I'm Just Passing Through

June 19, 2012
I’m Just Passing Through
Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Friend to Friend




I was flipping through television channels in a futile attempt to find something worth watching for a few minutes when the commercial for an upcoming movie grabbed my attention. A young man was trying to console his obviously upset friend. As he leaned across the table and took her hand, the young man quietly said, “God promised that everything will be okay in the end. So if everything is not okay, then this is not the end.” The profound and simple truth stopped me in my tracks.

It had been a hard day – for many reasons. I have to admit that several times during the day I had thought, “God, I don’t get it. Why is this happening?” I have been a follower of Jesus Christ for many years, but my faith obviously still has a long way to grow. For a few minutes, I had forgotten that this world is not my eternal home, and its troubles and trials are only temporary. You see, when I came to Christ, my citizenship was automatically and eternally changed from earth to heaven.

I read about an American tourist who paid a visit to a renowned Polish rabbi. The tourist was astonished to see that the rabbi’s home was just a simple room filled with books, a table and a cot. “Rabbi, where is your furniture?” the tourist asked. The rabbi simply replied, “Where is yours?” The puzzled American asked, “Mine? But I am only a visitor here. I’m only passing through.” The rabbi smiled and replied, “So am I.”

The apostle John wrote, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” In this passage, Jesus calls heaven “topos.” In the Greek, the literal meaning of this word is “place.” In other words, heaven is described as a real place. In this same passage, Jesus also calls heaven “oikos” which, in the Greek, literally means “a house or home, a dwelling.” Some people say heaven is “a state of mind, a dream or wishful thinking,” but the Bible is very clear about the fact that heaven is a real place. It is as real as the home and city in which you live.

·         Acts 1:11 “They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!"’

Jesus did not go up into a state of mind, a dream or wishful thinking. He went to a real place and a real home.

·         Acts 10:9-11 “Peter was going up to the roof to pray. He was hungry and wanted to eat, but while the food was being prepared, he had a vision. He saw heaven opened.”

·         Stephen was martyred for Christ. While he was being stoned, he spoke these words:

"Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand" (Acts 7:56).

The Bible repeatedly refers to heaven as a real place ... a very real and very beautiful place. Heaven is the workmanship of God. Think about that for a moment. Jesus was a carpenter, a builder. He announced that He was going away to prepare for us, a beautiful home in heaven. We know what kind of work He does. He created the universe in six days. Jesus loves detail. Look at the wings of a butterfly. He loves color. Look at a rainbow or a sunset. He loves beauty. Look into the face of a newborn baby. Jesus has been working on heaven for over 2,000 years. What a place it must be!

When I hold the troubles and trials of this world against the backdrop of heaven, peace floods my heart, mind and soul. I just need to remember that this world is not really my home. I am just passing through. How about you?

God's Gift to You

June 18, 2012
God’s Gift to You
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV).

Friend to Friend
The sea breeze blew the tangles from my knotted nerves as a choir of various birds sang revelry to greet the day. Myrtle bushes, bursting with fuchsia blossoms added splashes of color to the sandy landscape. Jumping fish performed acrobatic feats for an audience of one.

Perhaps my favorite place in all the world is the beach. God seems to speak to me through each intricately carved sea shell, soaring gull, and majestic wave. On this particular spring morning, I had gotten up before the others stirred from their slumber to have a cup of coffee with the Lord. I sat rocking on the cottage porch surrounded by coastal beauty and watching the water of the lazy canal meander by.  As I was talking to God and thanking Him for all the splendor of His creation, He urged me to look closely at a reflection in the water. There it was…a cross. Reflected in the water was a simple cross.

Looking up from the water, I saw the two pieces of weathered wood that formed this cross. It was actually one end of an old forgotten clothesline, but it was much more than that to me. It was a reminder.

