Grace Audio Treasures

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 The workings of grace in the heart are utterly mysterious and unsearchable. We cannot explain why the Word produces effects on one person in a congregation, and not upon another. We cannot explain why, in some cases; with every possible advantage, and in spite of every entreaty; people reject the Word, and continue dead in trespasses and sins. We cannot explain why in other cases; with every possible difficulty, and with no encouragement; people are born again, and become decided Christians. We cannot define the manner in which the Spirit of God conveys life to a soul, and the exact process by which a believer receives a new nature. All these are hidden things to us. We see certain results, but we can go no further. This is deeply instructive. It is humbling no doubt to ministers, and teachers of others. The highest abilities, the most powerful preaching, the most diligent working, cannot command success. God alone can give spiritual life. But it is a truth at the same time, which supplies an admirable antidote to excessive anxiety and despondency. Our principal work is to sow the seed. That done, we may wait with faith and patience for the result. We may leave our work with the Lord. He alone can, if He thinks fit, give success.

Psalm 71:18, "Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God!" There is a sacred beauty in the twilight years of a Christian's life. Though the body may weaken and the outward man decay, the inward man is being renewed day by day. Old age is not the closing chapter of usefulness or joy--but rather, the crowning season of God's faithfulness on full display. The advancing years bring with them many changes. Strength wanes. Memory fades. Loved ones depart. The once-busy hands may tremble, and the once-swift feet may falter. But one thing remains gloriously unchanged: the faithful, sustaining presence of our Savior-God! "I made you," He says. That means you are not here by accident. You were crafted by His hand, loved from eternity, and adopted into His family by grace. And now, in your latter years, you are not left to walk alone. He will carry you--not just support you or walk beside you--but carry you, with the tenderness of a Father and the strength of a mighty Savior. The psalmist's plea in Psalm 71 arises not from doubt but from dependence. He knows that the God who sustained him in youth, is the same God he needs in old age. He does not ask for ease, nor for the restoration of youthful vigor--but for the nearness of God: "Do not forsake me, O God!" That cry is not in vain, For your redeemer-God answers with a tender, personal assurance: "Even when you are old, I will take care of you,  even when you have gray hair, I will carry you.  I made you and I will support you;  I will carry you and rescue you." Isaiah 46:4 What a mercy this is! Our God is not like man, who grows weary and forgetful. He never ages, never weakens, never withdraws His care. He is the

Behold His precious Gift transfixed to it! (Octavius Winslow, "Morning Thoughts") "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?" Romans 8:32 Look at the cross! Behold His precious Gift transfixed to it, and that by His own hand, and for your sins. Then look at your present circumstances, survey . . . your needs, your trials, your chastisements, your bereavements, your heart sickening, heartbreaking tribulations, and know that God still is love. If He had love strong enough, deep enough, to give you Jesus; to tear Him, as it were, from His bosom, and to transfix Him on yonder accursed tree for your iniquities; then has He not love enough to bow His ear to your cry, and His heart to your sorrow? Will He not . . . rescue you from this difficulty, deliver you out of this trouble, shield you in this temptation, supply this need, support and comfort you in this grief? Oh yes, He will! doubt it not! The cross of Calvary is a standing pledge; standing until sin and guilt, need and woe, shall be known no more; that God, who "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, will with Him also freely give us all things" necessary to our good, and promotive of His glory.

Christ is the least expensive Physician. He takes no fee. He desires us to bring nothing to Him but broken hearts. And when He has cured us, He desires us to bestow nothing on Him but our love. Christ heals with more ease than any other. Christ makes the devil go out with a word (Mark 9:25). Nay, He can cure with a look: Christ's look melted Peter into repentance; it was a healing look. If Christ does but cast a look upon the soul, He will heal it. Christ is the most tender-hearted Physician. He is not more full of skill than sympathy, 'He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds' (Psalm 147:3). Every groan of the patient, goes to the heart of this Physician. Christ never fails of success. Christ never undertakes to heal any, but He makes a full cure. Other physicians can only cure those who are sick, but Christ cures those who are dead! "And you has He quickened, who were dead!" (Ephesians 2:1). Christ is a Physician for the dead! Of every one whom Christ cures it may be said, "He was dead, and is alive again!" (Luke 15:32) Christ is the most bountiful Physician. Other patients enrich their physicians; but here the Physician enriches the patient. Christ elevates all His patients. He not only cures them, but crowns them! (Revelation 2:10). Christ does not only raise them from the bed, but to the throne! He gives the sick man not only health, but also Heaven!

What a sweet and trusting declaration from the lips of David! In the midst of trouble, betrayal, and weakness--David casts himself wholly upon his Savior-God. These are not merely words of resignation, but of restful trust in the absolute sovereignty of God. The believer knows that . . . his every moment, his every event, his every affliction, and his every joy, are lovingly decreed and directed by his wise and gracious Father. Nothing is random. Nothing is meaningless. Nothing is outside of His control. "My times"--not just the favorable ones, but the painful ones too! Times of darkness and delay, times of persecution and sorrow, times of temptation and confusion --they are all in His loving hands. Whose hands? The hands that fashioned the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. The hands that uphold universe by the word of His power. The hands that were pierced for our transgressions. The hands that gently lead His flock, carry His lambs, and uphold His weak ones. Into those hands, David entrusts not only his soul, but his very moments and seasons. This is the anchor for every storm-tossed saint--that his life is not governed by chance, nor is it at the mercy of evil men or fickle circumstances. His times are in the hands of Him who cannot err, who always acts for the good of His people and the glory of His Name. The believer may not know what tomorrow holds--but he knows Who holds tomorrow. He may not understand the present sorrow--but he is assured that not a moment of it is wasted, for all is measured out by unerring wisdom and infinite love. Here is rich comfort: Nothing can touch the believer, but what first pass

Psalm 37:4, "Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires." "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You!" Psalm 73:25 The world clamors after countless delights--riches, fame, lust, success--but the Word of God redirects the soul with this divine imperative: "Take delight in the LORD." This is not a bare command, but a gracious invitation into the very joy and satisfaction of God. True religion is not found in cold duty or lifeless religious rituals, but in the warm, living enjoyment of God Himself. The believer is called not merely to serve the Lord, but to delight in Him. He is to find . . . his chief joy in God's glory, his deepest satisfaction in God's presence, and his highest pleasure in doing God's will. This delight is not superficial--it flows from a heart transformed by saving grace. The natural man has no desire for God; he finds . . . no sweetness in Christ, no loveliness in a holy life, no beauty in the bloody cross. But when the Spirit of God regenerates the soul, a miracle occurs: the heart is drawn irresistibly to the Lord. The believer now sees in Him infinite worth and majesty. His love becomes better than life. His favor is counted more precious than gold. His Word becomes the soul's delight, and His will becomes the soul's aim. The Christian's desires for God are intense, continual, and insatiable. Heart refuses to be content with anything but the living God. It is to such a person that the promise is made: "He will give you your heart's desires." But note carefully--this is not the promise of carnal wishes being granted, but of holy desires being fulfilled. The one who delights in

