A song and a prayer called Hosanna
In church this Sunday morning, we sang a song we have sung a few times before yet one verse came as fresh as a daisy to me and the words, which were up on the overhead, hit me with such power. As we say here in the UK, the realisation of the truth and wonder in the words hit me in the face like a wet fish . The song was “Hosanna” from Hillsong United. Whoever said the young don’t produce good things? It was the final verse that struck me so hard – reduced me to a shaking wreck. This amazing song was written by a young lady, Brooke Fraser – what incredible insight and such a profound anointing on the whole song.
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You
Have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
Hosanna lyrics © Hillsong Publishing
The words alone are the most incredible prayer – Oh Lord, make this my own prayer in Jesus precious Name.
Heal my heart and make it clean
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Jeremiah 33:3 ”Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Show me how to love like You Have loved me
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Mark 12:28-31 “Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”
Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Isaiah 43:25 “You have wearied Me with your iniquities. “Yet I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
Colossians 3:23 “Work at everything you do with all your heart. Work as if you were working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
As I walk from earth into eternity
Hebrews 12:1 “A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.”
Revelation 3:11 “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have. Then no one will take away your crown.”
(All quotes NIV Readers Version)
Now, I have no idea as to whether or not the writer was thinking these thoughts. All I know is that this is what the Lord laid on my heart as I read this verse in a wonderful song.
Make it your prayer too ??
Monday, 21 February 2011
Friday, 18 February 2011
FIRE
Fire
Recently, the Lord showed me some things about the present time and end times. The two ages are coming together today. This is what I heard and saw -
“There is a fire coming that will burn away much of whatever we seem to value so highly today. There is a shaking already going on throughout the world and whatever is shaken will fall. When things fall – fires start. Fire consumes all before it.
There is also a Holy Spirit fire coming. Like worldly fire, Holy Spirit fire consumes all before it and we should not be surprised when many ministries and churches, places thought to good, clean places, also burn in Holy Spirit fire. The Lord is shaking all that can be shaken, according to His Word in Hebrews 12:26-28 (NIV) “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” And in Haggai 2:6 (NIV) “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. “ “
When I heard all of this, I thought I should be trembling but I was not – I was quite calm and at peace before the Lord. So I asked for more details – I mean, much of this is already happening today, so what additional things was the Lord showing me?
As for the Church and ministries, we already know that we will be the first to be judged prior to the Lords return to collect His spotless Bride. There will be a great shaking of the church and all that is not producing (Holy Spirit) fruit, will be thrown in the fire - John 15:6 “If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.”
This burning up is already started – look at all the news reports on fallen ministers and ministries. These ministries are being shaken until they fall, swept up like so many broken branches, and thrown into the fire of God’s wrath !! No-one and no ministry is exempt from this shaking and all of us will be shaken to one degree or another. Only that which remains will be saved – ALL else will be burned in Gods Holy fire.
Will there be time for repentance and restoration? I don’t know for sure but I certainly doubt it.
The Lord then turned my attention to the world. If we read the Word we can see that everything that is happening in the Middle East at the moment is absolutely in line with what the Word of God prophesies in Daniel 11. All this lines up with the end-time prophecies elsewhere in scripture.
What I saw was this, and it is not pleasant.
I saw cities, areas, and whole countries on fire? I saw all the oil wealth being consumed and burnt. I saw all the businesses, large and small, burning up. I saw people fleeing in terror from the flames – only to perish in the deserts from lack of food and water. I saw terrible things happening as Christians were blamed for everything that was happening. However, I also saw what appeared to be an advocate pleading their cause and helping them escape the persecution. I do not know whether this is a Biblical Advocate or a worldly advocate.
The fires continued to burn for some time before finally dying down and petering out. Then at the last, I saw an army moving across the landscape. I believe it to have been the Army of the Lord as they took the Gospel into Israel.
Have I had a vision of Armageddon? Who knows? I don’t think it matters too much as I think this whole vision has been a warning to the church first, then to Israel, then to the World. Will anyone heed these words? Again, I don’t know. All I know is that, as a prophet, it is my job to speak out whatever the Lord gives to me. It is up to you to discern if there is any substance in what I say and then to take any appropriate action.
Recently, the Lord showed me some things about the present time and end times. The two ages are coming together today. This is what I heard and saw -
“There is a fire coming that will burn away much of whatever we seem to value so highly today. There is a shaking already going on throughout the world and whatever is shaken will fall. When things fall – fires start. Fire consumes all before it.
