JULY THEME – “SEEING EBENEZER – HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”

BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART

I WILL GLORY IN THE CROSS

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” — Galatians 6:14

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” — 1 Corinthians 1:18

Every person glories in something. Some glory in their education, achievements, wealth, abilities, influence, family, ministry, or reputation. Our culture constantly encourages us to measure our worth by what we accomplish, what we possess, or what others think about us. Yet every earthly source of glory is temporary. Time steals our strength, beauty fades, accomplishments are eventually forgotten, and even the applause of people quickly grows silent. The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to have impressive credentials. He was highly educated, deeply religious, respected by his peers, and passionately devoted to his beliefs. If anyone had reason to boast in himself, it was Paul. But everything changed the moment he encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus Road. Looking back over his life, he declared, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To the unbelieving world, the cross represents weakness, humiliation, suffering, and death. To the child of God, however, the cross is the greatest display of God’s love, the foundation of our salvation, the source of our hope, and the doorway to eternal life. At Calvary, God’s perfect justice and infinite mercy met. There Jesus willingly bore our sins so that we might receive His righteousness. Every spiritual blessing we enjoy today flows from that old rugged cross. The longer we walk with Christ, the more we realize that our greatest boast is not what we have done for Him, but what He has already accomplished for us.

The Cross Reveals the Depth of God’s Love

There has never been, nor will there ever be, a greater demonstration of love than the cross of Jesus Christ. Long before we ever sought God, He sought us. Long before we loved Him, He loved us. Our salvation did not begin with our decision to follow Christ; it began in the eternal heart of God, who loved us enough to send His only begotten Son into the world. Every step Jesus took toward Calvary was a step of love. Every lash He endured declared His compassion. Every nail driven into His hands and feet proclaimed His mercy. Every drop of blood that flowed testified that God was willing to pay the highest price imaginable to redeem sinful humanity. The cross forever answers every question about God’s love. When doubts arise, when suffering comes, when circumstances become confusing, we need only look again to Calvary. There we see a Savior who willingly endured unimaginable agony because He desired to bring us into fellowship with Himself. The cross declares that we are loved with an everlasting love—a love that cannot be measured by circumstances but only by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The Cross Ends My Confidence in Myself

The cross not only reveals God’s love—it completely destroys every reason for human pride. At Calvary we discover that no amount of morality, religion, good works, generosity, or personal effort could ever make us acceptable before a holy God. If we could have saved ourselves, there would have been no reason for Jesus to die. The cross humbles every believer because it reminds us that we all stood equally guilty before God. None of us deserved mercy. None of us earned forgiveness. None of us contributed anything to our salvation except the sin that made the cross necessary. The ground at the foot of the cross is perfectly level. There are no superior Christians. There are no second-class believers. There are only forgiven sinners standing before a gracious Savior. That truth removes comparison. It removes self-righteousness. It removes pride. Our confidence is no longer found in our performance but in Christ’s finished work. We no longer strive to earn God’s acceptance because we have already been accepted in His beloved Son. Jesus paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could never pay. Therefore, our confidence rests completely in Him.

The Cross Gives Me a New Way to Live

The cross is not merely the place where Jesus died. It is also the place where our old life died with Him. When we trusted Christ as our Savior, we were united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Because of Calvary, the person we once were no longer has to control the person we are becoming. Sin is no longer our master. Guilt is no longer our prison. Shame is no longer our identity. Satan is no longer our owner. The cross has become the doorway into an entirely new life. Now we live, not to earn God’s love, but because we already possess it. We obey Him, not to gain acceptance, but because we have been accepted. We serve Him, not from fear, but from gratitude. Every day the cross calls us to die to ourselves so that Christ may live His life through us. The Christian life is not simply trying harder to be better; it is allowing the life of the crucified and risen Christ to be expressed through us. As we keep our eyes upon the cross, our love deepens, our pride diminishes, our gratitude increases, and our desire to live for Jesus grows stronger.