This cross was God’s reminder to me that in all the majesty of His creation, it was a simple cross of two wooden beams that was the most majestic of all. Two beams displayed to the entire world, for all time, the surpassing greatness of His love, the incalculable riches of His grace, and the unfathomable depth of His mercy to all who believe. More beautiful than any blooming flower, more melodious than any song of my feathered friends, more powerful than the surf of the sea – the cross.

Climbing Upward

Climb Upward

"And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst" (Ezek. 41:7).

 

***

 

"Still upward be thine onward course:

For this I pray today;

Still upward as the years go by,

And seasons pass away.

"Still upward in this coming year,

Thy path is all untried;

Still upward may'st thou journey on,

Close by thy Saviors side.

"Still upward e'en though sorrow come,

And trials crush thine heart;

Still upward may they draw thy soul,

With Christ to walk apart.

"Still upward till the day shall break,

And shadows all have flown;

Still upward till in Heaven you wake,

And stand before the throne."

 

***

 

We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon. Rouse thee, O believer, from thy low condition! Cast away thy sloth, thy lethargy, thy coldness, or whatever interferes with thy chaste and pure love to Christ. Make Him the source, the center, and the circumference of all thy soul's range of delight. Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments. Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God! --Spurgeon

 

***

 

"I want to scale the utmost height,

And catch a gleam of glory bright;

But still I'll pray, till heaven I've found,

Lord, lead me on to higher ground!"

 

Not many of us are living at our best. We linger in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountains. The steepness and ruggedness dismay us, and so we stay in the misty valleys and do not learn the mystery of the hills. We do not know what we lose in our self-indulgence, what glory awaits us if only we had courage for the mountain climb, what blessing we should find if only we would move to the uplands of God. --J. R. M

 

***

 

"Too low they build who build beneath the stars."

***

We were not designed for mediocrity, we were designed for greatness; we were designed to reflect the omnipotence of God. We must rise up and live out our destinies through resisting complacency. 

Sit Still

"Ye shall not go out with haste" (Isa. 52:12).
I do not believe that we have begun to understand the marvelous power there is in stillness. We are in such a hurry--we must be doing--so that we are in danger of not giving God a chance to work. You may depend upon it, God never says to us, "Stand still," or "Sit still," or "Be still," unless He is going to do something.

This is our trouble in regard to our Christian life; we want to do something to be Christians when we need to let Him work in us. Do you know how still you have to be when your likeness is being taken?

***

Now God has one eternal purpose concerning us, and that is that we should be like His Son; and in order that this may be so, we must be passive. We hear so much about activity, may be we need to know what it is to be quiet. --Crumbs

***

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor deem these days--these waiting days--as ill!
The One who loves thee best, who plans thy way,
Hath not forgotten thy great need today!
And, if He waits, 'tis sure He waits to prove
To thee, His tender child, His heart's deep love.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Thou longest much to know thy dear Lord's will!
While anxious thoughts would almost steal their way
Corrodingly within, because of His delay
Persuade thyself in simple faith to rest
That He, who knows and loves, will do the best.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor move one step, not even one, until
His way hath opened. Then, ah then, how sweet!
How glad thy heart, and then how swift thy feet
Thy inner being then, ah then, how strong!
And waiting days not counted then too long.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
What higher service could'st thou for Him fill?
'Tis hard! ah yes! But choicest things must cost!
For lack of losing all how much is lost!
'Tis hard, 'tis true! But then--He giveth grace
To count the hardest spot the sweetest place.
--J. D. Smith

Gay Marriage: What is a Christian to Do?

As I have been putting a great deal of work into the launch of RWM’s new fitness campaign, I have been limited in how often and how extensively I post on different blogs, forums and social sites. I had to scale back in some areas in order to give the attention necessary to the new endeavor.

It seems that while I have been engrossed in the new campaign a hails storm of misrepresentation, perversion and hatred has overtaken the airwaves. I have prayed quite extensively about the best way to address this issue.