There is also a Holy Spirit fire coming. Like worldly fire, Holy Spirit fire consumes all before it and we should not be surprised when many ministries and churches, places thought to good, clean places, also burn in Holy Spirit fire. The Lord is shaking all that can be shaken, according to His Word in Hebrews 12:26-28 (NIV) “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” And in Haggai 2:6 (NIV) “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. “ “
When I heard all of this, I thought I should be trembling but I was not – I was quite calm and at peace before the Lord. So I asked for more details – I mean, much of this is already happening today, so what additional things was the Lord showing me?
As for the Church and ministries, we already know that we will be the first to be judged prior to the Lords return to collect His spotless Bride. There will be a great shaking of the church and all that is not producing (Holy Spirit) fruit, will be thrown in the fire - John 15:6 “If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.”
This burning up is already started – look at all the news reports on fallen ministers and ministries. These ministries are being shaken until they fall, swept up like so many broken branches, and thrown into the fire of God’s wrath !! No-one and no ministry is exempt from this shaking and all of us will be shaken to one degree or another. Only that which remains will be saved – ALL else will be burned in Gods Holy fire.
Will there be time for repentance and restoration? I don’t know for sure but I certainly doubt it.
The Lord then turned my attention to the world. If we read the Word we can see that everything that is happening in the Middle East at the moment is absolutely in line with what the Word of God prophesies in Daniel 11. All this lines up with the end-time prophecies elsewhere in scripture.
What I saw was this, and it is not pleasant.
I saw cities, areas, and whole countries on fire? I saw all the oil wealth being consumed and burnt. I saw all the businesses, large and small, burning up. I saw people fleeing in terror from the flames – only to perish in the deserts from lack of food and water. I saw terrible things happening as Christians were blamed for everything that was happening. However, I also saw what appeared to be an advocate pleading their cause and helping them escape the persecution. I do not know whether this is a Biblical Advocate or a worldly advocate.
The fires continued to burn for some time before finally dying down and petering out. Then at the last, I saw an army moving across the landscape. I believe it to have been the Army of the Lord as they took the Gospel into Israel.
Have I had a vision of Armageddon? Who knows? I don’t think it matters too much as I think this whole vision has been a warning to the church first, then to Israel, then to the World. Will anyone heed these words? Again, I don’t know. All I know is that, as a prophet, it is my job to speak out whatever the Lord gives to me. It is up to you to discern if there is any substance in what I say and then to take any appropriate action.
No More – No More – No More
There is one promise in God’s Word that I think is the most amazing promise. It is also one that we tend to forget rather quickly. We forget it because the enemy, that old devil Satan, constantly tries to bring it back to our remembrance. Always trying to convict us all over again. Trying to bring false conviction and self condemnation into our daily lives.
I believe this trait has brought about one of the most pointless trends in Christian circles right now – repentance for the deeds and acts of our forefathers. We cannot repent for someone else’s sin – we can only repent for our own sins. We cannot be held to account for things we would never dream of doing now. We can regret such things and pray healing into the situation, but we cannot repent for someone else’s actions – they alone will answer for whatever they did.
So what is this wonderful promise? Well, it is something so important that it is made in four different places in the Word of God.
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Hebrews 10:17 "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
Jeremiah 31:34 "For I will forgive their wickedness and I will remember their sins no more."
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
How can God remember the unholy? He is a holy God and nothing unholy can pass His way – except on our confession and repentance. Jesus stood between us and God at Calvary. He bore every sin we have done and are ever going to do. God cannot bear sin because He is holy. Therefore He cannot remember sin either because even the memory of the unholy cannot exist alongside the Holy. This is why in Isaiah the Lord says "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Jesus Blood redeems us from all sin once and for all time so that when we repent we place our sin, all of it, under His redeeming Blood.
So, when Satan lies to us and tries to condemn us, we need to remember these scriptures. If we go back to God and confess our sins all over again, He doesn’t remember them and He says to us, “What sin are you talking about. Is this something that I have forgotten and forgiven you already.” There is now no condemnation because Jesus did it all at Calvary. Oh, we still need to repent and confess in order to acknowledge our sin and receive forgiveness – but we only need to do it once. When we stand before the judgement seat, we will answer for every thought, word, or deed of which we have not repented.
