Declaration of Dependence, July 4th, 2024

When in the course of Human events, our father Adam led the way in casting off the restraints of his life giving Creator, It became necessary for God to promise to crush the rebellion and to bring His eternal kingdom of peace and freedom for His people at the appointed time.

Self-evident truths had been used by God’s enemy to deceive us, therefore God has given us truth through His Word. By it we learn that all men having been created by God, from birth follow into rebellion their head Adam who failed to obey the one who had given him true life and freedom. Since that day death has passed upon all men, but eternal life has been promised in a new and better Son of Adam who would come to crush the rebellion. Those who look to the Creator and sustainer of life who made this promise are marked by the blood of a substitute who died in their place that they might live to see the promised Son win freedom for His people. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in this present and passing world are the pursuit of those who remain without this substitute leading the way to an eternal kingdom. Therefore each man seeks to govern according to his own self-evident truths and is consequently hypocritical, dictatorial, and often murderous in these pursuits. Those with eyes only for an earthly kingdom consent to be governed only by other men who pursue liberty and happiness in this world. When this happiness is stifled by selfish men, other selfish men rise up to put and end to these abuses and usurpations with an effort to govern more justly and bring in a new and better earthly kingdom. However those who rebel against these unjust authorities are infected with the same despotic hearts and their best attempts at an earthly kingdom of freedom are soon foiled by, if not themselves, their own sons. The history of present man is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over his brother. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to God’s law, the most wholesome and necessary for the kingdom and glory of God.

He has not been righteous.

He has not loved His Creator, nor his fellow creation. Instead he loves himself and pursues only his own interests.

He does not seek after God.

He has turned aside from God and has become useless.

He does not do good.

Everything he says leads to the grave as he lies and deceives and curses his own Creator.

His mouth is full of ungrateful bitterness as he judges and gossips about his neighbor while blind to his own wicked ways.

He gladly and swiftly desires and brings about death for his neighbor as he establishes his earthly kingdom of happiness for himself.

All of his ways are destructive and bring misery rather than peace.

He is filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, he hates God, he is insolent, arrogant, boastful, he invents all kinds of evil, he never even obeyed his parents much less any other law, he has no understanding yet thinks he is wise, he is untrustworthy, unmerciful, and unloving, he commits all kinds of sexual wickedness to the point of homosexuality and pretend to be something other than what God has made him. 

He knows he deserves death for these things, yet he approves and recommends them.

We declare that we were once were blind to our condition as being the same as described. We were angry about these conditions being true of those who ruled us, but we did not see that we only desired to rule over others so that we might live this way.

But God who is rich in mercy, by His great love, has by His Spirit breathed new life into us. He has rescued us from the condemnation of death and self-righteous hypocrisy, and has marked us with the blood of a Substitute. God Himself took on flesh, and though he ruled in righteousness, was made sin for us so that we would be declared righteous in Him. 

We therefore the citizens of a heavenly Kingdom whose builder and maker is God, declare ourselves to be dependent upon one king for our wisdom (and so we reject self-evident truths), our righteousness, and our sanctification. We confess our weakness and selfish ways while still on this earth and living in this age, and therefore we seek an eternal kingdom governed by the eternal King. We are pilgrims on the way to this kingdom who do not hope in men but who hope only in the worthy lamb (substitute) who is worthy to receive all honor, glory, and power.

We will love our enemies, and do good to those who hate us as we travel through this world which will soon pass away. Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor we count as nothing that we might win Christ on whom we depend.

They Go Out Boldly

He chases after them

As they go out boldly.

Hating Gods chosen,

He pursues them coldly.

Since the day he’d enslaved them

And blinded their eyes,

he’d hated God’s promise

to deliver, when He heard their cries.

Pitiful slaves they were,

building his cities,

loving his idols,

and bound in his miseries.

Yet God chose them

before the foundations of the world were laid

To be sons and daughters 

and no longer afraid.

For with a strong hand

Jehovah had promised to bring 

his chosen bride out

clothed in white and wearing His ring.

An animal in the garden,

a firstborn from Abel,

a ram in the bush,

and unleavened bread on the table,

all signaled God’s promise

That a sinless substitute’s blood

would pay the ransom; 

that only God could

save his people from their chains,

and bring them to a land 

rich with God’s presence,

reconciled by His hand.

The substitute’s blood on the doorposts,

a mark of God’s people;

chosen in Christ,

not the strong, but the feeble.

The midnight hour came

when God’s wrath at sin

was brought on the head

of all sinful men.

But the angel of death passed over

the chosen of God;

for the innocent lamb

had suffered God’s rod

The only begotten

Son of his love

laid down His life

as gentle as a dove.

His blood on the doorposts,

a covering for them.

He will not lose one

of His sheep even when

Satan’s armies give chase

and death’s sea lies ahead;

unscalable mountains

surround with dread.

He will open the sea

And make a way through,

then crush Satan’s armies

Though they pursue.

The land that was promised to the Israel of God

Is an unshakeable kingdom and forever will be

Where God dwells with His people

No death will they see.

A Waterfall’s Reminder

Remnants of destruction,

This waterfall’s seduction,

The power heard within it’s roar

Reminds me of the heavy door

Closed by God when

In His ark He saved His son

From the flood of His anger,

No fear for his child in the midst of danger.

Before the fountains of the deep

Caused the sons of men

To flee and weep

At God’s wrath upon sin

Before the waters obeyed

His voice to kill

All flesh 

That did not do His will,

Before the foundations of earth were laid,

The wind of God had blown.

A son He’d made,

A child He’d known.

Washed in blood of sacrifice 

Made perfect by propitiation

Noah heard his shepherd’s voice

Upon Gods visitation

No fear in the flood of Gods wrath,

Provision was made

Through the water,

A path…

God’s promise to Satan

For His Kingdom to come ,

To those who are waiting 

For a Son

To crush the Devil

And free His children

Who all their lives

Were slaves to evil

Would not fail!

He will gather His own

Through fire and hail

His promise to save would prevail.

In a literal flood you believe;

God really is holy,

Sin He will judge

You’re not deceived.

Then do not change the Father’s grace

From a gift of God

Into Noah’s strength;

His faith, merely a nod

At something Noah decided to have.

He’d chosen the good path,

He wasn’t a slave 

To sin, and under Gods wrath.

As if God made an offer

Hoping that he

Would exercise his will

God’s anger to flee.

Rather listen to Jesus 

When a ruler by night

Came to Jesus

Asking how to be right.

A teacher of Gods people

Could not see

That as the wind suddenly

Moves in the trees,

So Gods Sprit

Works alone 

To bring His sons

Safely home.

The son in the ark a representation

Making preparation,

A type and shadow

Of God’s propitiation.

Perfect righteousness only can stand

In Gods holy presence 

And He does demand

Perfect and perpetual obedience

Noahs blood would have been demanded

Had not a substitute stood

In his place, 

A shadow now

Given in grace

So then Noah was a figure 

Of the promised Son

But he must be washed

By the blood of the righteous one

Because of Adam His father 

He was born blind

But God gathers his sheep

And opens their eyes

To trust in Gods gift

To be forgiven by Him

Whom God did lift

On a cross of wood to bleed for them.

Remnants of destruction,

This waterfall’s seduction,

The power heard within it’s roar

Reminds me of the heavy door

Opened by God

For a rainbow to see

God’s promise of mercy 

To those whom He

Like Noah has shown

That His blood does atone 

His sons and daughters 

Through His Grace alone.

Do you brag like the Pharisee

In Luke 18 when he prayed

To thank God that he

Wasn’t like the sinner who stayed

On his face to cry out

I’m the sinner here

Have mercy, help my doubt

Not hiding his tears?

Or have you heard like this sinner man

“You’re forgiven”

My body broken for you?

Now you can

Worship like Noah

After the door

opened in Grace

He was condemned no more

God’s promise still good

A son would come

To crush the one

Who deceived the world

Despite his rescue

Noah still failed

But the son who did come

Over sin and death prevailed

Emmanuel, God with us

The better Noah

In whom we can trust

To bring us home

Finished His work

For His sons to die

And rise again

So our hope can lie

In His ark of promise

Christ Himself the one

Who alone

will bring us safely home.

Remnants of destruction,

This waterfall’s seduction,

The power heard within it’s roar

Reminds me of the heavy door

Of death’s coffin lid

That will close to open Christs kingdom to me

For by Grace I’ve been saved

Like Him I will be.

Whispers Of The Older Brother (Luke 15, Genesis 4)

“Prodigal None” Cain calls me

Though Abel’s my name

But my older brother won’t let me be

He constantly whispers my shame

How can you claim to be a son?

I know your secrets

I know who you are

It can never be undone

You wasted your life

While our Father I obeyed

I made Him my Lord

And I never strayed

I reply “Its true, Cain

And worse than you think

I’m ashamed of my stain 

And to dust I would shrink

If I didn’t remember 

When I crawled home in shame

That my Father came running

To give me His name

In my mind I’d made a deal

He might let me work my way

As a slave, not a son 

This sinners prayer I’d pray

I opened my mouth

To make my plea 

To offer my sacrifice,

To obey this time, I’d be

The best servant around

I’d make Him Lord of me

I’d never stray again

Here’s my sacrifice for sin

But my Father wouldn’t hear

Instead, He made a sacrifice 

With mine He wasn’t pleased

His wrath at my sin was already appeased

As He ran to me, He shouted

Kill my best calf! Spill its blood!

And clothe my son 

In robes I’ve provided

Put a ring on his finger

Spread a feast for him!

Rejoice with me!

Do not linger!

Yesterday I was eating with pigs

In my shame I’d fashioned 

Wretched robes 

With leaves made from figs

Today I feast at a table

Clothed by my Father in robes

Made for me

When I was unable

To make myself worthy,

Death I deserved.

