Posted on by Angela

Four Ways to View the Cross

The cross is a universal symbol. It is worn by Christians and non-Christians. When we see the cross most of us immediately think of the crucifixion and the suffering Christ. It denotes hope and freedom, and it is used to decorate our homes, clothing, jewelry, and bodies in the form of tattoos. Let’s consider four additional ways we can view the cross.  

DEATH 

The cross demands death. I realize this is simplistic, but at its most basic level the cross is an execution device. The cross was used as an instrument of torture and death by the Romans. Criminals were nailed on the cross and hung in public places as a warning to others. Being nailed to a cross was humiliating and a slow, painful death. The person executed in this way was left on the cross for hours exposed to the elements of the weather, heat, rain, etc. There was only one way off the cross –death.  

The cross is central in the Christian faith. Jesus was put to death on the cross for the sins of the whole world, past, present, and future. Were it not for His death on the cross, we would still be lost in our sins with no hope of peace with God. Jesus and His death on the cross made a way for reconciliation between man and God. So that we might be saved. God used a device of torture that man had created and redeemed all mankind through Jesus on that very device.  

Historically, the cross had been used since ancient times for varied reasons. It gained popularity with the Romans in execution and then with Christians symbolically under Constatine. It symbolized Jesus’s death and resurrection. In Catholic circles, the cross is referred to as the Crucifix and has Jesus on the cross symbolizing His death. In Protestant circles, the cross has Jesus removed from the cross, marking His resurrection. Without Jesus’s death on the cross we have no hope of salvation.  

The cross is not found in the Old Testament. There is one reference in Deuteronomy that is applicable to the cross. Paul references it in Galatians 3.  

 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— (Galatians 3:13 NASB) 

Here is that reference from Deuteronomy.  

22 “Now if a person has committed a sin carrying a sentence of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body is not to be left overnight on the tree, but you shall certainly bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is cursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:22-24 NASB (emphasis mine) 

DENIAL 

Wearing the cross identifies a person with the suffering of Jesus. It shows we are willing to sacrifice ourselves for the things God loves and give up our rights. It is about denial. 

Jesus told His disciples in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” The choice to follow Jesus is not a one and done event. It is a daily choice. It is a denial to what we want and a surrender to what He wants. Our will always pulls us away from the things of God. Daily denial of those things brings us in line with His way and His will. For example, our will desires revenge when someone wrongs us. His will demands we deny that desire for revenge and offer forgiveness to the one who wronged us.  

Jesus asked us to do this daily. Not every once in a while. Daily. Jesus asked the Father if there was some other way than the cross, yet He surrendered His will for the Father’s. He denied what He wanted for the better plan of the Father’s. He had to go to the cross so that we could be saved. He bore the cross once. He asks us to deny ourselves daily. In comparison, it is a small ask.  

IDENTITY 

The cross also gives us identity. We identify ourselves as believers in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ in the wearing and display of the cross. While many individuals suffered and died on the cross in history, it became the symbol of the suffering of Christ. Had He not died on the cross there would be no need for anyone to place a cross in their homes, wear it around their neck or in any other form of jewelry, or have it tattooed on their body. We only do these things because Jesus was crucified on the cross.  

We identify with Jesus in His suffering and accept that His suffering was enough to redeem us for eternity. Paul writes often of this in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 1:18 he says, 

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 

And again, in Ephesians 2:16: 

“and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.” 

And still in Colossians 2:14: 

“having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” 

Think about what we are identifying ourselves with each time we wear the cross. In Jesus death, the separation between God and man was removed. It was through the cross Jesus made atonement for our sins. This is why the cross is special to Christians.  

In early Christian history, Christians would signify Christian businesses, gathering places, etc. either through the sign of the fish or later through the cross. Many steeples on churches carried a cross at the top. Anyone looking knew where Christians gathered. Sadly, today’s steeples seem to have gone out of fashion among churches and the cross with it, but that is another topic for another time.  

The proliferation of crosses makes me wonder if the cross has not lost some of its wonder and meaning in today’s world. Have we lost sight of the price that was paid on a hill 2000 years ago? 

Before we put the cross anywhere on us, either by jewelry, clothing, or ink, we better be sure we understand what we are identifying with. Can we honestly say we are willing to lay all on the line for Jesus? That is what the cross represents. 

