Power of the Cross Blog

 

A Christian blog with articles, devotionals and videos that will inspire and edify. All content is created from the belief that faith in Christ and Him crucified is how we receive every good thing from God. When our faith is in the correct object, the Holy Spirit can work through us, bringing out the Power of God in our life. 

 
sermon on mount

Who will inherit the Earth?

sermon on mount

Matthew 5:5

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

When we study the Sermon of the Mount, we do a great discredit to the words of Jesus if we fail to study in context the meaning of the language during the days of our Lord. The following excerpt from the book “The Bible: How to understand and teach it” – ( Brooks) will shed light on verse 5 in the Great Book of Matthew 5 chapter.
 

What is meek?

“MEEK – The word meek has taken on a connotation that makes it a very poor reflection of Jesus beatitude, “Blessed are the meek”. Many people think of a meek person as a spineless weakling, a Mr. Milquetoast who apologizes for living and allows people to push him around. Yet, the Bible refers to Moses as the meekest of men. Certainly he was not a weakling. Jesus was talking about men who were open to new learning, men who were teachable. Truly it is such men who inherit the earth. In them strength is united with alert minds and flexibility of personality. Such mature people are the hope of the world. Perhaps one the best pictures of the word “meek” from the biblical meaning is that of a spirited horse properly disciplined, for in it we see power under control”
 
I do not think it is a teaching of the Bible to be a coward Christian. In light of the moral decline in the USA, more than ever we must stand up for what is right. We must stand against what is wrong and yet expressing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with love and compassion. Yet a humble spirit is needed more than ever in our world.
 
We must press forward, not caving in to the world around us. Being led by the Holy Spirit in this life, will lead us the Kingdom where we will rule and reign with Christ for eternity.
 
 


shamrock - st patricks day

Why celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

shamrock - st patricks day
 
 
Why celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day?
 
Our modern society has turned Saint Patrick’s Day into four leaf clovers, leprechauns, beer and parties. The truth about the real Saint Patrick’s Day can be found through a study in history. A record of Saint Patrick’s life is in a book he wrote called Confessions.
 

Who was St Patrick


The young boy Patrick lived a comfortable life in England. However, at the age of 16, his life became unraveled. Irish pirates attacked his village, abducting Patrick and many of the household servants. After arriving in Ireland, he was sold as a slave and had to work with a herd of pigs.

In the midst of the slavery, God began to transform Patrick’s heart. In Confessions he wrote, “I was sixteen and knew not the true God, but in a strange land the Lord opened my unbelieving eyes, and I was converted.”. Patrick became convinced that his trials were opportunities to know Jesus Christ better. “Anything that happens to me,” he wrote, “whether pleasant or distasteful, I ought to accept with serenity giving thanks to God … who never disappoints.”
 
Patrick escaped from slavery 6 years later as a stowaway on a boat back to his home country of England. Yet through a dream God called him to return to Ireland; not as a slave but as a preacher of t

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unforgiveness

The Poison of Unforgiveness

unforgiveness
 
Unforgiveness is the single most popular poison that the enemy uses against God’s people, and it is one of the deadliest poisons a person can take spiritually. God allowed the Israelites to face diseases and sickness when they disobeyed Him (Deut 28:58-61), and when they would turn back to Him, He would heal their land and take sickness from their midst (Exodus 23:25, Deut 7:15).
 
In the New Testament, Jesus gave us two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40), and if we break those, we can be opened up to curses, just as the people in the Old Testament were. Jesus never came to abolish the moral law (Matthew 5:17), but He did come to set us free from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), meaning, Jesus paid the price so we can be set free from any curses we may have come under.

Two commandments given to us by God

Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Jesus gave us very important commandments to follow; one of them was to


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Dangerous Christian Talk

Dangerous Christian Talk Part 1 – God Accepts Me The Way I Am

Dangerous Christian Talk
Several years ago I read an article by Colleen Reece from Auburn, Washington. She brought out in this article five dangerous statements that Christians are making, and I might add, Christians are still making these same statements in 2016. Her article caused my heart to weep and my soul to be challenged by the Holy Spirit.
 
