Fanny Crosby, though blind,  wrote more than 8,000 hymns in her lifetime

Among her very best is JESUS KEEP ME NEAR THE CROSS

Here it goes

1. Jesus, keep me near the cross,
   There a precious fountain—
   Free to all, a healing stream—
   Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.
   • Refrain:
     In the cross, in the cross,
     Be my glory ever;
     Till my raptured soul shall find
     Rest beyond the river.
2. Near the cross, a trembling soul,
   Love and Mercy found me;
   There the bright and morning star
   Sheds its beams around me.
3. Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
   Bring its scenes before me;
   Help me walk from day to day,
   With its shadows o’er me.
4. Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
   Hoping, trusting ever,
   Till I reach the golden strand,
   Just beyond the river.

The Cross is the most important and precious theme of the Bible. And Jesus keeps us near the cross daily.

Everyday we come to Jesus for clensing in His precious Blood. Only through his Blood we have complete clensing & fellowship with God

This fountain filled with blood is “free” to all

So Jesus wants to fellowship with us.

 

Only at the Cross there is Love & Mercy

Moses who gave us THE LAW cannot show any mercy

In the PILGRIM PROGRESS there is a Narration on Moses & I quote

Notes and Commentary on
The Pilgrim’s Progress

by Ken Puls

61. Run in with Moses

Now when I had got about half-way up, I looked behind, and saw one coming after me, swift as the wind; so he overtook me just about the place where the settle stands.

Christian: Just there, said Christian, did I sit down to rest me; but being overcome with sleep, I there lost this roll out of my bosom.

Faithful: But, good brother, hear me out. So soon as the man overtook me, he was but a word and a blow, for down he knocked me, and laid me for dead. But when I was a little come to myself again, I asked him wherefore he served me so. He said, because of my secret inclining to Adam the First; and with that he struck me another deadly blow on the breast, and beat me down backward; so I lay at his foot as dead as before. So, when I came to myself again, I cried him mercy; but he said, I know not how to show mercy; and with that he knocked me down again. He had doubtless made an end of me, but that one came by, and bid him forbear.

Christian: Who was that that bid him forbear?

Faithful: I did not know him at first, but as he went by, I perceived the holes in his hands and in his side; then I concluded that he was our Lord. So I went up the hill.

Christian: That man that overtook you was Moses. He spares none, neither does he know how to show mercy to those that transgress his law.

Faithful: I know it very well; it was not the first time that he has met with me. It was he that came to me when I dwelt securely at home, and that told me he would burn my house over my head if I stayed there.

Christian: But did you not see the house that stood there on the top of the hill, on the side of which Moses met you?

Faithful: Yes, and the lions too, before I came at it: but for the lions, I think they were asleep, for it was about noon; and because I had so much of the day before me, I passed by the porter, and came down the hill.

Christian: He told me, indeed, that he saw you go by, but I wish you had called at the house, for they would have showed you so many rarities, that you would scarce have forgot them to the day of your death.

Notes and Commentary

Law and Grace

Moses represents the work of the Law “for the law was given through Moses” (John 1:17a). Faithful’s struggle with Moses affirms that we can never achieve or maintain a right standing before God on the basis of our own efforts of obedience. No matter how successful we have been, or how much progress we seem to make, our works can never save us. Our efforts can never satisfy God’s righteousness. Judged by God’s Law they are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We are sinners who have broken God’s Law. We don’t gain God’s favor by our own works, and we can’t keep God’s favor by our own works. Paul asks in Galatians:

This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2–3)

The Law brings condemnation and guilt for our sin. The Law beats us down and leaves us for dead. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). But the problem is not with the Law; it is with us.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good (Romans 7:7–12).

The Law of God serves many good purposes. It reveals the holiness and righteousness of God. It tells us what God requires of us as creatures made in Him image. And it warns us of God’s wrath and judgment when we go astray. It was the reproach of the Law that shook Faithful from his ease at home and caused him to flee from Destruction.

 

1. Near the cross, a trembling soul,
   Love and Mercy found me;
   There the bright and morning star
   Sheds its beams around me.

The Old Testament Jewish Law and all the Religions of the World teaches the obedience of the Law for salvation which is impossible as men are fallen creatures.

GOD KNOWING THAT MAN IS TOTALLY HELPLESS AND CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF REACHES DOWN TO US THROUGH THE CROSS

THE CROSS IS THE PLACE WHERE GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE

THE CROSS IS ALSO THE PLACE JESUS DIED FOR US TO OPEN A WAY BACK TO GOD & HEAVEN

IT IS  HERE THAT JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD SHINES HIS SALVATION TO ALL

 

Now the 3rd stanza

3. Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

 

THE MESSAGE IS GETTING LOUDER

NEAR THE CROSS! With an exclamation mark!

O Lamb of God

Bring its scenes before me

Someone says, “It is the look that saves but the gaze that sanctifies!”

To glorify God with must go beyond looking and gazing. We must be in Total Fixation!!

We must go to the Cross and look, then gaze and totally Fixated On Christ and Christ Himself

In one Great Revival someone asked John, “Did you not see the great crowd?”

John replied, “I saw no one. I only saw Jesus!”

 

If only we live day by day with the Cross as a Living Reality we will draw from its  power to provide, power to cleanse,  power to protect, power to defeat the devil  and the power to save souls for His Kingdom.

The Crowning Power To Bring Glory to His Name who is Worthy!

 

So the Cross strengthens the believer, cleanse the sinner, sanctifies the saint & save lost souls. It shines and shines with the Everlasting Grace & Mercy of God.

 

Amen and Amen