Tag: christianity

Calvary or Cavalry?

A song that rang in my ear during my childhood; I loved hearing the pastor and congregation singing it. Pastor wasn’t a singer but you knew how much he loved this song by the way he bobbed his head and moved his legs while singing it. 🙂 It still reverberates in my spirit today at 62—At Calvary.

“Calvary,” or Golgotha was a site immediately outside Jerusalem’s walls where, according to Christianity’s four gospels, Jesus was crucified. Interestingly to me, there is a similarly spelled word “cavalry.” It denotes a unit of troops on horseback summoned for war. This group of soldiers is trained to fight and can be quickly deployed in a war. It was God, the Father, who summoned and deployed Jesus for calvary in this war for human souls. Jesus was the troop, the only war hero who fought to the death and won the battle to bring us to God.

At Calvary

Years I spent in vanity and pride
Caring not my Lord was crucified
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

By God’s word at last my sin I learned
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

Now I’ve given Jesus everything
Now I gladly know him as my King
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

O, the love that drew salvation’s plan
O, the grace that brought it down to man
O, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary

[Refrain]     Mercy there was great, and grace was free
Pardon, there, was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary

By William R. Newell

As this song tells us, Jesus’ death grants us unlimited mercy, grace, pardon, and freedom. Oh, and three days later, after this war at Calvary, Jesus got up from His grave; He’s the only war hero who ever did. Death couldn’t hold Him down. Wow! Jesus Christ is alive! Receive Him into your life now.

Happy Easter! 😊

Hear the Gaithers sing it.

What I’m Not

Romans 7:15-25 (NIV)

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man [woman] I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

**********

I’m amazed that one of the greatest Apostles of Jesus Christ wrote this. We often ascribe the biblical authors with some type of divinity they had, or we think somehow, they were exempt from life’s struggles. They always got it right while serving Christ. In Christendom, today, great people of God are ascribed by how “good” they are or how “good” they do, (even look–sadly).

The Apostle Paul was a theologian and the most influential figure of the Apostolic Age, who founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe, defended faith in Jesus Christ, and produced for our learning and growth 13 or 14 New Testament books in the Bible. But, in this verse, he’s not sizing up his accomplishments and sharing how great he is or how great he is doing. No, Paul concludes this discourse with, “Oh wretched man that I am.” Merriam-Webster defines wretched as, “a miserable person: one who is profoundly unhappy or in great misfortune; a base, despicable, or vile person.” In all the Apostle Paul’s work for God’s kingdom, he comes to this realization about himself–he’s still struggling to do what’s right. He’s a mess! Have you ever said this about yourself? Do you see yourself in this way?

Paul’s statement is indicative of someone who had a revelation. He accepted, committed to, looked at, studied, and served Christ. Here, I think, he puts his own life decisions and ways up against it. He is stunned, bewildered, confused, troubled, and torn. “What can I do about this?” he thinks.

Sometimes, it is good to know what we really are not, considering who Jesus Christ is. We’re on the same playing field and have the same nature as Judas, who betrayed Jesus, Peter who denied him, or Thomas who doubted him and needed proof. We are capable of any of this. It’s good, as a Christian, to remember, that there still is a real struggle, a real war, a real battle going on while living in this flesh.

I’ve been called a really negative person for taking such a view. People have said I’m speaking in existence a negative outcome. I need more confidence in myself and may have self-esteem issues. I need to “come up” in my thinking. My faith should be stronger, and I should speak into existence and just claim the truth of God’s word.

Well, no, I think I’ll stick with Paul’s view. It really keeps me balanced and focused on Jesus Christ–all He is, all He has done, all I’m not, and all I haven’t done. I’m humbled by maintaining this awareness that my “flesh counts for nothing.” This is not a put-down friends; it’s a truth in the Bible. Claim this–that you will always need the Holy Spirit’s help. 🙂