After preaching some years ago in Bristol, my host invited me to visit "Toplady's Rock," not far away in the beautiful English countryside.

The story is often told that Rev. Augustus Toplady took refuge from a sudden thunderstorm in the crevice of a large rock at Burrington Coomb in southern England. After the storm had passed, according to the story, Toplady was inspred to pen some of the most familiar words in all English hymnody. Whatever the hymn's origins, potent theology is in every line:

"Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in TheeLet the water and the blood From Thy wounded side which flowedBe for sin the double cureSave from wrath and make me pure."

Toplady saw Christ's sacrifice as the "double cure" for our greatest needs before God -- deliverance from His judgment of sin and deliverance from sin's power in our lives. Therefore, he appealed to Christ's sacrifice to "save from wrath and make me pure."

"Not the labor of my handsCan fulfill Thy law's demandsCould my zeal no respite knowCould my tears forever flowThese for sin could not atoneThou must saveAnd Thou alone"

We acknowledge our abject inability to attain righteousness by our own merits and fulfill God's righteous demands. Christ, and Christ alone, can save us. That day as I wedged my body into the cleft of Toplady's Rock, I was reminded vividly that believers in Christ have a strong, safe refuge from judgment in the riven side of our Savior, the Rock of Ages who was "cleft for us."

The glory of the gospel is encapsulated in Jesus' pronouncement from the cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). This phrase is a single word in the original Greek language of the New Testament -- "tetelestai." It simply means, "Paid in full!" "This Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 10:12). Mission accomplished! This was not a cry of agony; it was a shout of victory. God's justice had been satisfied.

Religions other than biblical Christianity start with "do" and "don't." Our faith begins with DONE! All that was necessary to bring us back to God and make us righteous in His sight was accomplished completely and forever through Christ's sacrifice in our behalf. God's torrential judgment against sin was fully satisfied.

And it's this Good News and Christ great sacrifice that make today Good Friday.

What adjective is sufficient to describe God's favor toward us, His work in our behalf, and His enablement in our lives?

Scan the dictionary and one of the best of admittedly limited options to more fully describe God's grace is, it's just -- amazing.

Most religions teach moral rectiitude. But what separates Christianity from all other religions is our message -- this good news of salvation and restoration through Jesus. The gospel announces the joyful news that righteousness is not man's achievement. Rather, God's own righteousness is placed on us and in us through Christ's redeeming work. As a result, believers are loosed into "the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).

There are subjects in the Scriptures that challenge the intellect and are hard to understand. But the gospel is not one of those subjects. The gospel is clear. However, it takes the revealing ministry of the Holy Spirit for hearts and minds darkened by sin to truly comprehend it.

The Good News of the gospel is that God takes the initiative to close the gap between rebellious humanity and Himself. He sent His Son to literally take our place. This is what theologians call substitutionary atonement. Our willful rebellion made us fully deserving of God's wrant and judgment. Jesus intervened; His blood was the sacrifice God accepted tor emove our guilt. "When we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly... God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6, 8).

The star of this story is Jesus Christ. The gospel is "concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:3). We're not saved merely because we gave our lives to Jesus; we are saved because Jesus gave His life for us. It's all about Jesus, the soul-saving, death-destroying, life-giving, freedom-granting, kingdom-conquering, eternal Son of God.

XXXXOn this Maunday Thursday, let's share this message with others. Also, you can access these Holy Week Reflections as podcasts at

Connor auditioned along with 90,000 people and brought indoor kite flying to the world. His skill and love of flying qualified him to the Las Vegas shows, and then back for the Live Wildcard Quarter Finals show, in Los Angeles California. Connor’s world wide support put him in the top 12 of The America’s Got Talent. Connor continues to share his love of kiting with new fliers as well as learning from the masters who have supported him and helped him in his journey in kiting.

Connor is an advocate and supports Epilepsy Awareness and the benefits of both indoor and outdoor kiting. He has teamed up with Amy Doran to develop the Dare To Dream Program that encourages people of all ages to believe in themselves, and embrace their dreams. The Dare To Dream Program also brings Epilepsy Awareness and speaks out to both young and old about bullying. Connor and Amy have teamed up with many foundations to raise funds and awareness for SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy Patients). For information about having the Dare To Dream Program at your school or event please email us directly at [email protected] for more information.