But the blood on the ground

Now reminded me

That my Father had provided

A sacrifice for me

And made me His Son

Never to be

Condemned, I was free

To live in His house

Forgiven and clean

An heir of His promise

But the whisper of Cain

Still haunts as he watches me work

Not to earn my Fathers name

But because He loved first 

“I saw you look at that servant girl,

You may believe that the Father’s your Savior

But I know you still want to be in the world

Though He’s shown you His favor

You didn’t make him Lord

As did I

I’ve always obeyed him

And I never lie

That far country still calls you,

The look in your eye

Betrays your true heart

Make Him Lord now if you don’t want to die”

Sometimes Cain’s whispers 

Cause my mind

To doubt my Father’s love for me

And try to hide behind

My work for Him, 

The sacrifices I now make.

Surely they must be

The grounds on which I can stake

My assurance of His forgiveness

My place as a son

I’ll make Him my Lord more

Than I did before

Then I’ll be assured of my place

Like Cain I’ll bring

The work of my hands I hold out…

Only to see the ring!

This my assurance,

My Father first loved me!

He never loses a Son

Not even one

No Cain, I’ll cling

To the promise of the Father

By the sacrifice of blood

A substitute was there

Reminding me that I never

Could save myself from death

He is my Lord but I did not make Him so

He bought me with a precious price and this for me to know

His love for me has always been

And I can never earn

Salvation from His wrath at sin

And from it fully turn

Lawless I would be to claim 

That I’m a son

By turning from my sin

And making Him Lord of one

Who has a flesh like mine

That calls me to return 

To that far country every day 

And lusts within me burn

But my Father said I’m not condemned

While His robes I wear

One sacrifice I trust

Only one can calm my fear 

A lamb whose blood was shed

Is all that I will bring 

And shows me that a better one

Will come and be my King

Brother, I forgive you 

For you know not what you do

Were my last words 

As me his brother he slew

Now with my Heavenly Father I see

That my blood spoke of one to come

Christ, the lamb of God to be

The sacrifice for my sin, it was He

Once for all His blood was spilt

And the Father running came

To clothe me in His righteousness 

And cover all my shame

The older brother whispers 

But don’t believe his lies

Your sinners prayer, your Lordship life

Will never be enough

To save you from a Holy God 

Who gave you life and breath

You cannot make Him Lord enough

To save you from this death

But if to you in shame He ran

And for you killed the Lamb

And clothed you in a robe made white 

With blood of His dear Son

You can rest with God as your Father

And labor and love not to prove that you’re a Son

But rather because He first loved you

And made you with Him one 

You’ll groan against your sinful heart

And long for the way

To finally be like Him

Glorified with Him on that day

Faithful Savior (Mephibosheth Part 2)

II Samuel 21:1-14

In Christ, the ark of God we are safe even with our lame feet that never brought Him one good thing. But as death’s shadow comes near, even the adopted children of God might fear. Mephibosheth had been shown mercy (recorded in 2 Samuel 9) for the sake of an intercessor (Jonathan) and now feasted in the King’s house. But another day of reckoning came (recorded in 2 Samuel 21) and surely a dreadful fear came over Mephibosheth as news reached his ears that more of His family’s sin had been revealed. The time had come for the law to bring its full weight down upon all guilty parties. Even his namesake, his Uncle Mephibosheth must die. Yet lame, limping Mephibosheth found that grace and mercy because of the unfailing “Oath of the Lord” would follow him all the days of his life. The most poor performing Christian who is wrapped in the robes of the righteous lamb of God will be saved in that day. There is no need to fear when the King’s day of reckoning comes!

Fear overwhelmed him

As he looked about

Yes, he deserved this

He must account

For his sin was the same

Saul’s defiant heart

Had been his own

Yes, right from the start

The king had shown mercy

Jonathan’s love stood between

But mercy was ending

No light could be seen

Up the dark mountain

Hanged on a tree

His cousins, then his namesake

Next, he would be

An arm on his shoulder

“Today you will be with Me”

The King gently whispered

“Forever, you’ll see”

“The Lord keeps His promises

He made an oath

Justice was satisfied

On another laid your reproach

You’ll live forever

For you, the debt’s been paid

Chosen by the King

On His own self He laid

Your sin and rebellion.

The seed of the woman,

The true David

Will come to save men

His flesh will not see corruption

Nor will He be

Abandoned to the grave

Though He’ll hang on a tree

But the power of God

Will raise Him to life

His heel will be bruised

Crushing Satan and death, ending the strife

When death’s dark shadow

comes at last

Your sin’s been paid for

Present and past

Return to your home

Eat my bread, drink my wine

My body and blood

Given for you to remind

My work for you is finished

In Jesus I’m pleased

Though no good you brought Me

His blood appeased

The demands of my law

His white robes are yours

I love you forever

In eternity there’s more

Treasures prepared for you

For eye has not seen

What I have there for you

Never has been

In the heart of man

Blinded by sin.

But there, you’ll be like Him

The one your freedom did win”

Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9)

I was born condemned

For in my veins

Ran the blood of rebellion

Against the King who reigns

Awaiting my fate

And hiding in shame

Not seeking for mercy

The Kings evangelist came

His knock at the door

Brought fear to my heart

I knew I deserved it

I’d been lame from the start

Prostrate before Him

My head bowed low

I said, “Here is your servant!”

Expecting the blow

“Do not fear!”

Were the words of the King

You’ll eat at my table

Though nothing you bring

For there is one whom I loved

He stood between you and Me

For His sake I love you

As if you were He

Now Jerusalem is my home

With the King I dine

His table nourishing me

With His bread and wine

All praise to the King!

My lame feet remind

That I never sought Him,

It was me He did find.

Peter (The Kingdom of God)

Peter

This world is my home you say, as you grab your sword.

Malchus’ bloody ear shows your fear that God won’t keep his word.

The one who said follow me now says sheath, your sword.

How can this be?You follow from a distance

Your mouth betrays resistance to his words:

“the cup, which the father has given me, shall I not drink it?”

Before the governor, he stands bound and cold,

But you, warm by the fire so bold…

Deny you ever knew him…

You had been so sure

That He was the one on whom your fathers waited

To deliver you from…

Oppression, cruel rulers who steal, blindness, sickness, death, and fear

But now his hands are bound,

His head bows low

He willingly goes…

In fear and disappointment,

You curse,

Him you do not know

A rooster crows in the market nearby

Crushing your soul as you remember he said you’d deny

You’re weak now with shame

As he tells Pilate why he came

Not for a kingdom you can see

But to gather his subjects for the world to be…

Ruled in righteousness by one who obeyed

Perfectly God‘s law

Yet on him was laid

Your sin, so you would win - Him

The blind world continues to mock

You are a king?

They laugh as they kill…

The one who called you and changed your will

Counted a sinner, He is lifted high

On a cruel cross of wood

Condemned to die

Between two thieves like you and I

One yet blind cries out that He

If a real king, a real God

Would free

Men now from earthly tyranny

My best life now!

Set me free!

Now you see the other thief cry…

His eyes now opened to the one

Beside whom he now died…

Remember me, is his cry for mercy

As he sees his sin before the eternal king

Who promised to bring…

This great sinner with Him to Paradise which is

The kingdom of God

Not of this world which you forgot

It is finished!

You hear him cry

The price now paid,

The law fulfilled

You couldn’t keep it, so he was killed

Crushed by the father

His bleeding wounds

Give up his spirit

As he’s laid in a tomb

You walk away, head bowed low

Three times you’d denied Him

Ashamed to know

Such a weak king

Who had not fought to show…

His power, his right to live,

You give up hope

You’d been sure that Rome was soon to fall

But you’d failed your king, now dead

Your heart fails, and you give up all

Three days later, outside the tomb

Mary find his body’s been stolen

You run inside to find it’s true

More disappointment, more pain

Your king didn’t win

And now he’s been shamed

You trudge back home

Feeling to blame

Later that evening, from Mary came news

That she’d seen him and

He would ascend to his Father and be

King forever, world without end

But you in your weakness needed to see

The one who had promised

Your Savior to be

“Peace be with you”

Are the first words you hear

The doors had been shut

Yet he appeared…

Alive from the dead

To give you his Spirit

And send you to be

A peacemaker, bringing

Salvation and forgiveness

Of sin,

Through the one who had come

Like a lamb to the slaughter

To bring many sons and daughters

To an everlasting kingdom

Through the blood that was spilt

For forgiveness of sins

And removal of guilt

Now, by his spirit, you see

Like the humble thief on the cross

That He as God with us

Came to bear sin’s curse

It is no loss to lose one’s life

To take up the cross

For him to allow pain

Removing the dross

Refining us like silver

And taking our eyes from this world of sin

To desire a home and a kingdom

Where we worship and love only Him

Adam’s shame in the garden

And your shame in denial

Cannot be covered with fig leaves

But the blood of the lamb, who’d been on trial

When you’d said you didn’t know Him

And proved to be a liar

Now washes you clean

And makes you fit for the kingdom of God

Which last forever and it

Will not fade, kept by the power of God through faith though now you suffer

This trial of your faith, is now more valuable than riches

Or an earthly kingdom granting all your wishes

Now you with unspeakable joy

Receive with glory

The salvation of your souls

Now the hope of your faith

Is more precious than gold

“ for all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

I Peter 1:24-25

Mary

Mary

Luke 1:26-28 "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you'."

Troubled at this saying!

How else to feel?

Fear had engulfed her

When Gabriel appeared.

God's messenger could only mean

that God Himself had seen

that she had not kept His holy law though she'd tried, and tried, and tried...

He could see inside!

Now he had come,

God's messenger, to bring just wrath upon her.

His hand raised to strike her head bowed low,

Instead gently waved with greetings to show that he had come with favor,

and to save her...

Her fear turned to perplexity,

He said: "Greetings favored one! The Lord is with you",

Words she'd ponder in her heart for eternity,

How can this be?

She'd heard of Adam, rebel son,

hiding in fear with his wife,

awaiting the promised blow that would take the life

from one who would turn from

God's law and believe Satan's lies.

He must have felt

as Mary did now....

The angel of God, hand raised high above the bowed head of guilt

spoke instead words of promise that would bring life, not death

through a coming Son.

