NEW BLOG COMING SOON RIGHT HERE AT CROSS FOCUS

In the next few weeks, we will be redoing this Cross Focus blog with a new look and new content. Much of the existing material will be transferred to another blog and we will let you know which one.
So, for all of you that are our regular readers, keep watching for the new and Improved Cross Focus blog.

THE GREATEST PROOF OF CHRISTIANITY

We serve a risen Lord. Jesus Christ is alive....

The Wages Of Sin Are Not Pleasant To Behold.

The Wages Of Sin Are Not Pleasant To Behold.

“The way of transgressors is hard” Proverbs 13:15

No heart can rejoice in the sight of a man destroyed, even though it is by his own doings. Sin is the fountainhead of all sorrow, and it is the mother of all tears. Sin is a mighty destructive force. Sin is never satisfied until a life is ruined, disgraced, and brought into shame.

Go through the Bible and look at the payday of sinning. See Cain walking down the road, driven from the presence of God, saying, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” [Genesis 4:13]

Then look at mighty Samson, champion of Israel, “grinding in the prison house” with his hair cut and his eyesight gone, having become the laughing stock of Gaza.

Look at David, the sweet singer of Israel. No one could play the melodious tones of the golden harp like David could. See him, this great warrior of Israel, as he stands over the lifeless body of his ill-gotten son, unshaven, unkept, brought into open shame for his sin.

There is only one way to avoid the tragic consequences of sin, and that way is CHRIST.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” [Romans 3:23]

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” [Romans 6:23]

by Len Paxton

SIMPLY BELIEVE

Simply Believe !

I love the account in Mark 9:14-29 about a boy that could not speak or hear and how he received his healing. Due to space, I will not type out those passages but this also tells us something else very important. If we can believe; Jesus can do it ! Whatever we may need !

We see in this passage a father who had almost lost faith; but his faith was in man. He was to soon come in contact with the Sea Walker, the Leper Cleansing man, the Blind Man healer; Jesus Christ. Jesus was and is; very man and very God. More than a man !

All that was required of this father was that he simply believe. That may seem impossible to us at times, but if we will believe God; He still performs miracles in our lives today ! Even though it may seem too simple, all that is required of us is to simply believe. Whatever we see Jesus doing in the pages of the Bible, He will do the same for us today. He never changes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [ Heb. 13:8]

My question to you is this; has the arm of the Lord been shortened?

The answer to that question is a resounding “NO”.

Today, in your life, it may seem that all hell has broken loose around you. It may seem like all of your faith is gone. But I want you to continue to hold on to the promise that our God has given you. If He said it, then it will come to pass. If you can believe it, then our Jesus can do it. Always remember, you are serving a great, big God– Don’t put Him in a box and don’t sell Him short. Our tremendous God can still save the lost and set the captive free.

WALK IN THE WAYS OF GOD

There are rewards for walking in the ways of God. But, in order to WALK in His ways, you need to KNOW His ways. There are five basic categories of the ways of God in the New Testament:

1. Walk in faith
2. Walk in love
3. Walk in light
4. Walk in the Spirit
5. Walk in fellowship

I really want to concentrate on the WAY OF FAITH. Blessed is the man that walks in the ways of the Lord! One benefit of walking in the ways of God is that you will PROSPER in all you do. If you walk in the counsel of the ungodly, you will be COMPROMISING. What is compromise? One definition is "spiritual erosion." It is the erosion of good intentions.

No one sets out deliberately to compromise. All of us have good intentions where the Word is concerned. We hear the Word and decide to walk in it, but sometimes our good intentions are eroded.

The way of faith causes you to go forward in life. The way of compromise causes you to go backwards. The way of faith enables you to remain patient and endure to the end - cleaving to, trusting in, and relying upon God to see you through. Those who have chosen the way of compromise end up drawing back, quitting, and turning their backs on God's Word.

The way of compromise "seems right" and "appears straight," but notice the outcome is DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION." It produces undesirable fruit in one's life, and it always appears to be justifiable. Jesus illustrates in His teachings that to choose the way of compromise is to choose the way of the FOOL, and to choose the way of faith is to choose the way of the WISE.

WHICH WAY HAVE YOU CHOSEN?

The only way you can go forward in a world that is going backwards is to walk in the ways of God! Walk by faith and not by sight. Even though it seems that the way of faith is the "hard way," it is the way to victory! Even though standing in faith takes longer sometimes, it is God's way. It will have lasting rewards! CHOOSE THE WAY OF FAITH!

Today's Scriptures: Psalm 1; Jeremiah 7:23,24

Quiet Time Thoughts About Prayer

Prayer is a privilege. When we pray we have a personal audience with our heavenly Father.
Prayer is talking to God. Prayer is fellowship with God.
When we pray in Jesus name, we have instant access to God. No appointment is necessary; we can come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.(Heb.4:16)
No Pastors or Priests are needed as middlemen in our prayers.
Prayer is the foundation from which spiritual warfare is launched.
Prayer is an act of discipleship. The word discipline is derived from the word disciple. We will not always feel like praying. But the Bible exhorts us, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:16-18)
Prayer is an act of spiritual servanthood. It is something that must be cultivated in our lives on a daily basis.

When we wait on God through prayer, He gives supernatural strength and power. The Bible says " He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak" (Isaiah 40:29)
We should pray earnestly:" Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6)
We should pray with tears: Hebrews 5:7
We should pray and believe: "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" ( Mark 11:24)

The power of prayer is tremendous! Acts 4:31 tells us that after the believers prayed, the very place where they were meeting was physically shaken. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke the Word with boldness.

Find a prayer partner. Someone who you can share prayer adventures with. The Bible is full of references of God's people praying together. Acts 3:1 ; Acts 16:25 ; Acts 4:31 just to name a few. Pray with one another and people will begin to notice-- you have been with Jesus....