We have become weak. We Western Christians have allowed the false prosperity ideology to convince us that if we arn’t wealthy and happy, then something is wrong; that it is our birthright to have comfort. This is a lie, the call of a Christian is the Cross, “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23), and “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). Notice it says take up the cross daily, and the cross when Jesus spoke these words was not a badge of honor worn around necks in gold, it was two wood beams of agonizing suffering.
When the symbol for our faith was chosen it wasn’t a lamb, it was not the Tomb, it wasn’t the Ichytus or fish, though that was a symbol in persecution. The cross was chosen. Was it because of the symbol Constantine saw before the Battle of Milvan Bridge? The Emperor is said to have seen the cross and heard the words, “in hoc signatius vinci” or “in this sign you shall conquer.” Indeed, that is what Constantine claimed, even painting the Chi-Rho or cross on shields of his army. However, the truth is the cross was central to the four gospels and epistles, The Passion of Christ and His Crucifixion is the most throughly detailed part of all four gospels, and for good reason, Jesus was paying for all our sins (debts), “By canceling the record of debt (sin) that stood against us with its legal demands. This Jesus set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14), and, “And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1:20).
The apostle Paul puts the cross as the principle piece of our faith, “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died,” (Galatians 6:14), “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power, For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God., (1 Corinthians 1:17-18), “And might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility,” (Ephesians 2:16), “For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ,” (Philippians 3:18), and the big one no one wants to look at, “It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.” (Galatians 6:12). That is right, persecuted for the cross of Christ! We are not suppose to be comfortable as Christians! Paul even says, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:16). I can hear the prosperity brainwashing now, telling you, “surly not! Joel Osteen says! Kenneth Copeland says!” Well Jesus says, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” (John 15:20). And Jesus was persecuted to the point they flogged him, beat a crown of thorns into his head, and nailed Him to a cross!
The Real Call of A Christian is not comfort and prosperity, but the cross and persecution. Our symbol is not not a log cabin, a Maserati, or cash sign, it is the cross because Jesus made peace for us for all eternity on it and we are called to carry our own cross and follow Him.
The prosperity teachers are making you weak and you will never survive what is coming if you keep their faulty doctrine, “And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people (The Church) and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” (Revelation 13:7). Our Lord told us a wicked era is coming, it is here already, a time of tribulation that will test the sincerity of your walk, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:9-13). That was not fulfilled in the time of the apostles as Preterists claim, all nations did not hate Christians yet, the apostles had only reached Greece, Rome, Palestine, Spain, Ethiopia, Turkey, Iran, and etc; they did not reach England, Iceland, The Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Both Poles, and etc; those nations could not hate the apostles because they did not know of them. But now all the nations can hate us Christians, the internet making is possible to know our faith and despise us.
We are going to need to toughen up. The tide is shifting, Satanism is growing in popularity as is all forms of occultism, tarot, and pagan belief systems. Soon all may hate us because a strain of Satan will be in everyone not in The Lamb’s Book of Life, as the apostle warns, “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God,” (Ephesians 2:1-4), this juxtaposes to Jesus our Lord’s words, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.” (John 14:21). Jesus commands us to pick up a cross, so you must decide who is really in your heart? Satan or Jesus? Amen.
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