But the just blow still struck with holy wrath.

Blood still flowed.

An innocent lamb now lay wounded and bleeding as God showed

His righteous law kept by Himself as he clothed

Adam and Eve with work of His own,

discarding their rags and covering them with

His righteous provision

of the blood and robe of the one

who represented the now promised Son.

To Mary, such mercy was a mystery.

Since Adam, this amazing history

of a chosen race,

a people of God

under sentence of death

expecting God's angel to bring the sword held high

upon the head bowed low,

receive instead God's favor

and a promised Son to deliver.

From Adam, to Abel, to Enoch, to Noah,

to Abraham, to Sarah, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Joseph,

to Moses, to Joshua, to Rahab,

to Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel...

God had given His favor and faith in His promise

to deliver by one,

the promised Son.

Mary, like the rest

had done her best

but as sons and daughters of Adam,

they'd all failed the test.

Now, the angel was here,

the promise still good,

No need to fear.

The Spirit of God would come,

and she would bear a Son.

What had she done?

To be part of this plan of God to save a people

for His name and by His own hand?

She was yet unmarried,

Did God not need her to participate in His plan to save?

What if she gave...

just her willingness, 

wouldn't that be all that God needed

so that she

could see...

God's plan work, wasn't she free?

Foolish Mary! nothing to be done...

for she was a virgin

The Holy Spirit would come.

Just like her father Abram, she for a moment

thought to help

God keep His word and save a people for Himself.

But God's angel prevailed proclaiming the gospel,

God's will, not man's,

God's work, not Mary's

A virgin shall conceive,

what must she believe?

That God has done it,

God has sent the promised Son

Not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,

but of God...

Just as promised in the garden so long ago,

Mary's son came into this world of woe...

A mystery so great that even wise men like Nicodemus

thought that God's kingdom would come to us

in ways we can see, touch, and feel,

That God's Messiah would heal

in ways that we can affect by our will.

But this promised Son now here

taught him gently just like the angel to Mary

that those in God's kingdom were not born

by active participation

of sinful man for the good of the nation,

but by the willing Spirit of God

who comes upon His chosen

to fill up His kingdom

with only those in...

robes of righteousness given by God Himself

who shed the blood of His own Son

and raised Him from the dead to live in...

a world to come,

a kingdom with no end

with God as the light

and the Son as the Savior

who has scattered the night.

Now in this season

what is the reason

for your hope?

Soon, the angel of death

over you will raise his hand to judge

and only some will save.

Do you fear this day?

What will you say?

One born of the Spirit will join with Mary and pray:

"My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. And his mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever." Luke 1:46-55

45th Birthday Thoughts For Friends and Family

Today is my 45th birthday. When it comes right down to what an actual birthday is, it’s not that exciting because it means I’m halfway to 90. But, around our home, we like to make birthdays special and so I already know that despite any protests from me, my wife and kids will treat me extra special today and I must admit that I’m looking forward to it! 

I have so much on my heart this morning in the way of thankfulness to my Savior that it is hard to recall it all coherently in one sitting. But it has served me well to purposefully remember just some of God’s mercies each birthday and to share them with those friends and family who wish me happy birthday. 

Fresh in my mind today are those who I am thinking of by name today who have not experienced the kind of love that I have from the day I came into this world. God’s love has been poured out on me through others from the first day I came into this world. On their birthday no one even tells them happy birthday. They represent thousands more surrounding me in my own community who do not know the love of God. They are all sons and daughters of Adam on whom the wrath of God abides. But God who is rich in mercy for His great love that he had for me, made me alive with Christ even though I was dead in trespasses. I was saved by grace! I will not die; I am raised from the dead and am seated with God in Christ in the heavens and coming age He will display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For I am saved from his wrath by grace through faith and this faith was not from myself, it is God’s gift, it is not because I’m a good guy, I have absolutely nothing in which I can boast. I am his workmanship alone created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God before the foundation of the world prepared for me to do. 

Now then, this means that those I know who have rarely known love along with Andi, who is a young lady who works at Ingles who told me that she had been invited for the first time ever to a Thanksgiving Day by her father whom she never met because he abandoned her when a baby, is as a daughter of Adam under the wrath of God as was I, but God...who is rich in mercy... perhaps has brought along a wretch named Mel to show his mercy to her by his good news of Christ’s obedience and righteousness for her.

May he use me more this year in his rescue of his sheep. He uses the foolishness of the good news proclaimed to bring this about, to call his sheep, to save his people from their sins. 

This past year he has taught me more of Christ than I have known before. The book of Hebrews has been especially special to me this year as it is a book where Christ is exalted as the Savior of man who having been promised before the foundation of the world, again to the serpent in the garden, again to Abel, again to Noah, again to Abram, again to Isaac, again, to Jacob, again to Joseph, again to Moses, again to David, is lifted up as the one who fulfilled all righteousness and was the mystery to whom all of these men were pointing and bringing us. How will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? 

This year, the Lord has given us a church family full of people who point us to Christ, His work, His obedience, His sufficiency, His sanctifying power. I receive messages almost daily from true brothers in Christ who are amazed at the grace of God in their own lives, and we together worship Him and praise His name alone for God’s great salvation. 

I’ve learned that resolutions in a new year or in a new birthday year are not particularly helpful to me other than to teach me more of my fleshly weakness. But in this new year I do have one desire, that Christ would become more and more my everything. That I would turn less and less to the silly distractions of this world which is passing away and lean more fully on Him for all my wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. 

And if there’s one more request I would have of my God, it would be that this year he would be pleased to add to his church more of his sheep by his power, by his opening of my mouth boldly with his good news, by whatever other means he chooses to blow the wind of his Spirit giving new birth not to those who make promises to change, who repent hard enough of their outward sins, who make emotional decisions at so called “old fashioned altars”, but who are God’s workmanship, and who by God’s power are brought to Christ Himself the lamb of God to be clothed in His righteousness alone. 

To finish, let me share with words from our pastor this past Sunday: “is your soul thirsty? Our God is good. He says ‘come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy, eat! Come, buy wine and milk without price.’ Friend, does your soul thirst for righteousness this morning? A righteousness you know you don’t have? Come to the one who is the end of the law for righteousness. Is your soul weary? Are you weighed down? Come to the one, the only one who can carry that burden and give you rest. Beloved taste ad see that the Lord is good, and that Christ is the Savior and that he is the friend of sinners. What a great privilege” 

Thank you, friends, for warm birthday wishes. Look to Christ. Take his good news boldly to the Andis in your community. He is merciful, he will save. 

By God Are All Things Possible

I want to commend this sermon to you. It is probably one of my favorite sermons I have ever read. It was given to me by my friend Wylie Fulton. The author is Rimmerman Sjojoerdsma. He was the great grandfather of a friend of our family Jane Fulton. Please read it when you have time to meditate on its rich truths. I pray that God will use it to thr praise of the glory of His grace.

BY GOD ARE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE

"And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18: 27.

When Sennacherib, the king of Assyria surrounded Jerusalem with a great multitude, it seemed impossible for Hezekiah to deliver himself, his people and his city out of this superior power. This distressed him, especially because of the slander and blasphemy of the enemy, so that Hezekiah said, "The children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth". (Isa. 37: 3.) This led him into prayer and supplication to God.

When Nebuchadnezzar demanded a matter, namely the telling of a dream and its interpretation, a matter which was impossible for men, not only for all the wise men of Babylon, but also for Daniel and his friends, for Daniel knew that in him was no wisdom above all others, it led Daniel and his friends to prayer and supplication to receive grace in this matter, so that they and the wise men would not be destroyed. He said, "The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets." (Dan. 2, 27, 28.) God Himself had as that God in His mercy revealed this secret in and to Daniel. For this reason he says, "Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are His."(Dan. 2: 20.) As Daniel knew that there was a God mighty to save, so did king Hezekiah. We hear that in his prayer to God: "O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim! Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth." (Isa. 37: 16.)

The impossibility in man himself, and the impotence to be saved or to save himself out of the hands of the stronger enemy and from the threatened evil, leads the soul into distress, and into fear, and causes it to look about for a Savior and deliverer.

When Esau with four hundred men met Jacob, Jacob feared greatly. He had neither wisdom nor power to meet his enemy. Therefore it led him to prayer and supplication to God, and he said, "Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, and the mother with the children." (Gen. 32: 11.)

The impossibility of helping ourselves out of orthrough a situation successfully, leads men to sigh and cry and wrestle. An almighty act of God, yea a miracle must take place. An angel of the Lord must go out to slay 185,000 Assyrians to deliver Hezekiah and Jerusalem. The angel of the Covenant must bless Jacob, and make Esau harmless, thus working a miracle for Jacob, to his benefit. The mysteries of God must be revealed to Daniel, as the wisdom of God, and as a power and an almighty act of God to save Daniel and his friends from the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar, so that he might show them mercy and spare their lives. Thus the Lord Jesus must intercede as Mediator for a soul distressed by his guilt, sighing because of the curse of the law and trembling for the judgment to come. Jesus has indeed intercede for His people as their Surety and Mediator, but this secret must be revealed by Himself to the soul personally. In the wrestling between God and the soul only the Angel of the Covenant can give the blessing. The Lord Jesus Christ alone can deliver,save and give salvation. Yea, He alone can give a blessing as Jacob received. "And He blessed himthere, And Jacob called the name of the place,Peniel", for said he, "I have seen God face toface, and my life is preserved." (Gen. 32: 30.)

In ourselves we are powerless to turn away any evil from us; to withstand the enemy, to save oursouls from death and hell, and from the curse of the law and the wrath of God. We are all thus. And that God, Who reveals secrets, must also reveal our miserable and totally helpless condition to us, so that we will see and feel that we are in the power of the prince of hell, and feel and know our total impotence and weakness, so that we shall fear lest we be endlessly destroyed by the stream of sin and the power of the devil. No human wisdom, no power of the creature can deliver the soul out of this condition. Whatever we may try, nothing can avail to the salvation of the soul, so that for a convinced sinner it becomes an impossible thing to be saved. "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." (Ps. 49: 7.)

