Echoes of Grace: 1982

How fearful are the prospects of many at this time! Uncertainty and gloom darken the horizon of this poor world, and the hearts of those who do not know God are failing them for fear of the things they see coming upon the earth.

Perhaps your prospects in this world seem bright, but what about the next? Scripture plainly speaks of another world—"the world to come" and of another life too, the life beyond the grave.

All the prospects of men in this world are bound by death, for "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Friend, "thou knowest not what a day may bring forth"; but, however uncertain your prospects are in this world, they are certain in the next! Think of your sure prospect of leaving this scene. Is it a happy prospect for you? God says it is a certain one, and He never fails to keep His appointments.

There are other prospects just as certain. Think of this one: "So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Can you face that prospect without fear? You may boldly say, "I am not afraid to die!" But are you not afraid to meet GOD? Do you know Him of whom it is said, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity"; and "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"?

But, dear friend, the good news is that your prospects can be entirely changed, yes, changed from darkness to light, from fear to joy. This has happened to millions. Then, why not to you?

All your prospects for ETERNITY depend on ONE MAN, and your treatment of Him. Who is that Man? The Lord Jesus Christ. Though you may have despised and hated Him, He is the only One who with absolute certainty can assure you of a bright and happy future both in this world, in the world to come and throughout all ETERNITY.

Jesus (blessed be His name) died to open up the way for forgiveness and life for men. He stands out before the world as the only solution for all man's grievous problems. He is truly THE Savior OF THE WORLD.

Friend, He is waiting and willing to bless you. Then why not let Him do so now? Do you really want bright and happy prospects? If so, turn to Him now, before it is too late, for soon He is coming to be THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD. Then what will your prospects be? His precious blood was shed for you, and 1 John 1:7 tells us that "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Accept Him! Trust the Lord Jesus now as your own personal Savior, and then you will be able to sing:

"Lord, we can see, by faith in Thee,

A prospect bright, unfailing,

Where God shall shine in light divine,

In glory never fading.

A home above of peace and love,

Close to Thy holy Person;

Thy saints shall there see glory fair,

And shine as Thy reflection."

"Be it known unto you therefore... that through this MAN is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Acts 13:38.

Profit and Loss

The world asks—

"What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?" Job 21:15.

God answers—

"Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." 1 Timothy 4:8.

But—

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36.

Feathers?

It was an anxious time. The nations were in turmoil and war seemed imminent again. Talk turned anxiously to civil defense and bomb shelters. The argument waxed warm: whether to build shelters against blast or radiation? What material to use? Hardened steel? Cement? Earth?

Mr. Ernest listened quietly until one turned to him and said, "Aren't you worried at all? What are you going to do?"

"Oh, I already have my shelter," he replied calmly.

"You do? What is it? What did you use?"

"My shelter is made of feathers."

"Feathers? Feathers? You can't mean it!"

"I do mean it. My shelter is this: 'He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.' Psalm 91:4. I couldn't be safer!"

Was that shelter only for him? No, when the Lord spoke to Jerusalem He said, "How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.” Matthew 23:37.

It is told that once after a prairie fire the scorched body of a mother hen was found with wings outstretched. When she was lifted, all the little chicks ran out, safe and unharmed.

Even so the Lord Jesus went through the fire of God's judgment against sin that we might have His shelter. Now the only reason to be without that shelter, to face life and death and eternity unsheltered, is found in those sad, sad words: "Ye would not."

"Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." John 5:40.

Come to Him Now!

Oh, unbelieving heart, if you only knew the love and grace in the heart of God for you, you would never turn from Him in indifference or fear. Come to Him now in the day of grace. You will find Him a loving, seeking Savior, ready to pardon.

Beware of putting Him off until you meet Him as your judge at the great white throne, where you can find no hope, no mercy. Then it will be too late for repentance.

Oh, we beseech you, stop and think! Time is so short. None but God can save you. Come to Him now, just as you are.

"Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22.

"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Acts 2:21.

How a Truck Driver Was "On Time"

One night near a small town in Georgia, I attended a gospel meeting in a back room of a service station on a busy highway. When the speaker was well into his message a middle-aged truck driver entered the room. He evidently had heard the preaching while getting gas for his truck, and had decided to attend the meeting before proceeding on his long haul home to Indiana.

The speaker faithfully preached the good news of the death of the Lord Jesus for the sins of everyone who admits he is a sinner, and receives Him as his personal Savior. After the meeting was dismissed, the truck driver expressed concern over his sins, and his need of the Lord Jesus. In the presence of three or four of us he accepted Christ as his Savior, and received the peace and joy which comes from knowing your sins are forgiven.

He told us that his wife had prayed for him many years, and would be very happy to learn of his new-found salvation. We were thrilled to think of her happiness that her prayers had been answered. After prayer together the new believer continued on his long journey.

The next morning's newspaper gave the account of what happened about thirty minutes later. While rounding a sharp curve, a mechanical failure caused the large vehicle to plunge nearly one thousand feet down a rocky mountain side, resulting in immediate death to the driver.

How thankful we were that his soul was with Christ, and that he had been on time instead of too late in receiving the Lord Jesus.

Before he had left the service station, I had obtained his address and had written his wife telling her of her husband's salvation. About a week later she wrote to me saying that my letter arrived at her home just as she returned from the funeral service. Words could not express the joy and thanksgiving in her heart, at hearing that her beloved husband had not gone to a Christless grave, but was now enjoying the very presence of his Lord. How thankful she was that a prayer-answering God had heard her prayers before it was too late!

"Jesus is waiting, oh come to Him now—

Waiting today, waiting today;

Come with thy sins, at His feet lowly bow;

Come, and no longer delay."

"Today if ye will hear. His voice, harden not your heart." Psalm 95:7 & 8.

How Can I Meet God?

I was lying upon my hospital bed, waiting to be taken to the operating room. The operation was to be a dangerous one, and for the first time in my life I seriously took my bearings. What would it mean for me to wake up in eternity? Where would I spend it? How can I meet God?

These were questions that demanded an answer, and promptly too. All I had rested upon in the way of religious profession was giving way under me. I realized that the question of my sins was unsettled. It could be that I was going into the presence of God with my sins unforgiven!

Oh, how I longed for some little bit of the Word of God upon which I could rest for peace and assured salvation; but who could give it at that moment?

God Himself gave it; for as quick as a lightning flash a verse from the Word of God shot into my mind: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. I had learned it from my mother when I was younger. I gripped it with all the eagerness that a drowning man would grip a life buoy that had been thrown to him, knowing well that there was no time to lose. I said to myself, "I will meet God with that!" As in simple faith I thought upon God's testimony to the virtues of that precious blood, a sudden peace filled my troubled soul, such peace as I had never known before.

I was able now to go to the operating table with perfect confidence and calmness, and was, through God's mercy, brought safely through. Now I have come back from the very gates of death, able to say that trusting in the precious blood of Jesus, the worst sinner can meet God without a doubt in his heart.

You, too, may have only a little time to live. Don't wait as I did! Listen to the words of Scripture.

"Come NOW, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18.

"Precious, precious blood of Jesus,

Let it make thee whole;

Let it flow in mighty cleansing

O'er thy soul."

Happiness

Where is it to be found?

Jesus said: "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22.

Where then can happiness be found? IN CHRIST ALONE.

Not My Righteousness

From the time I can first remember I was taught to "say my prayers" and to reverence God's Word. I personally knew nothing of Jesus as my Savior. At times I longed to be "good," and like many others, I tried to make myself fit for heaven. Sometimes, doing good deeds, I felt quite proud of my efforts. At other times, my own miserable failure cast me into despair.

I continued in this manner until I was twenty-one. A brother, the idol of my heart, was taken from me by death. To comfort myself in my loss I filled all my spare time with a series of "good works," and felt that I must be earning God's approval.

More and more I longed to be pleasing to God. Day after day I asked Him to make me good, to make me feel that I was better. How I missed the mark!

One night I could not sleep. Hoping to induce drowsiness, I took up a little book to read. It was called "God's Glad Tidings." I thought it would be "dry" enough to put me to sleep quickly! It was a simple little book, but it soon had my close attention.

As I read I came to a quotation from Scripture:

"No flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Corinthians 1:29. This stopped me and I pondered over it. Then how could I attain the degree of "goodness" that would be acceptable to God?

I read: "But of Him (God) are ye in Christ Jesus." What? Didn't I have to do anything? Light began to dawn; and for the first time I saw the value of His work on Calvary.

With solemn wonder I now read: "Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and RIGHTEOUSNESS, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Now I saw that the whole work was Christ's, and if I believed it was for me and received Him as my Savior, God viewed me as in Christ Jesus. Only in Him would I glory, and through Him as my righteousness I would find acceptance with God.

How simple, yet how deep! My soul has reveled in it, and throughout the passing years it has grown more and more precious to me. "In Christ" I have found complete satisfaction, and perfect rest, for time and eternity.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1.

Superlatives... John 3:16

The richest possible mercy—God loving the world

The highest possible price-the gift of His Son, for

The largest possible number—"whosoever" might not suffer

The darkest possible doom—might not perish, but

have

The greatest possible blessing—eternal life, on

The easiest possible terms—believing, and on

The best possible security—God's own Word.

Feelings

"Faith" comes before "feelings" in the dictionary! So it does in the matter of spiritual blessing.

Many would like to reverse the order. They would seek to feel happy before in simple faith they have taken God at His word.

But God would not have assurance of salvation rest on such a flimsy foundation as feelings. He would have us rest on Christ and His atoning sacrifice alone.

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11.

Feelings ebb and flow. They come and go like the tides of the sea shore. Christ's work abides. God's way is unchanging.

Christ did it—God says it—I believe it—that settles it!

Christ did what? "After He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God." Hebrews 10:12.

God says what? "That... whosoever believeth in Him (in the Lord Jesus) shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:43.

I, the sinner, believe what? "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Why did the Lord Jesus do it? Because there was no other way in which we could be blessed.

Why does God say it? Because the Lord Jesus did a complete work there at Calvary. He did it all. He said: "It is finished." John 19:30.

Why do I believe it? Because God says it. Not because I feel anything this way or that. Simply and only because God says it.

Happy feelings depend upon simple faith in Christ's sacrifice, and in God's word about it.

Tomorrow - Today

"Tomorrow," he promised his conscience; "To-

morrow I mean to believe;

Tomorrow I'll think as I ought to; tomorrow my

Savior receive;

Tomorrow I'll conquer the habits that hold me

from heaven away."

But ever his conscience repeated one word, and

one only: "Today."

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow—thus day after

day it went on;

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow—till youth like

a vision was gone;

Till age and his passions had written the message

of fate on his brow;

And forth from the shadows came Death, with the

pitiless syllable "NOW!"

"What will you do with Jesus?

The call comes low and clear;

The solemn words are sounding

Now in your listening ear.

Immortal life's in the question,

And joy through eternity.

Then what will you do with Jesus?

Oh, what will your answer be?"

Caught in a Trap

Harry Morris was a splendid young man. He was well-liked, clever, upright and prosperous. He had a godly Christian mother, but he himself was utterly godless. He sneered at religion and those who adhered to it.

Harry was very popular with his fellow workmen, and had become the leader of a group among them known as the "Free Thinkers." He was a good speaker, and at one of their meetings had made a very witty speech which was received with loud approval.

In his talk he had not failed to give a few sneers at churches, the clergy, and religion in general; but, on his way out of the building the young man had come face to face with Mr. Eliot, an earnest Christian whom he had known from boyhood.

Though he himself was a despiser of Christian profession, Harry recognized and respected the sincerity of his old friend's faith. He could see by Mr. Elliot's pained expression that he had heard his scoffing speech, and he tried to slip past him, but Mr. Elliot laid a detaining hand on his arm and said quietly: "God has given you an eloquent tongue, Morris, and the power of rousing passions and guiding the thoughts of other men. May He forgive you the sinful use you are making of it. Perhaps someday you may be in terrible danger, caught in a trap. Then you will feel His hand and acknowledge His power—but it may be too late."

These words struck a chill upon Harry's heart, and his elation and pride in his accomplishments fled for a time. However, humility was foreign to his nature, and about six months later he went gaily to work, more pleased with himself than usual.

Now Harry had designed what he considered his masterpiece: a large iron safe intended to be built into the wall of a bank—a safe of immense strength and invulnerable to thieves. The locks had been partly designed by himself; and unless one knew the full secret of the combination of locks, it could not be opened even by a key.

The bank manager had inspected the safe and expressed complete satisfaction with it. On the previous day, the manager of the factory had highly complimented Harry on his achievement, and putting one of the two keys to the safe in his own pocket gave Harry the other one. He remarked as he did so that now no one could rob the bank but himself or Harry. Indeed no one else had been allowed to see the working of the locks.

As the workmen crowded around to see the masterpiece, Harry got into the safe to see if the hinges were working smoothly. As he listened for any possible grating of the metal, he pulled the door slightly toward him. Whether the immense weight of the door itself caused it to close, or whether someone unknowingly pushed against it, is not known; but before Harry could prevent it, the door, closing with a spring, slammed shut.

Instantly Harry knew that he was "caught in his own trap"! No one could now open the door except the factory manager who had the other key. Would the men think of sending for him?

The horror of his position burst upon the imprisoned man. The air inside the safe was fast becoming close, and with this realization came the awful thought that he might suffocate before Mr. Wilson, the manager, was found. For some moments Harry was frantic. He beat on the door; he shouted; he fell back, gasping for air. Adding to his terror, Mr. Elliot's words came back to him: "Someday you may be caught in a trap! Then you will feel His hand and acknowledge His power; but it may be too late!"

There alone in the dark he stood face to face with God and the hereafter. God had indeed laid His hand on him and made him know there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

The atmosphere in the safe was becoming stifling. A little longer and help would be too late! But listen! What precious words of comfort rushed suddenly into his mind, calming his terror and soothing his fears!

"Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses." Psalm 107:6.

But how could he address a God at whom he had jeered? He knew now there assuredly was a God—a heaven—a hell! And he knew he deserved no pity; but he could only cry to Him.

For the first time he knelt as a very repentant soul before the God of all grace. Leaning his aching head against the cold iron, he begged Him, if it were not His will for him to live longer, to forgive all the black catalog of his sins for Christ's sake.

He then thought of his dear mother and her grief at his untimely death. Taking a notebook and a pencil from his pocket, he wrote as well as he could: "God bless you, Mother. I have asked God to forgive me."

The throbbing in his head soon became unendurably painful, and Harry fell forward, unconscious.

The next he knew was what seemed to be a hum of voices afar off—then a futile struggle to get his breath, a blinding light, a sinking down, and again unconsciousness. When he opened his eyes next, he was in his own room and his mother was holding his hand. "Oh, thank God, my boy! God has saved your soul, and you are going to live!"

Under her tender care he soon began to gain strength, and in the quiet hours in his room he gratefully dedicated to God the life He had saved. Later he told the whole story of his conversion in the safe to his former friends, and that he "hoped now to spend his life undoing the harm to others that he had done."

These are days of sudden and awful deaths—"traps" everywhere abound—on the highways, at home, abroad. Eternity awaits you. Are you ready to meet God? How will you face Him? "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

What Is Conversion?

"What is this conversion that you talk so much about, and say that people must have?" asked a man of a Christian.

The answer was: "Conversion is taking sides with God against self." It is certainly more than theory, or head-knowledge, or talk. It strikes deep. It hits and influences the heart. A reformed man is not a converted man. Conversion is not beginning to change one's ways, or trying to be better. It is a great cure done at once, and done forever. All is done by the Great Physician.

The Scales

We use many kinds of scales today. The bathroom scales that we step on, muttering, "That's too high! These scales must be wrong!"

The market scales that weigh our groceries: "It doesn't look like five pounds to me. Those scales must be wrong!"

Maybe they are. Whatever man makes, even in this day of technical and electronic marvels, has some margin for error, some possibility of "fudging" just a little bit. But "a just weight and balance are the Lord's." Proverbs 16:11. There is a scale that is right—absolutely, perfectly right. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25.

How will you "weigh up" in those scales? Will you prove to be, when "laid in the balance... altogether lighter than vanity?"

It doesn't matter how good you may seem to be, how moral and upright your life appears to your neighbors. You may be the most respected person in your community, but the Bible says that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

All have sinned—all have come short—all have been weighed—all are found wanting. What can be done? What answer is there to the old, old question, "How should man be just with God?" Job 9:2.

There is only one way. We must have "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." Romans 3:22.

It is so simple to get that righteousness, to measure up to God's standard: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:10.

Confess—what?

Believe—what?

"Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus... Believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead."

What must follow?

"Thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9.

Do it now. Believe now. Confess now. Don't wait for that terrible day when God will have to say to you: "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." Daniel 5:27.

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." 2 Chron. 16:9

All Just a Dream

It was such a vivid dream! The surf was up and the waves were rolling in onto the beach. Twelve-year-old Michael couldn't resist the appeal of the foaming blue water and he joyfully dived in.

But—instead of landing in the tumbling water, he fell from his family's camper into the rushing traffic of the interstate highway, almost under the wheels of a big truck.

What a terrible awakening! But all ended happily for Michael. Sheriff's deputies took him to a hospital where his cuts and bruises were treated, and soon he was back with his family with a tale to tell of his dream.

What a strange happening!

Strange? Not really! We see it every day: men, women and children living their lives in dreams and totally forgetful of the awakening just ahead. People all around us are living in dreams of prosperity and pride and riches, of popularity and success and happiness in this world. What will the end be?

In Psalm 73 we read: "How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!... As a dream when one awaketh." The dream of life is over, and the awakening is rude indeed. To wake in eternity without God and without hope forever—could anything be worse?

Young Michael awoke to find help and comfort and a speedy reunion with his family, but there can be nothing to help the one who leaves this life unsaved. There is no second chance.

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

"It is high time to awake out of sleep.... The night is far spent, the day is at hand." Romans 13:11-12.

"AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST!" Ephesians 5:14.

Are You Ready?

Are you ready if Jesus comes tonight? Perhaps your relations and friends are ready, and you are still unprepared!

"THE COMING OF THE LORD DRAWETH NIGH." James 5:8.

He is coming to take His people to Himself, and what will become of YOU?

Your dear ones will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and you will be left behind for judgment. How awful! How dreadful! Salvation is offered to you NOW. Do not delay a moment longer.

Does It Work?

An atheist said: "The Bible is an immoral Book."

The reply was: "If that were so, I would expect the immoral people to enjoy reading it. However, I find it is the moral, godly people who take pleasure in that Book."

The Bible is vindicated by its own proverb: "By their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7:20. It states a plain fact: "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." Matthew 7:17.

Does the Bible bear good fruit? Was Dr. Bernardo, who founded the Bernardo Homes in Stepney, England, a Christian or an atheist? Was George Mueller, who started the Mueller's Homes in Bristol, a Christian or an atheist? Was Quarrier, who founded the Quarrier's Homes in Scotland, a Christian or an atheist? They were ALL Christians. Not one was an atheist!

When they swept religion from France and enthroned the "Goddess of Reason" in Noter Dame Cathedral, Paris, what followed? The bloody French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the ascendancy of such monsters as Robespierre, Danton, and the like-men, human tigers, who thirsted for blood, and who kept the guillotine busy, filling its baskets with human heads!

More recently Russian Communists have sought to drive religion from their land. They have boasted that "if there is a God, they will banish Him from heaven, if there is a heaven." What has followed? Unspeakable horrors and atrocities!

Today, God is being denied on every hand. We beg you by all that you hold dear, to believe the gospel of the grace of God. It is your only hope for peace and stability. It is still "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1:16. The gospel is the only power that can deliver from sin.

One who works for God in a home for alcoholics testified that over many years he saw, only one power, the power of God, which could really deliver the victim of drink. The pledge was tried, expensive drugs used, change of environment attempted, strengthening of will-power and self-respect urged; all these things were insufficient.

Only one way was effective to meet the power of sin. Only the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary's cross, could deliver. "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him." Hebrews 7:25.

Dear unsaved one, you need this Savior and the gospel of His grace. You cannot live a happy life without Him, and you cannot enter heaven un-cleansed by His precious blood.

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

A Gangster's Testimony

Lou Hill was saved. There could be no doubt of it! Boldly he proclaimed to all his old friends in gangland his conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as he had once gone "all out" in the service of Satan, his whole soul turned to following his Savior. Lou Hill's one object now was to glorify God and honor His dear Son.

Only one tie still bound Lou to his gangster pals. Hardened criminals though he knew them to be, he still longed for their salvation. But to those who had watched with suspicion and jealousy as he climbed the long ladder of success in the rackets, anything Lou Hill did could only be a scheme for his personal gain. They could not believe that a trusted associate of the most notorious gangster in America should give up that coveted place to "become a nobody."

Lou thought of all this one morning as he drove his car toward the cathedral. The papers had announced the funeral of one of Lou's former associates, and he knew that many of the underworld would attend. Perhaps even his old boss would be among them. As the converted gangster's car drew near the Cathedral, the crowd increased so that traffic was practically blocked. Pulling into an opening near the curb, Lou stepped out and looked around. He was near enough to the entrance to see those now coming out, but his view was hindered by the moving crowd. Climbing onto the hood of his car, he was in a better position to see and be seen.

The massive bronze casket was being borne slowly and carefully down the steps to the walk and then was slipped into the waiting hearse. As Lou's eyes left that solemn scene, they traveled up the steps again to the entrance. Just then two strong, silent men stepped out and stood looking over the crowd. Almost imperceptibly one nodded, and Lou's old boss joined them.

Quickly Lou's hands formed a megaphone around his mouth and his strong voice called out, "Hi, Al!"

Startled, Al's eyes followed the sound. As they rested on Lou, he smiled and shouted back: "Hi, Lou! How's the 'Jesus racket'?"

Instantly the answer was trumpeted: "Fine, Al! I don't need a bodyguard, for my life is hid with Christ in God. And all my treasure is laid up in the safety vaults of heaven!"

The throng was moving more rapidly now from the area. Al and his bodyguards stepped into a waiting limousine, and Lou scrambled off his perch and into his car. As he moved out into the stream of traffic, the ex-gangster's heart overflowed with thanksgiving to God for the wonderful change in his life. No longer a gangster—no longer a hunted criminal—he was a new man in Christ Jesus.

"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

A God of Pardons

Whatever thy sins, there is pardon for thee—

A pardon through Jesus, full, faithful and free:

A pardon blood-sprinkled, blood-purchased,

blood-sealed,

A just, perfect pardon; and never repealed.

Ten thousand, ten thousand, His pardon have

known,

And still, as He pardons, new pardons are shown:

The leaves of Life's tree for earth's healings are

given

To all Who but ask them, beneath the broad heaven..

Thy sins may be many! God's pardons are more!

Thou canst not exhaust the blest, bountiful store;

For black sin and scarlet, 'gainst God and 'gainst

man,

His pardons are countless in mercy's great plan.

O Jesus, these pardons were purchased by Thee!

May Thy Sprit in love-whispers speak them to

me!

O God of all pardons though sins may abound,

For me and my sins let Thy pardon be found.

"We're Not Going to Make It!"

On January 13 an Air Florida Boeing 737 crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. during takeoff. A blizzard had enveloped the city with heavy snow and intense cold. The plane was not able to gain sufficient altitude to clear even a 30-foot-high bridge over the nearby Potomac River. The tail of the plane struck the bridge, crushing five cars and killing at least six people. The body of the plane then plunged into the ice-covered river, breaking through the ice and drenching the shocked, injured passengers with brutally cold water. Only five people aboard the plane survived the crash while some 70 persons died in the intensely cold waters.

Among the survivors was a professional pilot, Joseph Stiley. Joseph and his secretary were passengers on the plane.

"I had a pretty good indication that things weren't going right when we started down the runway," Joseph said. "I turned to my secretary and said, 'We're not going to make it; we're going in!' "

It seemed at one point that the pilot was trying to stop the takeoff. "We were running out of runway," Joseph said. "We didn't have the speed. It seemed like he jammed it. It then seemed like he had to make the decision to go... so we took off.

"We got up a little bit. It didn't climb like a normal 737... and then I remember the first impact and then a moment or two later, the second impact and I went unconscious."

It is likely that Joseph Stiley's premonition of the impending crash helped him to prepare himself properly. After the crash the shock of the bitterly cold water brought him back to consciousness. Even though his legs were broken, he was able to crawl out of the plane where he was then rescued.

Do you know that this world is headed for judgment? "He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained..." Acts 17:31. "The wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23. God has revealed this knowledge of the future so that you and I may be properly prepared to escape that coming judgment.

Joseph Stiley knew that the airplane would crash and he was able to escape. Do you know that judgment is coming on this world? Are you going to escape from it?

A way of escape has been provided by God Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for us. He bore the judgment of our sins that we deserve. Now God offers to us the free gift of salvation through Him. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

Rescued!

Kelly Duncan was an airline stewardess on the Air Florida 737 that crashed into the Potomac River on January 13. She was one of only six people that were able to climb out of the wrecked airplane. The rest of the crew and passengers were killed.

The water in which Kelly found herself was intensely, bitterly cold. She clung to the wreckage, but soon her fingers began losing their feeling and she could barely keep afloat.

Then she heard the helicopter. Here was hope! The police helicopter let down a safety ring on a rope to a man near Kelly. He was lifted up and carried 100 feet to shore. The on looking crowd cheered.

The helicopter returned to the wreckage and let down the safety ring again. It came to a balding man who gallantly passed it to a woman nearby. Soon she, too, was safely on shore.

Now the helicopter was back for a third try. The ring came again to the same balding man. Again, he unhesitatingly passed it to an exhausted-looking man nearby who climbed through the ring and then grabbed Kelly. Another woman grabbed the man's leg and all three were slowly towed toward shore. Halfway to shore the woman lost her grip and fell into the water.

