A Crucified Life - - Dying Daily

 

2 Corinthians 4:10

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3500

Dying: a putting to death, a state of death

From the Greek word 'nekrósis' (pronounced nek'-ro-sis): dead or lifeless condition.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS

Luke 9:23

Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

    We who choose Christ as our Savior are baptized into His death, which includes His sufferings, His humiliations, His (at times) silence. In this born again life we now live, having chosen to follow Christ faithfully, we, too, will suffer, for so He has called us to do. Those who pick up their cross (make a decision to follow Him even after considering the consequences) will also know the same sufferings. 

    Our families will be divided. Mine were against me being a woman preacher. Since I wouldn't change my mine some in my family refused to speak to me, while a handful supported my decision. But I did not back down and remained faithful in my calling. This faithfulness has caused some who turned against me to turn to Christ. 

    Our friends will forsake us, seeing us changed after receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior, and not wanting that change as yet for themselves, they will leave us. But that's alright. While we remain adamant in our decision, we do so with the Love of God living in us. 

    The decisions we made when we lived a life without Christ are not the same decisions we make in Christ. No more mind-altering drugs, no more uninhibited drinking, no more nightclubs and parties as such. No more listening to and believing liars, who twist the Word to their own convenience. Even my favorite genres of music and books has changed. No longer do I walk in darkness, for I have found the Light, and I'm following Him now.

    I have picked up my cross and I am following Jesus. Though my body, mind and spirit know the pain of walking this journey with Christ, I also know the joy of walking WITH CHRIST: the born again Christians are never really alone, for He helps us carry our cross through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

THIS CROSS I CARRY

    It is no light thing to 'take up' our cross. That cross Christ carried across His shoulders was heavy, so heavy that His bruised and bloody body could not even bear the weight of it as He slowly made His way up the hillside path. He needed help. 

    We, too, would not be able to make it through to the end if we did not have each other to help us carry our crosses. And we carry them on a daily basis, not just once and we're done. For while we are making our way through this world, wherever Christ leads us, we are doing so one day at a time. 

    This cross I carry, I carry without complaint, for so my Savior did also. Though groans may have escaped His lips, whining and complaining did not. Though tears may have flowed down His cheeks, He did not retaliate against those who were mocking Him. In His humiliation He neither threatened anyone, nor attacked His accusers in any form. He forgave.     

    And while He was dying, after having been nailed to the cross, at least one more believed and was admitted into Paradise with Jesus. Immediately after His last breath, the centurion who stood near said, "Truly this was the Son of God." (Mark 15:39). He would be the first of many to believe that  Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God.  

DYING DAILY TO REVEAL LIFE IN CHRIST

    To die daily is to put bring my body and my mind into submission to the Word of God. It is to put God first in my life every day. When I awaken, I greet Him. "Good Morning, Lord" and "Welcome, Holy Spirit." I make myself clean and presentable on the outside while He makes me clean and acceptable on the inside. 

    The Word tells us to pray without ceasing, so I do. I am in constant communication with my Lord. Kneeling is not always necessary, which is good because I am not yet physically back to the point where I can do so without pain and requiring assistance to get back up again. The Lord is with me and that's enough. 

    To die daily is to surrender what I want to do with my day and receive what He wants to do in me in the day. The night is for sleep and for rest; the day is for work. And the days are short and getting shorter. 

    Time is running out, the sand in the hourglass moves faster than it used to. Not only is this a proven scientific fact now, the Word has revealed it to us. Mark 13:20 tells us that God will shorten the days of tribulation for the sake of His people.

     And while that Day is not yet arrived, no one knows the hour of their death or the manner thereof; therefore, we must always be ready. And we can't be ready if we're not saved by the water and the blood which flowed from Jesus' side. We can't be ready if the Spirit of God is not in us, transforming our old self into our new self. We must get ready and live as if Jesus were returning today.

    Dear God,

    Be my God. Be my Savior. Forgive me of all my sins and my trespasses. For I have been a wicked sinner and I have trespassed against You. Forgive me of unclean thoughts and fill my mind with Your Word. Forgive me of unloving words which I have spoken and fill my heart with Your Word. Forgive me for the wrong I have done to others in my ignorance of what is right and fill me with Your Word, that Your Love would guide my actions. 

    O Lord, I am a sinner and desire to be saved by Your grace, for only You can save a wretch like me! Only You can fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Only You can quench this thirst and sustain this hunger that I have to know You better. Only You can show me mercy and, Lord, only You can forgive me. 

    Bring me into Yourself and be welcomed in me. You knocked on the door of my heart and I am letting You in. Stay with me as long You like. Remain in me and I will remain in You. 