"And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Luke 18: 27.

In this chapter we find Jesus defining the way of life very narrowly. The self-righteous Phariseewho thanked God that he was not as wicked as other men, who fasted and tithed conscientiously, even with all his virtues for which he thanked God, could not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Also in Matth. 5: 20 we read, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."Again we read the words of the Lord, "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." (Luke 18: 17.) This again is a wonderful thing. That a little child becomes big is a natural thing, but for a big person to become little is contrary to nature. For an adult person to become a child with all the characteristics of a child is a miracle of God Himself, for this happens only in regeneration. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. As in nature there can be no child without birth, so in grace there can be no child, no heir in Christ without a spiritual birth. Jesus here presents a child in his weakness, simplicity, helplessness, dependency,tenderness and innocence. He must be carried, fed, clothed or unclothed, he is one who cannot keep alive his own soul, in a word, he is entirelybdependent and can do nothing for himself. Thus it is also in grace. The living child is in God's care-God cares for him, carries and cherishes him, but also punishes, chastizes and instructs him. Hence he is under the care and protection of God. Who gives him what is good and withholds from him that which could be evil or harmful to him.

Well might Nicodemus be amazed at what Jesus told him, and the rich young man be very sorrowful, because the possibility of entering heaven by a way of keeping the commandments and observing of virtues and duties was cut off. The self-righteous Pharisee was sent away empty, also the studious and virtuous young man who had only an imagined foundation, for he would enter eternal life by his own works. He asked, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He was sadly disappointed, for he had to lose all he had. Instead of being rich, he had to become poor, instead of being powerful in the keeping of God's commandments he must become a helpless child, as Jesus had just shown. A little farther the Lord says, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God." And they that heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus said, "The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God."

In the first place then regeneration is a necessity which must take place in man if he ever shall be saved. But this regeneration is the work of God, the Holy Spirit. "The flesh profiteth nothing, it is the Spirit that quickeneth." To quicken the dead is possible with God, but impossible with men. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph. 2: 1.) "For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will." (John 5: 21.) To forgive sins is impossible with man, but, "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins" he spoke with power and healed the sick.

To create true peace in the heart is impossible with man but is possible with God-'I make peace and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." (Isa. 45: 7.) To bring men true comfort is impossible with man, but possible with God, for only the Spirit of God is the bringer of good tidings to speak comfortably to Jerusalem. None can open the sinner's blind eyes to look into God's holy law and see his misshapen lump of sin and iniquity, his corruption and uncleanness from his head to his feet, but God alone. None other can show God's perfect holiness and at the same time His severe justice. This is the work of God-He alone, appearing to the sinner in His holy law, causes the sinner to cry, "Woe is me! for I am undone." All matters concerning the way of salvation are impossible with men, but possible alone with God, for it is His blessed work to seek and to save that which is lost. In this my heart desires to rest that God alone is the First and the Last, the Beginning, the Middle and the End. This I have learned to know and experience that if I should ever be converted, the Lord must do it; that if my soul should ever be saved, He alone must complete the work. This wonder of God's omnipotence would be too great for me, for I must admit the impossibility both to be saved and to believe that God would ever do so to me. The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. To give sight to the spiritually blind is possible with God, but only with God alone.

The publican had a view and feeling and knowledge of his sinfulness, and therefore of his unworthiness, but also of the holiness, righteousness and purity of God. For this reason he would not lift up his eyes to heaven (for the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork) but he smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." The only thing he needed he could not possibly give himself nor accept it, nor apply it. No indeed, God must give him grace, or he must perish in his sins.

So it was also with Queen Esther-it was a matter of life or death, receiving grace or perishing. She found grace in the sight of the king, grace for her people. If the king had not shown his mercy, she and her people would have perished. The sentence upon the Jews had been pronounced and established, yea, sealed with the king's ring. Thus it is with every Jew or true Israelite, who is under the condemnation of the law. These shall nevertheless live by grace and be freed from the law of sin and death. These also shall come as the publican, with weeping to the King of kings, praying, "Have mercy, O God, have mercy." Yea, then the Lord shall lead them with weeping and supplications, and they shall comewith trembling.

When sin takes occasion by the commandment so that sin appears in us and we are truly led into that experience and are hopelessly lost in ourselves and it becomes an impossible thing to be saved and impossible for us personally to believe that God shall be gracious to us in Christ, then God alone in His omnipotence must make the impossible possible.

Here all possibility by the creature is cut off. It is much more a feeling and a view of the danger of perishing, especially when God revealsHimself in His holy law and His zeal burns as a fire in his soul. Neither can the convinced sinner find any reason to expect grace, neither in God nor in himself. It is impossible for such a soul to believe that he shall be saved and go to heaven, for he feels the wrath of God upon his sins revealed in his soul. The pains of hell and the snares of death compass and bind his soul. He finds trouble and sorrow. In this state he cries and sighs and groans, "O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul-Oh, have mercy upon me, or I perish." Only the tender mercy of God, God's grace and pardon in the blood of the Lord Jesus can save a soul. Who can be saved by another way?

The question is, "Have we knowledge of these matters? Is the truth of these words of the Lord Jesus experienced in our hearts? Have we ever known the necessity of being converted and in that state felt our inability to convert ourselves so that it truly was the prayer of our heart. "Oh Lord, convert me?" Have we ever known a deep longing and necessity to be delivered; to be delivered from the curse, from wrath, from judgement, from death, hel and devil; to be delivered from ourselves, from our loathsome, sinful, wicked and God-dishonoring heart? Have all these thingsbecome unbearable burdens under which we must, if not delivered, perish? Have we truly learned, felt and experienced that we cannot save or deliver ourselves; that sin and Satan are too strong for us, and that our flesh and blood are not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be? Are we truly anxious and desirous to be delivered from this state of condemnation, of sin and of death? Do we feel our inability to deliver ourselves? Are we truly desirous after God's salvation, after His communion and favor? Do we long for Christ to be revealed to us as the Saviour of our soul? Do we see more beauty in Him than in the children of men? Has Christ Jesus become all to me in the desire of my soul? Is that my sighing and the contents of my supplication that He may speak peace to my soul, that I may take refuge under the shadow of His wings, and be delivered from the pit of corruption?

Am I and are you truly convinced of the impotence of the creature, so that we cannot take or accept, or appropriate these things unto our selves; that we cannot come where we desire to come, or to enjoy what we long for? It is not only so that he cannot bring that enjoying, that tasting of God's salvation into his soul, but neither can he make active the longing and desiring, the hungering and thirsting after Christ; or after the righteousness of God. No, indeed, it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2: 13.) Both the desire and the enjoyment, both the hungering and the feeding, both the clothing and the unclothing, both the soul's sorrow and the soul's happiness.

"How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" What riches? Imagined riches; the appearance without the essence. His riches are: his own righteousness, which is none; the imagination of his own goodness, which is deceitful; his riches in his carnal and formal religion, which is no religion; his zeal for doing duties and good works such as giving alms, which are appreciated by men but which have no value in the sight of God. All these things are the riches of the self-righteous man; not to be an extortioner, an adulterer, a thief nor a publican. What a decorated rich person, how much goods he thinks he has! Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.

Such a person is no stranger to the child of God. They meet him every day, whether at home or abroad. "But this son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." All these matters named above and their possessor shall die and be buried in the grave. Then all imagined goods and riches of virtues and duties, formal religion and self righteousness, carnal religion and hypocrisy shall turn to dust with the man of sin, and leave the soul naked and empty before the all-seeing Judge. Only "grace shall reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 5: 21.) The publican asked only for mercy, he needed naught else, when all was taken from him and he felt condemned to death. Thus we find it with all God's people whose name we find in the Bible, yea, withall God's people who have lived, do live and shall live on earth. They are those who see their spiritual poverty, blindness and deadness. They feel and experience the rod of God's indignation over their sins and are purified by that rod so that they can no more trust in their self-righteousness and selfconfidence, and all their righteousness becomes as filthy rags and themselves as an unclean thing. (Isa. 64: 6.) Thus the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. (Isa. 3: 17.) By the discipline of the law they shall bebrought to Christ.

All the things God does, His ways, His dealings in the salvation of His people are impossible with men, and also too wonderful and incomprehensible. "He doeth great things that we cannot comprehend." (Job 37: 5.) God is all in all. He alone must give and do everything for His people. He shall guide them with His counsel and afterwards receive them to glory.