DEVOTION 

What does the cross mean to you? What do you think of when you see the cross? The answer to these questions reveals a great deal about what we think about Jesus. We cannot separate the cross and Jesus. The cross leads us to Jesus and Jesus leads us to the cross. 

The cross brings us to devotion. Just as Jesus was devoted to the will of the Father even to death on the cross, so to we should be devoted to Him. There are many things which divide our devotion. We have many things to entertain us and pull us away. Screens abound everywhere, and there is always something to watch, a new game to play, a new feed to follow, or a new video to view. Before we know what has happened, we have been led astray from the things of God and any commitment we once made to Him, and we have slipped into the coma of scrolling reels on Facebook or TikTok. 

All of the previous points are culminated in devotion. We acknowledge His death was enough to cover our sins, in doing so we deny ourselves daily for His will, and we identify ourselves with Him in the recognition of the cross. We show our devotion to Him by our obedience to His commandments and striving to become more like Him in our words and actions.  

Jesus remarks in Matthew 10:38, “…the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” 

Just as Jesus knew what lay beyond the cross, let us give Him our devotion knowing that someday our time will also be complete and we will be forever with Him. The writer of Hebrews said it well in Hebrews 12:2 

“looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” 

May we always be so devoted to Jesus that we look only to Him. We know our joy and hope is found nowhere else. Let’s remember to give our all for One. 

CONCLUSION 

It is a simple device. Two lines, horizontal and vertical, encompassing everything, and it demands everything. It is an acknowledgement of our surrender to give our everything to the One who gave His everything for us.  

So, here are four ways to view the cross. We view the cross through Jesus’s death, our denial of what we want for what He wants, our identity as believers, and our devotion to Jesus the originator and perfecter of the faith. 

Maybe the next time we wear a cross, purchase a cross for our home, or if you are a person who likes tattoos, selects one for your body, we will pause and consider our reason.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

The Reward is Coming

Hebrews 10:35-36 NASB 

35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. 

The believers at the time of the writing of Hebrews were under persecution. They had their property taken. They had their lives taken. They lived under constant threat for their faith. I am sure they were tempted to turn their backs on it all and walk away from the faith. They needed endurance. The reward was coming. They needed encouragement to not “throw away their confidence.” They needed to hold on to what they knew was true. To hold on to their belief in Jesus.  

Satan wants us to walk away. He wants us to throw away our confidence. He wants us to give up. Don’t give him that satisfaction. Don’t give him that victory. Hold on. The reward is coming. 

I don’t know where you are. I don’t know what is going on for you. Just let me encourage you not to give up. Don’t quit just because it is hard. Keep pressing on. If you are a Christian reading this follow the admonition of the Hebrews writer and “do not throw away your confidence.” Keep trusting Jesus. Keep waiting for His return. Keep working until then. The promise is coming.  

I know it can be tiring to work and not see any results. To give everything you have and see no change. To be a faithful witness at work and still hear the same foul language from your coworkers. To pray for your spouse and see no change. To pray for your child addicted to drugs and alcohol and watch them sink deeper. It can be difficult to minister to the same group every Sunday and only see cold eyes staring back at you with hearts even colder.  

This was not the post I had intended for this week. However, I am nowhere near finished with what I had intended. Tired and frustrated and frankly wondering if I was writing All for One in vain, I played around with some other ideas and thought about maybe a post on tiredness and fatigue. 

The above verse was the verse of the day on Thursday. The part that really hit me was “for you have need of endurance…” All for One is not a major blog site for the world. I don’t have a fancy website and tons of pictures, and all the other things that I understand a blog should have. Some days I want to give up. Some days I want to start over with a new blog. I can’t say that I should walk away just because it is hard. So, here I am writing my simple words of faith and encouragement.  All for One is available to whoever God wants it to reach. 

There are many things which can keep us from finishing our work, and this world isn’t getting any better. Let each bit of struggle make you that much stronger. Let each newscast make you that much more determined. Keep walking. Don’t walk away from the faith. Walk closer to Jesus. You have need of endurance. You get stronger in the trials. You get stronger in the struggle. The reward is coming.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: To God Be The Glory

When we consider the third verse of any hymn, sometimes that verse is at the end and sometimes it is in the middle of the hymn. The placement of the third verse can be important in understanding the verse and the hymn if the hymn builds each verse on another. Often each verse builds on each other. So, by the end, the whole story is told. In this case, it is difficult to pull one verse out as a stand-alone. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” is one such example. 

