World – Page 5 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: August 30

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:10

The Lord has crowned His kings and princes throughout the earth. His strength has gone out to both defy the power of the enemy and to undo the enemy’s work. There are those who bear the mark of royalty and are destined for the throne to rule and rein with Him. The Kingdom of God dwells among men! The question the world is asking is where is the mark or seal borne by those that belong to Christ? There appears to be no distinction between them and others; in fact, those who rebel appear to have the advantage over the faithful. The mark that they bear is within their hearts. Their passion for their King and the desire to see Him rule in righteousness separates them from others. They have an undying hope directed towards the future. Their faith is not wrapped up into small packages limiting them to temporary pleasures. They want the whole thing and will not settle for anything less. As Dr. James Stewart puts it speaking of the coming first of the Lord Jesus Christ, not simply of the emergence in Galilee of One whose power matched His pity and whose pity matched His power.” He came on the scene to destroy all the works of the devil and to do and establish the works of God His Father. Those who fully have His mark carry His passion. The time will come when the Lord Himself will manifest His strength among the nations and all eyes shall see it. Things are growing more rebellious today and the hope of many has been shattered by the crises facing the entire world. But the stage is being set for the Light of the world to shine with the backdrop of the darkest of darkness. Salvation will be distinct and sure. It will not be shrouded by the pipe dreams of the ambitious who only wish for themselves the best. True salvation will come manifested in waves of power and glory. He will provide the solutions to resolves our deepest problems.

28 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: August 28

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26

Values are a means to equate the worth of thing in contrast to its usefulness or utility. Whether a thing is profitable or dispensable is determined by the individual. The question of Jesus was directed at the value one would place on his own soul. It has to do with ultimate importance, or to have one to stretch his thoughts beyond the immediate gain to consider the ultimate cost one would have to pay for it. Values fluctuate among the immature. True maturity is marked by the development of a value system that is unalterable. They become the center of our lives, standard of behavior, and the stimuli for thinking straight. Jesus asks them to make a value assessment of their lives. He asked them, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world?” If the whole world as gain to him, would the gaining of it produce peace within the soul? Would the pleasures of the world squeeze you into a fixture that cannot escape the grip holding you tightly to it? The pursuit of acceptance and the trappings of success have the potential of robbing one of any desire for spiritual truth. The world defines the person rather than God giving him meaning for living. Has he really won or lost when his sole desire is to achieve greatness and all traces of humility have faded. The loss of one’s soul is a great loss where most people never recover. Jesus does not speak of receiving at all when one’s soul is at stake. He speaks of the loss of spiritual sensitivity as severe loss. Even though the person paying may not be aware of the price attached to it, he is still paying more than he would be willing to pay if he only knew the consequences of where his decision is leading. The entire soul is loss in exchange for whatever he thought to receive on his end of the bargain.

27 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: August 27

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

To lose heart is to become fainthearted when fear holds its grips upon the soul. It is when discouragement occurs as result of failed hopes and dreams. Things were expected in a certain amount of time; a rescue from a dilemma, but the situation remained the same. Time is beyond our control, but not beyond our management. Each moment must be used as an opportunity to further develop the stature of the soul. Each day, a lesson is learned and applied to our eternal destinies so that even our failures amount to success in God. We are being trained for eternity. God is taking us through a course in life that will increase the measure of our faith in Him alone. The outward man is perishing along with its passions for the external and temporal things. As we grow older we grow wiser in our values. We are now seeking those things which are above where Christ is. All other things are being held loosely in light of their eternal value. The confidence we have in Christ is that life as we have known it to be is not the only chapter in this story. The greatest chapters await us and are yet to be written regardless of how old we may be. Even death cannot stop what God has in store for us but only serves as a passageway into the eternal. The outward man is perishing, but the inward man is being renewed day by day. Now the gospel message is known to be good news to us. We are able to see the goodness of the Lord that surpasses the temporary elements of this world and to see beyond our own feebleness. The time will come when we will be re-clothed or re-suited with a body conducive to the spiritual development of our souls thus possessing the ability to give full expression to what God have placed within our hearts to both be and to do. We do not desire to be naked, but to be clothed in immortality and now we have hope that the God who promises it will deliver.