And they who are taught by the Lord want tobe instructed and led by His Spirit and kept by the power of God unto the day of Jesus Christ. In that day they shal praise Him perfectly and sing, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy and for Thy truth's sake." (Ps. 115: 1.) But even in this life they experience and feel at times that they cannot work or give life and faith in their souls. No, indeed! It is as Moses said to the children of Israel, "The Lord shal fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Ex. 14: 14.) Everything that must take place, and all that must be done to save a sinner and bring him to glory is done by God alone. God has first chosen a people in Christ His beloved Son, having pre- destinated them to be His children. Them also in time He called and quickened by the Spirit of Christ. They become partakers of His grace, delivered by His blood, and their sins are forgiven because Jesus Christ, sent by the Father gave satisfaction. If these truths are to become known and personally experienced as a work of God in our soul, the Lord must teach us and reveal it to our soul by His Spirit. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." (Eph.1: 17, 18.) All things then that are foreordained are in time revealed according to the counsel of God's will, not the will of man, nor the wisdom and strength of men. No, indeed, this the Lord teaches His people well, when they first discover their cursed will, their stiffneckedness and contrariness. If it is dependent upon their wil, it would be impossible to be saved-Paul says, "To will is present with me," and that is true of all God's children after the Lord has given them that will by creating in them a new life, like unto God and God's will. But the flesh is not subject to the law of God, and thus there is by nature no will unto good in man in those things that are God's. The natural, unregenerate man says, "depart from me for desire not the knowledge of Thy ways." He has a desire to evil and to all sin, that is his natural life, a life that leads to death and condemnation. The unconverted feed themselves with the things of this world and of sin, and desires to fill his belly with all uncleanness. God's people will gladly admit it if they have learned to know their unconverted state and condition, when they have dis- covered their loathsomeness and abominable wickedness. They see and feel how they have walked contrary unto God, fulfiling the desires of the flesh and the mind, for which God's wrath over their sins was revealed. They were by nature children of wrath even as others. They are also under the curse of the law and under condemnation, they are become unprofitable, they have perverted their way and corrupted their deeds by their sins and iniquities. Therefore they, too, with the whole world are condemnable before God. The Lord teaches His people to know and feel this by the power of sin, namely by the law. The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. They make sin alive and discover all evil and wickedness which before was hidden and neither seen nor heard. The commandment not only makes sin alive, but is also a messenger of the Lord God, to present the sinner as guilty and condemnable before the heavenly Judge. It proclaims God's righteousness, holiness and justice in the sinners heart. Thus God's righteousness revealed in and by the law calls for vengeance. God will not hold the guilty sinner guiltless. His holiness will not permit the filthy and unclean sinner to approach unto Him, and he cries, "Woe is me! for mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts," and who shall see and meet Him in this way and live? Death and damnation stare the sinner in the face and he says, "Woe is me! I perish!" There never was a power or will in man to come to the possibility of this knowledge and this Revelation. The creature in his state of nature may seem to agree with the truth of the Bible, and even be zealous for it, but it is only a carnal zeal. And whatever he may do to be saved thereby and I go to heaven all is fruitless, for he can give God no ransom for his soul, nor for the soul of his brother. In that respect the way of salvation is cut off and impossible for man to find. The rich young man and the Pharisee had never experienced that impossibility for themselves. Thus every man by nature seeks to establish his own self-righteousness. No matter how zealous he is in keeping the law, in praying, fasting, and almsgiving, how righteous he may seem to be in the eyes of men and in his own eyes, how much he expects fruit upon his labor, and a reward, namely heaven, for al the good things he has done, yet, having loved the wages of unrighteousness, he shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. Thus it was with Rechab and Baana who brought the head of Ishbosheth to David, thinking they would be given a reward for their deed. Instead they received the reward of their iniquity, and were hanged. It is absolutely impossible for a person to bring himself into God's favor. There is nothing in and about man, that can please God. He is become abominable in the pure eyes of God.

"God looked from heav'n above, On all the human race

To see if any understand, If any sought His face.

They all are gone aside, Corruption doth abound.

There is not one that doeth good, Not even one is found." Psalm 53.

Man can nor wil please God. He can nor will save his soul in the way by which the Lord saves His people. God chastizes, uncovers, yea, empties His people of all their imagined goods, whereby their confidence shall be rooted out of their Tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the king of terrors (Job 18: 14.) Then all their righteousnesses are asnfilthy rags, and they become as an unclean thing. Oh, how shall they escape the wrath of God? Where is the way of escape and the way of peace? Everything seems impossible, irreparably lost and hopeless from their side. Oh, if they could but find forgiveness and reconciliation instead of conviction of judgment. Oh that the Lord might have mercy on me! What a wonder that would be! Oh, how they are chastened by the law, sentenced and put to death, for the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproof of instruction are the way of life. (Prov. 6: 23.) There is nothing left to them but crying, lametning, and sighing. Oh, Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul." The publican went down to his house justified. Grace alone and pardon in the blood of Jesus Christ can save. Yea, that alone is what each child of God desires, needs and asks for. It is not theirs to take, but it must be given them by the Lord to their salvation."For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2: 8.) God then justifies. He Himself is the Giver. Only with Him it is possible to be saved.

And now the prayer of God's people continually is, "O Lord, look down in mercy upon me." Or, "look down on me in favor, not because of my worthiness, but according to the greatness of Thy goodness and mercy." "My soul waits for Thy blessing. It is not possible for me to bring true peace in my heart, the peace I long to have and enjoy. But neither is it possible for me to drive away the sin and curse out of my heart, that sin of which I am so tired. But with Thee all things are possible, Lord, and wilt Thou do all things for me, for the salvation of my soul and the glory of Thy great Name. Make me to know Thee more in Thy divine power and omnipotence, but also in the riches of Thy mercies and loving kindness es, so that I may sing of Thy goodness and tell of Thy power. For Thou, O Lord, hast done wonder ful and great things for Thy people." For He Himself leads His people and causes them to die by the law to themselves and all their good works, so that no life or peace is left to them, and all hope of life and salvation is cut off. Thus the Lord removes the dross from the silver to bring forth a vessel of mercy to His honor. For truly we are as clay in God's hands, and shal be nothing but what God makes of us. For as He killeth, so He maketh alive. And truly, nothing is impossible with God, but we must learn to know and experience the impossibility, if a wonder of God shall be revealed in us. It is God's purpose to lead His people out of the burning fire, out of darkness, and out of the storm and to bring them to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God. Yea, He alone leads forth those that are bound in chains. "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1: 13, 14.) By His Spirit He makes alive and gives the soul a good hope anchored in Him alone. How the uncircumcised heart is humbled by this efficacious and clear revelation of love and mercy. Oh, when it pleases the Lord by His Spirit to proclaim to the poor soul liberty and remission of sins, flowing forth only from God's eternal love, the soul rejoices in God as in the highest good, and finds this to be true riches in life and in death. Never does she wish to depart from this, but she desires to rest in the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. For this all material things must be set aside, flesh and blood must fail. Nothing at all can please the soul but the object of its love: Jesus alone as Redeemer and Mediator, and as the only Saviour and precious Surety. He alone is the true peace, the only Comforter, yea He alone filleth all in all. Indeed, He is altogether lovely. All outside of Him is loss and dung, unrest and discord, sin and unbelief, satanic or carnal, and cannot please God. Nor does it please my soul, but plagues it, discomforts it and afflicts it. All things outside of Christ can sadden my soul and make me sigh and long to be delivered of them. I cannot drive out that which discomforts and alicts, distresses and plagues my soul. It is impossible for me. And to bring into my heart the love of God and His grace in Christ, and to keep it there, so that I can continuously partake of it and enjoy, that is just as impossible. But I have experienced that all things are possible with God, for in my distress He heard my cry and came as my Deliverer and saved my soul. When I did not expect it He delivered my soul in love and gave me to drink from the cup of His eternal love.

"I know that the Lord is almighty, Supreme in dominion is He,

Performing His will and good pleasure In heav'n and in earth and the sea. " Psalm 135.

His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life, and of this favor God's people have experi- ence. They taste and see His goodness and grace and the life of God revealed in their soul. "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you." (2 Cor. 13: 3.) And what causes God's children to sigh and yearn more for the blessed life of heaven than the first fruits of the Spirit which they receive from the blessed God, in and through the love of God granted to their souls in Christ. That place and that time is for them a house of God and a gate of heaven, a time of rejoicing and they want to build a tabernacle there to tarry in that place. Yea, a day in God's house is better than a thousand elsewhere; yea, a minute in His favor and blessed communion, in the communication of His love and mercy, and the fulness of His grace to the soul is worth more than all the corn and wine of this world, more than all these material, sensual and visible things. It is just these material, fleshly and earthly things that cause God's people to groan; it is the earth, the world, and their own flesh that keeps the soul in shackles, and causes it to long for deliverance. How impossible it is for them to break these material and carnal bands! It is also impossible and difficult to flee from all these things and to find rest for their souls. The way of life for God's people is narrow and the gate is strait, so strait that they learn to know by sad experience that flesh and blood and self cannot pass through that gate, and also that in walking on that narrow way flesh and blood oppose the soul and are unwiling to go on it, yea, even on the way to heaven all the powers of sin, satan, world, our own flesh, people and devils raise the sword to slay him.

Again, as far as man is concerned it is impossible to go in by this way and be saved. It is God the Lord alone who will guide His people and afterward receive them to glory. All things are against God's people on the way of life, all things would prevent them from entering: men and devils, sin and unbelief, their own evil and filthy heart from which continually issue all sins of unbelief and distrust, Satan to buffet them or to mislead them with flattering words, hatred and disdain of men, and especially their own "I" that in pride and ambition scorns this way, as do the other enemies of God. How flesh and heart must fail in this way, and therefore were it not that grace alone reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, no soul would be saved. For this reason this aflicted and poor people of God shall live and die only by grace and by grace they shall inherit eternal life through the righteousness of Jesus Christ their Lord.

"No human might, no earthly pride, Delights the Lord above;

In them that fear Him He delights, In them that trust His love.

O Zion, praise the Lord thy God, His wondrous love confess;

He is thy glory and thy strength, He will thy children bless." Psalm 147.

This good hope through grace given by the Spirit of God in the hearts of His people, and

quickened by that same Spirit carries God's people to His throne of grace, and there alone do

they expect deliverance, salvation and peace. Nothing else can lead them through this way of trials and tribulations, but nor can anything but grace and righteousness through Jesus Christ save them and cause them to enter into His glory. Here the Lord gives His people a living desire by grace to grace, takes their heart with His love and sows in their heart a divine love that loves nothing but Him, and desires Him as Prophet, Priest and King, to be led by Him in the way that they should go. He draws their desire to Him, so that only He can please their soul. Thus He is the desire of their souls and their conversation is in heaven, from whence also they look for their Saviour. Here they live in hope, there in enjoyment, here in faith, soon by sight. Nothing on earth can fulfill their desire, nothing of time and sense can please their soul or give them peace. No, indeed, their life is hid with Christ in God, and they long for the manifestation, the enjoyment, and the fulfillment of it. That is their desire. They die to all earthly and material things, and consider them detrimental to them.