Our repentance and forgiveness wipes the books clean again because God, for His own sake, “remembers them no more.”
Isn’t that wonderful? What a promise !!!
I believe this trait has brought about one of the most pointless trends in Christian circles right now – repentance for the deeds and acts of our forefathers. We cannot repent for someone else’s sin – we can only repent for our own sins. We cannot be held to account for things we would never dream of doing now. We can regret such things and pray healing into the situation, but we cannot repent for someone else’s actions – they alone will answer for whatever they did.
So what is this wonderful promise? Well, it is something so important that it is made in four different places in the Word of God.
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Hebrews 10:17 "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."
Jeremiah 31:34 "For I will forgive their wickedness and I will remember their sins no more."
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
How can God remember the unholy? He is a holy God and nothing unholy can pass His way – except on our confession and repentance. Jesus stood between us and God at Calvary. He bore every sin we have done and are ever going to do. God cannot bear sin because He is holy. Therefore He cannot remember sin either because even the memory of the unholy cannot exist alongside the Holy. This is why in Isaiah the Lord says "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Jesus Blood redeems us from all sin once and for all time so that when we repent we place our sin, all of it, under His redeeming Blood.
So, when Satan lies to us and tries to condemn us, we need to remember these scriptures. If we go back to God and confess our sins all over again, He doesn’t remember them and He says to us, “What sin are you talking about. Is this something that I have forgotten and forgiven you already.” There is now no condemnation because Jesus did it all at Calvary. Oh, we still need to repent and confess in order to acknowledge our sin and receive forgiveness – but we only need to do it once. When we stand before the judgement seat, we will answer for every thought, word, or deed of which we have not repented.
Our repentance and forgiveness wipes the books clean again because God, for His own sake, “remembers them no more.”
Isn’t that wonderful? What a promise !!!
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Shake Rattle and Roll !!
Shake Rattle and Roll !!
Not many of you remember Bill Haley and the Comets do you ?? If you do then your age is showing. Perhaps you’ve heard of him and maybe heard his old original rock n roll tracks. It was about 55 years ago when he blared this old number out from juke boxes all over America – the world even. What about the Holy Spirit version of Shake Rattle and Roll. That was released oh, maybe, about, just under 2000 years ago. We can read about it in Acts 4:31 “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God's word.” It is only recorded as happening once at that time, but it also certainly happened during the Hebridean Revival of 1948/9 and possibly other times as well.
Can you imagine – the building in which you are praying being shaken? You all rush outside to see what other buildings the “earthquake” hit – only to find that there’s been no earthquake and whatever happened only affected the building in which you were praying. Suddenly, as you realise this, the Holy Spirit hits all of you and fills you with a new filling or anointing as we would call it these days. Then over the next few days, when you excitedly gather in the evenings, perhaps for a meal, you swap stories of this new “boldness” that has come into your witnessing and preaching. Oh the excitement – the sheer Holy Spirit filled excitement of it all.
One of my great dreams is to see this happen again – and again – and again in these present days. I want to be there when the Holy Spirit is so moved by our prayers that once again “the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” “ When this happens”, says the Lord, “Then be assured that I am not far away. Be assured that I am on my way and that I am bringing revival with Me. I do not say these things lightly”, Says the Lord God Almighty, “For I am that I am – My words will stand forever and My promises are true.”
Brothers and sisters, I see the time very fast approaching when we will expect the building in which we are praying to be shaken. We will expect healings and miracles. We will expect answers to prayer sooner rather than later. If we ask little we will get little. Like the apostles in Acts, let us become bold in our preaching and in our praying. Let us pray for much and expect much – because the Lord our God is waiting for us to show Him our faith in His Word. Let us begin to, metaphorically, shake, rattle, and roll and let the Kingdom of God be advanced as never before. Let us dance and sing and praise and worship and pray with a joy and expectancy that is more than we can ever dream or imagine. Let us shake the heavens so that God begins to shake the earth – starting with us in our prayer rooms.
What a moment that will be. What excitement there will be. The Holy Spirit will be dancing for joy with us as we worship the one and only Lord God Almighty. The Lord will, His Word promises this, send “signs and wonders following”. Then unsaved people, and even the Church, will start to take the Gospel message seriously. Then we may begin to see revival.
