The Traveller's Guide

[Frances]

16 - I Don’t Hope at all

One day I walked with a respectable and religious farmer along the shore and met a fisherman, whom I asked if his Sins were forgiven. “No, they’re not” said the fisherman. “Oh, I hope we’re all forgiven” said the farmer.

“But I don’t hope at all” I continued “I’m sure about mine. Though, like you only a poor unworthy Sinner, I trust that Jesus paid my debt when He died on the Cross, and He says ‘He that believeth hath everlasting Life’ and I just take Him at His Word. Now let me make this plain. If a gentleman were to buy a boat, give it to our friend here, and he accepted it, and took possession of it, he would not say he ‘hoped’ to have a new boat, but that he was sure he had one. Now I hope I enjoy heaven, because I am not there yet; but I do not hope to be forgiven, when God tells me plainly that He has blotted out my Sins. (Isaiah 44:22)

[Frances]

17 - Not For Me?

Without money and without price! Such are the terms. A friend of the poor was often known to order a ton of coal to be taken to persons in distress. The weather was severe one winter, the snow lying thick, and the doner rejoiced to think what warmth and comfort his gifts would bring to many hearts and homes. The coal cart drew up opposite a poor, desolate looking cottage; the coalman told the old man within that he had brought him some coals. “It’s a mistake, they’re not for me” said the old man, and he refused to allow the coalman to leave them. The coalman had coal for another house too, and the old lady accepted the coal as a gift from God, as her last piece of coal was on the fire.

Though God offers each person the free Gift of Life many refuse it altogether like the old man, but some like the old woman, knowing their need, just accept the Gift of Life with thanks to the Giver. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, which includes each of us.
Have you accepted His Free Gift? And if so, are you showing your gratitude by a life spent for the One who died in your place? (1 John 4:10)

[Frances]

In one of the Spanish-speaking towns of South America a British subject was arrested for joining a riot and condemned to be shot. He was brought out to the firing squad. Without avail the British consul protested.

Suddenly, as the officer was about to give the order to fire, the British and American consuls rushed to the side of the condemned man, wrapped him in the Union Jack and Stars and Stripes, and cried ‘Fire if you dare’. The result was that the man’s life was saved.

The Sinner who believes in Jesus is Saved by being covered with the robe of Christ’s Righteousness; for ‘there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” He is redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, and protected as one of God’s children.

[Frances]

19 - Wages versus Gift

No child of Adam has a right to anything from God save Hell for his wages. A Sinner can only have eternal Life as a free Gift from God . Alas! Thousands refuse it, too proud to be Saved on God’s terms, which are “free, unmerited favour”.

20 – Only Two Classes

There were two classes in the day of Noah’s flood, those who were inside the Ark and those outside; two in the parable of the gospel-net, the good fish and the bad; two in the parable of the ten virgins, the wise and the foolish; two in the account of the judgement day sheep and the goats; two sides of the throne, the right and the left; two, only two abodes, when the last sentence is passed – only Heaven or Hell. (Revelation 7:13-16)

[Frances]

21 - A Church Member but Lost

Yes, a solemn thought!
Baptised, confirmed, attending church Services, one of the choir, even partaking of the Sacrament – with your name on the Church Register, officiating as Church Warden, or Elder, or Deacon – and yet Lost. Is this possible? To be a member of the outward and visible Church and yet have no part or lot with Christ?

Christ’s own words are emphatic; “Many will say to Me in that Day: ‘Lord, Lord, have we not . . . in Thy Name done many wonderful works? – And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from Me.” Are you such a professor only, honouring God with your lips – while your heart is far from Him? Or are you a possessor of eternal Life?