God's people await an uninterrupted felicity, an eternal enjoyment of gladness and joy, a blissful peace, and a revealed glory of their Savior. Also while waiting and awaiting God's people experience that they need patience, and that this must be given them by God. Insuperable oppression and objections that come upon them in this life often cause them to lose courage and cause heart and flesh to fail. Unless the Lord had been their help they would have fainted, not only because of their filthy sins which they continually discover in their heart, but also the cold indifference and apathy that accompanies such sin, and works together with that condemnable unbelief, and the whisperings of the prince of darkness. At such times the awful sins of unbelief, blasphemous thoughts injected by the devil, and the hatred and enmity in his own flesh reveal themselves in the heart, seemingly quenching the light and life of God. Oh, when we come into such trials and dificulties, when we become aware what a pesthouse of sin our hearts really are, then we get a low opinion of ourselves. Iniquities prevail, sin and Satan lift up the head, and God's people are powerless and incapable to deliver themselves from such a power of sin and Satan. The King of Zion must arise, ever and again to deliver His people and to save their souls from al the power of hell, of sin and of death, but also to renew them as in the days of old, and to give life to their souls.

Oh, if we rightly see what worthless dust we are, how unwilling we are and what enemies we are of the ways and works of God, then it becomes an impossible matter to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but then the possibility with God, His Omnipotence and sovereignty are revealed and made known in and to His people. Yea, of the greatness of His might and government there shall be no end. He puts down the mighty, the proud, daring heart of the hardened sinner, and causes him to fall before Him, puting his mouth in the dust. He turns like water-brooks the hearts of His people and plants His fear in them. He leads them under His dominion with supplication and weeping to Him as their only Redeemer and Saviour. He draws and leads them in the way they must go; He sustains and strengthens them. He has chosen a people from the beginning, He has ordained them to salvation, He has known them as His own, has called them and drawn them from the power of darkness to His marvelous light. He Himself has redeemed them, and purified and sanctified them by His own blood. These are loved by God in Christ, and He causes them to inherit a durable good, a heavenly glory, an eternal blessedness to the praise, and honor of His eternal glory. The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.

"The God of Israel I will praise And all His glory show;

The righteous He will high exalt And bring the wicked low." Psalm 75.

Amen.

December, 1922

R. SJOERDSMA.

Birthday Thoughts To Bless My Friends And Family

Today is my 44th birthday. All flesh is as grass. “…the rich man (this has been me thus far in this life) is to glory in his humiliation, because like the flowering grass he will pass away.” My birthday is an opportunity to praise Christ my Savior and to lift Him up to those who so kindly spend their time and some even their money wishing me a happy birthday.  

In this past year, God has so graciously taught me more about Himself than perhaps any other year I remember. Much has changed in my life and in the world in this last year. But there is one who has not changed, and His ways are perfect. I can’t wait to bow before my Savior soon and with all His chosen cry: “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”  -Revelation 4:11

This year the Lord has graciously allowed me to encounter so many people who have not been given what I have been given. I can’t sufficiently describe the utter despair in which so many just in my own city live. I want them to know Christ and His gospel. I want them to know the Christ of the Bible – the one whose shadow was seen when God took away Adam and Eve’s self-made clothes which they had made to deny and hide their disobedience and death deserving rebellion and clothed them instead in the skin of an innocent lamb whose blood was spilled and whose white robe was given as new clothes.

I don’t want these despairing people to know the American Jesus and the American gospel, I want them to know Christ as He is.

Cain and Abel had been taught of the breaking of God’s covenant by their father Adam and that they themselves as sons of Adam were now under the curse and sentence of death. They had been taught of God’s promise to send a rescuer to crush Satan forever. They had been taught of God’s provision of a substitute by bloodshed that God Himself had provided so that they might be saved from the just punishment (death) of their holy Creator. Cain believed in this God just as many Americans do but added to the good news of grace of which his father had taught him just as many Americans do. Surely his sin did not require perfect obedience, perfect righteousness which he himself was incapable of. Surely what God required was the sacrifice of his very best efforts. Surely God helps those who help themselves. Surely if you give God your best, He’ll do the rest. It had to be that God required a sacrifice yes, but did He not also require our best? Cain would have made a good American gospel preacher. Yes, God had provided a sacrifice, but He must also require man’s faithfulness, right? Men surely can’t be saved by the sacrifice of God alone.

Now Abel, Cain’s brother, was also dead in trespasses and sins, and he walked according to the ways of the world, and according to the ruler of the power of the air (Satan), carrying out his fleshly desires and inclinations of his flesh and thoughts and was by nature a child of wrath as the son of Adam, was made alive by the power of God. He demonstrated his life and sonship by bringing a lamb and shedding its blood. There was no adding to the good news of God’s grace by Abel. His righteousness was not his own. His works could never meet God’s righteous demands. There must be a rescuing work done by God Himself. His sin required death and he could not save himself from this. But God had promised life and demonstrated the sacrifice that the rescuer promised would make – God himself would provide the necessary sacrifice. God Himself would come and save His people from their sins. His people would have nothing to offer. Just as his father Adam had by promise had been clothed in the perfect righteousness of God, so had Abel.  By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. – Hebrews 11:4 The book of Hebrews is all about the promise made in Genesis 3:15 being fulfilled in Christ – Christ Himself being the “better” sacrifice.

What does all of this have to do with my birthday? I am feebly trying to magnify Christ as better than all the works of man whether it be his “free will” choice of Christ, his conservatism, his faithfulness, his baptism, his truer church, his law keeping, his doctrine being more correct, his recognition of the hypocrisy and disobedience of others, or any other gospel which is not another gospel.

Do you know what kind of man you are telling happy birthday? He has not kept God’s law. Even after trusting in Christ as a young boy, he like the foolish Galatians began again to work at pleasing God and keeping His laws to prove his righteousness. His efforts failed over and over. Often, he committed shameful acts of sin while judging others for doing the same. Often, as a husband he failed to love his wife as Christ loved His bride. Often, as a father he confused his children by confusing God’s law and God’s gospel. And still yet, he is a sinner. Often, he does what he no longer desires to do, he does not do what desires to do. Yet, his Savior is faithful and sends corrections by His loving hand. He sends other men to help him remember and look to Christ alone. One of the men He sent is named John Newton. He is the author of Amazing Grace with which you are familiar. He is also the author of the song “I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow”. Here are the words:

VERSE 1
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

VERSE 2
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

VERSE 3
 I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And, by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.

VERSE 4
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

VERSE 5
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Humbled my heart and laid me low.

VERSE 6
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried;
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”

VERSE 7
“These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou mayest find thy all in Me.”

God has been so faithful this year to help me continue to learn my complete dependance on Him for my righteousness and for my sanctification.  For consider your calling, brothers and sisters, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,  and the insignificant things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no human may boast before God. But it is due to Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, [and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:26-31

Thank you for your kind birthday wishes and for the love you show to me. But soon, my tongue will “lie silent in the grave” and I will be forgotten but I will be with the saints singing of HIS POWER to save.

May I share with you some more of the scriptures which this year have highlighted to me the promise of God’s salvation by his Christ? I would like to order them, but for time’s sake they are just in random order. Below that if you will indulge me are some links to a couple of resources that have helped me look to Christ this year. I highly recommend them! To finish my thoughts, I will share here a link to a song by 20Schemes music (a church planting effort in the slums of Scotland which by the way is where the Lockhart name traces back). This particular song was written by Robert Murray M’Cheyne 1813-1843. Here is the link which sums up the work of God for His glory upon this wretched heart of mine: https://youtu.be/U1XY-3eFTR8

Read now God’s Word and see Christ in all of the Bible!

For thus says the high and exalted One

Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,

“I dwell on a high and holy place,

And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly

And to revive the heart of the contrite.

“For I will not contend forever,

Nor will I always be angry;

For the spirit would grow faint before Me,

And the breath of those whom I have made.

“Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;

I hid My face and was angry,

And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,

Creating the praise of the lips.

Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,”

Says the Lord, “and I will heal him.”

— Isaiah 57:15-19

And they will call them, “The holy people,

The redeemed of the Lord”;

And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”

— Isaiah 62:12

For You are my hope;

O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.

By You I have been sustained from my birth;

You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;

My praise is continually of You.

— Psalm 71:5-6

O God, You have taught me from my youth,

And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.

And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to this generation,

Your power to all who are to come.

For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,

You who have done great things;

O God, who is like You?

— Psalm 71:17-19

I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,

My soul will exult in my God;

For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,

He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

To spring up before all the nations.

— Isaiah 61:10-11

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

— Luke 19:9-10

And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

— Luke 18:24-27

And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

— Luke 18:6-7

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

— Luke 16:14-15

Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten.

— Exodus 13:3

You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’

— Exodus 13:8

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house⁠—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

— Hebrews 3:1-6

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

— Colossians 1:28

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

— Colossians 2:8-10

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

— Colossians 1:12-14

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

— Philippians 3:7-11

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

— Philippians 2:13

having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

— Philippians 1:11

having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

— Philippians 1:11

For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

— Philippians 1:29

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

— Ephesians 1:3-7

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

— Ephesians 2:1-10

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;

— Revelation 19:1

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

— Revelation 19:6-9

but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.

— Revelation 10:7

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

— Revelation 7:13-17

And they sang a new song, saying, 

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

— Revelation 5:9-10

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

— Revelation 4:11

Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

— Ecclesiastes 11:5

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.

— Ecclesiastes 9:11

I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.

— Ecclesiastes 7:15

Consider the work of God,

For who is able to straighten what He has bent?

In the day of prosperity be happy,

But in the day of adversity consider⁠—

God has made the one as well as the other

So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.

— Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

— Ecclesiastes 4:13-14

But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always.

— 1 Samuel 2:35

Lastly, here are the recommended resources I mentioned

1.       More than any other I recommend this book by my friend (who does not know he’s my friend) Mike Abendroth. The book is called “Gospel Assurance” Gospel Assurance: A 31 Day Guide to Assurance: Abendroth, Mike (amazon.com). Also, he is doing a series on Gospel Assurance on AGTV (www.watchagtv.com).

2.       I recommend Mike’s brother Pat Abendroth’s podcast called The Pactum (Home | The Pactum) and then Mike’s podcast called No Compromise Radio (No Compromise Radio – Always biblical, always provocative. Always in that order.)

