Taking up one’s cross…..

[Not me]

Luke 9:23 (NASB20) And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

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What part of our salvation are the words ‘take up his cross’ meant to portray…?

The simplicity that is in Christ Jesus makes our salvation as simple as believing what God has said He did for mankind… This, what God said He did for mankind is believing that when Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world He did this by taking all of mankind with Him to death…. Thereby fulfilling the law that says, ‘the soul that sins that soul shall die’…. For mankind’s death with Christ on the cross is how Christ fulfilled the law concerning man, thereby God can be ‘both just and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus’….. For to the degree and depth one believes this truth, to that degree and depth will that one walk in newness of life…

For taking up one’s cross is one willingly taking their place, by faith, on the cross of Christ with Him, grabbing onto His death as one’s own…. Taking up one’s cross is meant to portray this faith that would willingly grab unto His death as one’s own death rather than sin…. For this is the purpose of this faith to free one from the power of sin that one was born under when they were born into this world…. For one’s death does free one from all the power that sin has over the believer, it is this willingness to believe in one’s death with Christ on the cross that is the faith that frees….

For this faith that is willing to die rather than sin is the faith that will experience Christ being formed in one, it being the new creation that sins not…. For it, the new creation is a new life that Christ needs to bring to life in one, this life man himself can not bring to life, but is something Christ can and will do if man will accept the salvation offered in Christ and choose to be dead on the cross with Christ…. Thereby as scripture says, ‘take up one’s cross daily’, meaning, that by faith remain on that cross through all the circumstances of life….

For this is the one and only way to be made free from all the influences of one’s fallen nature, which nature has been separated from one by one’s death on the cross with Christ….

For the believer is to live by faith, that faith being that when Christ died on the cross He took all with Him to death, taking up one’s cross is by faith holding onto this truth that He might bring to life in one the new creation without the hands of self tainting it with that which self can do, or, in other words, ‘that which is not of faith’…

For our salvation is a free gift, it can have nothing of self in it so one might not glory in oneself but in what Christ Himself has done in and for one….

The cross being that place of separation, blessed are they that do indeed embrace by faith their death in Christ, for the salvation offered in Christ as a living reality will be experienced by the faith that so grabs unto this taking up one’s cross and by faith trusting Christ to live His life in and through, being that life that sins not…. For if one is not grabbing onto their death in Christ one is not taking up their cross and is leaving something on the table that was meant to be experienced by the believing one….

To the experiencing of the freedom of the new life that the cross brings to life in the believing one…..


Unto Him, Not me

 

[Reddsta]

What part of our salvation are the words ‘take up his cross’ meant to portray…?

Greetings Not me...

I thoroughly read your post here Not me…and was inspired to the following…it is probably not what you might be expecting…however it is “Truth.”

This is an interesting question/subject that in my experience is typically only understood at an “adolescent” level of spiritual maturity…rarely and at best…in the “church.” Which by the way…really sees no value in spiritual growth and maturity because they have developed and perfected the “get saved to go to heaven” mentality.

“Fire insurance” is what we used to jokingly call it…but we meant it. Going to heaven means staying out of hell…in other words. I am not against going to heaven…in fact when I am gone you may properly assume that I am in heaven…however…I have long since learned…that is not the purpose of salvation or being saved…this is where ones cross comes into view as a stark reality for its partakers. Most folks do not think of the Kingdom of God on earth as a "house with a loving Father and a growing family inside."

It is in this reality that I think your question lacks greater or deeper understanding by believers. This is primarily because churchgoers…believers…the children of God…are generally not taught anything greater. There are reasons for that…however that is not in the scope of your question here.

Perhaps you will permit me to take this question and subsequent discussion to a deeper level of spiritual understanding? Maybe you are thinking…what does that mean or what would that be? Please “Not me” do not be offended…be strengthened.

