The Cross: March 28, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2013.

THE CROSS

DEFINITION:

A structure consisting of an up right post with a cross beam which was used as an instrument of death. The means by which atonement was made between God and humanity.

SCRIPTURE:

For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Romans 6:6.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Since tomorrow is Good Friday maybe you assumed that we were going to share some thoughts today about Jesus dying on the cross. Well you are half right. The cross is always about Jesus. Without Jesus dying on the cross we would continue to be sinners without a hope for eternal life with our Lord.

But believers in Jesus are also destined for death. For example, “death to self” happens at the moment we accept Jesus into our heart. The moment of salvation is our death to self. As it says in the verse above, when we decided to accept Jesus then our old self (our sinful nature) was crucified with Him.

The old self dies and we are given a new nature as the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. We get to that time of sacrifice when we hand over to God all the worldly things we love and value.

But the good news is that God does not stop changing us at the point when we accept Him into our hearts. He continues to work in our lives. He gives us a new mind-set. His purpose is to conform us as new believers to the likeness of His Son. We read this in Romans 8:28: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.”

God gives us a new nature when we become His and then we can experience freedom because Jesus has triumphed over sin and cleansed us and made us new. To allow this to happen we must give to Jesus the centermost position in our lives. When this happens the Lord calls us to the cross every day to lay down the things that might distract us from our purpose to serve and follow Him.

Putting what we treasure on the cross frees us from the attachments of this world. It does not mean that God takes away from us. We just give what we have to Him and let Him proceed before us as we take up our cross and follow Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 27:1.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

PRAYER:

Help me to lay down before you each day at the cross all of the worldly attachments. Help me to be sure that my self esteem is not attached to the stuff of this world. Help me to become complete in You.