You've heard the term "incarnation" before. You know that Jesus Christ became fully human in order to die on Calvary. You know that He was also fully God at the same time. But have you ever thought about how His humanity and divinity affected His death on the cross? Have you ever tried seeing the gospel from God's point of view? In Christ Our Mediator, C. J. Mahaney urges us to consider Calvary from God's perspective. It's a short book -- less than 100 pages -- and could easily be read in one sitting. However, it is certainly not a light read; there's a lot of truth packed into its pages. Additionally, Mahaney ends each chapter with a prayer of reflection and surrender, which [...Read More]
If even the centurion was forgiven…
June 25, 2012 By 1 Comment
God's forgiveness is SO amazing, so beyond our human understanding. Consider this: when Jesus Christ died on the cross, He prayed forgiveness for the men who crucified Him. But He wasn't just saying words. The forgiveness He asked for actually came to fruition, right then and there. How do we know? When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, 'Truly this was the Son of God!' Matthew 27:54 The centurion was the top guy, the Roman officer in charge of the crucifixions. A gruesome task, to be sure - but he was probably hardened to the sight of blood and death. His ears were [...Read More]
The Wondrous Cross
April 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you ... that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1,4). When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians [...Read More]
Five Minute Friday: Hard Love
April 22, 2011 By 2 Comments
Five Minute Friday's prompt for today: Hard Love With it being Good Friday today, my thoughts turn toward the ultimate outpouring of the greatest love ever, our Savior's death on the cross. The purest, most complete love that ever existed. And yet, how hard is it for us to lay aside our foolish, preconceived ideas, and simply accept that love for what it is? How hard it is to let go of our own so-called righteousness, and take the pure robe of white that He offers freely, and wear His righteousness? Why do we find it so hard to let go of our own ways? John tells us that we love Him because He first loved us. And that no greater love than this, that a man give his life for his friends. [...Read More]
His Robes for Mine
January 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When was the last time you found wonder in your salvation? When was the last time you marveled at the magnitude of what took place in order to free you from sin's wrath and eternal damnation? When was the last time you gave thanks to God for His wonderful sacrifice of becoming man and dying on the cross so that you might have life? He took on our sins so that we could take on His righteousness. He lived a life that was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" so that we might find salvation through His obedience and eternal life through His death. He took our penalty, bore God's wrath that was directed toward us, so that we might find full forgiveness and true freedom. He allowed [...Read More]
Eternity
January 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Preface: Many of you know I write poetry. I also follow several poetry blogs, which provide weekly writing prompts (words, themes, images) for our musing and inspiration. This week, one of them (Sunday Scribblings) provided the word 'eternity' for a prompt. And after musing over the word for a day, I started wondering about eternity past. We often consider eternity future, our own future with God in heaven, but what about eternity in the past, when there was only God? What about eternity past, just before He created the world, before He formed mankind to fellowship with Him? What about His foreknowledge during that eternity, when He knew what He would create, but He also knew how His [...Read More]
Hymn to a Gracious Sovereign
January 21, 2011 By 1 Comment
Have you ever considered the great resources we have within the pages of our hymnals? Have you ever thought of using one as a part of your personal quiet time with God? Although the lyrics of our hymns are not divinely inspired on the level of Scripture, the authors must have had some divine guidance as they penned the words. Many of them are based on specific Scripture passages, while others reference some of the doctrines we believe in. Still others are obvious songs of praise to our God or affirmations of our dedication to Him. There are hymns for just about every occasion. We have hymns for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and patriotic holidays. We have hymns that extol the virtues of [...Read More]
Ashamed of Jesus?
January 14, 2011 By 2 Comments
"But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me" (2 Timothy 1:12). Lord Jesus, shall it ever be, a mortal man ashamed of Thee? Ashamed of Thee whom angels praise, Whose glories shine through endless days? Ashamed of Jesus? Sooner far let evening blush to own a star! He sheds His beams of love divine into this darkened soul of mine. Ashamed of Jesus? Just as soon let midnight be ashamed of noon. 'Tis midnight with my soul, till He, Bright Morning Star, bids darkness flee. Ashamed of Jesus? That dear Friend, on Whom my hopes of heav'n depend. No, when I blush be this my shame, that I have not [...Read More]
Whiter than Snow
January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Hidden within every snowstorm is a promise, a reminder of our purity in Christ: "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). By Christ's death on the cross of Calvary, through the blood He shed for you and me, we are able to receive full forgiveness from our sins against Him. Because He died for us, He is able to grant us full pardon for our rejection of Him and His commands! And not only does He pardon us from sin's consequences, but He cleanses us completely from the blood and guilt of our sins, and covers us with a pure robe of [...Read More]
Born to Die
December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Consider for a moment the reason we celebrate Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. We celebrate because a tiny baby was born for the purpose of dying. We celebrate because the payment for our sin began to be offered that day in Bethlehem. The day Christ was born on this earth, He began His journey to the cross. The day He was born, He began to fulfill the requirements of our consequences. His entire life of obedience led up to His climax upon the cross, His death in our place. We celebrate Christmas, because God the Son "made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). God Himself, the Creator of the universe [...Read More]
