(1 Kings 10:1-7)  "And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. {2} And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. {3} And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. {4} And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, {5} And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. {6} And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. {7} Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard."

    In the above portion of Scripture we see that the queen of Sheba, upon meeting Solomon and seeing the greatness of his kingdom, declares that the report she had received of him did not tell half of the reality of his kingdom. She had received only half of the story.
    Noted news commentator Paul Harvey has made famous his 'Rest Of The Story' segment. These are accounts of little known incidents in the lives of famous persons. He will give a riveting description of some happening in the life of the person while not revealing who the person is. After his flowery account of the event he will tell his listeners that; "When he returns from a station break they will get the rest of the story."
    When a person is about to testify before a court of law they are required to "swear to tell the  truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." The reasoning behind this oath is that in order for a jury to make an informed and unbiased decision on the innocence or guilt of the accused they must be made aware of the facts concerning the case, all the facts with no admixture of falsehood.
    The queen of Sheba was able to see for herself the grandeur of Solomon's kingdom and thereby get the other half of the story.
    Paul Harvey's listeners will eventually, if they stay tuned, get 'the rest of the story'.
    And it is hoped that jurors will be able to render a proper verdict because they have had access to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
    This morning we would like to take a brief look at some Scriptures which are used by those who would have people to believe that their doctrinal positions are true, sound and grounded upon the inspired Word of God. However, these people often attempt to wrest the Scripture from its context and thereby try to force it to teach a position which it does not teach. Many times if they would but read the very next verse it would make it crystal clear that the Scripture does not teach their position but in reality refutes it.
    It is our prayer and desire this morning to be enabled by the blessed Holy Spirit to share 'the rest of the story' with you concerning but a few of these misquoted, partially quoted or out of context quoted Scriptures.
 It is our hope that by declaring these Scriptures in their proper context that you may see the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as to what they teach.
    When the rest of the story is told it will produce two results.
    1.) A greater knowledge and understanding of the story will be realized.
    2.) It will be realized that the first idea or conception of the story may have been in error and that a completely different story is the reality.
    There are far too many instances of denominations or sects misquoting, partially quoting or out of context quoting Scriptures than we could possibly even list, let alone briefly discuss this morning. We will however direct your attention to a few of the more often encountered examples and share some thoughts on them, praying that the Spirit will lead us in everything said.
    Let us begin our study this morning by directing our attention to a favorite verse of the Arminian who is ever so confident that it is absolutely essential for those seeking acceptance in God's sight to 'work out' their salvation by an exercise of their own free will, initially and throughout the remainder of their lives.

(Philippians 2:12)  "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

    What could be plainer, we are told, than the clear declaration that it is necessary, yea even commanded that we are to work out our own salvation, and that with fear and trembling. How they ask, can anyone question, in light of the above Scripture, that it is the persons responsibility to exercise their volition, implement their free will and do the works necessary to merit God's favor thereby securing salvation for themselves.
    I must admit that if Philippians 2:12 was the conclusion of the Holy Spirit's inspired directive to the apostle Paul on this matter that it would present me with some measure of difficulty in answering the Arminian's query and overturning their use of this particular Scripture in claiming that it teaches the necessity of the persons working out their salvation.
    However Philippians 2:12 is not all that the Holy Spirit led Paul to record on this matter.
    Unfortunately whole doctrinal platforms and denominations have been built upon the misquoting, partially quoting or out of context quoting of portions of Scripture.
    It is a grievous error to ever wrest any Scripture from its context and attempt to make it teach something contrary to what it actually teaches. All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and therefore is in perfect harmony with itself. Scripture is a whole and each thing taught is complementary to everything else taught.