To My Daughter - Kylie On Her Wedding Day

Dear Kylie,

I will never forget the day we first met. When my eyes met yours, I was so happy that I was a Dad, that you were mine, and I had big plans! I was in love again for sure – a daughter as beautiful in and out as her mother. Since that day, the journey has been full and wonderful, but boy has it been fast. If I sit and think about all of our special moments that we likely will not experience again, my tears are hard to stop. There are so many treasured moments that as we experienced them, I took for granted that there would always be another opportunity to do it again. Now the time has come when you must leave to become one with another. The goodness of God in this is overwhelming. Never forget that it is the mercy and grace of God poured out on His chosen ones that has allowed us so much joy and fellowship within our family. It did not come cheap. Christ poured out on us, and lavished on us His grace, purchasing us with His own blood. He lived His life as one completely emptied of self with His face set towards the bloody cross so that we would be washed and holy and blameless before Him in love. Just as Adam and Eve helplessly received mercy and deliverance from death as they were promised a rescuer, and their shame was covered by the blood of a substitute representing the final deliverer, so Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, David, the prophets, Zacharias, Mary, Simeon, Anna, the disciples, and so we have been chosen from the foundation of the world to receive mercy and pardon by the blood of Christ. We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets – Jesus Christ Himself being the “chief cornerstone”. God demonstrated it to you right from your conception by bringing you into a family who like Noah had been rescued from the world, placed in the Ark of Christ and are waiting for it to come to rest on the Mountain of God. Therefore you are to show mercy as you have been shown mercy, forgive as you have been forgiven, love as you have been loved, and keep your eyes on Jesus the author of your faith and the finisher of your faith. So, if our little story is only about good times, fun times, and now times that are missed, it is an inconsequential one that is but dust in the wind, a drop in the bucket, a speck on a scale, a vapor... It is “vanity of vanities”. But, if it is part of the plan of God laid before the foundation of the world to bring glory and praise to Himself, to redeem sinful rebels from every tongue, tribe, and nation, then we are part of something too wonderful for us to even ascribe words. There will never be height, or depth, or any created thing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Things will continue to change while here on our pilgrimage, while on the Ark during the storm, and while we are in this flesh which is like grass that quickly withers. God may grant you the same happiness that He has granted us and give to you many care-free days with a kind husband and a beautiful family. He may have a different plan. He may give you trial, suffering, sickness, and pain. But whatever His plan, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is a faithful Savior who will bring you safely home. If this world were our home, if this world was our only hope, my tears would not be able to stop for missing you as you leave now. But, I have joy now as you leave. You leave to be an example to Christ's sheep who have yet to hear His voice as you will demonstrate to them the obedience that Christ's bride willingly has toward her lover. You will be a visible representation of Christ's church who loves Him because He first loved us. Whatever God has planned for you is good. Do not trust in earthly riches, or even the riches of children that God may be pleased to give. Rather, love and trust the giver of good things so that if there is a day when you cannot see through the darkness, you will still know His presence and His promises and will wait patiently for that day when we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. I love you more than words can tell.

Love,

Daddy

To My New Son In Law Jeb

Dear Jeb,

I would much rather give my daughter to Jeb Fregm than I would give her to Mel Lockhart when he was your age. I have every confidence that the same God who has been faithful in disciplining me and loving me as a son, has been and will continue to do the same in and for my new son – Jeb.

That God has been gracious in bringing you two to each other, I have no doubt. That God has been at work in your life in the same gracious way that He has Kylies, I have no doubt. Kylie has never belonged to me, but she has been my responsibility before God. I willingly give her now to you to love as Christ has loved you.

Now, you can go buy some books on marriage, you can download some marriage sermons, you can make a fresh start with some new resolutions each time you fail, or you can look to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. You can try again tomorrow, or you can trust Him now. You can plan to be a better husband or you can pray (which is simply yielding your will to God). Christ is the faithful one and He did not leave us comfortless. He did not leave us alone. Do not quench His Spirit. Christ is your wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. God is not sitting back like an angry father with his arms crossed, and a scowl on His face watching your performance to see how you will do. He has given His own Son and as you heard and believed His Word of promise, He has also given you a down-payment on your inheritance – His own Spirit indwelling you. Believe these simple promises. Obey His Spirit in everything. He will guide you into all truth.

I leave my sweet Kylie with you now. She will love you as you love her as Christ has loved you and has given Himself for you. Let His gift of grace be your constant motivation. Jesus said: “he who believes in me...from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” You will be a constant refreshment to your wife as you are refreshed by Jesus.

I am so grateful for God's gift of Jeb to Kylie.

Love,

Your proud and thankful Father In Law.

Christ In The Old Testament - Chapel Library - JC Ryle Sermon

Christ In the OT - Chapel Library - JC Ryle Sermon

The New Whippoorwill Song

If you grew up in an evangelical Sunday School, you may remember singing Jesus Loves Me and then singing Jesus Loves Me - “the new way”. The “new way” had a different tune and a few new words.

Every now and then, a popular evangelical song pops into my head that causes me to think to myself…”that needs some new words.”

We are in a very man-centered religious culture that likes to think of God in a way that man prefers. Man prefers a God who is more like himself than the God who said: “I am that I am”. Man by nature (sinful and rebellious) would prefer to bring some sort of acceptable sacrifice to God as Cain tried and failed. As Cain, man does not see his case as completely hopeless and worthy of death. At that point, the only hope for man is a substitute provided by God alone (the animal slain and coverings made for Adam and Eve, the lamb sacrificed by Abel, the lamb of God - Jesus).

Popular evangelical songs often reflect a man-centered view of God and salvation in such subtle ways. It is important to compare them with scripture. The danger in these songs is that the subtle doctrines of wolves are sneaked in to steal and to kill by turning men ever so slightly away from Christ the lamb of God as God’s provision for the salvation of His sheep. God’s rescue of man’s soul is to the praise of the glory of His grace alone.

Often, evangelical songs contain a theme which seems to say, “to the praise of the glory of my choice”, rather than “to the praise of the glory of His grace”. One such song that became popular among a certain sect of evangelicals is called “The Whippoorwill Song”. It is hard for me to read the words and even harder for me to type them here because of the blatant adding to scripture and twisting of scripture that is prevalent in the song. But it is popular and bolsters a subtle twist on the gospel that I think is deadly, steals from God His glory, and makes man to be in charge. In my opinion, it must be called heretical, and I hope to help those deceived by its lies see the truth of scripture and the glory of God in His salvation.

Here are the words:

Verse 1:

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains from the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay, (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray. (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills; (Ps 50)

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Man’s philosophy to excuse God for damning men)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my might hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my voice, (Ps 18)

But my own sons come to Me by choice. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills;

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

I could demand your love – I own you twice: (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

But only willing love is worth the price. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Coda:

And if you want me to, I'll make you whole; (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

I'll only do it though if you say so.

I'll never force you for I love you so;

I give you freedom; is it yes or no? (Man always says no - there is none that seeks after God)

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

It pains me greatly to type the words to the Coda. A little research on Pelagianism or Martin Luther vs. Erasmus, or the Synod of Dort will open your eyes to the battle against this heresy that has been fought many times. The Coda is an affront to God’s sovereignty!

Here is “The Whippoorwill Song - The New Way”. I hope you will take time to search the scriptures and see which is true. One way subtly glorifies man and makes salvation “synergistic” (look it up). The other way glorifies God alone and keeps salvation “monergistic” (look it up). I trust that my post here and “new” words will not just feel polemical but will ultimately lead to the help of those who struggle with assurance of salvation because they are looking to a “decision” they made rather than to Christ, the lamb of God.

Here is the “new” version:

Verse 1 (I kept it the same – the only fully Biblical verse of the original):

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains fro the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my mighty hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my noise, (Ps 18)

My sheep will come when they hear my voice. (John 10)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

You will not come though you have a choice (John 10)

Your will is bound, you'll not hear my voice (John 10, John 6)

Coda:

For my own name's sake, I will make you whole (Genesis 3:15 and following...through Revelation)

For by grace, life is given so,

That God be praised and all may know

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

That Only 300 Should Boast

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

— Judges 7:2-3

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”

— Judges 7:4-7

When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

— Judges 7:22

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

— Ephesians 2:1-9

I have often heard the story of Gideon preached in such a way as to lift up the men in the first passage I referenced who were not afraid. Then after the Lord whittled that group of 10,000 down to only 300 men, I have heard those men lifted up as the ones that God chose BECAUSE they had drunk the water in such a way as to demonstrate that they were choosable. 

Let it be known that if you have heard or interpreted that story in such a way, you have missed the point altogether - not only of the story but of the true gospel. The Lord here as in every OT story is keeping his promise in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would one day deliver the winning blow to Satan and his seed. This particular story highlights God rescuing more His chosen right out of the mire of their idolatry by His own power and for His own glory and he specifically said that Israel would not become "boastful". 

Yet, most evangelicals do with it just as the men of Israel did after the victory… They want just a little glory for man… just a little...perhaps their free will in not being afraid and then in drinking the water in a certain way was to be credited. For here is what they said to Gideon after the victory had been won:

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

— Judges 8:22-23

Man just wants a little credit. After all, didn't HE CHOOSE to OBEY? (Had they forgotten WHO appeared to Gideon while he was threshing wheat dead in traspasses and sins?) What a man that Gideon! Where did that boastful attitude and where does that boastful attitude lead? 

Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

— Judges 8:24-27

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

— Judges 8:30-31

Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

— Judges 8:33-35

If my concern for America today is related to an earthly kingdom and I am looking for a man, a movement, an earthly deliverer to save us (if even in the name of God and Christianity), I am missing the point of the true gospel demonstrated in Genesis and all through the Old Testament. I am ignorant of the salvation of God being all of God, all of grace, and all for his glory - that no man may boast (not even the 300). 

Gideon and his deliverance points us to the Savior, the ultimate deliverer who came to save His people from their sins. The judgment we are experiencing today is because we again have forgotten God who saved us from our sins and our idolatry and immorality and have thought subtly that our own American free-will brought about the blessings we enjoyed and ultimately worshipped. 

