The Crucifying Challenge
Sunday Morning
This Sunday Morning post going online is posting a bit late this day. As is my next podcast, which is going to post this week come hell or high water! I’ve been rather busy with all kinds of stuff and was coming up rather blank on what to share this day. Other than offer a challenge to anyone this Resurrection Sunday that considers themselves a serious Christian. Since I started posting my Sunday Morning sharings here on Substack, I’ve been scripting them out on Saturday night so as to have them post first thing in the morning on Sunday. This year’s “Easter” weekend happens to line up with the dates of eleven years ago. And it was eleven years ago today on “Easter” the three-day search for my oldest daughter came to a conclusion with one of the search parties that was scouring all the back country around here found her hanging from a tree about one hundred yards from my place in the woods just on the other side of this hill I live on. She wasn’t there the first night she went missing as I searched that area. Or the following morning as the Sevier County Search and Rescue squad searched the same area the next morning. Dogs and a helicopter equipped with infra-red were involved. Maybe that’s the reason this year’s anniversary has been a little tougher on me… the way the dates lined up with that year. That she was found Easter morning. It is an annual thing I go through, the mourning of my two oldest children (my eldest daughter, my only son) but this year has proven a bit rougher than the last few previous years. They died three years, three weeks apart. By their own hands. Both bipolar. I do know how they became bipolar but don’t get into it publicly.
This is the only time I’ll bring this up on Substack. Unless I do a post on surviving suicide someday. I know they were both born again having witnessed the proof when they were in their early teens.
But… I did sit here at my desk last night trying to write but had nothing. And I was watching my only granddaughter (6) which is what I needed last night. We truly are the best of buds and always enjoy our time together. V may never know how much healing came to me with her coming into the world. So right now in this moment after listening to everyone on frequency (CB) wishing each other a “Happy Easter,” (and biting my tongue even though I feel empty this morning) I thought a little late was better than nothing for a post this Sunday. I’m not going to get into the death or resurrection of our savior as I’m sure there’s plenty of that out there to be had. The last two of my Blog Reposts covered that anyways. What I would like to do is take this event to a personal level. Which is how it should be taken by anyone serious about their walk with Christ.
Most unbelievers… and I do include many of those that call themselves Christian… really have no idea what they’re doing when it comes to these holidays we observe shown by the pagan practices they hold to. On this day, specifically the rabbit, eggs and such. Given them by either Roman Catholic traditions. Or denominational churches… which are just off-shoots of Roman Catholicism. And doesn’t it always seem these outfits are more explicit with the death of Jesus? More so than the resurrection? And they can’t even get that right always showing and teaching there was only 2 others crucified with Jesus!
Regardless of what churches say on or about this day… if there is to be anything special about Jesus’ execution, burial and resurrection is recognizing and magnifying the resurrection. The power of God manifested in the raising of His son proving to the whole world then and now this Jesus is who he said he was. Thee only genetic son of the Creator. Which… two or three weeks after the resurrection, ten days after his ascension to the clouds… is what made available anyone who chooses to believe this man is the son of God the new birth. The gift of holy spirit was not available until the day of Pentecost as we read in the second chapter of the Book of Acts. The whole purpose of the life, ministry, sufferings, execution, resurrection, ascension and glorifying of Jesus was to make the new birth available. This is what was needed to allow God to create holy spirit in those that will believe. And save us from the wrath to come. Believing on the son of God is what brings eternal life to God’s chosen. It is not of works! It is a gift. That we receive merely by believing. And that takes us to today’s challenge.
Believing is not simply a thought. True believing requires action. Hence, “by their fruit ye shall know them.” As what’s been revealed in The Great Awakening to many outside the household, it’s not so much by the words we make judgements on people, but their actions. So what actions must be taken by a believer that proves their discipleship to the Messiah? To Jesus Christ? We find the answer to this in Romans. The foundational doctrine of a believer’s walk. Chapter 6, verses 1-10.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our *old man (*- the natural, or carnal way in which humans think) is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
And in Ephesians. The doctrine for the advanced, or mature walk. Chapter 4:20-30
But ye have not so learned Christ;
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former *conversation (*= conduct, behavior) *the old man, (*- the natural, or carnal way in which humans think) which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
In Romans we are told our old ways are crucified with Christ. But this is not automatic. Not while we’re in the flesh! It takes diligent effort to change our ways of thinking. The individual seeking discipleship has got to change his or her thought process. To change your own desires which are wrought in deception into God’s desire for you. Which is based on the truth of His Word. In Ephesians we have the instruction on how to do so. And just like crucifying the physical body, it proves excruciating for many to kill… to crucify for all to see… that old man nature… and become meek to righteousness. Which you should know by now if you haven’t been taught this before and reading, or listening to me is the right way to live according to the Creator of the physical. This is why there are so few of us! Men love darkness and despise the light!
Well… that and people are generally lazy and won’t put in the work to research for themselves.
So… the challenge I put on myself this time of year (other than get past the mourning that comes this time of year for me) and share with you here and now is… what are you doing to follow in the savior’s footsteps in upping your game? What next needs crucifying in your old man nature that you may attain a higher spiritual awareness in your own personal spiritual walk? There’s always going to be something and even if we can’t get it right 100% in the flesh we sure can get as close to it as humanly possible in the time we have here. 99.99% is better than 99%, right?! So my challenge to you this day is to take the crucifixion of our savior personally. Seek and find what change you need to make to enhance your relationship with God Almighty. It’s begins with a thought and is completed in your manifestation of bringing God’s Word to life in your life. In your very essence. Which in turn makes you a “living epistle read of all men.” In this we are to… not be perfect… but faithful. Let’s close this out with a passage from Hebrews chapter 6:1-12
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of *faith toward God, (*= believing)
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the *Holy Ghost, (*= lower case “h” & “g”, referring to the gift.)
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Challenge accepted?
- Coming Soon! -
Laying A Foundation II (podcast)
Pentecost… Baby!
- Links -
The Crucifixion
The Paganization Of The Resurrection
The Paganization Of The Birth Of Christ
- Books -
KJV Holy Bible, Standard Size Faux Leather
Companion Bible: KJV, Burgundy, Bonded Leather
A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament
Figures of Speech Used in the Bible
Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible Larger Print Edition
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