Pr 22:3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
Think of a skillful mariner who upon discerning an oncoming bad weather would wisely navigate his vessel onto a safe harbor. That is a picture of a prudent man. Think of a reckless driver who doesn't stop or slow down to read the safety traffic signs but just goes on and falls into a cliff. His reckless imprudence resulted in damages to property and the loss of human lives.That's a picture of a simple man who is without wisdom and knowledge of his situation.
Noah, a prudent man, foresaw the coming calamity, built an ark and hid in it. The rest, who would not listen to Noah's warnings, chose to be simpletons, were carried away by the Flood.
My friend, you know that you are a sinner. Your own conscience forebodes a coming danger of judgment. You know that you could be ushered into eternity any moment. Will you be a prudent man who foresees evil and hide yourself in Christ and what He did on the cross or will you be a simpleton who just passes on recklessly without recognizing the need of a refuge in Christ?
I urge you not to be a simpleton. I plead with you to be a prudent man and come to Christ in faith.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Sunday, August 12, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #550
Ex 35:2 "Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.
Notice that the Sabbath was to be a day of “complete rest” verse 2. Verse 2 further says that any man who does “any work” on that shall be put to death.
The Sabbath was a picture of Christ. He is our Sabbath. He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily laden and I will give you rest.” Colossians 2:16 and 17 say that the Sabbath is a picture of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ, through His work on the cross for us sinners, offers us a complete and perfect salvation. We don’t have to add anything to it. Our lot is to completely rest on Him and what He did on the cross for us. If you add “any work” or any effort on your part to contribute to the saving of your soul, you will be damned, you will be put to death.
Salvation is all about resting on Christ, not about wrestling for our salvation. Faith is simply resting on Christ as you would when you rest on a cozy bed.
Notice that the Sabbath was to be a day of “complete rest” verse 2. Verse 2 further says that any man who does “any work” on that shall be put to death.
The Sabbath was a picture of Christ. He is our Sabbath. He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily laden and I will give you rest.” Colossians 2:16 and 17 say that the Sabbath is a picture of Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ, through His work on the cross for us sinners, offers us a complete and perfect salvation. We don’t have to add anything to it. Our lot is to completely rest on Him and what He did on the cross for us. If you add “any work” or any effort on your part to contribute to the saving of your soul, you will be damned, you will be put to death.
Salvation is all about resting on Christ, not about wrestling for our salvation. Faith is simply resting on Christ as you would when you rest on a cozy bed.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #549
The Humility Gate
There's a gate in the Church of the Nativity in Israel that is called The Humility Gate. To enter it, one must stoop down. It was designed that way during the Medieval period so that soldiers riding on their horses could not just enter the gate and disrupt the services going on there; to enter, they must step down from their high horses and bend low.
It's exactly the same with salvation. The door of salvation is low that if you come riding on your high horse of self-righteousness you can never go through it. God only saves the humble sinner (Job 22:29) never the proud sinner.
My friend, come with a humble view and estimation of yourself. See your self for who you really are in the sight of God --- a sinner without a single bit of righteousness to commend yourself before God. Come low, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross and be saved.
There's a gate in the Church of the Nativity in Israel that is called The Humility Gate. To enter it, one must stoop down. It was designed that way during the Medieval period so that soldiers riding on their horses could not just enter the gate and disrupt the services going on there; to enter, they must step down from their high horses and bend low.
It's exactly the same with salvation. The door of salvation is low that if you come riding on your high horse of self-righteousness you can never go through it. God only saves the humble sinner (Job 22:29) never the proud sinner.
My friend, come with a humble view and estimation of yourself. See your self for who you really are in the sight of God --- a sinner without a single bit of righteousness to commend yourself before God. Come low, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross and be saved.
Monday, July 9, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #548
Song 1:6 Do not look upon me, because I am dark, because the sun has tanned me...they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.
The Shulammite woman here reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as she took all the heat of the sun for others, so the Lord Jesus Christ took all the heat of the wrath of God upon Himself for our sakes. Just as she kept other people's vineyards and neglected her own so the Lord Jesus Christ neglected His own welfare and gave Himself for our eternal keeping. He willingly became dark so that we could be light in God.
My friend, will you entrust your soul, your "vineyard," to Him for your eternal salvation?
The Shulammite woman here reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as she took all the heat of the sun for others, so the Lord Jesus Christ took all the heat of the wrath of God upon Himself for our sakes. Just as she kept other people's vineyards and neglected her own so the Lord Jesus Christ neglected His own welfare and gave Himself for our eternal keeping. He willingly became dark so that we could be light in God.
