Take Up Your Cross and Overcome

This morning, in between consciousness and dreams I began to ponder about Jesus carrying his cross to his crucifixion. We see in Matthew 27:31-33, Luke 23:26-32 and John 19:16-18 the picture of Jesus carrying his cross to be crucified. He was not strong enough to bear it alone and was helped by Simon from Cyrene.

As Christians, we are called to be Christ like and live as he did ( 1 John 2:6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.)

We also see Jesus say to his disciples in Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

I believe Jesus calling us, his disciples to take up our cross daily and follow him. This represents us overcoming sin, addictions or anything that we struggle with throughout our walk with God. I also noticed he didn't say overcome, leave behind, forget. But rather take up our cross. We also know that the cross represents sin. You may not be delivered from that addiction or sin. It may be extremely difficult to avoid and overcome and we may have to make a choice daily to walk in the light and not in the darkness.

I don't want this word to intimidate, but to encourage Christians to live above sin. It won't always be smooth sailing.  1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Because Christ suffered, we also must suffer. The most encouraging aspect of Jesus carrying his cross was he was not able to do it alone. If our savior was not strong enough by his manly flesh to carry his cross himself, he would never expect us to carry our cross alone. He has said he will never leave us or forsake us. He has given us his word, his holy spirit and hopefully strong Christian friends to help overcome. Stop trying to carry your cross yourself, whether it be for pride, or embarrassment and remember that Jesus needed help carrying his cross.

God wants Christians to be over comers just as he overcame. There are countless scriptures on overcoming. The Christian walk of faith is not for the faint of heart. But for those that can overcome persecution, sin, trials and up-hill battles.

I believe it pleases Jesus to see his disciples take up that thing we struggle with daily and follow him regardless of the discomfort and pain we have to deal. 

Pray that Jesus would help you overcome and take up your cross daily. Also pray for God to put people in your life that can help you carry your cross or reveal to you whom you should seek counselling from.

God bless.

Biblical Meaning of the Rainbow

Genesis 9:12-15 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

As I was thinking about the debate of homosexuality in America and the supreme courts decision to allow same sex marriages. I was reminded of the biblical symbolism of a rainbow. In Genesis, after God destroyed all living creatures besides Noah, his family and two of every kind of animal. He set a rainbow in the sky as a covenant with Noah that he would never again use waters to destroy all life. As I though about this covenant I realized it was ironic that people engaging in a lifestyle of sin would use the same symbol to proudly display their sin that God used with Noah after he destroyed nearly the entire human race because of their lifestyle of sin!

Genesis 6:5- 6
⁵ Then the Lord^[b] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

But God was pleased with Noah's heart and he walked with Noah and spoke with him. God then gave him instructions to build an arc, after the arc was complete Noah and his family along with the animals loaded up on the arc and God shut the door and flooded the earth. 

After they came to shore safely God gave a few commandments the first of which was "Be Fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. (Genesis 9:1 then in verse 3 "Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you,. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." God then gives value to human life and commands that whoever sheds human blood their blood shall be shed by others for in the image of God humans were made.

Then we get to the rainbow. I'm sure it is just coincidental that LGBTs chose the rainbow for their symbol. But I, being a God fearing Christian am terrified to do anything that might entice God's anger. By choosing that symbol you are using the very symbol God gave mankind after destroying nearly everyone. 

God sent his only son to die on the cross to be our arc and salvation. I want to see everyone go to heaven, the arc is big enough for everyone you just have to get on the boat before it starts raining. You have to turn from your wickedness, no matter what form, no matter how hard and get on the ship.

Abortion | Modern Day Comparison to Slavery: Letter to President Obama (With Response from White House)

Today I sent a letter to President Obama drawing parallels between abortion and slavery. I hope this letter might influence or change peoples perspective about our constitutional rights and abortion by showing you the same arguments that were used by slave owners are used by pro-choice people.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruit: How to Produce Good Fruit

When Jesus was speaking in Matthew 7 He told his disciples to beware of false prophets and that one way of determining a false prophet was the fruit they produce. Often times in my life I have evaluated my own life to determine if I was producing good fruit. I will go over a few examples of how to produce good fruit and the three main keys of producing fruit in our lives.

Saten Uses Scripture to Tempt Christians | The Message of Grace

Throughout our walk in Christianity there are many misinterpretations, doctrines and just plain wrong uses of the bible. As I hear various people trying to use scripture to approve their lifestyle or lack of a walk with Christ I have always assumed it was man twisting scripture to make it fit their appetite; until one day I had a revelation that Jesus was tempted by satin using scripture.

Matthew 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”
⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[c]”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[d]”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[e]”
¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

As we see in the above referenced passage Satin tempted Jesus three times and even quoted scripture to entice Jesus to sin. Jesus responded with scripture to rebut the temptation we should use the same tactic when the Devil attempts to cause us to fall.