(Isaiah 28:10)  "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"

    Rest assured that if we encounter a Scripture that 'seems' to teach something contrary to what is clearly taught elsewhere in the Scripture then we do not correctly and fully understand what the Scripture in question is actually teaching!
    So while I admit that if Philippians 2:12 was the conclusion of the Holy Spirit's inspired directive to the apostle Paul on this matter that it would present me with some measure of difficulty in answering the Arminian's query and overturning their use of this particular Scripture in claiming that it teaches the necessity of the persons working out their salvation.
    However, I do not admit that it would change my beliefs and convert me to an Arminian. There are far to many Scriptures which clearly and plainly declare God's free and unmerited sovereign grace to change my beliefs on that.
    If Philippians 2:12 stood alone I would simply have to confess that it is but another of the many Scriptures which I do not properly understand.
    However , Philippians 2:12 does not stand alone. It stands with the entire inspired Word of God and in its immediate context it does not teach the power of man to work out his own salvation but, in harmony with the entirety of God's inspired Word, it forcefully declares the sovereign grace of our omnipotent God in doing of His own 'good pleasure'.
    Let us now read Philippians 2:12 with its following verse Philippians 2:13.

(Philippians 2:12-13)  "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. {13} For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

    Yes, Philippians 2:12 does affirm that man has a responsibility. But, that responsibility does not, yea it can not, infringe upon or impede God's sovereign and omnipotent will.
    The responsibility of man and the sovereignty of God as they are spoken of throughout the Bible can be likened to a phenomenon called 'parallel converging lines". Parallel converging lines 'seem' to meet, but they never do! Each line is an entity by itself. A common example of parallel converging lines is a long, straight section of railroad tracks. If we stand in the middle of the tracks and look down them they 'seem' to meet in the distance. But, we know that in fact they never meet or they never cross. They are always two distinct entities.
    Now certainly we are in no wise attempting to assign a position of equality to man's responsibility with that of God's sovereignty. Such a thought is utter foolishness and rank blasphemy. Nothing of man's is or will ever be equal to anything of God's.
    What we are saying is that the Scripture declares that man is a responsible creature and that God is the only Sovereign Being. These two truths, because they are taught in the inspired Word of God, are not at variance with one another but to the contrary they are in complete and perfect harmony with each other.
   Philippians 2:12-13 declares that man does indeed have the responsibility to work out his salvation. And it further declares that he has the ability to do so because God works in man enabling him to both want to do (that is to will) and also to do God's good pleasure.
    A parallel and complementary theme is presented to us in Ephesians 2:8-10.

(Ephesians 2:8-10)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast. {10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

    God has ordained that we should walk in good works and He works in us both to will, (that is to desire) to do those good works and He also enables us to actually perform those good works. And further more, as a monument to His unfathomable and matchless mercy and grace, He will one day in glory reward us for doing those very things which He gave us the desire and the ability to do.
    Let us now focus our attention on another Scripture which is on occasion quoted by the Arminian in an effort to support their theory of the power of man's free will to be the determinate factor in the eternal salvation of souls.

(John 1:11-12)  "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: "

    According to those who would use this Scripture in an attempt to support their free will doctrinal positions it is clearly seen that those who got power to become the sons of God did so because they received Christ. He (Christ) came unto his own (the Jews) and they did not receive or accept Him. But there were many that did receive or accept Him and because they did receive and accept Him they were given the power to become sons of God.
    So it is evident, we are assured, that the distinguishing factor between those who did become the sons of God and those who did not was that some received Him and some did not. Some exercised their free will and made a conscious decision to receive Him and some exercised their free will and made a conscious decision not to receive Him. It was the deliberate and conscious exercise of one group's free will to become the sons of God that led them to receive Him which resulted in their being given power to become sons of God.
    What could be plainer we are asked? He came unto two groups of people, one did not receive Him and did not become the sons of God while the other did receive Him and did become the sons of God.
    We wholeheartedly agree that nothing could be plainer. We do believe that the Lord Jesus Christ did indeed come unto two groups of people, one did not receive Him and they did not become the sons of God while the other did receive Him and they did become the sons of God.
    Yet, we strongly take opposition as to the claimed reason as to why the two groups acted as they did. The Arminian claims (dare we say 'boasts'?) that those who did receive Him did so because of a conscious and deliberate effort on their own part. It was up to them in the final analysis. They had power to receive Him of themselves and they had power to not receive Him of themselves.
    We oppose that claim with every fiber of our being and declare it to be rank blasphemy and an abomination to the sovereign God of all the universe. We also affirm that such an idea is diametrically opposed to the total teaching of God's Word relative to the sovereignty and holiness of God and the total depravity of mankind.
    While we rejoice that there are multitudes who receive Christ and become the sons of God we are careful to  make the distinction as to why they do so.
    We are born into this life as sons of Adam. And as such we are depraved sinners and estranged from God. To become a son (that is a child) of God it is necessary to have a second or new birth.

