christ, the son of God," was the language of many demons in another. Yet this knowledge was a knowledge unaccompanied by faith, or hope, or love. Those who possessed it were miserable evil beings, full of bitter hatred both against God and man. Let us beware of an unsanctified knowledge of the truths of Christianity. It is a dangerous possession, but a fearfully common one in these latter days. We may know the Bible intellectually, and have no doubt about the truth of its contents. We may have our memories well stored with its leading texts, and be able to talk glibly about its leading doctrines. And all this time the Bible may have no influence over our hearts, and wills, and consciences. We may in reality, be nothing better than the demons! Let it never content us to know religion with our heads only. We may go on all our lives saying, "I know this, and I know that!"--and sink at last into Hell with the words upon our lips! Let us see that our knowledge bears fruit in our lives. Does our knowledge of sin make us hat

Romans 5:20, "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Sin is not merely the breaking of a rule--it is rebellion against the infinite majesty and holiness of God. It is treason against the sovereign King of Heaven. It is a monstrous defilement of the soul, a willful choosing of darkness over light, a loathing of God's commandments, and a love for what He hates. Sin pollutes every part of our being--our minds are blinded, our hearts are deceitful, our wills are enslaved. Sin makes us loathsome in God's sight, and fit only for eternal judgment. Scripture does not soften the description: we are "dead in transgressions and sins," "children of wrath," "slaves to sin," and "enemies of God." The horror of our sin is not measured by how we see it, but by how God sees it--as that which nailed His beloved Son to the cross! And yet, into that blackness shines a light so glorious that no mind could have imagined it, and no heart could have hoped for it--the grace of God! His grace is unearned, undeserved, and unrepayable. It is His free favor poured out on the utterly un-deserving, ill-deserving and Hell-deserving. Grace finds us filthy, and makes us pure. Grace finds us guilty, and declares us righteous. Grace finds us enemies of God, and makes us His sons and daughters. Nowhere are sin and grace manifested as clearly, than at Golgotha. There, the horror of our sin is exposed in full; for only the blood of the sinless Son of God could make atonement for it! His groans, His wounds, His forsakenness--all cry out against our guilt. At Golgotha also, the wonder of grace shines brightest. Jesus bore our sin, that we might bear His righteousness. He was cursed, that we mig

Habakkuk 1:13, "You are of purer eyes than to behold evil; You cannot look on wickedness." Psalm 5:4–5, "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong." If we would know how God views sin, we must not measure it by how lightheartedly man treats it, nor by how common it appears in the world, nor even by how it wounds our own conscience. No. We must measure sin by the cross. Sin is not merely a mistake, a weakness, or an unfortunate choice. It is a direct offense against the holiness of the eternal God. Sin is a daring defiance of His Word, a trampling upon His glory, and a mockery of His authority. But if we would truly understand the infinite evil of sin, we must look to Calvary. There, on the accursed tree, God unveiled His view of sin. He did not even spare His own beloved Son, when He stood in the sinner's place. What horror must belong to sin, when its payment required the abandonment of the sinless One by His own Father? What dreadful weight must sin carry, that it could crush the eternal Son of God into the dust of death? What must God think of sin, when He would lay upon Jesus the iniquity of His people, and exact from Him every drop of wrath which our guilt deserved? Behold the bloodied brow, the pierced hands, the parched lips, the darkened sky, the cry of dereliction: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!" These are God's thunderous declarations that sin is no trifle. Sin is not something He can simply overlook. Sin is a monster so vile, that it demanded nothing less than the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Here is a sight too deep for words: the infinit

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ews 3:13, " . . . that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Sin is the greatest evil in the universe. It is the parent of all other evils. All evils draw their bitterness from this fountain of wormwood and gall. If a man had every possession a mortal could desire, sin could turn every blessing into a curse. And on the other hand, if a man had nothing but suffering, but stood clear from all sin--then his afflictions, his losses, his deprivations, might each one be a gain to him. We ought not to pray so much against sickness, or trial, or even against death itself--as against sin. Satan himself cannot hurt us, except as he is armed with the poisoned arrows of sin. Alas! We are sadly prone to sin, and evil has great influence over us. Sin never presents itself in its true colors. Like a skilled deceiver, it comes as an angel of light, promising freedom, but delivering bondage; offering pleasure, but producing pain. Sin's most deadly weapon is its power to delude the soul. It is not the roaring lion--but the subtle serpent, that we have most cause to fear! Sin deceives in many ways: Sin softens its name--what God calls rebellion, sin calls mistake or infirmity. Sin minimizes consequences, whispering, "You shall not die." Sin appeals to the affections, drawing the heart toward what seems desirable; but is in truth, destructive. Sin first fascinates--and then slays. Sin . . . blinds the judgment, hardens the heart, and ultimately damns the soul. One of sin's deadliest lies is that it is harmless in small doses. The point of the sword is small, and for that reason the more deadly! We permit "little sins," imagining them to be harmless. But little si

The Christian's hope does not rest in his own strength or steadfastness, but in the mighty, preserving power of God. Jude 24-25, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude closes his epistle with this soaring doxology, lifting our gaze to the triumphant and unshakable glory of our great God and Savior, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!" What comfort is found in those words! Left to ourselves, we would surely fall. Our flesh is weak, the world is alluring, and the devil is deceitful. If we had to keep ourselves, we would be like the spider's web--swept away by the first rough wind of trial or temptation. Yet God assuredly upholds His people, because He is faithful. The believer is kept, not barely, but perfectly. God does not merely preserve us in a state of struggle and guilt, limping into Heaven bruised and soiled. No, He will present us "without fault"--blameless in His sight, clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, and cleansed from every stain. And this will be done "with great joy". Not only our joy, but His! He who began a good work in us, will carry it on to completion. The Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep, promises that He will give them eternal life, and that none of them shall ever perish. Jude reminds us that all glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to God--not only in eternity past, not only in the present age,

The devil's chessboard! (Charles Spurgeon, "Flowers from a Puritan's Garden" 1883) "So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes!" 2 Corinthians 2:11 "Be watchful; the world is the devil's chessboard! You can hardly move backward or forward, but he is ready to attack you with some temptation!" Those who play at the game of chess know that great caution is needed. Your opponent is working toward a design of which you know nothing; and while you imagine that you are doing exceedingly well, he is entrapping you! The game of life, as against Satan, is one in which . . . his maneuvers and artifice, his long practice and stratagems, his superior skill and deceptiveness, and his unscrupulous schemes, give him an immense advantage over our poor self-conceited folly! Lord, help us! You know our adversary; be pleased to deliver us out of his hand. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes!" Ephesians 6:11