You can’t Handle a CROSS

It's coming! You can't stop it. What will you do? Can you carry a cross???

I know that was a rather strange beginning to catch your attention, but I wanted you to have the words of Christ in front of your thoughts as I bring you my thoughts. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23 NIV.

When we think of the cross of Christ, what first comes to mind is Christ hanging on the cross. He is there in a place of extreme despair and suffering for the sins of the world from the beginning of time to the end of time. That's a lot of suffering. More suffering than anyone can imagine. But he willingly did His Father's will to save us all. He died to complete the work, and rose from the grave to prove that death has no sting or effect on our journey to heaven.

When we were brought to faith in baptism or by confession or by the means of the Holy Ghost working in us, we became a part of the Cross. We are a part of the completed work of Christ. He saved us. He redeemed us so we too can go through the portal of death to be with him in heaven. With faith we take up the cross in this manner and follow Christ.

But there is another side of baring the cross that some don't understand or fear to be a part. The Lord tells us some may suffer physically because of their faith, the cross they bare. We've heard about the burning and killing of Christians in parts of Africa. Have you heard about the abuse and jailing of Christians in China? In many parts of the Middle East Christians are harassed, beaten and killed because of their faith.

Does any of this happen here? Maybe not to the extent that goes on in other parts of the world, but it does. There have been an arrest of a pro-life activist by our federal agents, even though the charges against him were dropped by a local judge as foolish. Many Christian groups are denied access to some universities campuses. In the past some churches have been burned. Yes, physical persecution can and is happening in our own backyard. Can you carry that cross? Would you be able to hold your own against the persecution. No, if not for the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit in us. As when Paul the apostle was talking about his thorn in the flesh, in his weakness Christ gave him the strength he needed. "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me." II Corinthians 12:9b NIV.

I am trying to tell you that in today's world being a Christian is tougher than when I was a child. The world seemed simple. There was no reports of persecution, destruction, or violence against Christians. We could read about it in the Bible, we could read about in history, and we could see it other ways; but not here close to home.

So be ready, pray daily and often, stay in God's Word, the power of Christ and the Spirit will be there at your side. You will be ready for the Cross that is coming.

Amen. God's grace and mercy till next time.