If we are reading the verses meditatively, the arrangement can make little difference to us. Let us consider the hymn, “To God Be the Glory.” The hymn contains only three verses. Each verse could stand alone in single meditation. One could take three or four days to reflect on the words of the hymn, including the fourth day for the refrain. The words of each stanza should drive us to scripture for deeper reflection and meditation. The hymn is not scripture, but many hymns are abundant in doctrine and have a strong scriptural foundation.  

To God be the glory, great things He hath done, 
so loved He the world that He gave us His Son, 
who yielded His life an atonement for sin, 
and opened the life-gate that all may go in. 

In verse one, right away the hymn begins with God’s love for us in giving us His Son to be our Savior. To be the way to cleanse our sins and bring us into a right relationship with Him for eternity. This is the joy and satisfaction of the cross. Just when we think that exultation could go no higher, and indeed it is hard to find a greater avenue of praise than the sacrifice of Jesus, we move into verse two. 

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, 
to ev’ry believer the promise of God; 
the vilest offender who truly believes, 
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. 

Verse two continues with the salvation theme but opens the door of hope for all people no matter how wicked or how unlovable. Whoever the “chief of sinners” may be, redemption is still possible for those who would receive it. The blood of Jesus is not for only a select few. It is not only for Jews. It is not only for select races. The sacrifice of Jesus is open for all men and all women of every race and nationality. The blood of Jesus covers the sin of every man and woman and child from the humblest sinner to the vilest wretch in prison. It is for the good man and the wicked. It is for everyone. Praise the Lord and To God be the Glory. 

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, 
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; 
but purer, and higher, and greater will be 
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. 

The final verse reflects on the acts of Jesus. While he was on the earth, He taught and did many things. John wrote that if books were written of all the things He had done the world could not contain them. (see John 21:25) As Christians, we strive to obey and follow His teachings. We understand them to be greater than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. His words are light and life, and He is the light of the world. And yet, we have never laid eyes on Him. So, as we understand Him now through the Bible’s written testimony of Him, how much greater will our joy be when we see Him face to face?  

This is the capstone of the final verse. Not just that we know Him now, but that we will be transported to be with Him for eternity. As wonderful as knowing Him is now, what splendor and glory and joy and wonder await those who know Him as Savior and Lord when we reach eternity and lay our eyes on Him. Truly, great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son.  

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
let the earth hear His voice! 
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
let the people rejoice! 
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, 
and give Him the glory, great things He hath done. 

I don’t know where you are in your walk with Christ. Maybe today you need to make a new commitment to Him. Maybe you need to accept Him as your Savior. Don’t delay making this decision. One day we will be transported and see Him face to face. I hope to see you there.  

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 NASB 

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Giants in the Land

Mankind has always had a fascination for the unusual, the macabre and the weird. It seems we are always curious about what is strange to us or what we do not understand. The subject of giants is one example. Our legend and lore of giants is one of men tall and huge and angry but not all that intelligent. 

A history of giants can be found in cultures across the globe. Greek, Norse and English are just a few of the cultures that contain literary and mythological backgrounds on giants. Most attempts to prove the existence of giants are disappointing. Physical evidence is just not there or has been manufactured.  

The Bible, which is my source for truth, indicates they once existed and not just in the case of David and Goliath. In many places, the Bible mentions giants. Depending on the translation you use, they may be called by different names. The New King James uses the word “giant” seventeen times between Genesis and 1 Chronicles. The New American Standard, which I use most, tends to refer to them by race such as Nephilim or Rephaim or Anakim. In some cases, where giants are mentioned by name, other evidence is listed as well. For example, Goliath was over 9 feet tall, and King Og had a bed made of iron that was about 14 ft long and 6 ft wide. This textual information gives validation to their existence. It is interesting that the races of giants are only mentioned in the Old Testament. There is no mention of giants in the New Testament. What does this mean? It tells me that the giants died out or had been incorporated into society in such a way that they were no longer a threat.  

So, what about now? Do we still have giants? Certainly, they simply just don’t fit our image of what a giant should be. Some people grow to heights of over 7 feet and live happy healthy lives. Unfortunately, there are others with the condition called “giantism”, which causes their bones to grow abnormally and disproportionally. So, while we may not have the hulking figures of our imagination and fairytales, giants are still in the land.  

