By Pastor Darryl Woodson
Job
33:12-13_Behold,
in this you are not just: I will answer you, for God is
greater than man. Why do you strive against him? For he gives not account of
any of his matters.
Luke
6:46_ And
why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luke
14:27_ And
whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
The
supremacy of God is by infinitely far above any man’s or thing ever created. He
is the Uncreated. Were it not for God, oh what great great terror would be upon
us! We are but just men but God decided to be mindful of us, to put us in high
places, fully justified and cleansed. There is a place where we come to a full
realization that God is all supreme. The word ‘Christian’ is mentioned about 3
times in the Bible but the word ‘disciple’, more than 200 times! Let us daily
be disciples of Jesus Christ because a Christian is a follower of Christ. In
Jesus’ day, it was a criminal who carried a cross and it was clearly understood
that this symbolizes finality for that man.
Abandonment
is in more ways than one to carry one’s cross. Letting go of all our personal
desires, challenges, fears and ‘stuff’ allows us to carry our cross. And
because He is God, He knows what is best and after you have lost your life for
His sake, you will find it.
Matthew
10:39_
He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake
shall find it.
The
Greek word used here for ‘life’ is ‘soul’.
We
cannot carry the cross and our baggage both even if the things we carry are not
necessarily bad things. When you carry your cross, you are a disciple of Christ
and you conform to His way of being a disciple. The Seed of Christ is
constantly challenging us to go higher in our growth, to give more and more
dedication to Him, and to down our burdens. And this is a small cost to pay
considering the reward that we receive from Christ’s death on the cross!
Let
get back to the basics and question:
What
does it look it to be in fellowship with the Triune God?
What
does it look like to be in fellowship with people and with one another?
John
6:15_When
Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make
him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
v.26-27_ Jesus answered them and said,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles,
but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor
not for the food which perishes, but for that food which endures unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for on him has God
the Father set his seal.
But
many left Him and did not walk with Him no more. To carry our cross is actually
VICTORY! The way of the cross.
And
conclusively, let this bring us to a commitment to invest in people. To sow in
the lives that are willing to listen to what we imparted with in the place of worship
and communion. A time and season to realize what could be lost is this, a lot
of lives to be reached and witnessed to. Let us take the challenge to pour our
lives into other people around us.
Luke
14:34-35_Salt
is good: but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall it be
restored? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dung hill; but men
cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
Our
prayer at the beginning of this year is to ask God to help us hear and with the
following of radical obedience.