Archives for December 2020

Good morning,

An all-sufficient Savior–and a needy sinner!

(Frank Hall)

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved!” Psalm 55:22

Why are we so determined to carry our own burdens, when we have proved countless times that we are utterly insufficient for the task? Is it not due to our sinful flesh, carnal pride, and foolish self-sufficiency? We often mope about in sadness and depression with heavy hearts–because we foolishly, ignorantly, and obstinately refuse to cast our burden on the LORD.

The Lord Jesus has proven Himself fully capable and willing to carry our heaviest burdens. The heaviest load that has ever been carried was carried by Him, for “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all!” Isaiah 53:6. It was the tremendous weight of our sins made His–which laid Him low in the garden of Gethsemane, and pressed His blood through the pores of His skin. In infinite mercy and grace, He bore our sins, our guilt, and our shame in His own body on the cruel tree, and was made a curse for us–that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. He not only carried our sins to Calvary’s cross, He took them away forever by the sacrifice of Himself. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us!” Psalm 103:12 

Children of God, let us forever cease from fleshly self-dependence–and cast every burden on our mighty Savior. It doesn’t matter what the burden is, or how heavy the load is–the Lord Jesus is ready, able, and willing to bear it for us. We need not bear it even for a moment. It is our glorious right and God-given privilege as the beloved children of God, to cast every care and every burden on our Savior.

Are your struggling to carry a burden of guilt and sin? Struggle no longer and stumble no more. Cast your sin and guilt on Him! He will . . .
  sustain you,
  forgive you,
  receive you,
  and embrace you!

Are your responsibilities stressful and overwhelming your soul? Do not neglect them, but do not presume that you are sufficient to do anything on your own.
Cast them on Him,
seek His grace,
depend on His mighty arm
–and He will sustain you!

Is your heart laid low with heavy cares and secret troubles? Cast them all on Christ!

In love, grace, and wisdom, your Savior gave you these cares and troubles–not to see how far you could carry them on your own–but to bring you to the end of yourself. He gave you these cares to show you your inability, your weakness, and your need of Him–that you would cease from your carnal self-confidence and find your all in Him:
  full salvation,
  infinite strength,
  unceasing aid,
  everlasting sufficiency,
  and perfect help. 

His power and grace are sufficient for us in all things . . .
  in every trial,
  in every circumstance,
  and in every temptation.
He will sustain us to the end. He will never allow His righteous ones to be moved. He loves them with an everlasting immutable love! They will never be utterly forsaken or cast down. He . . .
  keeps them,
  protects them,
  helps them,
  preserves them,
  provides for their souls, and
  sustains them freely forever by His almighty grace!

No two things fit more perfectly together, than an all-sufficient Savior–and a needy sinner!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time; casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you!” 1 Peter 5:6-7

   ~  ~  ~  ~

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Thanksgiving

Why are we thankful?

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalm 100:3-5)

Introduction

Thanksgiving is the word that should characterize November. What makes us thankful?

Family, loved ones, jobs, recreational opportunities. We also should be thankful for the freedoms we have. We have the freedom to express ourselves, political freedom, ability to elect our representatives, and to attend and worship as we please.

Free Will

God gave us a free will to choose to follow Him or Satan.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Bible

He laid out His standard in the Bible. He tells us how the world was created, why one man’s transgression has made us all sinners, the result of that sin, how the conflict in the Middle East started, the creation of the nation of Israel, the history of the nation of Israel, the need for a blood sacrifice, and the ultimate redeemer who came to die, being the one time blood sacrifice for all mankind, Jesus Christ. So, we should be thankful that God gave us the Bible.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God made us

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27)

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:14-16)

Jesus, Savior, Redeemer

Jesus was the Holy Son of God. Never sinned, never did any wickedness, creator of all things. Then God did something special for each of us by sending Jesus to earth to pay our sin debt with His own blood.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) We should be thankful that God gave us His Son as Savior for all mankind.

God made sure that salvation was of faith not works.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them..” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God made accepting Jesus easy.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

We should be thankful for salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sheep of Jesus pasture

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

Nothing can separate us from God’s love

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-9)

CONCLUSION

Be thankful

Why are you thankful today?

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com