Imagine standing in a courtroom, unquestionably guilty, awaiting the sentence you deserve. The evidence is overwhelming. Justice demands punishment. There is no defense to offer and no payment you can make. Then, just before the sentence is pronounced, someone completely innocent steps forward and says, “I will take his place.” The judge accepts the substitute. The innocent man receives the punishment. The guilty person walks away completely forgiven. That illustration only begins to picture what happened at Calvary. Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, stepped into our place. He bore our guilt, carried our shame, satisfied God’s justice, and paid the full penalty for our sin. He took what we deserved so that we might receive what only He deserved—righteousness, forgiveness, acceptance, and eternal life. No wonder Paul declared, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

One day every earthly accomplishment will fade into history. The homes we built, the titles we earned, the wealth we accumulated, and the recognition we received will all be left behind. But the cross will never lose its glory. Throughout eternity the redeemed will continue to sing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” May we never become so familiar with Calvary that we lose our sense of wonder. May we never boast in ourselves when every blessing we possess is the result of God’s amazing grace. When the world asks what we value most, may our answer never point to ourselves. May it always point to Jesus Christ. May our testimony be the same as Paul’s: “I will glory in the cross.”

Warfare Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross of Jesus Christ, where Your justice was satisfied and Your love was fully displayed. Forgive me for the times I have trusted in my own strength, my accomplishments, my goodness, or the approval of others. Today I renounce every spirit of pride, self-righteousness, comparison, insecurity, and self-dependence. I declare that my only hope, my only righteousness, and my only glory is the finished work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Let the power of Calvary transform my thoughts, my attitudes, my words, and my actions. Teach me to die to self daily so that Christ may freely live through me. May I never be ashamed of the cross but gladly proclaim the Savior who loved me and gave Himself for me. Keep my heart tender, humble, and continually amazed by Your grace. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Daily Challenge

Throughout today, whenever you are tempted to boast in yourself, become discouraged by your failures, or compare yourself with someone else, quietly whisper these words: “I will glory in the cross.” Then pause for a moment and thank Jesus for taking your place, paying your debt, forgiving your sin, and giving you eternal life. Ask Him to help you live each moment in the shadow of Calvary, allowing His love, humility, and grace to flow through your life. Finally, look for one opportunity today to tell someone what the cross of Jesus Christ means to you. Let your greatest boast always be your greatest Savior.

TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS

Sarah Brock

Mary Williams – Broken Hip

Dale Suemnicht

Kim McClain’s Family

Susan Bankston

Ann Stanley    

Aston Savage

Britany Smith ~ Breast Cancer

Christopher & Yting Kelley

Danny Jarrard 

David Franklin

Dinay Rodriguez

Ellen Boyd 

Jean Muehlfelt

Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda & Mateen

Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda

Mary Williams

Nancy Riley

Phillip Roach

Amy Garner’s Dad

Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Angela Bryan’s Sisters

Annette Ford

Brando Echarte

Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers

Darlene Kelley – Cancer Treatment

Darlene Wiggins

Debbie Foskey 

Deon Lotter

Don And Karelle Franklin – Mae’s Cousins

Doris Loyd

Dr. and Mrs. Davis

Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards

Ed Franklin’s Son In Law – Heart Surgery

Eric Magnusson’s Mother

Eric Ward

Friend of Linda Hodge

Gayle Sparks

Gloria Young

James Burnette

Jean Partee

Jean Partee’s Sister

Jessica Headrick  

John McClain’s Mother

Joni Oberhage

June Cronan’s Sister

June Davis

Kailey Bateman

Kim McClain’s Mother 

Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom

Linda Mays

Lonzo Christian 

Lori Blount’s Mother

Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom

Mrs. Franklin 

Nancy Brown

Nora Allison

Paul Bateman

Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman

Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA

Roy Roach

Scott Lanier 

Scotty Nix

Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s

Steve Michaels

Tammy Shelnutt

Tom Witcher