Sunday, April 24, 2011

WHAT IS THE COST? 4/24/11

I REMEMBER Mr. Ellett, my pastor; friend and mentor,
not to mention my friend Iona Kay’s, father. His presence in the pulpit remains with me today. On Easter our little church sanctuary was filled to overflowing. He would rent the highschool auditorium which held at least, if not more than a thousand; and it would be filled to capacity. It didn’t matter where Lawndale’s Easter service was held, Mr. Ellett always shared the same object lesson somewhere in the service.

HE WOULD hold up an ugly, dirty, shriveled up lily bulb. He would talk about it as though it had been alive and was now dead. With death comes the ugliness of the flesh and subsequently rottenness and decay. The only good thing for death was to bury it in the ground because “All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.” Job 34:15 God’s word says that the dust of man returns to the earth but the spirit returns to God who gave it.

“ALL FLESH is like grass, and it’s beauty is like the flower of the field. However, the grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are like the grass.” Isaiah 40:6-7 Grasses and flowers fade and die! Man was made from dust and to dust he returns when he dies. This is where Mr. Ellett places the dirty, ugly bulb into the dirt and buries it!

HE THEN tells again, the story of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. He reminds us that as the criminal on the cross, when we, who are followers of the way die; we too will find ourselves in this place called paradise. Some call it the 3rd heaven and some just call it heaven; Jesus is there! The piece of resistance is when Mr. Ellett holds up the beautiful lily in all it’s glory and splendor. He reminds us that this glory will replace our dirty, shriveled up ugliness of the flesh in death and give us a life of beauty and grandeur.

ANOTHER one of my early memories was the Sunrise Service. A group would go up into the beautiful Palos Verdes hills and find a knoll that jutted out into the ocean where the waves would come slapping up against the rocky sides filled with dirt, rocks and roots which held it firmly in place. It was exciting to get up very early Easter morning and head to the church. Load up in many cars with our hair up in pin curls or rollers, which were covered with bandana’s. We all wore heavy coats with scarves and gloves to protect us from the morning chill especially as we neared the morning ocean winds.

WE WOULD sing songs like “Up from the grave He arose;” “He lives!” “Christ the Lord is Risen today!” We would hear the beloved story again how Jesus was buried in a rich man’s tomb guarded by a huge stone and the kings soldiers. We saw once again the women coming to finish the burial preparations. I wish then I had known the song “I’ve just seen Jesus!” Every time we hear this story of Christ, I always feel that I have just seen the Lord again; face to face!

WHAT EVER church you regularly attend, be sure to enter those doors this weekend. Be sure to ask your neighbor, friends and family to share in this precious memory once again. Be sure to go with your heart ready to receive your Savior once again, and renew your mind. Don’t forget, God’s love for you is so great that Jesus accepted the cost and paid the price so that we can be freed from the bonds of sin. So we can hold our heads high knowing the debt has been paid. We have moved out of our rental owned by Satan and into a new house where Jesus is the “live in” landlord.

“THANK YOU Lord for saving my soul! Thank you Lord for making me whole! Thank you Lord for giving to me; thy great salvation, so rich and free!” I can’t imagine a life without Christ! I can’t imagine a family that did not share in my beliefs. I can’t imagine no Christ; no God; no Savior! However, I can imagine knowing Christ, knowing God and knowing my Savior. Christ the Lord has risen; He has risen indeed! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 4/24/11

Sunday, April 17, 2011

WHAT KIND OF LOVE IS THIS? 4/17/11

UPON JESUS’ entry into Jerusalem He sat upon the hill and looked over the countryside. He knew what was ahead not only for Himself but for Jerusalem; the followers of the way and for the Christians of today. He said if I could just gather them all under my wings like a mother hen does for her chicks. He shed tears of heartache for what was to come for them and being filled with the impending, terrible death that He was to endure for us; He set his mind resolutely and came down from the hill.

