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 

Posted on by Angela

Stop Striving

I just checked my posting stats. I was shocked to find it has been ten days since I last posted. I have never gone for so long without a post. At least I don’t think I have. I am working on three posts and planning more. So, I guess the days just slipped by without my noticing.  

I was getting ready to write this morning and realized I needed to straighten my desk. While I was at it, I needed to dust. Then I noticed I had broken a nail, of course I had to take care of that. Time again slipping by in my distraction, or is it procrastination? 

Funny that. Time. We seem to have so much then suddenly not enough at all. We all have the same twenty-four hours of spinning around. In our spinning, somehow, we lose track of how much we lose and how much we waste. We hurry here and there with our list of things to do. Work, kids, family, hobbies, maybe we need to just stop and remember the most important part of time. It waits for no one.  

I opened www.biblegateway.com to check the verse in my head. I wanted to make sure I had the quote correct, and it turned out to be the verse of the day. Maybe we needed to hear it…ok maybe I needed to hear it today. 

Psalm 46:10a NASB 

Stop striving and know I am God… 

Those of you who like me grew up with the King James Version know it as “Be still and know that I am God.” But I like that word striving. Both are true. Be still and stop striving. Striving though has a different connotation. Stop trying to make something happen. Stop struggling. Stop for a while and rest. Think. Renew your energy. Time is passing by. You are missing what is happening right here, right now.  

So, I will be back and I will get myself on track. I feel a responsibility to whoever reads my words to be here. To be consistent. I can’t say I won’t go off the rails again. I am a dreamer chasing rainbows deep down. For today I hope we all can take a little time to stop striving, to be still and remember that He is God. Time is in His hands. Everything will be here when we get back.  

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Celebrating One Year

All for One has hit a year. It is hard to believe I have managed to keep writing here for one whole year. Other blogs I have started fizzled out after a few months. I have been determined to keep this one alive. Sure, I have missed a few days and there have been a few weeks that there hasn’t been something published, but overall, there has been at least one post per week since I started, sometimes more. So, where do I go from here? Good question.  

I believe it is good and healthy to take time for reflection and renewal. Time to evaluate what works and what does not work.  There are things I want to add to All for One. There are things I want to improve. I am not going to mention them right now as I am still contemplating and working through them, but I hope you will stay with me through the changes whatever they look like. More than anything I hope you will see the encouragement to grow closer in your walk with Jesus or to begin your walk with Jesus, whatever your stage of life.  

All for One at its heart is a discipleship/ lifestyle blog intended to help you on your journey with Jesus. Beyond that it could cover anything from Bible study to books to anything else. At one time I had five different blog ideas that I loved and couldn’t decide what I wanted to pursue. So, in a way, I have combined them all here and have only touched the tip of the iceberg of interests and ideas. Yet everything is filtered through my Christian worldview.  

I hope by now you have realized my words are my own and not the product of AI. I do not use AI to plan content or write content. My words and ideas are my own, good or bad.  For me, using AI to write this blog, or any future book or story is unethical and not true writing. There may be those who disagree, and that is fine. The place of AI is the source of debate right now, and people come down on both sides. It is unfortunate that a tool created by man is feared by some as to take the place of man and that we have such a hard time differentiating between what is real and what is AI. The words you read are real. My thoughts are real. Fortunately, they have been filtered and edited, but real just the same.  

I have set up All for One with three sections each with different functions. Third Verse Devotions looks at the old hymns, especially the third verse that often gets overlooked. So far, I have only looked at hymns with which I am familiar. It isn’t all that fair to the wealth of hymns which have been published in the past couple of centuries which are still sung in some churches and still hummed in homes. So, I hope to include hymns I don’t recognize as well. Times Like These is another section of All for One and is set us as Bible study and general posts. It is where this post will go. It is also intended to contain doctrinal studies, cultural thoughts, and things of like matter. We are living in strange and wonderful times. Times Like These is intended to help you on your way and maybe give you some food for thought. The final section is Angela’s Bookshelf. When I started blogging, I had thought that I would lean more toward the book and publishing market. Yet as soon as my fingers hit the keyboard, it became All for One. And what surprised me even more was that Angela’s Bookshelf is my least published page. It isn’t that I am not reading, I am. It is more that I spend more time on the other two pages, but I leave the page because we never know what the future holds, and any of these pages could wax or wane at any time.  

So, is All for One going away? Not a chance. We are just getting started. I always have more to learn, at any age. Technology, in some ways, escapes me, but I keep trying. Isn’t that all any of us can do? We keep pressing forward, forgetting what is behind straining for what is ahead. (Philippians 3: 13-14) 

All for One

Angela

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: There is Power in the Blood

There has been a movement in recent years to remove the word “blood” from the language of churches and church music. Yet when we remove the blood the sacrifice of Jesus is meaningless. Our salvation is based on the shed blood of Jesus as a substitution for the debt of sin we could not pay. Romans 6:23 reminds us that “the wages of sin is death…” Jesus took those wages upon Himself and gave us “…the gift of God …eternal life…” I hope we never find ourselves wanting to remove something so precious from our faith as the shed blood of Jesus. Our hymn today reminds us “There is Power in the Blood.” 

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? 
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood. 
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow; 
there’s wonderful power in the blood.  

There are four verses to the hymn, and each verse begins by asking a question? Our focus verse, verse three, asks, “Would you be whiter much whiter than snow?” This question reflects Isaiah1:18 in which the Lord states, 

 “Come now, and let us debate your case,” 
Says the Lord, 
“Though your sins are as scarlet, 
They shall become as white as snow; 
Though they are red like crimson, 
They shall be like wool. 

The question is followed by the reminder that there is “power in the blood” The next line tells us that in the blood our stains are washed away. Each of the first three verses build on the fact that we can be cleansed from our sins in the blood of Jesus.  

Sin leaves a stain on our heart and soul. We cannot wash it away on our own. Our good works will not remove it. Church attendance will not take it away. Singing in the choir will not touch it. Volunteering for the nursery will not even remove the stain of our sin. The only remedy for the removal of the stain of our sin is the blood of Jesus. There is no other religion that can offer so bold a claim. There’s wonderful power in the blood. It’s only by the blood of Jesus we can be made clean.  

You may be asking, “What about in the Old Testament, before Jesus came?” That is a fair question, but even then, God had the sacrificial law in place for the cleansing of sin. The writer of Hebrew reminds us, 

And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 NASB 

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden and covered themselves the best they could with fig leaves sown together, God taught them about sacrifice and offering and redemption. Genesis 3:21 tells us,  

And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (NASB) 

One of the animals that Adam loved and named and cared for gave its life so that the man and woman could be clothed and their sin covered. Did you ever wonder how the people knew what offering to bring before the law was given and the Levitical was established? It was taught to Adam and Eve in the garden as God made clothes for them. They carried it with them and taught it to their children.  

Now because of Jesus, we can come directly to the throne of grace and confess our sin to the Father and find the same forgiveness and redemption that Adam and Eve found. We no longer have a need to offer an animal sacrifice; Jesus was our sacrifice. We find in Ephesians, in the first chapter, the basis for our hope of redemption. 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7 NASB 

There is power in the blood. I will gladly sing and write about the blood because without the blood of Jesus, I am still lost in my sins with no hope for eternity. My prayer for you as you read this is that you also find the salvation that comes from the blood of Jesus which was given for you. It is in accepting His sacrifice we begin to truly understand that we live for an audience of One. 

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Understanding Biblical Prophecy by Dr. David Jeremiah: review

This was a free download from NetGalley in exchange for a written review. 

This was a 30-day study over the events of the end time calendar. Dr. Jeremiah covered in 30 days the major events surrounding the end of the age. He covered such things as the Rapture, the Antichrist, the Tribulation, the Day of the Lord, the Seventy Weeks, Armageddon, the fall of Babylon, the Millennium, and many others. Understanding Biblical Prophecy is not intended to cover each of these topics exhaustively, but, rather, to impact the learners living for where they are in their lives now.  