Ok well…for starters let’s look at the verse you cited “Not me.” “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Emphasis mine…

At first glance…most see it as saying…”one must take up the Lord’s cross” and follow Him. Is that what it actually says…let’s look? In verse 22 the Lord says…“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

Here He is openly and clearly describing “His cross.” Now why is it that believers read this and say...this is “my cross?” Just the description alone should be a plain statement that it "cannot" be anyone else’s cross either…for “He” is the only one who could ever carry “His cross”…and “He” did it so we don’t have to…because we simply could not…glory to God for this...we are the beneficiaries of His cross. His cross is unique to Him when one looks deeper into this...there simply is no other "Man" who could have fulfilled the role/call/cross of Christ Yahshua the Son of the living God as the "Lamb of God"...right?

In His carrying of His own cross…He introduced a new realm known as “Kingdom of God…temple…house” on earth...in which…one could learn of, encounter and then be taught by…Him…the command of...what it is and how to “carry our own cross”…just as He was taught by His Father to carry His own cross.

It is in this that the church has completely failed its constituency in this entire understanding as I see it…leaving them in a state of blindness and immaturity in regard to their “cross.” Yahshua was sent/called by His Father to carry His cross…which He did…I am not sent/called by His/my Father to carry “HIS cross.” I think most would agree when opened up like this…so to look at it as though I/we are sent to “carry His (Yahshua) cross”…is to completely miss the point of verse 23…and an utter misdirection altogether.

This is continued

Redd...

 

[Reddsta]

What part of our salvation are the words ‘take up his cross’ meant to portray…?

Continued from above...Not me.

Now in verse 23…“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Here…do we understand the Lord to be commanding those who wish to “come after or follow…Him” are to take up “His cross daily”…which cross is fulfilled, in effect and complete in its purpose of separating man from sin and guilt unto His father?

Likely not…but rather it is written as…”they are to deny themselves and take up their cross.” This put the onus upon the child/sons of God individually and uniquely...exactly as it was for the Lord Yahshua Christ as our perfect example.

In Christ each one has their “cross”…it is that unique and peculiar "desire of our Father" that is His divine intention for each of His children/sons. Paul refers to it as a call, or a calling…just as Yahshua has His “Call” to be the one and only “Lamb of God”…which is His cross.

Paul teaches that each one of His people have a "call/cross"…in and from God the Father of creation and can only be lived out “in Christ – His Body.” This "cross/call" is nothing less that the complete and utter laying down of ones own soulish desire for living in this life and taking up the constant and increasing appropriation in our lives...of Gods will...unto a spiritual maturity. A death of the old nature and the emergence of our eternal nature in the exact likeness of our Father desire. It is in this that we are like the Lord in carrying our own cross as I see it.

Consider Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4 for a more precise description of what I am presenting here.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; (15) but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (16) from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16 NASB…emphasis mine)

This was but a spotlight on the subject you have presented “Not me”…a light brush stroke if you will…so in my attempt to answer your question “What part of our salvation are the words ‘take up his cross’ meant to portray…?”

One is reconciled to God…as His son…saved…and brought into their Father’s house/temple/Kingdom where one can learn of their cross/call/identity as His son…via the love of our Father and His family. It is in this that one is to be “re-conciled” to His “eternal call – cross” for us in Christ…which…was set before the foundations of creation.

It is here in His house that we experience His/our spiritual family and are given an environment in which to grow, learn, thrive, to be loved and to give love…as we learn to “carry our” unique cross.

As this process continues…we are to continuously grow into His image, likeness, character and nature…thereby conforming to His “eternal desire” for each of us…thus proving what the will of God is…that which is good and acceptable and perfect…and this is to His house our spiritual family and the world around us.

As we are continuously “conformed” to our “call/cross” we are raised up…or in the process maturing into the “fullness of Christ” that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:13-15. It is in this…“Not me”…that we cease being conformed to the world…and are transformed by the renewing of our minds…there by taking on the mind of God in Christ…as the eternal beings we are…here on earth today...in which we uniquely and divinely exist…in the mind of our eternal God and Father.

Redd...

 

[VictoryinJesus]

At first glance…most see it as saying…”one must take up the Lord’s cross” and follow Him. Is that what it actually says…let’s look? In verse 22 the Lord says…“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

Here He is openly and clearly describing “His cross.” Now why is it that believers read this and say...this is “my cross?” Just the description alone should be a plain statement that it "cannot" be anyone else’s cross either…for “He” is the only one who could ever carry “His cross”…and “He” did it so we don’t have to…because we simply could not…glory to God for this...we are the beneficiaries of His cross. His cross is unique to Him when one looks deeper into this...there simply is no other "Man" who could have fulfilled the role/call/cross of Christ Yahshua the Son of the living God as the "Lamb of God"...right?