They were only 20 feet from shore when the man lost his grip on Kelly. She fell among the ice floes where she could barely swim. After dropping the man on shore the helicopter returned to her with the safety ring. It was useless! She was too weak to hold on and the ring slipped out of her grasp. The helicopter left her and went back to save the other woman farther out in the water.

Firemen on the river bank heaved ropes to Kelly but to no avail. She was completely exhausted and too cold to hold onto anything. Kelly was completely helpless to save herself! What she needed was someone to jump in to save her and if help didn't come soon she would surely drown!

Each one of us is very much like Kelly. We find ourselves under the deadening influence of sin. Just as the cold made Kelly incapable of helping herself, we find ourselves completely helpless in our sins. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death." Romans 3:23; 6:23. We are helpless to save ourselves from sin and its terrible consequence. Like Kelly we need someone to come to us and lift us safely out of our sinful condition.

Among the onlookers was a good swimmer named Martin Skutnik. He saw the whole rescue attempt. "She had been in the water so long," he said. "When she let go of the rope she was out. She was going under... Something just hit me. I jumped in." Martin dived between the ice floes right to Kelly's side as she started to sink. It wasn't long before he had dragged her to safety. Soon she was taken to a hospital where her injuries and shock were cared for.

Just as Martin came to Kelly in her need, so the Lord Jesus came right down into this world to lift us out of our sinful condition. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15. As Kelly was completely helpless, so are we. As she needed someone to save her, so do we. "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

"He Gave the Ultimate!"

During the helicopter rescue of the survivors from the wrecked Air Florida 737, Paramedic Gene Windsor witnessed the supreme sacrifice of one man in the frigid waters of the Potomac.

Gene passed the safety line out of the helicopter to this man twice, and both times he passed it to other people. After all of the other survivors had been carried to shore, Gene returned to the wreckage in search of the man who had given away the rope. "We had decided that we would go after him if he were within sight, even under water," Gene said. "But he was not there! He had gone under!"

"I've never seen one give such a commitment as he did," Gene continued. "He gave the ultimate!"

This unknown man had sacrificed his life so that others might live. He reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life that you and I might live. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends." John 15:13. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

"Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Psalm 2:12.

My Individual Savior

My salvation depends upon my accepting Christ as my individual Savior, just as if He had died for me alone: with David I claim, as he did, "The Lord is my Shepherd." Psalm 23:1.

And, with Paul, my striving is that I may "be found in Him." Philippians 3:9. So that when the justice of God demands "Where art thou?" His love may find me safely "hid in Christ."

It is I, as an individual, who deserves His wrath; it is I, as an individual, who am hid in His love.

Only One Door

Christ when here on earth said: "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10:1. He insisted that He Himself was the door of salvation, saying: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." John 10:9.

Certainly no one should have difficulty in finding the door to heaven, seeing there is only one. The door is not such things as baptism, church membership, or good works. It is a Person—just one Person—the Lord Jesus Christ! All that any church, preacher, or priest can do to save men, is to point them to Him—the only door.

But this door, which is open now, will soon be shut. Jesus warned men: "When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are... depart from Me all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:25, 27.

The Lord Jesus counseled His hearers to "enter in at the strait gate." A "door" or "gate," we understand, is just an entrance. So Christ is the entrance to heaven as He said: "By Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."

When one puts his faith in, and depends wholly upon, the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, he has entered the door. He is saved, and knows on the authority of God's Word that he will be in heaven.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24.

Every sinner is invited to enter this door. The Savior has promised: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. He stands ready to receive and to bless every soul who comes to Him.

Struggling for Life

LAW presents a man struggling for life by obedience, but never obtaining it; GRACE, however, presents a man receiving life as a free gift, through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wages Versus Gift

No child of Adam has a right to anything from God except hell for his wages. A sinner can only have eternal life as a "free gift" from God.

Sadly, thousands refuse it, too proud to be saved on God's terms, which are—"free, unmerited favor."

Fact, Faith, Feelings

Many people are puzzled by hearing Christians talking continually about their feelings. Such expressions as, "I feel that my sins are forgiven," "I feel that I am saved," "I feel that I am ready to meet God," baffle them. Since they have no such feelings they become discouraged.

A Christian went to see a dying man who was an atheist. As the visitor entered the room, the sick man spoke: "Oh, you have come to ask if I feel saved, I suppose? Well, you need not bother. My wife is always talking about feeling saved, but I do not believe in any such thing. I gave all that up twenty years ago when I burnt my Bible."

"No, I haven't the slightest wish to hear that you feel saved; if you did, you might soon feel lost again. But, whether you accept it or not, there is one great fact, that the Son of God came to earth and died to save your soul. If you don't choose to believe God's Word you will certainly be lost forever-not because you are a sinner, but because you are so utterly foolish as to reject the fact which God sets before you. And yet it will still remain a fact that the Son of God died for you, and you might have been saved by that fact."

Not long after this conversation the sick man was called into eternity. As he was dying his wife said to him, "John, dear, do tell me you feel saved before you go."

Raising his head he said, "Feelings cannot save me, but facts can. It is a fact that the Son of God died for me, and I die on that fact."

How true it is that "feelings cannot save, but facts can." The glorious, soul-saving fact that Christ died for me is the ground of my confidence. I am a sinner; Christ died for sinners, therefore He died for me.

C. H. Spurgeon in his last illness said to friends around him: "I can die on these four words." They eagerly listened to hear what the four words were, and he added: "Jesus died for me."

That is the fundamental fact of the gospel. Faith believes the fact. Faith takes God at His word. "The gospel of Christ... is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1:16. The moment the sinner believes the glad and glorious gospel of Christ he is saved for eternity.

I feel happy because I know I am saved. However, whether I feel happy or feel miserable, it is true that I am saved because God's Word says so, and what God says must be true. Stop thinking of your feelings towards God, or lack of feelings. Think instead of His matchless love to you.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10.

The Book

It has been said that out of every thousand books written, six hundred do not pay the cost of printing and only live a year, while only fifty last seven years. However, the Bible, which is centuries old in its complete form, and probably over five thousand years old in its earliest portions, is still easily "the best seller."

It is printed in hundreds of languages and dialects, and millions of copies of the whole or part are circulated every year. Yet no book has ever been so persecuted.

Persecution has raged from the days of Jehoiakim, who "cut it with a penknife." Antiochus Epiphanes destroyed all the copies he could find; Diocletian did the same, and many made bonfires of the earliest printed New Testaments.

It has had to stand the attacks made upon it, first by Atheists and then by Modernists; but it is still what Mr. Gladstone called, "the impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture."

Other books die a natural death, but this Book is possessed of indestructible vitality. "But the word of the Lord endureth forever." 1 Peter 1:25.

Man, like the grass of morning,

Droops ere the evening hour,

His goodliness and beauty

Fade as a fading flower;

But who may shake the pillars

Of God's unchanging Word?

Amen: Himself hath spoken;

Amen: thus saith the Lord.

Safe, Then Happy

"I think I understand the gospel now, and believe it, yet I am not as happy as I expected."

"Why, friend, you are putting feelings first. Remember, it is not written, He that believeth, and is happy, shall be saved, but 'Whosoever believeth' shall be saved. The first thing is to know that you are safe; and when we know that we are safe in Jesus, then we can be happy.

"Suppose, now, that you were in debt, and quite worried about it, not being able to pay it, and I say, I am sorry to see you in this state, let us try to cheer you up by singing some cheerful hymn. Would you not reply, 'That will not do; you might make me happy, but they may still prosecute me unless the debt is paid'?

"What you want is to know that the debt is paid; when that is done, you are safe, and are sure to be happy, because safe. Has not Jesus paid the debt and met all claims against you? Is not God satisfied with the work of Christ on the cross? And if God is satisfied should not that satisfy you?

"Oh, trust in Christ, and do not trust in yourself. Take God at His word, and see yourself free from guilt and wrath, through what He did and suffered for you!"

"What must I, do to be saved?... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:30, 31.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5.

Who Died for Me?

I will sing the wondrous story

Of the Christ who died for me;

How He left His home in glory,

For the cross on Calvary.

Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story

Of the Christ who died for me;

Sing it with the saints in glory,

Gathered by the crystal sea.

I was lost; but Jesus found me—

Found the sheep that went astray;

Threw His loving arms around me,

Drew me back into His way.

Days of darkness still come o'er me,

Sorrow's paths I often tread,

But the Savior still is with me;

By His hand I'm safely led.

Mushrooms or Toadstools?

What were those strange objects on the kitchen table? Were they mushrooms or toadstools? Opinion was divided; some said that they were mushrooms while others claimed that they were toadstools. The finder was sure that they were edible, but the cook insisted that they were poisonous. Other members of the family were anxious to clean and taste them.

Someone remembered seeing a copy of the National Geographic which was devoted to the subject of mushrooms. After a little searching, the magazine was found and its pages eagerly scanned for information which would decide the matter.

Sure enough, two pictures were discovered which proved that the strange things were "shaggymane" mushrooms, and the description of that species contained the definite statement that they were "edible."

All fears of suffering and death being removed by her faith in the magazine, one member of the family immediately prepared and ate some of them. The next day found her alive and well. Her experiment verified the statement of the article.

The incident is an everyday illustration of the fact that we "receive the witness of men." Just because the magazine article said so, that young woman believed that those strange-looking things were "good for food," and she was perfectly willing to risk health and life to prove it.

"If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater." 1 John 5:9. The Bible is infinitely greater than the best magazine. Its word-pictures and statements are authoritative. Men and women have their opinions about spiritual things (just as they have about mushrooms and toadstools!) but a simple "thus saith the Lord" should be an end of all controversy.

God: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

And the statement, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3), should be enough to reveal God's way of salvation to every sin-burdened soul.

To stake your soul and its eternal welfare on the word of the living God is far safer than the risking of life and health on a magazine article! A verse like the following should be sufficient to convince anyone of his sinful condition before

"It's Dark!"

Bernard was the husky native skipper of our 32-foot sailboat. He and two deck hands were the crew for a day of sailing on the lovely blue-green waters of the Caribbean. It was a beautiful day and the sun was hot. Wind filled the sails, making little slapping noises, whistled through the rigging, and raced on to fling little clouds about in the sky.

Suddenly Bernard addressed Don. "Do you believe in life after death?"

Now, Don loved to tell the gospel and speak to others of his wonderful Savior and of the great hope that lies beyond this life—of being with Christ in glory. He was somewhat startled by the directness of the question, nevertheless his answer was quick, "I certainly do!" he replied.

"Let me tell you a story," Bernard continued. "My friend and another man were out in their 14-foot boat doing some deep sea fishing. The other man leaned over the side to look down into the water. At that moment, a swordfish came up and the sword struck him directly in the eye. The man fell backward crying, 'It's dark—it's so dark,' and right there he died. Now, what do you think of that?"

We were all silent for a moment, thinking of this most solemn account. Then Don replied, "He met his appointment. God's Word says, 'It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.' Are you ready to meet your appointment?"

No one spoke as we sailed on but God was looking down and waiting—yes, longing—to receive another sinner into His great family. Finally Don spoke again, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6:2.

The water slapped noisily at the sides of the boat as it hurried on by, rolling off the stern and leaving a white foamy trail behind us. At last Bernard answered, "No," he said, "I'm sure not ready for an appointment like that!"

Bernard was not ready for an appointment with death. The man who was struck by the swordfish may or may not have been ready, but what about you? Are you ready to keep that last appointment? Keep it you must! Why not prepare now for it and turn now to Christ, the only Savior of sinners.

My Sins Laid on Jesus

Charles Simeon, when young, read in a book that the Jews knew what they did, when they transferred their sin to the head of their offering.

The thought rushed into his mind—What! may I transfer my guilt to another? Has God provided an Offering for me, that I may lay my sins on His head?

Then, God willing, I will not bear them on my own soul one moment longer; for I see that God laid my sins on Jesus!

"Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." Hebrews 9:26-28.

The Tailor's Story

I came over to America on September 23rd, 1890, and sat on the tailor's bench with Chris Christensen. He had come over just a few years before me, and he helped me a great deal with learning the language and with the trade, but best of all he helped me to find the Lord.

He had been talking to some of the other boys about their souls, and they told me he would soon be after me. But I was a Lutheran, and quite proud of my knowledge of the catechism, and I felt that he could never move me—in fad, I rather welcomed an argument, believing myself fully competent to overthrow him. Sure enough, it wasn't very long before he approached me as we sat together on the bench with our needles and thread, and asked me quietly, "And how is it with your soul?"

Immediately I bristled up, telling him that I was a Lutheran, had been baptized and confirmed, knew my catechism well, and had performed all my church duties, and that it was all right with me.

He only said, very quietly, "But that's not enough—YOU NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN."

I became indignant and said some hard things, but he just repeated the same words and said nothing more.

I was boarding with a fine, pious Danish lady named Mrs. Sorensesn who later became my mother-in-law. She, too, was a Lutheran and I felt she was a much better one than I was. I considered her one who could pass a pretty good judgment on all religious matters. So I told her that night when I came home from the tailor shop about the young man who had spoken to me, and of how I had answered him, and of his little sentence that he harped on: "Ye must be born again."

I expected she would come to my rescue and defend me, and make little of my tailor friend, but after a moment of silence she simply remarked, "He was right. You do need to be born again!"

This was a stunning blow—it took the starch right out of me! I had no rest or peace anymore, and was only too willing to listen to Chris when he spoke to me again. I could not see it right away, but he was very patient and faithful with me. At last he read to me Romans 10:8, 9: "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED."

Yes, on that blessed truth my soul has found solid rest and peace all the years since. I am now 92 years of age, and ever since that day on the tailor's bench I have been able to say, "It is well with my soul."

Candles Put Out

It doesn't take much to put out a candle, does it? One little puff, and it is gone. The life of a man may be snuffed out as quickly.

Once I met a young man who held an important post on the west coast of a primitive country, and was just about to return there after a short vacation.

"A very unhealthy country, is it not?" I asked.

"Yes, very. Out of a population of two hundred Europeans, eighty of them died in three months," he replied. "I had been down with fever and in the hospital for weeks together, but I am rather lucky; they were just dropping like flies all around me."

I shuddered, and asked whether this terrible wiping out of human life did not make him think seriously. He assured me it had not the slightest effect upon him.

"We never think we shall die," he said. "Why, I remember a fellow who was brought in when I was in the hospital. He was put in the bed next to me. He didn't seem so bad, so I proposed a game of cards. We were going to play for money, but he told me it must be for cash—a check wouldn't do—as I might be dead before the morning and nobody would cash it. The poor fellow died himself that night."

What a terrible thing it is to die unprepared! The wicked "in a moment go down to the grave... They say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?... How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them!" Job 21:13, 14, 15, 17.

If your life were to end suddenly, if your candle were put out, where would you find yourself? Your time on earth will soon be over, and then—?

Is Christ your own personal Savior? Have you fled to Him for refuge from the wrath to come? If not, do so at once, for you know not what a day may bring forth.

Now is the accepted time.

Now is the day of salvation.

My Father Gives

A mother lay dying—her dry lips thirsting for something to refresh them. By her bedside stood her little daughter, about ten years old.

Suddenly the thought struck the little girl: "I have seen such beautiful grapes in the hothouses of the king's gardens; I'll go and ask how much one bunch would cost. Oh! if I could just get one bunch for Mother!"

She slipped away in a hurry, and soon reached the first gate. The sentry on guard asked her errand. "I must see the king," said the little girl.

"Impossible!" replied the stern soldier.

"But Mother is dying," she pleaded.

"I can let no one pass these gates," was the reply. The poor child's heart sank, and she burst into tears.

Just at that moment the king's son himself rode up, and touched with the child's grief, inquired into the case. Turning to her he said, "Well, and what do you want with the king?"

"Please, sir, Mother's dying, and I wanted to know what you would charge for one bunch of grapes? Mother's so thirsty." Her tears flowed faster and faster.

Telling her to follow him, he led her to one of the vines, and cutting a fine bunch of the rich fruit, he gave it to the astonished child, saying, "My father gives-he does not sell."

It is the same with spiritual things. We cannot earn or buy salvation. Eternal life is the gift of God. "I give unto them eternal life." John 10:28.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. "The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20. "The Just for the unjust." 1 Peter 3:18.

Luther's Vision

It is said that Martin Luther, during a serious illness, seemed to see Satan coming to him with a great scroll. On it were written all the sins and errors of his life. Looking at him with a triumphant smile, Satan unrolled the scroll before the saint and said: "These are your sins. There is no hope of your going to heaven."

Luther read the long list with growing consternation, when suddenly it flashed upon his mind that there was one thing not written there. He said aloud: "One thing you have forgotten. The rest is all true. Write: `The blood of Jesus Christ His [God's] Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' " 1 John 1:7.

"A Full Confession"

One day a smiling young girl greeted me and expressed her happiness.

"Tell me," I said, "what is it that makes you so happy?"

"Yes," she replied, "I am quite happy." I could see that her heart was filled with joy.

"But do you think you could tell me briefly what it is that gives you such joy?"

After a moment's pause the following reply was given. What a reply for fullness and simplicity! "I see the love of Jesus to me, a sinner."

"Bless the Lord," I said; "that is something to see! But, in what way do you see His love to you, personally, now?"

"I now see that He died for me on the cross, and put all my sins away there!"

"Isn't that wonderful! And now, tell me how do you feel toward Jesus Himself, after seeing and believing all this?"

Her reply was natural and beautiful. She said: "As I saw how much He loved me, I could not help but give my heart to Him."

These three answers have been engraved on my memory, never to be forgotten: "I see the love of Jesus to me, a sinner—I now see that He died for me on the cross, and put all my sins away there—I could not help but give my heart to Him."

I have heard many confessions from many lips, but I have never heard one more simple, more concise, more complete, or more satisfactory. May it be a divine help and a divine test to the one who reads this. This is our deep, earnest, and fervent prayer. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:12.

Changed by the Book

A young fellow, brought up in the poorest circumstances, had a job in a hospital. He had had only a few months' schooling in his lifetime, and lacked all the culture and polished manners that most of his companions and fellow workers displayed. Too, there was much to be desired in his appearance and personality, and at times he seemed ungrateful for favors shown him.

But this unlearned and backward young fellow dedicated himself to reading the Bible. In 12 years he read it 160 times, and the New Testament 300 times; in fact he scarcely read any other book, paper or magazine.

So great was the change wrought in his soul, his attitude, his appearance and his ways, that one would hardly have recognized him to be the same young boy of former years. But it all came from his faithfully reading the Word of God.

The psalmist could say, "Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." Psalm 119:129, 130.

Little by little, as he read the living Word, this great change took place in his life. It also showed up in. the lab, for he became exceptionally useful owing to the careful work he did. Then later, he became one of the best pharmacists.

Let Him transform your life into a useful and happy one. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9.

What Then?

After the joys of earth,

After its songs of mirth,

After its hours of light,

After its dreams so bright—

What then?

Only an empty name,

Only a weary frame,

Only a conscious smart,

Only an aching heart.

After this empty name,

After this weary frame,

After this conscious smart,

After this aching heart-

What then?

Only a sad farewell

To a world loved too well,

Only a silent bed

With the forgotten dead.

After this sad farewell

To a world loved too well,

After this silent bed

With the forgotten dead-

What then?

Oh, then—the judgment throne!

Oh, then—the last hope—gone!

Then, all the woes that dwell

In an eternal HELL!

From Darkness to Light!

A man who had been born blind, was given his sight through an operation at the age of thirty years. He had never known what sight was before. No one could possibly realize his sensations at the moment when the bandages were removed or even for many months after.

All was so new, and everything was absolutely beautiful. They took him home and the sight of the fields, the houses, and the trees moved him by turns to laughter and tears. Running water was an amazing delight.

"Ah!" he cried, "it is all so very, very beautiful! Why don't people make more fuss about it?"

How perfectly this illustrates the joy and delight that fills the heart of the one whose eyes have been opened to behold the matchless beauty, the infinite perfection, and the heavenly glories of the Christ of God! What a wonderful, glorious blessing it is to see Him, and to know Him as He is, "The chiefest among ten thousand... altogether lovely." Song of Solomon 5:10, 16.

What a picture this dear man was, before he received his sight, of every unsaved soul! Blind to their true condition before God, and blind too to the love of God and to the Savior who longs to open their eyes. This is how the Word of God describes such a person: "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." Ephesians 4:18.

You, too, are blind and dark indeed, if you are still in your sins. Turn to Him in all your darkness and blindness, and He will give you the joy of knowing what it means to have your sins forgiven through faith in His blood. You will be turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

Can you say, "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor"? Hebrews 2:9. Oh, that you may come to know Him, and that His glorious beauty may fill your vision!

Are You Thirsty?

"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink." John 7:37.

"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.

Five "Whosoevers"

1. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

God's mighty love is displayed in this "whosoever." Here is a free and full invitation to anyone who will accept it. Have you, my reader, put your name in place of this "whosoever"? If so, you can say with confidence: "I have eternal life, because God says it!"

2. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13.

This "whosoever," like the first, is for all who will have it. However good, however bad one may be, "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

3. "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:15.

The same word "whosoever" is here a solemn warning. Those who have taken their place in the "whosoevers" of the first two verses will never know the eternal sorrow of the lake of fire. Woe to those who reject God's only begotten Son! Whoever they may be, they cannot receive eternal life, for God says "this life is in His Son." 1 John 5:11. Whosoever has not that life will be cast into the lake of fire, "which is the second death."

4. "Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Revelation 22:15.

These, too, are found outside the heavenly home, when those who have received Christ are within and have access to all the joys of the Father's house.

5. "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17.

The last "whosoever" before God closes His Book is a blessed, all-inclusive, loving invitation.

This is, as it were, God's last offer of mercy. It is for you, if you are still unsaved. Will you not come and take the water of life (salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ), which God offers "freely"? The time is short; the Lord is coming soon.

A Christian or a Sinner

She read her Bible, prayed over and over again, but could get no rest for her soul until one day there was a joyful change.

"You look so happy today!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, I am!" she answered. "I found the secret at last. I was trying to make myself a Christian and to come to God as one, but after I dropped the idea of being a Christian, I found redemption for the sinner. Now I know Whom I have believed-now I know what and where I am."

That was it! Don't try to make yourself a Christian before you come to Christ. Sinners appear before God and are accepted and enter heaven on the ground of what Christ has done for the lost.

"The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." Luke 19:10.

Does Death End It All?

A believer in Christ was seeking to help a stubborn atheist. This unbeliever had declared: "I do not believe what you preach."

"What do you believe?" asked the Christian.

The man promptly replied: "I believe that death ends all."

"You do? And so do I," was the surprising answer.

"What!" exclaimed the atheist. "You, too, believe that death ends all?"

The believer in Christ replied positively: "Yes! Death ends all your chance for doing evil. It ends all your joy, all your prospects, all your ambitions, all your friendships. And death ends all the gospel of God that you will ever hear. Death will end it all for you, as far as earth is concerned.

Then you will be cast into eternal outer darkness!

"As for me, death will end all my wanderings, all my tears, all my problems, and all my disappointments, aches and pains. Death will end them all, and I will go to be with my living Lord in glory!"

"Well, I never thought of it that way before," said the atheist.

This was a new thought to him. The words so solemnly spoken stuck in his unbelieving mind. Day and night the fear of death—the end of all earthly things—ate into his aroused conscience. The Christian's prospect of eternal joy with the Savior awakened in the darkened soul of the atheist a burning desire for similar blessing.

In his quandary he turned to the previously despised Word of God. As he earnestly searched the Scriptures the troubled man came across Hebrews 9:27. He read: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die." Of course he believed that. It was true, so maybe the rest was too: "but after this the judgment."

What would he have to face then? Surely he would have to answer for his sins, for his unbelief, for his long neglect of the good of what he now knew to be his never-ending soul!

Crying for light to the God he had denied, this seeker after truth read on in verse 28: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." Could he be counted among the "many"? The next phrase gave the answer: "and unto them that look for Him." Ah, there was the root of the matter: "look for Him"—believe in Him—put their trust in Him!

Through the grace of the God he had spurned, the man's doubts and fears were swept away as he put his trust in the Lord Jesus. In the joy of his new-found belief in a God of mercy and a loving Savior, the atheist became a worshiper, and could cry from the depths of his soul: "My Lord and my God."

Intensive Care

In intensive care units of hospitals all across the country, at all hours of the day and night, the green irregular line on the screen above the patient's head is tracing out the faint shadow of life fading away. Families gather in the hospital, and pray and wait. The doctor comes in and says it is only a matter of time.

That soul at the door of eternity, where is it going? Death is not the end, it is the beginning—of what? Either that soul is almost "absent from the body... present with the Lord," or it is going out into the blackness of darkness forever.

At the moment that thin green line flattens out, when the little peaks and hollows of heartbeats cease to race across the screen, as life here on earth stops, that soul enters eternity. From that moment its destiny is settled and settled forever. There can be no change, no second chance then. "In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Ecclesiastes 11:3.

Then why wait? Why take a chance on coming to the intensive care unit unprepared and unready to meet God? It takes so little to snuff out a life—so little to end life's day. Why not believe and accept God's Word? He says, "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Tomorrow may be too late!

The Sailor's Story

We were stationed in Malta, and I went ashore one night and wandered into a place where a soldier was preaching. He started with the hymn: "The Savior calls, oh! come and see

What things He hath prepared for thee."

The chorus, "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out," really made me stop and think. Somehow or other, those words made me feel queer. "Him that cometh—him that cometh—him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." It kept ringing in my ears, and I could not get it out.

As I went out the door the soldier shook hands with me and said, "God bless you, and make you very miserable!"