Job 11:7-8, "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens!" Lift your eyes to the heavens, and you will see something truly astonishing: a universe without measure! Billions of galaxies, each filled with billions of stars, stretch out across an unfathomable expanse. The sheer scale of creation defies comprehension. It is not just vast--it is infinite in every direction we look. And Scripture tells us exactly why--it is the handiwork of the infinite God. "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit!" (Psalm 147:5) His power knows no boundaries, and neither does His creative capacity. What He has made is not only beautiful, but also boundless--designed to reflect His limitless glory. And if that is so, then who are we to say that He has not populated this vast universe with other creatures of His design--beings perhaps utterly unlike ourselves, beyond all human imagination? The Bible is clear that God created man in His image and placed him upon the earth to display His glory. But the Bible does not say that this is all that God has done. It would not be inconsistent with His wisdom or power to form other worlds, filled with rational beings that we cannot fathom--creatures who serve Him in ways known only to Him. Their form, purpose, and nature may be entirely different from ours. Yet all would exist for the same ultimate reason: to glorify their Maker. Such a thought does not diminish man's significance--it exalts God's magnificence. We are not the center of the universe. God is. And it is entirely fitting for an infinite God to create far more than we can see, understand,

1 Peter 2:7, "To you who believe, He is precious!" To the regenerate soul, Jesus Christ is the chief delight and treasure of the heart. The world may see no beauty in Him, but to the one born of God, Jesus is altogether lovely and worthy of all of our love, honor, and adoration. His preciousness lies first in His Person. In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and yet He took upon Himself true humanity. What mystery, that He who upholds all things by the word of His power, also humbled himself to become obedient to death--even death on a cross! Who can fathom such condescension? Who is like this glorious Mediator, who is both the Son of God and the Son of Man? Christ is also precious in His offices. As Prophet, He reveals the Father's will, teaching us the way of salvation with divine authority and tenderness. As Priest, He offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, and ever lives to intercede for us. As King, He rules over us with perfect righteousness and protects us from all our enemies. Each office meets our deepest need, and each one displays His surpassing worth. Further, He is precious in His benefits. Who but Jesus can give rest to the weary, peace to the troubled, righteousness to the guilty, and life to the dead? His blood cleanses from all sin. His Spirit renews the heart. His intercession secures both our perseverance and preservation. His promises are sure and sweet, and His presence is the joy of the believer's soul. All the infinite treasures of grace are found in Him! The more we grow in grace, the more Christ becomes our all. The soul cannot but long for Him, be satisfied with Him, and rejoice in Him above all things! This longing

Psalm 145:3, "Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom!" God is pure Being--independent, infinite, and unchangeable. Before the mountains were born, before man was formed from the dust, before angels lifted their voices in praise--God was. He had no beginning, and He shall have no end. He exists of Himself, by Himself, and for Himself. He is the eternal I AM! To contemplate God's nature is to approach a blazing glory that no creature can fully endure. Yet He has revealed Himself--not exhaustively, but truly--in His Word. What He makes known is sufficient to bow our hearts in reverent awe. He is spirit, not limited by body or bounds. (John 4:24) He is life itself, the fountain of all existence. He is immutable: "I the Lord do not change!" (Malachi 3:6) Nothing can add to Him, improve Him, or diminish Him. He is eternally perfect in all His being. All of His attributes--His wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth--are not something He has, but the very essence of who He is. His justice is holy, His love is wise, His mercy is sovereign. Each attribute is harmoniously one with all the rest, perfectly united in His glorious essence. Though we are finite and fallen, the regenerate soul delights in the nature of God. The more we see Him as He is, the more we see ourselves as we are: a mixture of dust and sin. And yet, wonder of wonders, this infinite God condescends to be known, to be worshiped, and to be loved by His creatures. Let us then draw near with reverence and joy, remembering that to know God rightly is life eternal. (John 17:3) Let us worship Him not as a vague power, but as the living, personal, triune God--Fath

Colossians 1:17, "He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together!" It is a glorious truth that God not only created all things, but that He also governs and sustains them. Scripture assures us that He upholds all things moment by moment. His hand has never once lifted from the universe that He brought into being. The same voice that spoke the worlds into existence, still commands the rising of the sun, the falling of the rain, and the beating of every heart. Nothing is random. Nothing is left to chance. The entire cosmos is maintained and upheld by the power and wisdom of God. How staggering is His power! He does not merely uphold the visible things, but also the unseen: the bonds between atoms, and the orbits of galaxies. If God were to withdraw His sustaining power for a moment, the universe would dissolve in an instant. Every breath we take, every step we walk--is upheld by the power of Almighty God. Yet this is not a cold or mechanical support--it is governed by His wisdom. The Lord reigns with care, and purpose, and perfect understanding. He rules over the affairs of men, the paths of nations, the timing of seasons. He opens His hand and satisfies the needs of every living thing. He is not only infinite in power, but flawless in judgment. His governance is never hasty, never unjust, and never in error. For the believer, this truth brings deep comfort. We are not at the mercy of chance or chaos. The One who numbers the stars, also numbers our days. He who upholds His universe, also upholds His people. Even in trials and storms--His hand is steady, and His purpose is good. What He governs, He governs well. What He sustains, He sustains perfectly. L

Psalm 139:13-14, "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!" Among all the wonders of God's creation, none is more remarkable than man. Formed from the dust of the ground and animated by the breath of the Almighty, man is a living testimony to the astounding wisdom and power of God. Unlike any other creature, man was made in the image of God--endowed with both body and soul, created to reflect His glory. Consider the intricate design of the BODY. Every organ, every cell, every system works together with astonishing precision! The brain--an organ of unimaginable complexity--commands the entire body through the nervous system, sending signals at lightning speed. The heart pumps blood through 60,000 miles of vessels, delivering oxygen and nutrients with perfect timing. The lungs exchange gases in harmony with the circulatory system, drawing in the air ordained by God for our survival. The digestive system extracts fuel from food with extraordinary efficiency. The kidneys purify the blood, the liver neutralizes toxins, and the immune system defends against microscopic invaders. Each function is indispensable, and each one testifies: "The hand of the Lord has done this!" (Job 12:9) Even more, the reproductive system reflects God's creative power and His providential care in raising up each new generation. Life is not random--it is God-given. He knits every person together in the womb with intentional detail, fashioning both body and soul for His purposes. But man is not merely a physical being. God has given us a SOUL--an immortal, immaterial aspect of our being that commune

Before there was light, there was God. Before time, space, or matter existed, the eternal and all-sufficient Lord dwelled in perfect glory. The Bible opens with a thunderous declaration: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." No preexistent matter. No raw materials. No evolutionary process. God brought everything into existence--out of nothing! "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth… For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalm 33:6, 9) Ponder the omnipotent voice of God piercing the silence of eternity: "Let there be…"--and there was! By the sheer power of His word, galaxies spun into place. The sun, moon, and stars; the earth, the seas, and everything within them--sprang instantly into being. Such a reality should leave us in awe and reverent silence. Consider the wisdom of God in creation. Nothing was random, haphazard, or incomplete. God designed every atom, every law of physics, and every living creature with perfect intelligence. Every blade of grass, every planetary orbit, every microscopic cell--all declare the intricate genius of the Almighty. As Scripture testifies, "By wisdom the Lord laid the earth's foundations, by understanding He set the heavens in place." (Proverbs 3:19) The structure of a snowflake, the instincts of migrating birds, and the motion of celestial bodies--each bears the unmistakable fingerprints of divine wisdom. "O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You made them all." (Psalm 104:24) Now reflect on the power of God in creation. What He purposed, He instantly brought to pass. He did not toil or struggle. He simply spoke--and from

"Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have, that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7 1. "Who makes you different from anyone else?" This question strikes at the very root of pride. It reminds us that we are not self-made. If we are in the least way better than others--it is not ultimately due to our efforts or virtue, but to the sovereign blessing of God. He ordains our birth, abilities, opportunities, and circumstances. If we are more gifted, more knowledgeable, or more useful than others--it is not because we earned or deserved it. The moment we imagine that we are inherently better, we dethrone God as the Author of all that we are and have. Pride blinds us to the fact that every distinction between one sinner and another, is the result of God's gracious and undeserved choice. As Paul says elsewhere, "By the grace of God, I am what I am!" 1 Corinthians 15:10 2. "What do you have, that you did not receive?" Pride feeds on the delusion of self-sufficiency. But this question exposes the truth: everything we possess--physical health, intellectual capacity, spiritual understanding, and every earthly or heavenly blessing--has been received. We brought nothing into this world, and we will take nothing out. Even the faith by which we are saved is "not from yourselves, it is the gift of God!" (Ephesians 2:8) If we are saved, sanctified, and sustained, it is only because God has blessed us. The truly humble heart acknowledges that all is of grace, and therefore gives God all the glory. To boast in your superiority, is to forget the sovereign Potter, and exalt the vile clay! Who gave

"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word!" Isaiah 66:2 In a world that mocks the Bible, treats it as worthless, or as a mere relic of the past--the command to honor God's Word is more urgent than ever. Just as the third commandment forbids taking God's name in vain, so we must beware of taking His Word in vain--handling it carelessly, without reverence, or treating it with cold familiarity. God Himself declares whom He esteems: the one who is humble, contrite in spirit, and trembles at His Word. This trembling is a holy reverence, a heart that is deeply affected by the authority and purity of God's truth. It is the posture of one who believes every word is breathed out by the Almighty, and dares not treat it lightly or flippantly. David, though a king, bowed his heart before Scripture. "My heart trembles at Your Word," he said. It was not terror, but solemn respect. Not dread, but delight mixed with deep reverence. He knew that every syllable came flawless from the mouth of the living God. To take God's Word in vain is to read it without faith, to hear it without obedience, to quote it without submission. It is to reduce divine truth to an intellectual theory, a religious tradition, or a self-help slogan. God is not silent about such dishonor. He esteems not the proud, nor the clever--but the broken-hearted saint who reverences and clings to His Word as life itself. God's Word is His love letter to His redeemed people . . . stained with the blood of His Son, sealed with His Spirit, and full of precious promises. If we would honor God, we must tremble at what He has spoken. Let His Word correct us, rebuke us, h

Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Here, God opens to us the true gateway of wisdom. All the philosophies and teachings of men may parade themselves as insight, but apart from the fear of the LORD, they are blind guides leading the blind. Wisdom does not originate in intellect, nor is it attained by experience alone. It begins with the fear of God--a holy reverence and awe of His majesty, His power, His justice, and His grace. True fear of God does not lead to bondage, but to holiness. To fear the Lord is not a cringing dread, but a deep-hearted recognition of who He is, and a consequent submission to His will. It is to stand in awe of His holiness and to tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2). It is to love what He loves, to hate what He hates, and to live in conscious dependence upon Him. Until this fear governs the heart, one cannot be wise--for without it, one walks in the vanity of his own mind and the darkness of his own understanding (Ephesians 4:17-18). From this holy fear, springs the pursuit of the knowledge of the Holy One. Here we do not deal in mere information about God--but in the spiritual, experiential knowledge of Him through His Word. To know the Holy One, is to be brought into saving relationship with Him through Jesus and His sin-atoning sacrifice on the cross. This knowledge transforms. As we grow in reverence and deepen in our acquaintance with God's holy character, we are conformed into His likeness. Wisdom is not academic--it is spiritual insight into the ways and will of God, made possible only through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. True wisdom leads to holy

Exodus 20:7, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished, who takes His name in vain." This commandment, often overlooked in its full weight, strikes at the very heart of how we regard the holy character of God. It is a solemn warning against treating anything related to God with irreverence or triviality. God should always and only be regarded with deep reverence and awe--with a profound sense of His divine grandeur. In Scripture, God's name represents all that He is: His majesty, His holiness, His truth, His faithfulness, and His glorious attributes. To take His name in vain, is to treat what is sacred, as common. It is to speak of Him without reverence--to utter His name lightly, or thoughtlessly, or flippantly. Such misuse is not hidden from the omniscience of the Almighty. He has declared with unwavering certainty: "The Lord will not leave him unpunished, who takes His name in vain." This is not an idle threat. It is a fearful reminder of God's holy regard for who He truly is. But this commandment also calls us to a higher, nobler duty. We are to honor His name as holy, to speak of Him with reverence, to live in such a way that His name is honored through us. Jesus, our perfect example, glorified the Father in every word, thought, and deed. And we, who are bought with His blood and indwelt by His Spirit, must walk in His steps. Let us examine our hearts. Do we always treat God's name with the awe and reverence that it deserves? May we never drag His name into the dust, by using it without reverence. Instead, may we honor Him with lips and lives that reflect the glory of His holy name. "Our Father in Heaven, m

In an age of religious pluralism and tolerance of error, the biblical teaching on the exclusivity of the gospel is essential, even though most people find it to be offensive. Scripture leaves no room for ambiguity: there is only one way of salvation. There are not many paths to God, nor are there multiple gospels tailored to different groups. There is but one Savior, one gospel, and one way to eternal life. The way to heaven is not left to our choice, but is revealed by God. And that way is Christ alone. The apostle Paul, under divine inspiration, wrote with utmost clarity: "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--which is really no gospel at all!" He immediately pronounced a curse upon anyone who preached a gospel contrary to the one he had delivered (Galatians 1:6-8). There is no allowance for alternative methods of salvation. There is no second gospel for Jews, Muslims, sincere religious people, moralists, the heathen or the young. The gospel is singular, exclusive, and absolute. Jesus Himself declared the narrowness of the way when He said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me!" (John 14:6). He did not say He was A way, but THE way. Faith in Jesus and His sin-atoning death is not one option among many, but the only gospel by which sinners can be reconciled to God. Peter echoed this exclusive claim when he boldly proclaimed, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved!" (Acts 4:12). This one way of salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Ch

1 Corinthians 2:2, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." The world is full of distractions, and even within the church, countless voices clamor for attention. But Paul, that faithful minister of the gospel, had one great theme that eclipsed all others: Jesus Christ and Him crucified! This was not a passing interest or occasional emphasis--it was his constant, unwavering focus. If Paul had a "hobby-horse," it was Christ crucified. He rode it in every letter, proclaimed it in every sermon, and treasured it at all times. Paul had deep theological knowledge, an unmatched intellect, and a rich grasp of Old Testament Scriptures. Yet when he came to Corinth--a city dazzled by eloquence and puffed up with human wisdom--he deliberately laid aside every other topic. He determined, he resolved, to make the cross of Christ his singular subject. Why? Because the cross reveals both the vileness of human sin, and the marvelous grace of God in salvation. The cross . . . manifests the sinfulness of man, exalts the glory of God, and unveils the only way of redemption. To preach "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" is to proclaim the eternal plan of God, the willing sacrifice of the Son, and the effectual power of the Spirit in saving those for whom Jesus died. It is to declare that totally depraved and spiritually dead sinners, can be reconciled to the holy and righteous God, only through the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus. No philosophy or moral reform can accomplish this. Only the blood of the Lamb can cleanse and justify ungodly sinners. In a world of theological fads and spiritual shallowness, we need more men like Paul