In His carrying of His own cross…He introduced a new realm known as “Kingdom of God…temple…house” on earth...in which…one could learn of, encounter and then be taught by…Him…the command of...what it is and how to “carry our own cross”…just as He was taught by His Father to carry His own cross.

“Take up your cross” has been on my mind the past couple days. I’m considering all the qualms and judgments and complaints I have within me where …I just don’t feel I’m getting my just due. Especially with those around me …my frustration, my impatience, my persistence and my insistence that “this isn’t meeting my expectations” or getting aggravated at this world and the way it’s going. Always thinking or demanding “if it could just be like This! If others would just do THIS!” I don’t see myself as a very negative person with burdensome expectations that I expect or place upon others shoulders to pay-it-forward but …I think i am denial. Being more imposing of my will onto others than I care to admit. I’m starting to wonder if this is what He means by “take up your cross” …to pick up, uproot all my complaints and qualms and sneers and gossiping and whispering and condemnation about the state of others (even though I may think I have good intent), to lift those accusations and judgements and condemnations up like the uprooting of “a tree of bitterness” clean out of the ground of the heart and …lay it all down…yes I am starting to think “take up your cross” is to take up that tree of bitterness that bears nothing but envy, strife, hatred, and all those deep seeded “ways of seeing”, and to follow after Him. I am starting to see “take up your cross”, yes, First is His (Jesus Christ) taking up His Cross of allegations, condemnation and harsh judgement against me. But then He says, now do the same and “take up your cross”. It’s not Christ that still holds these qualms I have in my heart. It’s not Christ who is still judgmental and condemning of my loved ones; family and friends. Christ is not the one who holds these feelings of enforcing my will or it’s not Christ pouting “it’s not fair” or “why can’t I be like that, why am I like this” and then taking it out on others. It’s not Christ doing or feeling or saying bitter things. And while He “took up His cross” in forgiveness towards me… (imo) there is a growing need to “take up my own cross” against others. And to “take up my own cross daily” That is only an opinion…just thinking out loud.

 

[Not me]

Continued from above...Not me.

Now in verse 23…“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Here…do we understand the Lord to be commanding those who wish to “come after or follow…Him” are to take up “His cross daily”…which cross is fulfilled, in effect and complete in its purpose of separating man from sin and guilt unto His father?

Likely not…but rather it is written as…”they are to deny themselves and take up their cross.” This put the onus upon the child/sons of God individually and uniquely...exactly as it was for the Lord Yahshua Christ as our perfect example.

In Christ each one has their “cross”…it is that unique and peculiar "desire of our Father" that is His divine intention for each of His children/sons. Paul refers to it as a call, or a calling…just as Yahshua has His “Call” to be the one and only “Lamb of God”…which is His cross.

Paul teaches that each one of His people have a "call/cross"…in and from God the Father of creation and can only be lived out “in Christ – His Body.” This "cross/call" is nothing less that the complete and utter laying down of ones own soulish desire for living in this life and taking up the constant and increasing appropriation in our lives...of Gods will...unto a spiritual maturity. A death of the old nature and the emergence of our eternal nature in the exact likeness of our Father desire. It is in this that we are like the Lord in carrying our own cross as I see it.

Consider Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4 for a more precise description of what I am presenting here.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; (15) but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (16) from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16 NASB…emphasis mine)

This was but a spotlight on the subject you have presented “Not me”…a light brush stroke if you will…so in my attempt to answer your question “What part of our salvation are the words ‘take up his cross’ meant to portray…?”

One is reconciled to God…as His son…saved…and brought into their Father’s house/temple/Kingdom where one can learn of their cross/call/identity as His son…via the love of our Father and His family. It is in this that one is to be “re-conciled” to His “eternal call – cross” for us in Christ…which…was set before the foundations of creation.

