The Cross

The following excerpt from Tozer, God has used in my life to tear down probably my biggest strong hold of sin in my life. I hope God can use it for you as He did for me:

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good bye to his friends. He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more. A.W. Tozer "The Radical Cross"

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

May God open our hearts and minds to fully embrace what Jesus Christ has asked us to do. May we understand the grace of Jesus who willingly laid down His life for us, so that we may have new life in Him. So glorious what Jesus has done. God inside us. BUT, will we deny ourselves and have our own life ended on the cross?

Everyone wants to go to heaven. That sounds so great. But who wants to have their life dismantled and torn apart by the cross? How many come to hear the good news and never give up the old way of life? How much does the church today cater to only entertaining this individual? When do we tell them what is involved? How many run right back to sin again and again? Who has been made a new creation by Jesus? Who is striving to be put to death like their Savior? I do not have the answers nor claim to. I do know that the truth of Chrisitanity is, carrying a cross and A.W. Tozer paints us a vivid image of what that looks like.

Jesus who Himself was meek, humble, and riding into town on a donkey comes to us as friends to show us the only way. He lived it and displayed how it is to be done. He has not forced this on us, he has not tricked us. He was plain and shared with us, if we would come, he never commanded we come. We have the option. We must stand at the foot of the cross and decide, is what Jesus did for me, worthy enough for me to decide to follow Him, knowing where that takes me, to my own cross? Is a right standing before God Almighty the Perfect and Holy One important to me, to have my sins remembered no more? Or do I chose to simply make my life a means to self-pleasure?

When a man left Rome with a cross, he did not go back. God bring us to our knees with a new revelation of your Face, that we will not go back to our old ways. Reveal yourself to us, that we may have enough to do what You have commanded. The life we leave behind reckon it dead. The old man we used to be was full of pride, let us walk away with cross in hand. As you walked. Let's leave it all behind and press on to the cross.

Oh Lord, that you would make us humble and meek, and set us on our way to death to self. I give you all permission and offer myself of my own free will to be put to death, because the love you have shown me offers me no other way but to trust you through this thing.

That we may enjoy You forever and ever, that we may see beyond calvary!