I know you are wondering what does this have to do with anything? Well, when God called the Israelites to take possession of the land, spies were sent in to explore the land. Ten came back with the report that there were giants in the land. They couldn’t possibly take the land. They so frightened the Israelites that they all agreed and refused to go in. The refusal cost them forty years. 

Their faith was trapped not in what God said was theirs, but in what ten men said they witnessed. Are we really that different? Granted, if someone told us they saw giants, we would be more likely to respond with, “Ok so you saw really tall people.” Or they ran into an NBA basketball team. We wouldn’t immediately leap to “Fee fi fo fum.” But what if someone said, “You can’t do that.” “No one has ever done that before.” “That doesn’t work here.” “Who do you think you are?” 

The words are different, but the impact is the same. Well-meaning people will keep you from God’s best when you listen to them rather than God. God does use them to protect us, certainly. But, if He has already told us to go in, don’t be distracted by the giants or the ten whispering do not go.  

Have you ever noticed that while Joshua and Caleb said, “let’s go and take the land,” they didn’t disagree with the other ten in terms of the giants? They disagreed with the discouragement that was being spread. Not with the report. In the face of the giants, they still believed they could take the land. Why? Because God had already given it to them.  

God didn’t even disagree with the challenge. His punishment was for their unbelief. Not their fear. They didn’t believe Him when He said go and take the land. They saw the good things there sure, but then they saw the size of the people and said there is no way we can do this. They considered themselves grasshoppers compared to the residents forgetting that God had already given the land to them.  

Is God asking you do something and you are hesitant because of the challenges? Because of the giants? Don’t be afraid. Step boldly into the land the Lord has given you. He can handle the giants. Just do what He has told you. There may be giants in the land, but little people have overcome giants before. 

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Sustained and Restored

I feel like I have been on a long journey. I haven’t been anywhere, but sickness has run through my house. It ended with me. I was sick for over a week and after ten days of medicine I am finally back at my desk trying to get back to work.  

Scripture is replete with men and women, kings and ordinary people who were sick in one way or another. Some suffered horrible deaths from their sickness. Others recovered by a touch from Jesus. Some were sick because of their sin. Some were sick through no fault of their own, but that God might be glorified. And ultimately, Jesus bore our sickness and shame on the cross that by His stripes we are healed. (see Isaiah 53:5) 

The time of Flu/Covid that ran through our home was inconvenient, and my husband and I are still left with a cough that will last till Christmas, as coughs are known to do. Yet it did not end in our death. We are well. Our strength has been, and is being, restored.  

This brings me to a wonderful verse in the Psalms that can bring us comfort no matter our illness.  

The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health. Psalm 41: 3 (NASB) 

For those of us who call on the Lord as Christians, this verse should comfort us. No matter the illness. No matter the condition, He is the one who sustains us. He is the one who restores us. Doctors provide medicine and a course of treatment. But where does the intelligence come from to know what medication to prescribe? Where does wisdom come from to know what course of treatment is necessary? Were it not for the revelation of the Lord, there would be no discovery of medication.  I am not diminishing the years of study and preparation doctors and nurses must put into their practice. I appreciate the hard work that they must go through to practice medicine in any form. Yet the treatments work because of the wisdom of the Lord.  

My time of sickness was short and insignificant compared to what some of you may be going through. What I want you to understand, however, is that whatever illness you have, the Lord sustains you. Turn to Him. If you do not know Him as your Savior, make today that day. I mentioned earlier that it is by His stripes we are healed. He bore our sins on the cross. He paid the penalty for our sins. He took our punishment, our death. He bore it all. Give yourself to Him today.  

Maybe you are not suffering from a physical sickness but a sickness of the heart. Your spirit is broken and you can find no answer and no relief. Believe me, friend, there is comfort and peace and healing in Jesus. We might be able to bear our physical sickness, but the sickness of a broken spirit is much more difficult to bear. He does not leave those who have called on Him alone to try to figure it out. He is right there with you as you walk through your pain. You are not alone. Keep your head up and keep walking.  

