Pr 27:7 The full soul despises a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
A dripping honeycomb with its enticing sweetness is nothing to a man who has a well-stuffed stomach. But to a starving man, even what is bitter becomes sweet.
There is a principle of salvation that can be gleaned in this verse:
To a sinner who is contented with his goodness and moral achievement, the message that Christ died on the cross for the sinner's salvation means nothing to him. He finds no use for it. He is even bored with it.
But to a sinner, whose eyes are opened to his helplessness and desperate need of salvation by the Holy Spirit, what Christ did on the cross (His bitter experience of agony, suffering, and death there for the sinner's salvation) is precious.
Honestly, whenever you hear about the death of Christ on the cross for sinners, what is your inward and spontaneous reaction? Do you find it precious or monotonous?
Before God saves a sinner, He first creates the need for salvation in his heart. Realizing his need, he will find satisfaction and salvation alone in what Christ did on the cross.
It is this kind of a sinner that has truly trusted in Christ. Therefore, it is this kind of a sinner that is truly saved.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #226
The Story Of The Good Samaritan: A Picture Of Salvation
Lu 10:30 "...A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."
Here we are in our spiritual need. Spiritually speaking, we are the man who fell among thieves, stripped naked, wounded, helpless and powerless to do anything about his condition.
The priest (Luke 10:31) and the Levite (Luke 10:32) that came were ministers under the Law. And so we might view them as representing the Law---the Law cannot do anything to deliver us and help us in our need.
But a good Samaritan came and had compassion on him (Luke 10:33), he came all the way from a practically foreign region just as Christ came down from heaven for us offering mercy and saving grace.
And just as the good Samaritan poured healing oil and wine on him, so does Christ pour out the joy of salvation and spiritual healing on any sinner who will put his trust in Him.
Just as the good Samaritan kept the man safe on his animal towards the inn, so will Christ keep any sinner safe till the end. Yes, He keeps those whom He saves.
And just as the good Samaritan paid all the expenses for the man at the inn, so did Christ gave His life as a payment for all our sins.
Lu 10:30 "...A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."
Here we are in our spiritual need. Spiritually speaking, we are the man who fell among thieves, stripped naked, wounded, helpless and powerless to do anything about his condition.
The priest (Luke 10:31) and the Levite (Luke 10:32) that came were ministers under the Law. And so we might view them as representing the Law---the Law cannot do anything to deliver us and help us in our need.
But a good Samaritan came and had compassion on him (Luke 10:33), he came all the way from a practically foreign region just as Christ came down from heaven for us offering mercy and saving grace.
And just as the good Samaritan poured healing oil and wine on him, so does Christ pour out the joy of salvation and spiritual healing on any sinner who will put his trust in Him.
Just as the good Samaritan kept the man safe on his animal towards the inn, so will Christ keep any sinner safe till the end. Yes, He keeps those whom He saves.
And just as the good Samaritan paid all the expenses for the man at the inn, so did Christ gave His life as a payment for all our sins.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #225
1Sa 2:25 "...if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?..."
A sinner in order to be saved from the judgment of God must have an intercessor, who will speak to God for him. And such an intercessor must be one who is both anointed and appointed by God Himself.
Without such an intercessor, we, as sinners, will be left exposed to the dreadful and condign judgment of God. But God, in grace, provided the answer to the question:
1Jo 2:2 And He (the Lord Jesus Christ) Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
My friend, your good works and religiosity can't intercede to God for you. You can't be your own intercessor. You are not only disqualified, being a sinner, but also because it is only Christ who was anointed and appointed to be the sinner's intercessor.
You need an Intercessor who will always be heard by God...you need Christ: "...if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?..." CHRIST
Come to Him in faith.
A sinner in order to be saved from the judgment of God must have an intercessor, who will speak to God for him. And such an intercessor must be one who is both anointed and appointed by God Himself.
Without such an intercessor, we, as sinners, will be left exposed to the dreadful and condign judgment of God. But God, in grace, provided the answer to the question:
1Jo 2:2 And He (the Lord Jesus Christ) Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
My friend, your good works and religiosity can't intercede to God for you. You can't be your own intercessor. You are not only disqualified, being a sinner, but also because it is only Christ who was anointed and appointed to be the sinner's intercessor.
You need an Intercessor who will always be heard by God...you need Christ: "...if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?..." CHRIST
Come to Him in faith.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #224
When God Punishes Sin With More Sin
Ps 81:11 "But My people (Israel) would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.