This coming on top of the hymn made me uncomfortable for sure, but I went again the next night. There was the same soldier up on the platform. Fixing his eyes on me right at the back of the hall, he said, "God loves you."

I tell you, that made me feel worse than ever. Presently, when he was through speaking, he walked straight down the hall and took a seat by me. Well, of course I tried to edge off, but just as far as I edged off he edged after me.

At last I said, "Here, I'm getting out of this," and he said, "I'm coming too!"

So we got outside, and he said, "You look very miserable," and I said, "I am," and he seemed really happy over it.

So I said, "A nice sort of man YOU are. You call yourself a Christian, but you have not a bit of sympathy in you."

He said, "I'll take you to the sympathizing Jesus," and so he just showed Him to me as the One that sympathized with and died for sinners, of whom I was one, sure enough. I put my claim in as a sinner and I received Him, that very night, as my Savior.

That is four years ago now, and ever since I've known that if the old ship goes down I shall go up.

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

Friend, God Loves You

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

"And He Died"

Henry Goodyear, a London accountant, was very much inclined to laugh at the Bible and its teaching.

One day his niece, Mary, persuaded him to go to a gospel meeting, "just to please her." To her great disappointment, the speaker read from the fifth chapter of Genesis—"Adam lived... nine hundred and thirty years: and he died... The days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died" and so on. As the verses were read she shrank back in her place. Why had God permitted such a list to be read on this day of all others?

Mr. Goodyear made no comment as he and his niece walked homewards. He was just a little quieter, a little more thoughtful than usual. And yet, with every passing footstep, every tread of his own feet, every throb of his heart, came the refrain, "And he died."

Up in his room that night Henry tossed and turned sleeplessly and each hour, as it struck from Big Ben, seemed to echo the words, "And he died."

The next morning, busy with his books as usual, his pen seemed to trace the words, "And he died."

"This will never do," he thought as he stared blankly at his figures. "I must read that chapter."

So as soon as he reached home the half-forgotten family Bible was opened and he read the words again: "All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died."

"All the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died."

"All the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died."

Henry Goodyear read to the end of the chapter. Wicked or good, the same simple story was told of each, "He lived—and he died."

Thoughtfully he closed the Book. He, too, was living—and he, too, would have to die. What then? That very night he gave himself to the Lord who has said, he that "Believeth in Me shall never die." John 11:26.

God's Grace

When you own your sin and guilt

Vain the hopes which you have built;

When you see your depth of shame,

Naught to offer, naught to claim—

Then, and not till then, you'll know

What the grace of God bestows.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

Ephesians 2:8, 9.

Come Now!

A short time ago I was shocked to hear an old man, 82 years old, say: "Oh, I have plenty of time! Some day I'll prepare to meet God!"

Imagine anyone at the age of eighty-two thinking he has time to prepare to meet God! Why, he was already living on borrowed time!

Though their lives may be filled with all good things for the present, and rich with promise for the future, yet many drift on to a Christless eternity, simply because they think they have much time before them.

Their thought may be, "As long as there is breath in my body I still have hope of becoming saved and made fit for heavenly glory." God says: "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Hebrews 4:7. "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2. Elsewhere in Scripture we are told, "the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4.

"Come now, says God in Isaiah, chapter 1 verse 18. There is still room for you. Believe on Him whom God has sent to be the Savior of all those who will receive Him. Take your rightful place before God, as a sinner, and "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

Christ for Me

We speak of the mercy of God,

So boundless, so rich, and so free!

But what will it profit, my soul,

Unless 'tis relied on by thee?

We speak of salvation and love,

By the Father, in Jesus, made known;

But if I would live unto God,

By faith I must make it my own.

We speak of the Savior's dear Name,

By which God can sinners receive;

Yet still I am lost and undone,

Unless in that Name I believe.

We speak of the blood of the Lamb,

Which frees from pollution and sin;

But its virtues by me must be proved,

Or I shall be ever unclean.

We speak of the glory to come,

Of the heavens so bright and so fair;

But unless I in Jesus believe,

I shall not, I cannot be there!

Rescue

I stepped to the doorway and took a deep breath of the damp, ocean-scented air. The fog lay thick on the water as it had since morning, but I could see the beach and the dunes that stretched away to the jetty. The boats were out there all right, and the sound of the outboards and throbbing of diesels carried back through the fog. This was the season for "kings", and every morning hundreds of boats set out from the harbor in search of this mighty, fighting game fish, the King of Salmon.

Jack stepped to the door and scanned the scene with his binoculars. "Can't see a thing through that fog," he said. "Sure hope they all know where they are!"

We went back to work, each absorbed in his own thoughts of the sea, hearing only the wail of the fog horn and the shriek of the whistle buoy. Suddenly, we became aware of a new sound. Looking out, we saw an aid car and a police car heading towards the jetty. Somebody must have been injured on the rocks!

Jack ran down and switched on the CB radio. In a moment he called, "Come on! Someone's in trouble—a boat has capsized." We climbed into the van and drove the half mile to the jetty. Jumping out, we ran to the top of the dunes. Sure enough, about 300 yards out in the middle of all that tumbling, frothing mass of water, were two men in lifejackets clinging desperately to the hull of their overturned boat.

How helpless we felt as we stood there and watched those two men struggling to hang on while wave after foaming wave crashed over them, pushing them ever closer to the menacing rocks. "Lord, help them," I prayed, "eternity is so near!"

Did they need to be told of their danger? No. They knew they desperately needed help. In one fearful moment they had been flung into the cold, turbulent waters and were facing death. How had it happened? Didn't they have a chart? a compass? NO one puts out to sea without those, especially in a fog! But friend, how is your frail craft faring on the great sea of life? Have you set out without chart or compass, or perhaps even without a captain? What is your final port of call?

Have you looked into those swirling green waters and seen the fearful rocks and reefs of trouble and been swept along on a tide of overwhelming grief and pain? Have you risen on a mighty wave of happiness and success, only to be plunged into the depths of agony and despair? Have you longed for that anchor you forgot, that could have steadied your vessel from its weary and endless drifting? And now, perhaps, you see the rocks ahead and feel you are about to face shipwreck.

Friend, there is hope: "Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm."

Psalm 107:28, 29.

On the beach below us three men hurriedly pulled on their wet suits and fins. Five or six men with ropes scrambled out on the rocks, dodging the flying spray. Beyond the rocks and to one side were two coast guard rescue boats, standing just off the heaving swells. Help surrounded the two men, but could not get to them. How long could they hold on? Coughing and choking as the cold salty waters submerged them again and again, they clung to the boat in desperation. Still the ruthless tides carried them closer and closer to destruction, and no one could help them.

A whining sound made be turn, and there coming over the harbor was a coast guard helicopter. The silent group of onlookers sent up a cheer. What a surge of strength that sight must have given to those numb and weary bodies, if it wasn't too late!

Too late! What awful words! It isn't too late for you. Jesus has been into death already in your place and mine. He has borne the punishment for my sins by shedding His precious blood on Calvary's cross. Now He longs to be your captain, to guide your vessel, to be your anchor from the unstable tides of life and, best of all, to be your "life preserver" forever. "Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe." Psalm 119:117.

This rescue was to be very exacting as well as risky. The big helicopter swiftly circled, positioned, then carefully dropped lower and lower, the blast from the rotor sending spray in a big circle. While we watched, a cable was lowered with a basket-like seat on the end. There was a moment of suspense as we waited, then up it came with a man in the seat. Murmurs of relief were heard around us.

The helicopter repositioned and again the basket was lowered. It seemed much too long before it came up—empty! We strained our eyes searching the waves as again the cable went down. Suddenly, there he was, standing in the basket with his arms wrapped tightly around the cable.

Gently the big machine backed off the rocks, then swung him up into the cabin and safety. Now they were off to the warmth and care of the hospital. As they roared low over our vantage point arms were raised in a salute to the compassion and bravery of that crew. The drama was over, the rescue effected, and two lives saved from sure death. The onlookers melted away, each with his own thoughts.

God's Word tells us, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Are you safe...? or will you perish...?

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Those men believed with all their heart that the helicopter was able to help them and on the strength of that faith they took hold of the basket and were saved. Won't you take hold of Christ by faith, now?

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

Taste and See

A little girl was eating an apple, and she exclaimed, "Oh, how sweet!"

"How sweet?" asked one near to her.

She replied, "I cannot tell you. Taste and see."

No preacher however eloquent, no book however clear, can tell you how good the Lord is. All we can say is, "Oh, taste and see!"

Not Satisfied

"I have traveled from one end of this country to the other, seeing all that is to be seen, and still I am not satisfied," said a young man who shared my seat on the bus.

"I don't wonder at it. That's exactly what a wealthy and wise king said three thousand years ago after he had seen a great deal more than you or I have ever seen."

"Is that so?" asked the young traveler in surprise.

"Yes," I said, pulling out my Bible. "Here are his words: 'All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.' Ecclesiastes 1:8, 14.

"You will never be truly satisfied till you `behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' This is the greatest of all sights—greater than anything in this world—and all who see Him are both saved and satisfied."

The young man shook his head as he stepped from the bus, saying, "I wish that were so with me."

Yes, this is the greatest sight. Have you seen the Lamb of God taking away your sins? You can never be truly satisfied until you see your sins borne away, and your title to glory made sure by the blood of the Lamb.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor hear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Lord, Save Me!

In the fresh, cool morning hours a strong swimmer headed boldly out to sea. Every stroke put the shore at a greater distance.

Being young and healthy he never thought of danger as he swam. At last, getting a little tired, he rested a moment and thought of returning. Then he found he had been carried out far beyond what he had intended.

He struck out for land but now found the current against him and he could make very little headway. Still, he struggled on until he was utterly exhausted, then turned over on his back, and gave himself up for lost.

He had been brought up as a Christian, and had even preached the gospel on occasion. But with death before him, he found he was not ready to die! One thing was lacking: he had no link with Christ! He was not saved!

Horror gripped him. The waves seemed to roar into his ears again and again: "When I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 1 Corinthians 9:27.

He felt he had preached a Christ he had never known, and had told others of a salvation he had not known himself! He now saw his past life and all his good works at their true value as "dead works." Hebrews 9:14.

It was not his body, but his soul, that concerned him now, and there on the waves, alone with God, he cried: "Lord, save me, or I perish!" As he cried, the answer came into his mind: "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

He then prayed, "Lord, I believe that precious blood was shed for me." Life and peace came to his soul and then he lost consciousness.

"Father! Father! Look ahead! What is that on the water? It looks like a man," said the son of the skipper of a fishing boat. The father looked. He sprang to the wheel, calling out, "Let's go, son!"

Turning the boat around they headed for him as fast as the old boat would go. The skipper saw the body sink once and rise again nearer to the boat. It sank a second time, and this time he hoped it might rise near enough for them to grab him. And it did rise within reach.

With strong arms they lifted the apparently lifeless body into the boat and used every means in their power to restore life. Willing hands carried the living man ashore—living now in two ways, for he possessed now not only a natural life, but an eternal life. (1 John 5:13)

A week later he was able to come back to that same fishing boat to thank them for what they had done for him, and to speak to them now of Jesus, the Savior that he had come to know. A number of the fishermen there were turned to the Lord by his personal testimony.

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6. May God open your eyes, too, to see your need, so that a cry will come from your heart: "Lord, save me, for I perish!"

Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in flesh. There is divine dignity and majesty in every word that came from those sacred lips. If we refuse to believe Him, we make Him a liar!

"He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son." 1 John 5:10.

Where Are You Going?

While eating breakfast in the restaurant I looked around and watched the people. They came in— picked out a place to sit down—made themselves comfortable—looked up hopefully to attract a waitress—read the menu—gave their order—waited—sipped their water—talked laughed—ate their food— relaxed briefly—paid their bill and went out.

Who were they? Where did they come from? Where did they go? I didn't know. It all happened so quickly. No one stayed very long; everyone went somewhere.

I began to think seriously: Life is like that! We don't stay here very long. Soon we have to go. But where? That's the big question!

The Bible says there are just two final destinations, heaven or hell, and we all ought to be concerned about which way we're headed.

After these thoughts had been in my mind for a while, I bowed my head, closed my eyes briefly, and sent a prayer of thanks up to God for giving me the certainty of my own final destination. I knew for sure that I was on my way to heaven because Jesus had saved me from hell some years ago. In John 14:6 He said: "I am the way." He promised to take me to His Father's house because I had put my trust in Him. How wonderful!

Are you going with me? You can, if you want to.

Jesus died for us both. His precious blood shed on Calvary's cross is all the payment that God will ever need to wash our sins away. Believing on Jesus brings immediate forgiveness to us. God has said: "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 10:17. Also He has said: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

Here's how I found the way. It was through this wonderful verse in Romans 10:9: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

It's great to know for sure where you're going!

Salvation—How?

The negative side:

"Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:9.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done." Titus 3:5.

"All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6.

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:8.

The positive side: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." John 3:36.

"There is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

Three Looks at the Wicked

The first look is David's: "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." Psalm 37:35, 36.

The second look is Solomon's: "I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done." Ecclesiastes 8:10.

The third look is John's: "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12.

Each sight as it is brought before us becomes more intensely solemn.

To live in your wickedness is bad.

To die in your wickedness is still worse.

But to stand before God in your wickedness is past imagining.

It is bad enough to see an unconverted sinner buried, but it must be an awful sight to see him rise again, to see him stand before God in judgment.

Did you ever think who it is that will pass sentence on a sinner? It is Jesus! He who pleaded on the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," that One who wept over Jerusalem and said, "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" is the One who will pass sentence on your soul if you die unconverted.

Oh, what a thought! What could be more appalling? Yes, there is no question but that, of all solemn sights other than dark Calvary, John saw the most solemn of all.

Just think over those sights once more, and may the Spirit of God constrain you to believe the message of God's amazing love in Christ. Receiving it into your heart, you will have "joy and peace in believing" on this side of the grave, a bright, bright hope beyond it, and "boldness in the day of judgment."

"I Don't Want to Be Gloomy"

Many people think that a Christian is one who goes through life hanging his head, heaving sighs, wearing a long face, and looking very solemn. This is one of the biggest and most widely believed lies Satan ever invented.

Real, lasting happiness is the portion of every believer. "Gloomy!" What is there in the Gospel calculated to make one gloomy? Does it make a man "gloomy" to know that all his sins are forgiven? Will it make one "gloomy" to be assured that he will spend eternity with the Lord Jesus in glory? Will the condemned criminal who has been pardoned, feel sad?

The only one who has a right to be happy is the Christian. He alone is delivered from the bondage of sin, death and judgment.

The Way of the World

"Laugh! and the world laughs with you;

Weep! and you weep alone;

For this sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

It has trouble enough of its own.

Sing! and the hills will echo it;

Sigh! and it's lost on the air;

For they want full measure of all your pleasure,

But nobody wants your care.

Feast! and your halls are crowded;

Fast! and they'll pass you by;

Succeed! and give! and they'll let you live;

Fail! and they'll let you die."

The Way of the Lord

Joy! and your Lord joys with you;

Weep! and He sees your tears;

You may drink of His love forever above;

Not a cry of distress but He hears.

Sing! and the heavens echo it;

Sigh! And 'tis caught by His ear;

For you're His Treasure whom He finds pleasure,

So cast, upon Him all your care.

Feast! for you may live by Him;

Fast! He can fill up, the void;

Ten thousand times lovely, His glory’s above me;

His banner is. Love—unalloyed

The Silenced Alarm

Did the alarm sound? It certainly did! And what a racket it made! The desk clerk couldn't switch it off fast enough.

There it went again! How annoying it was—there must be a short in the system somewhere. He firmly turned it off again, and at last the unwanted noise was hushed.

Upstairs in the great hotel the fire smoldered on, and the smoke rolled on from room to room in the thick, suffocating silence. Ten hotel guests died that night of smoke inhalation—died quietly, without alarm and without warning.

Would they have said, "Turn the alarm off and let us sleep"? Would they have said, "Oh, that awful noise again! It shouldn't be allowed to scare us so"?

Not likely!

But a greater alarm is sounding, a greater danger is threatening, and too many people would like to hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign on their door, cover their ears against the warning, and go back to sleep.

God's warning cannot be stifled: "Awake, thou that sleepest," and "Escape for thy life!" The world is "hasting unto the coming of the day of God," a day when "the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

What a terrible, terrible day! But there would be little use in an alarm if there could be no escape. The same writer (Peter) tells us that "the Lord... is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." In "long-suffering" and in love God "gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. There is the perfect way of escape from all the dark judgment ahead. There is no other way. We can cover our ears, hide our heads, try to sleep on, but it is futile! "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3.

Life and Happiness

We can get life and happiness only in Christ. Apart from Him all is death and misery.

Whose Way?

It's so natural to us to want to "do it my way." Little children beg, "Do it my way." A fast food chain appeals to customers with, "Have it your way." So it was perfectly natural for the captain of the Soviet freighter Meckanik Tarasov to want to be rescued his way, wasn't it?

Soon after the Meckanik Tarasov sent out a distress signal the Danish trawler Sigurfarid came along side and offered to evacuate the crew.

The captain looked at the ship—smaller than his own. He thought of the crew—Danish, not Russian. And he thought of a large Russian ship not far away—more comfortable, better equipped, and from his own country. So he sent the message to the Sigurfarid that he "preferred to wait" for the Ivan Dvorsky. He wanted to be rescued, but only in his way.

But: "While waiting—the vessel went down." His way led down into the cold, dark waters of the North Atlantic.

Only five seamen were saved, five men who were picked up by the Sigurfarid without waiting for the Ivan Dvorsky.

The Sigurfarid was standing by, ready and willing to save every one, but they would not. They wanted to be rescued in their own way, and only proved again the truth of Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death." And "This their way is their folly!" Psalm 49:13.

Then the contrast: "As for God, His way is perfect." Psalm 18:30

How can we know His way?

The Lord Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6.

We can come to Him now, praying the psalmist's prayer: "Teach me Thy way, O Lord," and the answer is sure: "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine."

"Thy will, not mine, is always best—

Thy way, not mine, leads on to rest—

Then let Thy way, Thy will, be known;

My only Guide be Thou alone."

Hearing, Believing and Having

Praying, reading the Bible and reformation are positive hindrances if trusted in as a means of earning salvation, though essential as a proof of life in the soul after one is saved.

God's Word says: "He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life." John 6:47. And, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life." John 5:24.

Mark the three steps: hearing, believing and having! How simple! Have you heard?-and believed? Then God says you have "everlasting life."

"Whomsoever"

A messenger ran into a Sunday school and, going to the boy's teacher, said, "Hurry as fast as you can! There's a boy wanting to see you. He is dying."

The teacher rushed to the place. There lying on a bed was a boy who had been crushed by a car.

As he entered, the lad greeted him with, "Didn't I hear you say once, 'that whomsoever a fellow comes to Jesus, he would be saved' "?

"Yes," replied his teacher, "I said something like that."

"Well," said the boy, "then it's all right, and I am saved! I have been a bad boy; I've been thinking about that. Now I'm just taking God at His Word, so I'm saved."

After he had spoken these few words his strength seemed to fail. A short while later he passed away. His last words were, "Whomsoever a fellow comes to Jesus, He will in no wise cast out."

He did not quote the words exactly, but he had grasped the meaning of them, and received them into his heart.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Hope and Reason

An atheist has a reason, but no hope for his reason. A hypocrite has a hope, but no reason for his hope. A Christian has a reason for his hope, and a hope for his reason.

Good News!

"Here's good news for you," said a servant of Christ one day as he handed a gospel tract to an old shopkeeper.

"There's plenty of bad news about," she replied. "Yes, but this is good; it is about the Lord Jesus Christ, and salvation through Him."

"Oh, well, I know all about that. I know the way to be saved."

"Do you? Then tell me the way," he responded.

"Well, there are three things. You must be honest, you must be truthful, and you must be faithful."

The Lord's servant took out his pencil and quietly wrote them down, slowly repeating them one after another as he did so. Then he said, "If you have been all that, I have not!"

"Well, we must do our best!"

"You mean that if we are partly honest, partly truthful, partly faithful it will be enough?"

Slapping her hand down on the counter she said; "No partly about it! You MUST be these three things!"

"Then what good news can there be for me? For I have not always been either honest, truthful or faithful. It is no use saying "must" to me when I have not done all this. What hope is there for me?" By this time another customer had entered the little shop and began to try to help the old woman out of her difficulty.

"Oh, you can't do these things altogether! At least, I can't. If I am in it all right one minute I am out of it the next. Sometimes I feel so bad that I think I'm not fit to live!"

"What do you do then?"

"Oh, I feel if I am as black as coal I can go and promise God that I'll do better."

Poor souls! How pitiful to see them groping in darkness, hoping all would work out at the end. They did not see that their salvation did not depend on their being what they ought to be, but on Christ declaring what God is.

There are thousands in this sad plight. Man has utterly failed. He has not been what he ought to be, but that does not set aside what God is. And "God is love."

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 1 Timothy 1:15. Love was behind this wonderful mission-God's love. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." John 3:16.

It is the gospel of God. It is the news of the way God has declared His goodness in meeting man's badness. It is not a question of whether I have been honest, but of how God can be just in saving me.

What a blessed contrast between trying to be what I ought to be, and accepting what God is for me! What God is in grace just suits a repentant sinner confessing his sins. He need not wait until he can tell God how perfectly he has fulfilled his duty in the past, nor till he can faithfully promise he will do so in the future. He may come at once, come without hesitation and confess all that he is and all that he has done to God. It was so with the prodigal son and with the dying thief, and it is so with every sinner who honestly takes his place before God. May it be so with you!

The Free Gift

A sinner can only have eternal life as "a free gift" from God. Thousands refuse it because they are too proud to be saved on God's terms of free grace-unmerited favor.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 "Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans 5:18

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: The Wrong Way to Seek

"What we all need in this house is Jesus—Jesus—each and every weary heart in this city needs Jesus." I preached this at Ocean Grove on one of my trips. At the close of the service when we reached the cottage where I was a guest, a lady and her husband were sitting on the veranda.

When I got to the steps she rose and said: "I am waiting to see you. I want to talk with you. I am a seeking sinner. I have been seeking Christ for ten years."

I replied, "There is something wrong. It does not take a seeking sinner and a seeking Savior ten years to find one another. There is something wrong."

She replied: "I have traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific. I have been in every city of any size in the Union, and have heard the best preachers in America. I have spent a fortune attending revival meetings, with the hope of finding what I want. I have read books, but I have not been able to find what I have heard you preach, and I made up my mind that I would have a talk with you."

I said: "You have made a mistake. Go straight to Jesus. Go to your room. Turn the key in the door and stay there and never look into another human face, never seek another service, never read another book, never hear another sermon."

"Do you know," said the lady, "what you are telling me?"

"Yes, shut that all off. We can only aggravate your condition, we cannot help you. It is not us you want. What you want is an interview with Jesus, and you are looking for men and words and "isms." It is Christ you want, and a five minute interview with the Son of God will end all your misery.

"It is Jesus you want. Your case is too deep for us. Our fingers are not long enough. We cannot reach the spot anymore than we can lift this planet on our shoulders, or paint a rosebud, or swing the rainbow in the heavens, or trill the lark's song, or give perfume to the blossom.

"No, we cannot, but we know One who can. He is able, He is willing. When you commit yourself to Him it will be done. It is Jesus you need."

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6.

Gypsy Smith "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth." Isa. 53:4-7.

What Could Be Worse?

Some years ago a captain in the cavalry was thrown from his horse and seriously injured. For many days he lay on his bed suffering and moaning about his condition. His wife, hearing him wish himself dead, reproved him, saying, "Be careful what you say. You could find yourself in a worse condition than you are in now."

What could be worse, he thought, than this agony? Ah! "The wicked shall be turned into hell." Hell would be worse than suffering here; hell is for the wicked, for all who do not know God. Do I know God?

Thoughts of his sins, of death and judgment and hell raced through the officer's mind. When in good health, it had been quite easy to say, "I do not believe in hell," but it seemed very different when death might be so near.

What did Jesus say to the Jews who argued with Him instead of believing on Him? "If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24. To die in your sins means never to be separated from them, to have them with you forever and ever. Then no escape from them will be possible for the day of God's wrath will come and mercy will be over forever. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still" (Revelation 22:11), is what will be said in that day, for eternity permits no change of place or state.

Captain King knew about these things, and his wife's warning with the Word of God was used to bring home to him his danger. There on a sickbed he turned to the Lord Jesus and was freed from his sins. Later, restored to health again, he devoted his life to seeking to rescue others from "the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Timothy 2:26.

Are you free? If you trust in Jesus, you too may now receive remission of your sins and become free indeed, for "the truth shall make you free." John 8:32.

All Because...

He was a sailor. "All right, boys," he said, "go on, say all you want to, make all the fun of me you please, but I have tried it now for over six months. Saloon-keepers do not get my money now; and I have got a clear head, a clear eye, and a happy heart; all because I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior."

The One Who so Loved Me

My Jesus, I know Thy blood can save,

For I know that it has saved me;

I once feared death, and the dark, dark grave,

And a darker eternity.

My sins were a fearful, a loathsome load;

No language my sorrow could tell;

And oh, as I walked the broad, broad road,

I knew 'twas a journey to hell.

But I heard of One who loved me so

That He came from His throne on high,

To bear the weight of my sin and woe,

And to bleed on the cross, and die.

He washed my sins in the crimson flood

That flowed forth from His open side;

I know I'm saved by the precious blood

Of the Lord who was crucified.

So now, a sinner redeemed by blood,

In Christ now accepted I stand,

And wait, as a blood-bought child of God,

For my home in the heavenly land.

