“Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
2 Corinthians 4:10 (ESV)
The salvation offered us in Christ has but one purpose: “that the Life of Jesus” be seen in our lives.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me; and that which I NOW live in the flesh—
I live IN the faith of the Son of God.”
Galatians 2:20 (LSV)
To whatever measure the Spirit of God has made known to us this One Purpose of God in Christ, to that measure will we bow in humility before Him with but one cry upon our lips: “be it unto me, according to Thy Word.”
Pride is eviscerated in the Light of such a heavenly call. There are no words in the language of men to adequately describe God’s purpose in Christ. We have not touched the hem of the “faith OF the Son of God” until we, with childlike hearts, breathe in the atmosphere of His Power by which we are enabled to apprehend the Resurrection Life of Jesus Christ.
“Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV)
Only by a personal “knowledge of God” will we begin to comprehend the horror of sin in the Light of His Holiness. Preaching that minimizes sin reveals an utter lack of the knowledge OF God. When the ministry of the Word is focused only on knowing ABOUT God, sin will abound, and His Light will be dimmed to the world around us.
“Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean…”
Ezekiel 22:26 (ESV)
To such God speaks, “AWAKE from your drunken stupor” and turn from your sins, for some have NO KNOWLEDGE of God.
May we hear the Prophetic Word of God anew. This Word has been the rallying cry of every generation that has turned from compromise and apathy to see God’s glory fall afresh upon a remnant who repent and turn to Him with all their hearts.
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy;
break up your fallow ground:
for it is time to seek the LORD…”
Hosea 10:12 (ESV)
To those who have an ear to hear
let them hear!
IT IS TIME TO SEEK THE LORD.
There may be no greater verse in the Bible that depicts God’s glory in contrast to the best of Christian attainment:
“And when I saw Him,
I fell at His feet as dead.”
Revelation 1:17
Woe to any ministry that fails to call His people to a sanctified walk before God.
“And they shall teach MY people the difference between the holy and profane,
and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”
Ezekiel 44:23
Our estimation of sin
reveals our estimation of God
Related Post: But While Men Slept
Part One of “It Is Time Series”
Brian Troxel
The Sting of the Cross
Mark 15:23 (NKJV) 23 Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.
Before being nailed to His cross the Lord was offered what amounted to a painkiller so as to lessen the pain or sting, if you will, of being crucified. As is quoted in the aforementioned passage of scripture shown above, He refused. Note that the, “painkiller “, was offered by those crucifying Jesus who were obviously not His friends. Now to the dream I had last night. In the dream I saw what is described above except that those offering the Lord painkillers were pastors. In essence they were trying to lessen the sting of the cross for the Lord and possibly thought that by so doing they were showing compassion, “seeker sensitive “, The Lord in refusing the painkiller did not want to diminish the fact that the cross was an instrument of a cruel and painful death and therefore must be experienced as such. To offer a painkiller as I saw in my dream is to empty the cross of its power
https://tpuccio.wordpress.com/2024/07/03/the-sting-of-the-cross/
Powerful words, great insight. Fallow becomes useless unless broken up. It takes God’s mighty power to accomplish such a feat, knowing His love.