Fr. Larry Richards is the founder and president of The Reason for our Hope Foundation, a non- profit organization dedicated to ”spreading the Good News” by educating others about Jesus Christ. His new homilies are posted each week.
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Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right
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Various Speakers에서 제공하는 콘텐츠입니다. 에피소드, 그래픽, 팟캐스트 설명을 포함한 모든 팟캐스트 콘텐츠는 Various Speakers 또는 해당 팟캐스트 플랫폼 파트너가 직접 업로드하고 제공합니다. 누군가가 귀하의 허락 없이 귀하의 저작물을 사용하고 있다고 생각되는 경우 여기에 설명된 절차를 따르실 수 있습니다 https://ko.player.fm/legal.
Grace Audio Treasures와 비슷한 콘텐츠
Welcome to the Enjoying Everyday Life TV podcast with Joyce Meyer. To learn more, visit our website at joycemeyer.org or download the Joyce Meyer Ministries App. By supporting Joyce Meyer Ministries, you can help us reach hurting people around the world. To find out more, go to joycemeyer.org/donate
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CBCP is a disciple-making church based in Manila, Philippines. Learn more at https://cbcp.org
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Love God, love people, and change the world. We believe the life and lessons of Jesus aren’t just good advice, but are Good News for us here and now. As a church, we are all about following Jesus and know there’s no end to that journey—we’re more about becoming than arriving. We are committed to becoming a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multiplying movement of Christ followers, equipping and empowering our kids and students to not only be the church of tomorrow, but the church of today.
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Heritage Baptist Church exists by the grace of God and for the glory of God, which is the ultimate purpose of all our activities. We seek to glorify the God of Scripture by promoting His worship, edifying and equipping the saints, evangelizing the nations, planting and strengthening churches, calling other assemblies to biblical faithfulness and purity, encouraging biblical fellowship among believers and ministering to the needy, thus proclaiming and defending God’s perfect law and glorious ...
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The Village Church exists to bring glory to God by making disciples through gospel-centered worship, gospel-centered community, gospel-centered service and gospel-centered multiplication.
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Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
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Podcast by Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
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Insights into the weekly Torah portion
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Rabbi Shalom Rosner on The Parsha
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A daily podcast featuring the Tagalog Mass Readings (Filipino Mass Readings) of the Roman Catholic Church. We aim to give the Internet a soul and bring you the Good News wherever you may be. Visit www.awitatpapuri.com for more.
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Player FM 앱으로 오프라인으로 전환하세요!
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The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®
1 #669: It's already time to start planning for the holiday shopping season with Carey Cockrum, Cella by Randstad Digital 28:52
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좋아요 
좋아요28:52
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좋아요Retailers are facing a rapidly evolving landscape where consumer expectations, AI advancements, and social media platforms like TikTok are redefining engagement. It feels like the holiday shopping season just ended, but when do retailers start planning for the next one, and some retailers already behind the curve for this season? Joining us today is Carey Cockrum, Director of Consulting at Cella by Randstad Digital, where she helps major brands and marketing teams optimize their strategies with data-driven insights, AI-powered content creation, and cutting-edge retail marketing trends. With the holidays just around the corner, she’s here to share what’s next for retail marketing, campaign optimization, and how brands can stay ahead in a hyper-competitive space. ABOUT CAREY COCKRUM Carey has been a part of the Creative Agency space for nearly 30 years. She has served as Designer, Creative Director, Creative Operations Lead and Agency Lead in both internal and external agencies (big and small). Carey has worked directly with C-suite stakeholders to understand organizational strategies that inform effective creative solutions. She is a bit of a data nerd and loves demonstrating results. Brands she’s supported include Fruit of the Loom, Wendy’s and Humana. In her free time, she enjoys going back to her creative roots through painting and drawing. She also spends her time improving upon the house she lives in today in Southern, MI - inside and out. RESOURCES Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Boston, August 11-14, 2025. Register now: https://bit.ly/etailboston and use code PARTNER20 for 20% off for retailers and brands Don't Miss MAICON 2025, October 14-16 in Cleveland - the event bringing together the brights minds and leading voices in AI. Use Code AGILE150 for $150 off registration. Go here to register: https://bit.ly/agile150 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstrom Don't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.show Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company…
Grace Audio Treasures
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Manage series 1384844
Various Speakers에서 제공하는 콘텐츠입니다. 에피소드, 그래픽, 팟캐스트 설명을 포함한 모든 팟캐스트 콘텐츠는 Various Speakers 또는 해당 팟캐스트 플랫폼 파트너가 직접 업로드하고 제공합니다. 누군가가 귀하의 허락 없이 귀하의 저작물을 사용하고 있다고 생각되는 경우 여기에 설명된 절차를 따르실 수 있습니다 https://ko.player.fm/legal.
The newest sermons from Grace Audio Treasures on SermonAudio.
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101 에피소드
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모두 재생(하지 않음)으로 표시
Manage series 1384844
Various Speakers에서 제공하는 콘텐츠입니다. 에피소드, 그래픽, 팟캐스트 설명을 포함한 모든 팟캐스트 콘텐츠는 Various Speakers 또는 해당 팟캐스트 플랫폼 파트너가 직접 업로드하고 제공합니다. 누군가가 귀하의 허락 없이 귀하의 저작물을 사용하고 있다고 생각되는 경우 여기에 설명된 절차를 따르실 수 있습니다 https://ko.player.fm/legal.
The newest sermons from Grace Audio Treasures on SermonAudio.
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101 에피소드
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Ephesians 5:2, "Christ loved us, and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God!" In the sin-atoning sufferings and death of Christ, we behold the most astonishing exhibition of divine love that has ever been manifested to a lost world. Such love as is here displayed, is without a precedent. Yes, without a parallel in the annals of time, or in the records of eternity. To behold the Son of God, the Maker of worlds, bowing His head on the cross, and yielding up His immaculate soul amid the agonies of death, is the most amazing, the most affecting, the most melting sight that mortals ever witnessed! Around the Cross of Christ shine the most resplendent rays of divine love that ever beamed from the Sun of Righteousness--that ever emanated from the Deity. O, my soul, behold and wonder! Behold your Savior bleeding on the cruel cross! See Him bleeding from His head, His hands, His feet, His heart--that your sins might be washed away in the flowing stream! See Him pouring out His soul unto death for your salvation! Is not this a manifestation of unparalleled love to you? Christ's suffering and dying for us is a great mystery--a mystery of unfathomable love! How vehement was the love of Christ, that led Him to endure death in its most terrible form, even the death of the cross! Such is the love of Christ. All the waters of affliction and suffering; all the billows of divine wrath that rolled over our blessed Redeemer, were not sufficient to quench the ardency of that love which He felt for His beloved people!". . . the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20…
So deplorable a state! Charles Spurgeon1 Corinthians 2:1, "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God." Many pastors have grown 'professional' in their service, and preach like automatons, wound up for a sermon, to run down when the discourse is over. They have little more care for the souls of men, than if they were so much dirt! Too many pastors are fascinated with . . . technical trifles about words, fancies of speculation, or fopperies of oratory. God forgive us if we have fallen into so deplorable a state! "For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people." Romans 16:18…
A feast for the worms! Thomas Boston"Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates." Psalm 49:14Do not value yourselves on your beauty, which "will rot in the grave." Remember the change which death makes on the fairest face, "You always overpower them, and then they pass from the scene. You disfigure them in death and send them away." Job 14:20Death makes the greatest beauty so loathsome, that it must be buried out of sight!And what though the body is gorgeously arrayed? The finest clothes are but badges of our sin and shame; and in a little time will be exchanged for a shroud, when the body will become a feast for the worms!…
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Grace Audio Treasures
Frequent mingling with the professing church (Stephen Tyng, "Christ is All") The professing church is characterized by a worldly, covetous and frivolous spirit; which is manifested by distressing acts of inconsistency and folly. Far too often, when the true Christian associates with those within the professed communion of the followers of Christ, he is met with a low standard of personal piety. Frequent mingling with the professing church very rarely promotes, and far more frequently hinders--the growth of grace in the true Christian's heart.Much experience of this impediment to holiness, compels him to retreat, as often as possible, from the professing church, to seek for strength and refreshment at home, in secret with his Lord.…
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Grace Audio Treasures
There is no greater wonder in all the universe than this: that the infinitely holy Son of God would set His heart upon vile, guilty, Hell-deserving sinners. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" Not when we were seeking Him. Not when we were repenting. Not when we were bettering ourselves. But while we were rebels, with hearts full of enmity against Him--He loved us still. (Romans 5:6, 8, 10)Paul, once a blasphemer and persecutor of Christ's church, could only marvel: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst!" (1 Timothy 1:15). So it is with all who have been given eyes to see their corruption, and hearts to feel their need. When we know ourselves rightly, we are utterly astonished that Jesus would save such ungodly ones as ourselves.Our salvation was not the fruit of our seeking, but of His. "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost!" (Luke 19:10). It was the overflowing of His sovereign, unmerited love. Dead in sin, blind in mind, corrupt in heart—yet He loved us, and by His great mercy made us spiritually alive. (Ephesians 2:4–5).What love is this, that stooped so low? "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5). The pure and spotless Lamb bore the filth and condemnation of our sin. He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, "so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21).It was not out of obligation, but out of sheer grace. "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." (Titus 3:4–5). Christian! Jesus loved you before the world b…
The gospel is not human counsel, a moral code, or religious sentiment. It is the divine proclamation that the thrice-holy God saves guilty sinners—freely, sovereignly, and eternally—through the sin-atoning death of Jesus on the cruel cross. It is the gospel of grace: unmerited, unprovoked, and unconditional.Grace authored salvation in eternity past. Grace sent the eternal Son, clothed in frail humanity. Grace . . . sustained Him in Gethsemane, nailed Him to the cross, and raised Him in triumph! That same grace now . . . calls the unworthy, convicts the hard-hearted, converts the dead in sin, and preserves them to the end.The gospel lays man in the dust, and crowns Christ with glory.It shuts every mouth, and opens hearts to worship. It declares with finality, that salvation is of the Lord—from beginning to end. The condemned are pardoned. The dead are made alive.Rebels are adopted as sons and daughters.Let us . . . proclaim it with boldness, treasure it with reverence, and walk in its power daily. In the hands of the omnipotent Spirit, the gospel is God's gracious message that saves un-deserving, ill-deserving, and Hell-deserving sinners!The Gospel is the refuge of the desperate, the song of the redeemed, and the everlasting praise of Heaven. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!…
Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Left to ourselves, we are blind wanderers in the maze of this world—inclined to err, and unable to discern the way. But the Lord, in His wondrous mercy, does not abandon His people to their own devices. He is our Shepherd, wise and watchful, ever guiding those who trust in Him. His direction comes through the unchanging truths of His Word, the inner witness of His Spirit, the workings of His providence, and often through the godly counsel of those who walk closely with Him.His leading is never hurried, never late, always tender, and always sure. Sometimes He brings us beside quiet waters--at other times He takes us through the valley of deep shadows. Yet in every season, His purpose stands—to conform us to Christ and to glorify His Name. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight!" Proverbs 3:6Often, His guidance is veiled in delay, or revealed through a closed door. But He is never mistaken, never indifferent, never unaware. By withholding immediate answers, He teaches us to not lean on our understanding, but to rest in His perfect wisdom. His call is not merely to know the path—but to trust the Guide.So then, believer, walk in quiet confidence. Fix your gaze on your infallible Shepherd.Hear His voice in the Scriptures.Seek His face in prayer.He will never mislead you—for He is the unfailing God, infinitely wise, perfectly good, and sovereign over every step you take. "You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory." Psalm 73:24"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed…
Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" God is the fountainhead of all goodness. Every breath we take, every drop of rain, every morsel of food, every kindness we taste, every joy we experience, every provision we receive—flow from His sovereign grace. He gives, not because He must, but because it pleases Him to do so. All that is good originates in Him, and apart from Him, there is no good at all.He grants the gift of life and sustains it with breath. He bestows family, health, daily bread, and shelter. Yet these temporal blessings, however generous, pale in comparison to the spiritual riches which He lavishes upon His people in His beloved Son: election, redemption, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification!These gifts are never random. They are sovereignly appointed, wisely measured, and lovingly given. Sometimes God's gift is joy--and at other times His gift is sorrow. Sometimes it is abundance--and other times affliction. But always, they are suited to the eternal good of those who love Him. All His gifts serve His purpose—to conform us to the image of His darling Son, and to magnify the glory of His grace.How then should we respond? With awe. With gratitude. With humble trust. "What do you have, that you did not receive?" 1 Corinthians 4:7. Everything we possess is a trust from God, to be used for His glory and the good of others. We are God's stewards, not owners of all the good things He has blessed us with.He gives freely, fully, and forever. The gift of His Son is the fountain of every other gift. In Him are hidden all the treasures…
Matthew 25:41, "Then He will say to those on His left: Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!"The curse of God is no empty threat--it is the solemn declaration of His inflexible holiness and righteousness. It proceeds not from cruelty, but from His perfect justice. As His blessings are tokens of mercy towards every redeemed saint, so His curses are expressions of His holy wrath against every unbelieving sinner.From birth, every soul stands beneath this dreadful sentence, "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God!" Not merely gross wickedness, but every failure to love the Lord wholly and perfectly, places the sinner under condemnation. God's Word demands uninterrupted and entire obedience--and anything less invokes His curse.Yet in the midst of such terrifying truth, shines the wonder of redeeming grace: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us!" Galatians 3:13 The weight of Divine wrath fell upon the spotless Lamb! The sword of vengeance was sheathed in His holy soul. He bore what we deserved--so that we might be pardoned, justified, and made heirs of eternal life.Believers! We were once dead in our transgressions and sins, in which we used to live when we followed our father Satan, and the evil ways of this world. Like the perishing people around us, we were by nature children of wrath, and on our way to eternal perdition! But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, saved us by His wondrous grace! Such a marvelous salvation should strip us of all pride, and fill us with reverent awe and unceasing gratitude. Since we are saved by grace alone…
Ephesians 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." While the world hungers after fleeting vanities, the believer possesses imperishable riches—secured in Heaven, reserved by God, and flowing freely through the sufferings and death of Jesus: from pardon of sin--to peace with God; from salvation by grace--to a priceless eternal inheritance.In Christ, we are blessed with: election before the foundation of the world, redemption through His sin-atoning blood, adoption into the family of God, justification by grace, sanctification by the Spirit, and the hope of eternal glory. These blessings are not wages earned, but gifts bestowed: flowing from the sovereign love of the Father in eternity past, accomplished by the Son on the cruel cross, and applied by the Spirit in regeneration and sanctification.Temporal blessings may come and go—health may fail, wealth may vanish, relationships may change—but the spiritual blessings given in Christ are unshakable and everlasting. Even our trials are transformed into mercies, in the hands of our wise and loving God, who uses them to refine our faith and draw us nearer to Himself.Let our gratitude rise—not chiefly for the gifts—but for the Giver Himself. Let us live as those who are truly blessed: seeking first His kingdom, treasuring His promises, and rejoicing in His unsearchable riches."Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits!" Psalm 103:1–2…
Psalm 63:6, "I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night." Psalm 104:34, "My meditation of Him shall be sweet!" In an age of ceaseless noise and constant distraction, few pursuits are more "neglected", or more "necessary", than the quiet contemplation of God. To fix the "eye of faith" upon Him, is to rise above the temporal, and touch the Eternal. It is to hush the clamoring voices of the world, and hear the One who speaks from Heaven!When we meditate on God's attributes, as found in His Word--His love, His sovereignty, His faithfulness, our hearts are lifted from fear to faith, and from anxiety to adoration! The more we know Him, the more we love and trust Him. The clearer we see Him, the smaller our trials appear.To contemplate God, is the highest occupation of the soul! In beholding His glory, we are transformed. The more we meditate on His attributes, the more we are lifted from this world's vanities. Let your thoughts be filled with His greatness. You become what you behold—gaze on God and be changed!Set apart time for this sacred exercise. Withdraw from the world, and draw near through His Word. Let your thoughts be saturated with His truth. No other pursuit so fortifies the believer, purifies the heart, or ignites the affections, as the contemplation of the Most High. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14…
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men." Romans 1:18The wrath of God is the expression of His infinite holiness, stirred to action against sin. It is not a sudden or irrational fury, but the steady and righteous opposition of a God who is light, in whom there is no darkness at all. A God who does not hate sin cannot be holy—and a God who does not judge sin cannot be just.Though men recoil at the thought of divine wrath, Scripture never hesitates to declare it. God's wrath fell upon Sodom, devastated Egypt, consumed rebellious Israel—and it will fall again with perfect justice upon all who remain in their sin. "Our God is a consuming fire!" Hebrews 12:29This wrath, however, is never arbitrary. It is always measured, and always just. Nowhere is this more clearly seen than at the cross. There, the spotless Son stood in the place of the guilty. The cup of divine fury was not withheld—but was drained by the Savior on behalf of those He came to redeem. In that awful hour, the depths of human depravity and the majesty of divine justice met. Christ bore not merely the punishment of Hell—but the wrath of Almighty God.Let lost sinners tremble—and flee to the only Refuge. Let the redeemed bow in reverent wonder. We were not merely spared from eternal ruin—we were rescued from the wrath of God Himself! All glory to the Lamb, who endured the curse, that we might receive the blessing."All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath!" Ephesians 2:3"God did not appoint us to suffer wrath,…
"God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" Romans 5:8The love of God is not merely something He possesses—it is what He is in His very essence. Yet how rarely is this love rightly understood! It is not sentimental softness or passive approval. God's love is holy—never at odds with His righteousness. It is sovereign—freely bestowed upon whom He chooses. It is unchanging—eternally fixed upon His elect, unshaken by their failures or fluctuations.Before the foundation of the world, He set His love upon His chosen people. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness!" Jeremiah 31:3. His love was not drawn out by any beauty or merit in us, for we were dead in trespasses, and enemies of God. Yet, from the depths of His own goodness and for the praise of His glorious grace, He loved us still.The cross stands as the supreme demonstration of this divine love. "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him!" 1 John 4:9. There, at Calvary, love and justice met in perfect harmony. The wrath we deserved, was poured upon Christ--that the love of God might be lavished upon us.O the wonder of the love that chose us, redeemed us, and will never forsake us! Let the redeemed rest in this eternal affection, rejoice in its security, and be constrained by it to holiness. May we reflect such love to others—sacrificial, pure, and steadfast."Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through H…
"Christ loved us, and gave Himself up for us!" Ephesians 5:2The love of God to sinners is an ocean without shore, a mystery that stretches beyond the grasp of the highest angel. That the infinitely holy God—before whom seraphim cover their faces—should set His heart upon those who were defiled, defiant, and dead in sin, is the most humbling truth in all of Scripture. His love was not merited by anything in us, for we were altogether sinful and unlovely. Yet He loved us!And His love was not a mere sentiment—it took action. He gave His Son—His only, His beloved—to bear the curse we deserved. The Father did not spare Him, but handed Him over to be mocked, scourged, and nailed to a cross! There, the spotless Lamb of God endured the sin-atoning wrath due to the very ones who hated Him. What tongue can express such love? What mind can fathom its depth?This love is not a relic of the past—it is alive and active this very moment. He loves us still. In discipline and direction, in provision and pain--His love sustains and sanctifies us. It is unchanging, invincible, and ever near. No failure of ours exhausts it; no affliction removes it. His love is as eternal as He is.This love is the well-spring of every spiritual blessing. Let this melt the pride of our hearts, still our restless fears, and ignite a life of glad obedience. Nothing strengthens faith, calms the soul, or drives us to holiness--like the felt reality of Christ's astonishing love in dying for such vile, undeserving sinners like us!"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5O believe…
"Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips will glorify You." Psalm 63:3The loving-kindness of God is not a fleeting sentiment, but His steadfast and covenantal love manifested in gracious action. It is the sovereign outflow of His mercy and faithfulness, pledged to His chosen people from eternity past, and manifested throughout time. It does not arise from anything in us—but from everything in Him.Unlike the fragile affections of man, God's loving-kindness is unchanging. It met us in our rebellion, drew us to the cross, and now preserves us through every trial. It was His loving-kindness that patiently bore with our waywardness, that remained true when we were false, and that continually supplies our every need in Christ.God's loving-kindness reaches to the heavens, surrounds the believer, and never lets go! It comforts in sorrow, and disciplines in love.This divine love never wanes. It is not altered by our failures, nor diminished by our weaknesses. Rooted in His eternal purpose, it remains a sure anchor for the soul. In Christ, we are not merely pardoned—we are embraced. God rejoices over us, surrounds us with favor, and holds us fast in His everlasting arms!When the heart is heavy, remember His loving-kindness. When the night is long, rest in its unshakable assurance. And let our lips glorify Him—not only for what He bestows, but for who He is: the unchanging God whose loving-kindness is indeed better than life.Let this truth lead us to reverent worship, joyful obedience, and unwavering peace.…
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." Psalm 103:8Mercy is God's tender-hearted compassion toward the miserable and the guilty. It is the pity of a holy God stooping down to the helpless sinner--not because He must, but because He delights to. Mercy is the overflow of His eternal love—relieving the wretched, pardoning the guilty, and raising the fallen.From the beginning, God's mercy has been on display. It spared Adam and Eve in the garden. It delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. It sent prophets to warn the rebellious nation. And in the fullness of time, it sent the Savior to redeem His people. Mercy is not a reluctant gesture—it is the joy of God's heart. "God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ!" Ephesians 2:4-5. God's mercy is not exhausted by repeated sins, nor limited by the depth of our guilt. The dying thief found mercy in his final breath—and so may any who call on the Lord.Yet God's mercy never sets aside His justice. It does not sweep sin under the rug—it satisfies God's justice. This is the wonder of the cross--where divine justice was upheld, and mercy was poured out. God did not overlook our sin—He condemned it in Christ. At Calvary, mercy and justice met; righteousness and peace kissed! Psalm 85:10If we have received such undeserved mercy, then how can we withhold it from others? Shall we, who have been forgiven much, remain unmerciful? Let us be as our Father—kind, compassionate, and forgiving. And let us never forget: we stand by mercy alone.Here is our hope and our song—that God delights in mer…
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8Grace is the free and sovereign favor of God, lavished on those who deserve nothing but wrath. It is not earned by merit, stirred by effort, or repaid by deeds. It flows from the eternal love of the Father, secured by the blood of the Son, and applied by the power of the Spirit. Grace does not merely offer a helping hand—it descends into the pit, and raises the dead to life!Grace pardons the guilty, purifies the defiled, and preserves the redeemed. Grace is not a passive sentiment but a divine force that saves, sanctifies, and secures. Grace finds the sinner helplessly lost in sin, clothes him in Christ's righteousness, and crowns him with everlasting joy. Grace is not attracted to the good in man—it is moved by the goodness of God.From Genesis to Revelation, grace is the melody of redemption. The law exposes our ruin—but grace reveals our Redeemer. And what a Redeemer He is! Full of grace and truth, Jesus Christ is the fountainhead of every spiritual blessing. All that we are and all that we hope to be flows from Him.To magnify grace, is to magnify God. To rest in grace, is to abandon every confidence in self. Let us wonder with trembling joy that we were chosen, called, justified, and will be glorified—all of grace. As Paul confessed, so may we: "By the grace of God I am what I am!" Let grace strip us of pride, anchor us in Christ, and move us to live wholly for the glory of the One who gave us everything—freely.…
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience--not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" Romans 2:4The patience of God is the majestic restraint of the Almighty—His sovereign forbearance in the face of human sin. Though His justice burns with holy intensity, He delays His wrath. Not because He is powerless to act, but because He is rich in mercy. His patience is not indifference—it is compassion. It is not apathy—it is love.From the days of Noah, when the Lord waited 120 years while the ark was prepared, to the wilderness wanderings of Israel, where He bore their continual murmuring—God has proven Himself astoundingly patient. Even now, as this present world mocks His name and defies His laws, He holds back the flood of judgment that is surely deserved. Every moment of delay, is a miracle of mercy.For the believer, this patience is deeply humbling. How often have we provoked Him—and yet He has not cast us off! How many times have we wandered—and yet He has pursued us still! His patience calls us not to presumption, but to purity. It is not a license to sin, but a summons to holiness."The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise... He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9. Every sunrise is a fresh invitation to turn from sin and walk more closely with Him. For the unconverted, it is a solemn warning—do not trample His mercy beneath your feet. His forbearance will not last forever.Let us therefore bow before Him with reverent awe. Let us praise Him for His longsuffering, plead with sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and reflect His patience in h…