Oftentimes God punishes sin with more sin. Yes, sin will be punished. But there is a sense in which sin is its own punishment. There are two kinds of people here in this world: a) people who say to God: "Your will be done" and b) people to whom God will say: "your will be done"
The former is blessed, the latter, blasted. One of the ways in which God punishes a sinner is that He allows him to have his way, resulting in a life of guilt, fear, misery, heartache, and shame.
In other words, oftentimes when God punishes unrepentant sinners, He just abandons them to themselves. And man left to himself is a danger to himself, he will destroy himself, he is his own worst enemy.
If you still have this God-given desire to repent, don't put it off and don't delay. Repent NOW and turn to Christ in faith. Believe you me, you can't afford being left to your own depraved self.
Ps 81:11 "But My people (Israel) would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me.
12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, To walk in their own counsels.
Oftentimes God punishes sin with more sin. Yes, sin will be punished. But there is a sense in which sin is its own punishment. There are two kinds of people here in this world: a) people who say to God: "Your will be done" and b) people to whom God will say: "your will be done"
The former is blessed, the latter, blasted. One of the ways in which God punishes a sinner is that He allows him to have his way, resulting in a life of guilt, fear, misery, heartache, and shame.
In other words, oftentimes when God punishes unrepentant sinners, He just abandons them to themselves. And man left to himself is a danger to himself, he will destroy himself, he is his own worst enemy.
If you still have this God-given desire to repent, don't put it off and don't delay. Repent NOW and turn to Christ in faith. Believe you me, you can't afford being left to your own depraved self.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET # 223
The Time Of God's Visitation
Lu 19:43 "For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
44 "and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Destruction and judgment were going to fall upon the nation Israel because she did not know the time of God's visitation. God, in the person of Christ, came to them and offered them salvation, but Israel rejected His gracious offers again and again and again.
And so judgment must come and judgment came when General Titus of Rome sacked and leveled Jerusalem to the ground in 70 A.D. and fulfilled to the letter everything that was prophesied in the verses above.
Bringing it close to home, God wants all to be saved and so there will come a time in a sinner's life when He visits him and woes him to repent, to come to Christ in faith.
He comes through a message like this one or through some message you hear on radio, in TV etc. God is visiting you, offering you grace, mercy and salvation. But if you persists in your unrepentant condition, He will leave and He may never come again. And the only thing that awaits you is sure judgment.
Do not harden your hearts in the day of His visitation. Turn to Him in repentance and faith while He is near.
Lu 19:43 "For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,
44 "and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Destruction and judgment were going to fall upon the nation Israel because she did not know the time of God's visitation. God, in the person of Christ, came to them and offered them salvation, but Israel rejected His gracious offers again and again and again.
And so judgment must come and judgment came when General Titus of Rome sacked and leveled Jerusalem to the ground in 70 A.D. and fulfilled to the letter everything that was prophesied in the verses above.
Bringing it close to home, God wants all to be saved and so there will come a time in a sinner's life when He visits him and woes him to repent, to come to Christ in faith.
He comes through a message like this one or through some message you hear on radio, in TV etc. God is visiting you, offering you grace, mercy and salvation. But if you persists in your unrepentant condition, He will leave and He may never come again. And the only thing that awaits you is sure judgment.
Do not harden your hearts in the day of His visitation. Turn to Him in repentance and faith while He is near.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #222
Mt 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
We have here a) The Invitation b) The Invited and c) The Incentive
The Invited: "...all you who labor and are heavy laden..."
The Incentive: "...and I will give you rest."
Are you one who labors for the salvation of your soul? You strive and work so hard to obey God's law but you find yourself failing over and over again in the attempt. As a result, you are burdened with guilt and shame.
Come to the Savior. The salvation you are laboring for is offered free by Him. The thing you could not do, He did. He completed the work of salvation. "It is finished!" He guaranteed.
All you have to do is come. Come to Him in faith, trusting in His finished work on the cross for your salvation. And as you come, you will find rest. Rest in the realization that the work of salvation was done and accepted to the satisfaction of God 2000 years ago.
Rest from the burden of guilt because He has completely paid the penalty of all of your sins.
Come! Come to Him!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
GOSPEL NUGGET #221
God's Justice, Mercy And Grace In Salvation
* God's justice is God giving us what we deserve.
* God's mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve.
* God's grace is God giving us what we do not deserve.
Sinners, who deserve to be in hell, but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation are, by God's mercy, not given the punishment they deserve. They are, by God's grace, freely given the salvation that they do not deserve.
* God's justice is God giving us what we deserve.
* God's mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve.
* God's grace is God giving us what we do not deserve.
Sinners, who deserve to be in hell, but trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation are, by God's mercy, not given the punishment they deserve. They are, by God's grace, freely given the salvation that they do not deserve.
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