“PROVE ME NOW herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Mal. 3:10
Is there a yawning gulf between you and these words of the Lord? Is “your way of life” so distressing that you say "If there is a God, he does not care for me!" How does this come to be? Let's look back! This has been your history has it not? "All we like sheep have gone astray" Isa. 53:6 "There is none that seeketh after God" Rom. 3:11. "As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient" Rom. 1:28. At the root of the trouble has lain the desire to get away from God, from His gospel, from His word and witnesses, and to walk "according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Eph. 2:2. "Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" John 3:19.
While in health and strength you have pursued this way, what have you done with your conscience crying out against you?—stifled it! What have you done with the Bible? "Cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire." Jer. 36:23. What have you said to God's Holy Spirit pleading with you to repent? Have not your words been—"Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways." Job 21:14. Well "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal. 6:7. What saith the scripture? "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear." Isa. 59:2.
And then God is blamed for your adversity! "Ye say the way of the Lord is not equal," but God replies—"Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal?" Ezek. 18:25. But just here it is God holds out to you a mighty helping hand. "He hath showed strength with His arm." Luke 1:51. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him: and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55:7. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy." Prov. 28:13. "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." Isa. 1:18.
God "is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. This call to repentance on the part of God is imperative and cannot be ignored—for He "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." Acts 17:30.
The case is thus: God loves the sinner, but He hates his sins. "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee." Psa. 5:4. You must part with your sins if you are to dwell with God. If you don't, where do you expect to be with them in eternity? The Bible says: "The wicked shall be turned into Hell." Psa. 9:17.
“But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." Psa. 130:4, and "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Eph. 1:7. Yes indeed! "Through His blood!" "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1st John 1:7 "Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (mercy seat) through faith in His blood". Rom. 3:25 "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." Lev. 17:11. That precious life of the Son of God, He laid upon the altar of sacrifice for your sin and mine. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." 1 Peter 2:24 "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Tim. 1:15 "Neither is there salvation in any other". Acts 4:12.
This is what our Savior God has done for you—(if you will bow to the gospel and believe it) "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all". Isa. 53:6 "He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all". (Rom. 8:32). "Payment God will not twice demand, first at my bleeding surety's hand, and then again at mine." "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
WARNING!! "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?" Heb. 10:28-29 "Because I have called, and ye refused.... but ye have set at naught all my counsel.... I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh". Prov. 1:24,25,26. "Woe unto him that striveth with his maker". Isa. 45:9.
“PROVE ME NOW"—"saith the Lord.”
We began with this—and now return to it. "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." John 3:33 The best thing you can do is believe it! Settle the question of your sins—the first and most important question in your life. Go to God about them. "Who can forgive sins but God alone." Luke 5:21 Remember that He can forgive them only because "CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY". Rom. 5:6 because "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" 1 Peter 3:18.
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God". Rom. 3:23 "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags". Isa. 64:6 "There is none righteous, no, not one". Rom. 3:10
BUT: We are "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus". Rom. 3:24 "By Him all that believe are justified from all things." Acts 13:39
"No wrath God's heart retaineth
To us-ward who believe;
No dread in ours remaineth
As we His love receive;
Returning sons he kisses,
And with His robe invests,
His perfect love dismisses
All terror from our breasts.”
Believing—no longer "the wrath of God abideth on him" John 3:36 instead "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved", Eph. 1:6 and now "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly". Psa. 84:11
Believing—you will "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory". 2 Tim. 2:10
“Eternal glory"—yes—and what of this life now with its daily cares and necessities? "Having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come". 1 Tim. 4:8 "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". Phil. 4:19. God will send you a blessing, both earthly and spiritual, "that there shall not be room enough to receive it". Mal. 3:10 "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God". Rom. 8:28 Ah! Do you love God? "We love Him because He first loved us". 1 John 4:19
Finally, a word of grace to you dear reader, from the writer, redeemed by "the precious blood of Christ," 1 Peter 1:19—(a Christian for more than half a century). "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God". 2 Cor. 5:20
“Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to thee". Job 22:21
PEACE! What a blessing! "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ". Rom. 5:1
"In peace let me resign my breath
And Thy salvation see -
My sins deserve eternal death,
But Jesus died for me.”
T.M.
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