The Power of the Cross

 

Growing up I didn't know the true meaning of Easter and even as one who attended Christian functions in early high school, I still didn't know the significance. For nearly 20 more years Easter only meant  family gatherings, Easter Egg Hunts and getting a new Spring dress. How sad to spend all those years not knowing the truth. Perhaps it's the sharp contrast of knowing the truth next to not knowing the truth that makes knowing the truth even more precious, more significant and more humbling to me. For if God had not opened my eyes to the truth I'd still be wandering down a lost path towards eternal hell. As each year passes my gratitude towards God increases as the significance and power of the cross becomes clearer and sharper and with this my heart becomes heavier as I grieve for my loved ones and others who are wandering down that lost path. 

Never cease to pray for the lost.

 "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them

 is that they may be saved." Romans 10:1

Never cease to preach the gospel.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Take time now to ponder the significance of salvation and the power of the cross and  pray with humility, gratitude for God to touch your heart in a powerful way opening your eyes even more to the beauty and glory of His everlasting presence in your life.

The Power of the Cross by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Oh, to see the dawn of the darkest day;
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.
Chorus:
This the power of the cross!
Christ became sin for us.
Took the blame, bore the wrath,
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Oh, to see the pain written on your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin;
Every bitter thought, every evil deed,
Crowning you bloodstained brow.
Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath,
Quakes as the Maker bows his head.
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life;
“Finished”, the victory cry.
Oh, to see my name written in the wounds,
For through your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live;
Won through your selfless love.
Last Chorus:
This the power of the cross,
Son of God slain for us.
What a love, what a cost,

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Convicted to Change

"Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; 

but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can."

 Jonathan Edwards

We all have things in our lives that give us problems. But in our selfish ways we're often oblivious to this until we are face to face with the problems these things cause and even then we may deny the problems until we reach a point where we're convicted that something has to change. That's where I am. For me it's that I have things that I absolutely do not need and they are getting in the way. Recently I've been very motivated to get rid of excess things around my home because my time has been wasted. Perhaps you can relate. Last week, I couldn't find something and I wasted hours searching for it because I had too many things to go through to find it and I still did not find it. Since then, almost daily, I've been wasting more time searching through things for this item, which is really crazy but even more convicting to me for I'm almost to the point where I'd accept a fire to destroy everything and then I could just start over! OK, that's getting extreme, but I'm just trying to emphasize how convicted I am to change. Jesus often reminds me:

 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy

 and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6: 19-29

I want more TIME. Time to spend on the important things which are the things that are pleasing and glorifying to my God, my Savior Jesus, the Lover of my soul. I thank Him for convicting me and bringing me to the point of extremity to change. I resolve to never lose one moment of time; but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

Perhaps God is convicting you to make changes in your life. It may be a change that will improve your health or something that will help you improve relationships with others. We all have areas in our lives that need improvement and many times the change needed seems impossible to accomplish but God can and does help us. Pray to Him, ask Him to help you, and trust that He will.

Perserve me, O God

Preserve me, O God – for in thee do I put my trust. Psalm 16:1 (KJV)

Last week while pondering on Psalm 16:1, my initial thoughts were of great gratitude to God for saving me from eternal hell. And as I thought further I considered the many ways God has protected me and my family from harm. This is truly remarkable for there is much pain and suffering in our world, yet God has blessed me in countless ways and preserving me for His Kingdom is the greatest blessing of all.

Then a new situation woke me up to why God had been drawing me to Psalm 16. Verse 1 is now not just a verse for reflection on what God has done for me but what God is doing now.

Preserve me, O God(!)– The cry is urgent. The need for help is deep. And the cry is to God for He is the only one who can help. Only God can protect me from the things that I am afraid of.

For in thee do I put my trust. – Trust is assurance that God will do as He promises. True followers of Christ trust that no matter how difficult things may get or seem, God is in control and there is no need to be afraid. I am secure. I rest in the security of Christ’s salvation, God’s preservation, and the Holy Spirit’s comfort.

For in you I take refuge. – God provides of safe place for those who trust Him. I need not fear, the time of difficulty will pass and I will reap blessings along the way.

Preserve me, O God – for in you I take refuge. Psalm 16:1 (ESV)

We can trust God to preserve and protect us. He hears the cries of those who trust Him, those who know that He is a refuge, a safe place from harm. God gets us through by drawing us closer to Him, strengthening our faith, and showing us His mighty works and His perfect purposes.

Psalm 16 is considered a Golden Psalm because of how precious and valuable it is for the devoted Christian. God’s Word is sprinkled throughout with many Golden Verses – Romans 8:28 is perhaps one of the most precious, golden verses for me. May God bless you as you draw near to Him, read His Word and gather precious gold He has for you.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

A Golden Psalm

It hasn’t been for lack of words or thoughts that I’ve not written for many months, but lack of time and discipline. Today this became a priority. God called me to sit still and write. And so I wrote and then God made it clear to me why I needed to do this now. So we’ll begin with Psalm 16.

Why Psalm 16? Because God has drawn me to this particular Psalm. Over the last many months I found myself going to Psalm 16 while reading the Bible on my iPod and as the verses became precious to me I highlighted them. Over time, nearly the entire Psalm was highlighted. Interestingly, when I referred to Matthew Henry’s commentary just a few days ago, I found that this Psalm is a Mitkim which means golden Psalm. I smile thinking about this since I have highlighted the verses golden yellow.

Something else I found interesting is how the Psalm reads very differently in the King James Version than it reads in the English Standard Version. It’s not that the meaning is really different but that it shows how easily we are affected by our understanding of words. This is actually beneficial for the meaning is much richer when both translations are read.

As I mentioned before, God made it clear why I needed to write now. The answers lies in the first verse. I will share more the next time I write.

May God bless you as you read and ponder on this wonderful Golden Psalm.


Psalm 16 KJV
1Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
4Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
5The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
6The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.


This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a golden psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament. Matthew Henry


Psalm 16 ESV
A Miktam of David.
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is )fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.