It is here in His house that we experience His/our spiritual family and are given an environment in which to grow, learn, thrive, to be loved and to give love…as we learn to “carry our” unique cross.

As this process continues…we are to continuously grow into His image, likeness, character and nature…thereby conforming to His “eternal desire” for each of us…thus proving what the will of God is…that which is good and acceptable and perfect…and this is to His house our spiritual family and the world around us.

As we are continuously “conformed” to our “call/cross” we are raised up…or in the process maturing into the “fullness of Christ” that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:13-15. It is in this…“Not me”…that we cease being conformed to the world…and are transformed by the renewing of our minds…there by taking on the mind of God in Christ…as the eternal beings we are…here on earth today...in which we uniquely and divinely exist…in the mind of our eternal God and Father.

Redd...

Thank you for reading my post and your thoughts concerning our death on the cross with Christ…

May the freedom that that death brings be experienced by all those that are His….

Many blessings on being one of His…


A fellow servant of His, Not me

 

[Reddsta]

Greetings VictoryinJesus,

Your “opinion or thinking out loud” piece here is…stirring friend…well intended…well received thank you. Since I do not know you “VictoryinJesus” (VJ) I must assume that there is some element of challenge in your days…and a related seriousness in your post? It is from here that I will “speak” and perhaps respond…peace.

“Take up your cross” has been on my mind the past couple days. I’m considering all the qualms and judgments and complaints I have within me where …I just don’t feel I’m getting my just due. Especially with those around me …my frustration, my impatience, my persistence and my insistence that “this isn’t meeting my expectations” or getting aggravated at this world and the way it’s going.

I can personally relate…it’s the increasing darkness that is abounding…it brings with it a steadily intensifying “pressure” and applies it to multiple points of our existence. It “seems” like an attack from everywhere…and I suppose by some measure…it is.

Taking up your cross as you have “VistoryinJesus” is the right place to be…as we do that...He leads us to a greater “moment by moment” and “face to face” interactions with our Heavenly Father…who knows what we need and is supplying it…as we believe in His love for us and obey His Spirit.

We must simply lie down before Him…in complete vulnerability and trust…that He as our loving Father will arise in us in all the situations of this life…and He will.

Always thinking or demanding “if it could just be like This! If others would just do THIS!” I don’t see myself as a very negative person with burdensome expectations that I expect or place upon others shoulders to pay-it-forward but …I think i am denial. Being more imposing of my will onto others than I care to admit.

Seems like a confession Brother…there is forgiveness, mercy and grace in abundance available for you. These things you speak of…are often used to “ratchet up” the intensity…with which the Lord Yahshua…is drawing us deeper into something greater in Him.

Depending on your perspective of the age we are in…the Lord has good reason for intensifying His “response” from His sons…He is finishing His perfecting of them…and in the not too distant future…He will reveal them as He is.

It is important that you see these things and are willing to take them on…I felt the conviction as I read you. Are you a person who has been given responsibility for other people or perhaps many?

I’m starting to wonder if this is what He means by “take up your cross” …to pick up, uproot all my complaints and qualms and sneers and gossiping and whispering and condemnation about the state of others (even though I may think I have good intent), to lift those accusations and judgements and condemnations up like the uprooting of “a tree of bitterness” clean out of the ground of the heart and …lay it all down…yes I am starting to think “take up your cross” is to take up that tree of bitterness that bears nothing but envy, strife, hatred, and all those deep seeded “ways of seeing”, and to follow after Him.

Powerful my friend so powerful…again thank you for the light! And I agree wholeheartedly…what you describe so well here…is essential and very likely the elementary basis for beginning new life in Christ. The picture I see here is the “removal of the body of flesh” in the circumcision of Christ.

Be aware of the churches venom Brother…there is more to the Kingdom of God than repentance…there is overcoming, growth and maturity that comes with your divine purpose and call. The Holy Spirit is right now assembling the Body of Christ and He is showing us our place and conforming our minds to His.

I am starting to see “take up your cross”, yes, First is His (Jesus Christ) taking up His Cross of allegations, condemnation and harsh judgement against me. But then He says, now do the same and “take up your cross”.

Yes…yes…this is right…He is the example…He is the pattern…He went before us to show us how to take up our cross.