"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 Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" 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

Ezekiel 13:10, "They lead my people astray saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace!" Most ministers dare not speak hard truths, for fear of offending--but it is better to offend men, than to flatter them into Hell! It has become tragically common that, no matter how a person has lived--whether in open rebellion against God, mockery of His Word, or a life utterly void of repentance and faith--the minister preaches him into Heaven at his funeral. This betrayal is not merely a sentimental error--it is a grievous sin against God, a deception to the living, and a dishonor to the truth of the gospel. God has solemnly charged His ministers to proclaim the truth without fear or favor. Yet too many of them care more about their paychecks and pleasing men--than in pleasing the God who sees and judges all things in truth. They comfort the hearers with lies, rather than confront them with the solemn realities of death, judgment, and eternity. Ministers who love popularity and money more than truth, will always preach the kind of gospel that fills pews--and Hell! To tell the unconverted that they are safe while they continue in sin, is to murder their souls with a lie! The prophet Jeremiah condemned the false prophets of his day who committed the same evil: "From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit! They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace!' they say, when there is no peace!" Jeremiah 6:13-14. Those who mocked God and His Word while they lived--are not "at peace" after they die. They are damned, and their condemnation is just. "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the she

Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." Your Bibles printed on paper are a blessing, but to have the Scriptures written on the heart is far better. We need not so much the doctrine which has been driven into the brain by reason, but the truth wrought into the soul by experience, through the teaching of the blessed Spirit. Charles Spurgeon, with his unmatched clarity and spiritual insight, reminded believers that truth must not merely reside in the intellect, but must be etched upon the heart. While printed Bibles are a precious treasure, there is a deeper blessing in having the Word of God engraved within the soul. It is not enough to possess a well-marked Bible; what matters most is a Bible marked in the heart. The doctrines of Scripture, no matter how sound, are worthless if they dwell only in the intellect. Theology can sharpen the mind, but only the Holy Spirit can soften the heart. What the Christian cannot do, the Spirit accomplishes--He takes divine truth and applies it personally, experimentally, and powerfully to the soul. This is not merely understanding, but transformation. It is not cold assent, but warm submission. When God's Word is written on the heart, it becomes the believer's compass, comfort, and conviction. Paul did not say, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in your minds richly," but rather, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). That is, in the very core of your being--where affections are stirred, where the will is moved, and where life is directed. Truth must not merely be driven into the brain by logic, but planted in the soul by the Spirit. Only then does it become fruitful,

"And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ. You have read 'lives of Christ', beautifully and eloquently written; but the best life of Christ is His living biography, written out in the words and actions of His people. If we were what we profess to be, and what we should be, then we would be pictures of Jesus. Yes, such striking likenesses of Him, that the world would, when they once beheld us, exclaim, "He has been with Jesus; he has been taught of Him; he is like Him; he has caught the very idea of the holy Man of Nazareth, and he works it out in his life and daily actions." A Christian should be like Christ in his boldness. Never blush to own your religion. Be like Jesus, very valiant for your God. Imitate Him in your loving spirit; think kindly, speak kindly, and do kindly--that men may say of you, "He has been with Jesus!" Imitate Jesus in His holiness. Was He zealous? So be ever going about doing good. Let not time be wasted; it is too precious. Was He self-denying, never looking to His own interest? Be the same. Was He devout? Be fervent in your prayers. Had He deference to His Father's will? So submit yourselves to Him. Was He patient? So learn to endure. And best of all, as the highest portraiture of Jesus, try to forgive your enemies, as He did; and let those sublime words of your Master, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," always ring in your ears. Forgive, as you hope to be forgiven. Good for evil, recollect, is godlike. Be godlike, then; and in all ways and by all means, so live that all may say of you, "He has been with Jesus!"

2 Timothy 3:4-5, "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them!" Titus 1:16, "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him--being detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good." These verses pierce like a double-edged sword, exposing the solemn danger of mere external religion. They speak of those who have all the appearance of godliness--the vocabulary, the rituals, the reputation--but are inwardly estranged from the transforming power of God. They are not described as atheists or pagans, but as professors of the truth. They are not outside the church, but within its walls. Their conduct, however, betrays them. While their lips speak of God--their lives declare allegiance to self, sin, and the world. This strikes at the heart of false religion: people content with the form of godliness, while their hearts chase worldly pleasure! Paul warns that such people are "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." This is the spiritual climate of our age: entertainment reigns, self is worshiped, and personal fulfillment is the supreme good. But the genuine believer has been crucified with Jesus. He no longer lives for fleeting pleasures, but for the glory of God. The Spirit who dwells within him produces genuine holiness, not just the shell of religion. Where the Spirit has not wrought new birth, there may be "a form of godliness," but never its life-giving power. Titus 1:16 goes deeper. It describes those who "profess to know God, but by their deeds deny Him." Here is the sobering reality: a profession of faith is not the same as possession of faith. Words are cheap. Do our

Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it determines the course of your life!" This divine exhortation penetrates to the very core of Christian living. The "heart" in Scripture is not merely the seat of emotion, but the center of a person's being--the mind, will, affections, and conscience. It is from the heart that all of our thoughts arise, all of our choices are made, and all of our desires take shape. Therefore, to guard the heart is to diligently watch over the whole inner man, to protect it from corruption, and to keep it fixed on what is holy and true. Solomon, under the inspiration of the Spirit, gives this command, "above all else!" This signals its supreme importance. The external life, cannot rise above the internal condition. Outward behavior is the fruit; the heart is the root. As Jesus declared, "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). If the fountain is polluted, the stream will be defiled. If the heart is impure, so will be the thoughts, words, and actions. Why must the heart be so closely guarded? Because it is constantly under attack--from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Satan knows that if he can gain entrance to the heart, he can influence the whole course of life. Therefore, the believer must post a sentinel at every gate--what we see, what we hear, what we dwell upon in secret thought. We must take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ! (2 Corinthians 10:5) To guard the heart is not a call to stoicism, but to spiritual vigilance. It means . . . treasuring what is pure, meditating on God's Word, delighting in Christ, confessing sin promptly, and depending moment by moment

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 near. 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 ave

