AT THE CROSS! – Hebrews 12:1-2 Devotional

by | Oct 2, 2020 | Hebrews

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This week’s hymn was written over 300 years ago by Isaac Watts. It would be impossible to fully know the number of lives it has touched since he wrote it. One of those lives was the blind hymn writer, Fanny J. Crosby. In the autumn of 1850 re­viv­al meet­ings were be­ing held in the Thir­ti­eth Street Meth­od­ist Church in New York Ci­ty.

Fanny and some of her friends attended each night and she craved for spiritual joy, but could not find it. On the evening of No­vem­ber 20, 1850, it seemed to her that the light must in­deed come then or ne­ver. A­fter a prayer was of­fered, they be­gan to sing this hymn. When they sang “Here Lord, I give my­self away,” her soul was flood­ed with a ce­les­ti­al light. She realized what her problem had been. She real­ized that she had been try­ing to hold the world in one hand and the Lord in the other.

AT THE CROSS

  1. Alas! and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die?
    Would He devote that sacred head, For sinners such as I?

Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

  1. Was it for crimes that I had done, He groaned upon the tree?
    Amazing pity! grace unknown! And love beyond degree!

Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

  1. Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut his glories in,
    When Christ, the mighty Maker died, For man the creature’s sin.     

Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

  1. But drops of grief can ne’er repay, The debt of love I owe:
    Here, Lord, I give myself away, ‘Tis all that I can do.  

Refrain: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

Are you like Fanny Crosby—looking for joy to fill your soul? Her answer is our answer – – Here, Lord, I give myself away, ’Tis all that I can do.

To access this week’s free inspirational video from GloryScapes.com.  please go to: https://gloryscapes.com/atthecross/

May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – Pastor Cecil 

EMBRACE PERSECUTION! – Matthew 5:11-12 Devotional

by | Oct 1, 2020 | Matthew

Matthew 5:11-12

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

I think it would be safe to say that most of us are whiners rather than winners. We cry like babies when someone steps on our spiritual toes. The words Jesus speaks in the Beatitudes stand as a sharp contrast to that way of thinking.

To be honest, none of us enjoy painful experiences. We do everything we can to negate the pangs of pain, but let’s face it — there are times when pain is unavoidable and we have to deal with it. That is when spiritual living becomes real.

Jesus says that we are to consider times of reviling, persecution, and false accusations for standing strong for His sake as blessings. Wow! What a revolutionary thought! It is a clarion call to true discipleship. Amazingly,  Jesus tells us to REJOICE!

The spiritual justification Jesus gives for this revolutionary reaction is that our reward is not necessarily on this earth, but awaits us in heaven. Secondly, it helps us to identify with the prophets of old who endured with courage and determination. It says to me that we are to EMBRACE PERSECUTION when it comes our way!

Blessings dear hearts.  May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!

– – – Pastor Cecil

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