gain – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: October 18

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23

The price paid for the truth may be the loss of friends and love ones. It may be the loss of the potential of profit requiring the compromise of our integrity. Our integrity is worth more than the things acquired through dishonest gain. Even though they may bring immediate success, but the high cost paid in the end far out measures its temporal benefits. We must be willing to pay the price for the truth. The price of self-denial and sacrifice for the sake of having the character to stand for what is right. This is accompanied with wisdom which comes from above. God can speak His truth to our hearts and there is nothing within us rejecting it. The lust for things not sanctioned by God choke the Word and it becomes unfruitful. It is the fool that despises instructions. The ownership of truth will deliver us from the bondage of greed and self-centeredness. We can then understand what the will of the Lord is and comply with joy because we are enabled to see the benefits of our faithfulness to Him.

26 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 26

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

Once Jesus Christ is revealed to you, it is then necessary to measure all information by and through the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Former experiences and former schools of thought may try to compete with this new gained knowledge. The logical mind searches through former experiences seeking out ways to deny Christ or to diminish the impact of experiencing Him. Then Christ becomes subjective while other things become the object of our faith. The intent is to get us to serve God for what we may gain personally rather than living for Him. To know Him as crucified is to live for Him alone. He gives us His resurrected live and we live in newness of life. No longer are we competing for the same prizes that the world is seeking after. Our goal is to know Him even as we are known. It takes determination for the message of Christ to remain relevant in an age of selfishness and self-centeredness. But when we are determined to know Him, He gives us the knowledge necessary to live the abundant life. It is a fulfilling life with purpose.

12 Mar 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: March 12

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.” Psalm 143:10

We often look to God with questions of bewilderment and doubt wondering why God does not give more attention to what we want and consider as important. Sometimes it seems as if the heavens are as brass when we pray our prayers and put forth our best effort to do our thing. He awaits our desire to be rightly taught before we engage in endless pursuits for worthless gain. The things that matter most await those who are willing to be instructed rightly. “Lord teach me to know Your will first that I may do the things I have been instructed to do.” We were born to cooperate with God in what He is doing. Every other effort will ultimately end in frustration and ruin. He alone is God and His will is to be known by and through all of His creation. “You are God. That is enough for every creature to know. But more importantly, You are my God. That says it all!

17 Nov 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: November 17

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” John 12:21

The religious activity today has been directed towards many causes. They tell us to be more relevant so that the Church may establish her position in society. Many leaders have risen to the occasion with the valor and courage to fight for what they believe, while others have affirmed the humanity and self-existence of mankind having rights and privileges given to them by God to enjoy life, or rather exploit this planet and its inhabitants for the sake of personal pleasure and gain. We have the selfless heroes of our day and the selfish demagogues who seek both fame and fortune merely for themselves. Yet in their pursuits for what they want to achieve remain vain and left without any eternal merit because Jesus would not have His place of prominence established among them. In the midst of the hurrying crowd looking for a reason to embrace that will give life meaning, we wish to see Jesus. He alone is able to provide what we really need. He postures us to ask the right questions so that in our seeking answers we may discover what really matters. Preachers, preach Jesus! There are too many options before us to choose when we are in preparation to address the crowd who has come to hear us. As we die to ourselves, He will take His rightful place among us and do what He alone is able to do.