WHAT KIND of love would lead a man to die like that? What kind of man would suffer excruciating torture for sinners and even the ungrateful sinners? What kind of Father would let His son be brutalized and degraded like that? Have you ever thought about these things; have you ever wondered why?

THROUGHOUT the Old Testament we are taught that a perfect Lamb must be brought to the alter to restore man’s place with God. Obviously, man’s rebellion against God was so serious that eventually, more would be required. Only the perfect obedience of a perfect man could restore the breach between them. Such a one was Jesus! God knew this plan would have to be brought into play; God knew that His love was to come down to man, if man was to come up to Him. God was to give the ultimate sacrifice if man were to ever cross the bridge into eternity with Him.

“BUT WE preach Christ crucified which is a stumbling block to the Jews and was declared foolishness by the Gentiles.” 1 Corinthians 1:23 In those days, the Christ crucified became a stumbling block not only to the Jews but the Gentiles. Today it is a stumbling block and it is often explained away as ridiculous. “Take care that this liberty of yours, does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” 1 Corinthians 8:9

“FOR FREEDOM Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Christian liberty is a consequence of salvation by grace. Our liberty is freedom from the law, from the curse of the law, from the fear of death, from sin, from the Old Testament ordinances. But our liberty must never become a license to sin.

A CRUCIFIED GOD can only be perceived by faith and love. Reason can be explained, but love believes. Reason can persuade, but love convinces. “For love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 That love which emptied itself out on the cross, is being offered to us at this moment. We say His love was emptied out but it never can be completely emptied for He replenishes His love for us just like the blood keeps flowing. His love cries down through the ages saying, “This is my beloved son, listen to Him. This is my beloved son, follow Him. This is my beloved son, love Him. This is my beloved son, imitate him.” The faithful Christian finds his qreatest liberty when he is in bondage to Jesus!

WE CALL today, Palm Sunday! The day Christ rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, to face His ultimate day of reckoning and human sacrifice. We weep because it happened and we were the blame, but I celebrate His love for me and praise His name. I am looking forward to Easter Sunday when we can all stand together and sing once again; He Arose; He Arose; Hallelujah Christ Arose!” Every Sunday is resurrection Sunday but Easter is the day we set aside to remember in grandeur, our Lord and Savior in all His majesty! We are free when we are fully committed to Jesus Christ! We have the power!. The empty tomb is proof of that! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 4/15/11 (partially Adapted from Connie Hopper/April 2002 Singing News (The printed voice of Southern Gospel Music)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

THE ROMAN WAY! 4/10/11

THE CRUCIFIXION was a brutal and cruel way to die. Those who saw men die this way never forgot the experience. It would haunt them for the rest of their lives. It haunts us just reading about it in the scriptures!

BEFORE a condemned man was to be crucified, he would be prepared with a ‘flagellum’. A Roman cat-o’-nine-tails, if you will. These leather straps were inter-twined with bits of bone and lead, which would tear out pieces of flesh when it was applied. Some executioners were so good at this, they could tear off an ear or the flesh from between the ribs; or even put out an eye.

AFTER the whipping, the victim would be forced to carry their own crossbeam to the place where the crucifixion would be carried out. They would force the prisoner to walk the longest route, through winding, crowded streets. While the executioners were wanting to show their Roman power in crucifying Jesus, our God was showing His power; the power of His love.

WHEN THEY reached the place of execution, the condemned was nailed by his hands to the crossbeam and then hauled onto the upright which had been left there from the previous execution; while all the time screaming in agony. His feet were nailed to the upright, and he was left to die! Death would be a blessed relief!

WE ARE ENTERING a most reverent and discerning time of the Christian belief; that Jesus the Son of God, gave Himself up and while he was not guilty of any crime, was crucified for our guilt instead. The Romans, although an instrument of God, at the time, never fully understood the role they played in crucifying the man Jesus. They thought they were obeying their laws of procedure but instead they were pawns in God’s hands. They didn’t even know that there was no other way; that no one could have stopped them from doing their job!