I am sure that I have ticked a great deal of you off concerning the manner in which I am pushing this campaign to battle obesity in America, well, I am about to tick some more of you off. It’s time to talk about homosexuality and Gay Marriage. Oh, before you holier than thou’s start interpolating your Amens, I have a word or two for you as well.

It seems that the issue of homosexuality and Gay Marriage has escalated over the past several weeks. It has become a topic of discussion in the pulpit and in the news room. It has political implications and spiritual undertones. It has sparked religious backlash and interfaith turmoil in the Christian community. Religious leaders have been called to task on how to address this issue. I will endeavor to bring clarity as to what should be the Christian’s stand and approach on this topic. Many may be surprised as to what they hear here.

This will not be a bunch of religious legalistic rhetoric and at the same time it will not condone any sinful act. My purpose here will be to lucidly express the manner at which Christians are to deal with issues of this magnitude.

I have never been a stranger to controversy, so it makes it easy to comfortably write this treatise without fear of reverberation and repercussive assault. In fact, this is the approach every believer should take when dealing with secular philosophies and paradigms. Far too many Christians have become consumed with finding the medium of a politically correct stance. Too many Christians have found themselves pondering at the pool of popularity. Secular world views have infiltrated the Christian faith and spawned non-biblical views that only weaken our impact in the world.

At the same time that some Christians have taken the route expediency others have taken the route of hatred and personal intolerance. Though scripture may back you in your position, it does support your methodology. Christianity is representative of a faith that is founded upon grace, mercy and love; not hatred. I think that ministers preaching from platforms of perfection that breed a congregation of holier than thou converts has stifled the impact of the body of Christ almost single handedly.

So, I will take a brief moment to address the issue on two major fronts; whether or not homosexuality is a sin (making Gay Marriage invalid) and how Christians are to deal with the hot topic while remaining in the will of God.

I will start by saying that as a Christian and Biblical Teacher, it is important to understand that I stand firm on the belief that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and it is the only completely authoritative source of God’s will for mankind. It is the standard by which all of mankind is measured.

¹⁶ Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),

¹⁷ So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, AMP)

With this having being established as my platform of engagement I will move forward.

The Bible lucidly expresses where God stands on the issue of homosexuality. There is no real ground for debate outside of declaring the scripture to be invalid. So, for those of us who accept the Bible as God’s infallible Word, the argument stops here. The problem is that too many believers have bought into a number of secular world views that have blurred the lines of holiness and purity. As Pastor Ed Young would say, “We have sipped the poisonous Kool-Aid!”

When we are being incessantly bombarded by worldviews such as Ethical Relativism (The belief that no absolute moral code exists and therefore man determines what is right in each situation according to his private judgment.), Liberalism (An educational system based on a Secular Humanist Worldview. A political tradition emphasizing personal liberties and equality over traditional moral concerns; specific policies include a  woman’s right to an abortion, promotion of same-sex marriage, redistribution of wealth to help the poor, etc.), Nihilism (The belief that life has no true meaning; we simply arbitrarily exist.), Relativism ( The belief that “truth” is relative to the individual and the time and place in which one acts; there are no absolute or objective truths.), Secular Humanism (A worldview based on atheism and naturalism in which “man” is the measure” of all things; man, not God, is the ultimate norm by which truth and morals are to be determined.).

The aforementioned are some of the major world views that exist and are propagated on a daily basis though every possible medium. Christians have become extremely susceptible to these fallacious views for a number of reasons. I don’t want to wonder too far off course here, but as Christians frenetically search for answers to the enigmatic issues they face daily as well as seek to circumvent the vicissitudes of life and are not met with sound biblical doctrine, they are captivated by these views that excuse and explain away they sinful behavior and minimize their sense of responsibility.