(John 3:3)  "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

    When we are born into this life we have a mother and a father. It is said that our father 'begat us.'    When one receives the second birth they also have a Father who begat them.
    Sadly today there are countless millions of children who are begotten by fathers who don't want them, who perhaps had no desire (that is no will) to father them.
    Such is NEVER the case with our heavenly Father. All those whom He 'begat' are begotten because He desires (that is He wills) to do so.

(James 1:18)  "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."

    Let us now read John 1:11-13 and see if the Holy Spirit instructs us as to the reason why one group received Christ and therefore became the sons of God.

(John 1:11-13)  "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. {12} But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

    We see in the inspired narrative that there is a definite reason as to why some did receive Christ and therefore became the sons of God. In instructing us as to why certain ones received Christ the Holy Spirit first informs us that they did not receive Him, that is believe on His name and become the sons of God for any of the following three reasons or causes.
    1.) They were not born (that is born again or begotten of God) because 'of blood', that is as a result of their blood lines. Many of the Jews of Christ's time trusted in their ancestral lineage to commend them favorably unto God. Because we are Abraham's descendants we are assured a favorable acceptance with God was their thought. Conversely these same people thought that any not of Abraham's lineage were doomed. Christ clearly and forcefully declared that they had been resting in a false hope. Your blood lines will not account for anything as far as commending you favorably to God He declared to the hypocritical Jews.
    2.) They were not born (that is born again or begotten of God) because of 'the will of the flesh', that is because they exercised their free will and made a conscious decision to receive Christ. This inspired declaration by the Holy Spirit is in direct opposition to the claims of the Arminians. It was not because the flesh willed it to be but because God willed it to be.

(John 15:16)  "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

    3.) They were not born (that is born again or begotten of God) because of 'the will of man', that is because of the desire of someone else that they be sons of God. It is right and proper for us to be concerned about our loved ones and their everlasting destiny. We are to pray for the salvation of our loved ones. But we are to pray that God will change their minds about Him and never that He would change His mind about them. No matter how fervently and sincerely we desire the salvation of a friend or loved one we can not bring it to pass.

(Psalms 49:7)  "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:"

    Seeing then that the Holy Spirit has instructed us as to three things that did not bring the 'receiving of Christ', that is the new birth, to pass what did He tell us that did bring it to pass? They were born (that is born again) not of the three previously listed causes, "but of God". It is not of any exercise of mankind, be they mental, emotional or physical but entirely of God that anyone receives Christ, is born again and becomes a child of God.

(Romans 9:16)  "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

    Next we invite your attention to a verse of Scripture which the Arminians assure us clearly teaches that it is not God's will (that is His desire) that any person go to hell but that He wills or desires that every person who ever lived would repent and thereby be recipients of eternal salvation and eternal life. Yet, they assert, it is the will of man that ultimately dominates and decides the eternal destiny of the person.

