Smallest Seed

runluaurun.com It seems we recognize the wooden cross more than what it symbolizes. The wooden church is more acceptable in church (it's placed on church buildings and inside altars) than the sufferings of Christ which we are called to: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. [1 Peter 2.21] Of course, we're not to have ourselves crucified literally on the cross. Christ already did that to pay for our sins. We don't need to repeat it. But we have to embrace the life of suffering persecution for His Name and for living out his Word daily. The Jesus cross is also about staying meek and simple, "poor in spirit" and abandoning all forms of worldliness while being in the world. It's about living the holy life of Jesus and stopping feeding the flesh or ego. This Jesus cross is still foolishness to many church people and still serves as a stumbling block.  The meaning of th

We are called to suffer for the Gospel. Paul calls it "suffer," but really, God's Kingdom has a different vocabulary which often has meanings exactly opposite from how the world defines words and terms. Like suffer . Suffering for the Kingdom is always an empowered suffering. "Join me in suffering for the (Life of Jesus) Gospel, by God's power," [2 Tim.1.8].  Suffering is Power! Suffering means being empowered. The less you suffer in your Christian life, the less you are empowered. You ask God in prayer to take away all your hardships, the more powerless you become. This does not mean. however, that you ask God to pour you tons of problems. Remember Jesus' tip on prayer? "Don't lead us to temptation (or tests), but get us out of evil." For sure, we will all get our share of hardships in life. But some would opt out and pray to be spared of every problem. Sometimes they get an answered prayer and think they're so ble