The study is divided into four sections. These include context, reflect, apply, and ahead. In the context section, Dr. Jeremiah sets up the study with background information or details regarding the study topic. It is a short section serving as an introduction to the study. The reflect section consists of four questions intended to drive the study deeper into God’s word and give the learner time to reflect on the content of the study. The apply section also consists of four questions, and these are meant for the learner to apply the study to their own life. How the study can be applied to individual lives today. The ahead section is a summary of the lesson and ends with promise and hope and a glimpse ahead of the next lesson. This format is easy to follow and provides depth in individual or group study. Each study contains a box at the top containing a verse box, and the end of each study contains a closing verse box and a quote from the day’s lesson.  

Questions are thoughtful. The digital version allows availability to answer within the guide itself which is something I had not encountered with a digital study guide, but found to be a great feature. The learner can enter thoughts and answers directly into the guide without needing to have an extra journal, unless of course that is desired. The time needed to complete each day depends on the learner’s time needed to complete the questions for reflection and application but should run fifteen to thirty minutes on average.  

I enjoy Dr. Jeremiah’s publications, and this was no exception. I would gladly recommend this study to anyone who is new to a study of eschatology. This study, Understanding Biblical Prophecy, provides a wonderful introduction to the study of last days with a balanced approach to personal reflection and application.  

I would rate Understanding Biblical Prophecy by Dr. David Jeremiah 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this study to anyone over the age of 16 only because of the level of learning. My hope is that anyone who participates in this study grows more in their understanding of the last days and that their faith will become more certain as we wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

3 Tips for Spending an Hour in Prayer 

 I was privileged to lead the prayer ministry at our church several years ago. Our group learned much about prayer during that time and the principles will be with me for the rest of my life.  

To spend an hour in prayer, I think there are at least three key ingredients you need. These are simple ingredients that you probably already know. Yet they are vital to remaining focused during your hour in prayer when you commit to spending that time alone with God. In no order, you need a Bible with pen and paper or a journal, a prayer list, and a hymnal or listing of worship songs. Now let’s take a look at them in turn. 

Bible and Journal or Notebook

You need to have with your Bible and a pen and some paper. You can use a journal, a 3-ring binder, a spiral notebook, whatever suits your personality and budget. When you spend an hour in prayer, you will not be talking the entire time. You will want to have time when you need to listen. God will speak to you. He will impress things on your heart and mind. As he does, you need to be prepared to write things down.  Don’t assume you will be able to remember everything later. A journal or a notebook will help keep impressions and thoughts together.  

As you are praying, you will also find your mind wandering to all the things you need to do or random thoughts creeping into your mind. If they are important, write them down to deal with them later. If they are not important, acknowledge them then dismiss them and refocus on the task of prayer. Also, realize it is normal for your mind to wander. We are human after all, and our minds are constantly bombarded with thoughts. Some of us more than others. What is more, our enemy, the devil, is not at all eager for us to spend an hour in prayer. So, naturally, he will do everything to distract us and keep us from prayer. Being prepared to write down distractions can help us stay focused and win the battle in the moment. 

Prayer List

Another tool you will need is a prayer list. Don’t assume when you start to pray for an hour that you will remember everything you want to pray about. Our enemy will snatch away those requests by every distraction. Remember, he doesn’t want you to pray. So, write down your prayer list. Have things on your list like your family needs, your nation, your government, those that need salvation, missionaries, those that are sick, people you know that are in difficult situations, difficult situations you might be facing, and so on. Put these items in categories if you like. Put them in order of highest need if that is something you wish. If you remember something while you are praying, add it to your list.  

Prayer is not always asking. It is also about confession. Be sure to confess sins you need forgiveness for and maybe write down any ways you need to make them right if the sin is against another person. Or an action plan if the sin is a habit you need to stop doing.  You might want to start with confession before you begin with your list of needs. Make things right between you and God, then move to needs of self and others.  

