Pick Up Your Cross.
First of all, how amazing is this beautiful verse? Read it carefully. I find it incredibly intriguing to find that a few thousand years later, Jesus Christ was raised up three times: On a cross -- by God's great power, the resurrection, and the ascension. In all honesty, the foundation of Christianity isn't based on the crucifixion -- it's based merely on the resurrection. Ever since He was raised up from the grave, Jesus' name (who is God) is now being declared throughout all the earth, due to missionaries and so forth. Jesus says many times in the Gospels, "Follow me." We must lift Him up by picking up our Cross and following Him upward into the Kingdom of God -- leading others and shouting His name to everyone. 1 Corinthians 15 is such an important chapter; verse 17 states, "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." Too many people are putting their sinful lusts and idolatry before God -- putting idols in front of Him, and Exodus 34:14 clearly says, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." Now, don't get me wrong, we're always going to sin regardless of any circumstances, but we must put Christ first and raise Him up, and it will help us not to sin. If you continue reading on into verse 27 it says, "For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is expected, which did all things put under him." Jesus died for our sins -- and if we put Him first, we can put all sins under our feet. If you raise Him up in your daily life, such as praying throughout your day, by thanking Him for the weather, or before you eat your meals, blessing the time out with friends, He'll raise you up when you're sad, having a troublesome day at school or work, and when you enter into the inevitable death. (By the way, don't take my last sentence in the wrong way, as in working your way into heaven. We're saved by grace and calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved.) My friends, it's time we start lifting Him up in all aspects of our lives that way people will notice that we have something they don't. If we start doing His will, other people will get saved -- and He will become magnified. Let's start putting Him first where He belongs. Not dead last on a "Let's see what to do today" list. When you wake up, the first priority should be to pray and read your Bible if you have time (and you can make time). Calling all Christians: please rise up; let's lift up our cross, be a true Disciple, and spread the Truth.
Created over 2 years ago