God showed me how this dangerous talk comes into the Christian world as if they came straight from the Bible. In this five part series, I will break down and examine each statement in depth.
 

The first Dangerous Statement: “God accepts me the way I am”


There is no doubt that God loves each and every human being that has ever lived. God loves you as He loves every single person, but He cannot use anything of the old person that your were. When we enter into the Kingdom of God by accepting Jesus Christ as our savior, our old ways must die off. God brings forth a new creation in Christ. If God accepted you the way you are and never wanted you to change after a salvation experience, He would not have sent His Son to save the world from it’s sins.
 
Ministers and Christians alike sling this catch phrase around like it came straight out of the Bible “God loves you just the way you are.” Sounds good! But the problem is they tend to use it when they want to justify something wrong. Alcohol, drugs, gambling, fornification (couples having sex outside marriage), homosexuality, lesbianism, gluttony, gossiping, and the list goes on. A Christian is not perfect but a change has happened by the Power of God to where they will never feel comfortable with sin. It is called CONVICTION!
 

Acceptance of people


It seems the modern day church is more concerned about a body count and will accept any sin that comes through the front door. Noticed I used the words accept sin. I welcome any homosexual, drug addict, alcoholic or whatever that comes through that church door. I love the person. But I don’t accept their sin.
 
I believe God can heal them! It may not happen instantly but over the course of time the power of the Holy Ghost can change them forever! The church is to love the sinner and welcome them in, because we all have been there at one time. We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God. But we cannot pat someone on the back and tell them that a sinful lifestyle or condition is ok.
 
Jesus said come as you are, but you ain’t going to leave the way you came in if you have a true encounter with the Holy One. When you truly know Jesus as your personal savior, the old person you were starts dying off and a new creation in Jesus starts to come about.


Born Again


Jesus said you must be born again. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. “. Jesus was talking about a spiritual birth that comes about by faith in Him. The words “cannot see the Kingdom of God” means that without this spiritual birth, you cannot understand or even begin to comprehend the Kingdom of God.
 
God loves everyone but there must be a change upon salvation. A life change to forsake sin and lead a life of holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit based upon our Faith in Christ and Him Crucified.
 


red running track

The Running Helping God

red running track
 
Are you in trouble today? Are your problems getting the best of you? Worries creating anxiety? Stress causing health issues? People in life causing you problems?
 

We have a running and helping God that runs to our side when we are in trouble. If we know Jesus Christ as our personal savior, the Lord stands ready to help us through all of the trials and tribulations of life.

Hebrews 13:6 “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
 
The word helper is the greek word boethos (bo-ay-thos’).  The word comes from two words, the first part ‘boe’ means a cry for help and the second part  ‘theo’ means to run. Boethos is one who comes running when we cry out for help.
 
The word perfectly describes our Lord who is on standby, waiting and listening, ready to rush to our aid when we are oppressed. When we shout for help, God comes running to our aid!!!!
 
This will never change and God will always be there for us. Other people may try to harm us but we have a Heavenly Helper who will protect and help us.
 
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.
 
Be encouraged , the answer you are looking for is in the Cross!
 
 


give hands

What is Tithing?

give hands
 
Tithes and offerings is probably one of the most debated subjects in the Christian world. But it is the one time in the Bible that we can prove God or question Him as we give to the Work of the Lord.
 
We are commanded to bring 10% of all that we have back to the storehouse of God. The storehouse is where you are fed the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. The storehouse is where the work of God goes forth, sending back into the world.
 
The tithe goes into the work of spreading the Gospel by supporting the materials and ministers needed to do the work.
 
Based upon scripture, what is tithing?
 

Mathematically

The tithe is a tenth. “. . . and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee” (Gen. 28:11).
 

Scripturally

The tithe is a command “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase” (Deut. 14:22).
 

Morally

The tithe is a debt. “. . . Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Mal. 3:8).
 

Economically

The tithe is an investment. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). “Give, and it shall be given unto you” (Luke 6:38).
 

Spiritually

The tithe is a blessing. “I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).
 
To understand and receive all the blessings of God, we have to tithe and offer back to the work of God
 
In closing, know that the tithe is a starting point. After we tithe we should prayerfully seek God about what we should offer.