Where Would We Be?

Where Would We Be?

The next day he [John] saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 – NASB)

For Christ also died for sins once for all, [the] just for [the] unjust, so that He might bring us to God… (1 Peter 3:18 – NASB)

Have you ever played the “what if” game?

The father in Fiddler on the Roof played that game when he sang the song, “If I were a rich man.”  He imagined all the things he could do if he just happened to be rich. In his abject poverty he couldn’t help fantasizing what it would be like to be a wealthy man.

Games like that can be of some benefit; they can temporarily ease the pressure of difficult circumstances. The “what if” game can also help one face reality, like the one I engage in with regard to the death and resurrection of Christ.

I ask myself “What if Christ had not died? What if He had not risen from the dead? What if he had not paid for my sins? What if Christ’s blood did not wash away sins? What if God had not loved me enough to send His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life?”

What then? Where would I be? What would be the consequences if all these things were not true? I can hardly bare to think of it, but doing so periodically stirs in me a gratitude that God does love me.  He did send His Son to save me. He did shed His blood to wash away my sin. He did purchase my redemption and He will come for me some day. He has prepared a place for me and I will ever be with the Lord.

Where Would I Be?*

(© 22nd October 1992 – by Christopher Shennan)

For Christ also died for sins once for all, [the] just for [the] unjust, so that He might bring us to God… (1 Peter 3:18 – NASB)

Where would I be if the Lamb had not died;

Had He not been beaten and crucified?

Were Christ not stronger than the grave’s dread power,

How would I fare in that dark, final hour?

I fear my sins would have damned me to hell;

My thoughts have condemned me – that I know well.

Peace would have fled like the dew of the morn,

And I’d have been wishing I’d never been born.

Where would I be if God’s Love had not been

Wholly invested in Calvary’s scene?

Had He not carried my sins far away,

To whom could I turn on the Judgement Day?

The worm would not die; the fire would not quench,

Or Eternity hide the noise or stench

That would rise from my sins continually,

Or cries of despair that would issue from me.

But—

Not, “Where would I be?” but, “Where am I now?”

Is the theme of my song; source of my vow.

For the Lamb was slain, the Lamb did die,

And the mercy of God has drawn me nigh.

Now what will I do about those outside

Who’ve never been told of the Crucified?

I’ll spend and be spent till the end of time,

And many lost souls are eternally Thine!

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Ariete by Francisco de Zurbaran. This work is in the public domain.

When the Game is Over

When the Game is Over

When a chess player is defeated by his opponent, and “Check-mate” has been declared, the game is over. There is no point in continuing. You have lost and you had better accept defeat and put the board away. At least, that is true of a game of chess.

With the game of life, however, that is not necessarily so.

It was “game over” for the thief crucified next to Jesus.

He had lived the life of a criminal and was finally paying the ultimate price for it – his life. There was one thing, however, that he could do, and he did it:

And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” ⁴³ And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43 – NASB)

The game wasn’t over for him any more.

It was “game over” for the woman caught in the act of adultery.

She was on the verge of being stoned to death according to the law. She couldn’t do anything about that; it was out of her hands. All she could do was kneel there in the dust  and wait  for the stones to end her life.

She waited…and waited… and waited….

And then…

                Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” (John 8:10-11 – NASB)

The game wasn’t over any more.

Perhaps you have come to that place in your life where you are convinced there is no way out. Game over. Or you know someone else who has “lost the game.”

Is the game over for you?

Is the game over for them?

It need not be!

Jesus is the only one who can finally declare “game over,”

And he’s not going to do it if you call on him as the thief on the cross did.

The woman caught in adultery didn’t even ask for His help, but Jesus rescued her anyway.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… (Romans 10:8-9 – NASB)

The game of life is never over till you have been to Jesus.

Game Over?

(© Wednesday 22^nd April 2025 – by Christopher Shennan

…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… (Romans 10:8-9 – NASB)

You think the game is over now,

For the likes of you and me;

You think the scoreboard is final,

And you are lost in misery.

Your life has just come to nothing,

And you are throwing in the towel;

You’ve expended all your effort,

And the umpire’s shouted “Fowl!”

The voice of reason still tells you

There is “no way out” forever;

And the enemy still whispers,

“You’ll find an answer? No! Never!”

I’ve got news for you, my friend:

The games not over, not at all –

As long as you lean on Jesus,

Nothing again will make you fall.

When this life at last is over,

A new game of life will begin –

And you’ll live with Him forever –

A life that is free from all sin.

 Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
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Checkmate by Alan Light. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. Also used under the Commons GNU Free Documentation License. No changes were made to this photo.

Winning Souls is Wise

Winning Souls is Wise

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”(Proverbs 11:30)

Few things can compare with the joy on the face of someone who has recently come to Christ and had their sins forgiven (as exemplified by the girl in the picture above).

Multiply that a hundred times if you happen to be the one who has explained the Gospel to them and led them to Christ.

I have learned I don’t have to be clever to be the instrument in God’s hand to bring someone to Christ. All I have to do is explain the Gospel to them with clarity and compassion. It is not I who performs the miracle. The miracle lies in the message of the Gospel itself:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it [the] righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous [man] shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16 – NASB)

The Gospel is the power of God; not in you, or me, or the gifted preacher. So long as the Gospel is presented clearly and with loving intent, the Holy Spirit will apply it to each individual. If the individual is receptive to the truth, the miracle of salvation will take place. Our part is simply to be faithful by explain it in terms that person can understand.

Yet the Scripture tells us the soul-winner is wise. What makes the soul-winner wise?

• The soul-winner is wise when he or she actually gets out there to share the Gospel. They don’t make the excuse they are not gifted in that way, or it is not their “thing,” as I have heard some declare.

• The soul-winner is wise to realize God has called every follower of Christ to share the Gospel, not just a chosen few.

• The soul-winner is wise in recognizing the power to win souls is inherent in the Gospel message; he is confident the Gospel seed will do its own work. All he needs to do is scatter it and the Holy Spirit will a apply it to those who here it.

• The soul-winner is wise to know that prayer is the indispensable companion to spreading of the Gospel. He does not depend upon a “method” alone, but uses prayer to prepare the ground for sowing, and to water the seed for growing.

The question is, “How wise are you? How wise am I? Are we actually getting out there to declare the Good News. If we are, know that God counts us among the wise.

The Wise Man

(13th July 1992)

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”(Proverbs 11:30)

He that winneth souls is wiser

Than all the wisdom known

And in the previous ages,

The winds of time have flown.

The wisdom of the ancients,

Well gathered over time,

Can’t approach the brilliance

Of a poor soul-winner’s mind.

For the simple soul that hungers

To do the Father’s will,

And seeks to bring lost sinners

To the foot of Calvary’s hill:

The Spirit of God grants insight

Into the ways of men

That far transcends the genius

Of the famed with brush or pen.

Now the wisdom of the ancients

May well accomplish much;

If applied with zeal and rigor,

Could achieve the expert’s touch.

But the man who’s set on serving

His Lord and also others,

Is a man who’s always making

His foes into his brothers.

Bring your prize if you’ve a mind to:

Won in the halls of fame,

Or in a great place of learning

Of prestigious name.

And I will bring a soul-winner,

Whom the world will not applaud,

But who’s won the sweet approval

Of Jesus Christ his Lord.

 Please visit My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
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Camp Worship by Paul M. Walsh. Copyright. Used under the CC BY 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. We have made no changes to this photograph. Lacey Johnson, 9, left, and Jasmine Anderson, 9, right, and Jaimie Brown, 10, in the center background, weep and raise their hands, after listening to a gospel presentation by Jason Mansur, a children’s minister from Harvestime Church of Eau Claire, Wis., while at the Assembly Park Bible Camp, in Lake Nebagmon, Wis., on Monday, July 30, 2007. Anderson said that she wanted to “grow closer

(picture credits at end of post)

The Meaning of His Name

Matthew 1:18-25

She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 – NASB)

His name means: Saviour

That is His business – saving people from sin.

You know nothing about Jesus until you know this one essential fact about Him – He is a Saviour. He came to save from sin. What is more, He came to save you from sin. If you think of Jesus in any other way, your thinking is all wrong. You won’t get any real benefit out of your religion if you do not begin first with this basic reality – Jesus came to save you from sin. If you evade this you will end up with a set of rules, and an empty heart.

You have got to see Jesus as the One Who saves from sin, and you as the one who needs saving. Any other idea is a shadow of what Christianity is all about.

It is entirely right to see Jesus as a Comfort in the time of trouble.

It is wonderful to turn to Him as a Friend, closer than a brother.

It is admirable to see Him as your Guide, and as your Shepherd.

First and foremost you need to see Him as Your Saviour, or you do not know Him at all; you have never understood the purpose of His coming. As a result you will find your religious life, if you have any at all, to be dry, inadequate, and without any power at all.

I never understood rreligion;

I knew not anything,

Until I knew that Christ died

To save me from my sin – Christopher Shennan.

 Please check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
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The Name of Jesus by Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-ND 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this final link. No changes were made to the image.

The Father’s Business – Redemption

T(“Christ on the Cross,” by Peter Paul Rubens, circa 1628. This faithful photographic reproduction of the aforementioned artwork is in the public domain.)

he Father’s Business – Redemption

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49 – NKJV)

The Father and the Son are in the Business of redeeming lost souls:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) (Galatians 3:13 – NKJV)

The law, as good and holy though it be, always places a curse on very member of the human race.

Now, why should that be? For one simple reason: the only way to be saved by the law is to keep it perfectly. I mean perfectly. That means there must never, ever have been a time when we have failed to keep the law in a perfect manner. We cannot fail to keep every part of the law in the present – or the future. If you do the penalty must be death – eternal death – separation from God for all eternity, and suffering in the Lake that burns with fire forever and ever. One sin is enough to get you there, because one sin is all it takes to break the law.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 – NKJV)

The only way to avoid the curse of the law is to receive Salvation as a gift. You cannot earn it. It is not for sale; you must take it as a gift, or you cannot have it at all.

Now, just because it is free, does not mean it is cheap; it cost the blood of the Son of God and unspeakable agony on the Cross to procure it for you. And the physical agony was not the worst of it. It was the spiritual agony that caused Jesus the greatest suffering, a suffering that caused Him to be forsaken of God:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46 – NKJV)

Because Jesus was forsaken you and I will never be forsaken if we trust Him. We can cling to the promise of Hebrews 13:5: …He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you… (NASB)

The Father’s business is to redeem us from the curse of the law.

The Curse and the Cross

(© Thursday 11^th December 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) (Galatians 3:13 – NKJV)

The curse lay heavy upon me,

For I failed to keep all the law;

My soul was bowed down with trouble –

I was aware of very flaw.

I had no true place to turn to,

For God’s wrath seemed to track me down;

No place was there for a shelter

From what I perceived was God’s frown.

But then a friend of mine pointed

To Christ on the Cross on the hill;

The blood He had shed just cleansed me,

And caused me to seek His good will.

By faith I live in God’s mercy,

In the shadow of that dear Cross;

The curse of the law no longer

Looms over my soul to bring loss.

The curse of the law was taken

By Christ and he bore it alone;

Now I am free to discover

His Grace to call Him my own.

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You Pay at the End … Unless

(picture by Joanne Shennan – used with permission)

You Pay at the End … Unless

I took my daughter to drop off her cat for grooming at a grooming facility.

The grooming would take a couple of hours so I offered to take her out for lunch.

As we settled into my car I asked her casually, “Have you paid them yet?”

“No, Dad,” she replied, “you only pay at the end, when the job is finished.”

The phrase stuck in my brain: “You only pay at the end.”

“Just like life,” I responded, “you may not always have to pay for a life of sin in the here and now, but you will always have to pay at the end.”

In one way or another, the debt for sin will have to be paid. “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)

After a moment of silence I added, “Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you have been redeemed and the price for sin has already been paid by the blood of Christ.”

And according to the Law, [one may] almost [say], all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22 – NASB)

…knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, [the blood] of Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-19 – NASB)

Jesus Paid it All

(© Sunday 23^rd November 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

…knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, [the blood] of Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-19 – NASB)

I knew I had a debt of sin,

A debt I could not ever pay;

There was no coin except my death –

That, indeed, was the only way.

Not just death, but eternal woe

Would be my reward and my plague,

And there was nothing I could do

To ever wipe that debt away.

In terror I cried for mercy,

For I could not pay at the end.

Someone would have to pay for me

And come my broken soul to mend.

Then I heard the voice of Jesus;

It was so gentle strong and true,

“You won’t have to pay, dear pilgrim,

For I have paid it all for you.

“All you must do is believe it,

And follow Me all of your days;

My strength is yours to receive it,

And I’ll teach you all of My ways.

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