Oh hallelujah Lord – haste the day \o/
Not many of you remember Bill Haley and the Comets do you ?? If you do then your age is showing. Perhaps you’ve heard of him and maybe heard his old original rock n roll tracks. It was about 55 years ago when he blared this old number out from juke boxes all over America – the world even. What about the Holy Spirit version of Shake Rattle and Roll. That was released oh, maybe, about, just under 2000 years ago. We can read about it in Acts 4:31 “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They were bold when they spoke God's word.” It is only recorded as happening once at that time, but it also certainly happened during the Hebridean Revival of 1948/9 and possibly other times as well.
Can you imagine – the building in which you are praying being shaken? You all rush outside to see what other buildings the “earthquake” hit – only to find that there’s been no earthquake and whatever happened only affected the building in which you were praying. Suddenly, as you realise this, the Holy Spirit hits all of you and fills you with a new filling or anointing as we would call it these days. Then over the next few days, when you excitedly gather in the evenings, perhaps for a meal, you swap stories of this new “boldness” that has come into your witnessing and preaching. Oh the excitement – the sheer Holy Spirit filled excitement of it all.
One of my great dreams is to see this happen again – and again – and again in these present days. I want to be there when the Holy Spirit is so moved by our prayers that once again “the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” “ When this happens”, says the Lord, “Then be assured that I am not far away. Be assured that I am on my way and that I am bringing revival with Me. I do not say these things lightly”, Says the Lord God Almighty, “For I am that I am – My words will stand forever and My promises are true.”
Brothers and sisters, I see the time very fast approaching when we will expect the building in which we are praying to be shaken. We will expect healings and miracles. We will expect answers to prayer sooner rather than later. If we ask little we will get little. Like the apostles in Acts, let us become bold in our preaching and in our praying. Let us pray for much and expect much – because the Lord our God is waiting for us to show Him our faith in His Word. Let us begin to, metaphorically, shake, rattle, and roll and let the Kingdom of God be advanced as never before. Let us dance and sing and praise and worship and pray with a joy and expectancy that is more than we can ever dream or imagine. Let us shake the heavens so that God begins to shake the earth – starting with us in our prayer rooms.
What a moment that will be. What excitement there will be. The Holy Spirit will be dancing for joy with us as we worship the one and only Lord God Almighty. The Lord will, His Word promises this, send “signs and wonders following”. Then unsaved people, and even the Church, will start to take the Gospel message seriously. Then we may begin to see revival.
Oh hallelujah Lord – haste the day \o/
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
What Love is this?
What Love is this?
Sometimes God does something that simply stops us dead in our tracks. It’s not usually anything spectacular – quite the opposite in fact. He simply shows us something, then whispers His truth into our ear. The Lord has done that to me this week. I am humbled by it and have shed more than a few tears as His truth settles in my heart and into my thinking. That He is doing something in me is obvious and it’s not so much the what He is doing but the why that intrigues me.
I had sat down to write this blog three times these last few days. Each time the Lord has stayed my hand and said, “Wait, there is more.” Even now, He is saying “There is always more if you want it.” So I will start and see where He leads me.
Did you ever get a revelation of the Love of God? I mean, a real graphic revelation of His love for us – a revelation that took your breath away? No, me neither – until a couple of days ago. Now I have to say this is very personal and more of a testimony than anything else. So if you don’t like ‘gooey’, then look away now.
Every time my wife has looked at me these past few days, I have been struck by the amazing look of love I am getting. Waves of love from her kept sweeping over me and twice I just sat there weeping quietly at the reality of it and of just how undeserving of such love I am. It is a humbling feeling to be loved like this. Then it happened !!
We were sitting together when she turned and smiled and gave me one of those little loving kisses – the sort that wives are so very good at. I felt the now familiar waves of love sweeping over me and the look in her eyes simply melted me again, Then I heard the Lord whisper these words to me, “If you think that your wife loves you greatly, and she does too, then how can you even begin to imagine My love for you?” It broke me.
I know a fathers love for his children. I have seen a mother’s love for her children too. I know a wife’s great and unsurpassable love for her husband. I knew my own love for my wife – unconditional, I hope. With these as examples of my experience, how can I possibly imagine Gods love for me. How do you measure the infinite? Yet He gave me more than a glimpse at His love for me, He let me feel His love – I was broken again. Then He said again some truths I have heard many times before. He began showing me people from all round the world saying, “My love for you is exactly the same for these, even for the least of my people. I call them my people even though they do not know me for I love them, every one, as a special child. I love them even as I loved my Son when they crucified Him. My people, including you, break my heart daily. You crucify me again daily. Yet, such is my love for you, that it will never change.” He showed me my family, people from other lands, children and adults alike. He showed me those who love Him and those who persecute them who love Him. He showed me every kind of friend and foe. Yet, to each one He said, “I love him the same as I love you.”
