"One Solitary Life" by Dr James Allen Francis

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three

His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind's progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life.

“Only One Life, 'Twill Soon Be Past"

By C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say, “Twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

The Wonderful Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

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?

Oh, the wonderful cross! Oh, the wonderful cross!
Bids me come and die, and find that I may truly live.
Oh, the wonderful cross! Oh, the wonderful cross!
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an off'ring far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!

(Wonder Cross - Words by Chris Tomlin, JD Walt, Jesse Reeves)
(When I Survey The Wondrous Cross - Words Isaac Watts, Lowell Mason)

What Do You Give?

What do you give to the person who has everything? What do you give to the Creator of all things? The Magi, wise men from the east, brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were expressions of untold wealth. But these gifts were also prophetically significant. Beyond the great worth of these Christmas presents was the foretelling of our redemption.

Matthew shared this picture which prefigures a day greater than the time of his birth. “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

Frankincense – This was an incense which was familiar to the High Priest of Israel. The ministry of the priest was to be a mediator between God and the people – to intercede on their behalf with animal sacrifices for their sin. Frankincense was burned as a sweet fragrance to cover the stench of death and rotting or burning flesh. This newborn child of Mary’s was sent from heaven to be our Great High Priest. He came to live an exemplary sinless life, to be qualified before God to offer Himself as the perfect, ultimate and final sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus came to die. The sacrifice was bitter sweet.

The fragrant gum resin from the Boswellia tree also had another benefit. Frankincense also holds medicinal healing properties. Herbalists for centuries have used frankincense as a natural remedy to reduce inflammation. Only by familiarity with the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, could the wise men have known who Jesus was and what He would accomplish for mankind. Hear the words of the prophet, hundreds of years before Jesus was born. “But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Myrrh – Worth five times more than frankincense was this royal perfume. Mixed with precious oils, the aromatic spice derived from a tree resin fragranced the bedrooms of kings. But it was also used in the practice of embalming, even in embalming Jesus. As we can see in John 19:39, “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight].” They removed His body from the cross and wrapped it in grave cloth and these spices. The myrrh at His birth foretold His burial. Three days in the grave was proof of His death.

The double use of this perfume is meant to remind us that although Jesus was dead and buried, this was not the end, for He was destined to be restored to His royal heavenly throne.

Gold – “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). The gold the wise men brought were treasures foretelling a ruler both human and divine. Without the Son’s obedience to the Father, even unto death, there could be no resurrection. But because Jesus Christ faithfully fulfilled God’s directions to redeem lost humanity, the Spirit raised our glorious Lord from the dead, and the Father laid all of the kingdom of God upon His shoulders. Jesus Christ is truly the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who rules and reigns forever more. He came from Heaven to return to heaven. From incarnation to resurrection, Jesus is our priceless gift of salvation from sin for eternal life with Him.

The wise men brought gold, some variety of myrrh, as well as frankincense as gifts to the infant Jesus. So what do we know of the possible significance of these gifts? Because He suffered, we will suffer. Because He died, we must die. Because He lives, we too will be resurrected to eternal life with Him. Give the gift of your life to the Lord Jesus Christ today!