The cross.

"When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus." Luke 23:26 (NASB).

"They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out,bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha." John 19:17 (NASB).

"They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross." Mark 15:21 (NASB).

"As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross." Matthew 27:32 (NASB)

"'Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

"'Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; AND A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.

"'He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

"'And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost hislife for My sake will find it.'" Matthew 10:32-39 (NASB).

up to 60% of America is made up of professing Christians.

the majority of that percentage refuse to believe that the Christian life has anything to do with the Scriptures quoted above.

Jesus is all about love, right? helping me climb that mountain? being there for my family? being a good person in general? promoting love, no matter who is involved? Jesus came to bring peace. I mean, come on, that one Christmas carol said so.

Jesus Himself says He didn't.

am I willing to take up that cross? to consider Jesus Christ more precious to me than even my relationship, my family's lives, my puppy's sheltered life, or my own life?

Jesus, I my cross have taken. All to leave and follow thee. Destitute, despised, forsaken. Thou, from hence, my all shalt be. Perish every fond ambitions. All I've sought or hoped or known. Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own.

Hell is real.

most people won't listen to this. I mean, I didn't exactly snuggle into my hoodie and say "oh, I can't wait to hear this one."

but I am so glad I did. it is an excellent reminder for those who are believers and a must listen for those who are not.

Don Whitney: "Hell is Real"

Swollen.

"The Spirit's fruit will not come from the barren soil of intellectual curiosity, far less the scorched earth of intellectual pride." - R.C. Sproul, Jr.

"Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." Proverbs 26:12 (NASB).

 if anyone looked at that verse and thought, "oh, well, that's not me", they missed the point.

everyone is wise in their own eyes, to an extent. why else is it so hard for me to get over myself? little insults or hints of naivety cut me to the quick and I go hot and cold with a mixture of indignant anger and utter humiliation.

how can God work in a heart so stiff and swollen? a sprained ankle or foot is so hot and inflamed, it's impossible to walk on. in its desperate attempt to nurse itself, the foot makes the simple acts of standing, walking, or simply crossing your feet painful and slow.

but that's the kind of heart we give Him. we become so swollen, obsessed with ourselves and how great our spiritual life is at the moment that the fruits of salvation seem to disappear from our lives.

they vanish. invisible.

obviously, this doesn't mean that the saved sinner and true believer is no longer saved.

the good news for the saved sinner is that God convicts them shortly after the prideful thoughts set in. I think I'm doing pretty good, being all holy an'at. then I say something tactless or snide, or I act like an idiot and get angry or argumentative about something trivial, and God brings me back to my knees.

the prick and sting of realizing when you've sinned (at the root of all is selfish pride) is truly a gift of grace from God. it's God pruning you, exchanging the rotting fruit of the flesh for the eternal fruit of the Spirit.

praise God! otherwise, we'd be no better off than the man wise in his own eyes.