Evening Reflection

“Furthermore, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are worthy love, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, think on these things.” 

The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chapter 4:8

Prepare To Meet Thy God - Part One 

by Robert G. Lee (1886-1978)

(Edited by RPW Sr.) 

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; and because I will do this  

unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel."  Amos 4:12

"Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye  

think not the Son of man cometh."   Matt. 24:44

I am going to speak to you on some thoughts that have come to me by thinking around a v e r se which I heard as a little country lad years ago when the people were coming to hear a man of God speak God's word. And it is a very simple text;  it says, "Prepare to meet thy God." Of course you will understand that this is addressed to a nation, to the people of Israel, and yet it has a very definite personal application, just like the Bible, which is regenerative in power and which is inspired in totality, is personal in its application. "Prepare to meet thy God." 

Some years ago the Grand Trunk Line Railroad offered $2,500.00 for the person or to the person who would send in the three best words to be chosen by judges for railroad crossings; and the person who won that $2,500.00 for sending in the three best words, according to the judgment of t he judges, sent in these words: "Stop. Look. Listen." But these haven't been worth much to many people when you think of the hundreds of people who have been killed on railroad crossings in these years that have gone by, because they didn't stop, because they didn't look, because they didn't listen. And even though Jesus Christ came into this world to die for sinners, His death will have availed nothing for your salvation unless you accept it. No medicine will do anything to restore your good health unless that medicine is taken. No bread will give any strength to your body unless that bread is eaten and digested. You can stand in the presence of a crystal fountain and die of thirst unless you drink. And all the provisions that God has made through the death of Jesus Christ who was crucified for our offenses and raised for our justification will avail nothing for your salvation unless these provisions are met by penitent faith, taking them. No matter how great God's love is, no matter how deep His grace is, no matter how marvelous are the provisions made for the salvation of sinners it will avail nothing for you if you reject it, if you say "No," if you say "I will not have that which God Almighty offers to me," when the offer is made.

We come to the truth this morning which this text puts upon our hearts. It is a very simple verse and a very simple statement, "Prepare to meet thy God." Now that is something everybody has to do. You may be rich, but your money cannot keep you from meeting God. You may be cultured, but culture will avail you nothing if you stand before God as one who has trampled  under your feet the blood of Jesus Christ. You may have political power, you may have social prestige, you may have fame, you may have broad estates, you may drive around in big cars, you may have servants at your every beck and call, but that does not mean that you will not have to meet God.  "It is appointed unto man once to die"; and whether you meet Him by death or whether you meet Him as He returns to this earth as He is going to do literally and visibly and tangibly some day, you have to meet God! You don't have to listen to me; you can turn off your radio if you want to; you don't have to come to this Opera House; you don't have to come to the Baptist church where I am preaching each night. You don't have to do that. You can die first! You don't have to open your Bible and read it. You will meet Him to whom the midnight is as the noon-day. You will meet One who has counted your footsteps since you learned to toddle at mother's knee. You will meet One who knows every word in our mouths, and there isn't a word in our mouths that he doesn't know. He's One who understands our thoughts afar off. He is One that you cannot joke with, One you cannot deceive. He is One that will riot let you escape through some technicality of law or through some eloquent plea of some lawyer, or loop-hole. You have to stand face to face with God. When you stand there you can't hide things from Him.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading 

The Epistle to the Hebrews

Chapter 10:19-25

Hold Fast Your Confession

19 Seeing therefore, brethren, that by the blood of Jesus we may be bold to enter into the Holy place,
20 By the new and living way, which he hath prepared for us, through the veil, that is, his flesh:
21 And seeing we have an high Priest, which is over the house of God,
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith, our hearts being pure from an evil conscience,
23 And washed in our bodies with pure water, let us keep the profession of our hope, without wavering, (for he is faithful that promised.) 
24 And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works,
25 Not forsaking the fellowship that we have among ourselves, as the manner of some is: but let us exhort one another, and that so much the more, because ye see that the day draweth near.

Evening Reflection
January 07 2014

“Furthermore, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are worthy love, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, think on these things.” 
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chapter 4:8

Salvation By Faith (Part 1) - John Wesley

 (Edited by RPW Sr.)

"By Grace are ye saved through faith."  Ephesians 2.8

All the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are of his mere grace, bounty, or favour; his free, undeserved favour; favour altogether undeserved; man having no claim to the least of his mercies. It was free grace that "formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul," and stamped on that soul the image of God, and "put all things under his feet." The same free grace continues to us, at this day, life, and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. "All our works, Thou, O God, hast wrought in us." These, therefore, are so many more instances of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in man, this is also the gift of God.

Wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any the least of his sins With his own works No. Were they ever so many or holy, they are not his own, but God's. But indeed they are all unholy and sinful themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And his heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being "come short of the glory of God," the glorious righteousness at first impressed on his soul, after the image of his great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works, to plead, his mouth is utterly stopped before God.

If then sinful men find favour with God, it is "grace upon grace!" If God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what can we say to these things, but, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" And thus it is. herein "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died" to save us "By grace" then "are ye saved through faith." Grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Epistle to the Hebrews

Chapter 10:11-18

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified 

11 And every Priest standeth daily ministering, and ofttimes offereth one manner of offering, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth forever at the right hand of God,
13 And from henceforth tarrieth, till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For with one offering hath he consecrated forever them that are sanctified. (a)
15 For the holy Ghost also beareth us record: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the Testament that I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws in their heart, and in their minds I will write them.
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (b)
18 Now where remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sin

(a) Editor’s thought - Sanctified, that is to say set apart
(b) Editor’s notation -  Re: vs 17 - Read Jeremiah 31:33-35

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Epistle to the Hebrews

Chapter 10:5-10

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not: but a body hast thou ordained me. (a) 
6 In burnt offerings, and sin offerings thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then I said, Lo, I come (in the beginning of the book it is written of me) that I should do thy will, O God.
8 Above, when he said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offerings, and sin offerings, thou wouldest not have, neither hadst pleasure therein (which are offered by the Law.)
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, he taketh away the first, that he may stablish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified, even by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once made.

(a) Editor’s notation - Re: vs 5 - Read Psalm 40:6-8, also John 3:17
(b) Editor’s notation - Re: vs 9 - Read Matthew 26:39

Evening Reflection

“Furthermore, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are worthy love, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, think on these things.” 
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chapter 4:8

Ad Episcopus Aegypti et Libyae - Athanasius 

Chapter one - Part one

1. Christ warned His followers against false prophets.

All things whatsoever our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as Luke wrote, 'both has done and taught Acts 1:1,' He effected after having appeared for our salvation; for He came, as John says, 'not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved John 3:17.' And among the rest we have especially to admire this instance of His goodness, that He was not silent concerning those who should fight against us, but plainly told us beforehand, that, when those things should come to pass, we might straightway be found with minds established by His teaching. For He said, 'There shall arise false prophets and false Christs, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, the very elect shall be deceived. Behold, I have told you before Matthew 24:24-25.' Manifold indeed and beyond human conception are the instructions and gifts of grace which He has laid up in us; as the pattern of heavenly conversation, power against demons, the adoption of sons, and that exceeding great and singular grace, the knowledge of the Father and of the Word Himself, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. But the mind of man is prone to evil exceedingly; moreover, our adversary the devil, envying us the possession of such great blessings, goes about seeking to snatch away the seed of the word which is sown within us. Wherefore as if by His prophetic warnings He would seal up His instructions in our hearts as His own peculiar treasure, the Lord said, 'Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in My name, saying, I am he; and the time draws near; and they shall deceive many: go ye not therefore after them Luke 21:8.' This is a great gift which the Word has bestowed upon us, that we should not be deceived by appearances, but that, howsoever these things are concealed, we should all the more distinguish them by the grace of the Spirit. For whereas the inventor of wickedness and great spirit of evil, the devil, is utterly hateful, and as soon as he shows himself is rejected of all men—as a serpent, as a dragon, as a lion seeking whom he may seize upon and devour—therefore he conceals and covers what he really is, and craftily personates that Name which all men desire, so that deceiving by a false appearance, he may thenceforth fix fast in his own chains those whom he has led astray. And as if one that desired to kidnap the children of others during the absence of their parents, should personate their appearance, and so putting a cheat on the affections of the offspring, should carry them far away and destroy them; in like manner this evil and wily spirit the devil, having no confidence in himself, and knowing the love which men bear to the truth, personates its appearance, and so spreads his own poison among those that follow after him.

My Daily Meditation

Today’s Reading

The Epistle to the Hebrews

Chapter 10:1-4

To all people I bid you greetings in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ

I am returning to our study, after taking a number of days off to reflect on many things that needed my attention.  I ask forgiveness from you all for not being consistent during the last few days of the previous year, and the first real week of the new one.  
RPW Sr.

Animal Sacrifices insufficient 

1 For the law having the shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offer year by year continually, sanctify the comers thereunto. (a)
2 For would they not then have ceased to have been offered, because that the offerers once purged, should have had no more conscience of sins?
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again of sins every year.
4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. (b)

(a) Editor’s thought - Re: vs 1 - The Levite priests could only purge sin by a yearly symbolic representation of things to come, things that were still unseen. They did not have the power to forgive it as opposed to the once and for all sacrifice of our Savior, whose death on the cross purged and forgave us of all unrighteousness. 
(b) Editor’s notation - Read Micah 6:6-7