Revelation 20:10, "They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever!" Imagine what it would be like, to be in Hell for an hour! What a sobering call to reflection! Even a fleeting thought of an eternity under the wrath of Almighty God, ought to arrest our hearts and awaken our consciences. Hell is not a metaphor or a scare tactic--it is a real place, a place of justice, a place prepared for the devil and his demons, and for all who die outside of saving union with Christ. To be in Hell for an hour would be to taste the outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth! (Matthew 22:13). It would be to feel the full force of God's holy hatred for sin, without a drop of mercy to soften the blow. In this life, the wicked sip from God's kindness--sunshine, breath, family, pleasure. But in Hell, all these common graces are forever withdrawn. It is to be shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power (2 Thessalonians 1:9), to face the righteous punishment for every evil thought, word, and deed! One hour in Hell--how unbearable! Yet Scripture speaks not of one hour, or even one lifetime, but of eternity. The punishment does not purify; and it does not end. It is "eternal destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9), "eternal fire" (Jude 7), and "eternal punishment" (Matthew 25:46). The worm never dies. The fire is never quenched (Mark 9:48). And the soul, still conscious, bears the weight of God's vengeance, without hope of relief. Why did Spurgeon urge us to imagine such a thing? Not to cause despair, but to magnify the Gospel. When we glimpse even faintly, the horrors from which we have been rescued--the grace of Christ shines a

Philippians 1:23, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!" What would it be like to have one hour in Heaven? Not to escape trouble merely, nor to walk golden streets for novelty's sake--but to be where Jesus is! That is the believer's greatest joy, the sum and substance of all heavenly delight. Paul did not long for death because he was weary of life, but because being with Jesus was "better by far" than even the most fruitful life on earth. "The streets of gold, the gates of pearl--what are these to me? My Heaven is to see my Savior's face, and lie forever in His embrace!" In one hour in Heaven, the soul would drink more deeply of joy than in a lifetime below. Here on earth, even the most blessed moments are but sips from a thimble--there, the believer drinks from the river of God's pleasures (Psalm 36:8). All sin left behind. No more weary striving against the flesh. No more battling the darkness. In that hour, holiness would not be a struggle, but a nature--complete, untainted, radiant. Think of it: one hour of seeing the face of Jesus! Not by faith, not through a veil, but face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). The Lamb slain--yet enthroned! The wounds still visible--yet glorified. That one sight would eclipse every earthly treasure, and all former sorrows. The mind would be filled with divine truth, the heart would be consumed with perfect love, and the will would be fully surrendered in joyful obedience. No distractions, no doubts, no distance--only worship, adoration, and praise. The believer would be among the redeemed from every nation, singing the song of the Lamb. Yet not one moment would be spent drawing attention to self, but all glo

There are sins that shout from rooftops, and there are sins that whisper in the shadows of the soul. These are our "secret sins"--hidden from human eyes, unnoticed by those around us, and often even concealed from our own self-awareness. Yet Scripture makes it solemnly clear: No sin is hidden from the all-seeing eye of God! David, the man after God's own heart, cried out in Psalm 19:12, "Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults." In humility, he acknowledged what every believer must: We are blind to the full depth of our depravity! There are corrupt motives we do not fully grasp, selfish thoughts we excuse or forget, and subtle pride cloaked in religious activity. We are often strangers to the worst parts of our own hearts! God, however, sees all. "You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence!" Psalm 90:8. In the brightness of His holiness, there are no shadows. The thoughts we nurse, the desires we entertain, the motives behind our service--these are all laid bare before Him. Hebrews 4:13 reminds us, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account." Oh, how many Christians think themselves safe, because their sin is hidden from others--yet it is festering in the sight of God! The sobering truth is that secret sins are not secret to God. But for the believer, this is not merely terrifying--it is transforming. It drives us to the cross of Jesus. There, even the most hidden iniquities were placed upon our sin-atoning Substitute. Jesus died not only for our open sins--but for those we alone know, and those we do not even r

A Devotional Study on the Attributes of God 1. The Solitariness of God "Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God." — Psalm 90:2 Before there was time, before there was light, before there was an angel in Heaven or a speck of dust in the cosmos—God was. He dwelt in solitary majesty, needing nothing, lacking nothing, desiring nothing outside Himself. He was eternally perfect in all His glorious attributes. There was no heaven for Him to inhabit, no earth to govern, no creatures to praise Him—and yet He was altogether blessed. 2. The Decrees of God "The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." — Psalm 33:11 Before the foundation of the world, in the infinite recesses of eternity, God established His eternal decrees. These decrees are the manifestation of His sovereign will, the blueprint by which all creation unfolds. They are not formed in response to events, for nothing takes the Omniscient by surprise. Instead, they are the cause of all that transpires, the predetermined plan that governs the universe. 3. The Knowledge of God "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit." — Psalm 147:5 The knowledge of God is infinite, perfect, and eternal. There is no learning with God, for He has always known all things. He never discovers, never forgets, never improves in understanding. His knowledge is not acquired—it is essential to His very nature. He knows Himself fully and knows all things outside Himself perfectly, from eternity past to eternity future. 4. The Foreknowledge of God "For those

"Are you seeking great things for yourself?  Don't do it!" Jeremiah 45:5 True spiritual maturity is not attained by self-confidence, but by increasing humility. The nearer a believer draws to Jesus, the more clearly he sees the infinite holiness of the Lord, and his own utter sinfulness. John Newton, the once-blind wretch who was made to see, captured this spiritual paradox with profound simplicity: "Young Christians think themselves little;  growing Christians think themselves nothing;  mature Christians think themselves less than nothing." The newborn Christian, freshly awakened by grace, is rightly humbled. He sees that he is not what he once was, and rejoices in the mercy that saved him. He thinks himself LITTLE--small compared to the greatness of the gift he's received. But as he grows, trials deepen, sin's deceitfulness is more fully exposed, and the battle against the 'old man' intensifies. The Christian begins to understand that in his flesh there dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18). He no longer thinks himself little--he thinks himself NOTHING. And yet, by this humbling, Jesus becomes more precious. Then, through years of chastening, refining, and communion with God, the mature believer--like Paul--confesses himself to be "less than the least of all God's people" (Ephesians 3:8). He realizes that even his best deeds are stained with sin, that all his righteousness is as filthy rags, and that apart from Jesus he is LESS THAN NOTHING. Yet this is not despair--it is joy. For the smaller he becomes in his own eyes, the greater Jesus becomes to his soul. This is the path of grace: downward in self, and upward in Jesus. The more we are emptied of self, the more we

Song of Solomon 5:16, "Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend!" The soul that has been awakened by grace, drawn by the Spirit, and brought to behold the Lord Jesus through the eyes of faith, cannot help but echo this exclamation: "Yes, He is altogether lovely!" In every aspect of His person, every office He holds, every work He performs, and every word He speaks--Jesus is infinite in loveliness. The redeemed heart, taught by the Spirit, finds no flaw in Him, and no rival to Him. Consider the beauty of His person. He is fully God and fully man--God manifest in the flesh. In Him, all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily. He is the brightness of the Father's glory, the exact representation of His being. And yet, He is tender and lowly, gentle and accessible. The glory of His majesty does not drive sinners away--it draws them near. The same hand that upholds the universe, was stretched out to touch lepers and lift fallen sinners. His character is equally lovely. His holiness is not austere, but beautiful. His righteousness is not harsh, but winsome. He was full of grace and truth--never compromising either. In Him, mercy and justice meet. He never turned away the penitent, never coddled the proud, never failed to glorify His Father. His every motive was pure, His every word was true, His every act was love. The beauty of Jesus shines most in His sin-atoning sacrifice. He gave Himself for us. It was the grandest display of self-sacrificing love the world has ever seen! At the cross, we behold the perfection of His grace and justice meeting in breathtaking harmony. There is no beauty like the beauty of a bleeding Savior. None so lovely as H

