• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Faithful with a Few

  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact
  • Start Here
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

cross

The Blessing Of Salvation!

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting about the need and blessing of salvation, by James Smith, courtesy of Grace Gems:

(James Smith, “The Voice of Mercy in the House of Affliction!” 1855)

Salvation

The Blessing Of Salvation!

Salvation is . . .
the greatest blessing that God can bestow;
deliverance from the greatest misery;
exaltation to the greatest happiness;
the greatest change in man’s state and character which can possibly be effected;
the greatest display of the love, wisdom, grace, and power of God!

Salvation is the very blessing that you need. The blessing which you must receive–or be eternally undone!

Salvation is a blessing for the PRESENT, for it is deliverance . . .
from the guilt of sin–which makes you miserable;
from the power of sin–which makes you unholy; and
from the love of sin–which proves you to be God’s enemy.

Salvation is a blessing for the FUTURE: it secures to you safety and happiness in time–and glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life when time shall be no more!

Salvation is a blessing which comprehends every other blessing.
If the man is saved–then all good things are his.
If the man is lost–then nothing good is his.
To be saved, is . . .
for the soul to be restored to a right relationship to God;
to be put in possession of unsearchable wealth;
to be raised to the highest honor; and
to be entitled to eternal glory!

No word is as sweet as salvation–as no word is as dreadful as its opposite, damnation! Reader, there is no intermediate state between these two extremes.

Filed Under: Devotion Tagged With: Bible, blessing, Christ, cross, deliverance, Devotion, God, grace gems, james smith, salvation

He Sees Countless Evils In Each One Of Us! – Devotion

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting about the evil that is in our hearts, and why the gospel is truly “good news” by J.C. Ryle, courtesy of Grace Gems:

(J.C. Ryle, “The Gospel of Mark” 1857)

Breaking Chain

See what a black catalogue of evils the human heart contains

“For from within, out of a person’s heart, come . . .
evil thoughts,
sexual immorality,
theft,
murder,
adultery,
greed,
wickedness,
deceit,
eagerness for lustful pleasure,
envy,
slander,
pride, and
foolishness.
All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God.” Mark 7:21-23

Let us distinctly understand, when we read these words, that our Lord is speaking of the human heart universally. He is not speaking only of the notorious profligate, or the prisoner in the jail. He is speaking of all mankind. All of us, whether . . .
high or low,
rich or poor,
masters or servants,
old or young,
learned or unlearned
–all of us have by nature such a heart as Jesus here describes! The seeds of all the evils here mentioned, lie hidden within us all. They may lie dormant all our lives. They may be kept down by . . .
the fear of consequences;
the restraint of public opinion;
the dread of discovery; or
the desire to be thought respectable.

But every person has within him, the root of every sin!

How humble we ought to be, when we read these verses! “We are all as an unclean thing” in God’s sight. He sees countless evils in each one of us, which the world never sees at all, for He reads our hearts. Surely of all sins to which we are liable, self-righteousness is the most unreasonable.

How thankful we ought to be for the Gospel, when we read these verses! That Gospel contains a complete provision for all the needs of our poor defiled natures. The blood of Christ can “cleanse us from all sin.” The Holy Spirit can change even our sinful hearts, and keep them clean, when changed. The man that does not glory in the Gospel, can surely know little of the plague that is within him.

How watchful we ought to be, when we remember these verses! What a careful guard we ought to keep over our imaginations, our tongues, and our daily behavior! At the head of the black list of our heart’s contents, stand “evil thoughts.” Let us never forget that. Thoughts are the parents of words and deeds! Let us pray daily for grace to keep our thoughts in order, and let us cry earnestly and fervently, “lead us not into temptation!”

Filed Under: Devotion Tagged With: Christ, christian living, cross, evil, good news, gospel, grace gems, J.C. Ryle, Jesus Christ, Mark 7:21-23, salvation, sin

The Love God Has For Us!

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting about the love of God by James Smith, courtesy of Grace Gems:

Christ Cross Gods Love

(James Smith, “Comfort for Christians!”)

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us! God is love.” (1 John 4:16)

The sweeter the truth–the more backward we often are to receive and believe it. Therefore it must be presented to us again and again. What is more pleasant, than the fact that “God is love”?

Yet so quickly we doubt it, or forget it, or fail to realize it. Therefore the Gospel presents it to us again and again, and in almost every possible form. Twice within the scope of a few verses, John tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16).

Belief in this portrayal of God lies at the root of our holiness, happiness, and peace. To the extent that we believe that “God is love”–we will . . .
consecrate ourselves to His service,
enjoy peace in our consciences,
and be happy in His ways.

God loves us, and therefore He planned our salvation, sending His one and only Son to take away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself. He also sent His Holy Spirit to teach us our need of Christ and lead us to Him. And, finally, He has put His blessed Word in our hands so that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

God loves us–and therefore He . . .
chastens us,
strips us, and
empties us.
He will not let us live satisfied without Himself.

God is love–therefore He has provided an atonement for all our sins. His justice is satisfied, and Heaven is prepared for us!

Yes, though we were sinners by nature, and deeply feel it–though we are not all that we wish to be, and deeply deplore it–yet God loves us!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, who in His love and in His pity has redeemed me!

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins!” (1 John 4:10)

photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Filed Under: Devotion Tagged With: 1 John 4, 1 John 4:10, 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:8, atonement, Christ, cross, God, God Is Love, God's love, james smith, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 4 16, Limited Atonement, love, love God, Prevenient Grace, Propitiation, Religious Views On Love, salvation, substitution, The Love God, the love of God, theology, Wesleyanism

He Determined To Go To Jerusalem! – Devotion

By //  by Khaleef Crumbley

Each Sunday, I try to post a devotional thought for you to meditate on. Sometimes it will be something out of my own studies and prayers. Other times – like today – it will be from another source.

Today, I am posting the strength of Jesus’ obedience and love by James Smith, courtesy of Grace Gems:

Jesus Set Face Jerusalem

(James Smith, “Food for the Soul” 1867)

“He determined to go to Jerusalem!” Luke 9:53

And Jesus well knew the sufferings which would befall Him there! But such was His zeal for God, and such His love to us–that He was willing to go anywhere, suffer anything, or do anything–that would honor God or do us good.

He went to Jerusalem–that we might not go to Hell.
He was condemned–that we might be justified.
He was punished–that we might go free.
He died–that we might have eternal life.

Precious Lord Jesus, may I ever be willing . . .
to go anywhere for You,
to do anything for You, or
to suffer anything in Your cause.

Filed Under: Devotion Tagged With: christian living, cross, Devotion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Luke 9:53, sacrifices

Copyright © 2022 · Mai Lifestyle Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in