So, whether you are afflicted with physical sickness or a broken spirit. Jesus is with you if you have called on His name. If you haven’t, He is waiting. Call on Him today. He is ready to heal or walk with you through whatever situation you encounter or experience. Will you come to Him today and let Him sustain you and restore you? He is waiting.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Treasure Scroll

In the Judean desert, treasure is scattered. All totaled, it is said to be worth over a billion dollars in today’s currency. It was hidden roughly two thousand years ago and has never been found. Some say it never existed in the first place. Others say it is still out there somewhere waiting to be found. Maybe parts of it have been found and never reported. The only reason we even know anything about it is the material it was written on. A scroll hidden in a cave close to the Dead Sea and made of copper.  

The Copper Scroll is the only one of the Dead Sea Scrolls of its kind. It was discovered in 1952 by archaeologists in cave three. The scroll was so oxidized by the elements from two millennia that archaeologists could not unroll it as they would papyrus. The scroll had to be cut into twenty-three pieces to get the full text of the scroll.  

Of course, since its discovery many have searched for the treasure the scroll is said to contain but have had no success. The problem lies in the fact that many of the places mentioned in the scroll no longer exist. They have just been lost to history. There are no landmarks that we normally associate with treasure maps or maps of any kind for that matter. It would be like telling us to take a left at the old oak tree but then someone cut down the old oak tree. Or to dig in the Adams’s backyard, but the Adams’s moved, and the backyard is now a parking lot. If the landmarks are gone, what about the treasure? 

Either it is still there hidden, or it has long since been found by the original ones who put it there. Another possibility is that it has been found and instead of reporting it the finder just quietly assimilated it into their life selling off pieces as they needed to. This seems the least likely as we as humans like to brag about our good fortune. If someone had found such a magnificent treasure, someone would know about it. 

Some have wondered where this treasure came from in the first place. Was it the treasure from the temple in Jerusalem before it’s fall in 70AD? (I’m old and old school. I still use AD and BC, instead of CE and BCE.) Or did it come from the sect that wrote some of the scrolls that were found in the caves? 

Now before we go all Indiana Jones and strike out trying to find this treasure, remember it has already been done by many others, and they had no success.  This has caused many to wonder if the treasure is even real. If I am honest, I believe it is, or at least was, someone went to all the trouble of engraving it on copper. Why do that for a lie?  I think there is something greater for us here. It is the reminder that everything that glitters is not gold. Sure, I believe the treasure did exist and might still somewhere. But more importantly is what Jesus taught us is Matthew 6:19-20: 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal…” (NASB) 

Real treasure is not what we can find buried in the sand or where X marks the spot. Treasure is found in following Jesus. Would it be fascinating to discover a great treasure? Certainly. Am I going to go dig up the Judean desert to look for what is contained on the Copper Scroll? Nope. My treasure awaits me, and no one will ever take it from me. It is saved for me alone and there is enough to go around for everyone who trusts in the name of Jesus.  

I love a good mystery, and the Copper Scroll captures my imagination. It is fun to chase aspirations of buried treasure worth untold wealth. But when I come back to the truth, my feet are firmly planted, and I know better than to chase a treasure that moth and rust corrupts and thieves would love to steal.  

Is the scroll truth or fiction? In the end, it doesn’t matter. It still teaches a great deal about treasure. Where does your treasure lie? Where is your heart? Place your treasure in heaven and follow Jesus. Choose Him today. He is worth more than any treasure.  

All for One 

Angela 

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Third Verse Devotion: On Jordan’s Stormy Banks

Old age is the leveling field for all of us, and it is not kind. We all reach an age when our bodies will not allow us to do what we did in our youth. Our minds tell us we can still do what we did in our twenties or thirties, but our bodies tell us no way.  

Ecclesiastes 12 paints a picture of old age. Take a moment a read Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8. What are some of the words and phrases used to describe old age?  

Solomon paints a dreary picture of old age and aging in these verses. He speaks of things those of us of a certain age can relate to. He speaks of eyes growing dim, unsteady feet, stooped posture, missing teeth, poor hearing, poor sleep, fear of falling, fear of travel, slower steps, white hair and low energy. The caper berry was used as a stimulant to increase appetite and pleasure. So, when the caper berry was ineffective, Solomon was referring to the fact that life’s pleasures were gone. He took no pleasure in food, sex, or other physical activities. He had no energy for them.  