"Blessed is the man . . . who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers." The Psalmist begins the Psalter by describing the man whom God calls "blessed." Not one whom the world admires for riches, fame, or power--but one separated from evil and saturated with Scripture. The righteous man "does not walk in the counsel of the wicked"--he does not adopt their philosophies. He does not "stand in the way of sinners"--he does not linger with their practices. He does not "sit in the seat of mockers"--he refuses the settled scorn of those who defy God. The progression is deliberate: walking, then standing, then sitting. Sin gains strength by degrees. But the righteous man turns aside from that path entirely. He chooses the narrow road that leads to life (Matthew 7:14). The foundation of his godliness is inward delight: "his delight is in the law of the Lord." He does not merely read the Word out of duty--he treasures it as his joy. It is his rule and compass, his comfort and guide. He feeds upon it as his daily bread. "On His law he meditates day and night." Scripture is not a garnish on the side of his life--it is the main course. He turns it over in his heart continually. This is no superficial engagement. Like Mary, he "treasures up all these things and ponders them" (Luke 2:19). And what is the result? "He is like a tree planted by streams of water." His stabil

"Not so the wicked!" With these solemn words, the Psalmist draws a sharp contrast between the godly and the ungodly. The righteous are like fruitful trees--rooted, nourished, and prosperous. But "the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away." Chaff is the worthless husk separated from grain--light, dry, and empty. It is easily scattered and quickly forgotten. Such is every life lived apart from God: rootless, fruitless, and ultimately futile. However impressive the wicked may appear for a season, their prosperity is short-lived, and their end is destruction! (Psalm 73:18-19) The wicked "will not stand in the judgment." They will have no defense, no covering, no hope. When they stand before the Judge of all the earth, their works will be burned up as stubble. All their excuses will be silenced. The day of judgment will reveal what they are: rebels against the Most High God, having rejected His Son and despised His Word. They will not be counted "in the assembly of the righteous." They may have mingled with the godly on earth--but in the last day, the Shepherd will infallibly separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32). Their exclusion will be eternal. "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Here is the final contrast. The Lord lovingly and attentively watches over the path of His redeemed people. He guards their steps, directs their course, and brings them safely home. But the way of the wicked--though it may seem smooth for a time--leads only to ruin! Their end is not annihilation, but everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46). The broad road may appear pleasant, but it descends into outer darkness, with w

James 4:14, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes!" Life is fleeting. Imagine an hourglass with sand steadily falling from the top chamber to the bottom. You cannot see how much sand remains above. You only know that the grains are slipping away, second by second. Yet, distracted by temporary pursuits and oblivious to eternal realities--we often live as if the sands will never run out. This is a vivid picture of our lives. One day the last grain will fall, and our time will be over! Will you be ready? The Bible teaches us to consider the brevity of life and the weight of eternity. Wisdom begins with understanding that our earthly existence is but a vapor compared to the endless expanse of eternity. In a little while it shall be said of us, "He is gone!" Let us live as men who must soon give our final account to God. The question we must face is this: Where will we spend eternity? The Scriptures make it clear that there are only two destinations--Heaven or Hell. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." It is the height of folly to live unconcerned about such a critical question. Eternity is not something to ignore or postpone considering. To neglect our final destiny is to gamble with our eternal soul. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us, "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment." The sands of time are running out for each of us, and none of us knows w

Philippians 1:23, "My desire is to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far."The life of a believer is a journey through time toward eternity. Each day that passes, each trial endured, each breath drawn in this fallen world, moves the child of God one step nearer to the full enjoyment of what has been secured by sovereign grace--eternal life in the presence of Christ. For the person redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the end is not loss, but gain. The grave is not a prison, but a passage. Death is not a defeat, but the door into everlasting joy--when faith gives way to sight, and hope blossoms into eternal delight. The Christian looks forward to this not with fear, but with longing. For to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. The anticipation of Heaven is not centered on what will be enjoyed there, but Who will be seen there. The glory of Heaven is not in its beauty only, but mainly in its King.The true believer understands that Heaven is glorious, because Christ is there. Heaven is not merely rest, but fellowship--the unhindered communion of the saved sinner with his Savior. That which is begun now by faith, will be perfected in that day when we behold His face. The Christian's joy is not ultimately in a crown, but in the pierced hand that places it upon the brow. It is not the throne that satisfies, but the One who sits upon it.The pathway to that glory is often darksome. God, in His wisdom and mercy, weaves sorrow and affliction into the lives of His people. Yet even the midnight of suffering, is governed by the hand of a loving Father, and every moment of pain has a divine purpose. The believer, upheld by the Spirit, walks through th

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17When a man is absorbed by a new master-passion, what a different man he becomes. The passion for wealth will work marvels! We have known idle people become very diligent, and profuse voluptuaries become even self-denying to their flesh--in their ambition to acquire riches. In the same way, whenever God really saves a person, He gives that person a new master-passion--the passion of gratitude to Christ, along with love to the God who saved him. These always become a new master-principle which rules the entire man. From the moment that a man sincerely believes in Jesus, his nature becomes different from what it was before. He receives a new heart. Another influence takes possession of him--and another love engrosses him. He who once loved sin--now loves God and lives for Him.By the saving grace of God, this supernatural change is possible even to the most vile and degraded people. If a man has committed every crime in the whole catalog of villainy, and his heart has become as hard as the nether millstone, and his disposition altogether vile and detestable, and groveling, and sensual, and devilish--the Spirit can turn that man in a single moment, into a lover of that which is true, and right, and just! Yes, the Spirit can passionately inflame him with the desire to be perfectly holy! We do not teach that Christ forgives men, and then lets them continue to live in the hog pens as before! We assert that the moment He gives the pardon of sin, He gives the new nature as well. The gospel hospital is not merely a place where lepers are harbored, but whe

How grievous is the spectacle of men who claim to serve Christ, yet crave the world! They mount the pulpit, carry the Bible, and speak much of love--but their affections are chained to the world. Their prayers are polished, their platforms are popular, and their names are praised--yet they are lost! They are enemies of the Cross, and the Apostle writes of them with tears.Such men are not pagans. They are professing ministers. They do not outright deny Christ--they dilute Him. They do not discard the Bible--they distort it. Their god is not Jehovah--it is their belly. That is, their god is their appetite, comfort, fame, security, applause. They speak of glory, but it is their own, not His.There is scarcely a more loathsome evil, than the perversion of the Gospel by those entrusted to preach it. The Lord does not take lightly, those who dare to trade His truth for treasure, or reduce His blood-bought Gospel into a scheme for gain.Micah thundered in his day, "Her priests teach for a price… yet they lean on the LORD and say, 'Is not the LORD among us?'" (Micah 3:11). The same spirit pervades much of modern ministry. "God is here," they say, while their lives deny Him. Smooth sermons, wide smiles, and packed churches--cannot hide the stench of compromise. God sees the heart. He knows who serves Him--and who serves Mammon.Jesus left no room for divided loyalty: "You cannot serve both God and Money." The servant of Christ must be crucified to this world (Galatians 6:14), emptied of self-interest, and consumed with the glory of God. He is a herald of the King, sent to preach repentance, judgment, and grace--whether men will hear or refuse.Dear reader, do not be seduc