Hymnal or Worship List

Another good tool to have during your hour is a hymnal or a listing of worship songs. You can have a playlist ready, but I don’t really recommend it. I prefer just voice during this time. It is easy to get off track with the music and spend far too long on music and not enough on prayer. Having a hymnal or list of worship songs you are very familiar with will limit how much time is spent on music and bring balance to your prayer time. Of course, if you desire to spend the entire time in worship, that is your option. However, we are talking about an hour in prayer, not singing. All you need is two to four songs/hymns at most that you can sing through in worship to get your heart and mind in the right place.  

You can use the hymnal/list at the beginning as a time of worship before you begin to pray and then at the end as another time of worship and thanksgiving. You might also want to come back to a time of worship if you notice your mind continually wandering. A short time of worship would realign your focus on the One you are there to spend time with.  

A lot of churches today use projectors during worship services and have a supply of hymnals no longer in use. You might talk to your pastor or worship leader or music director about how to acquire one if you would like a copy of a hymnal for devotion and worship during your prayer time. You might also be able to find one at a secondhand store or bookstore. Of course, you can always go to Amazon and buy a new copy of your choice there. I checked and there are several copies to choose from.  

Conclusion

So here we have three tips for praying for an hour. Your Bible with pen and paper, prayer list, and a hymnal or listing of worship songs. These are by no means exhaustive. Let me know others you think of or have tried. These three things will help with wandering mind and help you keep your focus on God and what He is saying to you and what you want to say to Him. They will help you with praise and worship and thanksgiving and help you remember that He is a holy God who wants to have fellowship with you.  

I challenge you to look at your calendar the coming week and schedule an hour that you can get alone with your God and relish in who He is and what He wants to say to you. The first try may be difficult like any new practice, it will take discipline but keep at it. You will find a power you never experienced as God numbers you as a prayer warrior. You will not leave the same.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: I Am Thine, O Lord

This week’s hymn is “I am Thine, O Lord.” It is one I can still hear my grandfather singing and one of many favorite Fanny Crosby songs. So, let’s explore the third verse,  

O, the pure delight of a single hour 
that before Thy throne I spend, 
when I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, 
I commune as friend with friend!  

 
There are four stanzas to the hymn, and each seems to have a different theme. However, when you come to the refrain (chorus) they are all bound together.  

Refrain: 
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, 
to the cross where Thou hast died; 
draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, 
to Thy precious, bleeding side. 
 

They are all about being drawn closer to Christ. This particular stanza is about drawing deeper in prayer. What does prayer mean to you? How much time do you dedicate to prayer? Can you say you spend a single hour in prayer? I tend to relate more to the disciples when Jesus was in the garden, and He took the disciples with Him. He asked them to watch and pray. What did they do? They fell asleep. He came back and found them sleeping. His response? “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mark 14:37) He asked the question to Simon Peter, but He might as well have asked me. I doubt I could have done much better. This account is found in Matthew 26 and Mark 14 if you need a refresher.  

Crosby calls it a “pure delight” to spend an hour in prayer. Some of us can barely manage fifteen minutes in prayer before our minds start to wander. So how can we spend an hour in prayer? I think it is a learned practice. It is something you build up to. It becomes a spiritual discipline. We begin to delight ourselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4) and watch as His desires become our desires. At first distractions are everywhere then over time they come to a minimum as we learn to focus on Him and he becomes our heart’s desire.  

It is also important to remember that we are coming before the throne of Almighty God. We are not calling 1-800-I WANT NOW. We often need to change our attitude before we begin our prayer time. Our stanza talks about the delight of spending an hour before His throne. It is Him we are seeking. His presence. When we come with a list of Christmas wants, of course we can’t focus on much more than just those few things. He wants to spend time with us. He wants to commune with us. He wants us to want to commune with Him. Notice the last line, “as friend with friend.” You can’t say that when you meet with a friend you rush in with that friend and say something like, “I can only give fifteen minutes, so much to do, but here is what I need, by the way, I love you. You are my best friend. See you soon. Gotta run. Bye.” Before long that friend won’t want to meet with you and you can hardly call yourself friends. Friends talk and share. They listen to each other. They spend time together. They enjoy each other’s company. This is the relationship described in the hymn, “I commune as friend with friend.” 

