When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

The hymn is based on the Bible verse in Galations 6:14 KJV.

Galations 6:14 KJV
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world crusified unto me, and I unto the world.

Using my KJV Cross Reference Bible reads as follows for the verse above: While the Judaziers took great pride in external religious symbolism, Paul only “glory” is in the reality of Jesus’ crucifixion and its results. Paul once had a list of honors and accomplishments (Philippians 3:4-6).

I want to go a bit further having read the study verse after verse 6 so below will be 4-11 of Philippians.

Philippians 3:4-11 KJV
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Verses 4-6 using my study bible states as follows: The Judaizers who were troubling the church in Philippi probably expected their Jewish credentials to add authority to their messages. But Paul points out that he has all those credentials amd more. He was born from a pure family line of Israelites, he was a strict Pharisee, and he was zealous for the Jewish and Pharisac viewpoint to the point of being persecuted of the church in his earlier days.

Verses 7-11 using study bible as the following: There is much to gain when one gains Christ. Paul writes that a person gains justification (righteousness before God), santification (the transformation of life), and glorification ( resurrection from the dead).

Verse 10 using study by as the following: True righteousness can be obtained only by abandoning one’s own effort and turning in faith to Jesus. Because of humanity’s sinfulness, true righteousness can only be a gift: it will never be an achievement. One receives not only righteousness by faith in Christ but the transformation of life. He or she becomes more Christlike- more and more each day, rejecting sinful desires. To be sure, there will be suffering, as with Christ, and for the same reason- because it is by this means that life is renewed and God’s will is made perfect.

Amazing what we learn when studying the Bible. I don’t know if all hymnals are the same where they give the song and the a verse appears below title a bit smaller print. Love seeinf how one verse can lead to another verse to finding a whole story more in depth to the song to bring it to light. I simply love the song and wanted to share these verses with you to maybe bring new meaning and understanding to the song. Below is a bit history relating to the hymn with the original lyrics.

The hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, was written by Isaac Watts, and published in Hymns and Spiritual Songs in 1707.
The second line of the first stanza originally read “Where the young Prince of Glory dy’d”. Watts himself altered that line in the 1709 edition of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, to prevent it from being mistaken as an allusion to Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, the heir to the throne who died at age 11.
The hymn’s fourth stanza (“His dying crimson…”) is commonly omitted in printed versions, a practice that began with George Whitefield in 1757.
In the final stanza, some modern variations substitute the word “offering” for “present”.
1. When I survey the wond’rous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory dy’d,
My richest Gain I count but Loss,
And pour Contempt on all my Pride.
2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the Death of Christ my God:
All the vain Things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his Blood.
3. See from his Head, his Hands, his Feet,
Sorrow and Love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such Love and Sorrow meet?
Or Thorns compose so rich a Crown?
4. His dying Crimson, like a Robe,
Spreads o’er his Body on the Tree;
Then I am dead to all the Globe,
And all the Globe is dead to me.
5. Were the whole Realm of Nature mine,
That were a Present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my Soul, my Life, my All.

Yes verse 4 is not in the song below but I hope you enjoy this version of the song that I selected.

God bless you and your loved ones.

31 Days Of Healing & Recovery

Day 26:

Numbers 21:4-9 KJV
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

John 3:14-17 KJV
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1 Peter 2:24 KJV
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Going through the Bible a chapter a day.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2025&version=KJV

Verses 1-6 Abraham took a wife once again this. Sarah had passed prior to this. 6 sons Abraham and Keturah have together. Before he dies he passes on his legacy to his First born son Isaac his other sons received gifts and became ancestors of several Far Eastern tribes.

Verses 9-10 Abraham is buried with his first wife Sarah.

Verses 12-18 looks briefly at Ishmael’s sons that God had promised would be born unto Ishmael 12 princes.

Verses 19-23 Isaac and Rebekah have two sons. The children are struggling within her so she seeks the Lord as to why this is. The Lord says 2 Nations in thy womb and 2 Manner of people and one shall be stronger than the other. The older serving the younger.

Verse 25-28 Esau’s name means “hairy one”; Jacob’s name “God will protect.”

Verse 24-34 we see Esau sale his birthright to Jacob. Esau despised his birthright so he sold it to Jacob.

God bless you and your loved ones.

31 Days Of Healing & Recovery

Day 25:

Exodus 15:26 KJV
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Malachi 3:6 KJV
For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8 KJV
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Acts 10:38 KJV
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Going through the Bible a chapter a day.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2024&version=KJV

It is Sunday and I have more time to devote to studying the Bible. We left off with chapter 18 where Abraham had interceded with God not to destory the righteous with in Sodom and Gomorrah to spare them.

In chapter 19 we two Angels were sent to Sodom where Lot was staying with his family. Lot took in the Angels into his home. This caused problems as the Sodimites demand to meet them. Instead of allowing them within his dewelling he offered up his two daughters instead. (This is custom of Middle Eastern hospitality and that women where seen lower place then men).