One popular tactic we are now seeing in the modern day gospel is the message of Grace being used to excuse a life of sin. The proper message of Grace is that we are born sinners and by our nature from the beginning of time have turned from God. It doesn't matter what we have done as sinners Jesus died on the cross for us when we were undeserving. We also walk in grace knowing that righteous men do fall but get back up and continue serving God. There is a difference between falling and getting back up and continually living in sin.

Hebrews 10:26-31
²⁶ For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”^[e] says the Lord.^[f] And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”^{[g] 31} It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

There have been times in my life that I struggled with sin and it took a considerable amount of effort and time to beat my struggles, I understand taking up my cross and following him. There is a strong contrast between struggling with something and trying to overcome and willfully sinning and insulting the Spirit of grace. God will judge harshly and one should be fearful of falling into the hands of God for misinterpreting the message of Grace as well as causing others to sin by those misinterpretations out of selfish desires.

Every trial we overcome strengthens our spiritual man making us even more of an adversary to Satan which will only increase his attempts to cause our downfall. If you come across a scripture that seems to offer up a loop-hole to sin counter it as Jesus did with "it is written..." don't put blinders on your eyes. Sin is only pleasureful for a season then comes destruction. God's promise is eternal life. As we overcome trials and time goes by things will become easier and stumbling blocks can be beaten and overcome.

Obeying God's Commandments to Enter the Promise Land

Deuteronomy 8 "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2) And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Before we are able to enter the promise land, or what God has promised us; we must enter into a covenant with him. Too many times today we focus on God's end of the deal and we forget that the covenant is a two sided contract. When I was in college, for my business law class while studying contract law I learned that if there is only one beneficial party the contract is voidable. For example if you enter a contract to buy a house your benefit is the house, the seller's benefit is usually monetary.

Yes, the gift of salvation is free; meaning it doesn't cost you any money. But what God's covenant does require is that we obey his commandments.

Not only did God lead the Israelites into the wilderness, he tested them to know what was in their hearts, he chastened them like a father chastens his son Deut 8:5, he allowed them to hunger, he humbled them that they may know that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

I am in a situation now that I know God is humbling me, he is allowing me to hunger, and providing manna which my fathers did not know. He is testing me to see what is in my heart. The only thing I can do is trust God that he is my Father and he is doing what is best for me. He will also always provide water out of the flinty rock and manna to eat.

I may not have excess but I will soon be able to cross the Jordan into the promise land. Although when I arrive there will be many battles to fight and many wars to win, God is bringing me to a good place, a place my fathers dreamed of. All I have to do is hold up my end of the covenant and obey God's commandments. And prove to him what is in my heart.

Deut 9: Hear, o Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven.

Side Note: The other passage I love is when God says he is not taking them to the promise land because they are the greatest among the nations, because they are the least. God truly does give grace to the humble.

Standing Against the Devil’s Schemes.

As Christians we must not under estimate the Devil and his intentions. He cannot win and will never have victory over God but his sole intention is to ruin people’s lives and bring as many souls with him to the lake of fire. I wanted to share a few things that we can do to fight against him.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

1 Corinthians ⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men^{[a] 10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

(The above passage lists a few sins and practices that if done you cannot enter the kingdom of God and Satan wins.  Notice the part men who have sex with man or homosexuals. The last part of the scripture gives hope to people struggling with any of these sins; you can be washed in the blood of Jesus and sanctified.)

John 10:10 the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it full of power.

Matthew 13 ²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

(I’ve heard it said by homosexuals, “if God made me this way, how can it be wrong?” God didn’t make you that way; He planted good seed and has a plan for your lives. But the enemy comes in and attempts to plant corrupt seeds in our lives that is why we must stand strong against him.)

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Ephesians 6: 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[b]”

(We fight not against flesh and blood but the devil uses our fleshly desires to tempt us to sin.)

Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(Satan will use our natural desires that God has given us for sex which is right through marriage and try to cause us to sin and fall short of God’s glory just by simply putting images in front of us on a daily basis.)

 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand . 14 Stand Firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.

(The enemy will try and distort the truth, he knows what it takes to turn us into weeds so if he can change what we accept as sin he can make us miss the harvest for example once saved always save.)

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 in addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the sprit which is the word of God. 18 and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

(The armor of God is all defensive with the exception of the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, prayer in the spirit and prayer. I find it interesting that one of the tools God has given us to fight against satan has been attacked so much that most denominations believe it is wrong to speak in tongues and the majority of Christians think it is strange or weird. If satan can limit a Christian to always and only be on the defensive then he is limiting your ability to tear down the high places and attack his kingdom.)