The hymn “On Jordan’s Stormy Bank” has a view that might put things in perspective. Verse three reassures us one day the sickness, pain, ailments and suffering we experience as we age and even as we just experience life will not touch “that healthful shore.” None of the negative emotions felt over loss, pain and death will be felt and feared again.   

No chilling winds or poisonous breath 
can reach that healthful shore; 
sickness and sorrow, pain and death, 
are felt and feared no more.  
Refrain: 
I am bound for the promised land, 
I am bound for the promised land; 
oh, who will come and go with me? 
I am bound for the promised land. 
 

While we are here, we must experience grief, sorrow, and pain. It is part of life. We live in a fallen world. As a result, we all suffer in some way. We all grieve and sorrow. We all have pain.  

If we want to someday find a place of no more suffering and no more pain. A place where death cannot be found. If we want to find a land where there is no sorrow or grieving. We must look to Jesus. He suffered in our place on the cross for the sins of the whole world so that He might erase our suffering for eternity.  

Revelation 14:13 assures us  

“…Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on! “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” (NASB) 

John continues to record in Revelation 21, 

“and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (v4 NASB) 

There is hope at the end of aging and sickness. We have hope that eternal life exists for those who trust in Christ. Whatever you might be going through now is hard. Whether it is part of the aging process or an illness, it is hard. Maybe it is a family member or loved one and there is nothing you can do. Now is the time to experience the assurance that you are bound for the promised land. Stand strong in the hard days. The rest our bodies crave at the end of aging and illness is found on that healthful shore. Are you bound for the promised land?  

“Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land” 

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Verse of the Day: James 1:21

Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. (NASB) 

The verse of the day comes from the book of James. James is believed to be written by James the brother of Jesus. His book is hard-hitting and a quick read at only five chapters.  

Today’s verse comes in the beginning when James jumps right into his message with the testing of our faith and being obedient to the word. Verse 21 falls in the middle of a paragraph on anger and being a doer of the word and not a hearer only. 

James is writing to Believers, so he has no problem telling them and us what our lives should look like. Today’s verse reminds us that filthiness and the remnants of wickedness of what we once were have no place in our lives now that we belong to Christ.  

Take a moment and look inside your own life. What does it look like? Is there filthiness that no one else sees? Is there filthy language that flows from you like dirty water? Would you want anyone else to know what you think about, read, or watch? These are the filthy things we need to part with.  

What remnants are there of wickedness that might linger from before you met Christ? Deep in the secret places of your heart. Now is the time to rid yourself of them. I admit it is not easy. Perhaps that is why James used the word “ridding”. It is an ongoing action.  

When we begin to look honestly at ourselves, it brings us to a place of humility. Let that drive us to the word of God and let His word wash over us. His word reminds us of His love and forgiveness. His word is implanted within us as we spend time reading it and listening to it. It is through His word we are kept for eternity.  

Jesus’s blood saves us. His sacrificial death on the cross saves us from our sins and His written word keeps us on the path He has prepared for us.  

Spend time today to examine your heart and ask God what corrections you need to make to adjust to His word. Seek what you need to rid yourself of to be more like Him. Let His word be your guide today. 

All for One 

Posted on by Angela

Time to Examine

On July 4th, America celebrated her 250th anniversary of her declared independence from the rule of King George III of England in 1776. Our independence was hard fought and won over a war with Great Britan. In the decades and centuries that followed America fought growing pains as she expanded from thirteen original colonies westward into the unknown regions of the Midwest, Great Plains, Rockies, Southwest, the frozen wonder of Alaska and the paradise of Hawaii.  

We fought Indians, the name given to the Native Americans by Christopher Columbus who mistakenly thought he had reached the East Indies in Asia. We fought France and Spain. We fought England again. And we fought ourselves in the ugly scar of slavery and the rights of the states. Every skirmish, battle, and war, taught us to fight a little harder, to stand a little taller. We fought for our freedom, and we weren’t about to lose it. We fought for our land, and we weren’t going to give an inch back. And we didn’t.  

We tried to stay out of world conflict and fights that weren’t ours. George Washington was adamant that these United States stay out of world affairs. Yet we found ourselves drawn into two World Wars. Then it was a slippery slope into Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and others. America was a dominating world power, and we had great leaders who meant what they said and had a country who backed them up. We had a military who went in and got the job done whatever, whenever and wherever it was.  