Let us turn again to our God to deliver us from our sin...OUR SIN! American Christians have played the harlot with the riches we have been given just as Israel did with the Ephod. We boast in our religious pride while blind to our idols. Our religion is “Your Best Life Now”. Turn us O Lord to the true deliverer of the Israel of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world, and the only one who is ever worthy of power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing! 

Nudge Not The Hand

I write this morning for my benefit, and if God wills for my children or grandchildren someday. If somehow it is helpful to the one and a half people who read my blog, then that will be an added benefit, I suppose.

What the Spirit of God has urgently impressed upon me this morning is something that I want to put down and return to frequently because I am so weak in remembering things that I ought to remember.

Recently I have been like a child learning from his father to ride a bike, or I have been like a hard-headed child learning to ride a bike. Imagine the father of this child first looking through his picture window at his son crashing and burning time and again. His son is bleeding and bruised and finally frustrated. The father had asked his son several times if he would like some help, but his son had refused each time. But, the father had sensed that his son was about to quit. He sneaked up behind his battered son and gently took hold of the seat of the bike as the son pedaled down the street. The son looked back and smiled from ear to ear as he realized how fun it was to ride a bike and how much his father loved him. Up and down the drive they go with the son smiling from ear to ear.

After a few trips, the boy’s pride once again grips him; he reaches back and gently nudges his father’s hand away. Without saying the words, he is saying to his Father, “I can do it by myself.” 

The patient father releases his grip but compassionately stays right behind. The little boy begins leaning; his front wheel begins to jerk back and forth; he does not even notice that he is heading for a deep ditch. The father again takes the back of the seat, rescuing his son from an inevitable disaster. This time, the son remembers. While yet hard-headed and far from becoming an expert cyclist, he has at least begun to learn the need he has of his father. He is little aware of the injury that awaited him if his loving father had not been there for the rescue.

This illustration breaks down if carried out, for though this little boy may learn to ride a bike without the instruction of his father, I will never be able to walk through this life without the instruction of and obedience to my heavenly Father.

The Lord has been gracious over the past few years to teach me that my sonship had nothing to do with my choice. I love Him because he first loved me. Learning that salvation has been all of grace, all of God, and all for His glory has been humbling and assuring.

Now, assured of my sonship by His word, rather than my performance as a redeemed son, I am often like a hard-headed child, nudging my Father’s hand from my life and by this saying, “I can do it by myself.”

All of Paul and Peter’s epistles first lay the foundation of our sonship as being a work of God alone for His glory alone:

“...to all who are beloved of God...called as saints…” (Romans 1:7) 

“to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…” (I Corinthians 1:2)

“...who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.” (Galatians 1:4-5)

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba! Father! Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to the adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6)

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (Colossians 1:21-22)

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…” (I Thessalonians 1:2-5)

“Peter...to those...who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (I Peter 1:1-3)

“To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence,” (2 Peter 1:1-3)

So now, after this much-needed refresher on who has rescued me from inevitable disaster, I thrust myself into His arms to keep me safe. He has given me His Spirit, who He jealously desires to dwell in me (James 4). 

Once, an uneducated man who was without much education in the Bible, and had grown up in a criminal environment, said to me: “I think the most important verse for a Christian must be ‘quench not the Spirit.’” That stuck with me. I think he was on to something.

The peace that the Lord gives by the forgiveness of sin is corrupted when our life is full of ease and comfort, and material blessing. We think we are riding along just fine, and before we know it, and we nudge the Spirit away with little compromises. Perhaps God has not called us to yield all of our bodies as a living sacrifice. Maybe we CAN serve God and money. Maybe these little idols of mindless entertainment, earthly kingdom-mindedness, and idle words and meditations are not hindrances to my calling as a Son.

But God has warned us in many places to be sober, vigilant, ready, walking worthy, running, holy, free of idols, suffering, loving, and living as seated in heavenly places. Yet, as our adoption as sons was wrought by His power, so will be our obedience as sons.

Without even a backward glance, I so often nudge the hand of the Father (the indwelling Spirit) from my life. I begin to lean, but my childish ignorance does not notice; my wheel jerks back and forth, but I smile in my selfish indulgence; I do no see the ditch lurking, but my loving heavenly father gently takes hold with a kind smile, for He has given His life for me. He will never let me go. I have heard His voice.

Clothed Not Crushed (Birthday Thoughts)

Today is my 42nd birthday. Just saying those words highlights that indeed as the Scriptures say life is like a vapor that appears and then vanishes, and all flesh is like grass - beautiful today but gone tomorrow.

I wanted to put thoughts on paper today that I could share in return for the kind words and wishes that my friends and family send to me today. Those who write me well-wishes today for the most part see me as a good guy worthy in some way of at least some sort of praise and at least one special day of spoiling and pampering. I appreciate that and am grateful that I even have such a thing as friends and family who love me and care to let me know that they are thinking of me and that they appreciate me. But my desire here is to turn their thoughts as much as possible away from me and away from themselves and to think rather on the great love of God and the indescribable mercies of God given to us freely through the shedding of the blood of His Son the Lord Jesus - my master to whom I am joyfully enslaved.

That said, I think one of the best ways to do this is to highlight first the wretchedness of the man to whom you are wishing well and to some degree praising. Now, if I were to do so in a very specific way such as to lay out before you all of my specific disobediences, lusts, prideful thoughts, angry thoughts, better than you thoughts, and outright breaking of God’s laws from just this 41st year of my life, you would not be so anxious to send such warm wishes next year. You would wonder “how could God love such a sinner, and is it right for me to do so?” Because you do love me and because you have seen the grace of God at work in my life you would be conflicted as you are when you read of Noah’s drunkeness after God saved Him from His wrathful judgment upon the earth, or Abraham’s lies to save his own skin even over the molestation of his own wife, or Jacob’s lies and deceit, or Lot’s (dare I even type it out), or David’s adultery and murder, or Peter’s denial and cursing of the one who had said “follow me”. You would be tempted to put out of your mind that you know those things about me and would try to focus on the good that you know about me.

If this is how you would react to my listing of my true wretchedness, then perhaps you need either a reminder of or maybe even a beginner lesson in the great salvation of God and how much He is to be praised for His rescue of sinners. As shocked as you would be to know the hidden evils of my heart, it may be that our reaction to such news that the description of man in Romans 1 is actually true in the lives of those we know shows that we actually have a light view of sin. We still think that it can be erased by balancing the scales with more good than bad. We think that the outward is more important than the inward and we say to each other subtly…”we aren’t that bad”, or “look over here at this good thing that I have done”, or “look at the changes in my life”. Rather I say to you that the sins of the Bible men I mentioned are as evil in the sight of the Lord as they have ever been and when our imagination begins to deal with their sin by seeing if their obedience and good works outweighed their disobedience, we are ignorant of the gospel. In the same way when today you feel even a bit uncomfortable with me ( a good guy in your mind) telling you - no, I’m not and in fact I’m not in many of the same terrible ways that those men were not.

Yesterday I read in the letters of John Newton (the author of Amazing Grace) a response to a friend who was concerned about certain Bible passages that are difficult to understand fully but seem to imply that perhaps even the sins of believers will be exposed at the judgment seat. While Newton did not give a firm exposition of the passage, instead admitting that they were difficult to understand, he did comfort his friend by writing that perhaps if this is indeed to be the case then it must be that the glory of God in His salvation of only sinners will be the great highlight of that day by reminding sinners the sinfulness of their sin and the greatness of His salvation.

So, if I’ve made you wonder - how bad is this guy that I am wishing happy birthday to? Well, yes whatever your imagination might come up with - it’s worse. While I am not a criminal in respect to the laws of earth (by God’s grace only), I have broken every one of God’s commandments in some way. I will break more. Does God overlook them? Did God overlook the idol worship, adultery, murder, deceit, and denial of the men of the Bible whom Sunday School teachers have taught us were heroes? Absolutely not. In fact, He hates sin with a deadly hatred. It cannot be overlooked. The criminal cannot tell the judge that he’s sorry and he will not do it again. These crimes against the Creator can only be paid for with a dreadful price. That price is the shedding of blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.

So who is this man that you praise if even just a little? He was born a son of Adam - a rebel agaist God, dead in his sins and lawbreaking, awaiting the just wrath of God. But God in His great mercy promised on that day that there would be a seed of the woman who would crush the deceiver Satan. He had promised death for disobedience but rather than crush Adam and Eve with the death deserved, He demonstrated His wrath at sin by shedding the blood of an innocent animal and clothing the shame of Adam and Eve in the skin of that innocent animal ultimately as a demonstration of His final salvation by sending His own son the Lord Jesus (as that innocent lamb) to bear upon His own body the wrath of God at sin. All of my wretchedness at which I have left you only guessing deserved a million times over the deadly wrath of God. I did not deserve to have a 2nd birthday, much less a 42nd birthday. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved.) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:4-10).

So as you congratulate me on another birthday, let it be known that I am His workmanship. I am clothed in a righteousness not my own. Jesus was crushed by the wrath of God and He rose from the dead giving my life by His Spirit. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling. I hide myself in Him. Just as God brought Noah into the ark to save Him from His wrath, He has brought me into Christ. I am safe in Him. He has made me a new creature that hates my sin, confesses my sin, wars with my sin, and longs to be with Him where I will be like Him for I will see Him as He is.

Thank you my friend and those who love me for your warm birthday wishes. Let what very little of Christ has been at so few times been demonstrated in me point you not to a good man, but to the Savior of men - the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not yet reconciled to God, you never can be without it being all of God and all of grace. Believe on the Lord Jesus today, look on His wonderful face , the lamb of God. For He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be the righteousness of God in Him. Are you safe from the wrath of God by being in Christ or are you still trying to bring your own offering?

To the praise of the glory of His grace I write these things today. I can’t wait to be with Him at His feet saying loudly “worthy is the lamb who was slain”!