And this is the joy I seek below,

As I sing of His love so free,

That others the wondrous love may know

Of the One who has so loved me.

No Diving!

The signs were plain enough: NO DIVING! But the sandy white beach shone in the sunlight, and the long pier stretched out temptingly over the blue water.

Past the signs the young men ran, laughing and shouting as they raced out onto the pier and into the water. Splashing—swimming—diving—and then one silent moment of panic and a frantic call of "Lifeguard! Lifeguard!"

Ah-h! There was a reason for the NO DIVING signs. Just under the water the cruel rocks waited, and one diver's head struck as he went down.

Precious minutes passed as they searched for him under the water—more time was lost in bringing him to shore—and by then it was too late. Once a faint flutter of a pulse gave hope, but cardiopulmonary resuscitation, oxygen, injections, even electrical shocks could not keep it going. An hour later the doctors at the hospital looked at each other and shook their heads wearily. He was dead—dead at nineteen—his life cut off almost before it began—because he would not be warned by the signs.

There had been many other signs in his life. We all meet them every day: NO PARKING—YIELD —SLOW—DANGEROUS CURVE, and probably he had ignored them often enough and "got by with it."

Don't we do the same? And we often "get by" too. No policeman stops us. No accident happens. We made it again! Silly old signs!

But sooner or later we speed past the SLOW sign—and the crash comes. Or we dive into the dangerous water, and strike sharp rocks.

God has posted His signs in our lives too. He has said that, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." But we go on "getting by" with this and that, forgetting that He sees us; forgetting that "because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Ecclesiastes 8:11.

There are other warnings—other signposts—in our lives. Every cemetery, every funeral, is a warning—a reminder that "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27. Can we race on past the warning signs, to crash on the rocks below? Can we ignore the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who "was once offered to bear the sins of many"? Hebrews 9:28. Yes, we can. But—"know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." Ecclesiastes 11:9. We may seem to "get by" and "get away with it" for a time, but never forget that "God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14.

Warned!

How true Job's words are: "God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed... that He may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man." Job 33:14, 15, 17.

A woman had a dream. She said, "I saw the Savior hanging on the cross; a bright light shone upon His pierced side, and I heard a voice say, `This is all for you.' "

About the same time a rich young atheist also dreamed. He said, "I was taken to hell, surrounded by lost and condemned souls. They pointed to the fire that never shall be quenched and told me, ' There is no rest in hell.' "

In less than a year both died, and both died unrepentant. There was no evidence in their lives that their dreams had awakened them to their lost condition as guilty sinners. They ignored the warning. One stormy night the young infidel was hurried into eternity in an accident; the woman died in her bed at home.

The wife of Pontius Pilate "suffered many things... in a dream" when the Jews desired him to crucify Christ. She begged her husband to have nothing to do with "that just man," but he did not heed the warning.

Noah was warned of God. How, we are not told, but Noah was "moved with fear at the warning. He in his turn warned others; they did not heed the warning. He was saved; they perished.

You have had your warnings. Perhaps not in a dream, but maybe the doctor said, "I can hold out no hope of your recovery." You got better, and forgot it.

Maybe some preacher warned you of judgment to come, and you simply resolved not to go to hear him again!

Your friend died suddenly, and you were left; wasn't this a warning? Yet you are still unsaved, still unrepentant, still unforgiven.

"Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Job 36:18.

These words are another warning for you. How are you going to treat it?

Are All Sinners?

Once in this country there was a game that used to be played with bows and arrows. A man had to shoot ten arrows through a hoop some distance away.

If he missed one he was called a "sinner." If he missed more than one, or all of them, still he was called by that same name, a "sinner."

God says: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. And, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.

Is there no hope then for the human race? Praise God, there is, for in the very next verse we read: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." Hebrews 9:28.

Hidden Treasure

In Cairo, Egypt, an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society was busy in his shop. He was a diligent dispenser of God's precious Word, with a heart full of love for souls.

Near mid-morning a group of men entered the "Bible House," as the shop was called. A glance at their sun-browned faces was enough to reveal their Jewish ancestry. Their dusty, travel-stained garments indicated that they were on a long journey, so the agent asked: "Have you come from far away?"

The answer was yes, and they named a distant oasis in Central Arabia.

"So far away!" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "And may I ask why you have come to Cairo?"

Their spokesman answered: "We heard of a place here that sells the Old Testament, as you would call it, in Hebrew. We wanted to make sure of getting the right volumes; so we came ourselves, and have been directed to you."

The agent's heart was thrilled at this opportunity to serve a few of "God's chosen people" in this way. He gladly counted out the number of Old Testaments they requested and packed them in a box. But before he fastened the package he took from a shelf another book—a Hebrew New Testament.

Without a word concerning it, he hid this extra volume among the others, silently claiming the promise of God as recorded in Isaiah 55:11: "My word... shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

Many months passed, and again the little party of Jews came to Cairo. Smiling, they greeted the proprietor of the Bible House as they handed him a letter from their rabbi. His heart overflowing with thanksgiving to God, the agent read: "Very highly do we value the excellent copies which you sent us of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms in Hebrew. And not only those; but another Book you enclosed with them—a Book that we had never seen before till then. Nor had we ever heard of the Person of whom it speaks.

"Day by day we continued reading of Him, till with one accord we concluded that He is Israel's Messiah! In the future our prayers shall go up to heaven in no other name but in the name of Messiah—Jesus."

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9,10

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: The Will

"I am afraid we have emphasized the word `whosoever' without emphasizing the word 'will' because salvation depends on the will. Repentance is an act of the will and not of the emotions.

"It is not sentiment; it is not sanctimoniousness (self-righteousness); it is not a kind of humbug; it is a moral awakening—a turning round from wrong and facing right and saying, 'I own, Oh God, I am guilty and deserve judgment.' Whosoever will, let him—.

"No, if sin beats you, you are responsible. If drink enslaves you, you are responsible. If passion holds you in its grip and robs you of purity and strength and if you are crippled and paralyzed by sin, you consent every time.

"And if you are not a happy, useful Christian at this moment, walking with measured step in the light with God, then it is because you choose darkness and sin. You, by your will, choose the impure, the worldly and the sinful.

"I want you to see that you must choose... and if your ears have been opened and your eyes see your guilty condition, then accept God's so great salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Have you heard His sweet voice saying, 'how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!' Matthew 23:37. 'Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.' John 5:40. `Whosoever will' may be clean.

"Don't you blame my Lord; don't you blame my Master; don't you blame the blessed Holy Spirit; don't you blame God's ministers; don't you blame the Father, who loves you. God has made such ample provision that the worst, the vilest, the furthest off, the lowest down, may come to him... and there is every reason why you should.

"Don't try to say anything to the contrary. If my words have got your heart for a moment or aroused your conscience, let me say that the conscience may be set free of its guilt. The awful memory of the past may be removed at the foot of the cross this night if you will surrender, if you will submit. If you won't, God Almighty cannot help the catastrophe before you. Hell awaits you.

"Oh, I pray you, I beseech you, let this be the time when angels from the battlements of the skies hear the breaking of your chains, the snapping of your fetters, and the angels shout for you as they see you marching out of the prison house of your sin into the liberty of the people of God. Let it be now.

"Did you say you are a long way off? You can come home if you will. God is not against you. I do not care how vile your life has become. Love only waits to forgive and forget. Oh, that every heart would say, like the prodigal, 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.' Luke 15:18."

The Thief on the Cross

On a cross, and only a few short hours to live! He had lived his life and it had been a wicked one. He was no martyr, and he knew it. He fully deserved all he was getting. Then to the wickedness that had caused him to be crucified, he adds the guilt of reviling God's Son! His iniquity could hardly go farther.

But a change takes place. The hardened criminal who has spent a lifetime in sin suddenly becomes a righteous judge, and the first person he judges is himself! What could so quickly move the heart of this criminal and make such a change?

Surely it was the words that fell from the Savior's own lips. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Can you not imagine him exclaiming to himself, "What does He say? 'Forgive them! "Father, forgive them!' Whom can He mean but those who are doing their best to get rid of Him, and cruelly taunting Him while they do it?

"Why then, He must mean me! I have joined with the mockers! Is it possible that there can be grace enough in Him to desire God's forgiveness for a wretch like me, and to use His dying breath in pleading for it? Yet it must be so, for He cries, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' Oh, how wonderful!

"Never, never could I expect to deserve His favor, but I cannot help desiring it. Such a sinner as I am can never earn it, but I can cast myself on the mercy of such a Savior as He is."

What a reception he got. This dying sinner condemned himself and owned Jesus as Lord. The blessed Lord proved how rich He is to all that call upon Him for He said to the thief: "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise." Luke 23:43.

Is not this same blessed Person worthy of the confidence of your heart? "Through this Man (Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Acts 13:38.

"I Don't Know Him"

A woman asked me, "Someone told me in the night that I am a sinner. Who was it? Was it God or was it Satan?"

"It was God who told you," I said.

"God?" she said, "I don't know Him. I have been calling Him my Father all my life and He was not. Oh, I am so alone. Nobody loves me."

"God loves you. He loves all sinners, and gave His Son to die for them."

"But I have been deceiving everyone and myself," she said. "I said I was saved, and I was not. How could anyone think I was? I was not like you. I did not care whether you spoke to me or not about these things. Was there not something you could judge me by?"

I then confessed to her that I had not seen in her what I had wanted to, and added, "But you told me you were saved, and I could not say you were not."

"I thought I was not a child of the devil, so that I must be a child of God. Oh, God be merciful to me a sinner. May I say 'God'? Shall I offend Him?"

"No, God loves you and gave His Son Jesus to die for you."

"But, I don't know Him," she said again.

I again told her of the love of God. I then left her for a little while, leaving with her a small book called "Peace with God."

Visiting her a few days later, I could see a little light was entering her poor troubled soul. I then repeated to her John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

She listened as if she had never heard that scripture before, although I had often quoted it to her. After a little more conversation I left her again, but only for a few hours. By then a change had taken place. Peace with God was on her face, and these words came from her lips: "My Jesus, my blessed Jesus! He has been with me. He has been talking to me, and I have been talking to Him. My Jesus, my Lord Jesus."

All who went to see her saw that, whereas she had been in misery as a sinner, she was now filled by the grace of God with joy and peace. She said, "I am saved by His grace. He has saved me, and now I know Him."

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

"For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.... He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:17, 36.

To Be Sure

"You say a man can know that his sins are forgiven? No, never! For mortal man to say that he knows his sins are forgiven is presumption."

The man who had impatiently made these remarks had been told that sin was forgiven once and forever through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, but he did not believe it.

But is it so? Who is right? Can a man lie down on his bed at night and know with positive certainty that his sin is put away, and that if he died in his sleep, his sin would not be counted against him? What does God Himself say?

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1. "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 10:17. "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins." Isaiah 44:22. "Verily, verily, (truly, truly) I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

Many more of God's own words might be added, all proving that it is not presumption to know Whom we have believed, and be confident that He is both willing and able to present us faultless before His Father in that soon coming day, when we shall meet God.

He who only says: "I hope I am saved; I trust I am in the right way," cannot be happy in the fullest sense of the term. He is not in the position God would have him be. It is the perfect work of a risen Savior that gives us certainty.

"He Died for All"

"He died for all"—

Has died to save;

His life a ransom freely gave;

Bore man's mad hate, e'en hell did brave;

Sank low beneath God's judgment wave;

Peace He has made,

He died to save!

"He died for all"—

He died for me;

Met all my need and misery;

Annulled my old, sad history;

Assured my future destiny;

Oh, bliss to see

He died for me!

"He died, for all"—

Has died for you!

Endured sin's just and awful due;

Brought thus God's love and light to view;

From high now sends the message true!

Your soul to woo

He died for you!

"He died for all"—

The great, the small;

But only saves from sin's dark thrall

Those who in faith before Him fall!

The rest His wrath shall soon appall.

Heed, Olen, the call—

"He died for all”

Trapped in the Arctic

Many years ago an expedition to the North Pole was shipwrecked near the coast of Siberia. The ship had been caught by icebergs, and the crew was forced to abandon it and begin a perilous march over floating ice. Surrounded by a thousand dangers, they transported their boats, their food and their instruments. Numbers of the men were sick and all were exhausted by the cold, hard work and insufficient food, so that even in their best days they made little more than two miles.

The captain sustained the courage of the men but was horrified to find, as day by day he took the sun's altitude, that the ice upon which they were so slowly and painfully traveling towards the south was all drifting towards the north. After eight days of struggling southward they found themselves several miles farther north than when they started.

The next day they only made one mile and the captain wrote in his journal: "Working like horses ten or eleven hours daily and not traveling two miles is not encouraging, but to know that each of these miles accomplished by such great fatigue only leaves us farther north than before on account of the movement of the ice in that direction, gives me the greatest anxiety. I conceal the situation with the greatest care. At present, gaiety is the order of the day among us. The men are constantly singing. How long can I tear to see them thus?"

It could not continue very long. The captain soon had to let them know the exact position; it was useless to allow them to go on with their valueless labor and illusory hopes. Facing reality at last, the exhausted crew launched their boats and began rowing towards the shore of Siberia, abandoning their goal and only hoping to save their lives.

To march thus upon land which slips away beneath their feet is the case of all those who are trying to save themselves and whose confidence is in their own strength and their own work. They say, "I am doing my best," or, "I've always been honest," or perhaps, "I pray to God every day." Their efforts satisfy themselves, and their delusions keep them feeling falsely secure.

Their theory is: "Work, struggle, put forth every effort, be honest and you will be saved." But God knows your danger; He warns you that your efforts can not advance you a single step towards your salvation. All your struggles and your efforts only mislead you to believe that you are making progress while, like the men on the ice, you are drifting further and further away.

Instead of telling you to work out your own salvation, God says, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31).

Instead of saying: "Do your best," He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28).

A Letter to a Prisoner

Dear :

Your letter at hand states, "How can one who is in prison be thankful? You may say this because you are free."

Yes, what you say is natural. During the war I was also in prison in Osaka, and believe I can understand something of how you feel. To be in prison is surely unpleasant, as‘ I remember it now. They took my glasses away as soon as I was put in, and, as it was my first experience in prison, I felt very awkward and bewildered.

At first, in solitary confinement, I could not tell what was happening on the outside. As the days went by, however, I came to understand clearly, even though I could not see. I could tell by the footsteps which guard was walking around, or when it was almost mealtime, and I even received news.

I don't say it with pride, but it was my experience that it is possible to live a thankful life, even in that dreadful place.

No doubt you now have bitterness in your heart, and you suffer greatly because of it. Why does a man have bitterness and pain in his heart? It is because of sin. Sin— what a repulsive word! Nobody wants to think of the word "sin." But we must face it, for that is our problem.

The Bible says all human beings are sinners. They are not sinners because they commit sin, but they commit sin because they are sinners! A rotten tree bears rotten fruit. As both you and I have experienced, we commit sin because sin is in our hearts. How wretched man is! This is the true condition of all human beings.

The Lord Jesus said, "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (Matthew 15:19). Because these things are in the heart, they do come out.

The story of the first two human beings, Adam and his wife Eve, pictures to us the wretched state of man. This story is neither a myth nor fiction. It is a historical record of a man and his wife.

After they disobeyed God and committed sin in the garden of Eden they realized they were naked. They then sewed fig leaves together and made aprons for themselves. But they still were afraid of God, so they hid from His presence among the trees of the garden. However, we cannot hide from God. He knows all our sins.

In another picture from the Bible, King David, a great king and respected by the entire nation of Israel, commits sin. And then, greatly troubled, tries to cover his sin. God then has to expose him through a prophet who said: "You are the man." David then confesses his sin, saying, "I have sinned against the Lord," and God forgives him. Then, he found true happiness. (2 Sam. 12:1-13).

In Psalm 32:1 David writes about the happiness of forgiveness: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."

Everyone looks for happiness, but how can we be happy if the heart is not at peace? We might call the pleasures of this world "happiness," or say, if I were in such a position I would be happy! Would you not rather have an inward happiness that you could be happy under any circumstances, though you were without anything?

Then take your true place before God as the publican did in Luke 18:13, "God be merciful to me a sinner." We read in the next verse: "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified...he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The first step to obtaining happiness is to confess to God, "I am a sinner," and your sins will be forgiven, and you will be just before Him.

The Lord Jesus came from heaven to call not the self-righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13). He lived in poverty as the friend of sinners, and loved those whose hearts were suffering from sin. Can you find love like that in this world?.

Moreover, He died as our substitute, to save us from hell, taking upon His holy and sinless body our sins. Whoever believes in Him, the Savior, has his sins forgiven, and is given eternal life and becomes a child of God, one who can call God his Father and have fellowship with Him. Henceforth, the Christian can be thankful in all kinds of adversity.

I remember when I was in prison, the most glorious thing while there was that I was given time to think and quietly pray to God. Neither the iron door nor the stone wall could hinder me from doing this. Jesus Christ, who died and rose from the dead, and intercedes for me at the right hand of God, gave me grace.

When I was critically ill in prison, I was especially encouraged by the words in Rom. 8:35: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" In every circumstance I was more than conqueror in Christ.

Moreover, every Christian has the Holy Spirit through whom he can freely have fellowship with God in these circumstances. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair." (2 Cor. 4:8).

Some day when Jesus returns for His own, we shall be changed and have glorified bodies, and be taken up to be with Him. Whatever may happen here, heaven is open to us!

My friend, you are now living an uncomfortable life in prison. Even though you are there, if you will believe in God and take Christ as your Savior, you will experience, as I have, a happy and thankful life. God is faithful, therefore, with assurance I witness to you of the reality of this salvation which is in Christ. Please read the following verses from His Word.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15).

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: You Cannot Change Yourself

Let me tell you once for all, that you cannot make yourself fit for heaven. You cannot clothe yourself with the garments of salvation. You cannot renew your own nature.

Somebody says: "You discourage people by telling them that they cannot change themselves." That is the very thing I want to do.

Discouragement of this sort is the very thing I always aim at in my dealing with the unsaved. I am afraid that there are many people who believe that they are saved when they are not.

My belief is that God never healed a man till he was wounded, and that He never made a man alive till he was dead. It is God's way first to make us feel that we are nothing, and can do nothing, and that we must be saved by grace. We must learn that Christ must save us from beginning to end, or else we can never be saved at all!

Oh, if I could only bring all my hearers into a condition of despair about themselves! Then I would know that they are on the road to a simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our extremity is God's opportunity. Oh, how I long to see you get to that extremity!

It is absolute helplessness and death that puts the sinner where Christ can deal with him. When he is nothing, Christ shall be everything.

Have you never heard of the man who saw a person drowning, and plunged into the river after him? The sinking man tried to clutch him; but the swimmer knew that if he let the man get hold of him he could not bring him to shore. So he kept swimming around him.

The man went down, and still his rescuer did not touch him. He let him go down again, because he was too strong. When he was going down the third time, then the rescuer laid hold of him. The man was at the end of his strength; he was helpless, and so could not impede his deliverer.

This is what you have to be, sinner friend. When you cannot do anything for yourself, then you cannot any longer hinder Christ. Your part is just to yield yourself right up into His hands to be saved alone by Him.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8, 9).

An Example, or a Savior

At the close of a gospel service some years ago a stranger spoke to the late Dr. Stearns: "I don't like your preaching. I do not care for the cross. I think that instead of preaching the death of Christ it would be far better to speak of His life, to preach Christ the Teacher, the Example."

Dr. Stearns replied: "Would you then be willing to follow Him if I preach Christ the Example?"

"I would!"

"Then," said Dr. Stearns, "Let us take the first step—'Who did no sin.' Can you take this step?"

The stranger looked confused. "No," he said, "I do sin. I acknowledge that."

"Well, then," said the Doctor, "your first need of Christ is not as an Example, but as a Savior."

If I Die Tonight, Where Will I Spend Eternity?

If-I-die-tonight! Can it be possible that at some moment I, too, must die? That time will still roll on, others be born to work and play, the sun and stars still shine, but I shall not be here? And if I die tonight, where will I spend eternity?

A divine voice from the Word of God answers: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Matthew 25:46).

Everlasting punishment for me? Can it be possible that I have lived here all these years, intensely busy with the cares, debts, moneymaking and pleasures surrounding me, and have left God out? Oh, how blind have I been?

I have given my youth, my talents, my thoughts and my ambitions for things that are only passing, and have neglected the most important thing of all— my soul's salvation! But if I had taken the time to find God, to love and serve Him— what then?

And I have neither hearkened nor believed! Oh, what a fool I am! If I were to die tonight, I would spend my eternity in hell! Again God's Word warns me. "Be not afraid of them that kill the body...Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him." (Luke 12:4,5).

Oh, if only I had lived for God! Wasted youth, fruitless years— I wish I could recall them now. Is there no escape for me? Must I be lost forever? Am I too late to find God?

God's Son answers: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20).

My poor wandering, lost, sin-sick friend, come to Jesus. He is waiting, His loving arms outstretched, His heart overflowing in love and pity— waiting, knocking, patiently standing at the door of your heart. Open to Him before He departs forever.

Will you do so, friend, right where you are? Will you pause in your hurry, for just one brief moment, close your eyes, and quietly surrender right where you are standing? God grant you will— for you may pass into eternity tonight!

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15).

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).

Perfect Love

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). "The Son of God is come." (1 John 5:20).

He came in perfect love, as the very expression of the heart and mind, the nature and character of God. He was the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3), but walked on earth as a lowly, humble, gracious, accessible man; one who was to be seen from day to day about the streets, going from house to house.

He was kind and gentle to all; easily approached by the very poorest, and taking up little children in His arms in the most tender, gentle and winning way. He was often seen drying the widow's tears, soothing the stricken and sorrowing heart, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, cleansing the poor leper and meeting every human need.

He "went about doing good." (Acts 10:38). He never thought of Himself, or sought His own interest in anything. He lived for others. It was His meat and drink to do the will of God, and to gladden the sad and weary hearts of the sons and daughters of men. His loving heart was ever flowing out in streams of blessing to all who felt the pressure of this sin-stricken world.

Here, then, we have a marvelous fact before our eyes. This world has been visited by that blessed One of whom we have spoken— the Son of God— the Creator and Sustainer of the universe— the lowly, loving, gracious Son of man— Jesus of Nazareth.

He was God over all, blessed forever, and yet a spotless, holy, absolutely perfect Man. He came in love to men— came into this world as the expression of perfect love to those who had sinned against God, and deserved nothing but perdition because of their sins. He came not to crush, but to heal— not to judge, but to save and bless.

"Be it known unto you therefore...that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38, 39).

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

Take Christ then as your Savior, and "know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." (Ephesians 3:19).

Grace Is Free

I was told one day that: "Grace is free, undeserved favor." What a complete answer! I can have salvation, not because I deserve it, or because I have earned it by my goodness, but only on the ground of undeserved and free favor. I can pay nothing for it, and better still, that salvation is free to all.

Titus 2:11 says: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."

There is then no excuse. Salvation is brought to your very door, and if you won't have it, there is nothing for you but judgment. You will never be able to blame God, for His grace has brought salvation within your reach, but you will not have it. You are spurning His grace, and throwing away the only means of salvation.

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)

Excused!

The feast has been prepared for all;

The Master of the house has sent

His servants out to call them in,

But they begin with one consent

To say why each man will decline:

"I beg of you have me excused—

I've bought a farm"—"I've bought a team"—

"I've got a wife, I cannot come."

How trifling these excuses seem,

Like money put in bags with holes!

They make excuses just as lame

For losing their immortal souls:

"Besides, I want to have some fun"—

"My friends the gospel have refused."

"I really think that for today

At least, I'd rather be excused."

Poor soul! Whatever your excuse,

Look forward to that final day

When you must meet the Lord as Judge.

How will you like to hear Him say,

"I know you not! I asked you once.

For your acquaintance, but you know

You said you'd rather be excused.

So I excused you long ago."

"I came to earth and suffered death

That your salvation might be wrought;

But you paid no regard to that

So now depart—I know you not!

You are excused from heaven's bliss,

Excused to hell's eternal woe.

You know it was your own request,

And I excused you—you may go!"

In the Northern Woods

It was a sunny day in early spring. The snow and ice had begun to melt, crows were proclaiming in hoarse cries that winter would soon be gone and the woodpecker's tapping told out his joy at the prospect of summer's approach.

Mr. Watt and his son Jack had gone to the woods with the horses to drag some logs to the mill. The log pile was quite high and still covered with ice and snow. A number of the heavy birch logs had been rolled down for loading, and Mr. Watt was standing between two of them, his back to the pile and a foot up on one of the logs.

Suddenly, without warning, the logs began to slide, loosened from the ice that held them by the sun's warm rays. Jack shouted to his father to jump, but it was too late. With a sickening thud the logs rolled against one of the two between which Mr. Watt was standing, pinning his leg between them and breaking the bone.

Jack sprang over with a cant hook and released the injured man, laying him gently on the snow while he ran for the horses and a sled.

What were Mr. Watt's thoughts as he lay there in agony?

He afterward told a neighbor that, as he lay there, his whole life flashed before him. He saw himself a lost, guilty sinner bound for hell. The thought came to him that, had he been killed, he would have gone into a lost eternity. The agony he was enduring made him think of One who had borne the anguish of the cross. For the first time in his life he realized that those sufferings were for him.

As he lay there, he acknowledged that dying Man on the cross to be his Savior. It was not long before Jack returned with the sled, but in those few moments his father had passed "from death unto life," saved by believing in that work accomplished on the cross for him.

Later in the hospital he wept— not for his own sufferings, but for what his Lord endured for him when hanging on that shameful cross. "Oh, those spikes!" he would cry, "those cruel spikes!"

Has it ever touched your heart that Christ suffered, bled and died for you? Have you acknowledged that this sacrifice was for you?