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inheritor have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,

¹⁰ Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers andslanderers, nor extortionersand robbers will inherit orhave any share in the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10, AMP cf. 1 Tim. 1:10)

We only need to review the above passage and connected reference to see that homosexuality is a sin. If one would like to read further, the first chapter of Romans would be a good place to start. So, for the believer whose very faith is Bible based, the debate ends here. What I would like to point out here is that these scripture doesn’t only list homosexuality, but reveals a laundry list of sins. Hold on to that for a minute, I am going somewhere with it.

So, we see that based on biblical doctrine homosexuality is a sin. The question arises: With a political and social environment that is centered in being politically correct, how is the Christian believer to approach homosexuality or any other sin that has become socially acceptable? The answer is always for the Christian to live and respond to the issues of life in a manner that is reflective of our relationship with Christ.

The thing that is just alarming to me as the Christian ambiguity when engaging homosexuality is the Christians who have decided to use this issue as a platform of hatred and false superiority. Whatever the motive, there seems to be a movement of hatred boiling over into this heated debate. It is extremely important for our spiritual leaders to place God first in their approach to addressing their followers on this controversial matter.

As believers we must understand that our intolerance must be directed at the sin, not the sinner. We must never endorse or applaud sin (Romans 1:32), but we are never to cast condemnation; it is not our prerogative, but God’s. Our responsibility is to engage every sinner in love and introduce them to the very grace that rescued us from our darkness and sin. We must come down from our platforms of perfection and acknowledge that if it had not been for the grace of God, we ourselves would be lost.

I am confounded by the leaders who isolate this one particular sin without acknowledging that when it is normally addressed in the Bible it is surrounded by other sins (see 1 Cor. 6:9-10), including other sins of sexual perversion. We cannot speak against the homosexual while embracing and applauding the fornicator. We cannot cast away the homosexual while promoting the adulterer. We cannot pronounce doom on our Gay brother and sisters without pronouncing the same doom upon the liar and the cheat.

No, I am not saying that we are to accept or endorse any sinful behavior; what I am saying is we are to accept the person in love and draw lines in the sand of where we stand. As Christians we must be sure of who we are and where we stand at all times. The Gay Agenda has progressed along the subtle lines of the no harm no foul mentality. Many of us have accepted tenets of the Gay movement because we don’t want to be called to task on our own failures. Let me make something lucidly clear; giving another sinner a pass on their sin, does not excuse yours.

As I mentioned earlier, we have been inundated with secular world views that are diametrically opposed to the will of God and foster hedonism and unbridled sin. We must understand that it is through the paradigms we adopt that the enemy is slowly rendering the body of Christ without effect. It is time for a paradigmatic shift.

³ For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh andusing mere human weapons.

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

⁵ [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), (2 Cor. 10:3-5, AMP)

Here Paul informs us that though we walk (live in a world that manifests itself in the physical) flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. Our weapons of warfare are mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds. That is awesome, but we need to understand where the battle is taking place. Where is this war being waged? We refute (cast down) arguments, theories, reasonings, and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself against the knowledge of God.  Play close attention to what Paul is revealing here. The battlefield is the mind. The enemy desires to neutralize the believer by infiltrating his/her thought processes with erroneous doctrines that if accepted remove the believer from the will of God.

We are explicitly told to rebuke all thoughts and reasonings that are against the knowledge (the infallible Word of God) of God. We are told to take every thought (this means there are no thoughts that are insignificant) into captivity. Every thought must be obedient to the will of God. You must understand that your actions are physical manifestation of your thoughts.

For those of you that have been convinced that as long as homosexuality (including Gay Marriage) doesn’t have any direct impact on you it’s nothing wrong with it, the Bible speaks about those that approve of wrong. The fact is it does affect you.

For those of you that are having a difficult time determining what is right and what is wrong, simply ask yourself: What does the Bible say about it? Despite what the world is saying, the Bible is still the only authoritative standard by which all Christians must measure themselves. It is not anachronistic or outdated, it is as true and applicable now as it was when it passed through the prophets and Apostles that wrote it.

