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!

 Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
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Ariete by Francisco de Zurbaran. This work is in the public domain.

Giving up – Or Never Letting Go?

APOLOGIES: I recently posted two of my blogs TWICE. Not cool. It won’t happen again. Thank you for your understanding.

Giving up – Or Never Letting Go?

As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. ⁶⁷ So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69 – NASB)

I read a fortune cookie statement once that said, “Men don’t fail… they give up trying.”

Besides noting women are just as likely as men are to give up, that is a sad commentary on the human spirit, even if only partly true.

For a follower of Christ it ought never to be true.

The only situations in which giving up would be an appropriate response to the tragedies and disappointments of life are:

• If God did not love us
• If Christ had not died for our sins and risen again
• If the blood of Christ lost its cleansing power
• If the promises of God were no longer valid
• If Christ no longer dwelt within us
• If Heaven were a myth
• If Eternal Life did not exist

The list goes on and on. Since God does love us with an everlasting love; Christ did die for us and rose again from the dead; Christ’s blood will never lose its power; God’s promises will never fail; Christ in us is the hope of glory; Heaven for the redeemed is a firm reality and Eternal life is offered to all…. giving up is not and option.

All you have to do is keep on believing and giving up won’t even occur to you.

Tony Evans said: “If life gets too hard to stand, kneel.

Not an Option

(© 30^th April 2015 – by Christopher Shennan)

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68-69 – NASB)

I haven’t got any give-up in me,

For my God: He still renews my spirit;

He causes my heart to be steadfast, free

To serve God now – without merit.

God took all the giving-up out,

And replaced it with godly zeal;

Even when discouragement comes,

The Word that He tells me will heal.

I cannot give up for I know

That God works together for good

All things taking place in my life

God has covered – I knew He would.

When giving up seems an option,

And I can’t continue to stand,

I fall on my knees and cry out,

“I’ll do whatever You command.”

For the promise of God is true;

I can trust though I cannot see.

Giving up is not an option –

For my Saviour lives within me.

 Please visit My website: www.christophershennan.ca
My blog: https://christophershennan.wordpress.com/
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Don’t Let Go by dbking unknown photographer. It was uploaded to wikimedia by AgnosticPreachersKid. Used under the CC BY 2.0 license; Please note the Disclaimer at this link. No changes were made to this photograph.

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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