Rest in Christ - He Is All You Need

NONE BUT CHRIST

Have you any other rock but Christ? I do not ask you, whether you have a feeling enjoyment of it? I know you will rejoice in Jesus when the Holy Spirit enables you. But have you any other refuge? Can you go into eternity, resting upon any other rock but the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you any other righteousness but His? Can you lean upon, desire, or want any other than Christ's righteousness? 'No,' says the soul, None but Christ! None but Christ! Bless your poor heart, then, you shall have it as sure as God has wrought the desire in your conscience, and brought you to trust alone in Jesus for refuge, righteousness, and salvation, by stripping you of all false props and dependencies. Such a soul as this will trust in the Lord, overcome all opposition, and be more than a conqueror through Him that hath loved him.

John Warburton

CHRIST IS ALL, AND IN ALL

The scriptures declare in Col. 3:ll, "Christ is all and in all." Those who believe Him and His covenant promises are convinced in heart and soul that CHRIST IS ALL!

1. Then if Christ is indeed all to me, the loss of anything in this world for His sake would be no loss at all. Paul said, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

2. If Christ is all, then I can say at all times with Jacob, "I have everything" (Gen. 33:9-ll). Esau said, "I have plenty," but Jacob said, " I have EVERYTHING." He, of God, is made unto us all things.

3. If Christ is all to me, then the pleasures, profits, and honors of this world will not interest nor influence me since they can add nothing to me nor take anything from me that really matters.

4. If Christ is all, when I stand before the tribunal of the eternal God, I will lack nothing that is necessary for eternal life and glory!

"They to whom Christ is all,
Though lost and ruined by the fall,
Shall see all danger over, past,
Shall stand the storm and live at last;
For what Christ said will be fulfilled,
On this Rock believers build;
His blood shall stand, His truth prevail
Not one word or promise fail."

Pastor Henry Mahan

REST

When our God completed the creation of this world, it is said that He rested. This is not a rest from weariness, but simply declaring that there was no more to do; creation was finished! Our Lord Jesus "entered into His rest, He also hath ceased from His works, as the Father did from His (Heb. 4: 10). He cried, "It is finished," and the work of redemption was done! Let us labor to enter into THAT REST. Cease from fretting, doubting, and rest in Him as an infant rests in his mother's arms. The more we learn of His love, His sufficiency, and His exaltation (for we are in Him) the greater the rest. For there is no more to do; we are accepted in the Beloved.

Pastor Henry Mahan

BLESSINGS OR A CURSE?

How often have we heard someone talk about being blessed of the Lord? Or some false preacher says, "God has a blessing for you today!" Most generally, when people consider their blessings, they start counting temporal things: their money; health; size of their house; a prosperous business or job, etc. But the scriptures say "We look not at the things which are seen, but at things which are not seen: for the things which are SEEN are temporal; but the things which are NOT SEEN are eternal" (I Cor. 4:l8). The scriptures also speak of spiritual blessings in Christ.

Let us weigh some of our ideas about God's blessings in light of His Word. If being prosperous is evidence of God's blessings, then is being poor evidence of God's disfavor? If having health is proof of God's blessings, then does it mean that being sick is a curse from God? If the only way we can count our blessings is by looking at temporal things then we really haven't been blessed at all. For God has given us ALL spiritual blessings IN CHRIST!
He has given us redemption from our sins, regeneration by the Spirit and peace with Himself by reconciling us to Himself by the cross. In short, He has made Christ unto all believers, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

Anything you possess, hope to possess or can put your hand on or your physical eye can see, is going to perish with the using, but Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever! If there is something in your life that you call a blessing and it keeps you from the worship of Christ and the hearing of the Gospel, then you are sadly mistaken. Our Lord said "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 7: l9-2l).

Where is your treasure: in the bank; in your job; in your children? If these things are your blessings, they are all fading away -- ONLY CHRIST ABIDETH FOREVER! Do you have your heart set on HIM?

Pastor Donnie Bell