Matthew 24:37-39 For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:46-47 "Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. Matthew 24:1-51
Since Francis Chan wrote the book Crazy Love I have followed the changes in his life, as he surrenders more and more of his life to what he is learning from the Word of God. His heart’s desire is to definitely die to self and be alive to the leading of the Holy Spirit; as evidenced by what he is doing and saying.
Francis has left a prosperous ministry in the United States to live and minister in Hong Kong.
God Loves Enough to Warn - Francis Chan
https://www.youtube....h?v=7BlkrKHzsLw
I would like to emphasis some very important concepts that Francis did not mention. The concept is from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
KJV 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
This is how it should possibly be translated according to the definitions found in Strong’s Greek Dictionary.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the thought or topic of self-denial is, to them that are being destroyed, silliness or absurdity; but unto us which are being delivered and protected, it is the force of miraculous power of God.
The message of the cross is not just about Jesus’ death, it is about His example for those that chose to follow Him; they must die to the self/selfish nature and feed (by obedience), bring to life the new nature of Jesus Christ.
Throughout His ministry Jesus taught that believers must take up their cross and follow Him. The cross signifies only one thing, death. Jesus said that if we did not do this we were not worthy of Him. If we saved our lives, we should lose our life eternally; if we were willing to lose our life for His sake, now, we would gain it eternally.
Jesus told the delivered demoniac that he was to return to his hometown and share what had happened to him.
Jesus says that if you love me you will keep my commandments even as He showed His love for His Heavenly Father by doing His Father’s will and keeping His Father’s commandments.
Jesus told the rich man, who asked how he could gain eternal life, that he should keep the commandments. Jesus told him that if he wanted more or to go farther that he should go and sell all that he had, give it to the poor and come follow Him.
Jesus went to the home of Zacchaeus and Zacchaeus gave half of his wealth to the poor as well as other actions that demonstrated his repentance, without being told to do anything, by Jesus.
In John 12:24-25 Jesus shared the concept and importance of dying in order to produce life. Paul in Romans 12:1-2 shares the idea that we must present ourselves as a pure and holy living sacrifice if we are to know the perfect will of God.
Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again.
So, this is the message of the cross, the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must die to all that we are and invite the Holy Spirit to live and ‘reign’ within our shell of clay. When we do that our lives will show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in all that we meditate on, speak, and live. We will no longer be conformed to this world or look like this world in our thoughts, actions or words. We will become one with our fellow Christians and one with Jesus. John 17:21-23.
Fruit is something produced from the life (sap) of the root stock, (Jesus Christ), without any effort from the branch (the believer), because they are truly one. John 15:1-14
True faith and believing is something that you live and do as noted in the translation notes of the Net Bible for John 1:12 tn N28 “…It might also be that for John, faith was an activity, something that men do.” James 2:18-24
When the tight rope walker went over the Niagara Falls pushing a wheelbarrow and then asked how many believed that he could do what they just saw him do. Only those that were willing to get in the wheelbarrow or on his back, and go back across the falls were “true” believers who had a “true” faith in his abilities. <https://www.smithson...lls-110492884/>
Are you willing to truly allow Jesus to be Lord (Dictator, Master, Ultimate authority) of your life, to put your all in His Hands and His Will; to do what He says, supported by the Spirit of the Word of God?
Trust and Obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to Trust and Obey!
If you are still “trying” to be good and do what you know is right, maybe you should examine the graft. What influences (or sap) are feeding your mind and meditations on?
The worthless, selfish influences of the pleasures of this world; or the Divine influences from the time that you spend meditating with Jesus and His Holy Spirit on the Word of God? Psalm 1:1-6
