Our Daily Cross.

Photo by, "Geralt", Pixabay User

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

I'm reading a book called, "God's Best for My Life," written by, LLoyd John Oglvie. In it he writes this:

"Love means the cross. God's mercy was expressed in the cross. He did not condemn the world, but came in forgiving love."

Then he asks, "What is our cross?"

"We can understand and accept our cross only if we accept the essential meaning of his cross. In his cross he suffered for the sins of the whole world so that mankind might be forgiven. Our cross, then, is forgiving and forgetting what people have been and done."

"The Christian life begins with crucifixion - our own. Becoming a Christian means  a death-like surrender of our life to Christ. We die to our own rights, control of our life and plans for the future. We will be willing to be made willing to receive, do, go, stay, speak and serve as he wills. Christ comes to live within us to express his loving mercy for others through us."

"We forgive, because we have been forgiven. People do not need to measure up any more than we have to measure up in order for God to love us."

"There will be a cross in every relationship and responsibility we encounter today. At the heart of each situation is a point of surrender to seek first the Lord's will. There will be people to be loved and forgiven. Most of all, there will be a constant flow of opportunities to care for people as if caring for our Lord...To make Christ's plans our plans will spell a cross of death to self-will..."

"Our cross is people - persons who need our forgiveness... We cannot carry our cross alone. When we dare to be a forgiving person, we need the Lord's help daily, and many times through the day."

This was an eye-opener for me and I believe he is right. When I think of Jesus on the cross, why he is there, what was done to him, forgiveness is what he gave that day. People betrayed him, slapped his face, spit on him, beat him up, whipped him, laughed at him, lied about him and hated him,

And he taught us, before that terrible day, that we must forgive those who do these things to us. That is our cross. May God strengthen us to bear it with him.

Are You Free?

I am reading a book called, "Eugenia Price Trilogy," and it is a wonderful book.  Her enthusiasm for God is overflowing and infectious. I was reading a chapter called, "Are You Free?" when I came upon this quote.

"What are some of the things which rob Christians of their freedom? Surely, as we mention elsewhere in this book, worry is one of our most constant jailers! I believe that during the time we are worrying, we are actually atheistic. Either we believe Jesus Christ or we do not. He said, "I have overcome the world." Did he? Or is he playing a fiendish cosmic prank on us?

"I have, for a year or more, permitted myself the luxury of worry for five minutes at a time and no more, At the end of five minutes, if I am still worried, I go to the nearest mirror, look myself right in the eye and say, "This tremendous thing which worries you is beyond solution. Especially, it is too hard for Jesus Christ to handle." Usually, I am restraining a laugh by that time, and when I let it go, the tears of gratitude come with the laugh, and I turn my eyes gladly back upon the face of Him who gave me a foolproof  "worry-tree" in his own cross."

I used to be a champion worrier, especially when it came to my children or grandchildren. I would pray for them, and sometimes I could leave them with God for awhile; but sooner or later I would be fretting and worrying once again. The Lord has conquered my worry, but I am still tempted to worry. The thoughts come, but I immediately pray or quote scripture and go on with my day.

Paul wrote, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."  Philippeans 4:6

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:25-34

A lot of people worry about the state of the world (ISIS) and the state of America. I have learned through the Old Testament that it is wrong to do this. 

"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."  Psalm 37:8,9 

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"  Psalm 37:7

"Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out."  Proverbs 24:19, 20

Even if the foundation of our government is destroyed, we need not worry. 

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth."  Psalm 11:3,4

God says that if there is chaos, confusion, war, persecution or death in our lands, we are not to worry because God still rules in the heavens. We must trust him.