[Frances]

22 - Too Cheap

A preacher of the Gospel had gone down a coal mine, during the noon hour, to tell the miners of that Grace and Truth that came by Jesus Christ. After telling them the simple story of God’s Love to lost Sinners, man’s state and God’s remedy of a full and free Salvation offered, the time came for the men to resume work and the preacher was on his way to the shaft when the foreman said the way of Salvation was too cheap, and he couldn’t believe in such a religion. The preacher asked ‘How do you get out of this place?’ the foreman replied ‘simply by getting into the cage’. ‘And do you not need to raise yourself’ asked the preacher. ‘ No’ said the foreman ‘because there was much laborious and expensive work done by the proprietor to sink the shaft, there is only one way out’. ‘Just so, and yet when God’s Word says that whosoever believeth on His Son hath everlasting Life, you say it is too cheap – forgetting that God’s Work to bring you out of the pit of destruction and death was accomplished at the vast cost of the death of His Son’. Men talk of their part in Salvation, forgetting that the Lord Jesus Christ, by Himself purged our Sin, and their part is but to accept what has been done.

[Frances]

23 – The Christian Creed in God’s own words.

I believe that:-
- God is Love “Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our Sins’ (1 John 4:8+10)
- ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting Life. (John 3:17)
- ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespassed unto them’ (2 Corinthians 5:19)
- He is the propitiation for our Sins; and not for ours only , but also for the Sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2)
- Christ hath borne our greifs and carried our sorrows – with His stripes we are Healed. (Isaiah 55: 4+5)
- The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 55:6)
- When we were His enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. (Romans 5:10)
- God hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18)
- Through this Man is preached unto you forgiveness of Sins (Acts 13:38)
- By Him all that believe are justified from all things. (Acts 13:39)
- Ye who sometimes were far off, were made nigh by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13)
- He hath made reconciliation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 2:17)
- Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13)
- We have been redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, (Colossians 1:14)
- Christ hath obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12)
- He loved Me and gave Himself for Me (Galatians 2:20 + 1 Timothy 1:15)
- The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
- There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
- He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life. (John 3:36)
- Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time, without sin, unto Salvation. (Hebrew 9:28)
- If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)
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[Frances]

24 – Let Your Bucket Down

The great river Amazon pours out so mighty a stream of fresh water into the Atlantic, that for miles out of sight of land, just opposite the mouth of the river, the water in the ocean is entirely fresh.
Some years ago a sailing ship left Europe for a South American port, and through storm and mishap, was so long on the voyage that the water on board was finished. A day or two later, though becalmed in a hot climate, they sighted another vessel, and when near enough signalled that they were dying of thirst.
To their astonishment the reply came back ‘Water all around you, let your bucket down.’ They were crossing the Amazon’s ocean current, and were sailing in fresh water.
Fellow traveller, you may be crying out ‘What must I do to be Saved?’ without realising the ocean of God’s Love is all around you; and He is saying to you “Let your bucket down”.

[Frances]

25 - No God

But there is a God, as we who know Him can testify, and as (prejudice aside) a perusal of the Scriptures convinces the most sceptical. The Bible is, without a shadow of a doubt, God’s Word to this poor world. It tells how God yearned to Save mankind from the consequences of their Sin. Christ, His Son, the Prince of Glory, came down in lowly guise to the earth, became a ‘man of sorrows, and was despised and rejected of men’. Those He came to bless met His Love with hatred, spat on Him and crucified Him. When expiring on that cross, He cried “It is finished” What was finished? The Work which saves my soul, and your soul, when we believe in Him. Is it sufficient? It has satisfied God, who can be the Justifier of those that believeth in Jesus.”

[Frances]

26 – Theology

Be it remembered that a man may be a profound theologian and an able divine, and yet live and die without God, and perish eternally.

