The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 4 May 2025 — The Crucified Life
Click HERE to Read Previous MESSAGES
TOPIC: The Crucified Life
READ: Hebrews 13:1-21 (NKJV)
- Let brotherly love continue.
- Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so [doing] some have unwittingly entertained angels.
- Remember the prisoners as if chained with them — those who are mistreated — since you yourselves are in the body also.
- Marriage [is] honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
- [Let your] conduct [be] without covetousness; [be] content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- So we may boldly say: “The LORD [is] my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
- Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of [their] conduct.
- Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For [it is] good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
- We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
- For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
- Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
- Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
- For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
- Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.
- But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
- Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
- Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.
- But I especially urge [you] to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
- Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
- make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom [be] glory forever and ever. Amen.
THE MESSAGE:
Notice that the reason for which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered outside the gate and died the criminal death on the cross is for our sanctification – to set us apart from sin and the system of the world, unto Himself. He bled on the cross to sanctify unto Himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works (verses 12-13; Titus 2:14). It is therefore needful that everyone who has identified with His death should live for Him alone. The crucified life is a life that always remembers the experience of the cross.
It is a life that is dead to sin, the attractive things of this world, and is unreservedly yielded unto God as an instrument through whom He can show forth his love, kindness, purity, patience, endurance, praise and glory. Are you living the crucified life? Do you love the brotherhood? Do you help the needy? Are you keeping the sanctity of your marital vows? Is your vessel kept in sanctification and honour? Do you trust in the Lord as your helper or are you agitated by and focused on the cares of this life? Do you obey constituted authority? Are you contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints? Ponder on these!
PRAYER: Dear Father, help me to live for You alone!
