The Security of the Cross

In Mathew 16, Jesus begins to "show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day" When Peter heard this news for the first time, he pulled Jesus aside and rebuked Him, saying "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"

Jesus' response was quite unexpected when He turned to Peter and said "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

He then goes on to tell His disciples "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 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? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."

The picking up of the cross is the most secure place, leading us to glory in the Father's house. The laying down of our lives, the blessed surrender, the suffering love, is the place where we are most secure. The greatest security we can ever experience is in the laying down of our lives.

I love that when Peter rebuked Jesus, He reminded Him that this life is not for temporal satisfaction but eternal glory. It's all about kingdom advancement, not our own advancement. To Him be all the Glory and Praise, even if it costs the comfort of our lives.

"Our feelings, emotions, wants, desires, and pleasures are ultimately meaningless compared to God's eternal glory." (Unlocking the Miraculous, Daniel Kolenda)If we truly desire to go after God, we must deny ourselves and our own desires, take up our cross and follow HIM, not our longings. When we lose our lives in Jesus and pick up our cross, we find true life. Not only this, but there is great reward in picking up our cross everyday. He greatly rewards the life laid down. He sees your efforts, He sees your sacrifice, and He's a proud Father who promises to reward you. The greatest security is in losing your life, for we have the blessed hope of finding it in Him. Bless God.

Isaiah 22:20 says "Then it shall be in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no-one shall shut; and he shall shut and no-one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his fathers house."

The Passion Translation describes that the name Hilkiah means "my portion is YAHWEH"

Eliakim is a picture of Jesus, whom cares for, provides for and loves his people. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Eliakim (Jesus) is to have unlimited control in our lives. The doors He opens (looses) are doors of revelation, treasures, favour and opportunity. When He closes (binds) those doors, no amount of human striving can open them.

The Hebrew word 'yathed' means to peg/nail. This passage beautifully paints the picture of God fastening Jesus to the cross, the sinners place of security, so that we'd believe in Him. Verse 23 literally describes the cross as a secure place that would eventually lead Jesus to become a glorious throne in the Fathers house. When we fasten ourselves to the cross and walk in total surrender to Gods will, we are led to glory in the Fathers house. What a beautiful promise.

Ephesians 2:6 tells us that He has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."At this very moment, we are seated with Christ, as citizens in His Father's house.

David reflects this reality powerfully in Psalm 27:4-5 when he sings "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock."

I believe that the key to overcoming the tribulations of this world is to behold the King. By the blood of Jesus, we are already overcomers and promised eternal life, however we come out of trials standing tall and bearing reward when we choose to dwell in the house of the Lord and behold His beauty, inquiring in His temple.

In Revelation 3, Jesus warns us that He is coming quickly. Because of this, He commands us to hold fast to what we have in Him, that noone may take our crown. He promises to the one that overcomes that He will make them a temple in the house of God, where we are already seated through the blood of the Lamb.

This is not a matter of salvation, but a matter of reward. Don't lose your crown because you relied on your own strength and understanding, rather than simply beholding the King. Since we are seated with the Almighty God in His house, we must behold and inquire of Him everyday, that in the time of trouble- we'd be hidden in the secret place of His tabernacle.

Hold fast to what you have and cling tightly to Jesus. Fasten yourself to the cross, knowing the security that you have in Him.

The Faithful Church

These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, whichcomes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."

Revelation 3:7-12

Kaylee