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The Bible Says
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) availeth much" (James 5:16)
When I was a boy at home, I saw a sight I can never forget. I saw a man dragged through the streets of town. His back was torn and bleeding from many lashes. It was a shameful punishment. For many offenses? No, for one offense. Did any of the townsmen offer to divide the lashes with him? No. He who committed the offense bore the penalty all alone. He was also the last person to bear that penalty because the law soon changed. When I was a student at the university, I saw another sight I can never forget. I saw a man delivered to die. His arms were tied up; his face was pale as death --thousands of eager eyes were upon him as he came from the jail. Did any man offer to die in his place? Did any friend come and loose the rope and say, "Put it around my neck; I will die instead?" No. He underwent the sentence of the law. For many offenses? No; for one offense of robbery. He broke the law at one point, and died for it. He also bore the punishment for a changing law. It was the last instance of capital punishment being inflicted for robbery. Years later, I saw another sight I will never forget. I saw my own soul torn and bleeding from years of sin. I felt the shame of all my sins being seen by a Holy God. I saw myself a condemned sinner, standing on the brink of eternal punishment in the lake of fire. For one sin? No, for many, many sins committed against God. Did anyone offer to bear my sentence? Yes, I looked again and saw Jesus Christ offering to be my Substitute. He bore in His own body on the cross all the punishment for my sin (I Peter 2:24). He died so that I might live. He suffered -- the just for the unjust -- that He might bring us to God (I Peter 3:18). Then I confessed my sins to Christ and trusted my soul to Him for salvation (Romans 10:9). He redeemed me from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). I had sinned and was condemned to eternal punishment and now I am free. The never changing law of God requires a perfect righteousness I could never even hope to attain by myself. Again I looked unto Him and found that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4). The law required spotless purity, and I was defiled with sin. Again I looked unto "Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelation 1:5). I was a child of disobedience, a child of wrath, "But as many as received Him, to them gave Him power (the right) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name" (John 1:12). I found in Him not only my Substitute, and my Savior, but the full supply of every need of my life. I long to tell you of this Savior, "for there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Have you accepted Christ as your Substitute? He alone is able to remove the guilt and condemnation of sin. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Believe He died for you and rose again to provide a way for your salvation. Repent of your sins, and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Substitute, and you will be eternally saved from all the consequences of sin (Acts 13:38,39). Then you can truly say, "Christ is my Substitute."
--The Bible Friend, page 8, May 2004 Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love. I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true. It satisfies my longing, as nothing else can do. I love to tell the story; for those who know it best Seem hungering and thiristing to hear it like the rest. And when in scenes of Glory, I sing the new, new song, 'Twill be the old, old story that I have love so long.
Many years ago a little old woman in London washed and ironed clothes for a living. She had one son whom she loved dearly, but as a teenager he ran away from home and went out to sea. For years she never heard from him but she constantly prayed, with tears, "God save my boy!" God did save him and he is remembered today as John Newton, a flaming evangelist! Newton led Scott to the Lord, Scott won William Cowper, and Cowper won Wilberfotce. Each of these men led thousands to Christ -- all because one woman prayed! Don't give up on your prayer life. PRAYER CHANGES THINGS, and PEOPLE. |