Part Two

 

We are helpless to DO, for we cannot save ourselves,  on the Cross. On the Cross we can't DO anything in our own strength,  which is why Satan empowers and encourages a religion full of do's and don't's, that is always requiring us to DO something to earn God's approval.  On the Cross, we're like babies in the womb, about to be born - completely helpless,  unable to rely on our own strength or wisdom.  We are weak but in our weakness we cry out "The Lord HE is strong and well able to deliver us from the Hell that seeks to swallow us"! And it is this position of weakness and total reliance on Him that we are to walk in daily for the rest of our lives.

Know - on the Cross our hearts become exposed and as naked as Jesus' body was on his Cross - indeed, his heart was exposed for all the world to see on his Cross too - His heart was seen to be so full of love for all mankind that he'd rather die than live separated from us. The Cross is all about the heart, for our God is and has always been, a God of the heart. Someone asked Jesus "What must i DO to be saved?" Religion teaches people that they can save themselves by doing whatever is demanded of them - in other words, our own strength and will is enough to attain salvation, but Jesus replied "believe" - simply believe on him whom the Father sent.

So when we lay down voluntarily on the Cross with Jesus, when we "pick up our cross daily and follow him" - we are deciding daily we cannot "do" anything to save ourselves,  for the way of the Cross is the only possible way to follow Jesus  - for "self" must be crucified  - our self will, self pleasure,  self glorification  - all put to death daily. Our works must cease, we must to "DO" as a means of pleasing the Father (that is to say, doing in our own strength  - for our flesh cannot please him) and we must start to BELIEVE,  TRULY BELIEVE FROM OUR HEARTS in the One who alone ressurects us into a life that conquers death - we become someone who can and will DO THE FATHER'S WILL- alone, who can and will hear the Father's voice and who can and will speak His words, not their own, just as Jesus did.

Part three soon

The enemy wants to crucify our ability to serve the Lord.  He wants to put to death all that is right and good. He wants to say "let there be darkness", let there be darkness again for I have crucified the Light and snuffed it out".  He wants to prevent us from using our feet to bring the Good News to those who have only heard the Bad news the enemy preaches (there is no God. If there is, he doesn't care about you personally. Go ahead and sin (disobey God) - you shall not surely die, etc.). He wants to keep our hands from healing and doing other good works that glorify Our Father who is in Heaven,  such as caring for widows and orphans and anyone else who has no one to love them.

Jesus, on the other hand, wants to crucify every wicked way in us; every thought, every word, every deed that dishonors Our Father who is in Heaven,  blessed be His name, and causes Him pain. Jesus will put to death our ability to sin - if we'll  let Him, by picking up our Cross daily and following Him. We must remain on the Cross until we can say "It is Finished", until all that is ungodly and anti-Christ is put to death in us.

The enemy, too, has a cross. He too desires us to "pick up your cross and follow me", he too wants us to "go and make disciples of all men", only in his kingdom we model and teach people how to sin - how to live our entire lives apart from our Savior,  our blessed Christ. In his kingdom,  his disciples preach a gospel of hate, of self-exaltation,  not humility. They foster racial division and self-sufficiency, of pride and arrogance. 

Who's cross will you choose to carry? All of us are carrying one or the other. All of us are either dying to self or from self. All of us are dying to all that is righteous and good or all that is unrighteous and unholy in us.

Part two soon

 Did you not see  Me

  in that beggar's face?

The way you ignore  Me

 is such a disgrace. 

You pass Me by day after day

 you see it in My eyes yet you've nothing to say.

Meanwhile,  here I sit      and       wait

Please! Won't you notice me?!

Don't you remember My plea?

As you do it to the least of these,

  you're doing it to Me!?

Yes I'm dirty.   Yes I smell,

  but your comfort is not why I saved you from Hell.

I did it so you could be 

 My hands and My feet,

  so you could impart

   all the love in My heart

     for the downtrodden and the dregs of society  -

NOW OPEN YOUR HEART AND NOTICE ME!

 Saints, let me make something perfectly clear: You cannot nor should not "Preach the Gospel" while walking in a spirit of pride and arrogance at the same time. You really shouldn't.  Belfast (the city in northern Ireland) has certain "street preachers" that do not display the character of Christ. They don't display the Holy Spirit's fruit like Jesus did. They aren't preaching out of genuine love for people rather they're preaching out of pride - proud that they're on the streets shouting at people with loud speakers, forcing them to listen (very ineffective by the way). This kind of preaching only works if it's done under the prompting of the Holy Spirit,  with his power and his presence. Usually,  the Gospel is best shared heart to heart, one on one, by people who are living it - not just speaking it, after all, it's a gospel of love. It's shared best by DOING acts of kindness on behalf of others, like Jesus did  - then speaking it. The heart must be engaged first, then the mind.

Jesus spoke of two men who went into the Temple to pray. One fell on his face and would not even look up but cried out for mercy saying he was a sinner unworthy of it. The other man looked down his nose at the man meek and contrite who was repenting and said within himself,  "I thank God I'm not like him" - and that is the spirit some of these (not all) street preachers are walking in - "I thank God I'm not like you poor souls walking by, no, I'M SAVED! I'M BETTER THAN YOU! YOU'RE GOING TO HELL!" Now, all that's true, but if it isn't presented to people in love and humility, it will push people away rather than draw them in. These street preachers rarely have anyone stop and listen to them (unless it's to argue) and I've never seen them pray with anyone (they may have - i just haven't seen it in the many times I've witnessed them). 

Let's judge them by their fruit (or lack of it). No fruit of the Spirit = no souls saved. Christians,  especially those on the streets saying they're representing Jesus, should not be body slamming people to the ground or cussing them out, arguing with them. They shouldn't be fighting,  verbal or physical.  That's a terrible witness of the one who said "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemy". Belfast has a history of hating their enemies and fighting them and these street preachers are continuing in that tradition,  sadly. They should be as gentle as doves. Selah.

 There's mankind 

 then again,  there's manunkind -

those who try

to be sweet and nice

 and those of a different mind

 who are anti-Christ...

Those who honor   The Lord of Life

 and those who the Lord they despise. 

But no matter who you meet

 in church or out on the street -

Give them the love of God,

that their hearts like the sod

might receive the seed of His Holy Word,

may it grow until all have heard

The truth of the Gospel 

 that they might rewind

 and go from manunkind 

 to mankind        and confess -

The Lord,  He is God,

The Lord  He is God,

now I know, now I see,

The God who is Holy, 

and who desires me,

to love me, not hurt,

to protect me, not injure,

to take me to be

in His house eternally...

To love me as a husband, brother, and daddy...

His love is so great

it must of course take

more than one form.

This is why He expresses Himself 

as a Triune being,

So He may love me

not one way but three

Three ways,  three types -

Father, Spirit and Christ...