But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Romans 4:5.
The faith that is unto salvation is not a casual faith, it is not the mere consent of the intellect, it is belief rooted in the heart, that embraces Christ as a personal Saviour, assured that He can save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him….
The perishing sinner may say: “I am a lost sinner; but Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He says, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ I am a sinner, and He died upon Calvary’s cross to save me. I need not remain a moment longer unsaved. He died and rose again for my justification, and He will save me now. I accept the forgiveness He has promised.” …
The great work that is wrought for the sinner who is spotted and stained by evil is the work of justification. By Him who speaketh truth he is declared righteous. The Lord imputes unto the believer the righteousness of Christ and pronounces him righteous before the universe. He transfers his sins to Jesus, the sinner’s representative, substitute, and surety. Upon Christ He lays the iniquity of every soul that believeth. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21….
Through repentance and faith we are rid of sin, and look unto the Lord our righteousness. Jesus suffered, the just for the unjust….
Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just. He looks upon us as His dear children. Christ works against the power of sin, and where sin abounded, grace much more abounds. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1, 2.
God has made ample provision that we may stand perfect in His grace, wanting in nothing, waiting for the appearing of our Lord.
The Faith I Live By p. 112
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Prayer Requests
—-We will be travelling to Family Retreat for the next few days. Please pray for our safety and God’s blessings upon us. Also we will have no internet, so there will be no devotional. Rose
—-Please pray for my brother John. He has a surgery today. It is 50/50 to survive and 7 hours long. Thanks Ann
—-I solicit your prayers. I volunteered to work work for a AMEN clinic in _____ April 3, 4, 5, 6. Satan is trying desperately to cause me to not make it. John
—-I gave Thomas 28 years old, a LYFT tonight. Out of the blue he told me he was just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and has 4 weeks to live. I asked if he was a Christian. “Yes, God has a plan.” He said. We had prayer and he has my card. Said he would call me in two weeks. Thank you for remembering Thomas. Craig
—-Please pray for my newborn cousin Andrew he has been struggling since he was born a week ago. He is not swallowing properly. Now he appears to have taken milk in his lungs and has an infection. This is their first child. Darla
—-Please pray for my son’s friends Mother. She was in a horrific car accident and they are not sure she is going to make it. Carla
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Dear Friends,
All of his life, Ron’s great interest has been airplanes. As a teenager, he hung around the airport and eventually took some flying lessons as he had money to do so. After we met, we used to spend a lot of time at the airport watching planes take off and land. This was especially pretty at night. Wherever we moved, the airport was one of the first places we visited.
When we moved to Pennsylvania in 1974, Ron began to look for nearby airports, so he could continue his hobby. Picking up the phone book, he turned to the yellow pages. To his delight, he found that we were living very close to Berwick International Airport. This was great news and he was excited! Thoughts of spending his free time watching huge airplanes take off and land filled his head. He even began to hope that he would be able to resume his flying lessons at the general aviation section of this international airport.
With eager anticipation, Ron drove toward Berwick. He watched for the road signs that would surely be pointing to such a large airport. He could find none. He drove around and around. Finally he stopped at a gas station and asked for directions. The man looked at him a little strangely but pointed him in the right direction. Soon he saw a small, weathered sign beside a dirt road. That was puzzling but he turned in anyway. To Ron’s surprise and disappointment, all that was there was a grass strip and a dilapidated wooden hanger barely larger than a garage. Inside that hanger was an old car that had obviously not worked for years. Two or three small planes were parked outside. Ron was confused. Surely there was some mistake. The man must have been playing a trick on him. Then he noticed faded words that were neatly painted above the open door of that rundown old hanger, “Berwick International Airport.” Who was it that had named this nearly abandoned grassy field such a thing? Did they have hopes that their tiny airport would someday grow into a large metropolitan airport, or did someone just have a warped sense of humor?
How often we are like Berwick International Airport. We profess to be a Christian, but upon examination, we find that our heart does not match that profession. Jesus told His disciples, “except your righteousness! shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 5:20 When the disciples heard His declaration, they were shocked. These religious leaders seemed so holy, so perfect. How could they be better than the Pharisees? Later, Jesus explained. “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they . . . love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are withi! n full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 23:2-7, 27,28
Paul admonishes us, “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Tim 6:11, 12 How important it is that we “follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” that we may truly be children of our Heavenly Father. 2 Tim 2:22 How vital that we “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” “[holding] fast our profession without wavering.” Eph 6:11; Heb 4:23
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whol! e duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecc 12:13,14
Rose