What is the most powerful substance in the world?

Is the most powerful entity in the world nuclear energy or some other colossal force? No, the most powerful entity in the world is the blood of Jesus. By His stripes we're healed. His blood atones for our transgressions. It counters and defeats every hellish scheme.

Not only are we protected from the devil by Jesus' blood, we're also protected against God's wrath when He will judge the world for its sin. We're protected from God's judgment in the same way the ancient Children of Israel were protected on that first Passover night when the Lord brought judgment on the land's idolatry.

God provided a way for His people to be protected by applying the blood of an innocent lamb to the doorposts of their dwellings. Then the Lord promised, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you" (Exodus 12:13). The blood applied to the top of the door and on each side reminds us in a very pronounced way that we are protected under the New Covenant by our Lord's wounds on the cross.

The analogy here is so awesome we need to pause and learn from that epochal night. Think of what any Hebrew mother must have experienced that night. Earlier that day, along with her husband, she had applied the blood of the innocent lamb to the doorposts of their dwelling. She might not have understood the theological implications, but she obeyed God's directive. By faith they received the promise that God's judgment would pass over them because they were now protected by the blood.

But as Hebrew mothers held their firstborn sons that night, they started to hear agonized shrieks from Egyptian mothers as death hit every home without the blood. Nationwide, Egyptian firstborn boys were inexplicably dying. Now, if you were in the place of those Hebrew mothers, how would you have reacted?

I'm sure there were strong, spiritual women who remained perfectly calm. But let's get real. No doubt there were other Hebrew mothers who were frozen with fear as the wails of grief grew louder by the minute.

But here's the point -- and it's a big one. Those frightened Hebrew mothers and their sons were just as safe as the saintly, serene mothers and their sons that night. Why? Because their safety did not rest in the level of their faith. Their safety was in the power of the blood!

In the same way our protection from God's wrath does not rest in what we have done but in what He has done. Even if our faith may seem weak, we "apply the blood" to our lives, where we live, and we too experience God's saving grace. Our salvation does not rest in the strength of our faith but in the sufficiency of His sacrifice.

As Andrae Crouch reminded us, "The blood that Jesus shed for meWay back on CalvaryThe blood that gives me strengthFrom day to dayIt will never lose its power"

It's time to reflect: Jesus died for you. It's time to rejoice: Jesus defeated death!

XXXXAs the Lord leads you, please share this Good News with others. You can access these Reflections as podcasts at www.informedradio.org.

A truly wonderful interview with Pastor Robert Morgan concerning his latest book .

In Always Near, Pastor Robert J. Morgan draws from his personal experiences, decades of Bible Study, and consistent personal devotions to provide 10 ways believers can cultivate the blessings of God’s presence.

Find out more about the great writings and content from Pastor Morgan at www.robertjmorgan.com 

 Pastor Robert J. Morgan has sold more than 4.5 million copies of his 35 Christian books, and he returns to provide readers with a new resource about experiencing God’s presence in daily life. Morgan’s latest work, “Always Near,” tells of ten ways to delight in the closeness of God through shared anecdotes from the lives of admirable Christians and relevantly encouraging Scriptures.

“The Lord our God is near to us whenever we pray to Him,” said Morgan. “The Creator of the cosmos bends His ear to our praises, listens to our pleas, and pauses to hear each need.”Drawing on 38 years of pastoral experience in addition to time spent working with the late Billy Graham, Morgan gives readers glimpses into his spiritual journey of learning to walk with God on a daily basis. As described in his book, Morgan understands more fully each day that God is with us and for us even when distance is discouraging.

Throughout his decades of learning to lean on the Lord, Morgan has also encountered many men and women with great faith legacies. Their stories of struggles and triumphs in their walk with Christ are shared throughout “Always Near,” and Morgansupplements their stories with relevant Bible verses.

“Life, even when it’s wonderful, is challenging,” said Morgan. “Every day has its own burdens. But whatever happens, draw near to God with sincere faith, for He has promised to never leave you.” 

From escaping the clutches of a rabies-ridden dog to learning to navigate his wife’s condition of multiple sclerosis, Morgan has experienced God’s faithfulness during every high and low, even when it was difficult to see the goodness during a difficult situation.

There are ten sections of the book, each equipping readers with different ways to experience greater intimacy with God.

