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take up your Cross
i just cant get enough of traditional services, you know the kind of services where people either tried to stone the preacher, or fell on their face in repentance? where are the people of God that when they walk into a city, the government and cultural leaders fear them on the grounds that they have been known to turn a city upside down with the power that they walk in?
in the church here in america, i have yet to hear of a sermon that sparked widespread outrage in their communities. i have yet to hear of someone in the american church who walks in the tangible manifest power of God.
where are they?
why are there people not being raised up in america?
i believe its because the mindset of the church in the west right now is “what can God do for me?” im not just talking about prosperity gospel, im talking about the entire concept that if its uncomfortable, embarrassing, hurtful, or not pretty then it cant be of God! this mindset goes against everything that Jesus and the disciples taught. Jesus preached to take up your cross and die to yourself daily, not to strive for what you think will make you happy and satisfied. i dont see a single time in the bible where the disciples did anything for themselves. they didnt sit there wishing they had a better donkey or a nice house to stay in. they sold everything they had and roamed the eastern world completely giving up their lives for the gospel.
some people may say “well i am a son/daughter of the King, and He will bless me and He wants me happy!” where is the biblical support for this? yes we are sons and daughters of the king, but where did this idea that God will rain down earthly riches on us come from?
and if its true that God has blessed you with comfort, money, nice clothes, and a nice car, then what about our brothers and sisters that are suffering torture in Asia? why isnt God pouring out blessings over them? i guess God just must not love them as much as He loves us here in the west, they live on the streets and barely eat enough to survive.
why in the world do you think God would give you some worldly pleasure that doesn’t benefit the kingdom, when disciples on the other side of the world are dying in the streets?
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. -1 timothy 6:6-8
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. -Luke 9:23-26