I don’t know what your relationship with God is like. You may have a depth that others can only dream about. You may be more like the friend I just described. You may be somewhere in between. I hope wherever you are in your relationship you long to go deeper. You long for an ever-closer relationship with Him. I can say that with confidence because our God is so awesome in scope and power that just when we think we know Him He reveals another layer of His nature and character to us and we are blown away by Him and His greatness. 

I challenge you in this next week to change the way you think about your prayer life. Maybe you need to just begin to pray. So, five minutes is a challenge, and an hour is an eternity. So, start with the five minutes you do have. Maybe you are more like the friend I described earlier. Slow down and focus on Him who sits on the throne. He loves you and gave Himself for you. Leave your list and worship Him. Try something different. It is not too late to begin to draw nearer to God. In fact, He desires a relationship with you. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. He is waiting for you.  

 My prayer for all of us is that we would reach a place where our delight is a single hour in prayer talking with our God as friends.  

“Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord.” 

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Things on the Desk

The desk where I do my writing is actually a small dining table. I have it pushed against a wall. My house has an open floor plan, so I am central to living, kitchen and dining areas. It got me thinking though about the kinds of things we keep on our desk. If you have a desk, take a moment to look at what your desk holds.  

I don’t mean the normal desk things like staplers, pens and pencils, tape dispenser, and the like. Of course, even those things can disclose personality. What I am thinking of is what could a person gather about you with the things on your desk? My home desk looks different from my work desk, but there are similarities. Both have sticky notes on the monitor; things I don’t want to forget or want to have at hand. My home desk has paperweights, an electric pencil sharpener (I use colored pencils for Bible study, and I even have real pencils), I have a large glass candle holder full of pens and pencils and highlighters. There is a Bible and a hymnal. Several journals. I have a few fidget things and stress toys. Right now, I have a menu planner marked for the coming week. It is incomplete. I also have a spiral binder with tabs which contain projects taken from my notebooks or that need to be typed into various folders in my computer. Recipes, writings, etc. There are a few other things crammed in, but this is basically my home workspace. 

My point in this exercise is that who we are is sometimes identified by what we surround ourselves with. By looking at the contents of our desk we can see where our time and energy is focused. It gives us the opportunity to make adjustments to our priorities. If we look at our desk and see an overflow of bills, maybe we need to consider our spending habits or work on budgeting. Sometimes our desk reveals what we enjoy.  An abundance of cards, stamps and pens could reveal you send cards to those you are thinking of or those who are sick or struggling. A desk covered with everything, but desk related items could mean you don’t use a desk at all. It is only a piece of furniture that is now a catch -all for all the clutter you don’t know what to do with.  

What are you surrounding yourself with? When you look at your workspace, home, or work, what stands out as a priority? The Bible tells us the from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (see Matthew 12:34). I think this is true not only in our speech, which is a big clue to our heart, but also in our workspace. What is important to us is what we keep close. Pictures of family, bible verses, inspirational quotes, things that build us up and those which visit our space reveal what is inside, what is important. Obscene pictures, insulting language, divisive posters, etc. also reveal what is inside. We are talking about a heart issue more than an organizational problem.  

I know you are probably thinking it is only a workspace but take a moment to look at your space either at home or at work. See if what I am saying is true. What does that space reveal about you? What does your desk or workspace say about you? Does it reveal your identity in Christ? Or does it reveal a life lived for the flesh? Maybe somewhere in between?  