You cannot have God as your Savior, unless you will have Him as your Sovereign.Will you waste your life chasing shadows, while your eternity hangs in the balance?Life is short, death is certain,judgment is final!Repent while the door of mercy is open!To trifle with your soul is the greatest folly. Eternal joy or eternal misery are before you.To delay repentance, is to gamble with your soul on the verge of eternity.The heart that refuses to bow to God now, will be crushed under His justice in eternity.The sinner's refusal of grace is the highest madness, for it exchanges Heaven for Hell.The door of mercy is open now, but it will not always remain so--enter while you can.Sin deceives, but it will not excuse.Sin entices, but it will destroy.If you love your sin more than your soul, then you shall have your sin--and lose your soul.Mercy pleads with you now, but justice will have the last word.The cost of following Christ is nothing, compared to the cost of rejecting Him.If you love your sin, then you do not love God.And if you do not love God, then you are lost forever.To live without Christ, is to live without hope.To die without Christ, is to die without mercy.You may escape the world's condemnation,but you cannot escape the wrath of God without Christ.To reject Christ, is to reject the only hope for your soul.He who will not repent now, will wish that he had in eternity.Your life is but a vapor, and your soul is everlasting.Why will you trade eternity, for the passing pleasures of sin?Time is short, and eternity is long.To neglect your soul's salvation, is the greatest of follies.The devil offers sin as sweet, but it leaves b

Psalm 19:8, "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart." Joy is not a fleeting emotion stirred by circumstances--it is a deep, abiding gladness rooted in the knowledge of the true and living God. The one who truly profits from the Word, is the one who finds in it the fountain of true joy. This is not the joy of the world--which is shallow, deceptive, and vanishing. It is the joy of Heaven--the joy of communion with God, of sins forgiven, of a conscience cleansed, of a hope of being forever with Jesus.The Scriptures reveal the God of joy. He is a loving Father who delights to bless His children. Every line of His Word is a channel through which this divine joy flows. The soul profits from the Word when it begins to say with the psalmist, "Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart!" (Psalm 119:111) This joy does not spring from emotional experiences, but from understanding, believing, and embracing divine truth.The joy that the Word imparts is a holy joy--a joy that rests in God Himself. It is not based on what we possess or what we experience--but on who God is, and what He has done for us in Christ. The promises of God kindle joy, because they assure us of His love and faithfulness. The doctrines of grace ignite joy, because they reveal the sovereign mercy that sought and saved us. Even the commands of Scripture become a source of joy to the heart that delights to obey.Yet this joy is often mingled with sorrow, for the more we are conformed to Christ through the Word, the more we will grieve over our sin. But even this godly sorrow leads to deeper joy, for it drives us again and again to the cross, where true gladness is

1 Timothy 1:5, "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." To profit from the Word is to grow in holy love. Love is not an abstract sentiment or a mere feeling--it is the fruit of divine life within, shaped and governed by truth. The one who truly feeds upon the Scriptures, is transformed into a vessel of love: love for God, love for His truth, love for His people, and even love for enemies. The Word not only instructs the mind, but inflames the heart with a fervent and pure affection that flows from the indwelling Spirit.The Scriptures reveal that God is love--not love as man imagines it, but love as God defines it. This love is holy, sovereign, and sacrificial. It is perfectly displayed at Calvary, where Christ "loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God!" (Ephesians 5:2). To read the Bible rightly, is to see that every line points to this redeeming love, and to be drawn more deeply into its embrace. The man who profits from the Word will not remain cold, harsh, or indifferent--he will be softened, sweetened, and sanctified by divine love.Love that is shaped by Scripture, is pure and discerning. It does not embrace error or excuse sin. It does not call evil good, or treat truth as negotiable. Love rejoices with the truth, (1 Corinthians 13:6) The more a soul is filled with God's Word, the more it loves what God loves and hates what God hates. This love, grounded in righteousness, becomes the believer's badge and evidence of saving grace.Such love expresses itself not in words only, but in deeds. It labors, sacrifices, and serves. It esteems others better than self.

2 Peter 1:4, "He has given us His very great and precious promises!" The promises of God are not ornamental words meant to decorate the pages of Scripture--they are divine pledges, sealed by the blood of Christ. They are given to nourish faith, sustain obedience, and strengthen the soul in every season of life. To truly profit from the Word, is to lay hold of God's promises--not as abstract truths, but as living realities that anchor the heart to Him.Every promise is rooted in the character of God. Because He cannot lie, His Word is certain. Because He is unchanging, His promises endure. Because He is all-powerful, He is able to fulfill what He has spoken.These promises are not to be indiscriminately applied. "He has given US His very great and precious promises!" They are given to genuine believers alone, and made effectual to those who walk by faith.The promises are meant to be used. They are spiritual manna for the journey, oil for the lamp, and strength for the battle. In temptation, they shield the heart. In affliction, they soothe the soul. In trials, they inspire endurance. The one who profits from the Word, stores them in his heart, prays them back to God, and lives upon them as daily bread. They do not lead him to presumption, but to holiness--teaching him to walk in the fear of the Lord, while resting in His covenant faithfulness.God's promises are never intended to make us lazy or careless, but diligent and hopeful. As Paul said, "Since we have these promises, dear friends--let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit." (2 Corinthians 7:1) The promises stir us to persevere in the faith and in a holy life, to resist sin, an

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The ultimate test of whether we are truly profiting from the Word is not how much we know--but how we live. Scripture never flatters the intellect while bypassing the life. It searches the heart and demands fruit. A head full of doctrine without a life full of good works--is a barren tree, destined not for praise, but for punishment. The Word of God rightly received, sanctifies the soul, and energizes the hands. It molds the heart after Christ, and moves the believer to live for the glory of God in every sphere of life.Good works are not the root of salvation, but they are the necessary fruit. They are not the means of gaining favor with God, but the inevitable result of having received His grace. As it is written, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10). The Scriptures instruct us in what is good, rebuke us when we fail, and spur us onward with divine promises and holy examples.A man profits from the Word when he is led to live a life of active godliness--when his thoughts, speech, and conduct, begin to reflect that of the Lord Jesus. The love of God revealed in the Scriptures, will stir him to love both God and others. The mercy of God extended to him, will cause him to show mercy. The humility of Christ displayed in the Gospels, will produce in him a servant's heart. The commands of God will no longer be grievous, but his delight.Let no one imagine that good works consist m

The grand design of Scripture is not merely to inform, but to transform--not to fill the mind only, but to bring the will into glad submission to God. The one who truly profits from the Word is the one who is brought into a life of increasing obedience to its precepts. Anything less than this is self-deception. As our Lord solemnly warned, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven." (Matthew 7:21)Obedience is not optional in the Christian life--it is essential. It is the evidence of a heart made alive by grace. The Scriptures were not given to be admired from a distance, or merely studied as literature, but to be obeyed in the power of the Spirit. To profit from the Word, is to have its commands inscribed upon the heart, and worked out into the life by cheerful obedience.When the soul is brought under the rule of Scripture, obedience ceases to be a burden and becomes a delight. The believer no longer picks and chooses what to follow, but bows to all that God has spoken. Like Abraham, he obeys not knowing where it will lead. (Hebrews 11:8) Like David, he prays, "Teach me, O Lord, to follow Your decrees; then I will keep them to the end." (Psalm 119:33) And like Jesus he declares, "I have come to do Your will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7)This obedience is neither forced nor meritorious. It is the grateful response of a redeemed heart. It is the Spirit-wrought fruit of the new birth. The more the believer feeds upon the Word, the more he comes to love the God of the Word--and love always expresses itself in willing submission. "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His c