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever." Psalm 107:1The goodness of God is not a passive trait—it is His benevolence in motion; His kindness expressed in countless ways. Every breath we take, every ray of light, every moment of peace--is a token of His abundant goodness. He opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living thing—not because we deserve it, but because He is good.God is not merely good in what He does—He is good in who He is. His very essence is the fountainhead of all goodness. From His nature flows every blessing, both temporal and eternal. The world may be marred by sin, but the beauty of His goodness still shines through creation and providence, sustaining and upholding all things. Nowhere is His goodness more clearly seen than at the cross. There, the Just One bore the penalty for the unjust. There, wrath and mercy converged. "For God so loved the world that He gave..."—gave what? Not merely gifts or comforts, but His beloved Son! This is the supreme revelation of divine goodness: the holy God making a way for sinners to be reconciled to Himself at infinite cost.Even in affliction, God is good. He ordains trials not to harm, but to purify—to wean us from the world, and draw us nearer to Himself. "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word!" Psalm 119:67. His goodness is not diminished by our suffering; rather, it often shines brightest in the dark.How this should humble us! We have earned judgment, yet He grants mercy. We bring nothing to the table, yet He fills our lives with good things. Let us not respond to such kindness with forgetfulness or complaint, but with awe, gratitude, and worshi…
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You!" Jeremiah 32:17The power of God is infinite, eternal and unchanging. With a word, He brought the universe into being. By His command, stars were set in their courses and oceans were told where to stop. There is no force that can resist Him, no purpose of His that can be thwarted.This almighty power is not confined to the vastness of creation—it is at work in providence and redemption as well. He upholds all things by the word of His power, governs every atom, and directs every event to accomplish His sovereign will. He breaks the power of sin, awakens dead hearts, and preserves His redeemed people unto glory.And yet this power is not distant or detached. It is near, personal, and active in the lives of His children. "He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak" Isaiah 40:29. When we are crushed by trials, or overwhelmed by temptation--His strength sustains us. No weakness can exhaust Him, no burden can outweigh Him.We are dust—but He is the everlasting God. We falter—but He never fails. His power is perfected in our weakness--that we may not boast in ourselves, but in Him alone. Let every trembling saint take heart: the God who holds the galaxies holds you. Trust His mighty hand, rest in His unfailing strength, and echo the psalmist's song: "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit" (Psalm 147:5)."Almighty God, You are strong and sovereign. I confess my frailty, and depend upon Your strength. Work through my weakness, to glorify Yourself. Uphold me by Your power, and cause me to re…
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love." Deuteronomy 7:9Faithfulness is not merely one of God's attributes—it is the very essence of who He is. He is infinitely and immutably trustworthy. From everlasting to everlasting, His Word stands firm, His promises are sure, and His purposes never fail. What God has said, He will surely do. What He has decreed, none can overturn. He is the covenant-keeping God who cannot lie, whose steadfast love endures forever.Though the winds of providence may fiercely blow, and the path may lie shrouded in mystery--God's faithfulness is the believer's rock. When we stumble, He sustains us. When we grow weary, He does not. When we are unfaithful, still He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself. He does not forget the cry of the humble, nor overlook the tears of the broken-hearted. He remembers every promise made to His people—and He fulfills them all, in His perfect time and way.The whole of redemptive history bears witness to this glorious truth; not one word of His has ever fallen to the ground. Every prophecy is fulfilled, every elect sinner is effectually drawn, every saint is preserved, and every redeemed soul is brought safely home—all proclaim the unchanging fidelity of our God. His mercy is everlasting. His truth is unshakable. His Word is forever settled in Heaven.Therefore, let us not trust Him only in days of ease, but especially in the hour of darkness. Let our souls anchor in the depths of His unwavering commitment to save His people from their sins. Trust Him in the storm—He is the anchor of your soul. Though all else fails, He remains. Let us rest in His immut…
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3Holiness is not merely one attribute of God, it is the very beauty of all that He is. It is the totality of His moral perfection. God's holiness is the infinite distance between His purity, and all that is defiled. God is not just sinless, He is utterly "other"--exalted above all creation in majestic sanctity. "God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all" 1 John 1:5In Heaven's courts, the seraphim cry, not love, love, love--nor power, power, power--but holy, holy, holy. This threefold repetition is not poetic flourish—it is the language of awe. His holiness is absolute, incomparable, and consuming. It strikes terror in the hearts of the guilty, and causes the redeemed to fall in humility and reverent wonder before Him.When Isaiah beheld the LORD high and lifted up, he did not marvel at God's wisdom or rejoice in His love—he was undone by His holiness. "Woe to me!" he cried. For in the presence of perfect purity . . . every sin is seen as vile, every excuse is silenced, and every boast is laid in the dust.The cross alone, unveils the cost of approaching such a God. Divine love did not lower the standard—divine holiness demanded that the sinless Son, suffer in the place of the guilty. There, righteousness and mercy met. There, the Holy One made a way for the unholy.What glory—that sinners, once rebels, may now draw near! Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, we are called not only to behold God's holiness—but to reflect it. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" Hebrews 12:14Let us then worship with trembling, walk with purity, and hate every stain of sin.…
"I the Lord do not change." Malachi 3:6What a glorious and awe-inspiring truth: God never changes! He is eternally the same—yesterday, today, and forever. While the world reels under constant change, while men rise and fall like the tide, and while creation groans and decays—God stands as the unshakable Rock, towering above all that fluctuates.There is no shadow of turning with Him. His essence knows no improvement, for He is already infinitely perfect. His knowledge admits no increase, for He is all-wise. His purposes require no adjustment, for they were decreed in eternity past with unerring wisdom and almighty power. He does not evolve, revise, or retreat. What He has purposed, He will accomplish. What He has promised, He will fulfill.This immutable nature of God is terrifying to the rebellious. The God who has declared that "the wages of sin is death" will not amend His justice to suit the sinner. His holy wrath remains upon those who reject His Son. He will not compromise His righteousness to appease a changing world.But for the believer—redeemed by sovereign grace—this attribute is a sanctuary of comfort. The God who set His love upon us from before the foundation of the world will never abandon His redeemed people. The blood of Christ will never lose its power. The righteousness imputed to us will never be withdrawn. The hand that began the good work of salvation, will never fail to complete it.Let men change, let kingdoms crumble, let feelings falter—our God remains unaltered. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting to those who fear Him. His truth endures to all generations. His covenant stands firm, sealed with the sin-atoning blood of His Son.H…
"For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son." Romans 8:29To "foreknow," in the language of Scripture, is far more than mere foresight. It is not a passive awareness of future events, as though God simply looked down the corridors of time to discover who would believe. No! God's foreknowledge is sovereign, intimate, and effectual. It means that He set His love upon His chosen ones from all eternity. He foreknew because He foreordained; He foreordained because He delighted to do so according to His good pleasure.When the Lord declared, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2), He meant, "You only have I loved and chosen." To be foreknown by God is to be the object of His everlasting affection—personally, purposefully, and eternally. It is not that He saw something in us worth loving, but that He loved us because He chose to do so. His love is not reactive; it is causative. It is not drawn forth by anything in us, but flows solely from the depths of His sovereign grace.If God's foreknowledge were dependent upon our future faith, then salvation would ultimately rest upon man. But Scripture allows no such thought. The Lord is not a spectator in redemption—He is the Author. His foreknowledge is not based on human decisions, but upon His eternal decree. He has chosen His people in Christ before the foundation of the world, and He is conforming them to the image of His Son, to the praise of His glorious grace.How this truth humbles the sinner, and exalts the Savior! Why am I in Christ today? Not because I was more inclined, more teachable, or more spiritual—but because God, in His infinite mercy, set…
"Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit." Psalm 147:5The knowledge of God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. There is no increase or decline in His understanding, for He has never learned and will never forget. His knowledge is not acquired—it is essential to His very Being. He knows all things because He is the all-knowing God.From eternity past to eternity future, God has known perfectly all that was, is, and will be. More than that, He knows all that could be. Every possibility lies open before Him. Every thought in every heart, every word on every tongue, every event in all of time—He has known them all, from everlasting to everlasting. "O LORD, You have searched me and You know me... Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD" (Psalm 139:1,4).There is no hiding from Him. The secrets we mask, the sins we rationalize, the motives we veil behind piety—He sees them all. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). Such truth should strip us of every pretense and crush every proud thought.And yet, for the believer, this is not a cause for terror—but for comfort. Our Lord knows our every sorrow, our every weakness, our every faltering step. He understands us when we do not understand ourselves. While others may misjudge us, He never errs. He is never confused, never deceived, and never surprised. His knowledge is perfect—and so is His care.God's omniscience is not passive; it is intricately bound to His sovereign providence. He does not merely foresee—He foreordains. He governs history not as a bys…
"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." Psalm 33:11Before time began--when nothing existed but the self-sufficient, triune God--He, in infinite wisdom and sovereign pleasure, ordained ALL that would come to pass. His decrees are not guesses or reactions, for the Almighty is never caught unaware. Rather, they are the eternal expressions of His will, the fixed and flawless blueprint by which all things are brought to fulfillment.God's decrees are absolute and all-encompassing. From the revolutions of galaxies, to the fall of a single leaf; from the rise of nations, to the salvation of souls--nothing occurs apart from His sovereign purpose. Not one atom moves, nor one heartbeat beats, except by His sovereign appointment.These divine decrees are not mechanical laws, but the wise and holy counsels of the living God. They are called His "counsel "to reflect their consummate wisdom, and His "will" to show that He acts with absolute freedom--subject to none but Himself. Every decree is rooted in infinite understanding, guided by perfect love, and executed with flawless precision.Such a truth crushes the pride of man. We are not autonomous beings charting our own course. All our days were written in His book, before one of them came to be. What we call circumstances are but the unfolding of His eternal plan. To rebel against God's providence is to question His goodness; to murmur at His will is to deny His wisdom.Yet for the believer, this same truth is a wellspring of deep assurance. Our salvation is no accident. It is not a divine reaction to human faith--but the outworking of God's eternal choice. As it is written, "He chos…
From all eternity, God dwelt all alone: self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied. In need of nothing, dependent upon no one, He was infinitely blessed in Himself. Before the first angel was formed, before the heavens were stretched forth, before the earth was fashioned and peopled--God dwelt in solitary glory. He had no rival, no equal, and no companion. He existed in the majestic fullness of His own infinite Being.Had a universe been necessary to His satisfaction, it would have been brought into existence from all eternity. But He is independent of all His creatures. God is solitary in His majesty. He is unique in His perfections. He is supreme in His authority. He is unrivaled in His glory. Heaven and earth, time and eternity, are but the unfolding of His eternal purpose and sovereign will. He does all that He pleases—and nothing can thwart Him.In the works of creation, in the unfolding of providence, and in the accomplishment of redemption--God acts alone. He needed no counselor when He laid the foundations of the world. He sought no aid when He decreed salvation. From beginning to end, ALL is of Him, through Him, and to Him. What folly, then, for puny man—formed from the dust and stained with sin—to imagine himself to be essential to the plans of God. He is not served by human hands as if He needed anything. Let every mouth be stopped, and let the whole world bow in silence before Him.The solitariness of God should humble our pride, still our complaints, silence our questions, and draw us to worship. He alone is God—eternally exalted, infinitely glorious, and worthy of all praise."Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Wh…
"Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him." Psalm 115:3To affirm that God is sovereign, is to proclaim that He is truly God--not only in theory, but in fact! Sovereignty is not merely one of His attributes—it is the expression of His Godhood. He reigns with absolute supremacy, unlimited authority, and unchallenged power. Nothing comes to pass apart from His eternal decree; no one can stay His hand, or question His purposes. He does not try to rule—He does rule, and all creation is under His feet.This sovereignty is all-encompassing. It stretches from the greatest movements in the heavens, to the tiniest detail on earth. He directs the flight of every sparrow, numbers every hair on our heads, and ordains the rise and fall of nations. There is no such thing as chance. The believer's confidence does not lie in luck, nor in the will of man, but in the wise and holy providence of an all-powerful God.This doctrine is both humbling and comforting. To the proud heart, it is a rebuke—for it leaves no room for human boasting. To the one who bows in humble submission, it is a place of deep peace—reminding us that our lives are not in our own hands, but in the hands of the Almighty. Every trial, every sorrow, every joy is woven into His perfect plan. "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things!" Isaiah 45:7. He is never the author of sin, yet He sovereignly ordains even the wrath of men to praise Him.To know that God is sovereign, is to be assured that nothing can thwart His purpose or frustrate His will. His eternal decree is not subject to change, nor is His dominion ever threatened. He opens and no…
"I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like Me!" Isaiah 46:9God alone reigns in absolute supremacy. He is unmatched in majesty, unchallenged in authority, and unrivaled in glory. He does not seek permission, accept counsel, or share His throne. All things—from the highest archangel, to the smallest particle—exist by His will and for His praise.He is not an accessory to human ambition, nor a servant to man's desires. He is the One who declares the end from the beginning, who works all things according to the counsel of His own will. "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor--for everything in heaven and earth is Yours!" 1 Chronicles 29:11To acknowledge the supremacy of God, is to be brought low before Him. It crushes the pride of man and silences every boast. We are not in control. Our plans, our wisdom, our strength—all vanish before the One who sits enthroned above the circle of the earth. He is not a passive observer, but the living King--actively ruling every moment of history.Nothing is outside of His dominion. Every breath drawn, every drop of rain that falls, every ruler who rises or is cast down—each moves in exact obedience to His eternal decree. "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth!" Psalm 135:6. There is not a stray molecule in the universe, not a single event outside His sovereign hand.This truth devastates human pride—and it anchors the believer's soul. The God who upholds the galaxies is the same God who numbers the hairs on our head. He who governs the cosmos, also holds our hearts. His supremacy is not cold or distant—it is filled with covenant lo…
Isaiah 43:1-3"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior!" Fear often grips our hearts when we face uncertainty, suffering, and trials. But God speaks directly to His redeemed people: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you!" This is not a mere suggestion--it is a divine command grounded in His sovereign grace. He has purchased us at the highest cost--the blood of His darling Son, Jesus Christ! 1 Peter 1:18-19Because we are ransomed, we are also called by name. This is the personal love of God toward each of His redeemed people--He knows each of us intimately, and claims us as His own. What a comfort to know that our identity is not found in our struggles, failures, or circumstances--but in the unchanging truth that we are God's redeemed children! Our trials may seem overwhelming, but they can never undo what Christ has secured for us. We belong to Him, and nothing can snatch us from His omnipotent and loving hand! John 10:28-29The Christian life is not free from suffering, but it is never without God's presence. The Lord does not say IF you go through deep waters, but WHEN. This world is filled with trials, but the promise is sure: "I will be with you!"Deep waters will not drown you. When trouble comes like a flood, God holds us fast. The waves may crash, but they cannot pull us from His omnipotent grip! Psalm 93:4Rivers of dif…
Acts 20:24, "The gospel of the grace of God."The heart of the Gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. The gospel is not a moral code, or religious sentiment. It is the divine proclamation that the thrice-holy God saves guilty Hell-deserving sinners—freely, sovereignly, and eternally—through the sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cruel cross. It is the gospel of grace--unmerited and undeserved.Grace authored salvation in eternity past. Grace sent the eternal Son, clothed in frail humanity. Grace . . .sustained Him in Gethsemane, nailed Him to the cross, and raised Him in triumph. That same grace now . . . calls the unworthy, convicts the hard-hearted, converts the dead in sin, and keeps them to the end.This gospel lays man in the dust, and crowns Christ with glory. It shuts every mouth, and saves the worst of sinners. It declares with finality, that salvation is of the Lord—from beginning to end. The condemned are pardoned. The dead are made alive. Rebels are adopted as sons and daughters of God.Let us . . . proclaim the gospel of grace with boldness, treasure it with reverence, and walk in its power daily. The gospel is not man's achievement—it is God's mercy. The gospel is . . . the refuge of the desperate, the song of the redeemed, and the everlasting praise of Heaven. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith…
Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." One of Satan's most subtle and damning deceptions is "moralism"—the idea that man, by his own supposed goodness, can commend himself to God. Moralism substitutes external reform, for internal regeneration. It preaches behavior change, apart from the new birth. It is content with polished external conduct, while the heart remains unwashed. And it is leading multitudes to Hell!Moralism often dresses itself in religious acts. It promotes virtue, and applauds kindness. It speaks of honesty, and decency. But its fatal flaw is this: It offers these things apart from Christ. It seeks to be right with God, without the righteousness of God. It promotes "virtue" without the power of the Holy Spirit. It promotes morality—but despises the Savior.The Pharisees of old were moral men. They fasted, prayed, and gave alms. Yet Jesus said to them, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs...outwardly you appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness!" (Matthew 23:27-28).Moralism is deadly because it convinces the sinner that he needs no Savior. It flatters human pride. It whispers, "You are not that bad! God will surely accept you—look at all your good deeds." It blinds the heart to man's true condition: "dead in trespasses and sins," utterly depraved, and without hope apart from the saving grace of God. No amount of morality can change the leper's spots, or cleanse the defiled soul.What then is the remedy? It is not to be better, but to be born again. It is not to do more, but to despair of do…
1 Samuel 7:12, "Hitherto has the Lord helped us!"The word "hitherto" is like a monument of grace planted in the path of every believer. It invites us to look back and remember the unbroken line of God's mercies. With Samuel, we too may raise our Ebenezer and say, "Hitherto has the Lord helped us"—through . . . every storm and every season, in times of plenty and times of need, through weariness and wonder, in valleys and on mountaintops. Not one step of our pilgrimage has been without the presence, power, and provision of our faithful God.Pause, dear believer, and look down the corridor of your past years. See the green boughs of God's mercy arching overhead, like a living cathedral of divine goodness. Each year, each trial, each answered prayer—these are like strong pillars holding up a sacred temple of remembrance. Listen carefully, and you will hear songs in the branches—sweet songs of God's providence, love, and care. The Lord has helped you. Not merely watched, not merely pitied—but helped with almighty grace and tender compassion.Yet "hitherto" also points us forward. It implies a future still unfolding under the shadow of the Almighty. The same God who has brought us this far, will not forsake us in the next step. Yes, more trials may come—but so will more grace. More burdens—but more strength. More temptations—but more deliverances. And when at last we reach the end of our earthly path, when sickness or age weakens the body and death approaches the door—will His help fail us then? Never! For death itself is but the final threshold into glory. And beyond it lies the eternal "help" of God: the face of Jesus, the fellowship of the redeemed, t…
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Grace Audio Treasures
You have heard people say: "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner." That is a lie! He does not love the sinner who continues in his sin.One of the most cherished delusions of modern Christendom is the sentiment that "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner." This phrase is often quoted as though it were Scripture--yet not only does it appear nowhere in the Bible, it stands in direct contradiction to what God Himself declares. It is a subtle but deadly falsehood that seeks to soften the solemn reality of God's wrath against the ungodly, and it distorts His holy character.The Bible does not teach that God is angry merely at the sin in some abstract, impersonal way. Rather, Scripture consistently affirms that God is angry with the sinner himself. The sin has no existence, apart from the one who commits it. A theft has no moral quality, without a thief. Adultery does not happen, apart from an adulterer. It is the sinner--the moral agent who rebels against his Creator, who is the object of God's holy hatred and righteous indignation.This is not conjecture--it is clearly and repeatedly taught in the Word of God:"Because they did all these things, I abhorred them!" Leviticus 20:23 "I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you." Leviticus 26:30"And when the LORD saw it, He abhorred them!" Deuteronomy 32:19 "God is angry with the wicked every day!" Psalm 7:11"You hate all workers of iniquity . . . The Lord abhors murderers and deceitful men!" Psalm 5:5, 6 "The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence, His soul hates. On the wicked He wi…
Canticles 1:2, "Your love is better than wine!"The believer finds his truest joy, not in the fleeting pleasures of this world, but in the enduring and soul-satisfying love of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Your love is better than wine," says the Bride to her Beloved—and the heart of every redeemed soul echoes the same. Earthly joys may sparkle for a moment, but they soon fade. Christ's love is better—it is . . . purer, deeper, richer, and forever satisfying.Wine may gladden the heart of man, but it cannot quiet his conscience. It may brighten the face, but it cannot cleanse the soul. But the love of Christ—what comfort, what peace, what delight it brings! One moment in communion with Him, outweighs a lifetime of the world's pleasures. We have tasted His love, and it is like honey from the comb—sweeter than anything earth can offer.His presence lifts the downcast. His fellowship strengthens the weary. His nearness satisfies every longing.Beloved, consider how Christ has poured out His love for you. Not in word only, but in blood—love proven on the cross, love triumphant over sin, death, and Hell.He loved you when you were unlovable. He sought you when you were wandering. He died for you when you were madly rushing to Hell.And now He bids you to draw near and drink deeply of His love. He is the Fountain of living waters, the true Vine from which every drop of heavenly joy flows.Has the world disappointed you? Has its wine turned sour in your mouth? Come again to the Savior. Let His love be your comfort, your song, and your strength. Here is no deceit, no regret, no after-bitterness—only pure delight, joy unspeakable and full of glory.…
Ephesians 3:18-19, "May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully!"The love of Jesus is not merely great, it is unsearchable. It defies measurement and surpasses comprehension. The Apostle Paul prayed that believers might understand this unknowable love, not by reason alone, but by the Spirit's illumination and heart-experience.The love of Christ is eternal in its origin, infinite in its depth, and effectual in its power. It is a love that stooped to the manger, and climbed willingly to the cross! He loved us when we were unlovely--when we were still sinners, enemies, rebels, and dead in transgressions! Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5.Such wondrous love can neither be earned nor merited; it is sovereign and free. Christ's love never began, and it shall never end. He set His electing love upon His people from eternity past, and will never remove it in eternity future.No created mind can fully comprehend it. As the sea cannot be measured by the hand--so neither can Christ's love be contained by intellect. It is wide enough to embrace all the elect of God, long enough to stretch from eternity past to eternity future, deep enough to rescue the vilest sinner, and high enough to raise us to glory!When affliction comes, let us gaze again at Calvary. There the measure of His love is revealed, not in empty sentiment, but in His substitutionary sacrifice. There, Christ bore our sin. There, He endured the wrath that was ours. There, His love was proven beyond all doubt.Drink deeply, dear believer, from this well that…
He prays that we may experience it! Charles Spurgeon, et al. "May you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully!" Ephesians 3:18-19Paul acknowledges that the love of Jesus is too great to be fully understood, yet he prays that we may experience it! The apostle is not referring to a merely intellectual understanding, but a personal, transformative relationship with the Lord Jesus. We can only truly experience this love, through the Gospel. Christ's love is most clearly seen in the cross. "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" Romans 5:8As we meditate on Jesus' wondrous sacrifice for our sins, we are overwhelmed by the vastness of His love. Though we may never fully comprehend it, we can rest in the assurance that His love for us is infinite, and deeper than all of our sins and shame! May His measureless love for us, lead us to a life of . . . gratitude, worship, humility, and holiness.We shall never know the depths of Christ's love for us, until we feel the weight of our sin, and the worth of His sin-atoning death, which delivers us from the Hell that we rightly deserve.This unsearchable love of Jesus . . . humbles the pride of man, exalts the grace of God, and calls us to a life of holiness!…