(2 Peter 3:9)  "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

    According to their system of theology God suffers long with mankind, repeatedly offering them the 'chance' and 'choice' to repent, even pleading with them to accept what He has to offer.
    They affirm that it is not God's will that any of mankind would perish, that is go into the eternal woes of hell, but that all would exercise their free will and repent. God has offered the remedy to sinful mankind but He will not violate man's precious free will and force Him to do anything which he does not want to do. The remedy is made available to all of mankind and it is their choice whether or not they avail themselves of that remedy.
    Again we see that the Arminian doctrinal system pits man's will (that is his desires) against God's will (that is His desires). And, by their reckoning it is man's will or desires which prevails and determines the final outcome of man's becoming a child of God or not.
    However, that is not what we believe that this portion of Scripture teaches. As we have previously stated we believe that all of Scripture is in perfect harmony and that there are never any contradictions in it. What it teaches in one place is in perfect agreement with what is taught on that same subject anywhere else in the Bible.
    As we mentioned at the outset of this lesson much error can be wrought by wresting a verse or verses of Scripture from their context and attempting to make them teach something which they do not.
    Concerning a verse of Scripture that we may be studying we need to ask some questions relative to its context. These questions may include, but are not restricted to:
    1.) To whom was the Scripture in question addressed?
    2.) What were the circumstances which led to the Holy Spirit inspiring it?
    If we look at one significant word in the Scripture under consideration and ask ourselves two questions I believe it will shed some light on what this Scripture really teaches.
    First, we must ask ourselves, to whom is God longsuffering in 2 Peter 3:9?
    We are told by the Holy Spirit that He "is longsuffering to us-ward".
    Secondly, then we must ask ourselves who are the 'us-ward'  whom God is longsuffering with, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." ?
    To get a Scriptural answer to that inquiry please turn to 2 Peter 1:1.

(2 Peter 1:1)  "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:"

    We submit unto you that the 'us-ward' with whom God is longsuffering, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance",  are the same ones as those "that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:"
    It is true that God is longsuffering with the 'us-ward' and not willing that any of them should perish but that all of them would come to repentance. But, it is not true that the 'us-ward' includes all of mankind who ever have or ever shall live upon the face of the earth.
    The 'us-ward' are all of those given unto the Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal covenant of election, all those for whom He suffered as their surety, all those whom the Holy Spirit has and will quicken, preserve and ultimately deliver into the acceptable presence of the thrice holy God!
    God is longsuffering with His elect, both when they were in a lost condition and also when they are in a saved condition. If He were not longsuffering with His people they would have long ago have been consumed by His holy wrath. It is needful for the saint to be ever so thankful for God's merciful longsuffering, pray that He will forgive us for taking it for granted and abusing it, and pray that He will strengthen us against such blatant rebellion and disobedience in the future.

(2 Peter 3:15)  "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;"

    Before we leave our discussion of  2 Peter 3:9 we wish to make one more brief comment. We take exception with those who would have us to believe that God wills (that is desires) for something to happen and that it does not happen or not to happen  and it does happen.
    The immediate thought, since we have been looking at  2 Peter 3:9, is that God wills that none of mankind would perish but that all would repent of their sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, yet this does not happen. But the same blasphemous idea may be seen in other denials of God's will being supreme in the universe.
    There has never been nor will there ever be anything transpire in the universe which God did not decree to happen or did not permit to happen. Nothing happened because God could not control the situation and bring to pass what He desired to come to pass!

(Ephesians 1:11)  "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"

    How many things does God work "after the counsel of his own will"? The answer is simple and plain, "all things".

(Isaiah 14:24)  "The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:"

(Isaiah 46:11)  "Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."

    Let it be forever declared that what God has purposed, that will He also do.
    And never let it be thought for an instant that any can successfully resist His omnipotent will.

(Daniel 4:35)  "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

    None can stay His hand, that is hinder or stop His purposes. Nor have any the right to question what He has decreed to do and is doing by questioning Him with, "What doest thou?"
    The last verse of Scripture which we wish to take a brief look at this morning is one that is sometimes used by those who hold the unscriptural belief of universal atonement, that is that the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ was designed and intended for all of mankind. They teach that when the Lord Jesus Christ suffered the Father's wrath upon the cross of Calvary that He did so for the entire human race, that He paid the sin debt due for everyone of Adam's fallen posterity. All that remains, we are told, is for each person to exercise their free will and appropriate that atonement for themselves.
    In quoting the following Scripture they point out its wording and base their premise of universal atonement on one word contained in the verse.