Something changed somewhere along the way. We lost our focus. We let the minority affect the majority. Somehow right became wrong and wrong became right. We became divided. The last thirty years have brought a change in this great nation. And it is not good.   

I can’t say with certainty where it began. Maybe when we removed the Ten Commandments from our schools. Or told our children we could not pray before lunch. We have the freedom to practice religion or no religion at all. Many early settlers came here with the hope to worship God as they wished, but they all worshipped God. Those early settlers wanted to worship the way they believed without the fear of state persecution from the Catholic Church or Church of England. So, they came. Puritan, Anabaptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic and others. The one thing they had in common was that they worshipped God. The difference was in the method of their worship.  

Now here we are two hundred and fifty years later and while we have not lost any physical ground, much of our moral and spiritual ground has been lost. The morality of our country has been lost to ideals our founding fathers never considered. While it is true they were not saints, what has been done in the name of freedom would have no doubt sickened them. As it should us today. We have groups showing pride for things that are shameful. Children are targets for another’s perversion. And we mock God for His creating us male and female by creating genders that do not exist.  

Spiritually, it isn’t much better. Some of the same individuals I mentioned are leaders in our churches. We use God’s love as an escape for our sin and forget his love is balanced by His judgment. In the name of freedom of religion, we allow religions to enter our country who hate our way of life and would destroy us. We preach grace and forgiveness and neglect repentance and holiness.  

It is time for change, and it is time for it to begin with us. I have examined my country, but if you are reading this from a distant shore, is your heritage much different?  What is your moral and spiritual heritage? I am not talking about politics. I am talking about right and wrong. Not philosophy. What does the Bible say about these things? I am not here to offend, but to call us all to consider our ways. To bring our hearts back to God. We may not be in a position to change the course of our nation, but we might be able to affect our church, our community. Consider Psalm 33:12 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen for His own inheritance. (NASB) 

Of course, He has chosen Israel as His inheritance. But I do believe there is a blessing for any nation who makes God LORD. The nation who as one honors the Lord and seeks His blessing from its leader to the poorest person on the street. When we decide to take an honest look at ourselves and put our sin away from us, we change and we begin to affect others around us. We change the way we dress and the way we talk. We begin to honor God in the little ways and in the big ways. And it matters.  

So, let’s celebrate our freedom and our liberty. Let’s begin by turning to God in repentance and surrender. While we have celebrated America’s Independence Day, it can be anyone’s day to celebrate what God has done in their life and what God might have prepared for their nation. Celebrate, pray, and seek the God who judges the nations and tell others of His wonderful deeds.  

Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. Psalm 96: 3 NASB 

 All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: Down at the Cross

We are humans born into sin. We are all sinners in need of salvation. When we accept Jesus’s precious gift of salvation, that gift is eternal. We will stumble. We will fall. Stumbling and falling doesn’t mean we have to start over in our salvation. It means we must confess our sin and seek forgiveness in repentance and strive to walk in faithfulness. The third verse of the hymn Down at the Cross gives us hope in our eternal security.  

O PRECIOUS FOUNTAIN THAT SAVES FROM SIN 

Jesus gave His blood as an atonement for our sin. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, there had to be atonement. Remember, after their eyes were opened what did they do? They sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. After God confronted them and punishment was given, God himself clothed them with animal skins. There had to be shedding of blood to cover their sin. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).  

From those earliest days we understood there had to be a sacrifice. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. He did this once for all time. Paul wrote to the Romans, “for the death that he dies, He died to sin once for all time: but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” Romans 6:10 NASB. The writer of Hebrews also reflected this in 7:27 and in 9:12. Peter, also, in 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…”  

Jesus’s sacrifice was enough to save us eternally. He does not have to repeatedly sacrifice himself to save us from our sin. His sacrifice was once for all time, and we are saved once for all time. Our response is to put our trust in Him. The choice is ours. 

I AM SO GLAD THAT I ENTERED IN 

When God placed Adam in the Garden he told him he could eat from any tree in the garden except one. The tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the only one Adam was told not to eat from. From that moment on God gave Adam a choice. Would he obey what God told him?  

Eve was created and the same command was given to her. Soon temptation slithered in and the rest is history. From that first bite till now mankind has been given the choice to obey God or not.  

