BEYOND THE CROSS

Post date: Apr 1, 2013 4:16:51 AM

Old, but joyful and always very exciting is the ever relieving news that Jesus Christ our only Lord and savior is alive and very active in the lives of all who will ever come to repent, believe, accept and follow Him. He was crucified on the cross, He died and was buried, but beyond the dreams and imagination of the devil and all His accusers, He rose from the death as the scripture said, leaving behind as evident; the empty grave for the doubters of the world to see.

On that faithful day which was impossible for God to lie, Christ Jesus was raised far beyond the sufferings He received on the cross, far beyond the pains and limitations of the grave, far beyond the touch and intimidation of the devil, and far beyond the abuses and cruelty of men. He is risen and there is no other word so good and so sweet to describe the scene on that faithful day. He rose to occupy a place that was prepared for Him after the cross and the grave, a place of vantage and dignity, a place of authority and unending joy. A place of envy and pride, a place He rightly deserved and earned through obedience and sacrifice, and a place He had also promised for you.

Far beyond and despite the sufferings and the pains, the abuses and the torture, the cruelty and the thirst, the denials and the disappointment, the frustrations and the delays, the injustice and the evil aggression, the loneliness and the cries that you will ever receive in living for God today, in this very life, even before the endless life begins for you, God will take you to a better place than your present status and pains, a place of your deserved joy and glory, a place of your peace and celebration and the defeat of the evil aggressor, a place you will be proud to declare with all boldness, the goodness and truthfulness of your God. Just as He did for Jesus Christ our Lord, taking Him far beyond the shame of the cross and pains of the grave He will do for you also.

Be assured that there is true life beyond your cross and there is life beyond the grave, God the Father proved it in the life of Jesus Christ our Lord and He will confirm it again in your life as you diligently and faithfully submit yourself to following Him.

This is the scripture: “So then those who are living the life of the flesh cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him. But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the Holy Spirit of God really dwells within you, directs and controls you. But if anyone does not possess the Holy Spirit of Christ, he is none of His, he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God. But if Christ lives in you, then although your natural body is dead by reason of sin and guilt, the spirit is alive because of the righteousness that He imputes to you. And  if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you” Romans 8:8-11. That is the greatest assurance you have as Christians.

These are God’s plans for you as you look up to Him for your very best in life every day. As He did not deny Christ Jesus when He cried on the cross, He will not deny you. As Christ was not forsaken in the grave, God will not forsake you. God is always with you in every circumstance, in every location and in every profession, irrespective of the situation.

While Jesus Christ went to the cross, He is determined to take you through the cross. While Jesus went to the grave, He is determined to take you through the grave. The resurrection is our best evidence that God will not leave you where you are right now. Jesus said:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way” John 14:1-4. For prayer Click here