A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Wednesday, March
27, 2019
"The
Old Rugged Cross Made The
Difference"
Message
summary: The
old rugged cross still
makes the difference and
all over the world this
day people will be
experiencing the
life-changing power of
Jesus Christ. Has Christ
and His Cross made a
difference in your life?
Is Christ and His Cross
making a difference in
your life?
Listen to our
message on your audio
player.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
'Twas a life
filled with aimless
desperation
Without hope walked the shell of a man;
Then a hand with a nail print stretched downward,
Just one touch then a new life began.
Without hope walked the shell of a man;
Then a hand with a nail print stretched downward,
Just one touch then a new life began.
Yesterday
I took to the roads with
Dennis "Bunny" O'Hare, a
long-time friend
of ours who is also a
chaplain to truck
drivers. Bunny was
raised in the Boston
area where his Dad owned
a tavern and Bunny was a
bouncer. He was also a
boxer, a literal
"fighting Irishman". Over time he
became an alcoholic but
through the redemptive
power of the Cross he
was delivered from
alcohol in 1984 and can
now sing and personally
testify, "The Old Rugged
Cross Made The
Difference".
In the mid-nineties he became a chaplain with "Transport For Christ" and has served the Lord in that capacity ever since. For quite a few years he has been serving as the Director of Chaplain Care overseeing all the chaplains in the ministry. Brooksyne and I met him about twenty years ago at a conference in Boston.
His motto is "I used to be a slugger, but now I'm a hugger".
God is in the life-changing business and He's still changing lives today. Bunny is one of those changed lives and, he in turn like those who reached out to him, is reaching out to provide a haven of mercy, love and forgiveness to drivers. In spite of all the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits that come from serving the Lord it can be very hard work with many setbacks and disappointments.
We rejoice in the work of God seen in the immediate transformation at the time of belief and the slow progressive transformation over a lifetime of following Christ. The old rugged cross made (past tense) and makes (present tense) a difference. We rejoice at the steady change demonstrated by long-term faithfulness and service such as we observe in Bunny.
The Apostle Paul wrote describing this wonderful change, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul experienced that change in his life and he rejoiced in the changed lives he had ministered to. John Newton, the former slave trader best known for writing "Amazing Grace", said before he died, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things – that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."
In the mid-nineties he became a chaplain with "Transport For Christ" and has served the Lord in that capacity ever since. For quite a few years he has been serving as the Director of Chaplain Care overseeing all the chaplains in the ministry. Brooksyne and I met him about twenty years ago at a conference in Boston.
His motto is "I used to be a slugger, but now I'm a hugger".
God is in the life-changing business and He's still changing lives today. Bunny is one of those changed lives and, he in turn like those who reached out to him, is reaching out to provide a haven of mercy, love and forgiveness to drivers. In spite of all the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits that come from serving the Lord it can be very hard work with many setbacks and disappointments.
We rejoice in the work of God seen in the immediate transformation at the time of belief and the slow progressive transformation over a lifetime of following Christ. The old rugged cross made (past tense) and makes (present tense) a difference. We rejoice at the steady change demonstrated by long-term faithfulness and service such as we observe in Bunny.
The Apostle Paul wrote describing this wonderful change, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul experienced that change in his life and he rejoiced in the changed lives he had ministered to. John Newton, the former slave trader best known for writing "Amazing Grace", said before he died, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things – that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."
The old rugged
cross still makes the
difference and all over
the world this day
people will be
experiencing the
life-changing power of
Jesus Christ. Has Christ
and His Cross made
a difference in your
life? Is Christ and His
Cross making a
difference in your life
today?
And the old
rugged cross made the
difference
In a life bound for heartache and defeat;
I will praise Him forever and ever
For the cross made the difference for me.
In a life bound for heartache and defeat;
I will praise Him forever and ever
For the cross made the difference for me.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, there is no sin
too great that Your mercy
is not greater. We were
born with a sin problem,
but You provided the
solution for our sin sick
souls through the wondrous
sacrifice of Your Son
Jesus Christ on the old
rugged cross. We could
never be good enough, rich
enough, famous enough, or
smart enough – nothing we
offer is enough. Anything
we offer is sin-based
because of our human
condition and all that
Christ offers is sin-less
because He is the divine
Lamb without spot or
blemish. Only Jesus, the
sinless Lamb of God, is
enough to pay for our sins
and begin the wonderful
work of transforming us
into Your likeness. Thank
You that the Old Rugged
Cross still makes the
difference. Amen.
Yesterday
morning we visited
Audrey's Distribution
Center where they have
many trucks that both
deliver and pick up
products. They want to
reach out to these drivers
with a small welcome
center that includes
drinks, refreshments and
Christian literature.
Bunny shared with the team
for a few minutes and we
prayed together asking the
Lord to bless their new
outreach. Afterwards
Bunny informed the team
that he believed God was
really excited about this.
Excitement is an Anthropopathism
I've never consider God
having. Does God
have emotions?
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"Transport For
Christ" website
Connecting drivers to Jesus
Christ and Christian community
so that drivers are never alone or without support.
so that drivers are never alone or without support.
Finally
today:
Several
days ago Pastor Richard
Dresselhaus had this thought in
his online devotional "One For the
Road":
Waiting
for Jesus to come. This is the
occupation of every follower
of Jesus.
Imagine a busy father who left his young son at a safe and supervised place telling him to stay there until he returned. Unexpectedly the father was detained until later in the day. When he returned the son had remained in the same place where the father had left him.
What is the lesson in this imaginative story? Simply this – until Jesus comes we must stay close to the cross. You are always safe in this place. It is the place of pardon, fellowship and communion with the Savior.
Sadly some wander off and become partners with the world.
So stand firm until Jesus comes.
Imagine a busy father who left his young son at a safe and supervised place telling him to stay there until he returned. Unexpectedly the father was detained until later in the day. When he returned the son had remained in the same place where the father had left him.
What is the lesson in this imaginative story? Simply this – until Jesus comes we must stay close to the cross. You are always safe in this place. It is the place of pardon, fellowship and communion with the Savior.
Sadly some wander off and become partners with the world.
So stand firm until Jesus comes.
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