Take Up Your Cross

Many Christians approach the cross of Christ. However, to be a true disciple requires more than approaching the cross. In Luke 9:23-24 Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

In order to live for Christ we must crucify the worldly nature that we inherited from Adam to live according to the heavenly nature we inherited from Christ. The cross is the instrument by which we die to self in order to live for Him. Galations 2:20 says, “For I have been crucified with Christ.” When we come to the cross, we must abandon our pride to enter into the place of personal abandonment and absolute trust.

The Roman soldiers did not kill Jesus on the cross of Calvary. They did not take his life. He lovingly and willingly gave up his life after he shed his life blood as the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. It was not the nails that kept him on the cross, rather it was the love that he had for you and me. According to Hebrews, Jesus, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down upon the right hand of the throne of God.

There are things going on in our physical bodies that only God knows and that only God can heal. Likewise, there are things going on in the church, the body of Christ, that only God can heal. Men of the world and Christian men often do things without knowing the purpose and value of their actions. Our challenge is to “put one on the scoreboard for our Lord.” For we are His living epistles known and read of all men.

How do we spread the word about the gospel of the good news of Christ? Jesus rarely ministered to the multitudes. He taught by example those who followed him closely. The question is, “who are your three and who are your twelve?” As the old song says, “love the one you’re with.” The disciples asked Jesus, “who’s my neighbor.” Jesus taught them the story of the Good Samaritan. The point of this story is that your “neighbor” is the person in need who is right next to you. Jesus came to bind up the wounds of the broken and the broken hearted and to show them the unconditional love of God in manifestation.

There is a spiritual cause behind every earthly effect. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high. All men who have been born again of the spirit of life in Christ are engaged in spiritual warfare whether or not they realize it.

The weakest things of God are stronger than the greatest strength of men. To overcome the power of darkness is to walk in the light as he is in the light. Our identity with Christ is the cross of Christ. For I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me. We identify with Christ in our Actions not in our intentions. Love is an action verb. We were called to love our Lord by our actions for we are his living epistles.

Anything we do that is acceptable unto God begins with our denying ourselves. Anything done for our own self-fulfillment, will come to naught. Pride is the first enemy to be defeated. We must crucify our flesh in order to live for Him.

King Uzziah built up his military and became mighty according to the world’s standards. In his strength he was lifted up with pride and thought that he could approach God on his own terms instead of God’s terms. According to 2 Chronicles 26: 14 and following: “And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons (armor), and bows, and slings to cast stones.
15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.
20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.
21 And Uzziah the king was a leper for he was cut off from the house of the LORD”

According to Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Another example of this principle is in 2 Chronicles 35: 20- 23: “After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.
22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.”

By his prideful disobedience Josiah did not accept God’s warning. He suffered the consequences of his disobedience.

The greatest test in life is not your success but your failures. When we fail according to the world’s standards, then God can intervene. James said, rejoice in tribulation. For when we are weak in our flesh, then we are strong in the power of His might. As John the Baptist said, “less of me and more of thee…I must decrease that he may increase.”

As Martin Luther wrote in his great hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God:

“Did we in our own strength confide, our battle would be losing, We’re not the right hand on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Doth ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus it is he. And he must win the battle.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

No More Sloppy Christianity

If God wanted to do something against the tradition of the church, would there be freedom for the spirit of God to move? If God can have his way with us as men of God, in the church, then the framework of the church must be flexible enough to allow the spirit of the Lord to move freely. If the house is is built on the foundation of the rock of Jesus Christ, the house may bend but it will not be moved. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has set you free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Freedom within a framework helps us walk circumspectly according to the Word of God. A disciple is a disciplined follower. Discipline is a key to allowing the spirit to work in you and through you. The final fruit of the spirit listed in Galations 5:22 is “temperance” or self-control. The liberty that we have is freedom to control our minds, hearts, and actions according to the Word of God. This Liberty also allows God to work in us and through us to will and to do of his good pleasure.

In 2 Chronicles 30, good King Hezekiah reinstated the feast of the Passover. The tribes of Judah had forsaken the Lord God Jehovah for many years but when Hezekiah took the throne, he tore down the old structures of pagan religions that Judah had embraced. The people had a heart to repent and turn back to God. They wanted to keep the Passover and to serve the Lord. However, the people did not keep all of the details of the Old Testament law of sacrifices. God is more interested in our heart of worship to praise and glorify him than in keeping the letter of the law.

When God’s people return their hearts to the Lord, they give generously to the work of the ministry so that the church will flourish and the Word of God will be preached and ministered. A pastor’s main responsibility is to be devoted to the word and prayer. According to 2 Chronicles 31:4. “Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.”

