Endure the Cross

The other day I posted on social media how God was speaking to my heart through my life verse Hebrews 12:1-2. He specifically gave me the word ‘endure’ to ponder and meditate what it means to suffer patiently.

Yesterday I found myself still chewing and meditating on this word. I was thinking about what it means to ‘FOR the joy set before us’ to suffer patiently through difficulty (locking our eyes on Jesus and His word) and leaving behind the ways of the world and our fleshly desires and feelings. We cut those off allowing our minds to be renewed and transformed by His example and His word. And also what it means to not ‘just’  ENDURE, BUT  to “ENDURE the CROSS.”

I recently was inspired by a sermon by Chris Durso at Fresh Life Church that taught that OUR CROSS equals OUR PURPOSE.

Cross=Purpose

Jesus says, ” If you want to be My disciple, you have to carry YOUR CROSS daily.”

PURPOSE is God’s predestined plan for your life.

God has a predestined plan for each and every one of us.

We have to CARRY out our PURPOSE ‘daily’.

If you want ME to consider you a disciple, then you MUST CARRY out your PURPOSE/CROSS daily.

Jesus life on this earth was a life of PURPOSE. He HAD to walk in or carry out that purpose for the eternal purposes of why He was put on the earth.

We ALL have a purpose. We have been burdened with a glorious purpose to do glorious things FOR God. We were created by Him and for Him, and He is just waiting to fill us with His Holy Spirit and do unimaginable things through our lives. Only things that can be done with His power and might!

If WHAT you are doing on a regular basis isn’t YOUR PURPOSE then it’s not only taking up your time, but it’s a WASTE of your time.

As BELIEVERS (do you call yourself a believer?) we are to walk out our purpose on a daily basis.

Are you walking out your PURPOSE on a daily basis?

WE are a purposed people.

We have a CALLING on our lives.

Regardless of WHAT it is there is a purpose that God has placed in front you.

I would encourage you to take a hold of it, hold it tightly, and CARRY it. Carry it DAILY.

Jesus SAID to CARRY our “CROSS” DAILY.

And may I remind you that WE have an enemy that has primary goal DAILY to derail us from ever even finding our calling and most importantly to be the voice (NOISE) that you hear drowning out God’s whisper to guide you. To hear a whisper you must intentional ‘lean in close’. A whisper is so close to you that even amongst the noise of the enemy’s playground if you intentionally lean in you will hear it.

Intentionally lean in to God’s word and keep your eyes on Jesus. Replace thoughts with His word and His promises so that your mind will be transformed, and walk on. Carry that cross.

You are ready. Make no excuses. Start by dedicating THIS day to Him, and make your focus to hear from Him. Seek Him and you will find Him. Listen and He will whisper. Make Him your number one priority.

He WILL enable you and strengthen you to carry out your calling.

Father, give us the eyes to see not just the world around us, but what You are doing in our life and in our world. Protect us from the enemy, and lead us on through your Word. Help us to suffer patiently the trials of this world as we carry out our PURPOSE all to your glory. Amen!