Al's Devotional

[Excerpt from the sermon, Justification by Faith , by J. Gregory Machen]   The beginning of true nobility comes when a man ceases to be interested in the judgment of men and becomes interested in the judgment of God.   But if we can gain that much insight: if we have become interested in the judgment of God, how shall we stand in that judgment? How shall we become right with God? The most obvious answer is, By obeying God's law, by being what God wants us to be. There is absolutely nothing wrong in theory about the answer; the only trouble is that for us it does not work. If we had obeyed the law of God, if we were what God wants us to be, all would no doubt be well; we could approach the judgment seat of God and trust simply in God's just recognition of the facts. But, alas, we have not obeyed God's law, but transgressed it in thought, word and deed; and far from being what God wants us to be we are stained and soiled with si...

This is so good that I have to share it.  This is a quote from a sermon by J. Gregory Manchen from his sermon, "The Atonement."  I will publish the entire article next time, but for now, here is a teaser. ~Al But I really must decline to speculate any further about what might have been if Christ had done something less for us than that which He has actually done. As a matter of fact, He has not merely paid the penalty of Adam's first sin, and the penalty of the sins which we individually have committed, but also He has positively merited for us eternal life. He was, in other words, our representative both in penalty paying and in probation keeping. He paid the penalty of sin for us, and He stood the probation for us. That is the reason why those who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ are in a far more blessed condition than was Adam before he fell. Adam before he fell was righteous in the sight of God, but he was still under th...

Dear All, Sound Wisdom from D. Merson about the way of the wilderness. ~Al And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt:  But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.  Exo 13:17 -18     The way of the wilderness   I. The way by which God often leads His people may be described as the " way of the wilderness ." There are several points of analogy or similarity between the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, and the path of God's people through this world. For one thing, the journey of the sons of Jacob was circuitous. There can be little doubt that, after their releas...

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:  And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD . Exo 10:1 -2     How God hardened Pharaoh's heart   I. By a manifestation of rich mercy, which ought to have melted the heart of the king. II. By a manifestation of great power, which ought to have subdued the heart of the king. III. By a manifestation of severe justice, which might have rebuked the heart of the king. IV. By sending His servants to influence the heart of the king to the right. God did not harden Pharaoh's heart by a sovereign decree, so that he could not obey His command; but by ministries appropriate to salvation, ...

I was thinking early this morning about Jacob and Joseph his son.  Jacob had four women in his life, but he only really loved one of them.  The other three were put upon him.  The woman that he loved was Rachel, and although the times were such that a man could have multiple wives, I don't believe that he ever would have went down that path if not for the treachery of Laban, his father in law, who changed brides on Jacob's wedding night.  I always felt bad for Leah, Rachel's older sister, who was forced to marry Jacob through subtlety, rather like the subtlety that Jacob used to obtain the birthright from his father, Isaac.  I think that Leah loved Jacob, but I believe her heart was dashed to think that he truly loved her sister.  Yet it was through Leah that the Messiah would come. God has His Providences. So, Jacob began to have children which was considered a blessing from God.  Truth be known, his children were not all...