19/12/13

The Carrying of the Cross

Joshua 1:1 - Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,


Moses was one of the greatest Prophets for the Israelites (Jews). He became an icon for the Jews as Mary has become for the Catholics. God knowing the hearts of the people hid the body of Moses after he died else they would have not let Moses body to perish, they would have carried it to the ends of the earth and worshipped it. The same with Mary, the Lord knowing what people would carry an idol called (in the name of) Mary spoke through His messenger Simone stating people would pierce her soul (after her death).

Catholics are programed, that Believers (Protestants) hate Mary and when Catholics ask me as a Believer why I hate Mary? I answer them that I love her more than they do, that's why I do not cause pain to her soul by doing abominations in her name. When I tell them the Mary they idolize is not the mother of Jesus but someone else coming in her name, it shocks some but the hard-core religious Catholic thinks it is another false propaganda of the Believers, the reason is because they do not give importance to the Word of God but more importance to what their Church tells them.

If we truly study the Word of God we will also know what we should carry and why we should carry it. Jesus tells us to take up OUR CROSS and FOLLOW HIM. Many people due to lack of understanding try to carry the wooden crucifix of Jesus. They do not realize that Jesus Himself hardly carried His own crucifix; He was so tortured, bruised and weak that they had to get another person to carry it. Catholics and also many Believers think our Cross is suffering like sickness, persecutions, poverty, oppression etc... If these were the Cross then what did Jesus gain us by His sacrifice? Does not Peter say by His wounds we are healed. Does not Paul say He broke the curses by His hanging on the crucifix and becoming a curse for us (like the bronze snake on a pole that took away the wrath of God)? Also Jesus Himself says all our needs are provided by the Father if only we believe in Him and not worry. So how can there be sicknesses, curses and poverty?

Frist we need to understand the Cross of Jesus so as to understand our Cross. The Greek word 'stauros' translated as cross comes from the base / root word 'histemi' which means cause or base or purpose. Jesus as man came for 3 purposes one to become a sacrifice and save His people, second to enable His people or give them authority (which means faith in its fullness) and lastly give us His Holy Spirit.

Jesus is called the vine and we are His branches so our Cross is a part of His Cross. As His disciples we carry forward His mission in our lives as God as set for us. That does not mean we need to suffer like Jesus did. Yes people did hate Him so they will hate us too, but as the grace grows we will have greater success therefore Jesus said we will do greater things than He did.

We as Christians are called to do carry the mission (Cross) of Jesus. Satan who knows the power of the Cross and not wanting us to behold this power gave Christian a symbol (a crucifix) as the Cross.

We do not have to be a sacrifice for the people, for Jesus is our eternal sacrifice. What we need to do is make people know His sacrifice and accept it their sacrifice so as to be saved. That is why we give the Gospel (good news) and then teach them to walk in the Lord. The second part comes here to build people's faith to its fullness by teaching them the Word of God. Now to understand the Word and walk in the Word is not possible by any human unless that person has the seed of faith (a fruit of the Holy Spirit) and receives the Holy Spirit. This is where the third part comes to impart the Holy Spirit by laying of hands, praying over etc. and helping them be led by the Holy Spirit.

Why am I talking of the Cross of Christ in today's message? What has it to do with Moses and Joshua?

We see in today's message the Lord handed over His people from Moses unto Joshua until they crossed into the Promised Land. The Lord did not forsake them in the desert. The same way life is a journey through the wilderness. From the beginning God has been having His Messengers guide His people so as to bring them to His Promised Land - Heaven. Unlike the Israelites who did not receive the Spirit of Truth thus did not understand His Word nor walked in His ways therefore wavered. We have received His Spirit of Truth and are growing in Truth and in numbers, therefore have many leaders like Moses and Joshua with us.

We need to build people like Moses build Joshua so that the mission continues and the purpose fulfilled. We do not need to worry of defeat for the mission itself is like the Ark of Covenant which has power to bring down enemy armies when we carry it on our shoulders. We need to realize none of us will reach Heaven unless we continue carrying the Cross until the mission is completed so Jesus comes again. And the mission is to make at least 2 amongst us to having complete authority (perfect in faith symbolized by Joshua and Caleb) / Sons of God. Understand it was because of 2 we lost Sonship and God says only by 2 it is sufficient that all His people will inherit back their Sonship.

People do not realize Jesus became the way, the cornerstone. By standing on the way no one reaches anywhere. We all need to walk along the way; we all need to align ourselves to the cornerstone. Today's message tells us to realize the importance of handover, of building leaders to led God's people until the mission is complete. Bible confirms these 2 people who indeed become sons as the 2 witnesses who have power to bring fire from Heaven and cause the whole world to fear God. It is after their death Satan is set loose then Jesus comes.

The result is confirmed, now the sooner we fulfil this the sooner Christ will come. The Bible tells us approximately when Christ will come but the exact time is not written therefore to quicken it or delay it is in our hands.



[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are a merciful God. People question when your Word says sinful nature and curses of father are passed unto the children unto 4 generations, they do not realize greater is your mercy that by the success of 2 You have allowed thousands of generations to be saved. Lord, we pray the people You have appointed to lead your people really be humble that they realize the importance of building future leaders and making them greater than themselves...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Genesis 1: 27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 3:6-7, 24
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis 5:1-2
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

Exodus 20:5-6
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Exodus 34:5-7
5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Deuteronomy 34:5-6
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

Jude 1:9 - Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Luke 2:25-27, 34-35
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

John 9:28 - Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

Revelation 11:3-19
Key verses 3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)