Will you not, even now while it is salvation's day, accept this blessed Savior as yours?

"He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24).

Wonderful Grace and Mercy

God so loves each one of us that He has sent His own Son to be the sacrifice for our sins, that whoever will accept Him may be at once pardoned and have eternal life. And more than that, He gives to all who do accept Him present joy, peace, happiness, guidance and help for every day and hour we live down here.

The Lord Is Merciful

Yes, the Lord is merciful! How thankful we are that He is, for we are all sinners and in need of His mercy. The Bible says, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalm 103:8).

There are some, however, who take God's mercy for granted, forgetting that the same Bible which tells us He is merciful also tells us that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31).

It is easy to speak of God's mercy as though this meant He would look at sin as lightly as we often do. Indeed some think, or hope, that He will overlook their sins altogether, because He is love.

We rejoice indeed that God is merciful and gracious, but He never has, and He never will, be merciful at the expense of His holiness. His character is unchangeable, and He cannot lie. He cannot pass over sin, for His Word says, "Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward." (Hebrews 2:2).

What would we think of a court where every guilty person was acquitted, just because the judge was merciful? Justice would be gone. We might as well close up the courtroom and proclaim to the people that they could do just as they pleased and would never be punished!

And is God less just than man? Let His Word give us the answer: "Justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before Thy face." (Psalm 89:14).

Will He punish sin? Indeed He will. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1John 1:5). Men may escape the justice of earthly courts, but "all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." (Heb. 4:13).

Now since God is holy, as well as merciful, how can He show His mercy to sinners like us, who are guilty before Him? This is where the cross tells out the love of God. God loves us, but hates our sins. He desires to show us mercy, but justice demands that we be punished.

So on the cross of Calvary the whole question of our sins and guilt was taken up. God took all the sins of all who would believe and placed them upon His spotless Son, and then punished Him in our guilty place. "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 Cor. 5:21).

Divine justice is now fully satisfied because all its claims have been fully met. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...He was buried, and...He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."(1 Cor. 15:3, 4).

The resurrection of Christ is the proof that God is fully satisfied with the work His Son has done, and now He can "be just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:26).

It is not for us to hope vainly that God will pass over our sins, for He cannot. But those who turn to Him, owning their sin and guilt, and believing in Christ's finished work, are saved.

God is not looking for some goodness in us, for we have none before Him. He is not asking us to try to do better, for our very natures are bad and sinful. We cannot buy His salvation, nor can it be obtained by anything that we can do. It is a free gift: "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23).

God is waiting to hear every sinner say, "I have sinned." If you are not saved, take your true place before Him now, as lost and helpless, unable to save yourself. There is no other way!

God wants to be merciful to you, but the only way to obtain His mercy is to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you reject God's gracious offer of pardon, there will be no mercy for you. Judgment is ahead of you in the lake of fire forever. Why not receive the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior today?

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31).

Christ at the Door

(by Obadiah Sedgwick in 1657)

Christ is a thousand times more willing to come to the sinner than the sinner is to come to Christ. He is at the door before the sinner ever thinks of Him; and He doth not only come to the door, but knocks at the door, so that ofttimes He breaks open the door: coming and calling will not be heard, and therefore He knocks.

He doth not come and go away presently, nor call and go away presently, no, nor knock and go away presently, but He stands and knocks. His standing at the door notes His continuing patience, and His continuing study of our salvation. His knocking notes His earnest importunity.

At the doors of sinners does Christ stand and knock. He knocks at the doors of beggars, bringing mercy to misery, happiness to wretchedness, riches to poverty, light to blindness, and all-sufficiency to nakedness.

He beseeches those poor and miserable sinners to take gold from Him, those naked sinners to take raiment from Him, and those blind sinners to take ointment from Him.

This Earth Is a Sinking Ship

As in the days of Noah, just before the great flood, "The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence," (Genesis 6:11), so today, men are trusting in weapons and leaving God out.

"Perilous times" are coming upon us! Frantic human efforts are being mustered to patch up the sinking ship. We read of them in Luke 21, verses 25 and 26, "And upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity...men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth."

Also, "The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed...they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer. 8:9).

"The end of all things is at hand." (1 Peter 4:7). "The coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:8). Jesus has warned you to "take heed to yourselves, lest...that day come upon you unawares." (Luke 21:34). "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until He come." (Ezekiel 21:27).

Blind optimism is the philosophy of fools. Let us suppose a vessel is foundering at sea, exceedingly rotten and leaky, and filling fast. From the shore a lifeboat is launched, and pulls alongside the doomed vessel. The captain of the lifeboat calls to every person on board to leave the old ship immediately.

But the people on board refuse. One says, "Our vessel is not so bad; she only needs a little repair and paint." Another says, "Away with both you and your lifeboat! We have a carpenter of our own, and we can repair this ship ourselves."

Most go on with their cards and drinking, while some, working with emergency tools, are determined to keep the old ship afloat. Just a few see their danger and take advantage of the only way to escape.

The vessel, left to itself, fills and sinks. Now, tell me, if every despiser on board goes down, who is to blame? The lifeboat was sent to them, but they refused to come aboard!

Christ Jesus is the lifeboat. The Father sent His Son to deliver us from this evil, perishing world. God so loved this poor, ruined, sinking world that He gave His beloved Son, that whosoever believes in Him might not perish.

"Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psalm 2:12). But, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3).

In 1912, the finest and safest vessel that had ever been built, the "unsinkable Titanic," struck an iceberg and sank. "The staggering fact," an editor commented, "is not that the ship went down, but that she still went on after fifteen hours of radio warnings, her engines at full speed, her band playing, her passengers dancing and, apparently, nobody caring that there was ice ahead."

Do not ignore the danger ahead. Accept the salvation Christ offers today.

My Individual Savior

My salvation depends upon my taking Christ as my individual Savior, just as if He had died for me alone. If you can cry to God as the publican did in Luke 18:13, then you can rejoice with the Apostle Paul who said, "the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20).

Question, and Answer

Question:

What is the foulest thing on earth?

Consider this and tell!

Answer:

It is the soul by sin defiled;

And only fit for hell!

Question:

What is the purest thing on earth?

Come—tell me—if you know.

Answer:

Tis that same soul, through Jesus' blood

Washed whiter far than snow.

If I Gained the World

Had I wealth and love in fullest measure,

With a name renowned both far and near,

Yet no hope beyond, no harbor waiting,

Where my storm-tossed vessel I could steer.

If I gained the world but had not Jesus

Who endured the cross and died for me,

Could then all the world afford a refuge,

Whither, in my anguish, I might flee?

Oh, what emptiness without the Savior,

'Mid the sins and sorrows here below!

And eternity, how dark without Him!

Only night and tears and endless woe.

What though I might live without the Savior,

When I come to die, how would it be?

Oh, to face the valley's gloom without Him,

And without Him for eternity!

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: The Loss of a Soul

Every man and woman in this audience must either be saved or lost, if the Bible is true; and if I thought it was not true, I should not be here preaching, and I would not advise you people to come, but if the Bible is true, every man and every woman in this room must either be in the ark or out of it, either saved or lost.

I do not believe there would be a dry eye in this city tonight, if we would but wake up to the thought of what it is to be lost. The world has been rocked to sleep by Satan, who is going up and down telling people that sin doesn't mean anything.

I believe in the old-fashioned heaven and hell. Christ came down to save us from a terrible hell, and any man who is cast down to hell from this land must go in the full blaze of the gospel and pass by the cross of the Son of God.

We hear of a man who has lost his health, and we sympathize with him, and we say it is very sad. Our hearts are drawn out in sympathy. Here is another man who has lost his wealth, and we say, "That is very sad." Here is another man who has lost his reputation, his standing among men. "That is sadder still," you say. We know what it is to lose health and wealth and reputation, but what is the loss of all these things compared with the loss of the soul?

I have a son, and no one but God knows how I love him, but I would see those eyes dug out of his head tonight rather than see him grow up to manhood and go down to the grave without Christ and without hope.

The loss of a soul! Christ knew what it meant. His love to save the lost soul brought Him from the bosom of the Father; it brought Him from the throne; it brought Him to Calvary. The Son of God was in earnest. When He died on Calvary, it was to save a lost world; it was to save your soul and mine.

Oh, the loss of the soul—how terrible it is! If you are lost tonight, I beseech you, do not rest until you have found peace in Christ. Remember this sermon is for you. If you are lost, may God show it to you. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save you.

"The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10).

Man’s Greatest Need

A man may lack liberty, and yet be happy; a man may lack food, and yet be content; a man may lack clothing, and yet be comfortable; but he that lacks salvation, lacks everything that can do him good, in this life and the next. Nothing worse can be imagined, than to be without hope and without God, in this world and the one to come. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3).

Shipwreck!

Captain Blount was standing one day at a window where he could command a beautiful view of the harbor. He was watching a ship sailing out to open sea.

As he watched, he observed her suddenly tremble; then she began to settle and quickly sank beneath the blue waters of the Mediterranean. She had struck a rock; and so great was the gash in her side that she instantly filled with water and went down.

In a brief moment, and with little warning, every man on board was in need of salvation. Little had they prepared for such a disaster. All had been going well. Then she crashed upon a rock and immediately went to the bottom.

The solemn sight was the voice of God to the Captain's conscience. So strongly did it awaken him to a sense of his need as a sinner that he instantly fell upon his knees. Filled with the horror of such sudden destruction, he cried out, "Such will be the shipwreck of my soul, O Lord, if Thou dust not undertake for me!"

He saw himself now as a sinner in desperate need of salvation. Crying for mercy he came to the Lord Jesus Christ, and by faith found peace through His precious blood.

Oh, sinner, unsaved and unforgiven, awaken! Have you thought of your danger? There is but a step between you and death. Thank God, this is the day of salvation; and no soul ever looks to Christ for blessing who does not receive it at once.

"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Acts 2:21.

What Will You Do Without Him?

What will you do without Him?

When death has sealed your fate,

And the word of doom tolls though your soul,

That terrible "Too late!"

What will you do without Him?

When the great White Throne you face,

And speechless you stand before Him,

A rejector of His grace?

You cannot do without Him,

There is no other name,

By which you ever can be saved—

No way, no hope, no claim!

Without Him—everlasting loss

Of Love, and life, and light!

Without Him—everlasting woe,

And everlasting night!

Why should you do without Him?

It is not yet too late;

He has not closed the day of grace,

He has not shut the gate.

Why will you do without Him?

He calls, and calls again:

"Come unto Me! Come unto. Me!"

Oh, shall He call in vain?

The Next World

The two young hikers made a rest stop at a very beautiful part of the trail. Looking about, John said to Bob, "This spot will all be spoiled in a few years' time. The developer will invade it and giant oaks and clear streams will be blotted out, and houses and stores and parking lots will take their places. But that is the way everything that is beautiful in this world goes. Everything gets spoiled. And then there's the bomb! Life in this world just isn't worth living."

Bob agreed with him up to a point, but suddenly a question flashed into his mind and he spoke out loud: "I wonder if life in the next world will be any better for us?"

John argued against there being another life and a "next world," and declared with all the assurance of ignorance that when a man died that was the end of him.

But the sudden thought had so startled Bob that he could not shake off a feeling of anxiety. "The next world!" He must find out something about that, and at once, but where should he turn for information? He would try the Bible, and so that Saturday night he started at the beginning of the New Testament and read on for hours.

The first result of that prolonged reading of that wonderful Book was that a deep conviction laid hold of him that God is, and that he had to give an account to Him as to how he had spent this life. He did not sleep much that night, but he made a choice. He decided between heaven and hell, and his definite choice was "Heaven for me!"

Now as he continued to read, another truth gripped him. He discovered that a wonderful person, spoken of as "Jesus," the "Savior," "the only begotten Son of God" and the "Lord Jesus Christ," had made a great sacrifice in order to save him from hell and win him for heaven. There could be no doubt about this, for he read: "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10. "Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. And, "This a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

Then Bob made another decision on his knees. He said, "Lord Jesus, if Thou didst make this great sacrifice to save me, the only right thing for me to do is to thank Thee for dying for me and to yield my soul and life to Thee. I do it now."

That was a grand decision and it changed his whole outlook. It not only gave him a bright prospect for "the next world," but it made this life worth living too. Ever after this one thought governed him: "The Son of God loved me, and made a great sacrifice for me, and from now on I want to live for Him."

"I Don't Believe There's Any Hell!"

He was a red-haired boy about fourteen years old. He lived across the street, and, seeing me at work, dropped in for a chat. His opening comment was: "Say, Mr. Scott, I don't believe there's a hell."

"Yes, you do Arthur! You know right well there's a hell."

"No, I don't! I heard a man say yesterday there isn't any hell, and I don't believe there's one either."

"You know perfectly well there is a hell, and you know the wicked will be turned into it."

"Well, anyway, I wish there wasn't a hell!"

Arthur was honest; and we fear that most of those who "don't believe in hell," if they were honest, would have to say the same thing that Arthur did: "I wish there wasn't a hell."

It does not do away with hell when you say, "I don't believe there's a hell." God says there is a hell. He knows; you do not. Listen to His Word as spoken by the Psalmist: "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Psalm 9:17.

Christ Jesus Himself spoke these words: "It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:47, 48.

Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior today, and be assured of an eternity with Him in heaven, rather than an eternity in hell.

Get Right with God

"Get right with God"—for life is sad and dreary

Without the sunshine of His face divine;

Turn now to Him, who offers untold blessing

To satisfy the need of souls like thine.

"Get right with God"—thy load of guilt is heavy,

And God alone can take that load away;

He gave His well-beloved Son to suffer

Upon the cross, thy every debt to pay.

"Get right with God"—no longer be rebellious

Against the love that seeks thy soul to win;

Bow down at last, and as thy Lord confess Him,

Whose blood alone can cleanse away thy sin.

"Get right with God"—eternity's before thee,

How dark 'twill be if, banished from His face,

Thou goest forth into the night of sorrow,

A stranger ever to His saving grace.

"All for Nothing"

He was a large-hearted butcher with evident sympathy for the poor. Every Saturday night he stood outside his shop and offered all remaining portions of meat for sale at greatly reduced rates. And always a number of the poorer people of the neighborhood waited for the hour to arrive when he would offer his last sales cheap, as was his custom. In this way he would clear out the balance of his stock.

On this particular Saturday night, when the time came, the butcher brought out the various portions of meat, selling them at his usual bargain prices, but then, with an extra choice cut of meat in his hand, he stepped forward and cried: "Who will have this fine, large piece of meat, all for nothing?"

What an offer! The people stood silently, amazed and astounded. Could he mean what he said? It must be so, for there he stood before their eyes holding the meat in his hands. When no one made a move to accept his offer, he cried again: "All for nothing!"

Those who might really benefit from the butcher's kindness looked questioningly at each other. Some thought it too good to be true. Others feared there was a catch in it somewhere. Others who knew him well believed what he said, but they hesitated to accept his free gift.

But the time was passing, and the butcher was just turning to re-enter his shop, when one woman decided to take him at his word. She came timidly forward and received in her outstretched hands the coveted gift of meat. With a grateful heart she thanked the butcher for his generosity.

Now others stepped forward, expecting a gift of meat too; but, lifting his empty hands above his head, the butcher cried: "Too late, folks, too late!"

Friend without Christ, do you not see in this incident your own position before God? He has looked upon your great need, and His heart has been moved with compassion towards you. He has sent His well-beloved Son to die in your stead on Calvary's cross, to atone for your sins, to complete the mighty work of redemption.

Now God, in His free, sovereign grace, offers a perfect salvation to all; eternal life as a gift! How can you refuse Him?

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Sinners Seeking Christ

"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is Near." Isaiah 55:6.

I have been speaking about the Son of Man seeking the lost; but now I want to take up the other side of the matter—man's side. I have learned this, that when anyone becomes in earnest about his soul's salvation he begins to seek God, and it does not take long for an anxious sinner to meet an anxious Savior.

What do we read in the 29th chapter of Jeremiah and 13th verse? "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." These are the men who find Christ—those who seek for Him with all their heart.

God is in earnest. Everything God has done proves that He is in earnest about the salvation of men's souls. He has proved it by giving His only Son to die for us. The Son of God was in earnest when He died. What is Calvary but a proof of that! And the Lord wants us to be in earnest when it comes to this great question of the soul's salvation. I never saw men seeking Him with all their hearts who did not soon find Him.

It was quite refreshing, one night, to find a young man who thought he was not worth saving, he was so vile and wicked. There was hope for him because he was so desperately in earnest about his soul. He thought he was worthless. He had got a sight of himself in God's mirror, and when a man does that he has a very poor opinion of himself.

You can always tell when a man is a great way from God—he is always talking about himself and how good he is. But the moment he sees God by the eye of faith, he is down on his knees and, like Job he cries, "Behold, I am vile." Job 40:4. All his goodness flees away. If the world would just come to God for salvation, and be in earnest about it, they would find the Son of God right at the door of their hearts.

There is nothing that men value as they do life. I understand some people have been afraid to come to this hall because there might be a cry of "Fire! fire!" and a panic, and they might lose their lives. Yet there are twenty doors to the building. People seem to sleep, and to forget that there is no door out of hell. If they enter they must remain, age after age. Millions of years will roll on, but there will be no door, no escape out of hell. "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6.

Before I close, I want to ask you once more: What are you going to do? If the Lord is near, won't you call upon Him? Don't let that scoffing man next to you keep you out of the kingdom of God. Now, every true friend—and you all have friends—every true friend, if you could get his advice tonight, would tell you to be saved now. Don't put it off.

You may call too late. I have no doubt that those who would not pray when the ark was being built prayed when the flood came, but their prayer was too late. My friends, it is not too late now, but it may be at twelve o'clock tonight. I cannot find any place in the Bible where I can say you may call tomorrow. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

We see the Son of God weeping over Jerusalem, His heart bursting with grief for the city, as He cried, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Matthew 23:37. He could look ahead forty years, and see Titus coming with his army, and besieging that city. They called upon God then, but it was too late, and hundreds of thousands of people perished.

Tonight is a time of mercy. It may be that I am talking to someone tonight whose days of grace may be few, to someone who may be snatched away very soon. There may be someone here tonight who may never hear another sermon; someone who may be hearing the last call. My friend, be wise tonight. Christ is inviting you to come. "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

Oh, may we all find rest in Christ tonight! Do not let anything divert your minds, but this night, this hour, make up your mind that you will not leave this hall until the great question of eternity has been settled.

Reformation Useless

If you are not born again by the Spirit of God, all your outward reformation trying to make yourselves better will come to nothing in the sight of God.

Stop-Look-Listen

To men and women rushing along the crowded highways of life comes a warning signal: "Stop—Look—Listen." More than life depends on the response of all of you who are speeding into eternity. Your soul's eternal destiny will be determined by the decision you make after you stop, look, and listen to God's warning signal.

STOP

"Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17.

Are you at wit's end corner, not knowing which way to turn? Are the odds all against you? Have you come to the end of yourself? Then stop! Stand still before Him who says, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10.

LOOK

"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:22.

Yes, look to the Savior who died on Calvary. There the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood which cleanses from all sin. There He laid down His life for you. Remember, "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

"Look, look, look, and live.

There is life in a look at the crucified One,

There is life at this moment for thee."

LISTEN

"This is My beloved Son: hear Him." Mark 9:7.

Do not listen to the noise and bustle all around, nor to the organizations of men which call to you offering peace and an end to all worry. All these are vain and empty promises. What, then, can you listen to in a time of need?

Stand still, look unto Jesus, and listen to Him alone. Do you not hear Him? A still, small voice is speaking to your heart. What tender love is in that voice, what comfort and assurance to your soul! It is Jesus speaking: "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. He is speaking directly to you. Listen! "Hear Him," for this is God's command.

Stop! See the "Salvation of the Lord." You are at a crossroad—the warning signal is before you— Stop.

Look! See your only salvation from the wages of your sins which is death. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, "who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2.

Listen! There are two voices. Satan, the liar and the father of lies, questions: "Hath God said?" But listen carefully! God, who cannot lie, says: "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. "HEAR HIM."

"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.

Simply "Believe"

Reading a Greek Testament one day in the second and third chapters of the Gospel of John, a young woman came to the word "believeth" in chapter 3, verse 15.

"Surely I saw that word in the chapter before this," she said to herself. Looking back, she saw that the phrase "commit himself unto" in chapter 2 was exactly the same in the original as the word "believe" in chapter 3, verse 15.

In this way God showed her that "believing" meant simply committing herself with all her unbelief and sin to Jesus. She did this, and now her soul rests on Him in all the strength and love of her Savior.

Satan, the great enemy of our souls, tries to persuade us that this simple "committing of ourselves" to Jesus is difficult. The very words "faith" and "believing" become so familiar to us that they seem almost to have lost their first simple meaning and have become vague and unclear.

But, friend, the Lord Jesus would not offer you a dim, uncertain way of salvation. He says in His abounding love to us, "I am the way." He who was made flesh and dwelt among us, and who knows to the uttermost the poor sinner's need, the living, loving Savior says, "I am the way; commit yourselves to Me, and you are safe for eternity!"

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6.

"Whosoever believeth in (commits himself unto) Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:15.

Weary, Sinful, Helpless I Come

Oh, Lord, I bring to Thee

This sinful life of mine;

There is no rest for me,

Save in Thy love divine.

Weary I come to Thee,

For Lord, Thou callest me.

I own to Thee my guilt,

No merit can I plead;

But Lord, Thou canst, Thou wilt

Meet e'en my deepest need.

Sinful I come to Thee,

Have mercy, Lord, on me.

Take Thou this ruined life,

It now belongs to Thee,

And change sin's bitter strife

For peace and liberty.

Helpless I come to Thee,

For Thou hast died for me.

Sinful and weak, I fear

To take my way alone,

Savior, I look to Thee,

Exalted on the throne.

I'd draw my strength from Thee,

For Lord, Thou latest me.

Read the Instructions

The parts are scattered all around you—nuts, bolts, gears, wheels—and, screwdriver and wrench in hand, you are hard at work putting it all together. It looked simple. "A child can do it," the advertisement said, but you have been working so long and it still won't run—it wobbles here—there's something missing there—there's no place to put this part. What can you do?

Well—when all else fails, read the instructions!

Read them carefully. Follow them, step by step. Connect part A to part B, B to C, and when every part is in its proper place, installed in correct order, what happens? It works. It works!

Is your life like that? Is it "all in pieces" around you? Does it seem that "nothing goes right"? It is time to read the instructions!

Just as no reputable manufacturer would ship out his product without instructions, so God would never have left man to guess and fumble and to try to put his life together as best he could. He gives us clear instructions!

We begin with A: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

When that is understood and accepted we can go on to B: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

At last, C: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor 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. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.

Isn't it simple? Isn't it easy? And it works—it works!

Millions have followed from A to B to C. Millions have proved that the promise is sure, that the instructions are good, that they work. Why not you?

What Will You Do Without Him?

You know how you treat your relatives and your friends, but how do you treat your best Friend—

"The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me"? Galatians 2:20.

WHAT ABOUT HIM?

You can speak about religion, church, or creed of some kind, but it is a Person who saves-for "as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:12.

The great question, then, is: Have you received HIM?

If not, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

The Foolish Rich Man

Have you ever read the story of the man who was called a rich fool? His fields had yielded so much that he did not know what to do with such a harvest.

"And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater...I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry." Luke 12:18, 19.

"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." vs. 20.

Shall we put this into modern English? A businessman around town would say: "Well, now, I have done well in business. I have worked hard to earn what I have, and I now have plenty in the bank, quite enough to last my lifetime. I will take it easier than I have done in the past."

Nothing very wrong in that, is there? Nothing dishonest in hard work, nothing foolish in saving what he earned, nothing sinful in wanting to take things easy. Why, then does the voice of God sound in his ears and call him a fool?

He was a fool because he left God out! He made wise provision for his body, but he forgot his soul. He took care to see to his physical comforts while here, but he forgot that the soul lives forever. He valued his body highly, but his soul at nothing! Because he did this, God called him a fool. That night his soul was required of him.

What were his thoughts as he found himself sinking into eternity without God and without hope, with a soul unprepared to meet God! When morning dawned, the harvest was there, the barns were there, but the man was gone!

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36.

Are you a fool in God's eyes? Have you forgotten your own soul? While we know that this man was a sinner, we do not read that he was guilty of any great sin. God did not call him a fool for being a sinner; he was a fool because he left God out. You are in danger of doing the same.

Your immortal soul is your most valued possession. Though your body may die, your soul will live on. But where? Will it be in the Father's house, or in the lake of fire? Oh, if you leave God out, He will have to leave you out!

"What must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:30, 31.

"Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

One Minute from Rescue

"Greek seaman Cerasimos Koutcufas was one minute from rescue as the lifeboat inched alongside his waterlogged raft. But in those brief seconds he died."

Daily Express In the darkness of night the Greek ship Zafiris was wrecked on the rocks of the Mull of Galloway. The captain, seeing that the ship was fast on the rocks and in little danger of sinking immediately, ordered the crew to stay aboard until it was light.

Koutcufas disobeyed. Seizing a life jacket and a raft, he slipped over the side in the darkness, intent on saving himself. For five hours he fought his lone battle against the icy sea. Then the Portpatrick lifeboat closed in. The 28 year old seaman, in one last exhausted effort, grabbed for the ropes looping around the dark blue hull. He missed!

Lifeboat men caught hold of his life jacket. It was empty! The jacket was not tied on properly, and Koutcufas slipped through it and into the sea. He was not seen again.

Poor, poor man! He lost his life while trying to save himself. Had he only obeyed his captain and stayed with the ship he would have been saved, for the other 24 on board were all rescued.