(Hebrews 10:10)  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

    We would like to make but a few brief comments on the wording of this Scripture and then also comment on the fact that a universal atonement is not supported by the inspired Word of God, that it is in fact in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches on the design and intention of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
    First, if you are using the King James Authorized Version of the Bible you will note that the last two words of Hebrews 10:10 are in italics. There is a great significance in this fact. Words in the King James Authorized Version of the Bible which are in italics were added by the translators. In the manuscripts from which the translations were made there were no corresponding words for the words in italics. The italicized words were added by the translators because they felt that they were beneficial in conveying the thoughts and meanings of the text. Remember however that the translators, while divinely superintended and guided, were not inspired in the same sense as were those who originally penned the manuscripts. They were subject to errors in their translation process. An example of such an error in translation is seen in Acts 12:4.

(Acts 12:4)  "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."

    The Greek word here translated 'Easter' is 'pascha'. The Holy Spirit inspired the use of this word twenty-nine times in twenty-seven verses of the New Testament. Twenty-eight times the translators correctly rendered it 'passover'. One time it was erroneously translated 'Easter'.
    Let us read Hebrews 10:10 without the italicized words added by the translators and see if it makes sense, see if it is in harmony with the remainder of Scripture.

(Hebrews 10:10)  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once."

    We now see that the body of Jesus Christ was offered once. Does that make sense?
    We know that in fact the Lord suffered the holy wrath of God but one time.
    Under the Mosaic economy the high priest once per year, on the day of atonement, went into the holiest of all and there presented the blood of the sacrifice for himself as well as for the people. This pointed to the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. As this sacrifice was only typical or figurative of that of the Lord Jesus it was repeated every year.
    Does the statement that the body of Jesus Christ was offered once harmonize with the rest of holy Scripture? Let us now read Hebrews 10:10 without the italicized words added by the translators and also the following four verses.

(Hebrews 10:10-14)  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once. {11} And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: {12} But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; {13} From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. {14} For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

    I believe that it is apparent that the teaching of the inspired Word of God is that the Lord Jesus Christ was offered once as a sacrifice for sins and that offering was for ever, never to be repeated.
    I believe that when the translators added for all they would have been more accurate if they had added and for all.

(Hebrews 10:10)  "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all."

    The clear teaching that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered the holy wrath of the Father but one time and that it was sufficient for all of eternity would have been presented and is consistent with the rest of holy Scripture.
    In closing our comments on Hebrews 10:10 permit us to comment on the fact that a universal atonement is not supported by the inspired Word of God, that it is in fact in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches on the design of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
    There are so many verses of Scripture that contradict the teaching of a universal atonement that it is somewhat difficult to know where to begin with them. For brevity's sake we will simply read a few verses of Scripture and refrain from commenting on them, as they are so plain that they need no comment.

(Isaiah 53:11-12)  "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. {12} Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

(Matthew 20:28)  "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

(Matthew 26:28)  "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

(Mark 10:45)  "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

(Mark 14:24)  "And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

(John 6:37)  "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

(John 17:2)  "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

(Acts 13:48)  "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."

(Hebrews 2:10)  "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

(1 Corinthians 4:7)  "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"

    While we are right to abhor the God dishonoring doctrines they may hold, we are to be gentle, kind and longsuffering with them and diligently pray that the Lord will use us for His glory in guiding them in the truths we hold so dear. As recipients of God's wondrous grace we must at all times be a gracious people. We are to be jealous for God's honor and glory and denounce any and everything which brings any shame upon Him, His Word or His church. We must ever contend for the faith but never be contentious while doing so. We are to always be kind but never to the point of compromising God's precious truths.
    Secondly, and most importantly, while we do indeed believe that God is in absolute and total control of the universe and everything contained therein we also believe that man is a responsible creature and must give an account for the things done in this life. The sovereignty of God does not negate the responsibility of man. We are not fatalistic in our beliefs. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ commissioned His church to preach the gospel to every creature. We are under divine orders to warn everyone we come in contact with to repent from their sins and flee from God's sure wrath to come. It is our responsibility to tell people about their desperate need for the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God's business to make that message effective to whomsoever He will.
    While God is unquestionably in total control of all things which happen He is not well pleased with all things which happen.
    May the blessed Holy Spirit lead each of us to share the precious truths He has been pleased to reveal to us with all those whom He sends our way.
    And let us never be hesitant to warn people of the certainty of God's coming judgment against sin and point them to His only acceptable substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.