Everyone who Tells the Truth Gets a Cross
Everyone who tells the truth gets a cross. Eventually, everyone who gets a cross gets a crown.
Jeremiah 20:7 O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded;
You are stronger than I, and have prevailed.
I am in derision daily;
Everyone mocks me.
8 For when I spoke, I cried out;
I shouted, “Violence and plunder!”
Because the word of the LORD was made to me
A reproach and a derision daily.
9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
10 For I heard many mocking:
“Fear on every side!”
“Report,” they say, “and we will report it!”
All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying,
“Perhaps he can be induced;
Then we will prevail against him,
And we will take our revenge on him.”
11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One.
Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail.
They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper.
Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
12 But, O LORD of hosts,
You who test the righteous,
And see the mind and heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them;
For I have pleaded my cause before You.
13 Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD!
For He has delivered the life of the poor
From the hand of evildoers.
Lots of people sign up for a cross-less Jesus experience,which isn't real. Very few sign up for the Jesus who offers us the cross:
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
A cross isn't the hardship of life (that's the "curse" and everyone has to deal with that). It isn't even the material things you give up to follow Jesus. Plain and simple: The cross is the instrument of punishment for standing for the truth. In Jesus' day, the cross was a method of public execution. It still is.
Are you rejected by the world and especially other worldly "believers" like Jesus was? Cast out? Excluded because of loyalty to Jesus? Misunderstood because you are obeying, but obeying in love... Keeping a soft heart... growing in humility?
If not, heaven very well may not be yours.
Luke 14:25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 “lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 “saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
31 “Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 “Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
It's not too late until it IS too late to really follow Jesus... To learn His heart and to tell people what he is actually saying and doing, but the way he does, in love, patience, and truth. Jesus' words are accurate, measured, timed, and true. They are consequential and provocative. But, they provoke to faith, hope and love that draw their strength from obedience to Jesus and agreement with His soft, forgiving, true, and unfearful heart.
Do you say things that are consequential, or do you look for the comfortable place where everyone already agrees with what you think?... Do our words actually change anything around us, or do they go along to get along? Are they angry, dramatic, inciteful and fearful words? Salt has an impact. The salt of the gospel has a true and helpful impact. It produces a patient, faithful, sober, and true response.
A little rejection from the religious, even friends and family, around you is not nearly as bad as rejection from Jesus.
Those that endure this time will say things that are like salt. Things that make a difference... Things that are consequential... They will call people to respond to God and out of the arrogance that traps people in the delusion that they don't need to repent. But, they will call people to repentance by example in patient, hopeful, and true love that is free from fear, melodrama, and confusion.
Jeremiah 20:7 O LORD, You induced me, and I was persuaded;
You are stronger than I, and have prevailed.
I am in derision daily;
Everyone mocks me.
8 For when I spoke, I cried out;
I shouted, “Violence and plunder!”
Because the word of the LORD was made to me
A reproach and a derision daily.
9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,
Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back,
And I could not.
10 For I heard many mocking:
“Fear on every side!”
“Report,” they say, “and we will report it!”
All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying,
“Perhaps he can be induced;
Then we will prevail against him,
And we will take our revenge on him.”
11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One.
Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail.
They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper.
Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
12 But, O LORD of hosts,
You who test the righteous,
And see the mind and heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them;
For I have pleaded my cause before You.
13 Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD!
For He has delivered the life of the poor
From the hand of evildoers.
Lots of people sign up for a cross-less Jesus experience,which isn't real. Very few sign up for the Jesus who offers us the cross:
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
A cross isn't the hardship of life (that's the "curse" and everyone has to deal with that). It isn't even the material things you give up to follow Jesus. Plain and simple: The cross is the instrument of punishment for standing for the truth. In Jesus' day, the cross was a method of public execution. It still is.
Are you rejected by the world and especially other worldly "believers" like Jesus was? Cast out? Excluded because of loyalty to Jesus? Misunderstood because you are obeying, but obeying in love... Keeping a soft heart... growing in humility?
If not, heaven very well may not be yours.
Luke 14:25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 “lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 “saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
31 “Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 “Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
It's not too late until it IS too late to really follow Jesus... To learn His heart and to tell people what he is actually saying and doing, but the way he does, in love, patience, and truth. Jesus' words are accurate, measured, timed, and true. They are consequential and provocative. But, they provoke to faith, hope and love that draw their strength from obedience to Jesus and agreement with His soft, forgiving, true, and unfearful heart.
Do you say things that are consequential, or do you look for the comfortable place where everyone already agrees with what you think?... Do our words actually change anything around us, or do they go along to get along? Are they angry, dramatic, inciteful and fearful words? Salt has an impact. The salt of the gospel has a true and helpful impact. It produces a patient, faithful, sober, and true response.
A little rejection from the religious, even friends and family, around you is not nearly as bad as rejection from Jesus.
Those that endure this time will say things that are like salt. Things that make a difference... Things that are consequential... They will call people to respond to God and out of the arrogance that traps people in the delusion that they don't need to repent. But, they will call people to repentance by example in patient, hopeful, and true love that is free from fear, melodrama, and confusion.
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