How many people today are like that poor seaman? How many are trying to save themselves -not their lives, but their everlasting souls—with a raft of good works and a life jacket of hoping for the best? It will not do. "None can keep alive his own soul." Psalm 22:29.

There is only one way. Our own efforts will never gain salvation: it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Titus 3:5.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2.8, 9.

Why struggle on alone?

"Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Psalm 2:12.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Ye Must Be Born Again

"I, Gypsy Smith, was born in 1860. From the gypsy wagon, tent, and campfire, I was saved and called out to be an evangelist, with a real burden on my heart for the salvation of souls.

"We gypsies had scriptural names, but there were no Bibles among us. How did we get these names? Did they come to us from tradition? Are we one of the lost tribes? I believe we are akin to the Hebrew race, but no one knows our origin. Our tribes have been traced to India, but it is believed we went to India from somewhere else.

"The text God used to save my soul is found in the gospel of John, chapter 3. It's part of the 7th verse: 'Ye must be born again.' Or you may read it this way, if you like: 'Ye must be born from above.' Or you may read it like this: 'Ye must be born anew.' Or, 'Ye must be born again, from above, anew.' It means becoming a new creature. It means, 'Old things are passed away.' It means that there must be a new creation.

"The first birth is of the 'earth, earthy'; the second is from above, and is of the heavenly. The first birth is of the flesh; the second is of spirit. The first is of the will of man; the second is of the will of God.

"Please do not think for a moment that you have gone beyond the need of the doctrine of the new birth. We are on redemption ground when we talk about the new birth. I am not here to apologize for it; it does not need any apology from me. It is my business to preach it; it is my business to make you hear it. It is my business, whether you like it or not, to drive it into your soul up to the hilt with all the power and emphasis I may possess, and make you face the truth.

"No, I am not here to explain it; it is beyond me; I am here to tell you that you must be born again. And please put the emphasis on the two words `must' and 'again.' When you talk about the new birth in the presence of some people, you are considered old-fashioned. But don't forget... it is His message. This is not a fad or a pet theme of some wild man.

"Jesus said, 'Ye must be born again.' If we realize who said it, we shall treat it reverently. It was Jesus who said this, Jesus the Christ. That is what I want you to see. It was Jesus Christ who came down from the eternal glories to put this message before the heart of sinful man.

"Some of you say, 'Tell me how it works.' How? Listen! Look within and see the need, and if you look at the need you will stop asking...`How?'

"Tell me how Jesus came to my gypsy tent. Oh, it is such a mystery to me. Tell me how when there was no Bible, when I could not spell my name, when I was only a little wandering gypsy boy, with my brother and three sisters and my father, without God and without hope in the world—tell me how Jesus came to that old gypsy tent and opened my eyes and made me know He was my Savior and my Lord.

"Listen! I will tell you why we do not know how. If He did tell us, we could not grasp it. It is so great, for 'great is the mystery of godliness.' 1 Timothy 3:16. Listen! The finite cannot grasp the infinite, it is so vast; it is so eternal. And the way in is not by asking questions, or by argument.

"The way is over the old hill called Calvary by the foot of the cross. And if you come that way you will get in tonight. Listen! Listen! Are you born again? I do not ask what church you are a member of, because that does not count. Church membership is no substitute for the new birth.

"Can you close your eyes and say, 'I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day'—can you? Are you sure? Is it a fact? Is it the joy of your life? Is Jesus everything to you? Do you love Him above everything and everybody in the world?

"Are you born again? If you are not sure of it, do not leave until you are. He that is born of God has the witness in himself."

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, (truly, truly) I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3.

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:7.

Do You Know?

That "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"? Romans 6:23.

That "By Him all that believe are justified from all things"? Acts 13:39.

That "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus"? Romans 8:1.

That "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name"? John 1:12.

"I know whom I have believed." 2 Tim. 1:12.

So What?

The worker in the warehouse looked doubtfully up at the stacked shelves above him, at their thin supports, at the narrow aisles where he stood between them, and thought of the possibilities of an accident. He did a little mental arithmetic: "So many pounds to a case—so many cases to a shelf—so many shelves—" and hurriedly printed and posted a sign for the other workers. "Be careful! Do not bump! 100,000 pounds overhead!"

The next morning his sign was still in place, but with additions: "Wow!" "Man, that's heavy!" And finally, "So what?"

Death threatened overhead, but "So what?"

A worker for the Lord stood on the street corner, warning of a still greater danger: "Judgment to come." As he offered his tracts with good news of salvation for all who would accept, the answers were varied: "No, thank you!" "Not tonight!" And again, "So what?"

Death and judgment ahead, but still, "So what?" No, the shelves haven't fallen—yet.

And the Day of Judgment has not come—yet.

The workers in the warehouse may escape if the stacks come cascading down, but who can escape death and judgment? "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.

There is only one way to safety. The Word of God says, "The gospel of Christ...is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Romans 1:16. There is no other way than this.

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3. When this day of God's grace has ended there will be no escape for those who rejected, ignored, or just simply neglected His offer of salvation.

Neither will there be, ever again, a flippant "So what!"

"It's No Use Trying"

The gray-haired man looked very worried as he approached the preacher. He spoke anxiously, "I've been reading your papers and going to meetings for many months, and I'm sure I have tried my best to be different, but I know I'm still a sinner—I'm still lost. It all seems no use."

"No, friend," the preacher answered, "and let me tell you, it not only seems no use, but it is no use. And if you go on another six months, or six years, or all your life, it will still be no use."

"What a strange thing to say! What's the good of preaching and giving us tracts if it's no use our trying?"

"Look, friend, you show how little you believe what you say. You begin by telling me it's no use trying, and when I agree with you, you turn around and argue that everything depends on your trying.

"If you are a sinner, a lost sinner, no trying of yours will ever bring you nearer to God, or make you fit for His holy presence. After years of trying, you will still be a lost sinner. If you are to be saved at all, you will have to come to Him as a lost, guilty sinner. Jesus invites you to come now and to trust Him who died for sinners."

"This man receiveth sinners." Luke 15:2.

"And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts 13:39.

A Word for the Weary

My spirit is sad and perplexed,

I know not the best thing to do;

With doubtings and fears I am vexed,

And Satan harasses me too.

I've tried (how I've tried) to believe,

Till the word on my mind is engraved;

Can no one my sorrow relieve?

Oh, "What must I do to be saved?"

Lord Jesus, I'm full of alarms,

Indeed I've no hope left but

Thee; I cast myself into Thy arms,

O Savior! Take pity on me!

I come as a poor little child;

With many a tremor and doubt;

But Thy voice spreads calm through the wild,

Saying, "I will in no wise cast out."

No feelings need come to my aid,

This dull heart's emotions are few;

I'll trust Thee, Lord, nor be afraid!

I'm safe as the Bible is true.

1983

January

The Good News for '83

1982 is over at last! It was a year of trouble and turmoil, a year of a sinking economy and a rising crime rate, of small trials and terrible events. Who would want to live it over again?

Now we are starting a new year―1983. What will it bring? Can we hope the world is getting better? that human nature is improving? that the heart of man will be kinder and more pure? that the nations will be more peaceful?

The most incurable optimist hardly can talk of the "good time coming" in the face of the daily news; one can look in vain for good news there. The only cheerful note may be in the weather report: "Fair and sunny," or, "Farmers happy to see rain."

God's sunshine still shines on this world. His rain still falls on the dry soil, and-greatest blessing of all!―His mercy is still offered to any who will receive it.

The good news for this year or any year is the "gospel (good news) of the grace of God." There is no other hope for the world, for a nation, for an individual, for you.

Looking ahead, the natural reaction is fear of the future. All around us we see "distress of nations, with perplexity...men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." Luke 21:25, 26. But the sun of God's love still shines, His salvation is still offered.

This year the offer may end; this year the door to heaven may close. Oh, accept salvation before it is too late!

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31. Then you may hear the Lord Jesus say to you: "Let not your heart be troubled," (John 14:1) and, "Fear not." Luke 12:32. Walk in the sunshine of God's love in 1983, in the years to come, and through all eternity.

"Come Unto Me"

Come that you may find rest!

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

Come just as you are!

"For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Matthew 9:13.

Come! for God says:

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

Come now!

"Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

True Love Goes to Jail

The headline told the whole story. The young wife had been caught dealing in drugs, arrested, tried and sentenced to a prison term. Then "True Love" stepped in. Her husband asked to be allowed to serve her term in jail so that she could go free.

The judge said that it was the first time in his 16 years on the bench that he had seen such an agreement. He said, "He didn't have to go to jail. He volunteered to go!"

What a picture this is of Another who came in love to us to bear our sentence and set us free! "For 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 Cor. 5:21. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6.

That is true love, the truest, the greatest love that ever was or ever will be. How we should respond with love and gratitude for that great sacrifice!

But what happened to the young wife? The husband looked forward, when the prison term was up, to a happy reunion with the wife for whom he had given up so much. But he learned that she "would not be waiting for him when he got out."

What a heartbreaking disappointment! How could she repay his sacrifice in that way? How could she reject the love that had saved her from suffering the penalty of the law she had broken?

We can condemn her ingratitude, but have we been as guilty? The Lord Jesus Christ bore all the penalty of our sin when He died on the cross, when "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," that we might go free. What response have we made? What thanks have we given?

"What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." Psalm 116:12, 13.

Think of it! All He asks in return for His great sacrifice is that we should accept it. What love could ever equal this?

Forgiven

In the Evergreen Cemetery near New York City stands a gravestone. On it is carved one solitary but charming word―"FORGIVEN." No name, no date, nothing but the one word is to be seen.

Could "FORGIVEN" be truthfully engraved on YOUR gravestone?

What the Orderly Observed

I'm an orderly at the county hospital, where you can see human misery in its worst form. The 'County' is a busy place and the orderlies manage to keep pretty busy. But there are certain hours during the day when you can stop and relax. The hours between 9 and 11 in the evening, for instance, are ordinarily pretty dull.

It was just after 9 o'clock one evening when something happened that set me to thinking. The nurses had finished their dressings, the lights were out, and my patients were settled for the night. I was walking past one of the units where we keep the more seriously ill patients when I was stopped by a call.

I went in to see if I could be of any help. It was the patient in bed #52 who had called, but he hadn't called me. It wasn't my assistance he needed that night. As I leaned over to ask him what he wanted, he called out again: "O God, please help me tonight."

Just then the patient in bed #53 spoke up. "Why don't you shut up?" he snapped peevishly. "You've been moaning all night. Look at me―I'm going up for a major operation tonight and I'm not squawking. It'll take more than God to help you now."

I looked over at #53. He had a tube inserted through his nose, and I silently agreed that he did have some reason for complaint. But the patient in #52 paid no attention to him and kept calling on God for assistance.

I couldn't help wondering at their opposite views. One, close to death, was calling with simple faith to his Maker while the other, so soon to be under the knife, was callously denouncing Him.

Another patient called me just then and I left the room. I told the nurse that #52 was in pain, and let it go at that.

I came to work at 2:30 the next day, the incident completely erased from my mind. I put on my jacket and was making a round of the patients when the head nurse pulled me aside.

The patient in #53 went up to the Operating Room and expired under the anesthetic," she said.

That set me to thinking again, so I went to look at #52. He was sleeping, but I picked up the chart from the foot of his bed. I glanced past the reports of temperature and medication until my eye caught the report of his condition: "Patient much improved."

Since then I've thought a great deal about these two patients, #52 and #53. The one without faith, dead; and the one whose faith in God had made him a "patient much improved."

How tragic to be "without faith." Far better to be without health, without wealth, without work, without comforts―even without food―than to be without faith!

Without faith there is no forgiveness of sins, no deliverance from judgment, no eternal life, no peace, no joy, no hope!

But no one need be "without faith" for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17.

Are you living "without faith"? Are you like patient #53? If so, it is not yet too late to take God at His word and say with the Apostle Paul: "I know whom I have believed." 2 Tim. 1:12.

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6.

Why Aren't You a Christian?

Perhaps you have always believed in Christianity, have some idea of your need of salvation, and sometimes desire the good things of the gospel. Why then are you not a Christian? Is it because you do not desire these good things strongly enough to be prepared to accept God's terms?

Do you speak of "finding God" some day? That really means turning to God in repentance and faith. Do you really want to find Him?

You may acknowledge God's claims and yet evade personal surrender to Christ by trusting in religious services, a correct creed and perhaps even church work. Through pride and moral character are you trusting in your own deliverance?

Is there some sin, some evil habit or secret indulgence or resentment you will not give up? Are you afraid of what people will say?

What is the point where you are saying "NO" to God?

Is not the real reason simply this: you are unwilling to submit to God; you are unwilling to admit your need as a guilty sinner and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior?

Oh, yield now to the Lord Jesus Christ; you will never regret it!

"Acquaint NOW thyself with Him, and be at peace." Job 22:21.

There is nothing mysterious about "coming." It is one of the simplest of words: a child understands it. If Christ were standing before you now, and you heard Him say, "Come," would you have to ask what He meant?

When the Lord walked upon the Sea of Galilee, Peter requested: "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." Matthew 14:28. Jesus said to him, "Come." It was the simplest of things to obey.

Then simply come to Him just as you are, immediately. "Fear not: believe only." Luke 8:50. Acknowledge to Him that you are a sinner, and ask Him to receive you. You know that His answer is, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

Come then to Him with all your need, and if you "-ask Him to receive you; Will He say you, 'Nay?'

Not till earth, and not till heaven

Pass away!"

John Bunyan knew the value of this verse, John 6:37.

He wrote for sinners like himself:

"But I am a great sinner," say you.

"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

"But I am a hard-hearted sinner," say you.

"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

"I have served Satan all my days," say you.

"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

"But I have sinned against the light," say you.

"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

"I have no good thing to bring," say you.

"I will in no wise cast out," says Christ.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Saved to the Uttermost

"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25.

God has written many books. We read the books of God when we see the storm and the springtime, for all things speak as God would have them, and if our ears are open we may hear the voice of God in the roll of thunder, in the flash of lightning, in the twinkling of the star, and in the budding of the flower.

God has written the great book of creation, and it teaches us how great and how mighty He is. But only one Book reveals to man God's ways of mercy. It is the Bible. Nowhere else can we find any trace thereof.

I find salvation written nowhere, until in this volume of my Father's grace I find His blessed love unfolded towards the great human family, teaching them that they are lost, but that He can save them, and that in saving them He can be "just," and yet the justifier of the ungodly. Salvation, then, is to be found in the Scriptures, and in the Scriptures only.

I believe that the Bible was sent not to teach me history, but to teach me grace―not to give me a system of philosophy, not to teach worldly wisdom, but spiritual wisdom. Hence I hold all preaching of philosophy and science in the pulpit to be altogether out of place. We mock our hearers, we insult God, if we deliver lectures upon botany or geology instead of delivering sermons on salvation.

It is salvation I desire to preach to you. We have three great truths to consider. In the first place, we are told who they are who will be saved, "them...that come unto God by Him," Jesus Christ. In the second place, we are told the extent of the Savior's ability to save, "He is able also to save them to the uttermost." In the third place, we have the reason given why He can save, "He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

The first truth is that people who are to be saved are those who come unto God by Jesus Christ. There is no limitation here; it simply says "them," which includes men of all ranks, men of all classes, who simply come to Jesus Christ. They shall be saved whatever their apparent position before men.

Now I must have you notice where these people come to. They "come unto God." By coming to God we are not to understand the mere formality of devotion. There are many people who have learned a form of prayer by heart, or, perhaps, use an extemporary form of words of their own composing, and never come to God at all.

Coming to God is not what some of you suppose -now and then sincerely performing an act of devotion. You suppose that for the sake of an occasional devotion or self-sacrifice God will be pleased, in His infinite mercy, to blot out your sins. I tell you, sinners, there is no such thing as bringing half of yourselves to God.

Do you suppose you can be allowed to drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Satan at the same time? I tell you, ye shall depart as cursed and miserable hypocrites if you so come to God! God will have the whole of you come. The whole man must seek after the Lord, otherwise it is not an acceptable coming to God at all. Oh, anyone halting between two opinions, remember this, and tremble!

Notice how they come. They "come unto God by Him," that is, by Jesus Christ. We have known many persons who think that they can approach God apart from Jesus Christ. Do you think that you will be heard and saved by the great God, your Creator, apart from the merits of His Son? Let me solemnly assure you in God's most holy name that there never was a prayer answered for salvation without Jesus Christ the Mediator. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6.

The Father will never save a man apart from Christ. There is not one soul now in heaven who was not saved by Jesus Christ. If you would be at peace with God, you must come to Him through Christ, as the way, the truth, and the life.

The second truth is the measure of the Savior's ability. Christ is a Savior, but how far is He able to save? What a noble answer the text gives! "He is able also to save them to the uttermost."

Perhaps you are a person who thinks that you are the most loathsome of all beings, the most condemned of all creatures. My dear friend, suppose you have gone to the uttermost, remember that even you have not gone beyond the reach of divine mercy, for He is "able also to save them to the uttermost."

The third truth is that He is able to save, because He lives to make intercession for us. That Man who once died on the cross, is alive; that Jesus who was buried in the tomb is alive. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

Sinner, if you ask me how Christ can save you, I tell you this―He can save you, because He did not save Himself; He can save you, because He took your guilt and endured your punishment. There is no way of salvation apart from the satisfaction of divine justice. Either the sinner must die, or else someone must die for him. God has a debt against us, and He never remits that debt; He will have it paid. Christ pays it, and then the poor sinner goes free.

Oh! beloved, hear again the text―"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25.

What God Declares of One Who Believes on Him

"By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Acts 13:39.

What God Says of Me

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

What God Testifies of Christ

"Be it known unto you...that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." Acts 13:38.

Quietness and Confidence

Isaiah 30:15

From the year's beginning,

And for every day,

Love and tender mercies

Prove our help and stay.

Standing on the threshold

Of another year,

Counting on His promise

We have naught to fear.

Looking back we praise Him,

Who has kept our feet

On the homeward journey―

Soon our Lord to meet.

And the coming future

Will be bright indeed,

As to heaven's glory

Daily He doth lead.

'Midst the world's corruption,

In a scene of woe,

Savior, what a comfort

Thy dear love to know!

February

Seed Time

The new seed catalogs are out. What gorgeous flowers! What luscious vegetables! What appealing pictures and descriptions! Giant beans, amazing lilies, super colossal tomatoes; one would think that all that is necessary is to drop the seeds in the ground and stand back to watch them grow.

It doesn't work quite like that, does it? The new giant beans may turn out just like last year's, and be stringy as well. The bugs may feast on the flowers, and the super tomatoes may prove to be hard and tasteless.

But one thing is sure: not one tomato seed will sprout into a stalk of corn, not one bean will produce potatoes. The kind of seeds you plant are the same kind you will pick; the harvest was determined when the seed was planted.

God says it this way: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7. If you plant corn, you will reap corn―not tomatoes.

You understand that, but do you know that what you sow in your life you will as certainly reap? Can you hear evil, read evil, think evil or watch evil without it becoming a part of you? "They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the same." Job 4:8.

There is more: "He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:8.

Life everlasting! Not death, not corruption, but life-everlasting life!

Every little seed that sprouts into a living plant is a marvel, but the greatest marvel is how a little seed of faith, planted securely by the grace of God, will sprout and grow and bear the "fruit of the Spirit" which is "love, joy, peace" and at last―life everlasting! What a harvest!

What will your harvest be?

"Wait a Bit"

While traveling in Jamaica with a friend who was a native of the island, we saw a curious little bush growing near the roadside. He pointed to it and suggested that I let my clothes touch it. I did so, and at once found myself caught by a barbed thorn similar to a fish hook.

While freeing myself from it I was snagged by another and then again by still another. It was only with much care and patience that I got clear of it at last. "Wait a bit" is the name given to the bush by the natives of the island, and I thought it was an exceptionally good name.

Has not Satan many such bushes growing along the road which leads to salvation? Indeed he has. Maybe you wake up to the fact that it is time you thought of eternity. Immediately you are snared by some pleasure or pursuit, or sin, which holds and detains you, saying, "Wait a bit!" Many poor souls are thus held until it is forever too late.

Do you intend to be saved, to have Jesus for your Savior some day? Don't "wait a bit." Do it now. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

The Broken Mirror

It was Saturday in the little lumber town in northern Ontario and Dick had been spending his week's wages in visiting every bar on Main Street.

At last as he wandered from bar to bar a mirror in a shop window caught his eye and he stepped into the shop to inquire about it. After a closer look he decided to buy it and take it home to his wife.

While the salesman was ringing up the sale a beam of light fell full on Dick's face and was reflected in the shining mirror. Certainly the unfortunate man was not looking his best. His clothes were rumpled and stained, his hair disheveled, his face dirty and his whole appearance anything but inspiring. At first, unconscious of his deplorable condition, he stood there, until, like a lightning flash, came the illumination.

When the sudden ray of light shone full on his face as he admired the mirror, he saw himself in his true colors. With a clenched fist he let fly at the glass-bang! The pieces flew all around like spray from a fountain, and he disappeared before anyone could stop him.

The shopkeeper kept the remains of that mirror as a curiosity and as a lesson. The price could still be seen on it and people became interested and would walk in to ask about it, so the broken mirror told its own story many times.

Did you know that God has a mirror too? If you turn to James 1:25 you will see that He says that the Bible is like a mirror and advises us to look into it intently, then obey it.

Just let us select three words from this wonderful Book which show what man is as God sees him.

First: UNCLEAN. "They are all together become filthy." Psalm 14:3.

Second: LOST. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way." Isaiah 53:6.

Third: CONDEMNED. "He that believeth not is condemned already." John 3:18.

We have all turned our backs on God, and we have all come under the sentence of judgment. That is the first flash from the Book of God. Perhaps you may be tempted to deny the Book, to say it is not God's divine revelation, and so on. That is simply doing what Dick did when he smashed the mirror.

Like this poor man you may be unconscious of your condition, but ignorance is no excuse. You are lost, but Jesus came to save the lost.

You are condemned. The execution is kept back by the longsuffering of God, but that day must come for all who reject God's Son as Savior.

You are unfit for the presence of a holy God. Do you see that in the mirror of God's Word? Then see also God's great love for you. At the cross He gave His Son to be your sin-bearer. In His death we see cleansing effected for we read, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

It is not by your good deeds, prayers or penances, but solely on the ground of the work of Christ. Rest on that as your merit alone. Put your hands into His in simple faith, receive Him as your very own Savior and "thou shalt be saved."

"Salvation is of the Lord"

Before salvation can be received by anyone he must realize that "salvation is of the Lord." Jonah 2:9. He must learn, not only that man is unable to buy or earn salvation, but that he cannot do one thing to help obtain it.

When a man has learned that all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God's sight, his mouth is stopped. Then the cry breaks forth from his heart: "Woe is me! for I am undone." Isaiah 6:5. From then on he must look only to God. If salvation is to come to him at all, it must come as a free gift.

Have you come to this place? Have you learned that prayers, though with tears, or the most faithful performance of duties, or even the giving of all of one's goods to the poor, will do nothing towards obtaining salvation? If so, then listen to this: "the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10.

Christ Jesus came into this world to reveal God's heart toward poor sinners; but man hated Christ and crucified Him between two thieves. That same Jesus Christ was God's own dear Son, who had done a perfect work on Calvary, and "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior." Acts 5:31.

No one who has taken the place of a lost sinner and come to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation has ever been rejected. Christ's word of promise is: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13.

The Death of a Young Skeptic

"I want none of your preaching," said a young skeptic to a preacher of the gospel who sought to convince him of sin. "I am not going to die; and if I were, I would die as I have lived."

Later on, when the physician informed him that there was no hope of his recovery, he exclaimed, "Oh, tell me I'm not dying; I will not die!"

"My poor friend, I cannot lie to you; your soul will, before long, be with your God."

"My God?" he exclaimed. "I have no God except the world. I have stifled conviction; I have fought against God; I have resisted my mother's pleadings; and now you tell me that I must die! Do you know," he added in a tone of despair, "all that this means? If. I die today I will go to hell! Take it back; tell me I'm not going to die."

To his father who was standing near his bed he said: "Father, you taught me; you led me on this way, and now you say I'm going to die. No!" he shrieked, "I will not die!"

A torrent of cursing followed these words. His poor mother had to be led out of the room while his father stood by his son's bed in agony.

How must that atheistic father's heart have ached as, in the midst of such cursings, his gifted son fell back dead!

Death leads the unbeliever to a place where there are no atheists. When hell is entered "atheism" is gone; there, too late, all believe and know that there is a God.

Be wise, and recognize the truth in time. God is, and your eternal interests depend on your relationship with Him. By nature and through actual sin you are His enemy, and there is only one way to be reconciled to Him.

"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

God is infinitely holy, and sin is utterly obnoxious to Him.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 6:3.

Why not take Christ as your Savior now before it is too late!

"We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:20.

Is the Door Open?

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him." Revelation 3:20.

Remember that the latch is on your side of the door!

At the heart's door the Savior's knocking,

At the heart's door locked in sin.

Can't you hear Him gently knocking?

Open the door, and let Him in.

Two Questions

Some young men had gathered for the evening. Singing songs and telling jokes filled up part of the time, and at last they began asking each other hard questions. A roar of laughter was raised all around when one of the company said, "I will give you a question which one of our clerks thought he would stump me with the other evening on the way home from the office. He asked, 'What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

When the laughter had subsided, a voice from the other end of the room was heard asking anxiously, "And how did you answer it?"

It was a Christian maid in the house who, passing in and out of the room in her service, was so shocked at the laughter about so solemn a subject that she could not help speaking aloud the thoughts that were passing through her mind.

The second question, coming so unexpectedly, seemed to strike the company dumb for a few minutes. No one spoke. The words, "How did you answer it?" were the arrow of conviction to the heart of the young man who told the story. He tried to forget the question, but it stuck in his mind in spite of every effort to forget it.

Along the lonely streets as he walked to his home at midnight, the words rang through his soul. He tossed restlessly on his bed, but could not sleep. The great Eternity, and where he was to spend it, was the subject of his thoughts all night.

He rose and went to work the next day hoping to drive such thoughts from his mind, but all to no avail. He could find no rest, no peace, until as a guilty sinner he came to the Lord Jesus and received Him as his Savior.

Now he preaches the gospel of God's grace to others, and he seldom speaks without in one way or another introducing his favorite text, that great unanswerable question which first reached his own heart and conscience: "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36.

I pass the maid's pointed question on to you: How do you answer it?

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: How Can These Things Be?

Once before I spoke to you from the words found in the Gospel of John, third chapter and part of the seventh verse, "Ye must be born again." I want to come back to the same text and begin where I left off.

It was the Lord Jesus Himself who said, "Ye must be born again." Nicodemus, startled and amazed at these profound words, asked, "How can these things be?" (v. 9)

In His response, Jesus Christ teaches the absolute necessity of a personal Christian experience. He urges the necessity of that experience in the conversation with Nicodemus three times. He drives the point home when He says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (v. 6) "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (v. 7)

Listen! Don't you see that to take a man...without changing his nature, and to put him up among the angels in glory would be to put him in a worse hell up there than he would be in below? He would be so out of place!

Supposing you could get to heaven at this moment, with all your sin, would you be happy up there? Without your garments washed and made whiter than snow, purified from guilt and the power of sin―would you be happy in that beautiful world? Would you? Of course, you know you would not. If you are to go there, even common sense tells you that you must conform to the atmosphere of holiness with those heavenly characteristics put into you; in other words, you must be made a new creature, a new man.

You say, "How is it I do not seem to understand?" Well, that is not God's fault; it is not your Bible's fault, because the Bible is open to you, and God would teach you. He waits to show you what His mind is, for in Jesus Christ all belongs to you: pardon for sin, cleansing for vileness, assurance for acceptance, strength for weakness, the joy of salvation, the victory of salvation―all in Christ for the man and the woman who claim it by faith. If you have not got it it is because you have never laid claim upon it by taking the gift of Jesus Christ.

Do you have faith? If you do not, God help you to be honest and say so, and fall on your knees in secret before Him now. Seek it now. Don't live another day without it. It is your blood-bought inheritance. Don't live another hour without the assurance. It belongs to you. Claim it; you may have it now if you will surrender and trust. God help you to do it.

May God help you to reach that point now. God is for you, and His Son died for you. He loves you to the breaking of every fetter and the snapping of every chain; and now He will make you a new creature, if you will but trust Him.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Which Door?

A servant of God was giving out the gospel in a certain hall. There was at least one in his audience who, when he came in, did not know the Lord Jesus Christ as his own Savior. He had been troubled for a long time about his soul, but had found no rest nor peace.

But after this service he went to speak to the speaker, his face glowing with the joy of salvation. The preacher did not need to inquire whether he had found peace, but simply asked: "How did you get it?"

"All the time I've been trying to enter in at THE SAINT'S DOOR! While you were speaking I saw my mistake, and entered in at THE SINNER'S DOOR!"

Is not this the difficulty of many? They want to enter by the saint's door. They believe they can make themselves a great deal better. They break off evil habits. They become religious. They are outwardly moral and respectable; but they know they are not good enough in themselves. They cannot go in.

They strive desperately to fit themselves to enter by the saint's door instead of coming just as they are, and going in by the way which God, in His rich grace, has opened for the vilest and most unworthy.

"I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." John 10:9.

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

The Precious Blood of Christ

The preciousness of Jesus' blood

An angel's tongue could never tell;

None but the Infinite conceives

The value that does in it dwell.

But this I know, Christ's precious blood

Has saved and brought me nigh to God.

Compared with it the wealth of earth

Contemptible must e'er appear;

Ten thousand worlds, with all their stores,

From one offense could never clear.

But Jesus' precious blood alone

Does for my many sins atone.

'Twas when my sins against me rose,

A catalog of darkest hue,

And works had failed to give me peace,

That Jesus' blood arose in view.

Most wondrously it met my case,

For every sin it did efface.

The chief of sinners it has cleansed,

So there are none that need despair;

The sins of crimson it removes,

And makes the soul exceeding fair.

So fair, that God Himself can see

Naught but unsullied purity.

March

One Hundred Years From Now

One hundred years from now, will it really matter where you lived: in a "showplace" house or a rented room? Will anyone care whether you drove a Rolls Royce or rode the city bus? Will it matter what you wore: designer originals or "thrift shop specials"? Or what you ate: gourmet cuisine or a can of beans?

NO, IT WON'T!

But, one hundred years from now, will it matter what you believed?

YES, IT WILL!

One hundred years from now―one hundred years away from this life we know on earth―one hundred years into eternity―NOTHING will matter but the answer you made to the question: "What do you think of Christ?"

If your answer was, "He is the Christ, the Son of God, He is My Savior, I believe in Him," you will be with Christ, in the presence of the One who so loved you, in the midst of "joy unspeakable and full of glory."

But if you said, "I don't believe in Him," where will you be? "If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24.

"He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36.

There are only two destinies and the choice must be made now. Which will it be?

Out of Christ

In Christ?

An unsaved person is one who is in his sins, in Adam, in the world, out of Christ. He is on the road that leads to the lake of fire, ready for it and deserving it.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

A saved person is one who is not in his sins, but out of Adam, out of the world, in Christ. He is on the road to Christ, and made fit for Him, though utterly undeserving of it.

In which condition are YOU?

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." John 3:36.

Needed, a New Life

We are introduced into the human family by birth and we also are introduced into the family of God by birth―by being "born again." Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:7.

As there is no way to get into the human family except by birth, so there is no way to get into God's family except by new birth.

Education will not do it. Reformation will not do it. Joining a church will not do it. Making up your mind to "do better" will not do it. Trying to do your best will not do it. "Turning over a new leaf" will not do it. What is needed is not a new "leaf," but a new "life." "Ye MUST be born again."

A new nature is needed. By physical birth we become partakers of the human nature. By being born again we become "partakers of the divine nature." 2 Peter 1:4. The second birth is not an improvement of the old nature; it is the imparting of an entirely new nature. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The old nature cannot be improved in God's sight; it is hopelessly corrupt, and incapable of ever being made fit for His presence. The new birth requires a creative act of the Holy Spirit.

Christianity is Christ. Christianity is not "religion." Christianity is LIFE―the life of the Lord Jesus Christ given to us the moment we are born again. "I am come that they might have life." John 10:10. "He that bath the Son bath life." 1 John 5:12.

Not "Trying"―but "Trusting." "Trying to follow Christ" is not Christianity. It is not trying to imitate Christ; it is the indwelling of Christ. Christianity is not trying to do anything; it is trusting Christ who has done it all!

He has finished the work and there is nothing left to do. Now, simply receive and trust Him who said, "It is finished!" He shed His precious blood on the cross, and the work is all done once and forever! Stop trying and begin trusting!

How may I be "born again"? Simply "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 16:31. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." 1 John 5:1. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12, 13.

You are born again, you become a Christian, by trusting a Person―the Person of Christ. The very moment you do this the Lord Jesus Christ comes in, and life, His life, begins in you.

The important question then is: "Have you been born again?" "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3. But God says, "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24.

Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, then you are saved, you are "born again," you have "passed from death unto life"―God says so! Take God at His word, and go on your way rejoicing!

Gone Forever

A young man wakens from a deep sleep and discovers his parents are gone!

A husband wakes to find that his wife is missing. He rouses everyone in the house to look for her. Her clothes, undisturbed, are found but she is gone!

Three friends, searching for missing relatives, meet in the street. One says that he thinks the resurrection has taken place and that all Christians have been "caught up."

"You can't mean that!" exclaim the others.

"I do; I'm afraid it is too true. But let's go and see if some others are at home. If we find any, we may still be safe."

They go but, to their horror and dismay, these too are all gone.

"Do you know," says the first, "I always intended some day to decide for Christ, but I used to think there would be time enough to turn religious."

"Well," replies the second, "I never paid any attention to that kind of thing. If anyone spoke to me about being saved, I just laughed and told him to be quiet. If I am lost, it is my own fault."

"I never thought it would come to this," says the third. "I used to give those religious guys a wide berth and called them fools. Now it looks like I'm the fool. What can we do?"

Nothing. It's too late. Opportunities to be saved are gone―gone forever!

This is only a picture, but it will be a true one of thousands who have heard the gospel and refused it.

THINK! Not a single prophecy has to be fulfilled before the Lord comes and takes all those who have believed in Him as their Savior. The Lord may come at any moment!

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." 1 Corinthians 15:52. How quickly? In a moment. When? Perhaps today. Are you ready?

If not, you are in a dreadful position―exposed to being left behind. Remember that when the Lord takes His people out of this world, the door of mercy is closed. The Lord says, NOW, not tomorrow. At any moment the door may be shut.

He still mercifully cries, "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." There is nothing to do but simply to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. May the Lord help you to do this before He comes!

Accident!

The early morning sky was dull and gray. The highway was a straight ribbon of black emerging gradually out of the mist which obscured the flat prairie landscape. On it two cars hurtled toward each other. One contained a father and three of his children on their way to a day's work on the farm. The other vehicle's sole occupant was a university student returning to classes from celebrations which had lasted until early that morning.

One minute hopes, plans and dreams for the future existed. The next minute brought the crash of smashing metal and breaking glass, and the termination of three lives: the solitary driver of the one car and the driver of the other with his thirteen-year-old son. The other two children were injured.

One of the surviving children reported to his mother as she sat by his hospital bed: "The other car was coming down the road on the wrong side, like sixty, and Daddy didn't have a chance!"

When the tragic news was related to the young woman―that her husband and son were dead, gone from this earth in an instant―she had the consolation of knowing that both her husband and son were "absent from the body... present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8) because both had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and Substitute.

What about YOU?

ACCIDENT is just a word―so the saying goes―until it happens to YOU!

If your name appeared in a police fatality report, the newspaper death notices or the weekend highway loss-of-life statistics―your life snuffed out without an opportunity to prepare to meet God in eternity―where would your soul be?

You can buy insurance on your life and your possessions-but NOT on your soul that will live forever.

The good news is that God has a "policy" that "insures" the soul. The "premium" was paid by the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary when He died: "God... sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10.

God offers you this "insurance"―FREE FORGIVENESS―with the price of the premium fully paid. God gives great dividends too: He forgives your sins, gives you a home in heaven, makes you a member of His family and gives you purpose, direction and satisfaction in this life.

Take God's offer NOW! You need it in order to be prepared for whatever the future may bring.

"To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Hebrews 3:7, 8.

"Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1.

"Now is the accepted time... now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Where Art Thou?

"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Genesis 3:9.

The very first thing that happened after the fall of man was that God came straight down to seek out the lost one. As He walks through the garden in the cool of the day, you can hear Him calling "Where art thou?" It was the voice of grace, of mercy and of love.

Adam ought to have taken the seeker's place, for he was the transgressor. He had fallen, and he ought to have gone up and down Eden crying, "My God! my God! where art Thou?"

But God left heaven to seek the rebel who had fallen-not to hurl him from the face of the earth, but to plan for him an escape from the misery of his sin. And He finds him-where? Hiding from his Creator among the bushes of the garden.

The moment a man is out of communion with God, he wants to hide away from Him. When God left Adam in the garden, he was in communion with his Creator, and God talked with him. After he fell, he had no desire to see his Creator; he had lost communion with his God. He could not bear to see Him, even to think of Him, and he ran to hide from God. But his Maker followed him to his hiding place and asked, "Where art thou?"

Six thousand years have passed away, and this text has come rolling down the ages. I doubt whether there has been any one of Adam's sons who has not heard it at some period or other of his life― sometimes in the midnight hour stealing over him―"Where am I? Who am I? Where am I going? and what is going to be the end of this?" It is well for a man to pause and ask himself these questions.

It is of great importance to know where you are in the sight of God; and that is the question now. Am I in communion with my Creator, or out of communion? If I am out of communion, there is no peace, no joy, no happiness. No man on the face of the earth who is out of communion with his Creator can ever know what peace, joy, happiness, and true comfort are. He is a foreigner to these things.

First, I would like to ask the professing Christians this question, or rather let God ask it: "Where art thou?" Suppose I were to ask those who are really Christians here to rise. Would you be ashamed to stand up? If you should be cut down by the hand of death, have you good reason to believe you would be saved? Do your friends know you to have taken a stand for the Lord? If a man is for God, let him come out and be on God's side.

Now, let me address those who have gone back into the world―the backslider. Come now, backslider, tell me, are you happy? Have you had one happy hour since you left Christ? Does the world satisfy you, or those husks that you have received in the far country? I have traveled a great deal, but I have never found a happy backslider in my life.

If a man has been born again, and has received the heavenly nature, this world can never satisfy the cravings of his nature. Oh, backslider, He knows how bitter your life is; He wants you to come home. I have a loving message from your Father. The Lord wants you, and calls you back tonight. Return, and your Father will give you a warm welcome.

Now let me address the third class. "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 1 Peter 4:18. Sinner, what is to become of you? How shall you escape? "Where art thou?" Is it true that you are living without God and without hope in the world? Did you ever stop to think what would become of your soul if you should be taken away by a sudden illness? Where would you stand in eternity? I read that the sinner is without God, without hope, and without excuse. If you are not saved, what excuse will you have to give? You cannot say that it is God's fault. He is only too anxious to save you. I want you to know now that you can be saved if you will.

If you really want to pass from death to life, to become an heir of eternal life, to become a child of God, decide now to seek the kingdom of God. I tell you upon the authority of His Word that if you seek the kingdom of God you will find it.

No man ever sought Christ with a true heart who did not find Him. I never knew a man who made up his mind to have the question settled, who did not have it settled soon. Will you be wise and say, "Lord Jesus, I want Thee, I need Thee." Oh, may God bring you to that decision!

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden." Matthew 11:28. "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

The Bible

The Bible has the highest place on earth in the sight of God. Through it, God speaks to man, making known His thoughts, His purposes and His plans for man upon the earth. Through it, He reveals His thoughts about heaven.

The Word of God is absolute, and God has magnified it above all His name. What God has done, what God is doing, what God will do, is made known to us in the Scriptures. Although we have had no further communication for almost 2000 years there is no need, for the Word of God is complete. He has "made known unto us the mystery of His will."

The Bible therefore leaves no room for speculation or for the development of the mind of man as time rolls on. It is true today, as it was in the days of Isaiah the prophet, that God's thoughts are not man's thoughts and God's ways are not man's ways.

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23, 24.

Mine Was Counted in!

I had repented, wept, and prayed;

Oft terror-stricken and dismayed,

Lay sleepless with foreboding fears,

My pillow wet with burning tears.

Mine was a task of Do! Do! Do!

Another task was Do not do!

I must Do and Not do this,

Or perish in the deep abyss.

This tale seems hard to comprehend,

And complex too, from end to end,

But now the simple climax hear,

Conversion's story soft and clear,

Since Christ has died, and died for sin,

Why should not mine be counted in?

So simple, yet surpassing sweet,

This thought now saved me from defeat.

Oh jewel rare, Oh precious gem!

He came to save the worst of men;

He died a sacrifice for sin:

Why should not mine be counted in?

And lest you think my story strange;

I'll give the thought that brought the change:

SINCE CHRIST HAS DIED AND DIED FOR SIN,

I KNEW THAT MINE WAS COUNTED IN!

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

April

Forecasts

The weather forecast said "fair and warm," but a cold rain is falling and the picnic must be called off.

Perhaps the drought has dragged on and on and everything is dry and dusty. What is the forecast this time? "Up to an inch of rain" is predicted, but not a drop falls on the wilting garden.

The weather forecast was wrong again!

Even with the best of modern technology-instant communications, radar, satellite pictures -the weather forecast is only an "educated guess."

God's forecasts are not like that. When He said it would not rain on the land of Israel, it "rained not." When He said, "I will send rain upon the earth," the rain came: "The heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain." 1 Kings 18:45. His forecasts never fail.

Now He predicts another storm, a different storm, the storm of His wrath falling on a wicked world. A terrible, terrible storm it will be―a "firestorm" such as the world has never seen, when "the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10.

In that storm an umbrella will be worthless. The strongest of buildings will be no better and even the "dens and... rocks of the mountains" will offer no protection in that day. It will be too late then to seek shelter, too late to escape the judgment of God. NOW is the time to "flee from the wrath of God;" NOW is the time to accept the "great salvation" which He offers you through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

"Should not perish!" That promise is sure and certain. Everyone who has turned to God for refuge, who has accepted in simple faith the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, is safe from that coming storm of judgment. More than that, we have the promise of His love and care for us, and His presence with us, in all the storms and trials of life.

"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.... For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm." Isaiah 25:1, 4.

Neither

"Well, I can't understand why a man who has tried to lead a good, moral life should not stand a better chance of heaven than a wicked one," said a woman recently.

"Simply for this cause," answered her friend. "Suppose you and I wanted to go into a place where the admission was one dollar. You shave fifty cents and I have nothing. Which of us would stand the better chance of admission?"

"Neither," was the reply.

"Of course, and therefore the moral man stands no better chance than the most wicked sinner. But suppose a kind person who saw our problem bought a ticket for each of us at his own expense. What then?"

"Why, then we could both go in alike; that is clear."

"Right! And when the Savior saw our problem, He came and He died and He 'obtained eternal redemption for us' Hebrews 9:12. Now He offers you and me a free ticket. Only take care that your fifty cents do not make you too proud to accept the free ticket, and so be refused admittance at last!" There is a solemn moment coming! Have you the ticket of admission?

"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

The Personal Interview!

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27.

You must meet God! Are you ready? You may try to avoid Him while you live, but you must meet Him when you die. You will meet Him by His appointment for "it is appointed unto men... to die."

God knows when it will be and He has settled the very day and hour. He has not told you the time, and He may give no warning of its approach. Should not this make you think of being prepared for it?

You will not meet Him as one in a crowd. You will not pass unnoticed in the multitude that throngs the thoroughfare of death. No! You must have a personal interview with God, the Judge of all.

Soon your personal interview with a holy God will take place. Are you ready? Are you a new creature in Christ? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior? A warning is sounding in your ears; listen to it. "Prepare to meet thy God." Amos 4:12.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

"If Thou Knewest the Gift of God"

Jesus sat wearily at Jacob's well. He had come in love to His own to save them from their sins, but they would not receive Him. His tender heart was weary as He sat at the well.

Soon a woman with her waterpot came to the well. She was one to whom the proud Pharisee would scorn to speak. She was a despised Samaritan, and that was not all. She was a poor, wretched person who was living in open sin. She little knew that she was about to meet the One who knew all about her.

She arrived at the well, and was astonished that Jesus, being a Jew, should ask her to give Him a drink. "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." John 4:10.

He did not say, "If thou wert not so great a sinner." He did not say, "If thou wilt reform and become a holy woman, then I will give thee living water." No! He let her know that He knew all that she had ever done.

But there was such a depth of pity, grace, and compassion in His wonderful face, such tender love to the sinner in those words, that it won her heart―she was converted. Christ was revealed to her.

Leaving her waterpot, she went to the city with her heart so full of Christ that, forgetting her own shame, she said, "Come, see a Man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" John 4:29.

Now, can you meet the eye of Him who knows every thought of your heart from childhood? And can you say that you are not a sinner? How was it, do you think, that Jesus was so attractive to this poor woman?

What can those words mean―"If thou knewest the gift of God"? It is the one great thing needed by every poor wretched sinner! Jesus Himself says it. You ask who, or what, is the gift of God? It is eternal life in Christ, the same One that met that poor Samaritan woman, Jesus, the Son of God.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. And "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:12.

You can only receive Jesus, and so salvation and life, as a GIFT. Oh, if only you would see this! You cannot buy it; you cannot earn it. He that knows every sin you ever committed―all that you are―sets before you Jesus, His Son. Do you know Him, the gift of all gifts?

You say, "But my sins are so many; they lie so heavily on me." That is because you do not know the gift of God. Yes, even though you had committed every sin that has ever been done in this dark world, when you receive Him as `your Savior, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

His business here was saving just such burdened, weary, heavy-hearted sinners as you are. The first thing is to KNOW the gift of God, Jesus; then a change of life will follow.

Everlasting Joy?

A poor blind beggar hears that Jesus is passing, and cries out to Him for mercy.

All the suffering and agony and shame of the cross are at that time before the soul of Jesus. Will He listen to this cry of need?

Oh, yes, His ear is ever open to such a desire! He delights to hear and answer.

Others may tell the poor blind man to "hold his peace," but not the Lord Jesus. His word is, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" Prayer then rises from the heart and lips of the blind man, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." Luke 18:41.

It is a prayer which brings an immediate answer, "Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee."

It was faith in the power of Jesus to meet his need, and faith in the willingness of Jesus also; and it is faith like this that will bring YOU the desired answer.

He can give you everlasting joy. Do you believe it? He will give it to you. Do you believe this also? Then turn to Him and thank Him for it, and then do as the once blind beggar―having received your sight, follow Jesus in the way.

"In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11.

"Joy in Heaven"

Luke 15:7, 10

Joy in heaven―what produces it? The repentance of ONE sinner!

How marvelous that heaven should be so stirred by what produces so little notice on earth! How wonderful that there should be joy in heaven over what produces little else but contempt in the world!

A prince is married, an heir is born to a royal family or a new president is inaugurated, and there is rejoicing and merrymaking on earth. Some mighty general returns with his victorious army, and there is great rejoicing on earth, but such matters may receive little attention in heaven.

Some poor, broken-down wreck of a man or woman turns towards heaven and says, "Father, I have sinned," or "God, be merciful to me a sinner," and all heaven rings with joy.

And where is the spring and source of this joy? In the heart of God. "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." The joy from which all heaven catches the tone comes from the heart of God Himself.

It is not the faultless, self-righteous Pharisee that produces this joy. It is the repentance of a sinner that does so. Of a sinner? Yes, there is joy in heaven over ONE sinner that repenteth.

What is repentance? It is a change of mind as to God, that whereas you thought Him exacting and cruel, you own Him to be just and merciful. It is a change of mind as to yourself, so that where you thought yourself righteous, perhaps even religious, you now own yourself to be a sinner and without claim upon Him on the ground of anything you are, have done, or can do, and you cast yourself unreservedly on His mercy.

May the Lord lead you to do so for His name's sake.

Rest

Hear the voice of Christ the Savior,

"Come, and I will give you rest;

Are you weary, heavy laden?

Lay your head upon My breast."

Nothing this poor world can offer

Ever gives the conscience rest;

'Tis alone in Christ the Savior

That the longing soul is blest.

'Tis in Christ, God's Son from heaven,

That a Savior can be found;

Peace and joy, and rest eternal,

In that blessed One abound.

Prove Him then your endless portion,

Find in Him your whole delight

Through the long and busy daytime,

Through the quiet hours of night.

Then, through those eternal ages,

You will rest and peace enjoy;

Christ your everlasting portion―

Pleasure then without alloy.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: There Is No Difference

"For there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:22, 23.

That is one of the hardest truths man has to learn. We are apt to think we are just a little better than our neighbors. If you want to find out who and what man is, go to the third chapter of Romans, verse 10, and there the whole story is told. "There is none righteous, no, not one." "All have sinned, and come short." All.

We are told that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9. We do not know our own hearts; not one of us has any idea how bad our own heart is. We have a heart in rebellion against God by nature, and we do not even love God unless we are born of the Spirit.

I can understand why men do not like this third chapter of Romans. It is too strong for them. It speaks the truth too plainly. But I have noticed that the medicine we do not like is the medicine that will do us the most good. If we do not think we are as bad as the Word of God says, we must just take a closer look at ourselves.

God has given us the law to measure ourselves by, and by this most perfect rule "all have sinned, and come short," and "there is no difference." God, being a perfect God, had to give a perfect law, and the law was given not to save men, but to be used to measure them.

I believe hundreds and thousands stumble here. They try to save themselves by trying to keep the law, but it was never meant to save men. The law has not saved a single man since the world began.

Some think if they have only done one or two very little sins, God won't notice them because other men have broken every one of the Ten Commandments! No matter; they are both guilty; they have both broken the law. The law demands complete and perfect fulfillment, and if you cannot do that, you are lost, as far as the law is concerned. "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10.

And the law of God is that no man shall go into the kingdom of heaven with one sin on him. He that has broken the least law is guilty of all. "Then, is there any hope for me?" you say. "What is to become of me? If all this is true, I am a poor lost soul. I have committed sin from my earliest childhood."

Thank God, my friends, this is just where the gospel comes in. "He (God) hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." 2 Corinthians 5:21. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5, 6.

You ask me what my hope is. It is, that Christ died for my sins, in my place, and therefore I can enter into life eternal. You ask Paul what his hope was. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3.

This is the hope in which all the glorious martyrs of old died, in which all who have entered heaven's gate have found their only comfort.

Christ died for me; that is my hope of eternal life. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1. If you ask me what you must do to share this blessing, I answer, go and deal personally with Christ about it. Take the sinner's place at the foot of the cross. Strip yourself of all your own righteousness, and accept Christ's. Let Him put on you His perfect robe of righteousness. Receive Him by simple trust as your own Savior.

Thus you inherit the priceless treasures that Christ has purchased with His blood. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God." John 1:12. I have the authority of His Word for telling you that He "will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

"This Man Receiveth Sinners"

Do you say, "But I am such a sinner"? Then you may claim Christ for yourself. It is written, and written for you, "This man receiveth sinners." Luke 15:2.

