Where is Your Cross
Matthew 10:37-39
37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
What is a cross?
- A cross is not a gloriously designed fashionable piece of jewellery
- A cross is not an sign used against vampires in a horror movie
Description
- formed by two short intersecting lines or pieces
- an upright post with a transverse bar,
A cross provides the decision point for choosing God’s will (which is the upright pr vertical post) over man’s will (which is the transverse bar or horizontal bar)
Where is Your Cross
During the Roman empire, is was a kind of death penalty netted out to Criminals. Today we use firing squad, the electric chair, or lethal injection etc. maybe corona virus. The nature of the killing was important to ensure shame and disgrace and to serve as a deterrent to other criminals.
Where is Your Cross
Interesting truths or revelations about this
1. Every Christian has a cross.
Matthew 10:38
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.Matthew 16:24
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
2. A cross is not self-imposed but God imposed
Why? Because it is God’s will not your will.
The Student in the Cult
In a story was this senior high student in a boy’s school. He was in his second year and had quickly risen through the ranks in the school’s cadet. This 17 year old boy had not given his life to Christ and always laughed at the Christians who were attending Scripture Union.
One day in the middle of the night, the school prefect who happened to also be the Scripture Union president heard a knock on his door. It was this young boy; shaking and sweating unable to speak clearly. The Head prefect asked him what is wrong!
Now according to the boy, he could not sleep and kept having night mares whenever he tried to. So he wanted to be prayed for cos he did not know what else to do.
But do you know what, apparently this gentleman had been initiated into an occult group in the school.
Where is Your Cross
Lesson
My word to every one who is part of an occult group is this, it is not a God-imposed cross. Stop imposing upon yourself human crosses because the only benefit for that eventually is death. Jesus is here to set you free today.
No matter how deep into the Occult you have gone, it is never too late; don’t let anyone deceive you that it is late. Just start mentioning the name of Jesus wherever you are and say Jesus Christ, Son of God, save me!
Where is Your Cross
Going to church to give offering won’t save you.
Step out of the occult group; someone is confused you don’t know how or you are scared; say Jesus bring me out bring me out. When the Son of God comes into your situation, no one can continue to hold you bound.
Someone listening to me right now is being delivered just by listening to this Word of God.
A cross is not self-imposed but God imposed
Second story:
one night I was walking around in the middle of the night praying and when i got to one junction, I saw a lady seated alone. This was around 1am. I was just praying in the spirit and was almost passing-by then i felt a prompting to get closer.
When i did, I realised that she was crying. I asked her why she was sitting there alone cos it was not safe. She said she had no where to go. Ei!
Where is Your Cross
I asked how she ended up there by the road and then she explained that her boyfriend had driven her out of the house and said she should not come back. It was at this point that i realised she had bruises on her face and later found out that she had been beaten up. You could see the marks on her face from slaps.
It was a very sad story. To end up in a relationship with a man who gets drunk and beats you up. To the point of having one child with this man without marriage.
- I am moved to sing a new song:
- Without You I am nobody,
- without You I am nobody
- I give all my life to You
- Without You I am nobody,
- without You I am nobody
- I give all my life to You
- I carry my cross to follow You
- Help me Lord, I am nobody, without You
It feels good to be in love. It feels good to be cared for by another. But did God give you that boyfriend as a cross or you imposed it on yourself?
Where is Your Cross
That was never supposed to be a cross for you.
When you were dating you saw all the signs that this is not right for you yet you went ahead to marry. Please don’t come back that you want to divorce, you are now married so endure it, God’s grace is sufficient for you.
3. Know the Crosses to Avoid
- Anything outside God’s Word is not a cross to endure
- Anything outside God’s voice is not a cross to endure
- Anything outside giving God the glory is not a cross to endure
- Anything which is pleasurable to the flesh but not pleasing to God is not a cross to endure
Matthew 16:26
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
4. What to do now!
- Reject Satan’s burdens
- Take up the cross of Jesus: His words or His will
- Overcome all opposition
Matthew 16:21-26
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
4. Allow a helper when you are tired
Where is Your Cross
Mark 15:20-21
20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
4. Embrace your cross
Where is Your Cross
Third Story:
A lady was part of a choir. She joined the choir in the teething stages of the church. Now this lady always attended rehearsals and very committed.
Over the year the choir grew and people joined as the church also grew.
Now one day this lady had been given a song by the director to sing however unfortunately at the service just before she sang, the pastor took over the pulpit and started teaching the Word of God; apparently there was a guest minister around who would also speak shortly so the program had changed. Where is Your Cross
Now, the choir would have a meeting after every church service, but you know what when the lady was prompted to wait, she was upset, and was leaving. The music pastor called her, she wouldn’t listen but rather started ranting. She said loudly take your choir. Where is Your Cross
Wow! There had been many prophecies about this lady in this church. That she would sing and many people would give their lives to Christ. That through her ministrations many people would join the church. So many prophecies. One day she even shared a dream with the choir about how God was going to increase the choir and the church.
Where is Your Cross
Because of offence she was ranting now. The lady was suspended for her behaviour for some weeks. She was supposed to come to church but not sing. Well the suspension did not happen because she never came bac
Where is Your Crossk.
I have a question; if your mother rebuked you at home, would you leave the house? But when your pastor rebukes you, you want to leave your church.
Why!
Where is Your Cross
This lady was never seen again or heard of again, until months later the director received news from another director that the lady came to their church and was grounded because of a behaviour and she left that church too.
In Conclusion
Where is Your Cross
How do I know my cross?
Your cross is Whatever God has asked you to do in His plan
- Jesus’ cross was to die for mankind to be saved
- Moses’s cross was to obey God by going to Egypt to deliver His people
- Joseph’s cross was to endure till he became prime minister in Egypt for the salvation of his people
- Daniel’s cross was to stand by God’s word throughout 3 regimes in his day and intercede for the deliverance of God’s people
- Where is Your Cross
– Today God needs you at a certain level in business or in ministry to influence the church, government or society with His Word
– Today God needs you to make certain sacrifices for His purposes to be established in your life and in the life of others.
Where is Your Cross
Stop giving excuses, don’t fear, with God you will succeed; stop complaining and grumbling, stop trying to run away, stop condemning yourself because of your past or present mistakes and your weaknesses.
Paul had a thorn in his flesh, he prayed and prayed that God should take it away but God never did it, He rather said Paul, go through it for my grace is sufficient for you.
Where is Your Cross
- Don’t run away from that church,
- don’t run away from that purpose,
- don’t run away from that hard training,
- don’t run away from that marriage
- stand your ground bold and strong with faith
- because God’s grace is sufficient for you
- Let me say this; there is a cross for every promise
- There is a cross of persecution for every promise of greatness
- Your greatness is tied to your cross, so embrace it and stop running away from it
- The Power of Prayer
- Where is Your Cross
Never try to carry your cross without prayer because you cannot
Where is You
The only way to carry your cross without complaining, or grumbling, or insulting, or self-pitying is to resort to prayer.
Why prayer?
- Because only the grace of God can help you through this phase.
- The only way to endure the cross is by the power of the Holy Spirit
- The Disciples became Apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit, their fears were taken over by faith and the moved out to preach the Word of God
- Where is Your Cross
There is Hope today for every sinner
Jesus was crucified with thieves that means that nobody is beyond God’s salvation.
The best present to have today on this Good Friday is to be saved.
Where is Your Cross
Death is termed bad, but today the death of Jesus if for your salvation.
Jesus embraced His cross, your cross today is to leave everything behind and to hold only onto God’s word
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