Pick up your Cross

Matthew 16:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

I've heard so many pastors and laity in the Church call Jonah the worst missionary of all time!! In reality, Jonah is an example of real mission at its best.  Consider the fact that a lot of missionaries are sent to those that are not active, current enemies! Although some mission fields are tough, demanding and deserve our full respect….they are not as tough as Jonah's field. The Ninevites, or the Assyrians, were the known enemies of Israel.  Now, for us living on American soil, you might not truly appreciate the concept of a religiously, diametrically opposed, militarily threatening enemy.  Try living next to someone who's mother had their head blown off by the people you are being called to serve!! Try selling mission needs in the church, letting "the body' know that you plan to send chocolate cookies to Bin laden and the Taliban for Christmas! Ha!! Now try doing it just two days after 9/11!! Ha! Ha! Jonah and his people, the Israelites were under attack and under threat of more attack when he was called to serve in Ninevah.  The truth is …that equation added up to E= mc2 or the right stuff to go Boom!! The military rulers, as in many other nations, could be a brutal breed. They ruled their empire and subdued nations with absolute terror.

“I destroyed, I demolished, I burned. I took their warriors prisoner and impaled them on stakes before their cities. …flayed the nobles, as many as had rebelled, and spread their skins out on the piles [of dead corpses]… many of the captives I burned in a fire. Many I took alive; from some I cut off their hands to the write, from other I cut off their noses, ears and fingers; I put out the eyes of many of the soldiers." (TimeFrame 1500-600 BC by Time-Life Books) Assyrian War Bulletin (1000 B.C.) http://www.public.iastate.edu/~cfford/342worldhistoryearly.html

“I slew two hundred and sixty fighting men; I cut off their heads and made pyramids thereof. I slew one of every two. I built a wall before the great gates of the city; I flayed the chief men of the rebels, and I covered the wall with their skins. Some of them were enclosed alive in the bricks of the wall, some of them were crucified on stakes along the wall; I caused a great multitude of them to be flayed in my presence, and I covered the wall with their skins. I gathered together the heads in the form of crowns, and their pierced bodies in the form of garlands."

Jonah wasn't just uncomfortable, he was facing certain death, socially and physically…and for what?? His worst enemies…!! Shoot! I'd take the whale!!

Excuse me mister? I'd like a ride out there to meet my big fish!!

So what do we do with the cross theology found in Matthew 16? To take up your cross means knowing that people die up on that wood, and carrying it means it has a destination..death! What??? However, "whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Yikes! Heah Christian! Ready to pick up your cross? there is good news for you if the answer is, "no" and even better news if the answer is, "yes"! Jonah wasn't ready either and the Lord gave us more grace…  But for Abraham, who was ready…the Lord made his descendants as numerous as the stars!!  Today, consider the cost of the cross and determine how you would like His story written out for you…His plans are perfect and in the end the story ends with victory…

Every empire like every human life has an hour glass with grains of sand flowing through it and when judgment had come, the city was defeated by the next emerging empire in Babylon. We all should try to look past the 'normalcy' in our own nations and our own lives, because one day our nations will pass, one day our lives will end and the only thing left to us will be our relationship with God, standing either in our own righteousness, or in the righteousness provided as a free gift in Jesus Christ.

It is mercifully interesting to note that after the fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian people did not disappear, they were simply ruled by others. Assyrians were some of the first converts by the earlier church and they became a thriving Christian community sending missionaries through out the eastern world. Today there is still anAssyrian Church with an amazing history and communities throughout the world.

 Or, you can wait and wait and wait and  refuse to take a leap of faith!!

Listen to the following song and consider letting God write His story all over your heart!!

The truth about Hope...

Peace and Hope

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.


God is the author of all hope and His Hope does not disappoint us…So, let's get honest…why are we disappointed with God??? Seriously!! If God does not disappoint us…or put us to shame then why are we disappointed with God??? Why are we blaming God? Anyone?? Perhaps it's because we dis God by appointing the blame for our own mistakes on Him!! Shame on you and shame on me!! REally??? When you are disappointed in God…you better check your facts…Disappointed today??? Instead, today…put your hope in God and stop blaming Him…How do I put my hope in God, through faith in the facts..that He did not disappoint you…the devil did…!!!!God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 NIV  The Truth is that we should be boasting about God, not blaming Him…it's just that darn cross isn't it? We could almost complain at some of the suffering couldn't we?? But what are we to do with the cross..Shame on us..Jonah didn't even know the cross..or did he??

Do you know what Satan wants?? He is so hell bent on your destruction that he will try just about anything…However, the main thing that he wants is for you to want something…When the Scriptures say that the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not WANT…He, Satan says, "love your gifts and not the giver" AND HE WHISPHERS, …"love the way..not the maker of the way" AND HE EVEN DARES TO SUGGEST,…"Love the ministry, not the one who authors the ministry" …Jonah! Jonah! Jonah!!! I just love Jonah! Poor, beat-up, misunderstood Jonah!!! Today we are all on the run…but to what and from what are we running??? Are you weary?? ARe you tired? Are you discouraged?? Has God called you to give back a gift and you said, No? Has God asked you to change direction and you said no? The moment you say, "no" is the moment you lose your hope..!! THE MOMENT YOU SAY, "NO" IS THE MOMENT YOU LOSE YOUR HOPE!! 

Remember psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd..I shall not be in want…He makes me lie down in green pastures..whether pastures in Nineveh or Israel…(emphasis mine)But…He restores my soul!! Want to have your hope restored??? Rest in the lord…WANT TO HAVE YOUR HOPE RESTORED??? REST IN THE LORD. 

Titus 3:1-8

New International Version (NIV)

Saved in Order to Do Good

3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewalby the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.


I was reading today in John 1 and hope that fills my soul arrived again as I read…Behold..the lamb of God that takes away the sin…Wow! The Hope that never disappoints is always there to take away our sin and the certain death we are always facing is always there too, if we do not cover our lives with the blood of the lamb of God. Somehow, I wondered if I should check in with the lamb…!! According to verse three of Titus 3, we are reminded that "at one time"! However, what about this morning..?? What about "this" time? Are you going to be foolish today?? Disobedient?? Lord…today…this time, I need your righteousness..your blood to cover my life..!! I want your kindness to mark each one of my steps…According to Proverbs 3, make my paths straight? Lord, you are faithful, always faithful to make me new…Today is all we have…let me devote myself to doing what is good and Lord may it be profitable for everyone.

Who in the world am I??

Do you know what I think is amazing? There is a direct relationship between two very common questions: "Who am I", and "Who is God"! The reality is that if you are asking who is God, then you do not know who you are and if you are asking who you are, then you do not know God. Ok…before my readers have a complete heart attack with disagreements flooding their lungs, let me explain. What I mean is that we do not stay up to date with God…! I'm not suggesting that you never walked with him, but if you are not walking with him today, chances are you are not going to know Him like you knew Him yesterday, right? Daily we are to stay in the light of Christ's love, hourly, by the minute…for the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, right? So, when we ask really stupid questions, like, "Who am I", or "Who is God", perhaps we need to remember that if we are feeling lost…we are the ones who moved…we are the sheep that wandered off and all that's needed is a return to the sheep pen…a repentant heart that turns back to the savior, away from sin, where walking and talking restores our weary soul! My dear friends, that is very good news to know that we are the delinquent ones
!!!! We are the ones that move!!! That means that God is still good and that we just have to call Him up,  open up His word and say, Here am I lord, send me!