1 John 2:15, "Do not love the world or anything in the world.If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." One of the most searching tests of whether we are truly profiting from the Word is this: What effect is it having on my relationship to the world? The Word of God calls believers to a path of separation--a separation not of physical distance, but of moral distinction. The same grace that brings salvation, also "teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly passions." (Titus 2:12) The man who profits from Scripture, is the man who learns to view the world as God views it: ensnaring, wicked, fleeting, and hostile to Christ.The world is not neutral--it is at enmity with God. (James 4:4) It lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19) Its pleasures are deceitful and damning, its philosophies are godless, its aims are selfish. The cross of Christ is the great divider, and the believer, being crucified with Christ, is also crucified to the world. (Galatians 6:14) To profit from the Word is to have the world's luster dimmed, its music silenced, and its alluring dainties seen in their true light.Scripture renews the mind and reorients the affections. The more one is filled with the Word, the more he sets his heart "on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2). The heart disentangles from the world's snares, and the believer begins to live as a pilgrim and stranger. He is in the world but not of it. He engages in it without being entangled in its deceitful meshes. He works in it without worshiping it. He does not follow its fashions, absorb its values, or crave its applause. He lives for a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.But this separ

Romans 8:26, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."The Christian life is not free from weakness, but rather full of it. We groan under . . . the burden of indwelling sin, the brokenness of the world, and the mystery of God's providence.Often, we find ourselves overwhelmed--our thoughts confused, our emotions storm-tossed, our words failing in prayer. Yet even in these frail moments, the believer is not alone. For within him dwells the Spirit of God, the divine Helper, who prays with and for him.In this verse, we see the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit, so often overlooked, yet profoundly necessary. The Spirit does not merely assist us when we are strong; He helps us in our "weakness". He comes alongside us when we do not know what to say. When the burden is too deep for words, when the pain is beyond expression, He intercedes with groanings that reach the heart of the Father. These are not groans of despair, but of holy longing, divinely wrought desires for the will of God, rising from within the soul.The Spirit's intercession is continual and unceasing. It is perfectly aligned with God's will. Unlike our prayers--so often mixed with selfishness or ignorance--His groanings are pure and effective. The Father, who searches hearts, hears not merely the faltering words of His children, but the Spirit's cry within them. And because the Spirit is God, His intercession always prevails.What comfort this brings to the struggling saint! Prayer is not a performance to be perfected, but a dependence to be expressed. Even when w

Lured and dazzled, the worldling pursues the phantom!by John MacDuffPsalm 16:11, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Fullness of joy! Can that be said of anything on this side of Heaven? There is a restless craving in the human bosom for something better than this poor world can give. There are aching voids--deep, yawning chasms in the soul of man, which the world and all its tinsel pleasures can never fill. The worldling will cleave to worldly vanities as the apex of its pursuits. He imagines that happiness consists in gathering up earthly trifles.Lured and dazzled, the worldling pursues the phantom! But each successive failure more painfully convinces him that all worldly joy is a vain delusion. Happiness, the object of his life search, is as far from him as ever!Only in Heaven will the soul have, in the enjoyment of God, the perfection of bliss. All earthly happiness has its bounds and limits. It is only in Heaven and in God's presence, that bliss will be unbounded and eternal!"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11

Above all worlds, above all space,Where measures are unknown,Jehovah has His dwelling place,Immensity His throne!My soul, consider and adoreThe God of truth and grace.He is "the High and Lofty One,"Whose name is Holiness.Justice and Mercy are His hands,Omniscience is His eye,His Truth unchanged, forever stands,Though earth in ruins lie!With Grace and Glory He is dressed,Eternal are His days!He is "The Lord our Righteousness,"And good are all His ways!

All saints, give honor to the Lord,For all He is and does.Praise Him in times of blessedness,And in your earthly woes.Your Father is too wise to err;He's too good to do wrong.His omnipotence is strong to save;So lift to Him your song.Are you downcast? Then lift your eyes,To God upon His throne.He will sufficient grace supply,To every needy one. If by His grace you have been raised,From death to life in Christ,Then set your love on things above,And find your joy in Christ.

O wondrous Man!Various authorsIsaiah 32:2"A MAN will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."This glorious verse speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ--the Man of sorrows, yet the mighty Savior--who alone is the refuge and refreshment of His redeemed people. The Spirit here foretells a time when, amid judgment and desolation, a Man will arise as unspeakable consolation for His redeemed people. Jesus is not only God manifest in the flesh, but He is also that chosen Man, raised up by the Father to be all that His people need in time and eternity.1. Jesus is "A hiding place from the wind."Jesus is a shelter from the chilling winds of temptation, affliction, and satanic assault. The believer is often battered by the sharp winds of this wicked world. But Christ is a hiding place. He stood exposed to the full fury of God's wrath in our stead, so that we might hide ourselves in Him. When we flee to Jesus, we are safe beneath the cover of His righteousness and love, shielded from the condemning power of sin, and the storms of conscience. "You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance!" (Psalm 32:7).2. Jesus is "A cover from the tempest."This speaks of the violent storm--the tempest of divine wrath and judgment. At Calvary, Jesus stood as our Cover from the fiercest tempest ever unleashed--the holy vengeance of God upon sinners. He bore the storm in His own body, so that not a drop would fall upon His people. In Him, we are covered from the eternal wrath due to us. What peace to know that "there is now no conde

The blessedness of contemplating JesusHebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on 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.To meditate upon Jesus, is to be transformed into His likeness! (2 Corinthians 3:18) As we contemplate His lov

PLEASURE, shaking her delights in her hands, cries, "Come over with me!" MAMMON, clinking his bags of gold, cries, "Come over with me!" AMBITION, pointing to the hazy mountaintop, and her coveted palace gleaming in the sun, cries, "Come over with me!" The day will come when these things will yield no pleasure; when they shall be seen in their true light, as the empty baubles of an hour! Oh, what though you may have all that now caters to the pride of life . . .  affluence,   prosperity,  success in business, gaining the whole world?Are you imperiling, or impoverishing, your immortal soul? But Barzillai answered the king: "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?" 2 Samuel 19:34What a solemn question for us all, amid the daily occurring proofs of our frailty and mortality. Oh, what a motto to continually consider, amid the wear and tear of life!Young man, with the flash of young hope in your eye; life extending in an interminable vista before you--ever pause on the enchanted highway, and put the solemn question to yourself: "How many more years will I live?"Man of business, in availing yourself of new openings in trade, accepting new responsibilities and concerns, involving yourself in new entanglements--have you stopped and probed yourself with the question: "How many more years will I live?"Lover of pleasure, plunging into the midst of foolish excitement; the whirl of intoxicating gaiety--have you ever, in returning, jaded, and weary, and worn from the heated ballroom--flung yourself on your pillow, and sunk into a feverish dream, with the question haunting you: "How many more years will I live?"Fruitless