Ephesians 2:1, 4-5, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved." By the Spirit's divine energy, He savingly convinces men of the truth of the gospel. Those whom He saves, are men like Saul of Tarsus, who abhor the whole thing. He pours His effectual influences upon men, and infidelity melts away like the iceberg in the warm Gulf Stream. He touches the indifferent and careless sinners, and they repent, believe, and obey the Savior. He makes proud men tremble, and wicked men quake for fear.The regenerating work of the Spirit can make . . . the harlot to be chaste, the drunkard to be sober, the thief to be honest, the malicious to be forgiving, the covetous to be generous, and above all, the self-righteous to be humble.Whether He quickens, consoles, enlightens, refreshes, sanctifies, anoints, or inflames the soul--the Spirit always does it by taking the things of Christ, and revealing them to us.The Spirit works through the gospel. He is Almighty, and has complete mastery over the realm of mind. He has the ability to effectually: illuminate the intellect, win the affections, curb the will, and radically change the nature of man!He works all things after His own pleasure, and like the wind, He "blows wherever He wishes." When He puts forth His omnipotent energy, none can stand against Him. He has converted three thousand in a day, and He could as readily convert three million, or three hundred million.…
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Grace Audio Treasures
1 The most loathsome spectacle that ever was set before our eyes! 2:59
2:59 나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요2:59
나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요The hearts of natural men are exceedingly full of sin. If they had but one sin in their hearts, it would be sufficient to render their condition dreadful. But they have not only one sin, but all kinds of sin. There is every kind of lust. The heart of man is a cesspool of sin, and a fountain of corruption, from whence proceed all kinds of filthy streams. There is not one filthy lust in the heart of the devil, that is not in the heart of man! Natural men are in the image of the devil. The image of God is erased out, and the image of the devil is stamped upon them.God is graciously pleased to restrain the wickedness of men, principally by: fear of consequences, respect to their reputation, and by education. And if it were not for such restraints as these, there is no kind of wickedness that men would not commit, whenever it came in their way. Men have not only every kind of lust, and wicked and perverse dispositions in their hearts--but they have them to a dreadful degree. There is not only pride, but an astonishing degree of it--pride whereby a man is disposed to set himself even above God! The hearts of natural men are mere sinks of sensuality.In placing his happiness in sensual enjoyments, man has become like the beasts. The heart is full of the most loathsome lusts. The souls of natural men are more vile and abominable than any reptile. If God should open a window in the heart, so that we might look into it--it would be the most loathsome spectacle that ever was set before our eyes!"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" Jeremiah 17:9…
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Grace Audio Treasures
1 Trusting God's sovereignty, love, and wisdom in times of affliction 2:24
2:24 나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요2:24
나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요Heavenly Father, Sovereign Lord of all creation,I come before You in humility, acknowledging that You are the God who ordains all things according to the counsel of Your will. Nothing befalls me apart from Your divine purpose, and even in my affliction, I trust that You are working all things for my good and for Your glory.Lord, You have said in Your Word that trials refine us like gold in the furnace. Though I do not always understand Your ways, I know that Your wisdom is perfect, and Your love is steadfast. Teach me to submit to Your wise providence, to see affliction not as punishment, but as a means of transforming me into the image of Your beloved Son.Strengthen me, O God, that I may not grow weary in suffering, but instead, fix my eyes on Jesus, who endured far greater affliction for my sake. Help me to take comfort in Your promises: that You will never leave me nor forsake me, that Your grace is sufficient for me, and that no trial can separate me from the love of Jesus.Father, in my weakness, uphold me by Your righteous right hand. When my heart is heavy, remind me that this light and momentary affliction is preparing for me an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Let my trials deepen my dependence on You, increase my love for You and Your Word, and conform me more into the image of Your Son.In the name of my Redeemer, Jesus, who bore my sins on Calvary's cursed tree. Amen."God does not chasten us because He is angry, but because He loves us. Whom the Lord loves, He chastens. By affliction, the Lord separates the sin that He hates, from the soul that He loves.""He knows the way that I take. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as…
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Grace Audio Treasures
Psalm 119:67, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word."Affliction is never accidental for the believer. Every trial, pain, and hardship, is sovereignly appointed by God for His glory and our good. The world sees suffering as meaningless, or merely as an obstacle to their happiness. But Scripture teaches that suffering is a tool in the hands of our loving Father . . . to purify our faith, to humble our pride, and to draw us nearer to Jesus."But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I will come forth as gold." Job 23:10 God often uses affliction: to bring His people to repentance, to teach them humility, to refine them in the furnace of affliction, to draw them closer to Himself, to cause them to live a more holy life, to strengthen their faith, and to conform them to Christ.God's rod is a pencil to draw Christ's image upon us!God's people never grow strong in grace without trials. Troubles are the tools with which God polishes His jewels. The pruning knife is never out of His hand, and it is never used without wisdom or love.Affliction is not the end of the story. One day, every tear will be wiped away, every pain will be no more, and we will see our trials as God's instruments that shaped us for eternity. Until that day, we endure with faith, knowing that God is working out His perfect plan."I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen--since what is seen is…
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Grace Audio Treasures
God's people are called to rejoice in His vengeance upon the wicked, as it displays His justice, "Rejoice over her, O Heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! For God has judged her for the way she treated you!" Revelation 18:20The saints in glory will rejoice in God's perfect justice, including His righteous judgment on the wicked.The redeemed in Heaven shall be free from all sin-tainted sentimentality, and hence will regard the doom of the ungodly from the standpoint of God's righteous government. The just punishment of the finally rebellious will cause them no anguish.They will praise God for executing justice upon the wicked. "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in Heaven shouting, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of His servants. And again they shouted, Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever!" Revelation 19:1-3 Believers in Heaven do not rejoice in human suffering itself, but they rejoice in the manifestation of God's perfect justice and holiness. The damnation of the wicked is part of God's righteous rule--and in eternity the saints will fully align with God's will, loving all that He loves and hating all that He hates!On earth, our emotions are mixed with sin, sentimentality, and clouded understanding. But in Heaven, we will have glorified minds and hearts, perfectly aligned with God's will. When God, in His perfect holiness, decrees eternal punishment for the wicked, the redeemed will fully agree and delight in His righteo…
"My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass." Psalm 102:11"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes!" James 4:14"Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it!" Psalm 39:6It is of the greatest service to us, to be reminded that our life is but a mist, which appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Through forgetfulness of this obvious truth, worldlings live at ease, and Christians walk carelessly. Unless we consciously live in the light of eternity, worldliness soon eats into our heart like a canker! If you have this world's riches, believer--then remember that this poor world is not your rest, and do not place an excessive value on its comforts. If, on the other hand, you are afflicted, and are burdened with poverty--then do not be too much depressed thereby, for these light afflictions are but for a moment, and are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Remember that you are a part of a great procession which is always moving ahead; others are coming and going before your eyes--you see them for a short time, and they disappear into the eternal world. In the same way, you yourself are moving onward to eternity. It is most wise to contemplate the fact that our life is quickly passing away, and to be prepared to stand before God's great and final tribunal. "Remember Him, before . . . the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it!" Ecclesiastes 12:6-7"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep…
We have fallen on very velvety days!Charles Spurgeon"All those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!" 2 Timothy 3:12A little persecution would be a grand thing for the church! We have fallen on very velvety days, when zeal for God is rare, and decision for truth is scarcely is to be met with. The church has compromised with the world, and went to sleep with Satan rocking her cradle.Many profess to be a Christian, who are really nothing better than a baptized worldling.In the same way, many a man claims to be a minister of Christ, who is really a hireling, and does little for the feeding and caring of the sheep.The winnowing fan of persecution, if it purged the threshing floor of the church, would bestow great benefits upon her!"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you!" Matthew 5:11-12…
Some imagine that the doctrine of election will lead to pride. Quite the contrary!The truth of God's sovereign electing grace is the very instrument which cuts pride at its root. "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" 1 Corinthians 4:7Christian! Look around you and see many of your own family hastening down the broad way that leads to eternal destruction, perhaps wrapped in religious traditions, and slaves of sin and Satan. Now, I ask you: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around your town, and see the drunkenness, profanity, drugs, degeneracy, prisons, and broken homes--and then tell me: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? Look around the world, and see nine-tenths of it bound in sin, superstition, decadence, and spiritual darkness--and then ask yourself: Who made you to differ from them? Are you by nature, any better than they are? How can a sinner saved by sovereign grace, be proud? Look down into the realms of darkness and damnation, and see the angels that fell, bound in everlasting chains. Look at whole nations who, like the fallen angels, have been passed by in God's wisdom and sovereignty--and tell me, who made you to differ from them? A proud believer would be totally inconsistent with free grace salvation!"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards no…
The humble bee, though small and silent, teaches profound lessons to the soul that has eyes to see the handiwork of God. Day after day, she leaves her hive in search of nectar, flitting from flower to flower. Each blossom is different--some rich, some poor; some radiant, some plain. And yet, when her work is done, and the nectar has been brought back, processed, and perfected--the result is always the same: sweet, golden honey.By a special God-given instinct, bees gather not only from the ruddy rose, but also from the snow-white lily. They visit every kind of bloom, drawing nectar from all the beauties of the garden, and from this wide variety, they concoct a sweetness altogether unsurpassed.So it is with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. He is the rare confection of all divine perfections. In Him, all excellencies compounded and commingled in divine harmony. He is the meeting of all sweetnesses, to make one perfect sweet. In Him are mercy and truth, majesty and meekness, justice and grace, glory and humility--each a full perfection, yet all blended without contradiction in the matchless Person of the Son of God.What a picture this is of the providence and grace of God in our own lives! The Lord gathers from every event--joy and sorrow, comfort and affliction, gain and loss--and by the secret working of His Spirit, produces the fruit of righteousness in His redeemed children.Even our bitter trials are made to serve His purpose. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace." Hebrews 12:11. Like the bee, we are not the authors of the sweetness--but vessels through which God brings it forth.…
Romans chapter 8:17-18, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings, in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."What grace is this, that those who were once rebels and enemies of God, are now called His children. Not merely pardoned, not only adopted--but made heirs of God Himself and co-heirs with Christ. This is a staggering truth, and one far beyond human merit or imagination. It is God's sovereign grace on display, lifting the ruined sons of Adam into the royal family of Heaven.To be a child of God is the highest privilege known to man. It is not something earned, but granted by divine grace to those who are united to Christ by faith. And with sonship comes inheritance, not merely an inheritance from God, but God Himself as our portion. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.But there is a condition, "If indeed we share in His sufferings." This is not a condition of merit, but of identity. To belong to Christ is to walk the path He walked. There can be no crown without the cross, no glory without the grief. This world that hated Him, will not embrace His followers. And while our afflictions may differ in kind and degree--every true believer will, in some form share in the fellowship of His sufferings.How can that be? Because the weight of glory is infinite. The suffering is momentary, yet the glory is eternal. The trials are temporal--yet the inheritance is incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading. If we are to reign with Christ, we must be content to suffer with Him. T…