I am not here to condemn; that is not my job. I only want you to think about what you identify yourself with and how you want to align your life. We want to be individuals who give our all for one. Who give everything we have to God. This means we are a work in progress, and it involves every aspect of our life from the company we keep to the insignificant little things like what we keep on our desk at work or home. Everything we say or do reflects who we are in Jesus. The changes may be gradual, such as replacing one item that may be inappropriate with something that is encouraging and uplifting. Maybe your whole workspace needs an overhaul. You decide.   

Maybe the time has come for you to decide for Christ. It’s time to follow Him. Put the things of the world behind and accept His gift of salvation. He loves you so much He died on a cross for your sins, and he alone can change you from the inside out. His identity in you is the only way the things on the desk make any difference.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: The Old Rugged Cross

The cherished hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” was written by a Methodist Episcopal minister. He wrote the words in 1913, and it is his best-known hymn.  

For our purposes, we will look at verse three. The hymn is in the public domain, and you can find it as always at www.hymnary.org. Here is the third verse for reference.  

 In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, 
a wondrous beauty I see, 
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, 
to pardon and sanctify me.  

There is a key word in this beautiful verse that I want us to focus on for a while. Sanctify. The word comes from Latin, and it means, “to make holy”, or “to set apart.” It is first used in the Bible in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 3 where God sanctified the seventh day. He set apart the seventh day and made it holy.  

Yet our hymnal verse is talking about us as being sanctified. Jesus died to “…sanctify me.” We have been sanctified. What does that mean? It means that once we have accepted Jesus’s gift of salvation, we too have been set apart. We have been made holy. When Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, He bought our redemption. So, when we give ourselves to Him, we are set apart from the rest of the world. We are His.  

The first thing we need to understand about sanctification is that it is the work of Christ in us. He is the one who sanctifies. Consider the following verses: 

Hebrews 13:12 

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 

Hebrews 10:10 

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 

Hebrews 10:14 

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 

So, since the blood of Jesus sanctifies us by His sacrifice on the cross what is our response? Since salvation is by grace through faith and we are not saved by works, what are we now to do? We remember we are changed. We are set free from the entanglements of the world. We no longer are slaves to our old selves and the old habits. We have been set apart. The blood of Christ has made us holy. Yes, holy. We have been bought at a great price. The Son of God gave His life on a cross for our sins. The price could not have been greater. He paid that price for you and me. Our acceptance and belief in that singular act set us apart from the rest of the world. It sanctifies us.  

Now we live by new guidelines. The old way of thinking is gone. The old way of talking is gone. Sometimes the old friendships we had are gone. Here are some more verses to consider: 

Romans 6:22 

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 

2 Timothy 2:21 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 

Romans 12: 1-2 

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Sometimes it happens quickly. Other times it happens slowly. But we begin to change. The way we conduct business changes. Our interaction with family changes. The way we talk changes. The way we dress might even change. Everything about us is new. We are set apart for God’s use. We represent Him to the world.  

Does that mean we always get it right? Of course not. Think about some who were set apart by God yet messed up terribly. Samson, David, Moses, the disciples, Israel, yes, the list could go on. Also add my name to the list, yours too. God set each of these apart for a special work. All of them had a different task. They all knew God and had witnessed his power and majesty. David was a man after God’s own heart. Moses had to wear a veil over his face after being in God’s presence. The disciples walked daily with Jesus for three years.  

It could be assumed that if anyone could get the idea of what God had in mind it would be these individuals, but some of the greatest failures came through them. David slept with Bathsheba and when he learned she was pregnant tried to cover it up, but when that didn’t work had her husband killed. Moses disobeyed God and did what had worked before, striking a rock instead of speaking to it. He didn’t enter the promised land as a result. The disciples were competitive and slow to understand Jesus’s teaching then fled when Jesus needed them most. One betrayed Him. One denied he even knew Him. Israel is still God’s chosen people, the apple of His eye even though they have rebelled time and time again.  

From this we understand once we have been sanctified, God does not rescind that covering. The above examples were still set apart despite their failures. There were consequences certainly. But they were still set apart for God’s purposes. And so are we.  