It’s not Christ that still holds these qualms I have in my heart. It’s not Christ who is still judgmental and condemning of my loved ones; family and friends. Christ is not the one who holds these feelings of enforcing my will or it’s not Christ pouting “it’s not fair” or “why can’t I be like that, why am I like this” and then taking it out on others. It’s not Christ doing or feeling or saying bitter things.

No…it is not…it is the old sinful nature that we all too often allow to linger in our souls mind. Thank God the Father of our Lord Yahshua Christ for He has delivered us from these accusations and purchased us with His blood.

And while He “took up His cross” in forgiveness towards me… (imo) there is a growing need to “take up my own cross” against others. And to “take up my own cross daily” That is only an opinion…just thinking out loud.

“take up my own cross against others” interesting way to write it “VJ” I am reading it as “take up my own cross for against others”…is this correct? If not forgive me…and perhaps correct me if you like.

All of this is essential in one taking up his cross...it is the character and nature of Christ who was brought forth in the image and likeness of His Father.

Now that the foundation for His cross has been set in us and we see the foundation of our cross has been set as well...what has the Lord uniquely called us to in terms of our cross? In other words...what part in His Body are you?

Redd...

 

[Karl Peters]

The simplicity that is in Christ Jesus makes our salvation as simple as believing what God has said He did for mankind

Is " believing what God has said" as written above the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" which "makes our salvation"?

Maybe this sounds like I am just being picky, but is it "believing what God has said" or 'believing that God says' that makes Jesus Christ our Savior"???

I remember hearing Benny Hinn once say, "It is not Thus said the Lord but Thus saith the Lord! He is still saying Today!"

If indeed Jesus Christ was correct by saying that He would never leave us, and also that His sheep hear His voice, then believing in Jesus Christ must mean that we hear from Him who never leaves us! So it seems to me that "believing what God has said", instead of believing in what He says to us is in fact believing in another Jesus! And that is not some simple trivial matter, is it?

So I would put it that the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" is a belief in Him being with us always, which means it is believing that He says and not that He said!

It is not that believing what He said in the past was wrong, but rather that His Father said "This is my Son in whom I am well-please, Listen to Him!" - and believing in the record of what He said in the past is not the same and believing that He is Today!!

Therefore I think the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" mean believing He is still saying Today!

Heb 3:7,8 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

Does hardening our hearts mean that we look to the things He said thousands of years ago instead of looking to hear from Him Today?

 

[Not me]

Is " believing what God has said" as written above the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" which "makes our salvation"?

Maybe this sounds like I am just being picky, but is it "believing what God has said" or 'believing that God says' that makes Jesus Christ our Savior"???

I remember hearing Benny Hinn once say, "It is not Thus said the Lord but Thus saith the Lord! He is still saying Today!"

If indeed Jesus Christ was correct by saying that He would never leave us, and also that His sheep hear His voice, then believing in Jesus Christ must mean that we hear from Him who never leaves us! So it seems to me that "believing what God has said", instead of believing in what He says to us is in fact believing in another Jesus! And that is not some simple trivial matter, is it?

So I would put it that the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" is a belief in Him being with us always, which means it is believing that He says and not that He said!

It is not that believing what He said in the past was wrong, but rather that His Father said "This is my Son in whom I am well-please, Listen to Him!" - and believing in the record of what He said in the past is not the same and believing that He is Today!!

Therefore I think the "simplicity that is in Christ Jesus" mean believing He is still saying Today!

Heb 3:7,8 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME,
AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

Does hardening our hearts mean that we look to the things He said thousands of years ago instead of looking to hear from Him Today?

As we are blessed as the peace of Christ rules in our hearts….

A fellow follower, blessings, Not me

 

[Reddsta]

Does hardening our hearts mean that we look to the things He said thousands of years ago instead of looking to hear from Him Today?

Greetings Karl Peters...

That was a fantastic post Brother...the reality that you have kicked up here...the Holy Spirit is "alive" in us and is yet speaking to us and this thought by thought...is not typically received but you know that. I agree with you.

What is He saying to you these days?

Redd...

 

[Karl Peters]

As we are blessed as the peace of Christ rules in our hearts….

