The Way of the Cross

[Prentis]

This is a message that I feel the Lord has given me for the church. I do not claim to be a prophet... Or anything special. Only this weighed on my heart like a burden. The way of the Lord is the way of the cross. And I fear that the church as a whole, as a body, has forsaken this way. I fear for the judgment that will come upon it. And I grieve for the world, to whom Christ is not being made manifest.

I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I that live, but Christ in me; always bearing in me the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ so that He may be manifest in me

Most of our Christianity has been turned into one of two things; argument over doctrines and genealogies, or an immature love. A love that doesn't understand the need of the cross.This message is for all of us individually, and also for us as a body. We must die to self, be crucify to this world and not follow it's pattern, and walk in the love and life of Christ that he may be made manifest to the world.

Saving is not our business, but God's. Our business is to make him manifest to a lost world in need. We must focus on him, and let him take care of matters as who is saved. We must lose our life for his sake.

I tell you this in love. We must go back to the way of the cross.

 

[Prentis]

Sleeping in the light (song)... It says:
The world is sleeping in the dark,
The church cant even fight,
Cause it's asleep in the light

Judgment will come to the house of God first. We will be held to a higher standard than the world, to who much is given much is required.

With love, brothers and sisters...

 

[Perspectives]

I hear the cry of your heart Prentis! Since I like to get to the point, may I say that the outworking of what you wrote is the spiritual application of a natural example. Mal.3:10 is not really about tithe only, rather it's about obedience. God said if you do this I'll do that. He doesn't pour natural things through a window, natural stuff doesn't exist in the spiritual dimension. Paul said in I Cor.15:46 first that which natural then that which is spiritual. The King James has it right here, He wants to open YOU the windows of heaven, and pour YOU out a blessing. He will have a remnant, He always has, to reflect Himself through His people. Not enough room means not enough years in a man's life to do all that He will do.God is generational.Good to see some young men on this site. You represent the next generation.Our Father doesn't want you starting from scratch when my generation leaves the planet. That's where the double portion is hidden, not from you, but for you. My assignment is to pass on as much as possible. When combined with what God reveals to your generation there is the double portion!

 

[Prentis]

Yes. God has his remnant. As the Lord told Elijah when he despaired, 'I have kept seven thousand men'. :)

Thank you for your love brother, thank you for using the 'talent' (in the sense of the parable) that the Lord has given you!

I just see how much we need Him... We have so much of 'us'. Human love, human understanding, human strength, but it's worthless in the Kingdom... We need Him. And for that, we need to get out of the way.

Blessings, brother

 

[Groundzero]

This is a message that I feel the Lord has given me for the church. I do not claim to be a prophet... Or anything special. Only this weighed on my heart like a burden. The way of the Lord is the way of the cross. And I fear that the church as a whole, as a body, has forsaken this way. I fear for the judgment that will come upon it. And I grieve for the world, to whom Christ is not being made manifest.

I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I that live, but Christ in me; always bearing in me the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ so that He may be manifest in me

Most of our Christianity has been turned into one of two things; argument over doctrines and genealogies, or an immature love. A love that doesn't understand the need of the cross.This message is for all of us individually, and also for us as a body. We must die to self, be crucify to this world and not follow it's pattern, and walk in the love and life of Christ that he may be made manifest to the world.

Saving is not our business, but God's. Our business is to make him manifest to a lost world in need. We must focus on him, and let him take care of matters as who is saved. We must lose our life for his sake.

I tell you this in love. We must go back to the way of the cross.

So true! I have already been mistaken by some when I claimed I am sick of hearing about love. The truth is, I am. I am sick of hearing of mushy love each other. That doesn't stir my heart at all. What really stirs my heart is true love. When someone goes beyond the logical for someone else.

True love, to me, is when in a battle, one of your close mates gives his life for you. That is true love. It's rarely stated in words, but shown by actions. True love is when a husband and wife can watch each others backs and will stay by each other's side no matter what they face. True love is when someone is willing to pay the cost to achieve something, no matter how long, how hard, or how painful. I think the cross points us in the direction of all the previous. It was a long death, it was hard to accept, and it was extremely painful.

 

[Rach1370]

Nice thread Prentis! Your OP reminded me of a quote from John Piper:


“The longer you meditate on the writings of the apostle Paul, the more clearly you see that genuine, deep spiritual experience depends on genuine, deep biblical knowledge. I mean things like faith and love and peace and joy—these precious subjective experiences of the heart—depend on the mind's apprehension of objective biblical truth. From a biblical standpoint, studying and thinking and knowing are never ends in themselves; they always stand in the service of feeling and willing and doing. The mind is the servant of the heart. Knowledge exists for the sake of love. And all theology worth its salt produces doxology.” –John Piper

 

[Prentis]

I appreciate the input of the both of you, Rach and Groundzero :)

Only, what I am trying to communicate is not so much what is in human love, though that is good, and not so much the beauty of the scripture, though that is nice, but rather the fellowship of the Lord's suffering. We suffer because a friend betray us, we suffer because we have disappointments. But I want to talk about something that's not merely human suffering, but in the Lord.

When we follow the Spirit, the Lord will put us in situations of suffering, suffering for HIM. We do not suffer in this case for our own message, or our own life, but for his. The Lord sends us with his life and love for someone, and it is received with rejection and hatred. And the grief we have is not our own, the offense is not against us. But we feel the Lord's grief and broken heart over a people he loves.

This is the way of the cross. The Lord sends us, we are simply vessels, and we carry a pearl of great price. But men hate it, and reject the very Lord of Lords. We then have the priviliege of sharing in his sufferings.

Much love to all of you, brothers and sisters...