Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. When a man is brought under deep
conviction by the Spirit of God, then all of the assurances and
encouragements of men become as so much dumb, and can minister
no help nor relief from the gloomy cloud of sin's blackness that
he is made acquainted with. David said, there is no soundness
in my flesh because of thine anger. Neither is there any rest
in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone
over mine head, and as a heavy burden they are too heavy for
me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I
am troubled. I bow down greatly. I go mourning
all the day long, for my loins are filled with a loathsome disease,
and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore-broken. I have roared by reason of the
disquietness of my heart. Should God be pleased to leave
his children in such a state of complete despair, then I am
sure that most would go completely insane or even be suicidal. But the same mercy that plows
the field also sows the blessed seeds of the gospel, which are
designed to cause the field to blossom as a rose and send forth
a fragrance sweeter than wine. There is indeed a balm in Gilead.
There is a great physician who does bind up those running sores
and applies the mollifying ointment of His grace to those sin-sick
souls who cry out day and night for His mercy. He is pleased
to make them aware that it is He who has saved us and called
us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to
His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. but is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death
and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
The gospel message which is sent by the Lord Jesus does not confer
life, but it is used by God to inform His people that have been
given life by His Spirit, that Jesus Christ has canceled the
sin debt of all of those for which He shed His blood and has
given them the kingdom. The foundation and basis of all
that he would have them to rely upon is the work of Christ in
their behalf. Wherein God, willing more abundantly
to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which
it was impossible for God to lie, we have a strong consolation,
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before
us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, Whether
the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. Because of this flesh we are
plagued with, we yet see through a glass darkly, and even find
ourselves doubting from time to time whether or not we are
indeed included in that number of those for whom he poured out
his soul as an offering for sin. But we can never abandon that
hope that is set before us. We have confidence that Jesus
Christ is indeed the only Savior of sinners, and it is to Him
that we cannot help but look with expectancy from that gift
of faith which we have been given. We are even, as Job exclaimed,
though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. As we hear the glorious
gospel of the blessed God, we are ever encouraged to look outside
of ourselves unto Him who is the author and finisher of our
faith. The work of His Spirit leads
us into all truth and even gives us, from time to time, sweet
foretastes of the glory which shall yet be revealed in us.
The more we are acquainted with His provisions for us, the less
confidence we have in anything that is spotted with this flesh,
most especially any reliance upon our ability to believe and
or remain steadfast. He alone is our hope, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory. Only in Him do we have any assurance
whatsoever, for it is in Him that we have the assurance of
hope. We cannot have any assurance which is built upon the false
foundation of our own actions, but rather our assurance comes
as He is pleased to manifest the glory of His grace in the
face of Jesus Christ to our conscience through the work of His Spirit
as He applies the truth revealed in the Gospel to our very souls. This is blessed assurance indeed. How oft have sin and Satan strove
to rend my soul from thee, my God! But everlasting is thy love,
and Jesus seals it with his blood. The oath and promise of the Lord
join to confirm the wondrous grace. Eternal power performs
the word and fills all heaven with endless praise. Amidst temptations
sharp and long, my soul to this dear refuge flies. Hope is my
anchor firm and strong, while tempests blow and billows rise. The gospel bears my spirit up.
A faithful and unchanging God lays the foundation of my hope
in oaths and promises and blood. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.