He Is Able

Perhaps this verse has been taken a little out of context but one thing is sure and correct and that is the dear Lord Jesus is able to save anyone, without exception. I once heard it said: “He is able to save from the uttermost to the guttermost!”

“Save from what?” You may well ask. Well -

No, it is not the problem of global warming, or the how to achieve much desired world peace, or how to eradicate world poverty! This problem has caused far greater troubles than all of these put together, and if the truth was known, it is probably the very cause of them. It has caused sorrow upon sorrow from generation to generation right back to Adam and Eve. It has caused a great separation between God and those whom He wants to bless with the very best He has to give.

The problem is Sin. The world needs to be saved from its guilt, its shame and its power or sadly bear its consequences - forever! Individuals need to be saved from its guilt, its shame and its power or sadly bear the very same.

Mankind has become an independent being who prefers to do things his own way. However it cannot be denied that deep within the unseen crevices of the innermost being there lies a void that cannot be satisfied by anyone or anything other than God alone. Why is this? It is because God placed it there Himself; an emptiness in the heart that only God can fill.

Try as he might, he bring peace and satisfaction to his own heart. Mankind in his wilfulness has attempted to fill that void with an almost innumerable amount of vices including a form of godliness in religion but not God Himself.

That great separation causes mankind to walk in darkness and at times he may even be quite comfortable there because as the Bible tells us: "men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” John 3: 19

Not very much I'm afraid - that is unless there is a radical change of heart. There must be the readiness and willingness to allow oneself to be examined by God and have the problem of sin exposed. A trip by faith to the cross at Calvary should be enough to cause the heart to melt in sorrow for our sins, which caused the sinless Man on the centre cross such suffering and shame.

Perhaps you are somebody who feels that you are beyond redemption. You feel that you have lived a lifetime of carefree or reckless living. You know yourself too well and those skeletons in the cupboard have been there for far too long. What hope can God give to a person like you? For once you are about to hear of some good news. Perhaps this is the best news you've ever heard, and that's probably because -

This is the reason why the Son of God came; it was "to save sinners” 1 Timothy 1: 15.And God demonstrated just how much He loves “sinners” like you and me by sending His precious Son to ultimately die on a cross of shame as our substitute. As a matter of fact, God demonstrated that love to you! If you were the only one who needed to be saved from the awfulness of sin, the Lord Jesus would have gone all the way to Calvary's hill and died on the cross just for you!

There is no sin too great, and for you it is not too late because: as our opening verse tells us:

What about those of us who are on the Christian pathway and find ourselves compassed about with besetting sins? Those annoying habits, those misplaced words, and those thoughts you are very glad no one else can see.

I believe this verse is just the one for us when we feel defeated and cheated out of the life we know we should and could be living. ‘He knows how to deliver you completely from the hold that sin can have when you turn to Him in utter dependence and have complete confidence in Him because He knows what living here is like and is able to mediate with God on your behalf.'

What a wonderful thing it is to have a Saviour like this? He was in every way God in all His fullness, and at the same time He was in every way a man, with one very important exception - He was without sin! So, when God's Son went through all the ups and downs of human living there was no territory that Satan could use in His life to his advantage. That is why He is able to assist, help and support all of us who are troubled and tested.

Perhaps in our day to day living those of us who once trusted in the Lord Jesus with our soul have a tendency to forget that -

We soldier on in the midst of concerns and cares that we need not bear. If only when we were in need of wisdom we remembered to ask Him for it remembering that He actually wants to give to us the wisdom we need in any given situation:

If only when we were worried or fretting we came and cast all our cares upon Him because He cares so much for us:

If only when we were at an end of our resources we remembered that He has a never ending store of provisions. He who looks after the needs of the sparrow takes care of our needs as well "and are we not of more value than many sparrows?”

Whatever our need is He is able to meet it not just to pacify but to satisfy completely! How can our little minds contemplate such goodness when it is beyond our understanding? However it is true and a blessed reality none-the-less and that's what makes a lifetime walking with God so special.

That sounds to me like a God who does not give to His needy people His rich blessings by measure. All that He gives is extravagant and plentiful from the untold and unfathomable wealth of God. Sometimes when I think of it I'm sure our little vessels are not big enough to receive all God's blessings, especially when I read words like these:

Is it any wonder God is able to make “all grace abound” when we're focusing on God as the giver of such a priceless commodity? It has been said that grace is:

and I am fully persuaded that this is so. The untold and unfathomable wealth of God is the acquisition of those who have humbly trusted in His beloved Son, who willingly and with steadfast mind went on to the cross where -

Oh, the untold lengths and measures He has gone to so we can be freely forgiven and so He can richly bestow upon us the grace that meets our every need.

One cannot help but learn a thing or two about the Lord when you've been walking with Him for well over thirty years! It's rather like knowing a family member or the intimate knowledge a husband and wife share between each other after having spent a lifetime together, only infinitely better, of course!

You know their ups and downs. You know how to please them and what makes them sad. After all that time you know whether or not that person is dependable. So it is with this wonderful relationship with the living God. For some it seems to take longer than others to learn about Him, what pleases Him and what grieves Him.

He said: "For I am the LORD, I change not ...” Malachi 3:6. And of His beloved Son the Bible says: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13: 8

If He is able to take care of eternal matters and secure a place in heaven for you, He is more than able to look after your life as well. You can commit it all to Him and He will keep it, and He will keep you!

And so dear friend I cannot emphasize too greatly how important and indeed how very wise it would be if you were to leave the old way of thinking behind, and trust fully in the living One who once died on a cross of shame. All this so that you might not have to try and make it on your own only to find you were wrong all the while. There He is, in the highest place in heaven, His work is done. And there He is waiting for you.

For the Christian who moves from one day to the next on our heaven bound journey we come across many pitfalls and dangers along the way. It is so easy to forget who we are and lose sight of Him who can and will guide us safely home.

Whatever temptations we face; He is our refuge. Whatever provisions we may be lacking; He is our provider. Whatever hurts we have to face; He is our comforter. Is the pathway at times a lonely one? "He is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother', (see Proverbs 18: 24.) Don't know which way to go? He is our shepherd and guide. Bombarded with an onslaught of abuse? He is our shield.

On and on we go; for there is not a problem we may have to face that is beyond His ability to help us through, or a need we may have that He cannot meet.

He is the One to whom we can turn so that we can have the ability to live out our life in a way that would give Him honour, glory and even pleasure. And when it comes to that day each of His people are looking forward to when we shall see Him face to face, He will make sure we are presentable to Him because He's even able to do that!

What a truly wonderful God we have and what a truly adorable Saviour is Jesus our Lord. How can we keep from saying from the depths of our heart: