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Matthew Chapter Sixteen
24: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.
25: If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
26: And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
First Corinthians Chapter One
18: The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
First Corinthians Chapter One
18: The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
19: As the Scriptures say,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
Galatians Chapter Six
14: As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
Galatians Chapter Six
14: As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
15:It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.
16:May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
As I was praying today these scriptures arose in my heart. I started meditating on them and Jesus spoke to me and asked me to write down the following words and share them with you. He said:
My children, why are some of you offended by my cross? Some of you never mention it while others are taking crosses down off their meeting places so they don't offend those who are of other beliefs. So what about offending me? Is it fair to keep others from being offended at my expense?
My cross is the symbol of my great love for you. Those of you who are married could you imagine refusing to wear your wedding ring because you might offend those who don't believe in marriage?
My loved ones are trying so hard to please the world and while not trying hard at all to please me. So many bend to every tradition of men and other religions just to keep peace. Do you not realize that you are selling your souls when you do this? Do you not know that petting a snake will not protect you from his bite?
Why are so many of you offended by my cross? It is the very power that saved you? I poured out my life and my blood and my grace upon that cross and now you want to take it down because it might offend someone? Do you not realize that the cross is the only means of salvation and if they don't come through my cross they will never come to me and will never come to my Father?
Oh my loved ones. Hear the message of the cross again and meet me there. Don't be ashamed to die with me on my cross and expect to embrace me in the presence of my Father and his angels. The church today want's resurrection power but isn't willing to die to get it.
My precious ones, don't be fooled and lulled to sleep. Those who make you bend one truth after another to get along with the world are not doing you any favors. Your enemy want's to kill you and taking the cross off your building or not mentioning it in your sermons is not going to protect you.
It's time for an awakening and a great revival to begin. This will happen as my people once again embrace the truth of my cross, my death, my resurrection and the outpouring of my Spirit. You can't have the glory of the Spirit without being willing to bear the shame of the cross. If you are not willing to take up your cross and follow me into death, then don't expect to mount your chariot and follow me into heaven.
This is the truth the church is missing today. Many teach that you can live any way you want and still have my power and my blessing, but this is not the truth. Yes my grace abounds to you but my grace is on this side of the cross. My grace empowers you to live as a resurrected, holy being.
I told you that you must be born again to see the kingdom of heaven and you must die to be born again. You were crucified with me at my cross. You entered into my death so that you could be raised and seated with me in the heavenly places. It's time to live out these truths and take your place in holiness and stand with me.
Please my beloved, warn those who are taking the cross out of the message of salvation. There is no salvation except you come to the cross and lay your life down and become one with me. It is the preaching of my cross that is your salvation. Preach it with all your heart so that many will be saved.
I was not ashamed of you and I hung naked on that cross covered in your sin. Will you not be ashamed of me? Will you tell the world that I love them so much that I bore their shame on that tree so that they could be set free from sin and death? Will you tell them that the power of my cross is still the power of salvation?
I know you will my loved ones. This is why I shared this message with you. I knew you would tell all you meet to remember the cross and remember the one who went there willingly because of love.
Love each other my beloved and encourage each other to walk in the full truth of my gospel.
This was the end of the words he spoke to me a few moments ago.
I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
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