For those of you that wish to cast judgment on this issue let us remember the exhortation of Peter.

¹⁵ For it is God’s will and intention that by doing right [your good and honest lives] should silence (muzzle, gag) the ignorant charges and ill-informed criticisms of foolish persons.

¹⁶ [Live] as free people, [yet] without employing your freedom as a pretext for wickedness; but [live at all times] as servants of God.

¹⁷ Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor. (1 Pet. 2:15-17, AMP)

First pay attention to verse 15 where Peter shows that it is our lives that silence the critic and convicts the sinner, not our harmful words. Verse 16 encourages us not to use our liberties as a covering for wicked behavior. Verse 17 establishes that we are to treat all people with respect. We are to share the love of Christ with everyone. My grandmother would  always tell me that I would catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Once I moved past the point of trying to understand why I needed to catch flies, I got the message. If you want someone to see your point of view, present it in love instead of condescending condemnation.

We are people of love, not of hate. We are to hate sin, not the sinner. Remember, we are simply sinners, covered by the blood of Christ. It is the Cross that provides and empowers our unique identity, not verbal proclamations of self-aggrandizement.

Be blessed,

Bishop Rick Wallace

Note: I want to give special acknowledgement to my pastor, Dr. Ed Young (Fellowship Church) for the masterful and uncompromising manner in which he addressed this issue this past week. Those of you in Dallas that may be looking for a unique way to experience the awesome love of Christ, a place where the walls of traditionalism and denominationalism have been obliterated, come out to Fellowship Church. Simply visit http://www.fellowshipchurch.com for times and directions. 

No Cross; No Crown (Revised and Reposted)

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” (Matt. 10:38, NKJV)

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.  Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation, ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10, NKJV)

This is not one of those feel good, tell me everything is going to be alright, messages.  This is not an attempt to coddle you or hold your hand.  I am reaching out in the hopes of shocking you into a state of lucidity as it pertains to a certain spiritual truth – “No Cross, No Crown”!

No Cross; No Crown; unfortunately this term has become anachronistic, archaic and even cliche`-ish; used on a whim with no force.  This term has, without question, lost its substance, its meaning, and its motivational influence.  Some believers speak it and others hear it oft quoted, but the persuasive force that once encapsulated this term is no longer present.  In the late 1600’s English Quaker, William Penn sat down at his desk under the lantern light and penned No Cross; No Crown; it was then that the term carried weight, it was heartfelt, it encompassed the true meaning and purpose of this ethereal journey of Christianity, but most consequential was its motivational force.  It prompted the believer to stand up and press forward.  It brought with it a vehement sense of urgency.  It stirred the heart and soul of those within an earshot to be about the Father’s business.

As time has progressed, the Christian has become both, arrogant and self-centered; we have become lazy and unpurposed; we have retreated to a life of desire and comfort.  We have forgotten the mandate of Christ to take up the cross. We seek the rewards and benefits associated with a life we have yet to live.  The Christian has become detached from reality at illusionistic depths; far beyond the illusions of the drug addict, beyond any preconceived notion of the drug dealer, far beyond those we have the audacity to look down upon.  Instead of embracing the “cross” we have fled from it to a life of ease, yet, absent of reward.

We have fallen victim to philosophical teachings that are not founded in scripture; teachings of self-help, self-determination and making our own way.  Worldviews such as Liberalism (An education system based on Secular Humanist Worldview; a political tradition emphasizing personal liberties and equity over traditional moral concerns); Nihilism (The belief that life has no ultimate meaning); Relativism (The belief that “truth” is relative to the individual and the time and place in which one acts; there are no absolutes or objective truths); Secular Humanism (A worldview based on atheism and naturalism in which man is the measure of all things; man, not God, is the ultimate norm by which truth and morals are to be determined) have permeated the faith and have heavily influenced the Christian way of life. We have embraced the “if it feels good, do it” mentality.  However, the word explicitly dictates that not only are we to embrace the cross, but that each of us has his own cross to bear.  Unfortunately, we have created our own religious escape from spiritual reality.  In adapting a philosophy that prescribes a life of ease and undisciplined principles, a philosophy that affords a reward without an act which merits reward, we have turned from the spiritual truth of God’s infallible Word to move toward our own euphoric utopia.

