Sunday, January 9, 2022

HYMN OF THE DAY
Ancient Hymn

Sovereign grace o’er sin abounding!
Ransomed souls, the tidings swell,
Tis a deep that knows no sounding,
Who its breadth or length, can tell?

What from Christ that soul can sever,
Bound by everlasting bands?
Once in Him, in Him forever,
None can pluck thee from His hands.

Heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus,
Long ere time its race begun,
To His name eternal praises,
Oh, what wonders Christ hath done.

On such love, my soul shall ponder,
Love so great, so rich, so free,
Say, while lost in holy wonder,
Why, 0 Lord, such love to me?

Tune: “Brethren We Have Met” pg.15

DYING TO SELF

“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself…”
Matt. 16:24

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and unpunctuality, or any annoyance: when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, and spiritual insensibility, enduring it as Christ Jesus endured, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you no longer care to hear yourself in conversation, or to record your own works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in far more desperate circumstance, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF. - Unknown

LOOKING, ALWAYS LOOKING
Jude 21

Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Everyone is looking for something. The man who is knowledgeable is looking for more knowledge. The rich man is looking for more riches. The poor man is looking for his next meal. The famous are looking for more fame. Looking, always looking.

I want to sound out the praises of the Almighty God of all grace, for some in this sin-filled world are "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto life eternal". Yes we looked yesterday, and we are looking today and will be looking tomorrow.

Why do we keep looking? For we have found that mercy in the bloodstained Redeemer. Does that sound strange? Perhaps in the natural realm, but not in the spiritual. When an eternity-bound sinner sees the Savior, he is transfixed by the glory and beauty of Christ Jesus, and he is looking, always looking.

Yes, we are "Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith." (Heb. 12:2). We have found Him today, and we will find Him again tomorrow. There must be no mistake about this.

John was greatly rejoicing when he saw the Word of life "Which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life" (1 Jn. 1:1). John the Baptist looked upon the Lord Jesus. "And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God” (Jn. 1:36).