27 – It’s All in the Coupling

You may be a good person in every way, a regular Churchgoer, straight and honest; but all this is not enough. Your own good works and righteousness will never take you to heaven. Just as the furniture of railway carriages, however rich and elegant, will never avail to move the train. The one essential is the coupling. Faith is that coupling. “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting Life.” He who is united to Christ is a Living soul, ”He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life.” There is no Power in the coupling link itself; it’s importance all comes from what it does. Faith is a simple thing, it’s only value is that it is God’s plan – by which a soul is linked with their Saviour – by which a guilty Sinner is linked with his accepter substitute, who died in his stead on Calvary. Either I am trusting the Lord Jesus, or I’m not. The coupling is either attached or it is not. Uncertainty about Salvation is fatal. What are you to believe? That the Lord Jesus Christ has died in your stead, given Himself for your Sins, that you might never perish. Though faith is necessary, it is not faith that saves, but Christ. It is not a things to which faith is anchored but a living Person “the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me”.

[Frances]

28 – I Am That Clown

It is a delusion to think that persons who indulge in laughter and noisy merriment must necessarily be happy. A loud laugh or empty joke is often one of the coverings to conceal an aching heart.
A man once went to consult a doctor about his health; he complained that he suffered from such overwhelming depression that his life was unbearable. The doctor advised him to go to see the great clown lately arrived and drawing such crowds with his merriment; and if he suffered from depression after hearing and watching the clown the doctor would be surprised and couldn’t help him. ‘Ah’ said the poor man in a tone of the deepest distress ‘I am that clown’. There are many who might tell the same tale. Jesus said “Come to Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Rest dearly purchased for you. The Lord Jesus left His Throne above that He might buy it for you. He now offers that rest to you freely.

[Frances]

29 – Herrings for Nothing.

I want you to think of a bitter east windy day, fast falling snow, and a short muddy street in London. Add them to the picture of a tall, stout man in a rough coat with a comforter around his neck, buffeting through wind and storm; also a herring vendor with a large basket on his head. The stout man bought all the herrings, on condition that the vendor offered them down the street for nothing. Although he shouted the fish was free no one accepted any. Then the stout man, who the people knew began shouting too – and because they knew him people began to come to accept the fish. When the fish were all gone there was a small crowd of happy people, and a much larger disappointed crowd who had decided, too late, to accept the offer. Their unbelief only cost them an empty stomach - but what may your unbelief of God’s offer cost you? God has sent His messenger to you to offer pardon for nothing. Salvation for nothing! Have you accepted or turned away in scornful unbelief? “For God so Loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting Life.”(John 3:16)

[Frances]

30 – Not Worse Than Others

This is cold comfort and false logic. Does the judge acquit a criminal because he has only defrauded £50, while another has stolen £5,000? Are not both guilty in the eyes of the law? Is relative goodness or personal sinfulness God’s standard point for man? If you were on your deathbed, and eternity close and straight before you, would it be a comfort to you to know that Mr. Alpha was as bad as you, and that Mr Beta was no better? Would that knowledge help you to face God’s Judgement seat with calmness? Why, then, do you stifle conviction with such thoughts? Measure yourself by God’s standard, “All have Sinned” “all are guilty” – you no better than others, needing the same Saviour who died for all. It is wise to see ourselves as God sees us.

[Frances]

31 - A Moment of Time

It is in a moment that the most solemn of all decisions is made – the soul’s surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. The soul itself, may scarce be able to tell the precise moment when the “Yes” is spoken – maybe even in childhood - while we believe Christ Jesus is our substitute Saviour we have eternal Life. (1 John 5:13). When Peter turned away from Christ he forfeited eternal Life (Mark 16:7) “Go tell His disciples and Peter”.

[Frances]

32 - Christ Alone

Jesus has done all that God deemed necessary to be done to ensure complete pardon, acceptance, and Salvation to all who believe in His Name. If you take Jesus as your Saviour, you lay a foundation for eternity, for God says “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” He is the foundation stone of Salvation laid by God Himself, and on His finished, atoning Work alone you are instructed to rest this Salvation of your soul, not on anything accomplished by you, wrought in you, felt by you, or proceeding from you. Christ without you, and not the Work of His Spirit within you, must form the sole ground for your deliverance from guilt. Beware of resting your Peace on your feelings, tears, repentance, prayers, duties, or resolutions. Begin with receiving Christ, He must be everything, or He will be nothing.