There is no true faith apart from the cross.  The cross is the defining moment in the faith of every Christian.  It is the belief in the cross that brings us salvation.  “The Cross” is the place of expiation, the place where the magnanimous work of Christ was completed.  To live apart from the cross is to live a life of denial, void of truth.  I have aspired to reveal to you an inescapable truth; No Cross; No Crown!

What does it mean to take up or bear one’s cross?  It means to live your life as unto the Lord.  It is presenting your body as a living sacrifice, giving of yourself for the sake of Christ.  Bearing your cross calls for you to live the life of a Christian soldier to walk into your destiny despite the difficulties and struggles of the moment.  Look at what Paul had to say about the responsibility of the Christian soldier:

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3, 4)

Bearing your cross requires dying to self and carrying out kingdom work.  It is counting it all joy when you fall into various trials.  It is the apprehension and execution of the divine plan of God; to stand in faith when those around you wonder aimlessly about.  It is not meandering through the pathways of mediocrity, nor gallivanting through the portentous halls of self-destruction.  It is walking into your destiny and fulfilling your purpose.

There is an old aphorism which states:  Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. This adage can be transposed to say: Everybody wants Christian benefits, but nobody wants the job. Everyone wants to experience the many rewards and blessings God has to offer, yet, we cringe at the thought of the trials we must face.  I present this question as posed by an old hymn: Must Jesus bear the Cross alone and all the world go free?  I think not, the song concludes: No, there’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me!

Not until we embrace the cross, will we experience the full measure of God’s infinite and bountiful blessings.  Not until we walk boldly into our destiny can we truly know God with the intimacy in which we were created to know Him!  There are too many believers walking around with a power deficit.  They say all the right things religion has trained them to say, but internally they are struggling with the reality of the moment and the uncertainty of tomorrow.  Their lives have been lived in a superficial vacuum that portrays a form of Godliness, but in truth has drained them to the point of defeat.

It is not my desire to rain on your parade, but to breathe life into your waning hopes.  I hear too often, the questions:  Has God forgotten about me?  Does God care?  Why hasn’t God answered my prayers? These are only a few questions of concern I hear from believers.  It seems that believers are anticipating the movement of God in their lives; however, they have failed to see the connection between their movement and His.  Listen to what God told Solomon:

“If My people who called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 NKJV)

In this awesome statement of promise and deliverance, we would do well to take notice of the fact that the promises are preceded by a conditional clause initiated by the conjunction, “if”.  This points to the fact that God requires certain things from us prior to blessing us.  We want God to bless, to heal, to prosper; However, we fail to bear our crosses, we have failed to position ourselves to receive the blessings we seek.  The bearing of the cross and the blessing go hand in hand.  One cannot advance to spiritual maturity without persevering through the intense and sometimes arduous struggles of life.  It is your spiritual maturity that places you in a position to be blessed by God.  As you mature spiritually, God is free to bless you without you losing your focus -in other words spiritual maturity allows the believer, at the time of blessings and prosperity, to remain focused on and occupied with the blesser instead of the blessing.

The mature, cross bearing Christian consistently and incessantly finds himself in line with the will of God, therefore, in perfect position to experience the power of God as He acts on his behalf.  We can, therefore, deduce within the reasoning of the aforementioned facts, that our progression toward spiritual maturity is paramount and the only way to reach spiritual maturity is by the consistent , daily intake, absorption, metabolism, and inculcation of Bible doctrine, as well as the application of said doctrine to the issues of life.  This is bearing your cross!

