TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
6/16/22 TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
HEARD AND SAW: The rejoicing has begun. I saw some descend down some wooden stairs.
The fact I noticed the stairs were wooden was quickened to me to represent following the road of the cross.
Matthew 16:24 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.
Descending represents humility and this verse came to mind:
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Lord help us to learn to deny our self and take up our cross to follow Your will for our life.
CONFIRMATION QUOTE CHARLIE SHAMP
Today when I went to FB I read an article by Charlie and he said the following and I knew it was a confirmation to my sensing the decent on the wooden stairs was about going the way of the cross: To go low is to go the way of the cross.
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6/14/22 FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH
You are making progress. Forward march. Onward Christian soldiers, marching onto war. With the cross of Jesus going on before. I heard the first line of the song very faintly across the room. Anna and I used to sing this song when I took her on car rides.
2 Timothy 2:3-4 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
ANNA RHEMA 9/24/00 ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER
Anna saw herself in an army while dressed in a white shiny garment while sitting on a white horse. A big cross leaned against her shoulders and she was singing, “Onward Christian soldiers,”
ANNA’S SELAH WORD: THE CROSS AND OPEN DOOR 1/02/06
The cross I suffered was a literal one. The one you pick up and carry daily is a spiritual one. It means putting aside your own ambitions and instead following Me in the full pursuit of the goals of the Kingdom of God. What a delight you are to Me when you make this choice! For in crossing over into the spiritual realm, the door opens wide for us to have an intimate relationship with each other. It is where you hear My secrets, My mysteries – all those things that are inaccessible to the ears of the world.
“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me.” (Lu 9:23 NLT)
“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah” (Ps 24:3-10 NKJ)
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LINES FROM 5 OF MY INTERCESSORY POEMS ABOUT OUR CROSS
Oh men of great wealth across the world
Give all that you have for this great pearl.
Lay down your presumption, lay down your pride.
Humble yourselves to join them in stride.
Take up your cross and follow Me.
Into a land of living away from death you will flee.
What is my agreement with the plan of Your heart?
Let me make sure that I get the right start.
Self denial, it’s the way of the cross.
To leave it all there, to leave it as loss.
What really matters is that You multiply Your Word.
As I look at the circumstances and say this is absurd.
Lord help me recover and restore me to whole.
Put back the pieces and heal my soul.
The snare that comes is with seeds not seen.
They lurk in places not yet redeemed.
These are nurtured with doubt and with thought.
Not sent to the cross, nor received what’s been bought.
The key to life and abundance in Me
Is to yield your death to My cross on the tree.
As you yield to My will and lay it all down
Tears of joy will replace your frown.
For when you look back on all that occurred.
History and memories will become blurred.
Through tomorrow’s crop from what was denied
You will look over and be satisfied.
What joy I have to give you your crown.
What victories won over all those frowns.
So much pain from so much loss
Is replaced with grace from your cross.
POEM: WHAT IS DEATH TO SELF 8/12/06
When you let go giving all things to Me
It yields circumstances to be set free.
When you nail all your passions on the cross
They pursue nothing, counting all for loss.
Death on the cross kills the flesh at its root
The soul yields, putting satan under foot.
Flesh and soul pain are but for one moment
Fruit of the Spirit are always content.
Covet, ambition, jealousy and greed
Self pity and fear with lust in your deeds.
Anger, resentment, self centered with pride
Are giants of soul, nurtured not denied.
After you die dead, no wounds will you feel
Feeling no pain, yet without heart of steel.
Dead is release from all that was employed
But dead is not numb, apathetic, void.
Peace replaces void, tenderness from steel,
Apathy for enflamed heart that is real.
Exchanging His honor from earthly shame.
Receiving forgiveness, nothing to blame.
The surprise of the cross is what remains
After letting go for heavenly gain.
These three things remain steady, sound and sure.
Faith, hope and love remains holy and pure.
Resurrection life is not without pain.
It’s exchanging our life for Jesus’ aim.
We are one with Him, all that grieves His soul.
To bring mankind back, to restore them whole.
Ga 5:22-25 NKJV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
1Co 13:13 AMP
And so faith, hope, love abide [faith — conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope — joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love — true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