He is the sinner's Savior. It was for "sinners" He suffered at Calvary. Did He not save Saul of Tarsus, "the chief" of sinners? Then He can and will save you, if you come to Him.

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

"If I ask Him to receive me,

Will He tell me nay?

Not till earth and not till heaven

Pass away."

Prayers?and Answers

"Give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee." Psalm 141:1.

"If... they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry." Exodus 22:23.

"Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it." Psalm 69:18.

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine." Isaiah 43:1.

"O my God, be not far from me." Psalm 38:21.

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:18.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed." Jeremiah 17:14.

"With His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5.

"O Lord, make haste to help me." Psalm 40:13.

"I will help thee, saith the Lord." Isaiah 41:14.

"I know not how to go." 1 Kings 3:7.

"I will guide thee." Psalm 32:8.

"Give me understanding." Psalm 119:34.

"I am understanding." Proverbs 8:14.

"Forsake me not, O Lord." Psalm 38:21.

"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5.

Will you not trust in this "God of all comfort and consolation"?

May

Are You Prepared?

Paul "Bear" Bryant, who compiled the "winningest" record his sport has ever known, died January 26, 1983 just weeks after announcing his retirement as head football coach at the University of Alabama. He was 69.

Bryant had been admitted to Druid City Hospital the day before, complaining of chest pains. On the day he died he was reported by doctors to be in good condition. He joked about going to Las Vegas and said that one thing he wanted to do was go back to Arkansas and do some duck hunting.

Bryant suffered "a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest" only moments after appearing in good spirits and joking with the nurses, the attending physician said.

His sudden death stunned all who knew him.

One of his star quarterbacks, Steve Sloan, said, "The thing I'm saddest about was that he was looking forward to having some time on his own to hunt and fish and play golf. He just wanted to spend some time doing things that he wanted to enjoy."

So once again we are faced with the realities of life. "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14. "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1.

In all the news accounts you won't find one that says that Bear Bryant was planning to die on Wednesday, January 26, 1983. Instead, he had many other plans.

We know how good he was at preparing for each game, but was he prepared to meet God? More importantly now, are YOU prepared?

How many plans that you have made would be interrupted if YOU suddenly died today?

If Bear Bryant didn't prepare for eternity before he died, it's too late for him to do anything about it today. But YOU still have time to prepare. "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Salvation is simplicity at its best: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:31.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

"Come Unto Me"

You want to taste of life?

He bids you come to Him, and life eternal will be your portion.

You must have pleasure, you say?

At His right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Does you poor heart crave rest?

Listen, then, to His tender words:

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

Will God Let You off?

I asked a policeman the other day, "If you saw a man in the act of stealing, would you let him off?"

"No, I would try my best to take him," he replied.

"Well," I said, "You have done many things you ought not, which only God has seen. Can He let you off?"

"Yes," he said, if I ask Him,."

"No, He cannot! If a thief asked you to let him off, could you?"

The policeman did not like standing in the same position with God as a detected thief would be with him. Finally he said he might let the man off, but admitted that, if found out, he would lose his character.

Can God let you off?

Perhaps you think: "Yes, if I ask Him;" yet He says, "Thine iniquity is marked before Me." Jeremiah 2:22. And, "Be sure your sin will find you out." Numbers 32:23. How can He let you off, or allow your sin to go unpunished even if you ask Him?

I have good news for you―God loves you. He is love. Love is His very nature. He has revealed Himself in two characters: light and love. The law has only one character; it is righteous, and lets off no offender against it. It does not and cannot love.

God hates sin, but loves sinners and has manifested His love toward us by sending "His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:9.

He came to seek and to save the lost, and so yielded Himself up into the hands of wicked men and allowed them to lift Him up from the earth on a cross of wood, and pierce His hands and feet with nails.

What a tremendous price He paid! "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger." Lamentations 1:12.

If the price of pardon is so great, how awful must the character of sin be in God's thoughts. Yet men make light of it, going on in danger of death, forgetting their sins, passing the Savior by, and thinking that at any time it suits their convenience God will let them off if they ask Him.

God giving His Son to die is not letting you off, and unless you come to Christ as a guilty sinner, disowning yourself and your ways, and believe on Him unto life everlasting, you will have to bear your own judgment forever in the lake of fire, where God will never let you off.

Have It Settled Today

I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the worth of your precious soul, that you do not delay a day or even an hour longer. Do not leave the great question of your personal salvation, your eternal destiny, to an uncertain tomorrow. HAVE IT SETTLED TODAY! "Now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

"Believe in Him who died for thee,

And sure as He has died,

Thy debt is paid, thy soul is free,

And thou art justified."

"I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life"

A freighter was moored to the dock at Bombay, taking on a. cargo for Italy. The Indian clerks, "Parsees," checking the cargo, were continually washing their hands in large pannikins of water conveniently placed in the warehouse from which the cargo was being shipped.

Talking to one of the clerks, I asked him why they were so assiduous in this washing of hands. He replied that it was part of their religion; they washed their hands whenever they had a sense of defilement.

He added, "We worship the same God as you Christians, and therefore it doesn't matter whether the way to Him is by the Parsee road, or the Christian road."

I told him that the true knowledge of God, while revealed in part by the ordered creation all around us, is fully revealed by the written Word of God, and that same Word also tells us that, though "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," yet there is only one way by which man can meet a holy and just God.

"Well," the Parsee said, "if you want to see the captain of this ship, you walk up the ladder on the ship's side and, arriving on deck, proceed to the captain's cabin. If I desire to see the captain, perhaps instead of using the ladder I may climb up a rope and thus get to the deck and make my way to the same place. You go your way and I go mine, and we both arrive at our goal; we both get to see the captain."

"No! No!" I answered. "You cannot apply that illustration in terms of a freighter. Consider rather that you and I desire to see the commander of a warship, which is the very expression of law, government and order. I go up the warship's ladder and on arrival on deck my authority to proceed is challenged by the sentries guarding the only lawful entrance to the warship. I present my pass, the sentry says, 'Pass on,' and I am allowed to proceed.

"Now, if you climb a rope, or attempt to obtain an entrance by any other way than the appointed way, you are at once challenged by the law in the persons of the marines on guard. You are arrested, imprisoned, and will meet the captain only as a judge. There is only one way! 'He that... climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.' John 10:1.

"The Word of God says: 'I [that is, Christ] am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.' " John 14:6.

The way of reconciliation to God is by the death of His Son: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.

The pass which fully satisfies the law is written and signed by the Spirit of God: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1.

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Not Saved!

The lesson is in Jeremiah 8:20, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." I shall take as my text the last two words, "not saved." I will not ask you to follow me through the textual windings of these words, or their historical setting, but to think for a few minutes of some things they suggest. To me there are some things which make my heart sad.

I am saddened by the thought that there are many who haven't missed a service who are described by those two words, "not saved." I want you Christians to think of that awful fact. And I want you to pray that many here tonight may be saved.

God knows I'm speaking the truth when I say it. When I'm weary and want to sleep, some sad, weary face haunts me. I know the possessor of it didn't yield to Christ when he ought to have done so.

It is about as much as I can bear. I know just enough to make me understand a little of the disappointment of the Son of God when He wept over Jerusalem and said, "How often would I have gathered thy children together... and ye would not!" Matthew 23:37. Oh, unsaved men and women, I pray God you may never meet with a disappointed Christ. It will be an awful moment for you if you do.

Here you sit, and on your poor soul is written, "Not saved." Think of it! And God has brought me, a gypsy boy from his tent, one who never had your opportunities and advantages, to shame you, to humble you, and he has been trying these days, pleading with you, coaxing you, striving with you, warning you. He has not spared you a moment's rest in his efforts to win you for Christ.

You have sat here throughout all these appeals, pleadings, and prayers, and yet some of you have never really been moved! It seems as though God cannot get at you. He calls, but you have so hardened your conscience and heart by sin and worldly pleasures that it seems as if your soul has lost its fine feeling. And this big hammer of the Word of God-instead of softening when you hear it, your heart now hardens and you are "not saved!"

And oh, His love! Is it nothing to you? Oh, the height and depth of it! Oh, the compassion and the heartbreak of Jesus Christ, the Wonder of the Ages, the Warmth of Heaven, the Song of Angels, and the Hope of Man and the Deliverance from Sin! Is He nothing to you?

You will bolt the door when you get home; you will see the windows are fastened; you will not leave a five dollar bill exposed if you think anybody will steal it; you will lock up your treasures and jewels, and yet you expose your soul and your eternal interests. With these dangerously exposed you go to sleep without a thought and without a care. May God open your eyes to see. See what, you say? Ah, the love of the Savior!

None of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters crossed,

Nor how dark the night that the Lord

passed through

Ere He found His sheep that was lost.

Out in the desert, He heard its cry,

Sick and helpless and ready to die.

Ah, His great love! Well might the poet sing:

Oh, Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head?

Our load was laid on Thee,

Thou stoodest in the sinner's stead,

To bear all ill for me.

A victim lead, Thy blood was shed,

Now there's no load for me.

Ah, His great love!

See! From His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Love! Why, when God made the world He did it with words! Words were worlds when He willed. Planets from His fingertips! But to save one soul it meant death―Christ's death!

Oh, the love of Christ for you, and you are "not saved!" God has not forced you against your choice into surrender, but "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Revelation 22:17.

Will you end this madness? Will you end this moral and spiritual suicide? We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Won't you have the sense to surrender and believe? "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.

The Neglected Treasure

A Christian hiker one day stopped at a cottage to ask for a drink of water. Coming to the open door he found the parents cursing and quarreling, and the children crouched in a corner, trembling. Wherever he looked he saw only marks of despair and poverty. Greeting them, he asked, "Why do you make your home so miserable?"

"Well," the man answered, "you don't know the life and trials of a poor man when everything goes wrong, no matter what he does."

The stranger drank the water they gave him, and, noticing a Bible in a dark and dusty corner, he said: "There is a treasure here in your house. I know it would help you. Search for it."

And so he left them.

At first they thought he was joking, but then they began to consider it seriously. When the woman went out, the man began to search and even dig that he might find the treasure. When the man went away, the woman did the same. Still they found nothing, while increasing poverty brought only more quarrels, discontent, and strife.

One day, as the woman was alone, she was thinking about the stranger's words when her eyes fell on the old Bible. It had been a gift from her mother but since her death it had been unused. A strange conviction seized her mind―this was what the stranger meant!

She took it from the shelf, opened it, and found a verse written on the title page in her mother's handwriting: "The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." Psalm 119:72. It went straight to her heart.

"Ah!" she thought, "this is the treasure, then, that we have been seeking." From that time, without her husband's knowledge, she read the Bible daily and prayed and taught the children to pray.

One day he came home quarreling as usual and in a rage. Instead of meeting his angry words with angry replies, she spoke to him gently and kindly. "Husband," she said, "we have sinned greatly. We have ourselves to blame for all our misery."

He looked amazed. "What did you say?" he exclaimed.

She brought the old Bible and, with tears, said: "There is the treasure. See, I have found it."

The husband's heart was moved. She read to him of the Lord Jesus and His love. The next day she read again and each day she continued reading to them all. She, her husband, and her children drank in the blessed Word of God, and the change was wonderful to see.

A year later the stranger returned that way. Seeing the cottage, he remembered his previous visit and decided to call again. He entered the gate but could scarcely recognize the place; it was so clean and neat.

At the door he at first thought he was mistaken, for the man and his wife greeted him so kindly. The peace of God beamed in their faces. "How are you?" he asked. Then they recognized the stranger, and for a moment they could not speak.

"Thanks, thanks, dear sir; we have found the treasure," they cried out at last. "Now the blessing of the Lord is in our home and His peace is in our hearts."

It was indeed a transformed home the stranger entered. They had found that precious treasure, the Word of God, and as they searched through it they found that supremely glorious treasure, the Lord Jesus, and had received that Savior as their own. They learned, too, that sin had caused their misery and wretchedness, but that God "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.

Are your sins gone? The Lord Jesus Christ, God's well-beloved Son, has taken the guilty sinner's place and was condemned in our stead, for "Christ died for the ungodly." Admit that you are ungodly and accept the Savior who died that you might live.

Seeking and Searching "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

Refuge

Dark the clouds we see approaching,

Fierce and strong the winds that blow;

Wise are they who find the refuge―

Peace forever there to know.

God has sounded out His warnings

Ever since the fall of man;

Pointing to the only refuge―

And that refuge is a Man!

There was none in earth or heaven

Save that One, that One alone,

Who could win the bitter battle

Who for us could sins atone.

Though the darkness now increases,

He, our Refuge, still remains!

Here is calm and peace unfailing

Here the Christian victory gains.

His the power; He has conquered;

His the victory for His own―

He Himself the only Refuge―

Other refuge there is none.

June

"I Am Saved Tonight"

"I am saved tonight, sir," said a bright-faced boy at the close of a gospel meeting in Jamaica.

"Saved, are you? How did that come about?" I asked.

"It was the word that you spoke tonight," he answered. "What word was that?" I inquired. “‘If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' While you were preaching I believed in my heart what you said, and when you finished I told Tommy about it," was his ready reply. Right beside him stood Tommy, who nodded in agreement.

Has anything like this ever happened in your life? "THOU SHALT BE SAVED" are wonderful words-the promise of God. But what are the terms? "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9, 10.

The Two Sisters

We had been having a series of gospel meetings, and I was going from house to house with invitations. One woman did not seem pleased with my visit, but reluctantly she let me in. After telling me that her sister was out shopping, she said, "She isn't a good woman. I wish you could get her to come to your services."

"Well, we must try; but what about yourself?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm all right; it's my sister that I'm worried about," she quickly answered.

"Quite right, too; but hadn't you better think about yourself first? If you have not accepted Christ as your Savior, you are not 'all right.' In fact, your are in the same danger as your sister who is 'not good.' "

Just then her sister walked in. She seemed very surprised to find a stranger in the house, and I promptly explained to her the object of my visit. I invited her to come and hear the gospel and, as she did nut look like a woman who would like to sacrifice her pleasure for a gospel service on a weeknight, I suggested that she should come on the following Sunday.

She gave me the most emphatic "No" that I have ever heard!

"Well," I said in response, "I think you are wise in not promising to come to the service on Sunday evening. Long before then you may be dead and lost forever! Hadn't we better say Friday night instead?"

She did not answer so readily or emphatically this time, and it was evident she was thinking hard. Still, she would not make any promise for Friday.

I said, "The Bible says, 'Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.' You had better not put off even until tomorrow, but come and hear the Word of God tonight."

When she did not reply, I said to her sister, "You will bring her tonight, and may God bless you both."

In the gospel meeting that night there they sat, side by side. Both of them listened with great interest as the lovely story of the Savior's death and resurrection was told. Then we sang Charlotte Elliot's hymn: "Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me;

And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come."

I said: "I will repeat this first verse to you, my friends, leaving out certain words in it; and if you are anxious to come to the Savior, put in the missing words."

So I read:

"Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for ."

There was a brief pause, and then from the corner where the sisters were sitting came clearly and distinctly the word "ME." It was the sister who was "not a good woman" who had said it―said it with her whole heart.

"Thank God!" said more than one in that audience, and I turned back and repeated the lines again:

"Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for .”

Then we heard a duet as both sisters put in the missing word, "ME!"

The sister who was "not good" and the one who claimed to be "all right" together took the sinner's place. And as I read to the end of the last line:

"And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God .”

"I COME," they chorused.

It was a definite and never-to-be regretted decision. They found that He to whom they came was delighted to receive them and to keep them. He would never let them slip from His loving hands but would be their Lord and never-changing Friend in time and their joy forever.

"Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.

The Toss of a Coin

"I was once in a little town where many people were getting what you call 'converted.' In fact, I was within a toss of a coin of being converted myself! But it all wore off, and I have never been troubled with such feelings since." So said an elderly woman to her companion.

How sad!―to be so close to such blessing, and yet to miss it! If that thoughtless woman dies without accepting the Lord Jesus as her Savior, the memory of those flippant words of hers will bring her unending remorse for eternity.

"Within the toss of a coin of being converted!" Whatever her words might have really meant, they left the heart-saddening impression that she had at some time been among the "almost persuaded," but there had been no real work of grace in her soul.

Felix, a Roman governor, "trembled" when He heard of Jesus, but it only made him want to get away from the searching light of God's truth. "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee," were his words. They made his true condition evident. We are not told that he ever "trembled" again under the Word of God, or ever found the "convenient season" he counted on.

"Near to the door, and the door stood wide,

Close to the port, but not inside;

Almost persuaded to give up sin,

Almost persuaded to enter in;

Almost persuaded to count the cost,

Almost a Christian―and yet lost!"

A man, discouraged and desperate, had spent all his money and was down to his last coin. How should he spend that? In misery and despair, he was seeking a way "out of it all."

"You have just enough to pay the bridge toll," whispered Satan. "Pay the fee, and jump from the bridge into the river. That will end your misery!"

Yielding to the suggestion, he paid his last coin and walked out to the center of the bridge. Now do it! End your misery!

"But wait," whispered another voice, "will it end your misery? 'After this the judgment.' Jumping into the jaws of death will not end your misery!"

That was enough! He ran from the bridge. God had spoken; his precious soul was ultimately saved, and he became a rejoicing Christian. He was, in the words of the foolish woman, within the "toss of a coin" of eternal damnation. Through God's grace he missed it and obtained eternal salvation instead.

Are you aware that you are getting perilously near―not, perhaps, to your last coin, but to your last gospel opportunity? Remember, as a general rule, people die as they live, and that salvation missed is damnation reached.

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.

"Almost persuaded," come, come today!

"Almost persuaded," turn not away!

Jesus invites you here,

List to His voice so clear

Now falling on thine ear:

Come, wanderer, come!

"Almost persuaded," harvest is past!

"Almost persuaded," doom comes at last!

"Almost" cannot avail;

"Almost" is but to fail!

Sad, sad, that bitter wail―

"Almost"―but lost.

"Be Not Deceived"

You may hear preaching "gladly"―so did Herod; see Mark 6:20.

You may "tremble" at the word―so did Felix; see Acts 24:25.

You may ask for prayers―so did Pharaoh; see Exodus 8:8.

You may be "almost persuaded"―so was Agrippa; see Acts 26:28.

You may "find no fault" with Christ―so did Pilate; see John 19:4.

You may "make long prayers"―so did the Pharisees; see Mark 12:40.

You may appear to be a disciple―so did Judas; see Acts 1:16, 17.

Yet, if you have not acknowledged yourself to be a lost sinner, and received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will hear those awful words from the lips of Christ: "I know you not... depart from Me." Luke 13:27.

No Adjustments Later

The woodsman stood by the stump of the tall tree which he had just felled, surveying his work with regret. He had made no effort to investigate the nature of the terrain which, was hidden by heavy underbrush, and now found to his dismay that the tree lay in a very narrow, rocky gully which made recovery of the logs an impossibility.

While the tree was standing, the woodsman had had the power of decision to determine in which direction it would fall, but once it was separated from its stump, a change in its position was beyond his ability, no matter how earnestly he desired it.

My friend, you are approaching the day when you may wish that you had the opportunity that is yours at this moment, but your ability to make adjustments will, like the woodsman's be forever past. Your condition at death, saved or unsaved, must remain eternally fixed. The Scriptures are given by God for our admonition, and they are full of warnings that death is the deadline. There will be absolutely no adjustments after the soul is separated from the body. "In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Ecclesiastes 11:3.

Many people mistakenly believe that death is annihilation (end of existence) while in reality it is separation of the soul (the real person) from the body (James 2:26). At the time this change takes place, the soul will enter its eternal portion of either blessing and joy or sorrow and woe. There will be great rejoicing for those whose names have been written in the book of life, and utter sorrow and woe for the ones who have neglected or refused the way of salvation provided through Jesus Christ.

If you are waiting for a more convenient time, be assured that it will never come, for God makes no mistakes about the time when He calls: "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2. "To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts." Hebrews 3:15.

Some people say that they will attend to these things later, but do not wish to be troubled about them now. If you delay action, however, and death overtakes you, you will die in your sins without hope of a change. "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Proverbs 29:1.

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Hebrews 2:3.

"Flee from the wrath to come." Matthew 3:7

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: Zacchaeus, the Earnest Seeker

I want to speak to you about a wonderful meeting between a big sinner and a great Savior. If you want to see Jesus showing mercy and love, see Him face to face with a great sinner. In dealing with a case that in the eyes and thoughts of other people was absolutely hopeless, we see Jesus as a great Savior. It was a wonderful moment in Jericho, when Jesus passed through its gates.

The text is Luke chapter 19, verses 1 through 7. "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who He was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him; for He was to pass that way.

"And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner."

I wonder if you will be as wise as this man, Zacchaeus, the publican, the rich sinner, the most despised sinner in the city? I believe Zacchaeus was an intelligent, honest, earnest seeker after Jesus Christ. Perhaps he was just waiting for this opportunity.

I do know this―he acted like a man who had counted the cost, who thought the whole question out, and who knew what he was going to do when the opportunity came, without hesitation or reservation. He made instantly the acknowledgment that makes a man Christ's man forever.

It is no good to sit and sing about the "Sweet by and by." I am afraid we say all sorts of sanctimonious things to ourselves where there is no seeking of and surrendering to the will of God. Zacchaeus says, "I want to see this Man, this wonderful Savior, this Jesus of Nazareth." And this man, away back in the crowd, wanted to see Jesus enough to run.

This man ran. May God open your eyes. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus enough to climb a tree. Imagine one of the richest men in the city doing what he did to get a look at Jesus! But it is the man who is prepared to be laughed at for Christ's sake who gets the blessing.

I am not saying that it is essential to climb a tree, but I admire the spirit that makes a man so far forget himself and his position and reputation, in his longing enthusiasm and urgent desire to know God and eternal life. That is the spirit that lands us near the blessing.

And Jesus, who saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, came along the pathway that led to the foot of the tree. He "came to the place." What place?

The place where there is a seeking soul. Jesus always comes there.

He knows the place where there is a seeking soul; He knows where to seek you who come in with a burdened heart, you who come in with tearful faces, and you who come in, haunted by your past and longing for a new start in life. Jesus knows where you are sitting, and He is very close to you. God help you to believe it.

"Jesus came to the place," and when He got to the place He stopped. Then, "He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house." verse 5. And Zacchaeus made haste. He did not stop to confer "with flesh and blood," or to make excuses, or to hide in any subterfuge of lies; he made haste and came down and he received Him joyfully.

Zacchaeus did two things: he sought, and he surrendered. The man who does like Zacchaeus will be saved. The people around him said, "Oh, he is a sinner." They saw an object for hate. Jesus saw a man, and loved him. Because He loves you, Jesus sees more in you than anybody else does. Don't reject Him tonight. He comes with an open door for you. Let Him save you. God help you!

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Timothy 1:15.

Are You Born of the Spirit?

We know nothing of life until we are born. So we know nothing of spiritual life until we are born again.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:6, 7.

Why Don't You Come?

Why don't you come to Him for LIFE?

Why will you die?―why will you die?

He gave His life and died for you!

His gift is free, His word is true;

Why don't you come? Why will you die?

Why don't you come to Him for PEACE?

His peace made through His cross alone.

He shed His precious blood for you,

The gift is free, the word is true:

He is our Peace―is He your own?

Why don't you come to Him for REST?

All that are weary now may come.

The rest He gives is deep and true;

It's offered now―it's offered you!

Rest in His love―rest in His home!

Why don't you come to Him for LOVE?

Love that can fill your vacant heart.

Exceeding great―exceeding free―

His love's for you, His love's for me!

Why don't you come? Why stand apart?

Why don't you come to Him for ALL?

Why don't you prove, and "taste, and see"?

He waits to give it all to you.

The gifts are free, the words are true:

Jesus is calling: "Come to Me!"

Echoes of Grace: 1982

Table of Contents

Prospects

Feathers?

Come to Him Now!

How a Truck Driver Was "On Time"

How Can I Meet God?

Not My Righteousness

Feelings

Tomorrow - Today

Caught in a Trap

What Is Conversion?

The Scales

All Just a Dream

Are You Ready?

Does It Work?

A Gangster's Testimony

A God of Pardons

"We're Not Going to Make It!"

Rescued!

"He Gave the Ultimate!"

Only One Door

Fact, Faith, Feelings

The Book

Safe, Then Happy

Who Died for Me?

Mushrooms or Toadstools?

"It's Dark!"

My Sins Laid on Jesus

The Tailor's Story

Candles Put Out

My Father Gives

Luther's Vision

"A Full Confession"

Changed by the Book

What Then?

From Darkness to Light!

Five "Whosoevers"

A Christian or a Sinner

Does Death End It All?

Intensive Care

The Sailor's Story

"And He Died"

Come Now!

Christ for Me

Rescue

Not Satisfied

Lord, Save Me!

Where Are You Going?

Three Looks at the Wicked

"I Don't Want to Be Gloomy"

The Way of the World

The Way of the Lord

The Silenced Alarm

Whose Way?

Hearing, Believing and Having

"Whomsoever"

Good News!

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: The Wrong Way to Seek

What Could Be Worse?

The One Who so Loved Me

No Diving!

Warned!

Are All Sinners?

Hidden Treasure

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: The Will

The Thief on the Cross

"I Don't Know Him"

To Be Sure

"He Died for All"

Trapped in the Arctic

A Letter to a Prisoner

An Old-Time Preacher Hits Hard: You Cannot Change Yourself

An Example, or a Savior

If I Die Tonight, Where Will I Spend Eternity?

Perfect Love

Grace Is Free

Excused!

In the Northern Woods

Wonderful Grace and Mercy