My wife kissed me gently as she walked past. I caught her hand and she spun round with a huge smile – that wonderful love light bright in her eyes. That’s when I realised the unfathomable height, length, breadth, and depth of our Fathers love for us. What love is this, I thought.
God answered, “It’s my love, given to all of you, unconditionally, and without measure.”
Sometimes God does something that simply stops us dead in our tracks. It’s not usually anything spectacular – quite the opposite in fact. He simply shows us something, then whispers His truth into our ear. The Lord has done that to me this week. I am humbled by it and have shed more than a few tears as His truth settles in my heart and into my thinking. That He is doing something in me is obvious and it’s not so much the what He is doing but the why that intrigues me.
I had sat down to write this blog three times these last few days. Each time the Lord has stayed my hand and said, “Wait, there is more.” Even now, He is saying “There is always more if you want it.” So I will start and see where He leads me.
Did you ever get a revelation of the Love of God? I mean, a real graphic revelation of His love for us – a revelation that took your breath away? No, me neither – until a couple of days ago. Now I have to say this is very personal and more of a testimony than anything else. So if you don’t like ‘gooey’, then look away now.
Every time my wife has looked at me these past few days, I have been struck by the amazing look of love I am getting. Waves of love from her kept sweeping over me and twice I just sat there weeping quietly at the reality of it and of just how undeserving of such love I am. It is a humbling feeling to be loved like this. Then it happened !!
We were sitting together when she turned and smiled and gave me one of those little loving kisses – the sort that wives are so very good at. I felt the now familiar waves of love sweeping over me and the look in her eyes simply melted me again, Then I heard the Lord whisper these words to me, “If you think that your wife loves you greatly, and she does too, then how can you even begin to imagine My love for you?” It broke me.
I know a fathers love for his children. I have seen a mother’s love for her children too. I know a wife’s great and unsurpassable love for her husband. I knew my own love for my wife – unconditional, I hope. With these as examples of my experience, how can I possibly imagine Gods love for me. How do you measure the infinite? Yet He gave me more than a glimpse at His love for me, He let me feel His love – I was broken again. Then He said again some truths I have heard many times before. He began showing me people from all round the world saying, “My love for you is exactly the same for these, even for the least of my people. I call them my people even though they do not know me for I love them, every one, as a special child. I love them even as I loved my Son when they crucified Him. My people, including you, break my heart daily. You crucify me again daily. Yet, such is my love for you, that it will never change.” He showed me my family, people from other lands, children and adults alike. He showed me those who love Him and those who persecute them who love Him. He showed me every kind of friend and foe. Yet, to each one He said, “I love him the same as I love you.”
My wife kissed me gently as she walked past. I caught her hand and she spun round with a huge smile – that wonderful love light bright in her eyes. That’s when I realised the unfathomable height, length, breadth, and depth of our Fathers love for us. What love is this, I thought.
God answered, “It’s my love, given to all of you, unconditionally, and without measure.”
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Is it or is it not Finished
On or Off the Cross
We have been touring round, introducing my new wife to England – and vice versa. I think both are loving the experience. However, one of the things we enjoy, wherever we are – be it England, USA, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, or wherever – we like to explore the history of places. Now, I ask you, where better to explore local history than the local church? Exciting, fascinating, absorbing, informative, all this and more is to be found in places of historic interest. Yet there is one thing that absorbs me more than the rest – and that is the representation of the Gospel in each of the churches we visit.
Christ died for us and He paid the price for all our sins. He made a way for us to approach the Throne of Grace at any time instead of waiting for that once-a-year visit by the High Priest. That He died for us is so graphically represented by the presence in so many churches by that iconic picture of Jesus hanging on the cross – the crucifix. Wherever we go, in almost any country, there are plenty of crucifixes in plenty of churches forever reminding the local populace that Christ died for our sins. He died for your sin. He died for my sin.
