The Cliff

Or to change the picture,, suppose that you were trying to cross from one cliff to another one which is a hundred feet away.  It is five thousand feet down to the rocks below.  You have, however, a one inch thick piece of rope which is capable of holding up several tons.  There is a difficulty though, for you have only fifty feet or rope.  I say, "Do not worry!  I have fifty feet of thread.  We can tie my thread to your rope and then tie that to trees on either cliff and then you can go across." You decline my offer and I respond, "What is the matter?  Do you not trust the rope?" 'Yes, you say, "I trust the rope but I do not trust the thread." Then let's change the story and make it ninety feet of rope and only ten feet of thread.  You're still not comfortable.  Then suppose we make it ninety-nine feet of rope and only one foot of thread.  One inch of thread?  You see, if you have one inch of thread, you will be just as dead on the rocks below as if you tried to cross on a hundred feet of thread.  The rope obviously represents what Christ has done and the thread represents what we have done.

We can do nothing to save ourselves and if we trust in works or the things of this world, we will still die.  We must trust in Christ alone.

We need to recognize that it is only by the grace of God that we are saved.  When we realize that we also realize what wretched sinners we are.  This realization almost always brings us to repentance.  Then we must build up our faith in Christ.  The indwelling Holy Spirit will help us with that.  But we must not go back to trusting in the things of this world or our own righteousness to save us.  Our righteousness is like filthy rags to God.  We must allow God to give us new white clothes and then we must keep them from being soiled by the world.

God requires that we have faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

We must believe and continue to believe.

Re 2l:7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

God sent His Son to die for our sins.  We cannot do anything to buy that salvation.  It is through Jesus Christ alone.  But God does expect us to have one thing ... faith!

Faith is the victory!  Faith is the victory!
0 glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

What If?

    What if,
    God couldn't take the time to bless us today, because we couldn't take the time to thank Him yesterday?

    What if,
    God decided to stop leading us tomorrow, because we didn't follow Him today?

    What if,
    we never saw another flower bloom, because we grumbled when God sent the rain?

    What if,