We have a responsibility once we realize the importance of what it means to be sanctified, to be set apart. We no longer can look like the rest of the world. We still live in the world, but we don’t look like the world. We are supposed to be different. We talk differently. We dress differently. God now convicts us about what we watch on television or at the movies or what we read. Put away the filthy language. Change your clothes. Change the channel. Put down the book. Remember, you are set apart. You are sanctified. Instead, “…cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.” 

If you need a little more convincing, let me leave you with a few more scriptures that might help. 

1 Corinthians 6:11 

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 3:15 

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect 

Have you stumbled? Have you fallen? Look to the Father. He is waiting to restore you. Jesus died on the cross to pardon and sanctify us. Cling to Him. Remember the Old Rugged Cross today.  

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: Just When I Need Him Most

People today carry great burdens. We carry the wandering of a child. The loss of a parent. The abuse of a spouse. We watch as addiction takes hold of our child or other family member and cannot do anything to help them. We long to break free from our own addiction and burdens but cannot seem to break the chains that tie us down.  

These burdens are sometimes invisible, and we carry them in secret never letting on they are there. But when we are alone, we give full vent to them. The result is high anxiety, high blood pressure, sometimes substance abuse and even worse when we cannot see the end, suicide. Let me assure you this is not what God ever intended for humans. If you are struggling with substance abuse or thoughts of suicide, there is help available. For free 24/7 help call 988 or visit  www.988lifeline.org.  

Our hymn today highlights that we do have Someone to turn to in those dark moments. It was written by a Methodist minister who wrote hymns as recreation. He was to have written over five hundred hymns. Here is the third verse of “Just When I Need Him Most,”   

Just when I need Him, Jesus is strong, 
Bearing my burdens all the day long; 
For all my sorrow giving a song, 
Just when I need Him most. 

https://hymnary.org/text/just_when_i_need_him_jesus_is_near_just

This verse is just as appropriate for us now as when it was written. It assures us that Jesus is strong and gives us a song for our sorrow. No matter what our circumstance or what we are going through Jesus is there waiting for us to come to Him.  

The Bible is replete with those who have gone before us who thought their life was done and there was no other option for them. Remember Jonah, after he preached to the Ninevites and they repented? What did he do? He found a shady leaf and sat under it and pouted. When the leaf was eaten by a worm, he was ready to die until God intervened. What about Elijah? Jezebel was determined to kill him. He was convinced he was the only prophet of God left until God revealed to him there was over 400 prophets who had never bowed the knee to Baal. David? After he sinned with Bathsheba, she gave birth to his child and the child became sick. He prayed for the child’s life and refused food and drink. So much so that his servants were afraid to tell him the child had died. We could continue with many other examples of those who walked in sorrow and grief until God stepped in and changed their thinking. 

Maybe you need some personal verses to get you through your day and situation. Here are a few, as always these are from the New American Standard Version,  

Psalm 46:1 

God is our refuge and strength, 
A very ready help in trouble. 

And, 

Psalm 68:19 

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. 

And still,

Psalm 55:22 

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; 
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. 

And again, 

1 Peter 5:7 

…cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. 

And lastly, 

Isaiah 46:4 

Even to your old age I will be the same, 
And even to your graying years I will carry you! 
I have done it, and I will bear you; 
And I will carry you and I will save you. 

No matter what your age or situation, Jesus is ready and more than able to meet you in the middle of your burden and carry you and bear your burden and give you peace. There are many other instances and verses to support this. The ones I have listed are only a few jumping off points. I encourage you to meditate on these and search out others to meditate on if your burden is heavy and your days are dark. Let me further and more importantly urge you to accept Jesus as your Savior. He paid the price for your sins and is ready to receive you; come to him today.  

Your situation will not immediately change. You will still have to walk through dark days and hard times, but you will have an inner peace and strength that only comes from knowing Jesus. He will bring you through whatever your situation. He is strong and wants to bear your burdens and in the middle of your trial he will give you a song for your sorrow, Just when you need him most.  

All for One 

Angela