Few Christians mention the cross when witnessing and the results are telling for not many folks are becoming born again. At least where I live few seem to be real excited about their relationship with Jesus.
Did you know that the very second you are born again you are living as an immortal? Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me even if He die yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.“ Do you see folks acting like they are His? I hope you do but they are few and far between in this area.
Why do I say such provocative things? Well one day while driving from Alabama the Lord spoke as clear as possible to me and He told me to “Provoke them to anger, Provoke them to thoughtfulness and Provoke them to exuberant praise.“ In obedience I’m doing it again and hopefully this message will energize God’s kids to action. Did you know Love is a verb or action word? Don’t tell folks you love them without some evidence to back it up. Don’t tell Jesus you love Him without some too. The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead.
Your relationship to Jesus is based upon your devotion to Him. If you are struggling to have one, go to the cross. When looking at it allow the Holy Spirit to let you see the nails, the thorns and the spit. If you can see them, look at His body which has been beaten with a scourge. This was a brutal whip that was laced with sharp glass shards and metal which would remove bits of flesh each time it landed and was snatched back. I can’t imagine the pain each blow caused my Lord but I know why He was willing to endure it.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 53 and in 1 Peter 2 that these blows produced bloodied stripes on Him. God tells us if we will simply look at them believing they are for us “personally” He will heal us.
Did you know that God says He gave Jesus to become sin for us but we don’t understand that fully. How could God do that to His own Son? Sin is more filthy to the Lord than the most putrid and disgraceful manure. When Jesus accepted it He was becoming our Savior. He endured the hatefulness being cast at Him for six hours bearing our sins, paying for them. Once this sinks in there isn’t anyway we want to sin again. I know I hurt Him deeply when I sinned. I would rather die than shame Jesus again for He paid a huge price for me.
How about you, do you know that He died for you too? Had Jesus not endured the cross not one person could be saved. We like to think that folks like Billy Graham could make it on his own but like us he was born a sinner. Our sin nature can be traced back to Adam and Eve’s sin when they disobeyed God. His one command was for their own good. He created them innocent as a dove but Satan was allowed to tempt them and they fell. Did you know the tempter said, “Did God say…..?” He is still up to his old tricks. If he can make us doubt God’s promises we are putty in his filthy hands. We don’t have to follow him for God “in us” is greater by far.
Do you have difficulty getting into worship? Some folks seem enraptured during worship services and others are “just there”. I’m not sure there’s a middle ground. I hope this message will alert you to the fact that worship is our privilege and not a right. Did you know that our songs of praise enter into the Throne Room when we are in the spirit? Jesus said that God seeks worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth for God is Spirit. Do you know what that means? God the Father is everywhere all the time.
Jesus came and was born to Mary by the Holy Spirit. He became an embryo and was implanted by the Holy Spirit in Mary as she offered herself as the hand maiden of the Lord. When He was born all of creation was blessed and millions of angels rejoiced at His birth. Did you know the Bible tells us they rejoice over every sinners rebirth? They know that the horrible beating and excruciating pain he suffered wasn’t for nothing. Within the majority of humans there are but a few who are submitting to His Lordship. Oh, lots of folks want Him as their Savior but it doesn’t work that way. He becomes our Savior on Judgment Day. Right now we are to follow Him as Lord.
If you can see Him on the cross this won’t be a problem for you. It hasn’t been for me for I’m one who was forgiven “much”. If you were as bad as I was you won’t have any trouble loving Jesus either for we’re God’s adopted children and heaven bound now. Let’s tell everyone what Amazing Grace is all about since we’ve experienced it. Everyone needs to hear our testimony of how Jesus died for us so we can be whole in body, soul and spirit.
In His Service,
Capt. Ben Marler
captben61@gmail.com
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