"IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY"

"And when they had mocked him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified."  (Matthew 27:31)

Billy Graham once referred to the Cross as, "the pivotal point in history."  There is something in the statement, "History before the Cross pointed forward to the Cross, and history after the Cross points back to the Cross."  And, the first person who I ever heard say, "The Cross was in the Heart of God from Eternity," was my Dad.  My seminary would use the term "The Christ Event," when speaking of Jesus' Death.  "In the Cross of Christ I glory, towering o're the wrecks of time."

Interesting that when Jesus spoke of His impending crucifixion, no one said that they were thankful for what He was about to "accomplish."  Could it be that they had no idea just how wonderful that Christ Event would be for humanity.  I am alive today; I have hope, peace, and forgiveness of sin today; I am a child of God today; and, in the "last day," Jesus will raise [me] up------------- all because of His Cross and Resurrection.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I will always appreciate Your supreme act of love for me.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not o

nly emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

BEFORE AND AFTER THE CROSS

"All of us like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one, to his own way; but the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] to fall on Him [instead of us]."  (Isaiah 53:6, Amplified Bible)

I cannot adequately express what I saw, heard, sensed, whatever a few days ago.  The short version is this:  When we read in the Bible of the sins of the Fathers, the deception, murders, the God-Sanctioned destruction of nations, reading of every sin imaginable, every sin, and not only by the pagan nations, but the so-called Bible heroes, we realize that what Romans 3:23 declares is true of everyone, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  

I have attempted to explain this; perhaps you have also.  But what came to me in the most powerful way I have ever experienced, and, even though I have felt that I had some "grasp" of it, is that the Cross of Jesus has taken on for me a greater, well, I don't know.  The billions of people from Adam to this very moment, all over the world, every people group, gender, ethnic group, because of our rebellion and disobedience, were/are under Divine Judgment.  Yet, Jesus declared from His Cross, "It is finished!"  Our sins have been removed, "as far as the East is from the West."

I have been "experiencing" something "new" of this, that the sin accumulation of the millennia, BC and AD, and just how the Living Triune God detests, hates such sin, as well as His equivalent demonstration of His love for humanity, is revealed in the Cross of Jesus Christ.  Please listen to the song below.

https://youtu.be/Tkx8WAycYAc

"....NO HELP BUT ME"

"....Israel; you have no help but Me." (Hosea 13:9, CSB)

This is a sobering Word for us all.  

Even though we so many times look elsewhere for help, our Lord Jesus Christ is reminding us here that no matter what means we may have for help, it is all useless if we do as the ancient king who, "....didn't seek the Lord, but only the physicians."

Life has taught us today's text.  The wise learn from life's lessons.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I freely confess that I have no help but You.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....GO AND LEARN...."

"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."  (Matthew 9:13)

Some of us take way too long to, "....go and learn...."  The Word here for, "learn," means to learn absolutely.  In other words, we are commanded to "get this right." 

One observation about mercy:  I have observed over the years that the least merciful are those who have never considered just how much every single one of us is in need of Jesus' Mercy!

Father, in Jesus' Name, when I look at my life, I am so thankful that You Are Mercy.  Amen.

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We currently have $6000.00 to send the Ukrainians.  I will be sending the funds by December 12.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2