“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” – Rom. 3:24

It was a solemn question which was proposed in the days of old, “How can man be just with God?” Man is without righteousness, he is chargeable with many crimes, he is brought in guilty, and condemned by God’s holy law; and he has no excuse to make. His mouth is stopped. We feel this to be our situation by nature. But the Lord who is our Judge, hath devised a way by which He can be just, and yet justify us. It is by grace. He justifies, or acquits us from all charges, pronounces us righteous, accepts us, and introduces us into His favour, friendship, and fellowship, freely, without anything being done or suffered by us. He presents us with the work of Jesus, by which all our debts are paid; our righteousness is wrought out; the law and government of God are honoured; and a good title to eternal life is made out; we receive this work by faith, which He also bestows, and we are “justified from all things.” Not one charge remains. There is no condemnation. But we are justified freely by grace without the works of the law. – James Smith, 1840

 Slain in the guilty sinner’s stead,
 Jesus, Thy righteousness I plead,
 And Thine atoning blood:
 That righteousness my robe shall be;
 Thy merit shall avail for me,
 And bring me near to God.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“For if thou  altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there  enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place;  but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth  whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? –Esther 4:14

The only safe way in life’s thronging field–is straight on in the path of duty. He who falters and hesitates even for one instant, is trodden down by the marching hosts behind him. No danger of the battle is so great–as that of halting and trying to turn backward.

The same is true in all the paths of life. No duty, however hard and perilous, should be feared one-half so much as failure in the duty. People sometimes shrink from responsibility, saying they dare not accept it because it is so great. But in shrinking from duty–they are really encountering a far more serious condition than that which they evade. It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is–than to face the responsibility of not doing it. We have abundant assurance that we shall receive all the strength we need to perform any duty God allots to us; but if we fall out of the line of obedience, and refuse to do anything which we ought to do, we find ourselves at once out of harmony with God’s law and God’s providence, and cannot escape the consequences of our failure.

So it is always in the end easier and infinitely safer to do our duty, whatever it may involve of cost or peril, than not to do it. To drop out of the ranks in life’s crowded pathway–is to lose all. To neglect opportunities, is to throw away honors and crowns.–Daily Comfort

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” – 1 John 5:4
One of the most helpful things I did as a new Christian and young preacher was to read the stories of great preachers of the past – especially the missionaries. My favorite book of that type was and is “To The Golden Shore”, the biography of Adoniram Judson, pioneer missionary to Burma. While thinking about the subject of overcoming the last few days I thought it might be helpful mention Judson.
Pastor Stephen Davey summed it up well when he wrote, “On one occasion Judson was falsely accused of being an English spy. As a result, he endured a cruel imprisonment by the Burmese government. His wife, Anne, faithfully and courageously attempted to have him released through every possible channel, but to no avail.
   His prison cell was so tiny that he was forced to stand, while the cells of others allowed room to lie down to sleep. The sun was unbearably hot at times; prisoners were never allowed to bathe; pain filled every fiber of his body as he was tortured day after day. His only respite from the agony of his incarceration was a visit from Anne. In those brief but wonderful moments, she would encourage him with the same message, “Hang on, Adoniram, God will give us the victory.”
Week after tortuous week, Anne came and encouraged him, delivering the same words, “God will give us the victory.” After many months, Adoniram was unexpectedly released and assigned the task of interpreter for affairs between the English and Burmese. Because of this new duty, he was still separated from Anne. Sadly, during his time of absence, Anne became deathly ill.
   Months passed and Judson was finally allowed to return home a free man. Body broken and weak, he approached the place he once called home. As he slowly limped toward the door, he saw a child sitting in the dirt. The little girl was so covered with filth that he failed, at first, to recognize her as his own daughter. He went into their simple hut, squinting in the darkness, and gasped as he saw the emaciated form of his wife lying on a cot, weakened by disease. Tears coursing down his cheeks, he hugged his daughter close to him and knelt beside the cot.  Anne looked up at him and with her last breath, smiled and whispered the words, “Adoniram, God will give us the victory.”
   If you were to be able somehow to interview the Judsons today, they would no longer be saying, “God will give us the victory”; instead, they would joyfully deliver the news, “God has given us the victory!”
   Be encouraged, my friend. No matter what you’re going through right now, your life is in God’s hands. Hold fast to your faith as Anne and Adoniram did, even in the face of squalor and disease, deprivation and disappointment, heartache and loss. Your reward in the end is everlasting, and the celebration of final victory is . . . just ahead!”

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346