“THEREFORE God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 God’s plan was executed without a hitch!

IN THE PLAN of God, it was never intended that Christ would set up an earthly kingdom. If He had, there would have been no Lamb that was slain, nor could He have taken away the sins of the world. He came the first time to die on Calvary. But when He comes the second time it will be visible to all at one time. He will come as King of kings. He will come as Lord of the whole universe. What a day that will be!

WHEN I think of what God had planned from the beginning and what the man Jesus did for us, we the people, could only feel helpless. His death was foretold in the scriptures down to the most minute detail and the people were still helpless. “And Paul went in, as was his custom and for three weeks, he argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead; and saying “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ!” Acts 17:2-3

“THIS JESUS, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God; you crucified and killed, by the hands of lawless men,” Acts 2:23 Jesus went to the cross because it was ordained by God! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

OH HOW WONDERFUL it is to be called a Christian; “Christ one!” Oh how wonderful to be counted among the saints that have gone before me! “In my heart there rings a melody; there rings a melody of love!” Do you hear it; can you feel it? Place your hand in the hand of the man Jesus, that can give you life everlasting; we call Him Lord!! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 4/6/11

Sunday, April 3, 2011

FOR THE GRACE OF GOD! 4/3/11

I HAVE noticed within the last thirty years, churches talk a lot about God’s grace. It is as though God’s grace is a license for you to be free to do anything. I guess you would call me a legalist because I believe God’s grace was given at the Cross, anything else would be frosting on the cake. When we say; “There but for the grace of God” we are saying; “Thank you God for the sacrifice your Son made on the cross because that has made it possible for me to come to you and to receive forgiveness of my sins. You have made it possible for me to say no to the world and yes to your Son.” Thank you Lord!

GOD’S GRACE on the cross has given us the desire to stop and ask; “What would Jesus do!” I don’t know how many times I have said; “There but for the grace of God, go I!” I realize that I could be wearing the shoes of the unfaithful; the prostitute; the liar; the thief; the murderer; the cheat, you name it and I could be it and most of the time my sins are equally defeating. That fateful day, so many years ago when the man Jesus went to the cross, we all were on His mind! He has made it possible for us to escape the snares laid out before us.

AS A GIRL growing up I didn’t want to do anything that would make my family ashamed of me, or would hurt them. I learned as a young wife, that my husband grew up feeling the same way. When I met Jesus I discovered I didn’t want to hurt my new family, the church, nor did I want to cause God to be displeased with me. However, the natural side of me played the harlot and I would fail being perfect on my own. I imagine you all have experienced these kind of days!

WHEN I SEE those who are caught up in Satan’s snare of iniquity, my heart aches for them. I realize their minds are full of what they have done; what other’s may think; how it will affect their families and the turmoil becomes the pool they are drowning in. There but for the grace of God go I! I am so thankful that God sent His son and the bridge He was to cross, was the cross He carried for me and you, of which He hung on and died.

“BUT NOW the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it; the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by His blood, to be received by faith.” Romans 3:21-25

ACCORDING to the law a price must be paid; a penalty must be suffered; a sacrifice must be offered. Paul finds in the life and death of Christ, the indispensable atoning sacrifice. In retrospect we find man was reconciled to God by the death of Christ. His death was His gift of grace to all those who accept Him as savior, through faith. “If, because of one man’s sin, death reigned through that one man; how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness, which is to reign in his life through the one man, Jesus Christ?” Romans 5:17 His grace through His blood on our cross!

“WHAT SHALL WE then say? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? No! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:1-4 This brings us to the phrase; “But there, for the grace of God, go I!” When we find ourselves enmeshed in the sins that attack our natural side; grab a hold of the grace given to us by Jesus Christ and allow Him to pull you out of the miry clay! Sing His praises all day long, for God is good!
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 4/1/11