The silly moth is caught!Henry Law, 1858Why is this world such a wide sea of evil? Why do earth's multitudes roll so easily to Hell?The tastes of the mass of the human race are groveling and vile. They only care to sip the vulgar cup of time and sense. Their sin-soiled garments and polluted feet prove, that they wallow in defiling mire. See the worldling. A temptation meets him. A gilded bait allures. A sweet indulgence opens its inviting arms. What follows? The silly moth is caught! Pleasure whispers, "Come and partake!" Desire acquiesces. Nature surrenders. Thus Satan leads his crowds down misery's downward slope.Quickly, easily--they glide along.The rolling pebble has no power to stop. The downhill torrent is incapable of turning.To them, liberty is unknown. The clash of heavy chains attests their bondage. Satan drags them--and they must obey. The world gives laws--they tremblingly submit. They crouch, the slaves of many an insulting tyrant!"Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death!" James 1:14–15"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it!" 1 Corinthians 10:13…
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Grace Audio Treasures
1 Christian, all the mercy in the heart of God belongs to you! 2:19
2:19 나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요2:19
나중에 재생 나중에 재생 리스트 좋아요 좋아요Christian, all the mercy in the heart of God belongs to you!Charles Spurgeon"For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting" Psalm 100:5"The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him" Psalm 103:17"Let those who fear the LORD now say: His mercy endures forever!" Psalm 118:4Christian, all the mercy in the heart of God belongs to you! As great as your necessities may be, my dear brother, all the mercy that is in God belongs to you, and is engaged to meet your case.Let me put it in another light: If there were no other person in the world but you, and God loved you infinitely and exclusively--then would He not be able to do much for you, if all of His omnipotence was devoted to your good, and if all of His grace centered upon you, and you were the focus of all His wise and loving purposes?"Oh yes!" you say, "I would be favored indeed!"You are just as favored as that, for the multiplicity of the objects of divine love, necessitates no diminution to any one. God can love a million, and love each one as intensely as if there were but one to be favored!Our little minds are distracted with many objects. We cannot concentrate upon many, we are therefore confined. But the full concentrated love of the eternal God is set upon each one of His dear children!Is there not great comfort here?"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever!" Psalm 118:1"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever" Psalm 89:1…
It radically changes the whole man!Charles SpurgeonGenuine salvation is always transformative. It radically changes the whole man! He was once at enmity with God, and hated Him. Now he is a friend of God, and loves Him. His condition before God, his moral tone, his nature, his state of mind--are made radically different from what they were before salvation!Genuine salvation changes the PRINCIPLE UPON WHICH HE LIVES. He once lived for self--he now lives to please God.His OBJECTS IN LIFE are changed. He once lived for money, or the flesh, or the world. Now he lives for the glory of God.His COMFORTS are changed. The pleasures of the world and sin are now nothing to him. He finds comfort in the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit.His DESIRES are changed. That which he once panted and pined for, he is now content to do without. That which he once despised, he now longs after as the deer pants after the water brooks.His FEARS are different. He fears man no more, but fears his God.His HOPES are also altered. His expectations fly beyond the stars. He now confidently looks forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God!The saved man has begun a new life! A convert once said, "Either the world is altered--or else I am!" The saved man feels that the things which are seen are shadows, and the things which he hears are but voices out of dreamland. He now knows that unseen spiritual realities are substantial. He lives by faith, not by sight.2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"…
How am I to worship God? Horatius Bonar Man asks, "How am I to worship God?"And he has answered it also in his own way: "In the gorgeous temple, in the pillared cathedral, with incense, and vestments, and forms, and ceremonies, and processions, and postures!" he says. But these performances are the 'will worship' of self righteousness, not the obedient service of men worshiping God in ways of His own choosing. Man cannot teach man how to worship God. When he tries it he utterly fails. He distorts worship. He misrepresents God, and he indulges his own sensuous or self righteous tastes. His "dim religious light" is but a reflection of his own gloomy spirit, and an ignorant misrepresentation of Him "who is light." God's answer to man's question is given in the Lord's words, "those who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24The vestments may or may not be lovely--that matters not. The music may or may not be beautiful. The knees may or may not be bent. The hands may or may not be clasped. The place of worship may or may not be a cathedral, or a consecrated building. These are immaterial things; mere adjuncts of religion, not its essence. The true worship is that of the inner man--and all these other exterior things are of little importance. As it is with love, so it is with worship. The heart is everything! God can do without the bended knee, but not without the broken heart!"My son, give Me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways!" Proverbs 23:26…
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Grace Audio Treasures
"Don't even take along a walking stick, nor a traveler's bag, nor food, nor money. Not even an extra coat." Luke 9:3Jesus charges His apostles, when He sends them forth--to study simplicity of habits, and contentment with such things as they have. These instructions contain a lesson for all time. The spirit of these verses is meant to be remembered by all ministers of the Gospel. The leading idea which the words convey is, a warning against worldliness and luxurious habits.Well would it be for the world and the Church if the warning had been more carefully heeded! From no quarter has Christianity received such damage, as it has from the hands of its own teachers! On no point have its teachers erred so much, and so often, as in the matter of worldliness and luxury of life. They have often destroyed, by their daily lives, the whole work of their lips. They have given occasion to the enemies of the gospel to say, that they love ease, and money, and worldly things--far more than souls. May we daily pray that the church may be delivered from such ministers! They are a living stumbling block in the way to Heaven. They are helpers to the cause of the devil, and not of God. The preacher whose affections are set on . . . money, and prestige, and dress, and feasting, and pleasure seeking, has clearly mistaken his vocation! "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things!" Philippians 3:18–19…
Here, and here alone!(J.C. Philpot)Standing at the cross of our adorable Lord, we may see . . . the law thoroughly fulfilled, its curse fully endured, its penalties wholly removed, sin eternally put away, the justice of God amply satisfied, all His perfections gloriously harmonized, reconciliation completely effected, redemption graciously accomplished, and every true believer everlastingly saved.Here, and here alone, we see sin in its blackest colors--and holiness in its most attractive beauties. Here, and here alone, we see the love of God in its tenderest form--and the anger of God in its deepest expression. Here, and here alone, we see the eternal and unalterable displeasure of the Almighty against sin, and the rigid demands of His inflexible justice--and yet the tender compassion and boundless love of His heart, to His chosen, redeemed and regenerate people. Here, and here alone, are pardon and peace obtained.Here, and here alone, penitential grief and godly sorrow flow from hearts and eyes.Here, and here alone, is . . . sin subdued and mortified, holiness communicated, death vanquished, Satan put to flight, and happiness and heaven begun in the soul.What a holy meeting-place for repenting sinners and a sin-pardoning God! What a joyful forgiving-place for guilty, yet repenting and returning backsliders! What a door of hope for the self-condemned and self-abhorred! And what a blessed resorting-place for the whole family of grace in this valley of grief and sorrow.…
Of all the sins common to our fallen nature, God has the most signally stressed that sin of idolatry, or false worship.Man is by nature an idolater. His sinful mind, being alienated from God, seeks some object of worship other than the true and living God. The 'believer is not entirely exempt from this sin. Hence we have these exhortations of the Apostles addressed to the early Christians, and in these last days addressed to us: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21"My dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." 1 Corinthians 10:14Surely, it was not the gross and senseless idolatry of the heathens, to which the Apostles thus refer--but to other idols and other worship, less palpable and degrading, but not less superstitious or offensive to God. The worship of SELF is a natural and fearful form of idolatry. It is an innate and never entirely eradicated principle of our nature, but clings to us to the very last of life. Alas! the holiest and the best of us want to be something, and to do something--when in reality we are nothing, and can do nothing.For the most part, we walk in our religious life upon stilts--always appearing in the eyes of others taller than we really are! But real greatness and true humility, have ever been in alliance with abnegation of SELF. The holiest saints have always walked the lowest paths, for they saw the most of God's majesty and the least of their own worth. The nearer a man draws to God--the more he loathes the vanity of self, and clings to the sufficiency of grace.Who can stand before the cross and gaze upon the Creator of all worlds impaled between two criminals, Himself dying as the chief, and not shrink into…
In loveHenry Law, "Gleanings from the Book of Life""How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1Behold the overflowing riches of the grace and love of Jesus. Every page of the Gospel story teaches the love of His heart to His redeemed people. In love He receives His people as His own. Before the world was framed, He inscribed them on the tablets of His heart. In love He undertakes their cause, and espouses them as His bride. In love He works out for them a righteousness so bright, so perfect, so glorious--that Jehovah's eye can find no flaw, no spot, no blemish in it. In love He beautifies them with His shining robe, and fits them for the banquet in the heaven of heavens. In love He guards them from every foe, and makes them more than conquerors over all the hosts of darkness. In love He causes all things to work together for their good. In love He leads them to lie down in the rich pastures of Bible truth, and instructs them in the Word which is "able to make them wise unto salvation." In love He will come again to receive them to Himself. In love He will present them pure and blameless to His Father with exceeding joy. In love He will dwell among them through the ages of eternity!"I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20…
Chance, luck, or accidentJ.C. RyleLuke 12:6-7"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!" Nothing whatever, whether great or small, whether blessing or harm--can happen to a believer without God's ordering and permission.There is no such thing as chance, luck, or accident in the Christian's journey through this world. All is arranged and appointed by his loving heavenly Father: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose!" Romans 8:28Let us seek to have an abiding sense of God's hand in all that befalls us. Let us strive to realize that our Father's wisdom and love are measuring out our daily portion, and that our every step is ordered by Him. A daily practical faith of this kind, is one grand secret of happiness, and a mighty antidote against murmuring and discontent. We should try to feel in the day of trial and disappointment, that all is right and all is well done. We should try to feel on the bed of sickness that there must be a "needs be." We should say to ourselves, "God could keep away from me these things if He thought fit. But He does not do so, and therefore they must be for my benefit. I will lie still, and bear them patiently. Whatever pleases God, shall please me!"…
Laws of nature?John MacDuffIsaiah 29:6. "In an instant, I, the Lord Almighty, will come against them with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire."Let us not dethrone and undeify the great Maker and Sustainer, by substituting for His sovereign rule, what are commonly called the laws of nature. Winds, and earthquakes, and tempests are not the capricious outbreaks of unregulated mechanical force. The world's vast machinery, with all its varied and intricate movements, is under God's supervision and control. "He holds the winds in His fists." "He gathers the waters in the hollow of His hand." "He makes the clouds His chariot." "He directs the snow to fall on the earth, and tells the rain to pour down." This offers a lesson of soothing consolation to many a stricken heart: That lightning which struck down my child was an arrow out of the quiver of God! That wave which swept him from the vessel's side; or that hurricane which overthrew my dwelling, and buried loved ones in the ruins, had their pathway marked out by God! He brings forth the lightning out of His treasuries! He gives the sea its decree! He walks on the wings of the wind! All things are subservient to the controlling will and purposes of the Most High God. "I am the Lord, and there is no other! I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things!" Isaiah 45:6-7…
In Psalm 17:14, David prays, "With Your hand, O Lord, save me from men of this world, whose portion is in this life!"Worldlings may boast of their treasures and pleasures--but the Christian counts all this as loss and dross, when compared to the surpassing worth of knowing the Lord.If our portion is in this poor world, then we will perish with it. But if our portion is the Lord, then we have a treasure that never disappoints or decays, that no thief can steal, and no time can tarnish. "You are my portion, O Lord." Psalm 119:57. God is unchanging in His love, unlimited in His mercy, and unfailing in His grace. What greater comfort can a soul have, than to know that the Almighty is his everlasting portion?Psalm 142:5, "You are my refuge, my portion." How surpassingly glorious is the portion of the child of God! Not merely peace of conscience, not merely deliverance from Hell, not merely the hope of Heaven--but God Himself is our portion!The true believer does not chiefly desire the gifts of God--he pants after the Giver Himself. He does not primarily long for the place where there is "no more death or mourning or crying or pain," but for the immediate, unhindered presence of the Lord who loves him and gave Himself for him!The highest expression of divine love, is not that God grants us many blessings, but that He gives us Himself. To say, "The Lord is my portion" is to confess that our portion is infinite, unchanging, and all-satisfying--for He is all that and more. What greater assurance can the soul have, than to know that the omnipotent, omniscient, all-wise, and infinitely good God, has pledged Himself to be our possession forever? How shameful it is, th…
