A Gift From God

Do you love to receive gifts, well you are just about to receive one of the best gifts from God.  Read on.

"Repentance, as well as forgiveness, is the gift of God through Christ.  It is through the influence of the Holy Spirit that we are convicted of sin and feel our need of pardon.  None but the contrite are forgiven; but it is the grace of God that makes the heart penitent.  He is acquainted with all our weaknesses and infirmities, and He will help us.

Some who come to God by repentance and confession, and even believe that their sins are forgiven, still fail of claiming, as they should, the promises of God.  They do not see that Jesus is an ever-present Savior; and they are not ready to commit the keeping of their souls to Him, relying upon Him to prefect the work of grace begun in their hearts.  While they think they are committing themselves to God, there is a great deal of self-dependence.  There are conscientious souls that trust partly to God and partly to themselves.  They do not look to God, to be kept by His power, but depend upon watchfulness against temptation and the performance of certain duties for acceptance with Him.  There are no victories in this kind of faith.  Such persons toil to no purpose; their souls are in continual bondage, and they find not rest until their burdens are laid at the feet of Jesus.

There is need of constant watchfulness and of earnest, loving devotion, but these will come naturally when the soul is kept by the power of God through faith.  We can do nothing, absolutely nothing, to commend ourselves to divine favor.  We must not trust at all to ourselves or to our good works, but when as erring, sinful beings we come to Christ, we may find rest in His love.  God will accept every one that comes to Him trusting wholly in the merits of a crucified Savior.  Love springs up in the heart.  There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there is an abiding, peaceful trust.  Every burden is light; for the yoke which Christ imposes is easy.  Duty becomes a delight, and sacrifice a pleasure.  The path that before seemed shrouded in darkness becomes bright with beams from the Sun of Righteousness. This is walking in the light as Christ is in the light." F&W p. 38,39.

(Grandma Joan's remarks)  Are you enjoying these worships?  It's been a long time since I have read this little book, Faith and Works, but I just found one in my daughter's garage and I grabbed it up because it is so precious to me.  I hope you find it the same.  For me it just gives me the peace and rest that I need and to trust fully in Christ for my salvation.  I once heard a sermon entitled, 'It's easier to be saved, than to be lost'.  And I wondered how is that so?  Well, this little book explains it all and that is why I am sharing it with you.
May you be blessed each morning as you read these captions.  Grandma Joan