Christ’s Death Brings Life

Satan had declared to his synagogue that not a single human soul would maintain his loyalty to God’s commandments. One soul saved would prove this statement to be false. One soul saved would demonstrate the righteousness of God’s government. Created in the image of God, man must not be left for Satan to rule and ruin. Christ came to this earth, and by a life of obedience showed that man could obey. He canceled the guilt resting upon the sinner. That the sinner might stand before God clothed with His robe of righteousness, He clothed Himself with the robe of sorrow.

Who can fathom the suffering of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He felt to its fullest extent the weight of the sin of the world? So keenly did He feel the sinfulness of sin that for a moment the cup trembled in His hand, and all heaven heard the agonizing cry, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39). “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). The omnipotent God suffered with His Son.

Stand before the cross of Calvary, and learn from it the cost of redemption. With breaking heart the holy Sufferer upon the cross of Calvary looks up to God, and cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The angels of heaven sympathized with their loved Commander. Gladly would they have broken their ranks and gone to His assistance. But this was not God’s plan. Our Saviour trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.

The plan of redemption was laid to bring salvation within reach of sinners. Christ has carried out His purpose. His death has brought eternal life to all who will accept Him as a personal Saviour. But many, many of those He died to save refuse to return their loyalty. The world is fast becoming as it was before the Flood….

Christ declares, “As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).

Let not those who have had great light fold their hands, content to do nothing.—Manuscript 66, July 28, 1901, “Fragments: Work in the South.”
The Upward Look p. 223
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that Ron will be able to find a job soon. Rose
—-Please pray for my post open heart patient for healing. Emerson
—-Please pray for Jennifer who is overwhelmed with life’s burdens. Let God show her He’s there. Nathan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
From the time I was a child, I had a very bad habit of “fiddling” with whatever was in or near my hands. It was as if my fingers had a mind of their own. One day when I was about 17, I was waiting for a bus on the main corners of Kalamazoo, Michigan, my home town. A postcard that I had just written was in my hand as there was no mailbox close by. I was not very happy at the moment as I had just missed my bus and had to wait for the next one. It was a long wait. Before long, my mind was deep in thought and my fingers were busy with the postcard. Rather than tearing the card, those fingers of mine were enjoying its smoothness. They rubbed and rubbed the freshly written card without my realizing it.
At last the bus arrived. I stepped aboard, paid my fare, and found a seat. It was only then that I looked at what used to be my postcard. I had rubbed it so vigorously, that it had split into three layers: the picture side, the message side, and an inner layer. I was shocked! That postcard that I had written so carefully was good for nothing but to be thrown away.
Just as I didn’t realize what my fingers were doing to that postcard so many years ago, so it is so easy for us to get so wrapped up in our own little world, that we do not think of Heavenly realities. How easy it is to go through a day, a week, a lifetime with very few thoughts heavenward, not realizing that we are speeding toward the end of all things, every day going faster and faster, more and more out of control.
Just as I have never gotten over that bad habit of playing with anything in or near my hands and even now my nervous fingers still “fiddle” with whatever is in them, so we often put off doing anything about the sins that bind us so tightly. How true is David description, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Ps 14:2,3 Isaiah tells us, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isa 64:6; 1:5, 6
Our Dear Saviour pleads, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze 33:11 “there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isa 45:21,22; 43:1-3; 44:22 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matt 11:28,29
We cannot save ourselves any more than I could put that postcard back together so long ago. May we run, as a loving, trusting child, to our Great Redeemer’s outstretched arms, that we may receive the pardon and cleansing we so desperately need.
Rose