Living Today
Interesting articles from Christian teachers and leaders. Designed to help you as you follow Jesus!
The Cross at Easter
The cross is an important symbol during Easter, reminding us of the incredible sacrifice Jesus made. Despite all of our struggles and pain, the cross reminds us we are not alone in this world. We can find strength and comfort knowing that Jesus has already saved us from our sins.
It’s this hope for redemption through Christ’s death on the cross that makes Easter such an integral part of Christian tradition. Stu Millar from Train to Proclaim recently shared on Vision Chrisitan Media his thoughts on how we can use the wonderful opportunities Easter creates to share our faith with others.
‘Without the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus, what do we have?’ says Stu. ‘I don’t even know whether the world would still be around today if it wasn’t for Jesus dying on the cross. As Christians, this is our holiest time of year because the heart of the gospel message is Jesus’s sacrificial death for us.’
Reconciled to God
Stu says that while we don’t worship the cross, we certainly have it on top of churches and in assemblies for a very good reason. It’s the centre of the Christian faith. Without the cross, there is no way for us to have a relationship with God. By paying that punishment on the cross, Jesus makes it possible for us to be reconciled.
‘The image of Jesus on the cross is remembering His humanity,’ says Stu. ‘It represents the sacrifice and the suffering He went through. His arms are open wide towards humanity. There are a lot of positives of capturing that point in time. But I like an empty cross because I know that He’s not still there.’
Stu says for a lot of Christians, their focus is more on the resurrection and the victory that Christ has won for us. He’s risen from the dead and He’s alive. But a real richness can also be found in understanding the suffering, because that point on the cross when Jesus took our sin was the game changer for humanity.
Jesus Was Born to Die
‘Jesus was born to die,’ says Stu. ‘He was born to suffer. He was born to pay that punishment in our place. And without it, none of humanity could be saved. It’s a glorious moment for us, but under terrible circumstances.’
‘Christmas and Easter are definitely easier times to share our faith,’ says Stu. ‘People seem to be of good cheer. There’s a holiday coming up. There’s Easter eggs. They may have the completely wrong idea about Easter, but they’ve still got a positive view to some degree.’
‘Deep down, every single one of us has a hole in us that can only be filled by God.’
Article by Melinda McCredie, Vision Christian Media
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Three Ways to Get Spiritually Refreshed
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Living in Purpose
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The Secret Place
By: Dr Dan Mo Have you ever wondered where a man can find God and fellowship with Him today? Adam met with God and fellowshipped with Him in the Garden of Eden. Moses met with God and fellowshipped with Him at the tabernacle. David met with God and fellowshipped with Him at the temple. What about us in this day and age? Where can we find God and fellowship with Him? “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1 In current times,...
Shining Light into a Dark and Desperate World
Dear friends, If you’re old enough you may remember the Beatles’ hit song in the 60’s called “Help”. John Farnham also did an impassioned version of it in the early 80’s. And if a modern day artist were to record it, I suspect it could become an anthem once again, especially the line, “Help me if you can, I’m feeling down”. It is no wonder anxiety and depression are at all-time highs, with so much bad news, disunity, fear, speculation and opinion. Add in the uncertainties of lockdowns, many...
Feast of Trumpets – What We Learn As Christians
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Making Peace with Unfulfilled Dreams
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Your Offenses Have Been Swept Away
God has swept away your offenses like a cloud. He has swept away your sins like the morning mist.
A Prayer for Troubled Times
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How to Win Spiritual Battles
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You must care for the needy (2)
‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.’ Jeremiah 2 2:16 NIV
When he was a theology student, Jim Wallis and some of his classmates took scissors to the Bible and cut out every verse about poverty, wealth, justice, or oppression. And would you believe it, by the time they had finished, there were some two thousand verses lying on the floor! The fact is, when you cut concern for the poor from your Bible, you cut the heart right out of it! Here is one such verse: ‘“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord’ (Jeremiah 22:16 NIV).
Jesus often quoted Scripture, but only on one occasion do we find Him selecting and reading from it. And what portion did He choose to read publicly? ‘”The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18 NIV). Jesus’ to-do list is: help for body and soul, strength for the physical and spiritual, and therapy for temporal and eternal.
Now some people (albeit a minority) are poor because they’re lazy and need to be taught that God’s Word says, ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat’ (2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT). But others are poor because parasites have weakened their bodies, or they spend six hours every day collecting water, or rebel armies have destroyed their farms, or disease has claimed their parents. These are the people God has assigned us to care for!
SoulFood: Acts 1:1 – 3:10, Mark 3:7-12, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©
