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Written by Arlene Stamper from the Village Church.

I’ve thought many times that it took a major incident in my life to turn my life over to Jesus. But when I think back I also think God was dropping hints all along my way. When I was very young and my mother was ill, I leaned on Jesus in prayer asking over and over for her healing. My family were not church goers but still I prayed.  I wanted to believe but when my mom died, my belief died too. I married and my dear mother-in-law would share her faith with me.  I also unknowingly began to surround myself with friends who had deep faith. I was in awe of them, wanting to believe like they did but couldn’t.  Wouldn’t. But then I faced a life-threatening medical condition. My friend gave me a prayer quilt that her church members had said prayers over. For me. My friends put me on their church prayer lists and I was deeply touched by people who didn’t know me but would pray for my healing. Jesus all through my life kept sending me messages that he was there for me but yet I doubted.  I was like Doubting Thomas.  Such a stubborn person I, am!  But then, I started to pray and ask God to give me faith. Please give me faith.  And one day I was invited to go to The Village Church and trembling, I went.  And was welcomed by a wonderful church family but most importantly, welcomed by Jesus on the Cross. He had given me faith. Thank you, Lord!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  [Ephesians 2:8-9]

Written by Billy Graham (1918-2018), an American evangelist.

What glory is there in the cross? It was an instrument of torture and shame. Why did Paul glory in it? He gloried in it because the most selfless act ever performed by men or angels took place upon it. He saw-emanating from that rough, unartistic beam upon which the Son of God had been crucified—the radiant hope of the world, the end of the believer’s bondage to sin, and the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of men. A lone man dying on a cross did more to restore man’s lost harmony with God, his fellowman, and himself, than the combined genius and power of earth’s mighty. With my finite limitations, I cannot fully comprehend the mystery of Christ’s atonement. I only know that all who come to the cross in simple, trusting faith lose all their guilty stains and find peace with God.

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. [Galatians 6:14]

Written by Doreen May from the Village Church

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. [Psalm 100:1-2]

Written by Stanley Mast, a contemporary pastor and teacher.

Putting Jesus first in our lives can cause real pain. Jesus calls that our cross—not just the pain that is common to humanity in a fallen world, but the unique pain that comes from following Jesus so closely that we lose something precious. Is there a cross in your future? When you are tempted to shy away from your cross, remember Jesus. He was the “biggest loser” in history. He invested his life in preaching the kingdom, doing acts of love, teaching a radical way of living, training disciples to change the world, risking everything for the cause of God. And they killed him. What a loser! No, says the gospel. It was precisely by losing that he won. By losing his life, he saved ours. And his resurrection proclaimed him the biggest winner in history, by proving that he was who he said he was, that he did what he said he would, and that he can be trusted to keep his word. Trust is what we need in order to overcome our fear of the cross in our future—trust in Jesus and his work and his word. The world says that putting Jesus first is foolish. The cross says that putting Jesus first is the way of salvation. So what will you trust—the wisdom of the world or the wisdom of the cross? Will you trust yourself or Jesus?

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [Luke 14:27]

Written by Bobbi Capin from the Village Church.

In 1971, while stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC, I attended a Bible study with a friend. I took my 18-month-old, and she took hers, both going off to the nursery. The next morning, I was unable to awaken my daughter. She was running a very high fever of 106. I called my Bible study friend whose husband was head of the Pediatric division of the hospital, and she advised me to take her in immediately. After many tests they finally gave her a spinal tap and she was admitted to the hospital with H Flu bacterial meningitis. Where to go, what to do., For we who believe in a loving, faithful God there is nowhere else to go but to the Lord. I found myself kneeling at her crib with deep prayers for healing. We were in need of assistance to help with our older daughter so that were freed up to be at the hospital. Neighbors, though understanding, were fearful of transmission. In 1971 there was no inoculation for this disease. My Mom (Helen Downey) to the rescue. She flew down on a moment’s notice to help out for a number of days. My husband was required to sign a paper indicating that the outcome may not be what we had prayed for. Pam was in isolation and quarantined; put on antibiotics for 10 days and cared for by a loving staff. My friend’s doctor husband was a Christian who cared deeply for others. Each night he would go to Pam’s room before going home and lay hands on her with sincere prayers for healing I wasn’t much into the laying on of hands at the time. You needn’t ask me how I feel about that now. This was our time to surrender control and trust our God. Though this was a huge setback, there were much needed positive outcomes as well … changes in priorities and a deeper appreciation for the daily blessings our Lord provides. Pam came home a happy toddler and is now a wonderful speech/language pathologist with a family of her own and assisting youngsters with their needs. Praise God for answer to prayer. Through this setback we were also provided the opportunity to grow, to depend wholeheartedly on God’s will, and to be grateful for His daily provisions.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. [Psalm 121:1-2]

Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), a Christian theologian and philosopher from Roman Africa who served as the bishop of Hippo.

As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. [Matthew 27:55]

Written by Catherine Montgrain from the Village Church

When I discovered I had cancer in 2016, I didn’t know much about the prophet Micah and how he spoke about God’s requirements of us. Now, the prophet’s simple instructions and words from God run through my head regularly, and I thank bible study for this knowledge given to me.  My cancer experience and survival took me to the depths of humility. I became truly humble. We rely on other people for our life and put ourselves completely into God’s hands, trusting our doctors and nurses through this too. This was a very hard and untried path to take and I learned to walk humbly with God, walking through all the possible problems with help from God and loved ones around me. The kindness of the medical staff also made me vow to be kinder myself. I needed a very strong regimen of chemotherapy, and it has taken a big toll on my body, even today, though I am 10 years cancer-free. Yeah!    Possibly, my health issues have made me more open to other people’s problems and lives, and following justice is something I believe in deeply.

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. [Micah 6:8]

Written by Elizabeth Clephane (1830-1869), a Scottish song writer. She composed the hymn “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.”

Upon the cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me:
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess,
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness. 

See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. [Isaiah 32:1-2]

Written by Nina Pope from the Village Church

It was a huge surprise the day I received it.  I have always especially loved Valentine’s Day, and the giant red heart box was in itself a piece of art with elaborate red ribbon trimmed with white lace and a lavish red rose and ribbon in the center…not the sort of candy box you see these days.  The whole thing was about 35 inches tall and wide.  It was impressive at first look on the outside and held about 5 pounds of mouth-watering See’s candies within.  Although the candy is long gone, the box remains today and is a unique reminder and symbol of affection received from the love of my life, Hughes Pope.  It was unexpected and made me feel loved and will always be a cherished treasure, reminding me of many rich moments that preceded and followed its arrival. Of the many wonderful gifts I have received over the years, it is still a standout and always brings a smile to my heart and never fails to stir an avalanche of emotion because I know that out of love it was freely given and was beyond anything deserved. And so it is with the cross of Jesus Christ.  It was not the expected outcome to the end of Jesus’ earthly life.  Even now, it amazes and astonishes believers across the generations.  Unlike my giant heart box, the cross looked like defeat, not triumph and victory.  In subsequent understanding, humanity came to realize its impact for underserving recipients given out of God’s abundant love, bringing an unforeseen eternal impact which would indelibly imprint itself on the heart of all who would partake.  It was and is a symbol of love so deep that it is impossible to overestimate, a perfect love freely given and designed to be accepted and enjoyed by all delivered by a cross that in the beginning did not in any way resemble what it truly was — love.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [John 3:16]

Written by Max Lucado, a contemporary pastor and author.

The Cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity.  An odd choice, don’t you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope. The symbols of other faiths are more upbeat: the six-pointed star of David, the crescent moon of Islam, a lotus blossom for Buddhism. Yet a cross for Christianity? An instrument of execution? Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman’s noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the cross. Many even make the sign of the cross as they pray. Would we make the sign of, say, a guillotine? Instead of the triangular touch on the forehead and shoulders, how about a karate chop on the palm? Doesn’t quite have the same feel, does it? Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal—the other vertical. One reaches out—like God’s love. The other reaches up—as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards. How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [2 Corinthians 5:21]