¹ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:1–2 (ESV)

My Lord, It seems abundantly clear to me that I stink. That is to say that in and of my own self because of my sin my spiritual odor is hideous. The rot of my transgressions and the stench of my iniquity figuratively speaking surely are vile to the nostrils of a holy God. In and of my self I am as rotting flesh and a decaying corpse. But Christ!!! The beauty of His cross can not be overstated. In it He gave His perfect self up for us out of perfect love. What He did is described as  a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. In contrast to me and my sin, His perfect offering is a good and pleasant smell to God. In other words, the perfume of the cross that now works for me replaces the stench of death that in the past worked in me. Thank You Lord that because of the cross I smell good.

For Such a Time as ThisA

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…                1 Corinthians 15:3‭-‬4

God, I thank you today that the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not new. It has been passed to us through the Apostles of our Lord. They in turn got it via revelation from You. But the revelation began with Your holy Scriptures, the Ancient prophecies. These prophecies point to the seed of a woman who would crush Satan’s head, who would be from the nation of Israel whose founder is Abraham, to bless all the nations of the earth, who would be from the tribe of Judah, who would be from the family of David out of the town of Bethlehem, from a virgin girl. This passed down, prophesied, gospel was all planned well in advance, from the foundation of the world. It is ancient yet relevant, it is old but makes us new. It is a plan for all mankind but it is personal to me. It is so  complicated a scholar can’t connect all the dots but so simple someone with childlike faith  can understand and  believe and be saved. Today that someone is me. Thank you for the passed down, prophesied, planned gospel that has saved me through Jesus Christ, Amen

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. – 1 Corinthians 2:2-3

Dear Heavenly Father, When I am tempted to get fancy in my presentation of the gospel may I be reminded to know nothing among the lost but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When I get reliant on visual images and videos may I be jolted so that I determine to know nothing among the lost but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Should I find myself pushing myself, my Church or my denomination please call to my remembrance that I am to know nothing among the lost but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Should I back away from the cross or the necessity of a blood atonement  or should I began to compromise and fail to but the cross as a central element of my theology may I hear Your Holy Spirit shouting through the pen of the Apostle Paul that I am to know nothing among the lost but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Amen. 

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. – Revelation 12:10-11

Lord, We win, I win. All who are in Christ win. The devil and the forces of darkness are vanquished. I am not a victim but a victor, not overcomed but an ovecomer. When it is time to tell the “why” may the words I write now always be my theme,  “By the blood of the Lamb”. The cross was not a loss but a triumph. The   wounds were not fatal but life giving. The tomb was not final  but a pausing point on the way up to glory. “The Blood of the Lamb” is my victory chant. “The Blood of Lamb” my anthem forevermore. We win, I win,  by the blood of the Lamb!!!

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:8

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the cross, Your cross, was the supreme example of humiliation and submission. You humbled Yourself in allowing the Jewish leaders to accuse You. You humbled Yourself in letting the Government officials to use You and then You humbled Yourself ln letting the Roman Soldiers to abuse You.  You humbled Youself in letting Yourself be mistreated. You humbled Yourself in not retaliating. You did this all in obedience to the Fathers will. When You said “nevertheless not My will but Yours be done” You meant it. You put no limits on Your obedience, even death and then even death on a cross. The worst sort of death imagineable. In Your cross I find the supreme example of a heart of  humility and obedience. Make my heart like Yours, Lord. Please make my heart like Yours. 

For Such a Time as ThisA

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.- Act 20:28

Dear God, Your Church is a group of broken people. We often badly represent You. We sometimes misrepresent You. We frequently are disobedient to Your clear commands. We fight among ourselves. We get off mission so easily. Change seems to come so slow to us. We can be worldly, we can  act unholy and we can be downright stupid. Lord Jesus, thank You that we are not our church BUT Your Church. We are Your Church  because  we are purchased by Your blood. You didn’t pay so great a price to leave us as we are. You are in the process of making us blameless and spotless and like Youself. Your are invested in us at the highest level. You bought us and we are Yours…forever. 

for by Your blood. 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20 

Lord I was crucified with You. But I didn’t feel the whip upon Your back. I didnt wince when the crown of thornes was placed upon Your head, I didn’t scream in agony when the nails were driven through Your hands and feet. My breath was not taken away when Your cross was dropped in the ground. I wasn’t stared upon in shame as You hung there between heaven and earth. I never felt the pangs of thirst or the excrutiating pains of suffication. I didn’t shed one drop of redemptive blood. I never felt the blackness of our Father turning away  and I never felt the need to cry out My God, My God why has Thou forsaken me. But I was crucified with You. I felt nothing because You bore all the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of sin. Not Your sin, my sin. What you have done for me is overwhelming. Thank You that I can say “I was crucified with Christ.”

We lose one hour. Don’t forget to set your clocks one hour ahead Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

Calvary Men of Impact Retreat – Friday Night through Sunday Mid-day – Please keep our men in your prayers.

Friday, March 10th, 2017