Saturday, November 1, 2008

Another look at the sword

Here is a little something that I heard the other day...it kind of excited me and so I thought
I would share it. I hope that I can get the wording right because I thought it was pretty cool.

Why do you think that God chose the cross to bring about the death of Jesus?
And then why was Jesus constantly telling us about the need to carry our cross?
Why would we need to take up a cross to be worthy to follow Him?
Why would we need to bear a cross after He already did?
And yet in His own words He instructed us to take up our cross...not His...ours.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:33-35

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26-28

Crosses were very heavy in those days......carrying one around does not seem
that it would benefit us or Him.
So why?
Have you ever thought about the crosses that some carry? Some of us have dealt with diseases, accidents that cause problems for the rest of our lives...those are huge crosses to carry. Still others are never far from issues of their past....no longer ruled by those things...yet they are still who they are because of them.
And still others carry the cross of the responsibility that God has asked them to carry-maybe it is a sick child or parent-a lost job-a wayward child. All of these are things that our Savior asks us to carry at different times--all the while He supplies the power and strength to rise up under it.
So why did He label these issues as crosses?
Could it be that He knew once we saw our crosses from His perspective... He knew we would see our cross as our weapon instead of as our burden?
What does the cross upside down remind you of?
That picture gives a whole new meaning to take up our cross...doesn't it?
When we take up our crosses to follow Him with a heart that is pure and filled with His love---our cross becomes our greatest weapon against our enemy.
The bigger the cross we carry...the bigger the damage we have the chance to do.
Just imagine how our enemy rejoices when horrible things come our way. But, just imagine the honor that God knows He is laying on our shoulders when He allows these things to happen.
And all this should bring a whole new meaning to the verse that says.....

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose..Romans 8:28

What an awesome wise God we serve!
Because of the death of Jesus on the cross.....the cross became the tool that would bring an end to the authority of the devil. And it would then also become a tool that would help us stand in the fight against our enemy until he is locked away at the end of the age.
Instead of seeing yourself as one bowed down under the weight of the cross you carry.....see yourself becoming a strong mighty warrior because of the cross you have been given.

This ought to put you on your feet!
\o/

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well now that sure gives you a new perspective on trials that happen in our lives yes? great post my friend:)

Denise said...

Woo Hoo wonderful post sweetie.

pam said...

Great post. I've always been so thankful that God redeems the trials of life. Sometimes the consequences take a while to sort through but He is so faithful to complete that which He began. Life is all about perspective and you encourage a positive one.

luvmy4sons said...

"God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
so that no man may boast before God". Amen sister. Amen.

Sandi said...

Now that is something to truely think on. Thanks for making me think and then praising God.

Denise said...

Food for thought and YES........ it is a sword! We are to take the gates of hell by force! That is HIS word................. Arise ..... and we need to ARISE tomorrow and pray as we have never prayed!

Anonymous said...

longing to be a mighty warrior- picking up the cross and leaning on the everlasting arms for strength. You are right it is heavy Praise His name we have Him...we were not meant to do it on our own. As my thoughts will turn over and over in my mind when I lay down...I'll be doing my best tonight to picture myself as that mighty warrior!
Good stuff...It's good to have YOU back again. Keep the armor on...
and watch that puffy white cloud!
;) Me