"Avoid every kind of evil!" 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Be careful to guard against all occasions of sin and evil. There is no safety without setting a watch against all that is likely to prove a stumbling-block.I read one day of the remarkable precautions which are taken to avoid danger in a gunpowder manufactory. The walls are all of stone, and no wood is allowed to be in the place. Anyone who walks through has to take off his shoes, lest the nails in them should strike a spark. Then, if he has any metal on him, he must leave it at the door. The danger is so great, that everything must be done to avoid any approach to it.Oh that Christians would take heed in a similar way to keep from the peril of sin! Keep far away from any approach to temptation. You have gunpowder hearts--so ready to ignite from the least spark! A look, a word, an evil example, a sentence in a book, a suggestion from a bad companion--any of these may be the cause of a world of mischief. Therefore, make it your firm resolve to keep out of harm's way.Beware of all places, and scenes, and people--that may turn you from the right course.Don't imagine you are strong enough to go, and get no harm. Better to keep far from the edge of the precipice. Better to keep out of the lion's reach! Better to keep from the long grass where the viper is coiled up! Stop while you can--or you may go so far that it may be impossible to escape. Be careful to guard well the various gates of access to the heart--and of egress into the world.Guard well the eye. Keep it from vanity. Remember that one look cost Achan his life--and a lustful look embittered the whole of David's years. Let the eye look straight onward,…
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Grace Audio Treasures
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."At the very center of God's eternal purpose, stands the cross of Jesus. Calvary is not merely a tragic moment in history--it is the appointed place where Divine justice met Divine mercy. There, the spotless Lamb of God bore the sins of His people, that they might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The crucifixion of our Lord was not an accident of human hatred, but the outworking of God's sovereign and eternal decree. "It was the Lord's will to crush Him, and cause Him to suffer." Isaiah 53:10. There, on that cursed tree, our Savior accomplished the ultimate demonstration of divine love--His substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of His chosen people. "The punishment that brought us peace, was upon Him." Isaiah 53:5. How precious is the sin-atoning death of Jesus! Divine justice demanded a payment, and divine mercy provided it in Jesus.Every blow of the whip, every thorn pressed into His sacred brow, every nail driven into His sinless flesh, every bit of spit spewed on His blessed face,was the due penalty of our transgressions--yet He bore it willingly, out of His great love for us!How utterly vile must sin be to the thrice holy God, that nothing less than the horrifying death of His only beloved Son could take it away! How vast must His love be, that He would not spare His only begotten Son from undergoing the full punishment that our sins rightly deserved.It is here at the cross, that the believing soul sees the unchanging character of God: His holiness did not relax. His justice was not bypassed. His truth was not compromised.Here is th…
Luke 24:5-6, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!"There is no greater proclamation in all the universe than this: Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! This singular truth distinguishes Christianity from every religion. Our Redeemer is not buried in a tomb, but He is reigning from His throne in Heaven. The One who was crucified in weakness, now lives in resurrection power and eternal glory.The resurrection of Jesus is not a peripheral truth--it is the very bedrock of our hope. Without it, the cross would be meaningless, and our hope would be in vain. The resurrection . . . affirms His deity, authenticates His mission, and guarantees the salvation of His people.Consider the comfort this brings to the believer. In a fallen world where suffering, sorrow, and death are ever present--we cling to a living Savior. Our faith is not an intellectual adherence to a dry dogma, but a vital relationship with a living Savior. His victory over the grave is our assurance that . . . sin's penalty has been paid, God's wrath has been satisfied, and eternal life has been secured!Moreover, the same Spirit who raised Jesus, now indwells every child of God, empowering him to . . . mortify sin, pursue holiness, and persevere in the Christian life.Is your heart weary today? Fix your eyes on the risen Christ. He is not distant or detached--He walks with His people, just as He walked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He . . . opens the Scriptures, warms the heart, and strengthens the soul.He intercedes for us at the right hand of God, bearing our names upon His heart and pleading the merits of His blood,…
"Avoid every kind of evil!" 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Be careful to guard against all occasions of sin and evil. There is no safety without setting a watch against all that is likely to prove a stumbling-block.I read one day of the remarkable precautions which are taken to avoid danger in a gunpowder manufactory. The walls are all of stone, and no wood is allowed to be in the place. Anyone who walks through has to take off his shoes, lest the nails in them should strike a spark. Then, if he has any metal on him, he must leave it at the door. The danger is so great, that everything must be done to avoid any approach to it.Oh that Christians would take heed in a similar way to keep from the peril of sin! Keep far away from any approach to temptation. You have gunpowder hearts--so ready to ignite from the least spark! A look, a word, an evil example, a sentence in a book, a suggestion from a bad companion--any of these may be the cause of a world of mischief. Therefore, make it your firm resolve to keep out of harm's way.Beware of all places, and scenes, and people--that may turn you from the right course.Don't imagine you are strong enough to go, and get no harm. Better to keep far from the edge of the precipice. Better to keep out of the lion's reach! Better to keep from the long grass where the viper is coiled up! Stop while you can--or you may go so far that it may be impossible to escape. Be careful to guard well the various gates of access to the heart--and of egress into the world.Guard well the eye. Keep it from vanity. Remember that one look cost Achan his life--and a lustful look embittered the whole of David's years. Let the eye look straight onward,…
Matthew 5:10–12, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."To the world, persecution is a curse to be avoided. But to the child of God, it is a badge of honor--a sign that he is walking in the footsteps of his Savior. In this final beatitude, Jesus lifts the eyes of His disciples above the hatred of men, to the eternal blessings which await them. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness." That is, those who are persecuted for Christ's sake . . . for standing for truth, for living in holiness, for proclaiming the gospel, and for refusing to bow to the world's idols.This beatitude is a necessary conclusion to the others. The one . . . who is poor in spirit, who mourns over sin, who hungers for righteousness, and strives to bring peace with God--will inevitably meet with persecution. Why? Because the world hates Christ. And if we are conformed to His image--then we will be treated as He was. To live righteously in an unrighteous world, is to shine a light that exposes the darkness of sin--and men love darkness instead of light, because their deeds are evil. Yet what unspeakable comfort Jesus offers: "Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven!" The very persecution that casts us out from the world, is the evidence that we belong to the kingdom of God. And even more, "Great is your reward in Heaven!" The scoffing of puny men cannot rob us o…
Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."True peace cannot exist apart from God. Man, in his natural sinful state, is at enmity with his Maker--alienated, hostile, and rebellious against Him. Yet He, in sovereign mercy, sent His Son to reconcile God-hating sinners to Himself, through the sin-atoning blood of the cross. And now, those whom He has redeemed, are called to reflect His heart by becoming peacemakers--instruments of reconciliation, pleading with men to be reconciled to God.This beatitude does not speak of those who merely promote harmony between man and man--but those who labor to bring ungodly rebels into peace with God. These true peacemakers are those who understand that the greatest war in the universe is not between nations, but between the Creator and His sinful creatures--and they strive to intervene.But this is not a work of fleshly effort, or clever persuasion. It is the humble, God-glorifying task of proclaiming the gospel--the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save wicked sinners. The peacemaker knows the terror of judgment and the beauty of grace--and so with prayer and bold love, he points guilty souls to the only Savior. He speaks of . . . God's holiness, man's utter ruin in sin, Christ's sin-atoning work on the cross, and the free offer of peace through faith in Him.And what is the promise? "They will be called sons of God"--by the glorious Father Himself! For in imitating their Heavenly Father's reconciling love, they reflect His likeness. Just as Christ--the great Peacemaker--was called the Son of God, so too are those who carry His message of reconciliation to the world.…
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7Gospel mercy is not a product of human nature--it is the fruit of a heart transformed by divine grace. Before regeneration, we were hard, self-centered and indifferent to the souls of others. But when God had mercy on us--pardoning our sin, cleansing our guilt, and raising us from spiritual death--He made us into merciful people. This beatitude is not a call to earn mercy, but a declaration of the mercy which God's grace produces in those whom He saves.Mercy is that compassion which is moved by the sight of misery, and which attempts to relieve those in misery. What greater misery exists, than the misery of sin? What deeper need can there be, than the need of pardon from the thrice holy God? The merciful, then, are those who are moved--not merely by physical suffering--but by the eternal peril of those who are rushing madly on to a dreadful Hell! Having themselves tasted the sweetness of forgiveness, they long to see others reconciled to God. They pray, they plead, they labor that sinners might flee to Christ. They are not content to let men run undisturbed to damnation--they intervene, with the gospel of mercy in their mouths, and the love of Christ in their hearts.And what is the promise? "They shall obtain mercy!" The merciful shall be shown mercy in their daily walk--receiving patience, grace, and strength from their Heavenly Father. And on that final day, when they stand before the Judge of all, they will not receive the awful sentence they so justly deserved. Instead of Hell, they will be met with mercy--divine, sovereign, everlasting mercy! The One who should have banished them to Hell,…
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Grace Audio Treasures
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6This beatitude follows naturally from the ones before it: the one who is spiritually poor, who mourns over his sin, and who is meek and humble before God--that one will hunger and thirst for the righteousness he lacks. He knows himself to be sinful, impure, and vile before God--and he longs to be clothed in the perfect holiness of Christ.Hunger and thirst are not mere desires--they are desperate cravings. Jesus speaks here of one who longs, not for worldly gain or fleeting pleasures, but for perfect righteousness--a righteousness he knows that he does not possess in himself. This is not the cry of the self-righteous Pharisee who boasts in his own morality and goodness--but the cry of a person who has learned that he has not one good thing in himself, and now yearns for that perfect righteousness which Jesus wrought out by His perfect life, and credits to the believing sinner.What is this righteousness? It is first, the "imputed" righteousness of Christ--that perfect obedience and sinless life credited to the believing sinner by God. We hunger to be justified before God, not by good works, for we have none--but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But it is also the "imparted" righteousness of a holy life--a deep longing to be made practically righteous, to be holy, to walk in obedience, to hate what God hates--and to love what He loves. This hunger is not a passing feeling or emotion, but an abiding and powerful longing. This continuous hungering and thirsting for righteousness, is an indelible mark of every true believer. The world hungers for we…
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God!" Matthew 5:8What a staggering promise! The highest blessing ever spoken to man: They shall see God! This is no mere poetic figure--it is the very hope of Heaven, the unveiled beholding of God in all His holiness, beauty, and glory! Yet this privilege is not granted to the mighty, the wise, or the religious--but only to the pure in heart.What does it mean to be "pure in heart"? It does not mean sinless perfection in this life, but rather a heart that has been cleansed by grace, and now sincerely longs for holiness. It is a heart that is no longer fixed on worldly trifles, and no longer pursuing sinful pleasures--but made single in its desire for God. It is a heart purified by the sin-atoning death of Christ, and by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Such heart purity is not man-made, but it is God-wrought--born in regeneration and nurtured in sanctification.While in this world of sin and temptation, the true Christian grieves over his remaining faults and sins. He longs for the day of death, when his sins and spots will be gone forever, and he will be as pure as the freshly fallen snow. He longs for the day when he will see Jesus, and be like Him. Having this wondrous hope, he strives to be as pure as Jesus."They shall see God!" Not through a veil, not dimly or distantly--but clearly, directly, and eternally. To see God is to be forever satisfied, forever joyful, forever changed into the likeness of His blessed Son. In that moment . . . all sin will be gone, all sorrow swallowed up, and all longings for perfect holiness fulfilled. The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God Him…
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5In a world that prizes self-assertion, self-promotion, pride, and personal rights--the meek are overlooked, even despised. Yet Jesus declares that it is the meek--the lowly, the humble--who are truly blessed.This meekness is not natural to the human heart. It does not come from a gentle personality or a quiet temperament. True meekness is the fruit of the Spirit and springs from a heart humbled before a holy God. It flows from the soul that has been . . . emptied of self-righteousness, broken over sin, and made to bow before the majesty of divine holiness.The meek man sees himself rightly--as a sinner saved by grace alone. He does not fight for his own importance or honor, because he knows he has none in himself. He is content to be little, because Christ is everything. Like Job, he says, "Behold, I am vile!" Job 40:4. And like the publican, he beats his breast, crying, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Luke 18:13Yet far from being weak, meekness is a mark of true strength. It takes far more power to submit to God's will, to quietly bear wrongs, and to put others before oneself, than to rise up in pride and retaliation. The meek do not demand their way--they trust God to order all things for their good and His glory.And what is their reward? "They shall inherit the earth." Though now they may be poor, obscure, and afflicted--they shall one day reign with Christ. The proud may rule for a season, but it is the meek who will possess the earth when Jesus returns to make all things new. The new heavens and the new earth are prepared not for the boastful, but for the lowly and humble in heart.…
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4"Blessed are those who mourn!" This is a strange saying to the worldly-minded and sin-loving! But here again, the Lord Jesus turns the wisdom of this world on its head. He does not speak of earthly grief over loss or pain, but of a deeper, holier sorrow: a mourning over one's sin.This is no superficial sadness, nor is it the regret of one merely caught in wrongdoing. This mourning flows from a heart that has seen the vileness of their sin in the light of God's holiness. It is the sorrow of a soul awakened by sovereign grace, grieved not only by the consequences of sin--but by its very presence. The one who mourns in this way, is crushed by the weight of having offended so good and glorious a God. Like David, he cries, "Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight!" Psalm 51:4This kind of sorrow is a gift from God. The natural man does not grieve over sin in this way. But when the Holy Spirit convicts, He breaks the heart and draws it to repentance. And to such mourners, Jesus gives a precious promise: They will be comforted.What is this comfort? It is the comfort of full and free forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The mourning sinner hears the gospel and discovers that Christ has borne every sin, every shame, every curse! The very sins that caused his sorrow, have been nailed to the cross, and buried in the tomb. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! Romans 8:1It is the comfort of divine assurance--that God will never cast out the broken and contrite heart. Psalm 51:17. It is the comfort of sweet fellowship with Christ, who is n…
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Grace Audio Treasures
Below is a comprehensive list of New Testament verses on divorce and remarriage. The early Church, many Reformers, and faithful expositors have affirmed that the marriage covenant is a life-long bond that only death dissolves, in accordance with God's original design.This view takes seriously the whole counsel of Scripture, and sees the so-called "exception clauses" not as permissions to remarry, but as acknowledgments of sin and concessions to a fallen world—without dissolving the marriage bond.1. Matthew 5:31–32"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."Explanation:Jesus upholds the permanence of marriage. Divorce leads to adultery, and remarriage while the first spouse lives is always adultery. The "exception clause" refers to the reason why one may separate—not a license to remarry. The union remains intact in God's sight.2. Matthew 19:3–9"…I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."Explanation:Jesus' response to the Pharisees reaffirms God's creation design for marriage: "What God has joined together, let no one separate." The "exception clause" here does not grant permission to remarry—it simply recognizes that sexual immorality may lead to separation, but it does not dissolve the marriage bond. Remarriage is still called adultery.3. Mark 10:2–12"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.And if she divorces her husband and…
"Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117The first lesson we have to learn, is that without Divine help we cannot stand; and that with it we cannot fall. We must cultivate a spirit of lowly dependence and conscious weakness.We need a mightier strength than our own, which shall curb all this evil nature of ours, and restrain us from sin's deceits.When God's Spirit comes into a man's heart, He will deaden his desires after the world and forbidden ways. He will make us love and desire blessed and holier objects. He who has been fed on "the hidden manna" will not be likely to hanker after the leeks and onions that grew in the Nile mud in Egypt, however strong their smell and pungent their taste. He who has tasted the higher sweetnesses of God, will have his heart's desires after worldly delights strangely deadened and cooled. My heart, touched by the indwelling Spirit of God, will turn to Him--and I shall find little sweetness in the otherwise tempting delicacies that earth can offer.God desires to cleanse us from the filth of the swine trough, and the rags of our exile--and clothe us in fine linen, clean and white. If you will submit yourself into His hands, He will give you abilities to detect the serpents in the flowers, and new resolution to shake off the vipers into the fire. "Hold me up--and I shall be safe!" Psalm 119:117…
Happiness is the magic charm that the world is eagerly in search of. But the believer in Christ is its only possessor. He has found it--and found it in Jesus. He has found it in a renunciation of self-righteousness, and in a humble reception of Jesus. There is no true happiness outside of Jesus! What true happiness can the heart feel while . . . it is spiritually dead, its sins are unpardoned, it is under condemnation, and exposed to the wrath of a holy and just God? Oh reader, do not dream of happiness, until you have gone as a repenting sinner to the cross of Christ!You may be a son or a daughter of affliction. In this furnace you may be chosen, and through this furnace, it may be the Lord's holy will that you should pass all your days. You may be a child of poverty, possessing but little of this world's comforts--and you feel lonely, neglected, and despised.Yet oh, look up Christian! You are precious in God's sight! You are as dear to Him as the pupil of His eye. His heart yearns over you with more than a mother's exquisite fondness for her child, because He has loved you with an everlasting love! And to the praise of the glory of His grace, He has accepted you in the Beloved. Realize this, and though . . . rough and thorny your path may be, and fiery your furnace, and deep your poverty, and lonely your situation--you shall experience a peace and a happiness to which the world around you is an utter stranger."Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid." John 14:27 "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked…
Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."What is poverty of spirit? It is the opposite of that haughty, self-assertive, and self-sufficient disposition that the world so much desires and praises. To be poor in spirit, is to realize that I have nothing, I am nothing, I can do nothing--to please the holy God. Poverty of spirit is evident in a person, when he is brought into the dust before God, to acknowledge his utter helplessness. It is the first experiential evidence of a Divine work of grace within the soul, and corresponds to the initial awakening of the prodigal son in the far country, when he "began to be in need." (Luke 15:14)The world calls the strong, the self-sufficient, and the self-reliant "blessed." But the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, pronounces a paradox--true blessedness belongs only to the poor in spirit! These are those who see themselves as utterly destitute sinners before God. They have been stripped of all self-righteousness and self-sufficiency, standing before their Maker with empty hands, knowing they have nothing to offer God but their sin and need.To be "poor in spirit" is to humble one's self under the mighty hand of God. It is to see our sin, our guilt, our defilement, and our utter inability to save ourselves. It is to cry out with the tax collector, "God, have mercy on me, the sinner!" (Luke 18:13). It is to confess, like Isaiah, "Woe is me, for I am undone! For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord almighty!" (Isaiah 6:5). Such a condition is not something we naturally seek, for in our pride, we all claim some worthiness before God.But the Holy Spirit opens our blind eyes to see the…
Colossians 3:1-4, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."Christian, you have been raised with Christ! No longer are you bound to the fading, worthless pleasures of this world. Your citizenship is in Heaven, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Lift up your eyes! Your Savior is not here among the dying things of earth--He is enthroned in glory, ruling over all things for the good of His people.Why then, should your heart grovel in the dust of this poor fleeting world? Set your affections upon the risen Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God, ruling in majesty, interceding for you, and preparing a place for you. The world beckons with its empty promises . . . riches that rust, honor that fades, pleasures that perish. But Christ offers eternal treasures, unfading glory and unspeakable joy!Dear saint, the storms of life may rage, and tempests may threaten, but nothing can snatch you from the omnipotent hand of the Lord Jesus Christ! You are eternally secure in Him.And what of the future? The day is coming when your life will be revealed in the full splendor of the dazzling brilliance of Christ-likeness. O Christian, let this hope sustain you! Every sorrow will be swallowed in victory, and every trial will be forgotten in the light of His presence.Weary pilgrim, fix your mind on Christ, and set your heart on Heaven. Live for Christ, long for Chris…
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Grace Audio Treasures
Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The apostle Paul saw his entire existence through the lens of his Savior. If he lived, it was for Christ's glory; if he died, it was for Christ's presence. Either way, he was wholly surrendered to Christ! Christ was the source, the substance, and the goal of his life."To live is Christ." What does this mean? It means that Christ is the purpose of our lives, the joy of our hearts, and the strength of our souls. Whether in trials or triumphs, in sorrows or joys, Christ is the center of all we do. Our lives are not our own--they are His! To a man who lives for Christ, nothing is secular--everything is sacred. To draw nearer to Christ is his life's ambition; to glorify Christ is his daily business; to live for Christ is his greatest joy.But then Paul adds, "to die is gain." How can death--the dreaded enemy of mankind--be gain? To the world, death is the worst possible loss--it is the end of all earthly hopes and dreams. But for the believer, death is simply the doorway into eternal, unbroken fellowship with Christ! It is the shedding of all sin, the end of all suffering, and the entrance into the fullness of joy in our Savior's presence. To die is to be with Christ, to behold Him in all His glory, and to rest in His love forever. No more pain, no more tears--only Christ, in the fullness of His beauty and glory!Dear Christian, do not fear what the world fears. Your life is Christ's, and your death is but a passage into His presence, to a glory beyond imagining. Take heart! Your life is Christ, your death is gain, and your eternity is secure in His loving hands.Live for Christ today, and long for the…
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Fr. Larry Richards is the founder and president of The Reason for our Hope Foundation, a non- profit organization dedicated to ”spreading the Good News” by educating others about Jesus Christ. His new homilies are posted each week.
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Welcome to the Enjoying Everyday Life TV podcast with Joyce Meyer. To learn more, visit our website at joycemeyer.org or download the Joyce Meyer Ministries App. By supporting Joyce Meyer Ministries, you can help us reach hurting people around the world. To find out more, go to joycemeyer.org/donate
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CBCP is a disciple-making church based in Manila, Philippines. Learn more at https://cbcp.org
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Love God, love people, and change the world. We believe the life and lessons of Jesus aren’t just good advice, but are Good News for us here and now. As a church, we are all about following Jesus and know there’s no end to that journey—we’re more about becoming than arriving. We are committed to becoming a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multiplying movement of Christ followers, equipping and empowering our kids and students to not only be the church of tomorrow, but the church of today.
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Heritage Baptist Church exists by the grace of God and for the glory of God, which is the ultimate purpose of all our activities. We seek to glorify the God of Scripture by promoting His worship, edifying and equipping the saints, evangelizing the nations, planting and strengthening churches, calling other assemblies to biblical faithfulness and purity, encouraging biblical fellowship among believers and ministering to the needy, thus proclaiming and defending God’s perfect law and glorious ...
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The Village Church exists to bring glory to God by making disciples through gospel-centered worship, gospel-centered community, gospel-centered service and gospel-centered multiplication.
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Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
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Podcast by Alpha and Omega Christian Fellowship "Weekly Sermon"
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Insights into the weekly Torah portion
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Rabbi Shalom Rosner on The Parsha
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A daily podcast featuring the Tagalog Mass Readings (Filipino Mass Readings) of the Roman Catholic Church. We aim to give the Internet a soul and bring you the Good News wherever you may be. Visit www.awitatpapuri.com for more.
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