When the spirit of God moves within the church, the harvest will be an abundance of the fruit of the spirit. For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance….against such there is no law.

According to proverbs, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. What’s in your heart? To profess Christianity means that we’re “professional” Christians. The profession means to “speak the same thing.” Your profession means that you “practice what you preach.” It means that your heart and your mouth are coordinated with your actions according to the Word of truth.

Some say that “sanctification” is a process. Sloppy Christianity denies the cross of Christ. Jesus said, “whosoever shall be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.” According to Galatians 2:20, “I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life that I now live, I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me.” The more abundant life is lived at the foot of the cross where we were made holy and righteous by Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice of his innocent blood for sin on our behalf.

The problem with saying “I’m doing kingdom work” is that it’s impersonal and no one can verify that my heart is right before the Lord. To “serve the body” is too often an excuse to satisfy our “pride” without the reproof and correction of the word of God. For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, reproves, and corrects. Correction means to “restore to an upright position.”

A recent survey revealed that only 15% of churches in America are growing. Of the 15% only 2% are growing through new conversions. The rest are growing by transfers from other churches. Only 9% of professing “evangelicals” tithe. Giving to the work of the ministry should be an act of joy and rejoicing. God doesn’t want your money. He wants your heart, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father except by me.” The solution to sloppy Christianity is true discipleship. A true disciple is a disciplined follower of his Lord Jesus Christ. The world says “discipline” is a dirty word. It limits my “freedom” to “do as I please.” However, the abundant life is living to His honor and glory. True freedom is the liberty that we have in Christ is to serve one another with a heart of love for God and his people. He has called us to build up, encourage, and edify his sons and daughters as we worship him together in spirit and in truth.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Sloppy Christianity?

If God wanted to move within a church, would the church’s structure and traditions allow God’s Holy Spirit to move freely? Some traditions are healthy and keep us within the framework to walk “circumspectly.” However, there’s a fine line between respect for the sanctity and honor of the church and “freedom” and “liberty to walk in the newness of life. As Jesus said to the Pharisees, “why do you transgress the commandment of God by your traditions?”

What is the condition of the church in America today? Only 15% of churches in America are growing and only 2% of those that are growing are growing by conversion growth. The others are growing by “transfers” from another church. Only five percent of all Americans attend church regularly. Even in the “Bible Belt” only 35% of people attend church at all. Sixty five percent of Americans have donated to a place of worship. However, only 9% of evangelicals tithe. Sixty percent of Christians say that they are deeply committed to their faith. However, in the 1980’s only one of 200 who came forward in an evangelical crusade maintained their faith. Easy Christianity is “sloppy” Christianity.

We need to walk circumspectly, but legalism is not acceptable. Legalism says “I can make it on my own. I don’t need God’s grace and mercy.” Paul’s letter to the Galatians refutes the arguments for legalism. To stand against sloppy Christianity requires “moderation” or self control according to the Word of God. In 2 Chronicles 30:18-20, Hezekiah reinstituted the feast of the Passover. “For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”

The keeping of the letter of the law is not the priority…rather, keeping our hearts right before God is the priority. According to 2 Chronicles 31:4. “Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.”

God doesn’t need the money. However the portion given to the church was so that both the priests and the congregation would be blessed. In Acts 6, when the Apostles called men to “serve tables,” the purpose was so that the apostles could give themselves to prayer and the teaching of the Word of God.

Sanctification and holiness are from the same root word. Sanctification is to set apart according to the purpose intended by the Designer. Sanctification is a deliberate, purposeful and intentional act of the will according to God’s divine design. To love is a choice to act to bless God by blessing his people. Love is not just an emotion according to the Word.

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 says, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him:
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”

1 John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God little children and have overcome them: because greater is he that is within you than he that is in the world.

According to 2 Chronicles 32:19, “And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth which were the work of the hands of man.”

Men think that God is like them. However, Isaiah 55 says, “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so much higher are his ways than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts.” The disciples perceived the trials of this world from an earthly perspective. However, Jesus said, “know ye not that presently I could call down twelve legions of angels?” Jesus had 72,000 angels at his command. According to Romans 8, If God be for us who can be against us?

Jesus said that whoever sets his hands to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it but whosoever loses his life for my sake shall save it.

The so-called “American Dream” has watered down Christianity. The Christian Church in China prays for persecution in the American church. They know that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

The solution to sloppy Christianity is true discipleship. A disciple is a disciplined follower of his Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t serve God your way. You must serve God his way. Jesus said, you must die to self in order to live for God. “For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.”

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael