In this "season," that we just celebrated the world celebrated a caricature, some little baby Jesus in a manger and it falls into the same realm as Santa Claus and the tooth fairy. What an honor that we have, to know, to worship and speak to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords through the Holy Spirit.
We speak to the one who has the heart of a lamb beating within the chest of a lion. There will come a time shortly when we will gather before the throne in incorruption, with a multitude of brothers and sisters. Oh the glory of the worship of the saints. We hear tale of heavenly choirs of angels, and the glory of it. Can you imagine what sound will arise from heavenly choirs of saints from every tongue, every tribe, every nation?
Let us keep it before our minds, this hope, this joy that is set before us. For this same joy the Lord faced the cross, for this same joy let us take up our crosses daily. For after the cross comes resurrection. After death comes life. After mortality comes immortality. After the finite comes the infinite. Do you believe this brothers and sisters? Can you see this in your minds eye? Can you reach out and take hold of life in the midst of death? Can you say to the darkness " Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world."
Can you say to the gods of this world " you may kill me, but I will never bow down to you?" Can you say to our King " Here am I Lord, send me?" Can you say, when your enemies fall upon you " Forgive them Father for they know not what they do?" All of this we can do, all of this we can say because it is no longer we that live but Christ that liveth in us. We, who were alive to the world, now dead to it, are alive in Christ Jesus. And it is this life that is in us that is the light of men, this life, this light, the Spirit of the Lord, the King who reigns in our hearts.
We were never called to be the light brothers and sisters, by virtue of Christ that lives and reigns in us, we are the light that shines in the darkness. We are that city set on a hill. Let this coming year be a year where this light, this hope, this joy, this peace, this forgiveness, this redemption this glory that is is us be expressed to the world. That the world may see a clear expression of our Lord Jesus in the lives of the saints.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
(Joh 17:22-24)
Do you have that glory brothers and sisters? Does the glory of the Lord, rise within you? Does the world see an expression of this glory? Oh that we may bring glory to our King. We have it brothers and sisters, it needs only to be expressed. This light should not be hidden. You see, when the Lord Jesus carried His cross He could carry nothing else. One cannot take up their cross and take up an offence at the same time.
To carry your cross you must lay everything else down and only then can you take up the cross for the joy that is set before you. First comes death to this world, then comes the cross, then comes " even the death of the cross." After this brothers and sisters comes resurrected life. Let it be this year Lord that we walk in the resurrected power of the Living God. The power that penetrates the hardest hearts. The power that brings light into darkness. The power that makes the demons tremble. This year Lord, this year Lord...........brother Frank
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