16 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: August 16

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

There is much about God that is attractive. His attributes will have an appeal to every part of our being if we are made aware of them. The Holy Spirit will provide the faith to see and understand what is missing. The necessary things are offered to us to fulfill us providing both life and godliness. Without this faith we are left empty, reaching out for things around us and slipping deeper into despair. It is the distractions that allure us away from being drawn near to God. To be drawn to God is : empowered to resist the devil in all of his deceptive ways. The world, the flesh, and the devil no longer will control you once the beauty of God’s holiness is realized. He is the Lover of your soul and your soul with know this perfectly well. He draws us with cords of love. We are drawn in response with the assurance of faith. He restores us with a confidence that all is well because we abide in the secret place of God.

28 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 28

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

God searches hearts in His pursuit of a man that carries His passion. He looks beyond the surface responses and reactions of those who make a good showing before others and will often find one who appears to have nothing going his way. This diligent soul appears to be benched and not actively recruited to participate on the world’s scene because the world does not see his qualities but God is fully aware of them all. This is the man that will build a wall between what God loves and what He loathes. He will also restore the wall of protection for inhabitants of the land that is now defenseless against the enemies of their souls. He stands before God in order to God as an intercessor, appealing to Him in order to avert the judgment that would come against all who rebel against God. But who is this man? He is a nobody in the sight of others, but to God he is the man for the season. It is not the applause of the crowd or its size that determines the measure of a man. It is the faithfulness of his heart towards God that matters most in these times of trials, tests, and temptations.

27 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 27

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

God has designed man as such to respond to His initiative. His will is accomplished and we are complete when we are in the right place to receive from God and use what we receive in ways that glorify Him. Fragmentation is taking what God gives and using it for our own pleasure without any regard to His will. The world suffers for there is no man to cultivate God’s creation. Where there is no man there is chaos and confusion. The absence of a man who stewards the grace of God judgment is inevitable. It is the rule of the righteous that preserves the order so that God withholds His wrath. Wickedness positions the world for destruction. Many do not consider the devastation measured against the world when misguided people are allowed to have their way. God seeks out those who would stand and not wobble regardless of the cost that they may have to pay. Where they are received, the grace of God is abides.

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.

16 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 16

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.” Psalm 77:14

God is at work among the peoples of the earth. He has ordered the whole of creation to bow at His feet. Nothing is able to remain standing in defiance of Him. He rules in power and in might. The raging of heathens who align themselves as armies will utterly fall. The conspiracies among the rulers of this age will be confounded. God is not troubled by the circumstances that appear to overtake those who have placed their trust in Him. All will ultimately see that God is their strength and their present help in the time of trouble. He will bring down those who exalt themselves, and lift up all that humble themselves before Him. It will be a marvelous sight to see when God arises among those who belong to Him. They would have appeared to be the laughing stock of the world. They have suffered the loss of friends, fame, and fortune. But God, who has placed His Word within their hearts, will speak through them words of deliverance directed towards those who would be saved. A clear voice will be heard through the trials of His saints. None of their experiences will go without purpose. He will use their witness to the world that the weak things and foolish things are stronger and wiser than those who rely on their own strength and wisdom.

15 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 15

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10

The Lord looks at the heart of every person and does not merely see its present condition. He looks into the heart at every contributing factor that motivates both mind and heart. We see the world and people through the lenses of past experiences whether good or bad. Our heart is set in a particular direction while our mind searches out new things to explore. God searches the heart in order to remove the debris that hinders our minds from thinking on things which are just, lovely, pure, and or a good report. Our thoughts will determine our action. Our truest motives are from either a pure or an impure heart. What God has ordained will continue to affect the lives of others bringing them to deeper and greater levels of understanding Jesus Christ. He must be seen in all that we do. When He is glorified through our efforts, our work will have eternal rewards rather than merely producing temporary relief. He rewards the fruit of our doings and not our deeds alone.

11 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: July 11

Posted by wwalker Categories: Meditations

“Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.” Ps 68:1

The very presence of the Lord confounds the enemy. The light of His glory shines so brightly that anything that is contrary to His nature melts and fades away. We are drawn to His light. We are perfected in order to reflect the beauty of holiness. The defects as result of sin are first exposed, and then vanquished. It was the gravitational pull of sin that kept us earthbound and creatures with no desire other than the things of this world. The only sense of beauty was the aesthetics of His creation. Nature provided beauty but only as a reflection of true beauty. It is only when our sights are set on things above where Christ is will we be enabled to see that God alone creates in beauty, but makes all things beautiful in its own time. In the light of His glory all things give full expression of their being. What they attempt to express is fully expressed without any hindrances or reservations. We will then understand the beauty of holiness and the beauty of worshiping the One who is Holy. When the enemies are scattered the worshipers are free to worship Him in the beauty of holiness.