KEEP ME NEAR THE CROSS

KEEP ME NEAR THE CROSS

As I sit here at my computer, I look out at smoked filled skies, due to fires in neighboring counties, and I wonder about all those involved, fire fighters and those facing having to leave their homes and go to shelters.  My mind goes over the past weekend attending a lovely wedding by the river, and Sunday services and the opportunity to stand in the “pulpit” sharing God’s Word, as I focused on the love of Jesus, and the call to be ready to meet Him, as we never know what a day will hold.  And we need to put aside our burdens and just look up, His redemption draws near. So much goes on in our lives sometimes that we need to just stop and refocus. 

It is a time to reflect on where we are on our walk with the Lord, to take a moment to quietly praise Him for the blessings He bestows upon us, and take some time to just be still and let His peace overflow us.  We may be in the midst of walking through the “fire” in our lives, and the wind may be blowing “smoke” in our eyes so we can’t see the “Son.”  So many people are going through great trials right now, but our God is in the midst of every storm, Oh Praise the Lord! 

As I shared on Sunday, His love is like the mighty ocean, rolling and rolling over us.  He is over us, under us, and all around us.  And I want to share today that it is all because of the Cross.  The Cross of Christ stands in the midst of history.  Its mighty arm points back to the promises in the Old Testament of a coming Redeemer, the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, and the other arm is extended into eternity, bringing life and salvation.  In our walk with the Lord everything is obtained through the Cross of Christ, our Salvation, our healing, His great love, and the great redemption of our souls, promising eternity in heaven with Him.

 And then, as believers and walking with the Lord we must keep near the Cross, and let our focus and our very walk with Jesus be there.  I desire to stay near the Cross, and encourage all believers out there to also be near the Cross, as we kneel in prayer, spend our quiet times with Him, stay in His Word and reach out to a dying and hurting world.

NEAR THE CROSS

“Jesus keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain free to all a healing stream flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever; till my raptured soul shall find rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul, Love and mercy found me; there the Bright and Morning Star sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scenes before me; help me walk from day to day, with its shadows o’er me.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait, hoping, trusting ever, till I reach the golden strand, just beyond the river.  (Fanny Crosby)

That healing stream is flowing from Calvary’s Mountain, to you my sister, to you my brother.  The blood of Jesus is still flowing, as a great fountain. As the old song says “Millions have come, there is still room for one, there is room at the Cross for you,” can you fathom that love, that He would give His very life, shed His blood so man’s sin could be atoned.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin (Hebrews 9:22).

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” Romans 5:6-9.

I remember so well the night, at nine years of age, realizing the price Jesus had paid for my sins, I made my way to the altar, and there His love and His mercy found me.  It is near the Cross where His mercy and grace flows out to each one who kneels there.  And I pray that you, too, will kneel there, and let His presence surround you as He gathers you into His arms.

And as we walk this pathway of life with Jesus, He calls us to ever keep the Cross before us, ever mindful of the sacrifice He made, the suffering He went through for you, for me.  Again, such love as Jesus has for the world our minds cannot comprehend such love.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, what whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

We are called to be watching and waiting, staying near the Cross daily, as we continue our journey upward and ever onward toward our eternal home.  We walk with hope in our hearts, fixing our eyes on Jesus as He leads us home.  Yes, the storms will come and rock our ship, the winds will blow, and just as today our skies may be filled with smoke and we can’t see the “Son” but He is there surrounding us, covering us with His love, and holding us in His everlasting arms.  He is the Prince of Peace, the One who walks on the water and calms the storm. 

So my friends, keep moving on with Jesus, keeping your eyes on the Cross, as heaven is just around the next bend, and such joy awaits each of His children.  I pray that if you haven’t knelt at the Cross, you will do so now, make your peace there with Jesus, He is waiting for you with his ever flowing love, waiting to gather you into His arms for all eternity.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon

HIDING IN JESUS!

HIDING IN JESUS!

Today I finished a milestone on my journey along the road with Jesus.  As I look back from where I have been, I see His guiding hand all the way.  I see how along the way He worked some miracles for me, and gave me His strength to go on.  There have been some rough days and nights.  There have been days of discouragement and tears, but Praise His Holy Name, He hides me in the “cleft of the rock” as the storms roll on around me.

