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Author
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Topic: A Cross to bear
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
If any man be willing to come after me - None is forced; but
if any will be a Christian, it must be on these terms, Let him
deny himself, and take up his cross - A rule that can never be too
much observed: let him in all things deny his own will, however
pleasing, and do the will of God, however painful.
Should we not consider all crosses, all things grievous to flesh
and blood, as what they really are, as opportunities of embracing
God's will at the expense of our own? And consequently as so
many steps by which we may advance toward perfection? We should
make a swift progress in the spiritual life, if we were faithful
in this practice. Crosses are so frequent, that whoever makes
advantage of them, will soon be a great gainer. Great crosses
are occasions of great improvement: and the little ones, which
come daily, and even hourly, make up in number what they want in
weight. We may in these daily and hourly crosses make effectual
oblations of our will to God; which oblations, so frequently
repeated, will soon amount to a great sum. Let us remember then
(what can never be sufficiently inculcated) that God is the
author of all events: that none is so small or inconsiderable,
as to escape his notice and direction. Every event therefore
declares to us the will of God, to which thus declared we should
heartily submit. We should renounce our own to embrace it; we
should approve and choose what his choice warrants as best for us.
Herein should we exercise ourselves continually; this should be
our practice all the day long. We should in humility accept the
little crosses that are dispensed to us, as those that best suit
our weakness. Let us bear these little things, at least for
God's sake, and prefer his will to our own in matters of so small
importance. And his goodness will accept these mean oblations;
for he despiseth not the day of small things.
John Wesley
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Gospel_Syntax
Advanced Member
Member # 2252
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posted
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
(Mat 10:37-38)
Your burden in life is not the cross you bear. To bear your cross is to prepare for death--to carry about the instrument upon which you will be martyred. That is to carry one's cross--to follow Christ to our death. We are all sheep for the slaughter. We live for Christ and we die for Christ. When Christ said for us to pick up our cross and follow him, he asked us to look within ourselves to see if we could really endure obedience to God even if it resulted in our death.
We comfort our friends and support them and find comfort for our burdens in our lives but our burdens are not the crosses we bear.
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Gospel_Syntax
Posts: 21 | From: Wyoming | Registered: Oct 2003
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TwinsGranny
Advanced Member
Member # 2137
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posted
So beautiful Barry, thank you for sharing this, it was a blessing to read.
Posts: 218 | From: Illinois | Registered: Sep 2003
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barrykind
Advanced Member
Member # 35
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posted
Is the Cross you wear too Heavy to Bear?
Complainingly I told myself,
"this cross is too heavy to wear"
And I wondered discontentedly
why God gave it to me to bear.
And I looked with envy at others
whose crosses seemed lighter than mine
And wished that I could change my cross
for one of a lighter design -
And then, in a dream, I beheld the cross
I impulsively wanted to wear, It was fashioned of pearls and diamonds
and gems that were precious and rare.
And when I hung it around my neck
the weight of the jewels and the gold
Was much too heavy and cumbersome
for my small, slender neck to hold -
So I tossed it aside and before my eyes
was a cross of rose-red flowers And I said with delight as I put it on,
"this cross I can wear for hours" - For it was so dainty and fragile,
so
lovely and light and thin,
But I had forgotten about the thorns
that started to pierce my skin - And then in my dream I saw "my cross,"
rugged and old and plain, That clumsy old cross I had looked upon with
discontented disdain -
And at last I knew that God had made
this "special cross for me,"
For God in His great wisdom knew
what I before could not see, That often the loveliest crosses are the
heaviest crosses to bear, For only God is wise enough
to choose the cross we can wear -
So never complain about YOUR CROSS,
for your cross has been blest,
God made it JUST FOR YOU to wear
and remember, GOD KNOWS BEST
sent to me by a freind~
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The HEART of the issue is truly the issue of the HEART!
John 3:3;Mark 8:34-38;James 1:27
Posts: 3529 | From: Orange, Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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