A fellow follower, blessings, Not me

Of course Jesus is the Prince of Peace, but He also said Peace Peace, there will be no peace.

Have you not read: Mat 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Now is that sword the Bible or every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?

 

[Not me]

Of course Jesus is the Prince of Peace, but He also said Peace Peace, there will be no peace.

Have you not read: Mat 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Now is that sword the Bible or every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?

As the Spirit bears witness, are the truths revealed, does our relationship with Him grow, blessings….

Unto Him, Not me

 

[Karl Peters]

There is a person whom I know personally. He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own...... we know the song, right. But it is not about the song but about that He our Lord Jesus Christ walks with us and talks with us!

Yet if we know Him and walk with Him, and talk with Him, how then are we making it about what He said thousands or years ago instead of what He says to us Today?

Too many Christians say and write things that seem good, but also seem to indicate that they don't walk and talk with Him Today! And that just does not make sense to me, since I have gotten to personally know Jesus Christ. If not Him, it sure seems like Him. The first words He told me were, "Read Your Bible", but that proved that He was not the Bible but the One who told me to read it. And that was over 20 years ago and Him and I have been talking since then on those days that were called Today, when we talked!

I know there are others, even those calling themselves Christians, who also talk back and forth daily with Him. I already mentioned about hearing Benny Hinn saying that it is not Thus said the Lord but Thus saith the Lord, so He obviously understood what I am saying and obviously understood that God says - meaning that he too heard from the Lord. And that is not different from others I have meet and know around Christian churches, but they are often in the minority. the remnant maybe? But too often it is hard to find those who hear from the Lord's small voice on days called Today. But they are around. So I am encouraged when I find them, and they are found at Christian churches!

For example, I find a number of them when my Lord asked me to help in a Christain healing ministry. That, I guess, was not surprising because the Lord said:

Exo 15:26 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

So it is not surprising that if you "heed the voice of the Lord your God..." then you would see Him healing people in the land, right?

So five years He had me working in a Christian healing ministry, and I saw Him heal many many people!! And just fyi, I never was a part of Benny Hinn's ministry, except I did see some of His big healing meetings where hundreds of people were getting healed by God right in front of us. So plainly Benny Hinn had the attitude that God speaks to us Today, just like me, and miracles happened, just like God said and had written about in Exo 15:26!

And while working in the Christian healing ministry I was in (which had over 3000 location world wide when I was helping in it) you had to fold a paper so you didn't know what the person had written, and then ask the Lord and hear from Him, and then write down what you heard on a legal pad before opening it. That is to say you had to hear from the Lord on that day called Today.

So again I ask: "if we know Him and walk with Him, and talk with Him, how then are we making it about what He said thousands or years ago instead of what He says to us Today?"

So I believe the sword is the Word of God that we hear from Today!

Eph 6:17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

So I am saying the Holy Spirit has the word of God which is the sword, and not your Bible!

I am saying like Jesus Christ:

Jn 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

and Jesus also noted and it was recorded:

Jn 6:64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him.

So do we "betray Him", if we make Him out to be someone whose words are what was said some thousands of years ago, as opposed to someone who will talk to us via His Holy Spirit Today???

So to quote Beny Hinn again, "it is not Thus said the Lord but Thus saith the Lord - He is still saying Today!"

 

[Karl Peters]

As the Spirit bears witness, are the truths revealed, does our relationship with Him grow, blessings….

Unto Him, Not me

Yeah - as the Spirit bears witness, but simply said does that not just mean we hear from him Today?

I wrote Today on another thread about "the Spirit bearing witness to me Today', but not in those words. I wrote on this site a teaching about walking and talking with Him and about that being how we build our house (us).

So "the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus", is that we can just talk back and forth with Him Today!

 

[Not me]

Yeah - as the Spirit bears witness, but simply said does that not just mean we hear from him Today?

I wrote Today on another thread about "the Spirit bearing witness to me Today', but not in those words. I wrote on this site a teaching about walking and talking with Him and about that being how we build our house (us).

So "the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus", is that we can just talk back and forth with Him Today!

As our/your relationship with Him teaches, be blessed…

A fellow servant of His, Not me