GOSPEL LIGHT #769

From Cancer To Christ Cancer often starts unnoticed, silent, hidden, and giving no warning. This was mama’s case. She was asymptomatic, feeling completely fine, with no signs of illness. While some cancers manifest symptoms early, hers remained undetected until she had an X-ray done through a random mobile X-ray service in our area. It was then that they discovered a 3.2 cm lung mass.

Sin works the same way. It begins subtly, perhaps as small compromises, ignored convictions, or unconfessed sins. We feel fine, unaware of the spiritual sickness growing within us. Then one day, the truth is exposed: sin has deeply invaded our hearts, affecting our thoughts, actions, and relationships with God and others. But just as cancer drives us to seek medical treatment, the realization of sin should lead us to the Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone offers the ultimate cure. While doctors fight cancer with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and other targeted drug therapies or even bio-integrative alternatives - Jesus conquered sin and death through His blood. Isaiah 53:5 reminds us: “By His wounds, we are healed.” Through repentance and faith, He removes the disease of sin and restores us to wholeness. If cancer reminds us of life’s fragility, let it also remind us of the Great Physician, who heals not just our bodies, but our very souls. Run to Him today, and trust in His finished work on the cross for your salvation. By Mae

GOSPEL LIGHT #768

The Man Who Stood In The Gap  
Me and Ate Joy are currently studying the book of Ezekiel. And the whole theme of Ezekiel or the OT for that matter is about Israel's rebellion but specifically during the time of Babylonian captivity. And as we are currently in Chapter 22. I found a gospel message. So in this chapter God was recounting all their sins.

And in v. 14 it says "Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong in the days that I will deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken and will act.” Just like Israel, we are as sinful and as guilty in the eyes of the Holy God. And that question. Will we endure? Are we strong enough when God will deal with us? Will we stand before the just God? Clearly we are not strong enough and surely not stand. And though it may seem unalarming, know that God has spoken it, His words are true and will act on it. He will deal with us someday. The next verse is v. 30 - 31 "I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one." “Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads," declares the Lord God. God found no righteous man in Israel during the time of Ezekiel. And even to this present day, there is still no sinner able to stand in the gap. But the good news is that 2,000 years ago a man stood in the gap. And that is none other than Christ Jesus. God’s only perfect and righteous Son who died on the Cross for our sins. We must trust and put our confidence in Him. So that God's indignation and the fire of His wrath will not be brought upon our heads. Written by Marv

GOSPEL LIGHT #767

I'd like to read to you a book I found in the trash heap, near the gates of hell, halfway eaten by the flames, almost begging not to be opened. It contains myths, assumptions, delusions, opinions, superstitions and what have you.

Let me read to you a sample. In this book, we read: "Thou shall be saved by your good works. Verily, thine own deeds shall be thy redemption. Behold, dost thou not see?" 2nd Delusions 3:16

And so, there you have it, if you want to be deluded then go for it. Be saved by trusting in your good works. 

If not, come to Christ. Trust in what He did on the cross for your salvation. 

GOSPEL LIGHT #766

Gospel in Dent

As a dentist, the usual patients we have at the clinic have dental insurance coverage. Normally, they have coverage for cleaning and tooth fillings. After cleaning and brushing their teeth, I ask if they would consent to having a tooth restoration or filling. Most patients are shocked to learn they have a tooth/teeth that need filling; I’m shocked that they’re shocked!

In my mind: It's clear that they have visible areas of decay, so I’m surprised they’re shocked that they need to undergo a filling procedure. They would then ask, “Where is the filling going to be?” and I would point it out to them.

Some patients, especially first-timers, would opt out. I would explain how the decay will just get deeper and larger, eventually weakening and damaging the entire tooth. Plus, it could also infect the teeth adjacent to it. This will lead to more problems and intense pain. Some would then give their consent but others will not.

I thought of it in a similar way spiritually, where tooth decay is like the sin in our lives. We don’t really know and realize we have sinned against God until God enlightens us through His gospel with His convicting power.

Even though the decay should have been clear in bold relief to us, yet, we are still blind to it. And when we refuse God’s "treatment," sin remains in our lives, damaging and ultimately destroying us, causing unnecessary pain and sorrow.

But Christ is the great dentist that can restore our lives and extract the sins and sin in us! If we will humble ourselves to see and recognize what a depraved sinner we are and put our trust only in Christ as our Savior then we will be saved. Written by a Christian dentist

GOSPEL LIGHT #765

The concept of uncleanness in the Old Testament Mosaic Law was extremely recurring and pervasive. It almost feels like that at every turn an Israelite is unclean. Even in the doing of the most ordinary of things could potentially make him unclean in the Law of Moses. It was a relentless cycle of becoming unclean for an Israelite.

God was teaching them, among other things, the permeating reality of sin. Sin, sin, sin is all that a fallen man can do. It's recurring. It's pervasive. It's there at every turn, even in the doing of the most ordinary of things in life. Man is a relentless, cyclical sinner.

Have you discovered this in yourself?

Aside from the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, there is nothing more important than the knowledge of oneself. The tragedy is that we don't know ourselves. It is only by the convicting work of God that we are able to gaze into the mirror, face to face with ourselves, and see ourselves as we truly are.

It’s so easy to convince a person to board a plane if he is already convinced that he can’t fly from here to there on his own.

It’s so easy to convince a person to get on a boat if he realizes he can’t swim from here to Switzerland.

It’s so easy to convince a sinner to trust in Christ and His work on the cross once he is convicted that he is a filthy sinner who has no way on his own of saving himself. My friend, realize your sinnerhood and you will come running to the all-sufficient sacrifice of the Savior on the cross of Calvary.

GOSPEL LIGHT #764

 Try An Experiment To See If You Can Save Yourself

Period --- 7 days

Practice --- Avoid all sin, zero sin in heart and mind

Place --- Lock yourself in a room to eliminate external temptations

If you can pull this off then congratulations you probably can save yourself. But if you can't do it in 7 days then how can you manage a lifetime? If sin can creep into your heart and mind then it means you’re a natural at it. If isolation can’t keep sin out, how will you face the real world?

Your only hope of salvation is the type of salvation that doesn't come from your own initiative and efforts. You need Someone to pay for all your sins. You need to be imputed with His righteousness. You need the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust Him and what He did on the cross for your salvation.

GOSPEL LIGHT #763

MK 5:30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” 

MK 5:31 And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”

You know, it's possible to crowd and press in on Jesus and not touch Him. It's possible to be exposed to the gospel message over and over again and not be saved and made any different from it. It's possible to have a casual acquaintance of the gospel and not experience its saving power. It's possible to have a mental assent toward the claims of the Lord Jesus without trusting in Him in the heart.

How about you, my friend? Are you merely in the crowd, or are you one who has reached out and touched Him in faith?