Facing Man's Persecution

Luke 9:23 "Then he said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
In other words, Jesus is saying if we want to follow him we have to take up his cross every day. Now, I don't think he meant that literally. Jesus was insulted, mocked, and physically beaten when he was crucified. Jesus is saying that if we want to follow him, we will be insulted, we will be mocked, we may even be physically beaten, tortured, or killed. This brings me to
2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"
Whatever man may due to us here on Earth, while it may not seem like it at the moment, will be light and momentary compared to the eternal joy and glory which we will receive when we arrive at heaven! This leads right in to my favorite scripture in the Bible
Revelation 3:21"'To Him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
One thing I noticed as I read both Luke 9:23 and Revelation 3:21, is Jesus isn't asking us to do anything he hasn't already done! H'es already taken up his cross, and has already overcome! If Jesus did these things, then we can too! He told us we can!
John 14:12 "'Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
Think about it! All that Jesus did, He did in only three years! Imagine how much more we could do with all the time we have if only we weren't afraid of man!

Dedication to God

In Chapter one of Ruth, Naomi is married to Elimelech and has two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. These sons were married to Orpah and Ruth (Ruth 1:1-4). Eventually, Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion died. Naomi brought the two girls with her to Judah, and told them to return to their old houses, before they had married. In short, Orpah returned, while Ruth refused to leave (Ruth 1:7-18). 
God is looking for the Ruths, those who will not leave him, even when tough times come! In verses 11-13, Naomi even tries to convince them to return, giving them reasons to not stay! Ruth still refuses to leave!
God wants those who are devoted, as Ruth was! He wants such a devotion that it doesn't matter what you've been through or are going through! He wants such a devotion that it doesn't matter what anybody says to you, you will never give up on Him! In verse 17, Ruth even declares that nothing but death will separate her from Naomi's side! If Ruth was that devoted to Naomi, a human being, with no blood relation, who tried to convince her to leave, then how much more should we be devoted to God, our Creator, our Father, who always loves us, and wants us at his side during the hard times?

Descent of the Spirit

So this weekend I was at the Spring Retreat Week 3 on The Promised Land, and during Friday Night Worship, God showed me a vision. I saw a giant dove, with it's wings stretched, almost touching the sides of the building (For those of you who have not been there, it's a very large building), and the dove was descending, onto the crowd of people in the building, flapping it's wings as it came in for the landing.


Immediatley afterwards, I remembered the time when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit descends on him like in the form of a dove. I believe God was trying to say he's sending the spirit into His people. Will you accept Him, or let him keep flying and pass you up?