As I was walking out of one such church, 10 foot tall crucifix, with graphic amounts of blood at wrist and feet, with realistic crown of thorns rammed solidly onto His head, but demurely dressed in a loin cloth (when everyone knows He like all others was crucified naked – how else could they gamble for His clothes?), dominating every corner of the building, the Lord challenged me. “So He died for you – is that all?” “No Lord, He rose again in three days.” “So why do you worship Him on the cross and dying, when perhaps it would be better to worship Him Risen and triumphant over sin – veil torn away so you can come to My Throne of Grace?” Stunned silence from me. “Just asking.”, said the Lord in a way that suggested to me that He was smiling – having made me think for a change instead of treading the ritual pathway.
The next church we visited had a plain, empty cross. As soon as I set eyes upon it, the Lord said, “There you are – He is risen. First He died, then He rose again.” He reminded me of the cross I wear on a chain round my neck – it’s been there since 1962 or thereabouts – it is a plain cross. Christ risen. As I pondered these things this morning, the Lord again broke into my thoughts. “What about the veil? The Crucifix cannot ever convey the full story because it stops at the crucifixion. The empty cross surely is to remind you of the full story – the torn veil, and what that means for you, and the resurrection – and all that followed”.
As I turned away to the rest of my day, I felt the Lord smile as He said. “Something to think about eh?” Oh yes, I thought about it all right. Crucifixion and death on the cross. The temple veil torn signifying our access to the Throne of God – into His very presence – signifying the ‘destruction’ of the old Law and covenant – replaced by the New Covenant and enforced, if that is the right word, by the Holy Spirit. The empty cross – job done – Pentecost and all that followed. Salvation in a single picture – an empty cross. Salvation in two simple words – the cross.
It’s all about the empty cross – thats what is so disturbing to the whole unsaved world. An empty cross – “It is finished.”
We have been touring round, introducing my new wife to England – and vice versa. I think both are loving the experience. However, one of the things we enjoy, wherever we are – be it England, USA, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, or wherever – we like to explore the history of places. Now, I ask you, where better to explore local history than the local church? Exciting, fascinating, absorbing, informative, all this and more is to be found in places of historic interest. Yet there is one thing that absorbs me more than the rest – and that is the representation of the Gospel in each of the churches we visit.
Christ died for us and He paid the price for all our sins. He made a way for us to approach the Throne of Grace at any time instead of waiting for that once-a-year visit by the High Priest. That He died for us is so graphically represented by the presence in so many churches by that iconic picture of Jesus hanging on the cross – the crucifix. Wherever we go, in almost any country, there are plenty of crucifixes in plenty of churches forever reminding the local populace that Christ died for our sins. He died for your sin. He died for my sin.
As I was walking out of one such church, 10 foot tall crucifix, with graphic amounts of blood at wrist and feet, with realistic crown of thorns rammed solidly onto His head, but demurely dressed in a loin cloth (when everyone knows He like all others was crucified naked – how else could they gamble for His clothes?), dominating every corner of the building, the Lord challenged me. “So He died for you – is that all?” “No Lord, He rose again in three days.” “So why do you worship Him on the cross and dying, when perhaps it would be better to worship Him Risen and triumphant over sin – veil torn away so you can come to My Throne of Grace?” Stunned silence from me. “Just asking.”, said the Lord in a way that suggested to me that He was smiling – having made me think for a change instead of treading the ritual pathway.
The next church we visited had a plain, empty cross. As soon as I set eyes upon it, the Lord said, “There you are – He is risen. First He died, then He rose again.” He reminded me of the cross I wear on a chain round my neck – it’s been there since 1962 or thereabouts – it is a plain cross. Christ risen. As I pondered these things this morning, the Lord again broke into my thoughts. “What about the veil? The Crucifix cannot ever convey the full story because it stops at the crucifixion. The empty cross surely is to remind you of the full story – the torn veil, and what that means for you, and the resurrection – and all that followed”.
As I turned away to the rest of my day, I felt the Lord smile as He said. “Something to think about eh?” Oh yes, I thought about it all right. Crucifixion and death on the cross. The temple veil torn signifying our access to the Throne of God – into His very presence – signifying the ‘destruction’ of the old Law and covenant – replaced by the New Covenant and enforced, if that is the right word, by the Holy Spirit. The empty cross – job done – Pentecost and all that followed. Salvation in a single picture – an empty cross. Salvation in two simple words – the cross.
It’s all about the empty cross – thats what is so disturbing to the whole unsaved world. An empty cross – “It is finished.”
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