You see, there can never be a reward without an act to merit the reward; No Cross; No Crown!

The rewards of bearing your cross are multitudinous, too many to cover them all.  However; we will cover several that are noteworthy.  As a Christian bears his cross, he develops a sense of purpose, an apprehension of the fact that he belongs to something greater than himself.  Through the comprehension of this new truth, he is now able to face the struggles and vicissitudes of this life with the confidence that those things that are too big for him are no problem for God.  He can face the struggles and storms of this life knowing: Trouble doesn’t last always; but he also has a great understanding and appreciation of this fact: No Cross, No Crown!

A Christian that bears his cross has a sense of direction: he knows where he is headed.  He is not deterred, discouraged, or derailed when the storms of life began to rage.  The bearing of his cross has both, strengthened and prepared him for the battle that lies ahead.  He understands that adversity is the fertile soil through which the seed of prosperity is planted and cultivated.  He is exactly where he should be in order for God to bless him and prosper him, and when he does find himself in a bind, he can relax in the peace of God, because he knows that, “No weapon formed against him shall prosper.”

As a cross bearer, you carry a strong sense of honor, knowing that you share in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

As we move toward a close, I implore you; I beseech you to examine yourselves; to look within. Upon a thorough and complete searching of yourself, can you say with absolute certainty that you are a cross bearer?  Have you pushed aside the cares and affairs of this world and focused yourself on the battle at hand?  Have you committed yourself to the battle or are you still wondering aimlessly about with no sense of direction? Is your life seeded in your desires and has the work of Christ and the kingdom taken a back seat?

Has the intensity of the battle caused you to shrink back and withdraw to a position of comfort and assumed security?  I hope not!  The writer of the letter to the Hebrews made it distinctively clear how God feels about those who draw back:

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Heb 10:38)

It is my prayer that as the battle intensifies, so will your resolve to persevere.  This is not a time for lethargy and gradualism, but a time for purpose and destiny.  I urge you to press on with a fierce urgency and an inexorable determination to fulfill your destiny.  God has not promised you a life of ease and tranquility, for he told us that in this world there will be tribulations, but he did not stop there.  He finished by saying, in essence, don’t worry, don’t fret, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.  There is no life of ease, but there is a life of reward.

We all stand in need of God’s blessings; we are all in search of His “Well done” proclamation.  We are in search of an exaltation of some sort.  We are looking to reap the magnanimous bounty which God has stored up for us.  In this exploration for acknowledgement and reward, we must apprehend and take hold of this one fact -No Cross; No Crown.

Any attempt at circumvention of this divine truth will prove devastatingly unsuccessful.  We are to march forward with our hearts and minds focused on the very one who keeps us.  Our time of adversity is not a time to crumble under the pernicious attacks of the enemy, but a time to rise through the omnipotence of God.

Yes, my fellow Christians, this is a spiritual war, the enemy is a most formidable foe, yet our destiny is victory.  This victory is as certain as life itself for the one who endures.  This victory has been placed in escrow for the one who refuses to surrender.  There is a promotion in your future, but understand this promotion comes at a price -No Cross; No Crown!

It is time to rise to the majestic heights of faith walking.  It is time to soar through the winds of perpetual prosperity.  To elevate ourselves to a position of spiritual enrapture.  For too long we have been languishing in the quicksand of mediocrity and lethargy.  We have lingered through the desolate valley of tamed dreams and dwarf goals.  We have been imprisoned by the manacles of hopelessness and despair.  Yet, the luminous and phosphorescent light of hope strains through the pores of darkness.

Pick up your cross and receive the power to overcome every obstacle.

Take up your cross and find that God’s grace is sufficient.

Bear the cross of your calling and experience the awesome force of God’s anointing as it flows through you.

Live the life of someone who is divinely blessed and highly favored; take up your cross!

May God bless and keep you.

Bishop Rick Wallace