January 4
"O my Father, if it is possible,
let
this cup pass from me;
nevertheless,
not as I will, but as you will."
Matthew
26:39
Most people don't understand what a cross in a
believer's life IS. It isn't a hardship. It's not something to
strengthen us. A cross is what one dies on.
A cross is
something to bring us down to death, to complete and utter surrender.
That is where God meets us and brings ...resurrection.
Sometimes
the cross set before us seems too much to bear. Even Jesus said, "if
possible let this cup pass from me." But wisdom teaches us that
God never arbitrarily imposes bad things upon us, but instead uses
our afflictions FOR us, with PURPOSE, turning it all to our good if
we willingly submit ...as Jesus did.
"...looking unto
Jesus,
the author and finisher of our
faith,
who for the JOY that was set
before Him
ENDURED THE
CROSS..."
Hebrews 12:2
The
cross is not a means to improve our behavior. The cross is not
improvement, it's crucifixion. On the cross, we die to
ourselves.
But it doesn't stop there. The Scripture goes
on:
"Who for the JOY that was set before him..."
The
cross ALWAYS leads to joy!
"Weeping may endure for a
night,
but JOY
comes in the morning."
Psalm
30:5
God uses our surrender to mature us, but he always turns
it around to joy. Oh if people only understood that joy always
follows death. Resurrection always follows death.
Is it worth
it?
It was to Jesus.
"Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus...."
Ephesians 2:5
If
we surrender to the cross, we will also be raised up to new
life.
"And we know that ALL THINGS
work
together for good to those who love God,
to
those who are the called according to his purpose."
Romans
8:28
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