Take Up The Cross

 Mark 8:34
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I have heard this scripture often used to describe people who have been going through difficult times. “This is the cross that is given to you to bear.” Bearing your cross goes deeper than going through your own personal hardship. 
Everyone, both Christian and unbeliever, goes through hard times and unwanted burdens in life. But, the cross that Christ refers to is a “death route” experience. The cross symbolizes death to self and all that is unholy. To take up the cross daily is an act of purpose and submission. Taking up the cross is telling God that you are submitted to His will and His plan for your life. Whatever that may bring, your heart is totally surrendered to Him. A true follower of Christ will make decisions that will often require him to deny what he wants and do what is best for the kingdom. Jesus said, “Come after me, and follow me.” Many follow Him for the loaves and the fishes, but turn aside when faced with having to pick up the cross. Such demands are too high of a price to pay. The things of this world, the creature comforts, and the approval of others is just asking too much to give up. 
Taking up the cross does not necessarily mean that one lives in poverty or without the enjoyments this life provides, but it does mean that one is willing to relinquish their hold of them to follow after Him. Our Christian journey will take us to a fork in the road. The cross lays at the crossroad. This is a place in your life where a decision is made to take up the cross and let God take full control of your life. Jesus asked this of the young man, “One thing you lack: go your way, sell everything you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.”- Mark 10:21. Unfortunately, this young man had a lot of riches and was not willing to take up the cross and surrender himself to God’s plan for his life.

All Things Created

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

His name is Jesus. Before the world was created Jesus, one with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, created the heavens and the earth. All things were made by Him and for Him. He made man in His likeness. Man was made to have fellowship with Jesus, given a free will to choose to love and worship the Creator. Sin has warped the nature of man and put within man a desire to please the self-nature of the human heart. Jesus came to earth to redeem man from this nature, but man must make a choice to deny self and believe in the redemption power of Christ. Satans, the enemy of God, does everything he can to keep man from believing. the struggle to believe is real because sin reigns within the heart of man. The choice is still ours. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”  We were made to live in Christ, but we must choose to do so.

By Their Fruits

Matt. 7:20, 21 “Therefore, by their fruits ye shall know them. “Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in Heaven.

The teaching of Jesus astonished those who sat and listen to the words He spoke from this mount in Judah. He told them to judging not, and to make sure that their own heart was right with God. After we take care of our own problems we can then discern how to best judge, or when to help others, We must seek Him to help us discern truth. He promised if we ask, we will receive discernment. No one likes to be judge by someone else who also has shortcomings, we need to show others the same respect that we would like to receive when they look at our lives. There are those who have no love for the truth or desire to follow it. These are the ones that we must not let other be influence by, we must warn others not to follow someone who is using truth for their own gain. There are very few people willing to look in the mirror of God’s Word and follow it. Following it requires self denial and doing His will.  We only need to look at the fruit of their lives to see that they are not following Him. The fruit of Spirit is missing.  All who profess to follow God are not necessarily doing the will of God.  They that do God’s will are building their lives on the Way, the Truth and the Life, and living out His truth.