Cross of Christ
“O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.” Psalm 3:1-8
As time races towards the rapture and Tribulation, lines are being drawn and sides taken. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ are viewed as strange, unyielding, sad, or even angry at times. We are set aside, dismissed, ignored, or ostracized because we will not compromise the truth of the Word of God. We will not yield to the swayings of a world where ‘anything goes’ or ‘do your own thing’. We’ve become an offense because of the cross of Jesus Christ; the truth that He is Lord and only Him and that salvation comes through no other name, religion, or philosophy.
True, oftentimes we are saddened. For there’s a war going on inside of us. The Lord is calling, ‘will you trust, will you obey me’? There’s the ever increasing evil of a fallen world and of those who will not hear, will not consider, and who choose a melting-pot-religion over the cross of Christ. We pray for the lost, we cry out for boldness and courage, and often we walk that path alone. We see the approaching judgment and we pray ever more, we cry ever more, we hope even more for salvation, for freedom, and for righteousness.
Our hearts are broken by the insensitivity of others towards the Good News of Jesus Christ. We mourn. We weep. Not because we are better. In no way, we are sinners saved by grace. Yet, as we see the season upon us our desires turn heaven-ward while many of our friends and family members are enjoying earthly things.
Oftentimes we can feel like outsiders. We are not invited, we are not welcomed warmly. Sometimes that happens because our attitudes stink and the captives can’t stand that smell, they’ve sensed it all too often. Sometimes ‘christians’ come off as ‘better than thou’ and that is a real turn off to just about everybody.
Or sometimes our facial expressions belie that we truly are not sad but praying. We truly are not depressed but concerned, for deep inside us glows the Spirit of God and that Spirit whispers… come up higher… leave the cares of this world… to me…
Truly, burning inside our hearts is the greatest joy, an abiding peace, a strength that comes from the Lord. We are not discouraged, but neither are we slap-happy either… we are anxiously awaiting the will of the Lord and his kingdom coming. As soldiers of the Lord we will defend His truth, we will not reject his name, and we will proclaim the coming day of our Lord!
As time races towards the rapture and Tribulation, lines are being drawn and sides taken. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ are viewed as strange, unyielding, sad, or even angry at times. We are set aside, dismissed, ignored, or ostracized because we will not compromise the truth of the Word of God. We will not yield to the swayings of a world where ‘anything goes’ or ‘do your own thing’. We’ve become an offense because of the cross of Jesus Christ; the truth that He is Lord and only Him and that salvation comes through no other name, religion, or philosophy.
True, oftentimes we are saddened. For there’s a war going on inside of us. The Lord is calling, ‘will you trust, will you obey me’? There’s the ever increasing evil of a fallen world and of those who will not hear, will not consider, and who choose a melting-pot-religion over the cross of Christ. We pray for the lost, we cry out for boldness and courage, and often we walk that path alone. We see the approaching judgment and we pray ever more, we cry ever more, we hope even more for salvation, for freedom, and for righteousness.
Our hearts are broken by the insensitivity of others towards the Good News of Jesus Christ. We mourn. We weep. Not because we are better. In no way, we are sinners saved by grace. Yet, as we see the season upon us our desires turn heaven-ward while many of our friends and family members are enjoying earthly things.
Oftentimes we can feel like outsiders. We are not invited, we are not welcomed warmly. Sometimes that happens because our attitudes stink and the captives can’t stand that smell, they’ve sensed it all too often. Sometimes ‘christians’ come off as ‘better than thou’ and that is a real turn off to just about everybody.
Or sometimes our facial expressions belie that we truly are not sad but praying. We truly are not depressed but concerned, for deep inside us glows the Spirit of God and that Spirit whispers… come up higher… leave the cares of this world… to me…
Truly, burning inside our hearts is the greatest joy, an abiding peace, a strength that comes from the Lord. We are not discouraged, but neither are we slap-happy either… we are anxiously awaiting the will of the Lord and his kingdom coming. As soldiers of the Lord we will defend His truth, we will not reject his name, and we will proclaim the coming day of our Lord!
posted by Michael Byrd at 2:21 PM
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