Last weekend I was so very tired and my husband and I were in a particular store looking at items, and I actually didn’t think I could go on.  I have had those moments before when the Lord will suddenly drop a song in my heart, and my spirit begins to sing.  It happened, as I shared, when I was in the hospital.  It happened during a time of cancer several years ago.  I might have shared in the past the song “Until Then.”  I was checking in a local store as a cashier, and I was so sick and was actually beginning to experience fear of the future, when all of a sudden that song was dropped into my spirit and I began to sing with joy.  It wasn’t out loud, of course, but deep within me.  I knew at that moment I would “go on singing and with joy would carry on.”

Last Saturday afternoon I began to hear the words of the song: “He Hideth My Soul.”  And my spirit sang for joy as the Lord gave me strength to go on, put one step in front of another.  Let me tell you about that wonderful old hymn.

As a blind person, Fanny Crosby faced daily insecurity, which is why she found so much comfort in the book of Psalms and why so many of her hymns point to the security we have in the Lord.

This gospel song was one of her favorites.  Like David in the desert, she sometimes felt alone and vulnerable.  In the words of Scripture, she prayed, “Hide me,” and she delighted in Psalm 32:7, which says, “You are my hiding place.”

But the verse that inspired this song is from Exodus.  Seeking to know God was with the Israelites in the wilderness, Moses asked the Lord to show him His presence.  God acquiesced to Moses’ request and assured him, “I will put you in the cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand” (Exodus 33:22, NIV).

In the New Testament we find that Jesus is the cornerstone who was rejected for us, and thus we who are Christians are hidden in the cleft of the Rock.  When we consider how the hand of God covers us and shields us from harm, we, too, can joint praise to God: “O glory to God/For such a Redeemer as mine! (HYMNS-William J. Peterson)

HE HIDETH MY SOUL

“A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, a wonderful Savior to me; He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, where rivers of pleasure I see.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand, and covers me there with His hand.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away; He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day.

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, and, filled with His fullness divine, I sing in my rapture, “O Glory to God for such a Redeemer as mine!”

When clothed in His brightness transported I rise, to meet Him in clouds of the sky, His perfect salvation, His wonderful love, I’ll shout with the millions on high!”  (Fanny Crosby)

I want to encourage you in the Lord this day, my friends out there.  In all our storms of life, and in those relief times when you have passed a milestone in your walk with the Lord, you can look back and see the rivers of pleasure that He brings to you in those mountain top experiences.  And truly when He drops His joy into your spirit, it truly is a “river of pleasure.”  He brings joy that truly flows like a river, flowing over you.

Sometimes we go through dry places, and we feel like our “well has run dry.”  The land around us is barren.  I am remembering the children of Israel as they wondered through the barren wilderness and there was no water.  But above them was a rock shadowing that dry land.  And when Moses struck the rock, streams and rivers of waters flowed down from it. In I Corinthians 10:4, Paul tells us that the rock was Christ Jesus.  So when we are in that dry place, right above us, overlooking the dry road we are traveling is the “Rock” Christ Jesus, and we hide in Him, He covers us, and feeds us with living water.

He holds us up and takes away the burden we are carrying and covers us with His love!  Oh, what a Wonderful Savior we serve!

“For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters whey shall not come near him.  You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” Psalm 32:6-7.

And when you feel like you are flooded by a river of trouble, sorrow and grief my bring pain to your heart, He is your hiding place from all our troubles.  And there is the promise:  He will actually surround His people with songs of deliverance, O Praise the Lord!

“The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love.  He will rejoice over you with singing” Zephaniah 3:17.

The Lord is in the midst of His people, and He will save us as we pass through this journey and its struggles.  He brings quietness to the raging storm with His great love.  And I love this verse as it tells that He sings over His people!  He rejoices over us with songs of deliverance.  I hope this Word will bring great joy to your soul this day.

And then we have that great hope, whether we rise to meet Him in the sky, shouting with the millions all meeting Him there, or we go home to meet Him before that, we will rejoice and shout for joy when we see Him face to face.  All our struggles and trials will be over as we bask in His presence forever.

So take heart, let Him bring quietness to your soul this day, and fill your spirit with hymns of joy!

In His Blessed Name,

Pastor Sharon

A CROWN WE SHALL WIN!

A CROWN WE SHALL WIN!

As I sit here on this warm summer afternoon, I look out at the beautiful blue skies, and begin to think of all the summer activities, the races, ballgames, the games children play.  And many are competing for a prize.  And as we walk with the Lord, we too, are competing for a heavenly prize.  We continue to run in this race with Jesus. 

And sometimes we tire and want to give up in the race, but He calls us on.  And someday the battles of this life will be over and we will be rewarded by our Lord for the service to Him.  I am looking forward to that day, that great day of joy!  And I think of those who recently have won their heavenly rewards. 

I am thinking of a former pastor, who was instrumental to me in my teen years.  I think of his many years of service for his Savior and Lord, and now he has finished the race and gained the heavenly prize.

AND WHEN THE BATTLE’S OVER

“And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!  Yes, we shall wear a crown!  Yes, we shall wear a crown!  And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown in the new Jerusalem.

Wear a crown, wear a crown, wear a bright and shining crown; and when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown in the new Jerusalem.” (Isaac Watts)

The Bible lists five crowns which will be given to believers.  Are you looking forward to your glorious crowns of victory?

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” I Corinthians 9:24-25.

In all the games we play, all the races we run, all may run but only one receives the prize.  In Paul’s day the winner of the games won a crown of flowers or such as that.  But we are running in our race an Incorruptible Crown, a crown that never will fade away.  This is also called the Imperishable Crown, this is a crown for eternity.  Oh, Praise the Lord!  But this crown calls for sacrifice, to lay aside our earthly desires and give our all for Jesus, and to complete the call and mission God has called us to do.  Yes, it will take much sacrifice and laying down our own fleshly desires to walk with the Master.

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy” I Thessalonians 2:19-20.

This crown is called the soul winner’s crown. Paul calls it a Crown of Rejoicing!  This crown is given to those who faithfully witness to others about Jesus, and lead people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Oh, what joy to lead a soul to Jesus!  I am looking forward to this crown.  I have seen the joy in faces as Jesus comes into a life, and He calls all of us to be witnesses for Him.  He calls each one of us to be in prayer for a lost and dying world and to desire a burden for souls, and then go out and do the work, led by the Holy Spirit.  I have seen wonderful doors open to witness and lead others to Christ. And truly the angels in heaven rejoice when one soul invites Jesus into their life.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” James 1:12 (Revelation 2:8-11).

This crown is for those believers who endure trials, tribulations, and severe suffering, even unto death.  This crown is also called the Martyr’s Crown.  Jesus says that He will give this crown to those who undergo severe hardship, testing, tribulation/or physical death on His behalf.  Being willing to die for your faith in God would be the ultimate sacrifice.  We think of those down through the years who have given their lives for the cause of Christ.  And many, many in our world today are laying down their lives for the cause of Christ.  The Lord would remind us to be in constant prayer for the persecuted Church around the world.

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:8.

Are you looking for the coming of Jesus?  Are you anxiously awaiting His appearing?  This is the Crown of Righteousness. This crown is given to those who are walking daily in Christ’s righteousness.  If you are a believer you have been made righteous before God the Father as a result of Jesus dying on the cross for all of your sins.  This means that the righteousness of Jesus has now been imputed to you.  So we watch the skies, anxious for that day when He comes back to gather His children home. 

“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over whose entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” I Peter 5:1-4.

This is the Crown of Glory, or also known as the Pastor’s Crown.  This crown will be given to all our pastors who have been faithful in service to their flock.  I am thinking of the former pastor I mentioned earlier and that he has been faithful to receive the Pastor’s Crown.  It would also be applied to preachers and other ministers who feed the flock of God.  Even faithful Sunday School teachers who have been faithful to their calling will receive this crown.  It will go to all those faithful in teaching the Word of God.

There is one other “Crown of Glory” that I would like to mention to all my senior friends out there: “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness” Proverbs 16:31.

Yes, the Lord sees your lovely hair as it were a crown to Him.  You have walked the way of righteousness over the years, and He smiles upon you, looks upon your “crown” as beautiful.  And someday, the battles will be over, the victories won, and all who are faithful will receive their beautiful crowns.  Oh, what a day that will be!

In Jesus’ Name

Pastor Sharon