    In Jesus' Name, we pray, Amen

DRAW ME NEARER - Hymn

AT THE CROSS - Chris Tomlin

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER - Robin Mark

OCEANS - Hillsong United

BREATHE - Michael W. Smith

I SURRENDER - Hillsong

I OFFER MY LIFE - Don Moen

     

    

Heart & Soul - - Faint Not, Fear Not

 

Jeremiah 51:46

Do not let your heart grow faint, and do not be afraid when the rumor is heard in the land; for a rumor will come one year—and then another the next year—of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7401

Faint: tender, weak of heart

From the Hebrew word 'rakak' (pronounced raw-kak').

In this verse, weak of heart is defined as 'timid, fearful'. It is an important enough warning to warrant a double encouragement from The Lord. First, we are not to let our hearts grow faint. Second, we are not to be afraid of rumors of violence in our land. 

UNFAINTING HEART

    How do we prevent our hearts from becoming timid? We encourage ourselves and each other in The Word of God. 

>Allow God and Christ to encourage us: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

>Delight ourselves in The Lord: Psalm 37:4

>Jude 1:20-21

>Encourage one another: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

>Comfort one another: 1 Thessalonians 4:18

>Exhort one another daily: Hebrews 3:13

>Gather together: Hebrews 10:25

>Edify one another: Romans 14:19

>Serve/be agreeable with our neighbor for their edification: Romans 15:2

UNFEARFUL HEART

    There are several verses in Scripture telling God's people to not be fearful, not be afraid; to fear not. From Genesis to Revelation we find much encouragement from The LORD.

> Genesis 15:1 "After these things the Word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." 

>Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you might be tested; and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give to you the crown of life."

    Even now, in these latter days, in these last hours, The Word of The Lord encourages His people. We do, indeed, have much violence spread across the globe. There are, as stated in Matthew 24:6 "wars and rumors of wars".  The earth itself is in upheaval "the earth groans" Romans 8:22. Yet, we are to gain strength in The Lord and not be afraid of all that is happening around us and to us. 

    For Christ has called us to suffer with Him that we might be found worthy of Him: Matthew 10:38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." That cross our Lord and Savior was nailed to was not comfortable, nor was it pretty. It was hard, heavy and painful to be on. Think you our crosses are any less? 

    The other thing about this cross we are to take up is that we don't get to choose our cross. Taking up our cross means we need to be prepared in all ways to follow Jesus Christ where He leads us. We need to be ready to suffer, ready to serve.

     Christ prepared Himself when He prayed with His Father. He spent many, many hours in prayer. His prayer times were a source of refreshing and a place of gaining strength from His Father. Our times of refreshing are also in prayer. Alone with God we acquire His peace, His strength, His wisdom. In Christ we have access to everything He is. 

    We must remember, take to heart, the encouragement of our God:

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’" Isaiah 41:10.

WINDS OF WORSHIP 3

The Necessity of Total Commitment

 Matthew 10:38 " And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me."

Mark 8:34 "And when He had called His people unto Him with His disciples, H said unto them, 'Whosoever will come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.'"

John 19:17 "And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of the skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha."

==To 'take up one's cross' is to be fully surrendered to God's will for our life. 

==To 'come after Jesus' is to follow God's Word in our lifetime. 

==To come to the place of death, where the cross leads us, is to live a committed, fulltime life of ministry according to God's Way. 

On the one hand this appears to be an easy task. If life didn't get in the way and cause us to make choices/decisions that interfere with being a fully committed servant of God. We can't live in a box and not interface with other people. That's not living.

We must interact with other people in order for us to fulfill God's purpose not only in our lives but in theirs.

We sing I Surrender All. but do we? We sing I Have Decided To Follow Jesus, but have we? We sing There's Room At The Cross For You, but do we really mean it?

Total Commitment. Fully Surrendered. Have I been found worthy? 

Everything we do as Christians must line up with the Word of God; it is our 'rule of thumb', plumbline, level. Do our words match our actions and God's Word? Are we the hypocrite we despise? Only when we are honest with ourselves will we be able to grow in Christ. And who convicts of our guiltiness? The Holy Spirit. Without His presence in our lives, there is no conviction of sin, no shame, no repentance, no peace and no love. 

We need God's Holy Spirit to live God's Word God's Way in God's Will. We need God's Holy Spirit to live a life of Total Commitment. Scripture tells us that whatever we ask God for must be in accordance with God's Word in order for it to be answered. John 16:23 "Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete." John 15:7 "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you."

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

Now is the time to seek God's face in order that we may receive God's will for us today. Now is the time to call on God's Name that we might receive God's Word in our lives. Now is the time to ask Him for His Holy Spirit to empower us to live God's Word every day of our lives.