The above verse of scripture was among many covered tonight in my Bible study class. Much of the study which began with the book of Acts gives an in-depth look into the life of the apostle Paul. We have seen the hardships that Paul and the other apostles endured as they preached and ministered to the early church. Their message of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ was not always welcomed by non-believers. They suffered much persecution and even imprisonment for the cause of Christ. Yet, they did not quit and God gave them strength to persevere. There were many who chose not to believe their message. Still, many people did choose to believe and became followers of Jesus Christ.
Through this study, I have learned to be more appreciative of the struggles and hardships of Paul and those with him who ministered to the early church and non-believers. Through their work and dedication in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world, the groundwork was laid so that one day I would be able to hear and believe the same message that they preached. Through the power of the cross, chains that once held me enslaved to sin have been loosed. I now live in freedom because of what Christ did for me on the cross. I am so thankful that the message is still the same as it was during the time of the early church. I pray that even today we will have more people like Paul who are willing to share the message of Jesus Christ no matter the cost.
The song, "The Power of the Cross" by Natalie Grant came to mind during the lecture portion of my Bible study tonight. I wrote the title down as I have learned to do this when God gives me something I might want to write about at a later time. By the time I arrived home, I was singing the song out loud and enjoying it quite well! The words of this song are very meaningful to me. Perhaps someone out there also needs to be reminded of the message and the power of the cross. I am thankful to have been reminded of it in my study tonight.
Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for the power of the cross. It is the foundation of our Christian faith. To think that You loved us that much is almost incomprehensible, but we receive it and believe it with humility and thankfulness. Help us to always remember the price that was paid for our sins and to always enjoy the freedom we have in You. That freedom only makes me want to follow Jesus more closely in my walk of faith, and I pray this is the desire of every person who now reads these words. I pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.
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