Moving forward Lot still questioned the Angels and did not trust the messengers was more concern about himself then what was about to happen and to get to a safe place. (This is where you see Lot not trusting the Lord nor what the Angels where telling him). They were warned not to look back and Lot’s wife did and instead of keeping moving up to the mountains.  Then you have the daughters who lay with their father and become pregnant by him. The Lot did the same as Noah and got drunk on wine both had consequences of their actions along with their children.

In chapter 20 we see again where Abraham told Sarah to say I am your brother and I will say you are my sister. This happen before in Genesis 12:10-20.

In chapter 21 we have the Birth of Isaac unto Abraham and Sarah. The name Isaac means He Laughs or May God Smile. Abraham obeyed God when he command him to circumce his son at 8 days old. Remember that Hagar (bondwoman) previously gave birth to a son Ishmael who is now a teenager. Sarah demands that Abraham to banish Ishmael. Abraham is grievous about his son. The Abraham receives a direct word from the Lord and to listen to Sarah and that he will make Ishmael a nation as he is off his seed.

In chapter 22 we have The Offering of Isaac. This is a great story for so much is to learned by it. Now you may think what is so great about thr offering of Abraham’s son Isaac… Below insert a clip from my Bible and then will explain what happens in 22.

Verse 2:God tells Abraham to take his son to Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice.

Verse 3: take note he rose and took his son and 2 sevants with them. He didn’t stop to question God and not do so. He simply trusted God and obeyed His command.

Verse 5: take note that Abraham has the 2 sevants to wait behind saying he and his son will go yonder and worship and come to you again. He said nothing about his son not returning that they both would return.

Verse 7 & 8: Isaac is wondering where the lamb was that is to be sacrificed. Abraham tells him God will provide himself a lamb.

Verse 11-13 Abraham prepared the alter and bound his son’s hands picked up the knife to slay him. Before he did so the Angel of Lord says not to lay a hand on the child neither do anything to him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing as you not withheld your son, thine only son from me. (Important to understand that we tend to hold on to a person tighter than we should when they are not ours they belong to God. We need to remember to surrender them back to God as they are His.) 

Verse 13-24 because of Abraham’s obedience to God he is rewarded. First God provides the sacrifice which he demand of Abraham (vs.13-14) Abraham names the place The Lord Will Provide. Second God provides assurance of His promise (vs.15-19) assurance of blessing. Finally God provides for future needs (vs.20-24).

Abraham went with the intention to sacrifice his son to God. Later we come to see God sacrifice’s His son Jesus to come to earth to be born unto Mary and then later crucified at the cross and to rise again 3 days later. Jesus was sent because of our sins to die in our place. Abraham was stopped before he took his son’s life. Jesus died so that we may have life this is speaking of eternal life not breath of life. Jesus paved a way for us to go to heaven. We have to first admit we sin believe in Jesus and confess our sins. To be born again which is not physical but spiritual. What an amazing story in chapter 22 which gives a glimpse of what was to come.

In chapter 23: The death and Burial of Sarah is where Abraham seeks a place to burry his wife. Normally you took your loved one back to homeland to be burried as was custom to keep track of family roots which meant he would have had to gone back to Ur where they came from. As he wasn’t looking backwards but moving forward he to in the present circumstances and paid a great deal to have his wife burried in the cave there.

Now we have caught up today’s chapter 24. Verse 2: It might seem odd to ask a servant to place hand under one’s thigh but it was customary in Abraham’s day. Here in verses 1-67 God is mentioned 17 times thou he never speaks is still main character. It is in some cultures today and back then for the parents to provide and seek prospects of a spouse for their loved ones. Since Abraham is very old he cannot make the journey back to his homeland to seek a bride so he sends his servant to do so.

This was no simple journey for the servant. As it took months to travel and hundreds of miles to go to Mesopotamia. The servant seeks God’s guidance on behave of his master to show kindness so that he would know which damsel to take back as a bride for Isaac. God showed and that it was to be Rebekah daughter of Nahor brother of Abraham. Verse 27 he gives thanks becuase God provided and ansered his prayer.

The story is about God’s faithfulness. He protects and guides the servant on his journey and He(God) brings Rebekah along with just the right servant-spirit to the well at just the right time.

Amazing story of how God provides and meets our needs at just the right moment and His timing.

God bless you and your loved ones.

31 Days Of Healing & Recovery

I missed sharing two days so this will have 3 days including today’s with it.

Day 22:
Matthew 12:9-13 KJV
And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Isaiah 61:1-3 KJV
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

James 1:22 KJV
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Day 23:
Matthew 15:21-28 KJV
Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

John 10:10 KJV
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Luke 11:5-10 KJV
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Day 24:
John 15:7 KJV
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Mark 11:24 KJV
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

John 16:23-24 KJV
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.