Category: Christian Living

There Never Was a Pulpit Like the Cross

~ Joseph Chase ~ Leave a comment

On a horrible hill in full view of the sinful, hateful world the sweetest, most gentle lamb of God was brutally butchered to redeem all of us who should have been crucified. I don’t know of an act that proclaims “I love you,” more than that precious and abhorant image. The innocent died for the vilest who would and will ever live.

That act proclaims the greatest love that has ever been. It offers the greatest mercy ever bestowed. If forever calls a lost and dying humanity to come back to the God who loves them. Preachers cannot find a way to express the profound ramifications of this benevolent act of a kind and merciful God. We can only point to it and remind people what happened on that cross.

One of my favorite songs ever sung by Gary Miller and Vocal Union is “There Never Was a Pulpit Like the Cross.” These lovely words express an unchanging truth that we need to hear and proclaim to every person in every place under God’s sun!

“Oh, there never was a pulpit like the old rugged cross
And there never was such a meeting place as Calvary
There never was a greater lesson preached on love by mortal man
And there never was a pulpit like the cross.”

Words and music: Sam L. Sullivan © 1984 Anthony K. Music (ASCAP)

I point you today to that scene where Jesus hung between earth and sky, beaten, bloody, broken yet triumphant. He won the great battle for freedom from sin forever. In His final words stand a proclamation of the finality of the work of God in redeeming mankind. “It is finished.” Will you let this great gift go unreceived in you life? Please don’t. Surrender to the master in obedience to Him.

Satan Shoes vs. Gospel Shoes

~ Joseph Chase ~ Leave a comment

Have you purchased your Satan Shoes? You better hurry because there will only be 666 pairs of the first run.

How sad, but not surprising that the Satan has used popular culture to try to sway people to his way. He’s done this for centuries. Using not just popular culture, but media, entertainment, the ability to do commerce and every other device he can get his hands on.

I think the profoundly terrible aspect of all of this is that while Satan’s lies have marched around the world, we as Christians are stammering to put on our shoes.

Jesus told us to teach the gospel to every creature. But, seems we’ve left that to the preachers and missionary types. We comfort ourselves by saying, “that is not my gift.”

Some of the loveliest words in Scripture were penned by Isaiah and quoted by Paul. “How beautiful are the feet of those that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things” Romans 10:15. They are beautiful because of the work they have done in bringing the greatest news anyone has ever heard. Again, Paul tells us that we must have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel. We must go where Satan has gone and it is not going to be easy, pretty or safe. So take up the whole armor of God including that great sword of the Spirit that can change people from lost to saved, from satan server to Christian.

Will you not tell others the cheerbringing words of Christ?

Encouraging Words For Those Facing Temptation

~ Joseph Chase ~ Leave a comment

Luke 22:31–32 (ESV): 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus knew how hard Satan was going to attack Peter. The devil was going to try to destroy, kill, and remove Peter’s faith. If successful Peter would lose his soul. Being sifted like wheat would take a process of tribulation. A crushing and grinding to powder. The devil was going to use all means to break Peter down.

It is evident in the hours of the trials of Jesus that Satan swayed Peter to deny Christ three times. Peter’s allegiance to the Lord waned drastically. His faith was tested and found lacking. Praise God that Jesus’s prayer was answered because Peter did turn back to love, obedience and devotion to Jesus. Look how much Peter did with his faith, he preached so powerfully that Jesus’s enemies jailed him and beat him and eventually killed him. Peter turned back to Christ and built up his brethren and continues to do so through his writing and preaching.

Don’t miss the beautiful sentence “Peter, I have prayed for you.” The Savior went to the Father in prayer on Peter’s behalf . Jesus knew that Peter needed God’s help to come back from his bout with Satan. Jesus knew the fickleness of Peter’s heart, he knew Peter’s desires were right but his spirit was weak and his faith was fragile. So Jesus went to His Father to seek special help for his friend.

Jesus does the same for us because we are very much like Peter. We have trials and the devil assaults us daily hoping to destroy our faith. Notice carefully, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Remember Jesus included you in His beautiful prayer recorded in John 17.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20–21)

Rejoice in that spectacular news, Jesus prays for you. Right in the very throne room of God; He speaks on your behalf. Jesus yearns for you to be with Him in Heaven. He knows you will face the devil and that you need Divine help to overcome. So, He asks God for that help for you. Not only that, He also promised to be with us until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20). He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us, support us and strengthen us through the written word (John 14:16-18; 16:7-16).

Peter shows us that with Jesus’s help we will triumph over the devil. Though our faith may falter, we can come back even stronger than before. Let me encourage you to build yourself up in the most holy faith. Strengthen your faith by adding the graces Peter taught in (2 Peter 1:5-9). Run with patience (Hebrews 12:1). Be faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). Lean on the many helps Jesus provides and you will live with God forever more.

Danger of an Untamed Tongue

~ Joseph Chase ~ Leave a comment

Wise disciples have trained their hearts and tongues. A child of God speaks only things approved by God. The early church preachers and writers spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance. They used their voices to proclaim the gospel and to build up the church.

They were truly wise to speak things that were profitable, speaking the truth in love and defending the Faith against the gainsayers. Such a profound difference between them and the fools who let Satan control their tongues. These prideful sinners spoke things that tore down the good, hindered the gospel and blasphemed God. Jesus told us that the heart controls the tongue. When a man is filled with spirit it is evident by what he likes to talk about. Conversely, the carnal heart expresses its fleshly desires.

Controlling your speech takes bridling the desires of the flesh and mind. It takes constant guard for the tongue is never truly tamed. It is captured and harnessed and watched after like a tiger in a zoo. We know that any moment the wild tongue can spring into a deathly rampage killing and maiming and destroying.

If you want to have better things to say, fill your heart with God’s Word. Think on wholesome, lovely, spiritual thoughts. Quit spending your breath speaking lies, gossip, course jesting and such base things.