“God’s presence is pervasive, so God is infinite,” said Morgan. “His presence is personal, so he is intimate.”

Morgan’s book, “Always Near” reminds readers that they are never truly alone, and it is possible to discover nearness with their Creator.

“Always Near” releases April 2, 2019 from Thomas Nelson Publishing. For more information, visit https://www.thomasnelson.com/9780718083380/always-near/.

About Pastor Robert J. Morgan

Robert J. Morgan is the teaching pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has served for 38 years.  He is a best-selling, gold-Illuminations, and gold-medallion winning writer with more than 35 books in print and more than 4.5 million copies in circulation in multiple languages. He is a collaborative writer for Dr. David Jeremiah and Turning Points Magazine. Rob has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. He speaks widely at churches, conferences, schools, and corporate events. He is a homemaker and a caregiver for his wife, Katrina, who battles multiple sclerosis. He and Katrina have three daughters and fourteen grandchildren. They are co-owners of Roan Mountain Bed and Breakfast in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. In 2014, Rob was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from his alma mater, Columbia International University.

1997

Todd and Beth Guckenberger land in Monterrey, Mexico and eight days later the first mission team arrives. 350 missions guests serve in the first year.

1998

The initial property in Monterrey is purchased. Today, the building houses staff and visiting guests. Later, additional land purchases expand the size of the site to accommodate 60 full time staff, more than 80 Hope Program students and facilities to serve many local orphanages.

2001

The Hope Program is created after we discover kids are leaving orphanages at age 15 and are at a high-risk to repeat the orphan cycle with their children. Out of this insight, the Hope Program is born with four boys and two girls in Monterrey.

2006

Back2Back’s ministry expands to Jos, Nigeria to begin serving in the Kisayhip Village. Soon after arriving, land is purchased and a campus developed. Today, we serve local orphanages, host a growing Hope Program and a community education program at Back2Back’s Igmin Kibe Education Center

2008

Staff moved to Hyderabad, India to launch the third international site. Later, a campus is purchased and built. The campus houses and cares for dozens of children, and the India ministry serves hundreds of children.

2008

Beth Guckenberger’s first book, Reckless Faith, is published and the Back2Back platform widens.

2010

A family preservation program is launched in Cancun, Mexico. Later, land is purchased, and a community center opens to serve the families of the Tres Reyes community.

2012

The Mazatlan, Mexico site launches. Today, this site has 25 staff, a Hope Program and a thriving ministry to local orphanages.

2012

Two years after the devastating Haitian earthquake, Back2Back’s work begins in Haiti. Today, the site is growing with a staff team of 15 and multiple ministry partners.

2015

180 international staff. 20,000+ missions guests. Countless children impacted. The story is not over yet.

What can one look do?

Just ask Charles. He was hounded by despair. Although he was raised in a churchgoing family, he was in deep turmoil of soul, gripped by guilt and anxiety. Peace eluded him. Desperate to find an answer, this young seeker braved a blizzard to get to church, and hopefully get to God and peace.

Unable to reach the church he usually attended because of the severe weather, fifteen-year-old Charles ducked into a small Primitive Methodist chapel. There were just eight people in attendance, all huddled around a coal-burning stove. The bitter conditions had even kept the pastor away. But a simple, short unpacking of the best news Charles had ever heard would soon be delivered by an unsung hero.

In the pastor's absence an untrained blacksmith stood to speak. He read Isaiah 45:22, "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!" Pointing his bony finger at the anguished young man he cried, "Look, young man! Look! Look to Christ!"

That pivotal night Charles heard the gist of the gospel: Look away from yourself. Look away from your sin. Look to Christ! Look and live! And on that snowy night young Charles Spurgeon looked in faith to God's crucified, risen Son.

That blacksmith's one convert from his one short sermon soon started preaching himself to throngs of people. Charles Spurgeon's gospel-anchored ministry shook London and the world for the next four decades.

There's another story about the power of a look in the Old Testament. The Children of Israel had rebelled against the one true God. As a result, venomous snakes began to attack the people. They were dying in droves. Moses interceded before God in behalf of the people. "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it shall live'" (Numbers 21:8). This symbol of a snake wrapped around a pole remains the emblem of the medical community today. It reminds the needy that there is hope and healing.

The snake on the pole is a vivid illustration that "[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The pole represents the Cross of Christ. Jesus said, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:14-16, NIV).

When John the Baptist announced Jesus arrival, he said,"Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29, NLT).

Have you looked to the Lamb of God who took your sin? That look changes everything.

"If you from sin are longing to be freeLook to the Lamb of GodHe to redeem you died on CalvaryLook to the Lamb of God"(H. G. Jackson)

XXXIn this Holy Week, let's share this Good News with others. You can also hear these Holy Week Reflections as a podcast at www.informedradio.com.

More non-Christians and guests attend church services on Easter than any other time of the year. What a wonderful opportunity to reach out to family, friends and neighbors to experience God's Presence and the transformative gospel message.Yet today in our polarized and hyper-politicized culture, many people joining us are not shy to express strong opinions regarding sensitive issues of our day. Some are hankering for confrontational interaction so we need to be ready.Fake news and deception abounds ,and Scripture tells us "always be ready to give an answer for the hope we have" (1 Pet.3:15). We need to be equipped so we're confident and convincing when we engage others in conversations.In past interactions with Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper and others, the Lord has helped me handle questions and issues in a winsome way.Do you know how to "take the heat" when you courageously stand up for the truth in today's pop culture? Topics like radical Islam, illegal immigration, abortion, gun control plus thorny questions like "Is Jesus Christ the only way?" require preparation and clear answers.

Why do Christians make such an emphasis on the Cross?

Almost every religion has high regard for Jesus. But whether or not He is the one and only redeemer -- or if humans even need a redeemer -- is where biblical Christianity parts company with every other faith.

The Cross of Jesus Christ is the central abrasive issue. Other religions leave no room for a chosen Savior who experiences the full weight of the world's transgressions. By contrast, this cross -- this sacrifice -- that is so repugnant to others is attractive and precious to us who believe. It is at the same time the ultimate tragedy and the ultimate triumph. As Ravi Zacharias observes, "This is the moment toward which all of history had been moving, and by which history would be forever defined."

Those who wish to escape Jesus and His Cross find He is too colossal to evade. Whether or not people believe in Him, they are compelled to deal with Him. Our rebellion against God and His rule was dealt with at the Cross. God has always been angry at rebellion -- at sin -- because He knows defiance against His loving rulre spells destruction, dismay, and death. So God poured out His wrath against sin. That wrath should have fallen on me -- and on you. Instead God poured out His fury against sin on His Son. "This is real love -- not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10, NLT). That sacrifice happened on the cross.

It is this towering God in flesh who magnetically elicits our worship. How can we begin to describe the majesty of Jesus? He's the poet's greatest theme, the composer's sweetest music, the sinner's dearest friend. To the weary, He is wonderful; to the confused, counselor; to the weak, He is mighty God, to the orphaned, everlasting Father, to the distressed, Prince of Peace. In His life, He is humanity's only perfection; in His death, humanity's only Savior; in His resurrection, humanity's only hope.

"King of my life, I crown Thee nowThine shall the glory beLest I forget Thy thorn-crowned browLead me to CalvaryLest I forget GethsemaneLest I forget Thine agonyLest I forget Thy love for meLead me to Calvary."(Jennie E. Hussey)

It's time tor reflect: Jesus died for you. It's time to rejoice: Jesus defeated death.

XXXXAnd it's also time to share this Good News! I encourage you to share these Reflections. Also, you can access Holy Week Reflectionsthese as a podcast at www.informedradio.org.

Timothy Plan is steadfastly committed to maintaining portfolios that do not contain the securities of any company that is promoting an agenda contrary to the teachings of scripture, or is actively participating in activities that may prove destructive to our communities at large. The Timothy Plan embraces and declares the following set of principles to be the corporate philosophy to which we wholeheartedly subscribe:

To conduct every phase of our business in a manner that brings honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ;

To provide our mutual fund shareholders with the finest quality service available in the financial services industry;

To retain the confidence and trust of our shareholders through our total commitment to honesty and integrity in managing every aspect of their investments in the Timothy Plan mutual funds;

To consistently demonstrate our dedication to professionalism and excellence in everything we do;

To communicate with a sincere, caring attitude toward every shareholder or prospective shareholder; and,

To always place our shareholders' financial well-being above our own.