Power of the Cross Blog

 

A Christian blog with articles, devotionals and videos that will inspire and edify. All content is created from the belief that faith in Christ and Him crucified is how we receive every good thing from God. When our faith is in the correct object, the Holy Spirit can work through us, bringing out the Power of God in our life. 

 
geroge washington

Jesus and George Washington

geroge washington
 
Many in the United States try to separate the teachings of the Bible from government leaders. But a study of our founding fathers reveal a totally different opinion and outlook. One is the very first POTUS , George Washington. The following are a few quotes that reveal the heart of our first president. Without question it is easy to say President Washington would agree completely that leader of the government should be led from the truths of God’s Word.

 

Early on in the Revolutionary War George Washington issued the following order. “That the troops may have an opportunity of attending public worship, as well as to take some rest after the great fatigue they have gone through, the general in future excuses them from fatigue duty on Sundays, except at the shipyards or on special occasions, until further orders. We can have but little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impiety and folly.”

 

About our educational system

“What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.”

 

What all governments should acknowledge

 
“It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors.”

 

A prayer offered by President Washington

 
“Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of Thy son, Jesus Christ. That living in Thy fear, and dying in Thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and Thy son, Jesus Christ.”

 



monkey to man

Closer To A Monkey

monkey to man
 
 
A few years ago, the illustrious Rabbi Jacob Kamenetzky made a trip to Israel accompanied by his teenage grandson. Ironically, these two deeply religious people had been seated in the airplane next to a prominent Israeli socialist leader and outspoken atheist, who had spent his whole life fighting against Orthodox values.

 

“After the plane reached its cruising altitude, the cynical atheist traveler couldn’t help noticing the way the teenage boy attended to the needs of his aged, bearded grandfather. He got up to get the old man a glass of water, helped him remove his shoes and put on some slippers, and otherwise demonstrated that the rabbi’s comfort represented his primary concern.”At one point, as the boy got up for yet another errand on behalf of the old man, the skeptical stranger could contain himself no longer.
 
 
‘Tell me something,’ he asked the rabbi. ‘Why does your grandson treat you like some kind of a king? I have a grandson, too, but he wouldn’t give me the time of day.'” ‘It’s very simple,’ the old man replied. ‘My grandson and I both believe in a God who rules the universe and created all things, including the first man. That means that in the boy’s eyes, I’m two generations closer to the hand of God Himself. But in the eyes of your grandson, you’re just two generations closer to a monkey.’ ” – GENE SHELBURNE


repentance

The Hiding Place of Sin

repentance
 
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.(Psalms 51:3-6)

 

This great prayer of repentance of David in the entirety of Psalm 51 is probably the greatest prayer of repentance ever spoken. Out of this Psalms we can see many things about sin from God’s viewpoint.

We must say we have sinned

We must acknowledge our sins to be forgiven (vs 3)– One of the problems with the modern church is sinners seeking to place blame on everything but themselves for their own problems. We must admit our wrongs which comes to a climax at the foot of the throne, being violation of God’s law, knowing that God is the offended party by what we have done wrong. We cannot blame others, we must accept personal responsibility for our own actions. Confession brings sin out of its hiding place and enables the sinner to take sides with God against it.

God is right

God is justified in Judgement of our sins (vs 4) All sin is a departure from God way to mans way. Therefore He is perfect and justified in Judgment of our sins.

Every person is sinful

The Sin Nature is in everyone (vs5) – We are all born in the “original sin” from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3). Because of Adam failed, all who are born afterwards are born lost. The only means of escape from the judgement of sin is to be born again. Being born again is carried out by the sinner expressing faith in Jesus, that He died for us and arose again (Romans 10:9)

Only God has the answer

God alone can deal with the sin of the soul (vs6)- man has tried to deal with sin (drug addiction, adultery, alcoholism. etc) through programs and methods, but only God can forgive and set the man or woman free. Not only does God show his Mercy to us that leads to eternal life, but our faith in Jesus and His Cross also is Gods plan of Victory over sin in our daily walk. When our faith is in the correct object of Christ and Him Crucified, the Holy Spirit will help us with power from God to be victorious over the sin that plagues us. (Romans 6:3-5 , Romans 8:1-2) . If we try to have victory over sin by our own willpower, we will fail. (Romans 7:18-20)

 

Don’t just hide the sin within you.  Let God’s Holy Spirit guide you into victory over sin and lead into eternal life!

 

 


Turn the Church Lights On!

There is this big fad in the modern christian service to turn the church lights off. It seems to be an effort to emulate the tactics of secular entertainment. Why is it not overly obvious that the church is to be separate and different from the world? Why would the church want to give the appearance of a rock concert or bar environment? Why would Christians want to sit in a church service where they could not read a Bible? It may seem innocent but what are we saying to the world and what are we teaching the next generation?
 
As I was meditating on these questions, I found a scripture that stands out in the Bible that gives us guidance on what is was like when Paul ministered. Acts 20:7-8 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. It was no accident the Holy Spirit gave this verse for the church.
 
Paul preached with the room well lit. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.(1st Thess 5:5) Turn the lights on in the church services, especially youth ministries. Get out of the darkness and let the light in!
– Pastor FL Wilson
 
 


5 Reasons Children Should Be in the Main Service

 
Here’s 5 reasons children should regularly be in the main service:
 

Children should not be removed from the main body for convenience sake.

 
This is one reason churches remove them from regular church service. They want a professional church service where adults can enjoy the worship without being disrupted by noisy little ones. This sounds good, but the Book of Acts never talks about having a professional service nor does the Bible talk about meeting our own selfish needs during church, but it does talk about children not being pushed aside.
 
Matthew 19: 14  Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
 
 
 


One Nation Under God

Biblical Truths for the USA

One Nation Under God
 
Without God and the Bible as our foundation and guidance, there is little hope for the United States. We are in need of a spiritual awakening like never before in the history of this country. The USA is morally bankrupt and on the verge of a collapse economically and spiritually. 
 

Out of Time

We are out of time. We must turn back to God and His Word before it is too late. There are some basic bible truths citizens should learn and quickly.

  1.  Wherever God’s law is supreme, life and property are safe. Wherever the Bible is despised or discarded, neither life nor property is secure.
  2. When worldly friends were discussing theories around the dining table one day, Voltaire said: “Hush, gentlemen, till the servants are gone. If they believed as we do, none of our lives would be safe.” The influence of the Bible in restraining sin and promoting righteousness is one of the evidences that it is a supernatural and divine revelation.
  3. A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God’s law!
  4. In Romans 1, the apostle Paul gives the four step decline in the history of the nation that forgets God:
    1. A nation rejects God
    2. turns to false religion
    3. it becomes bogged down in immorality and violence
    4. and then God judges it.
 
Consequently, a nation without God is a nation in serious trouble. Let us turn back to the God Word and Truths while there is still time.