My friend, will you entrust your soul, your "vineyard," to Him for your eternal salvation?
Thursday, June 21, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #547
Why did God allow Solomon to be pampered with the things of this world? What was His purpose why Solomon's plate was filled to overflowing with things that everything under the sun could offer?
One of the reasons is this --- He allowed Solomon to abound with so much in order to tell the succeeding generations that man's heart is too big for the world. Here's this one man who gained the world and yet at the end of it all, he says: "Been there, done that, I've been to the top of the world and it's vanity! It's nothing! It's meaningless! It doesn't satisfy!"
He had riches. He had fame. He had knowledge and wisdom. He had pleasure. He had entertainment. He had power. He had romantic relationships left and right. He had accomplishments here and there to fill man's need to be significant. He had the admiration of everybody. Every meal he had for years was a feast. Every single need he had under the sun was satisfied to the hilt --- physical, psychological, mental, relational, you name it.
And yet, at the end of it all, across it all, he said: "Believe you me, it's vanity! Man's heart is too big for the world. You can have all of these things, you will feel a temporary high, but, eventually, in the end, you will feel empty."
My friend, your heart was made for something bigger. You were made for God. You will always be restless until you will find Him in Christ Jesus. If the heart is too big for the world, let me tell you that God is too big for your heart. He will more than satisfy you.
Come to Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in Him for salvation. Be reconciled to God.
One of the reasons is this --- He allowed Solomon to abound with so much in order to tell the succeeding generations that man's heart is too big for the world. Here's this one man who gained the world and yet at the end of it all, he says: "Been there, done that, I've been to the top of the world and it's vanity! It's nothing! It's meaningless! It doesn't satisfy!"
He had riches. He had fame. He had knowledge and wisdom. He had pleasure. He had entertainment. He had power. He had romantic relationships left and right. He had accomplishments here and there to fill man's need to be significant. He had the admiration of everybody. Every meal he had for years was a feast. Every single need he had under the sun was satisfied to the hilt --- physical, psychological, mental, relational, you name it.
And yet, at the end of it all, across it all, he said: "Believe you me, it's vanity! Man's heart is too big for the world. You can have all of these things, you will feel a temporary high, but, eventually, in the end, you will feel empty."
My friend, your heart was made for something bigger. You were made for God. You will always be restless until you will find Him in Christ Jesus. If the heart is too big for the world, let me tell you that God is too big for your heart. He will more than satisfy you.
Come to Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in Him for salvation. Be reconciled to God.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #546
"... the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
If you read the entire chapter and the next, the situation here is that Israel was afraid of the Assyrian invasion. Israel knew that he had no chance against Assyria in his own strength. Assyria was just too strong for him and impossible to foil. .
Israel was agitated, worried, harassed and troubled. He was anything but calm and composed. If we were there, we would here the loud clamor of the people about their situation; there was a national uproar among them all. What did Israel do? He trusted Egypt and sought deliverance from him.
And God came saying: "If you repent and change your attitude from trusting in Egypt to resting in Me, if you only repose quietly on Me, trusting in Me, you will find salvation and strength, which you could never find in Egypt."
In the same way, because we are sinners, judgment and condemnation will soon invade our lives forever and ever. We have no chance, in ourselves, to deliver ourselves from it. And our only real refuge and chance is not in anyone and anything else, but in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our salvation and strength.
In changing our attitude from trusting in anything and anyone else and turning only to Him, trusting in Him for salvation, if we only repose quietly on Him and what He did on the cross, we will find in Him the solid and strong Rock of salvation.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
GOSPEL NUGGET #545
Ex 34:20 "But the firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck.
The Lord said that all the firstborn of every creature belonged to Him. The problem was that the donkey was an unclean animal. It was therefore unacceptable. Without being redeemed, it was facing a sure death.
My friend, we are the donkey here. By creation we belong to God. But because of the Fall, we became sinners that are defiled and are therefore unacceptable to God. Without a sacrifice, without the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, without redemption, we are facing a sure and certain death in the lake of fire.
Don't come to God in yourself and by yourself. Come to Him, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for you.
The Lord said that all the firstborn of every creature belonged to Him. The problem was that the donkey was an unclean animal. It was therefore unacceptable. Without being redeemed, it was facing a sure death.
My friend, we are the donkey here. By creation we belong to God. But because of the Fall, we became sinners that are defiled and are therefore unacceptable to God. Without a sacrifice, without the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, without redemption, we are facing a sure and certain death in the lake of fire.
Don't come to God in yourself and by yourself. Come to Him, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for you.
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