Chris Turner's Memoirs: March 2018

Friday, March 23, 2018

The message of The Cross

Romans 1:6

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

1 Corinthians 1:18:

'For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness ...';

“We preach Christ crucified.” This is the focal point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a picture of blood flowing from Christ’s veins as He hung on the cross. The message of shed blood is repugnant to many, and they turn from such a gory sight, feeling that their delicate sensibilities have been outraged. Many people will accept Christ’s character, but they reject His crucifixion.

As we stand at the cross today and gaze on a confused and frustrated world, God asks the question, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:20-21, NIV).

When we look at the cross, we see several things:
First, in the cross we see the clearest evidence of the world’s guilt. At the cross of Christ, sin reached its climax. Its most terrible display took place at Calvary. It was never blacker nor more hideous. We see the human heart laid bare and its corruption fully exposed. The Scripture teaches that man’s heart is desperately wicked.

The answer is found deep in the human heart. Human nature has not changed, and as we stand and gaze at the cross, we see clear evidence that mankind is basically wrong, and we hear the thunderous verdict of God Himself when He says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Second, in the cross we see the strongest proof of God’s hatred of sin. God has stated that the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20) and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
To gain a clear understanding of God’s attitude toward sin, we only have to consider the purpose of Christ’s death. The Scripture says, “Without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). Here is a positive statement that there can be no forgiveness of sin unless our debt has been paid.

Third, in the cross we see a glorious exhibition of God’s love. We look out upon the world of nature, and in the provisions and plans made for our happiness we discover a revelation of God’s love. Yet as wonderful as these things are in revealing divine love, nothing is comparable to the sacrifice of Calvary. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Fourth, in the cross we see the way to victory. All of us have at times been defeated by Satan. We are held in bondage to sin and are controlled by the power of the devil. The cross is the instrument by which God delivers us from the penalty of our sins and from the hand of Satan.
God makes it plain that our carnal nature was dealt with at the cross, so that in our standing in Christ this nature has no more power over us. We are told that our “old man was crucified with Him” (Romans 6:6) and that we do not need to serve sin any longer. The Scripture promises that sin shall no longer have dominion over us (Romans 6:14).

The cross of Christ is not only the basis of our peace and hope–but it is the means of our eternal salvation. The goal of the cross is not only a full and free pardon, but a changed life lived in fellowship with God. No wonder Paul said 2,000 years ago, “We preach Christ crucified.” The world needs this message today. This is the message of hope, peace and brotherhood. This is what the world calls “foolishness” but what God has been pleased to call “wisdom.” What do you call it?

Billy Graham Magazine April, 2007

"Do not be ashamed of the Cross, hang it on your wall and display it to all your friends who enter in to your home."

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Monday, March 12, 2018

How would you like to die?

How would you like to die?

When I got up this morning I was thinking, what I am going to do today. Seeing, as I am unemployed, a writer, unable to make money at anything I do, I got to thinking.

As I was making my breakfast, I thought of all the gifts, talents and skills that God has given me, I know there are many. By the way, I’m not bragging, I’m just able to do a lot of things.

Currently, I’m not able to make any money at any of them, but I have those skills nonetheless. By the way, I had no intentions of writing about something like this when I started my day this morning, it's a writer's thing, after listening to the news, thoughts started coming into my head.

Different things were going around in my head, one of them, believe it, or not, were the envy of the dead. I heard on the news this morning about French fashion icon Hubert de Givenchy who had died at 91. Apparently, he died in his sleep.

I thought, what a beautiful way to go, not lying in a hospital like so many others writhing in pain. Let’s be honest, some people have horrible experiences in their last days. Yet, some people, not too many though, can peacefully pass away without any discomfort at all, they close their eyes and they never wake up again.

Yet, some people are in so much pain, their body artificially being kept alive, while the nurse places a bedpan under them to get rid of any waste which is being involuntarily expelled from their body. What a horrible way to spend their last days.

I remember many years ago someone saying, you are born into this world not being able to speak, unable to walk, unable to care for yourself. You have to have someone change your diaper and clean all your pee and poop. Then, if you live long enough, you leave this world, not able to speak (Alzheimer’s/Dementia), you need someone to care for you, you can’t walk, you have to wear adult diapers, and you need someone to clean your pee and poop.

Then there are some people, who are in so much pain, that they consider euthanasia. Why do they want this? The reason is, because they don’t want to suffer any more pain. They know their body is breaking down; nothing else can be done for them to help them sustain a normal life. Here is one definition for euthanasia "a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering".

Is it not weird how we see things, if your dog or cat is in excruciating pain, you will take them to the vet to have them put down (euthanasia). If you have a horse that has a broken leg or irreparable damage, the vet will put them down (euthanasia).

Yet, some people will say, if we are supportive of euthanasia, then we’re playing God. Other people will say, but an animal can’t speak for themselves, that’s true, but neither can some adults who are sedated and in extreme pain.

I know that euthanasia is a very controversial subject. Some people are either all for it, or totally against it. Some are somewhere in the middle. Do I want to live with this decision, is it mine to make, is this what they would have wanted, will they come back and haunt me at night. On the other hand, will it haunt me, the very thought of allowing someone’s life to be taken. Did I do the right thing?

It’s a tough decision to make, the thing is, if you don’t feel that you can live with making that decision, and then don’t do it.

Now, there are some people who are quite able to make that decision on their own, they make arrangements with a doctor after some long consultation and the decision is made. It’s not like taking out a loan or mortgage; once the decision is made you can’t go back on it. Once the Pentobarbital is inserted into your vein, that’s it, it’s all over, goodbye world.

There are some in this world who will quietly pass on in their sleep like French fashion icon Hubert de Givenchy. Then there are those who will suffer an excruciating death.