A fresh look at the Cross awakens my Dull Senses

This past week, I was taking a break from my writing one morning, and I started re-studying out the topic of the "Gospel" purely for my own spiritual refreshment and growth. Of course, this may seem rather elementary to some. After all, the GOSPEL is something we've grown up reading and hearing about our entire lives, right?? But all too often, I think that we Christian's can forget the basics, or the basics don't touch us, because we've known them from childhood!

So as I began to read…God impacted my heart in a very special way as I realized again the significance of the Cross! In fact, without the shedding of Christ blood, there would be NO HOPE for me!!! NONE!!! Wow… how easy to minimize His sacrifice or forget this!

"Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God…"

"Every departure from the right, every deed of cruelty, every failure of humanity to reach His ideal, brings grief to Him. When there came upon Israel the calamities that were the sure result of separation from God,—subjugation by their enemies, cruelty, and death,—it is said that “His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” “In all their affliction He was afflicted: ... and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Judges 10:16; Isaiah 63:9 (Above two paragraphs from the book Education, p. 263)

Of course, as I looked up verse after verse, and did a lot of cross referencing, and followed a lot of fun rabbit trails, I couldn't believe how fast the time went by. Before I realized it, I'd been studying the Bible for over 4 hours…and I didn't want to stop! When you take time to really dig and to EAT the Words of Life, they really are so filling! :-)

One of the favorite verses that I looked up came from Romans 1:16,17

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Oh, this is meat in due season from first to last!

"The Jews looked upon a veiled Saviour whom they had never seen unveiled, and many even who claim to be God’s commandment-keeping people are looking upon a veiled Saviour. They have thought so little upon the great plan of redemption, the atoning sacrifice, and the truth that through the shedding of a Saviour’s blood alone the angels could proclaim peace on earth and good will to men. Talk it. Pray it. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Then why not dwell upon the necessity of faith in the blood of Jesus Christ? The things of the Spirit, the preaching of the cross, are “to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 16 Manuscript Releases, p. 232

If you haven't seen this lately, please watch the short GOSPEL YOU link. POWERFUL and most concise presentation I've ever seen! (And, one of my friends actually made this video, so I'm proud of that fact too!) 

Review:

• Bible Thought: The Gospel is the POWER of God unto Salvation! Am I accepting this power, or trying to earn Salvation in my own strength…which is useless? Also, am I still causing Him pain by my careless sins?
• Blessing: So thankful again for Christ's sacrifice and for His righteousness that covers my filthy stinking rags. Also thankful for His Mercy and Amazing Grace!
• Battle: Let me not allow the enemy to dull my senses to this great gift!