THE WAY OF THE CROSS 3

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

                Over the past few decades I have watched parts of Christianity morph into a bloodless form of salvation. It has bypassed repentance, self- denial, taking up our cross and becoming disciples of Jesus. In other words, they have sought a new definition for the new birth… one that doesn’t require entering by faith into Christ death and resurrection. By entering into His death we die to self and to the world and by His resurrection we begin to live by His power and not our own… by His will and not our own.

                But by offering us a bloodless salvation, Satan is clearing the way for the equality of all religions, ecumenical compromise and an open pathway to the reign of the antichrist.

                Satan has painted a lying veneer over his despotic regime. He pretends to offer us an easier way… a casual Christianity that functions on positive thinking, positive confession and self- help. It has adopted the all roads lead to heaven of the New Age and even dipped into their methods for achieving peace, such as meditation, Yoga and such.

                What Satan doesn’t tell you is that He requires blood as well. His blood sacrifices come in the realm of the sacrifices of the unborn, of abducted children, of human sacrifices to the gods of witchcraft, of Moloch and Baphomet and Shiva and the gods of the Illuminati and the many secret organizations upon which the mountain of Satan’s coming global kingdom stand. And at the top of his sacrifices stands the ultimate blood sacrifice… war.

                Unfortunately, none of these sacrifices bring freedom or redemption or salvation or a future. Instead they tend toward human suffering and slavery at every human level. From personal addiction to global terrorism, Satan continues his bloodletting and calls it freedom… a woman’s choice to kill the innocent, to men and women’s choice to marry whom they will, to the terrorist’s choice to blow up people in the name of his god, they call it freedom fighting.

                What Jesus did was altogether different. He offered Himself. He covered our sins. He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. He reconciled us to God so that we can share eternity together in a land where the blood- letting of Satan will no longer exist.

                As we near the end of time we will be increasingly confronted with a choice as to which God we will serve. We need to count the cost and count it wisely. The way of Jesus begins with death, but ends in freedom and eternal life. The way of Satan feigns to offer life but ends in slavery and eternal death.

                If one can look beyond the tinsel of Satan’s enticements to the end result and then to the way of the cross that leads to eternal life, there is really no contest. IN this matter Jesus never asked us to enter His way blindly. He asked us to count the cost… to weigh the differences… to taste and see that the Lord is good… to try Him and see if He will not pour out a blessing.

                Those of us who have chosen Jesus Christ are not perfect. Only Jesus is perfect… and we have placed our trust in Him.

                “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life; and the life was the light of the world. And the light shined in the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend it. But as many as received Him to them HE gave the right to be called the children of god. Even to those that believed in His name. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-5, 12-14

                “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrata; too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2, 3

                “For unto us a child is born…unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.”

                Sometimes we just want to shout hallelujah! Sometimes we just want to fall down and to worship Him. From birth to death to resurrection to His high priesthood, to His soon return in glory He is from everlasting to everlasting. From everlasting to everlasting He is God. What is my body or my life that I should not give it to Him without reserve? Give Him glory. Give Him glory! Give Him glory!

                “But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14

                “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might, which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:18-26.

                There is a time when it is right to put all of your eggs into one basket and that one Basket is Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. He is our coming King and why should we not surrender to His grace and power? The way of the cross leads home and this message will never become obsolete as long as we serve the eternal King of the ages!