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Selwyn Hughes
Selwyn Hughes (April 27, 1928–January 9, 2006) was a Welsh Christian preacher, evangelist, and author, best known for his daily devotional Every Day with Jesus, which reached nearly a million readers worldwide. Born in Fochriw near Caerphilly, Wales, to a coal-mining family, Hughes worked as a miner during his teenage years, including a stint as a “Bevin Boy” in 1946–1947 during National Service. Converted at 16 in 1944, he felt a divine call to ministry, leading him to study theology in Bristol after leaving the mines. Ordained in the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, he served churches in Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Essex, and London for 18 years, beginning his writing career in the 1960s with Bible-reading notes on postcards for his congregation. In 1965, Hughes founded the Crusade for World Revival (CWR), an international ministry focused on training Christian counselors and producing resources, including Every Day with Jesus, which he wrote for over 40 years. He authored over 50 books, blending pastoral insight with practical faith, such as The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success and his autobiography My Story (2004). Despite personal tragedies—the death of his wife Enid from cancer in 1986 and both sons in 2000 and 2001—his faith remained unshaken, earning him praise from George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as a “giant in the faith.” Hughes died of cancer in 2006, leaving a legacy of spiritual encouragement and revivalist zeal. He received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Brunel University in 2005.
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Selwyn Hughes emphasizes the uniqueness of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, highlighting how it stands out in absolute uniqueness compared to other religions. He reflects on the redemptive mystery of the cross that magnetized his heart since his conversion, expressing gratitude for the key to life that the cross represents. Hughes acknowledges the cross as the only true key that unlocks life's greatest mysteries, including the profound nature of God's eternal love.
"The Key to Life"
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ..." (v. 14) For reading & meditation: Galatians 6:1-18 Whenever I hear a person saying that all religions are the same, my mind runs immediately to the cross. If what is found here is true (and I believe it is), and represents the meaning of life, then clearly all religions are not the same. No authentic note of divine self-sacrifice comes from other faiths. The cross stands out in absolute uniqueness. As Toplady put it in his beautiful hymn: In the Cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time, All the light of sacred story Gathered round its head sublime. For weeks and months after I became a Christian I wondered why anyone should preach anything except the cross. The redemptive glowing mystery of it took hold of me in the early days of my conversion, and I think I can honestly say it has never ceased to magnetize my heart. Among the ancient inscriptions and paintings on the tombs of Egyptian kings, so I am told, one finds everywhere the symbol of the key of life. Strangely enough, it is in the form of a cross. Christ's cross is the only true key to life. This and this alone unlocks the doors to some of life's greatest mysteries. Other religions try, sometimes with great sincerity, to unlock the doors to these profound mysteries, but they are unsuccessful because they do not have the right key. They do not have a cross. Father, how can I cease thanking You for the cross? For in it I find the key that unlocks the door of many a mystery, not least the mystery of Your nature - a nature shot through with eternal love. Help me see it even more clearly. In Christ's Name. Amen.
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Selwyn Hughes (April 27, 1928–January 9, 2006) was a Welsh Christian preacher, evangelist, and author, best known for his daily devotional Every Day with Jesus, which reached nearly a million readers worldwide. Born in Fochriw near Caerphilly, Wales, to a coal-mining family, Hughes worked as a miner during his teenage years, including a stint as a “Bevin Boy” in 1946–1947 during National Service. Converted at 16 in 1944, he felt a divine call to ministry, leading him to study theology in Bristol after leaving the mines. Ordained in the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, he served churches in Cornwall, Wales, Yorkshire, Essex, and London for 18 years, beginning his writing career in the 1960s with Bible-reading notes on postcards for his congregation. In 1965, Hughes founded the Crusade for World Revival (CWR), an international ministry focused on training Christian counselors and producing resources, including Every Day with Jesus, which he wrote for over 40 years. He authored over 50 books, blending pastoral insight with practical faith, such as The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success and his autobiography My Story (2004). Despite personal tragedies—the death of his wife Enid from cancer in 1986 and both sons in 2000 and 2001—his faith remained unshaken, earning him praise from George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as a “giant in the faith.” Hughes died of cancer in 2006, leaving a legacy of spiritual encouragement and revivalist zeal. He received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Brunel University in 2005.