We have free will. When Jesus gave His life on the cross as an atonement for our sins, He gave us a choice. Accept Him and His free offer of salvation or not. The choice is still ours. What is your choice? Can you say you are so glad you entered His salvation? If you have breath, you still have a choice. Make the choice today to enter the salvation that is freely offered.  

THERE JESUS SAVES ME AND KEEPS ME CLEAN 

When we make the choice to accept the work of salvation Jesus has done on the cross, the process is continuous and eternal. We are sealed forever in His presence. The work of the cross cannot be undone. We may wander away from the teaching of Christ and follow our own way, and many have done so, yet their lives are unfulfilled and empty, they have no satisfaction or peace, until the moment they return to Christ. It is far better to remain in Christ than to wander away into lifestyles that we know are not meant for us. When we remain in Christ, we are continually kept clean and know the joy of His salvation.  

For example, suppose you are hiking, and the trail is well marked and clean. Off to the side, you see a beautiful flower. It is not on the trail, but some distance away. You can see it from the trail, so you decide it is safe to leave the trail to go examine this lovely flower. So, you step off the trail into the forest and brambles. You walk several feet and look back. Yes, you can see the trail clearly. You see the flower and soon forget about the trail. You want the flower.  

You stumble through the undergrowth and over the fallen logs and brambles you didn’t see when you were on the trail and have had to make several detours and now you cannot see the flower or the trail. You are still in the park but are lost. You don’t panic you have a compass. You take it out only to discover it is broken.  

Now you start to worry. You try to retrace your steps. All you want now is the trail. The flower is forgotten. You regret ever leaving the safety of the trail. You are sweaty and dirty and … was that a snake? The sun is starting to set and you really don’t want to be in these woods overnight.  

Finally, you hear a motor. A park ranger is nearby. You cry out for help. He comes to your aid and though he scolds you for leaving the trail, he takes you back to the safety of the trail. It was right where you left it. Waiting to take you back to your cabin. As you follow along, you see the flower again. It is still beautiful in the evening light, but this time you have no desire to leave the safety of the trail to pursue it.  

When we accept Jesus, we are still in the park but sometimes we leave the safety of the trail he has us on and decide to chase after something else. This is where we get into trouble. Often, we need help finding our way back. When we get back, Jesus is still waiting. Exactly at the point where we walked away.  

Sadly, there are some who decide to completely turn their backs on the salvation they have heard about. They follow along for a while but are determined to walk away. These have never accepted the free gift of salvation to begin with. For true believers, salvation is not something to be won or lost. Salvation is a gift freely given based on nothing but the shed blood of Jesus. We accept His gift and He keeps us continually and eternally. Even when we chase flowers in the forest and lose sight of the trail.  

GLORY TO HIS NAME 

The realization of this security leads us to praise and adoration. We praise the One who is able to save us so completely. We rejoice in the Name of the One who is able to bring us back when we wander off and stumble and fall. He loves us through it all. And He saves us eternally.  

Jesus assures us in John 10:28, 

And I give them eternal live, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. (NASB) 

What hope would we have if every time we chased pretty flowers and lost our way, there was no hope of restoration, no chance of forgiveness? God calls us to return to Him. He had many times to un-choose Israel. Yet He never did. He called them and they were His and they remain His to this day. It is no different for those who have accepted the salvation of Jesus.  

Bring glory to His name by living your life in a way that pleases Him. Call on His name. Rejoice in Him. Celebrate Him. Tell of His goodness to those around you. Let Him shine through you. Praise His name forever.  

CONCLUSION 

While I believe in the eternal security of the believer. I also know that there are those who have never entered into this security I hold so dear. Or maybe at one time they believed but now have turned away from the faith. They have decided not to follow Jesus. All I can say to them is repent of your way. Return to Him. Believe in Him.  

For those of us who are in Christ, but we stumble and fall on our way. Get up and press on. Get back on the path. Pretty flowers soon fade. The path we are on leads to a place that will never fade and a hope that never passes away. Stay on the path, my friend. It may not be easy, but you are not alone.  

To reassure you this coming week, I challenge you to read the book of 1 John. It assures us of eternal life. Also, go to www.hymnary.org and look up Down at the Cross. It was written by E.A. Hoffman. Read the words of the entire song and listen to the music. If you already know the song, sing along. Let the words wash over your heart this week.  

All for One 

Angela