Category Archives: Crucified With Christ

A Word For Your Day??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #467

15 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Creator of ALL, Crucified With Christ, He lives in my heart., HE makes all things beautiful, He Opens Blinded Eyes to SEE, Times and Seasons, Transformed life, True Knowledge, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True

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A Word For Your Day??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #467

I just want to share a brief word from the Psalms with you today.  I pray that it will encourage you today.  Have a blessed Wednesday.

“Behold, thou desirest truth

in the inward parts:

and in the hidden part

thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop,

and I shall be clean:

wash me,

and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness;

that the bones which thou hast broken

may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins,

and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;

and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence;

and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;

and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

and sinners shall be converted unto thee…

…. 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice;

else would I give it:

thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God

are a broken spirit:

a broken and a contrite heart,

O God, thou wilt not despise.”  Psalm 51:7-13 & 16-17

Amen and Amen!!!

But One Thing…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #432

09 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding In Jesus, Are You Ready, Be Steadfast, Be Still and Know, Behold the Lamb of God, Believe God?, Believe IN Jesus, Believing God's Words, Born Again, By Him We Live, Crucified With Christ, Deceit or Discernment?, Discernment, Distractions, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, God's glory NOT mine!, He Opens Blinded Eyes to SEE, He was born to die for our sin, Hear ye HIM!, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Listening To God

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But One Thing…????  A Word from THE WORD!!! #432

As we continue into this new year, I’d like us to check our perspective; I want to be in tune with Jesus and His Word.  That is such a difficult thing to do consistently, but it is doable, yet I think we often miss the target because we are so easily distracted by this world.  Jesus confronted a young man in his ministry.

“And Jesus said unto him,

Why callest thou me good?

there is none good but one,

that is, God.

19 Thou knowest the commandments,

Do not commit adultery,

Do not kill,

Do not steal,

Do not bear false witness,

Defraud not,

Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him,

Master, all these have I observed

from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him,

and said unto him,

One thing thou lackest:

go thy way,

sell whatsoever thou hast,

and give to the poor,

and thou shalt have treasure

in heaven:

and come,

take up the cross,

and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying,

and went away grieved:

for he had great possessions.”  Mark 10:18-22

Here a seeking young man wasn’t able to comprehend the truth (at least at this time…we don’t know about his future, and some think a young man who later came to Jesus…), and I think this is a story from which we can learn a lot; but we must realize that “One thing thou lackest…”. What are you and I lacking?  Faith? Trust? Obedience? Prioritizing Jesus, His Word and His direction for our lives?  It is so easy to forget that following Jesus is what He has called those who believe to do—taking up my cross doesn’t mean just living with the aches and pains of life—it means dying to self and living for, with and unto Jesus each day.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Paul told the Colossians believers what it meant to belong to Jesus, and it’s one of my favorite, and most concise definitions of our relationship to Jesus—in redemption and forgiveness of sins!!!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

And as Paul spoke to the Galatians, we must consider ourselves as dead to self and alive to Christ Jesus!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

And in all simplicity, how do you have a relationship with Jesus?  Only one way; by being born again into God’s kingdom through the blood of The Son of God, Jesus Christ The Lord.

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God…

… 5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God…

…. 16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son

into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name

of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”                     John 3:3-5, 16-19

What do you lack?  Are you ready to follow Jesus?  Here are His demands.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself, and

take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

I pray that if you already belong to Jesus, you will join me in a renewed commitment to draw nearer to Jesus and follow Him more closely and undistractedly!  If you don’t know Jesus, I pray that you will call on Him today in repentance of your sin and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—my sin and yours!  His arms are waiting for you!

Amen and Amen!!!

How Close To Calvary??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #404

13 Thursday Nov 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Cross, Crucified With Christ, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Study to Show Yourself Approved Unto God, Take Up YOUR Cross, The Mind Of Christ, The Name of Jesus?, The Only Name That Matters

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How Close To Calvary??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #404

I want us to consider where we stand in relation to the cross of Jesus; how close is my walk to that cross?  Am I so far away from the import of the cross that it pales in comparison to the focus of my life?   Is Jesus and His work of redemption the thing that holds my heart, or is the world so important to me that I have lost sight of the cross, in other words, how big is my cross?  Am I so far away from it that its import has shrunken into oblivion?  The cross is what Jesus calls us to cling to, as both Matthew and Luke record this discourse for us.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross,

and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life

for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

“Saying,

The Son of man must suffer many things,

and be rejected of the elders

and chief priests and scribes,

and be slain,

and be raised the third day.

23 And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me

and of my words,

of him shall the Son of man be ashamed,

when he shall come in his own glory,

and in his Father’s,

and of the holy angels.”  Luke 9:22-26

What does Jesus tell us?  He says that if we desire to come after Him—to follow Him—we must “deny” ourselves, in other words, put Jesus first over our own desires.  Jesus doesn’t stop there, for He goes on to say that we are to take up our “cross daily”; remembering that the cross is an instrument of death—we are to die to self and live to Jesus Christ The Lord each and every day, following Him!  Not following the fads, or the trends, or the call of our flesh to be popular, wealthy, powerful, or influential in this world.  Paul said it better than I can.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

To take up our cross means to die to self and live unto Jesus in all that we do.  Jesus is to be the heartbeat of all we say and do!  Not an easy task, but one that we can do when we walk with The Lord by the power of His Spirit within us.  The indwelling Holy Spirit is the evidence that we belong to Jesus, and in his power, we are enabled to take up our cross and live for Jesus!

“So then they that are in the flesh

cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,

he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you,

the body is dead because of sin;

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.”  Romans 8:8-10

By Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross He bought our righteousness with His own blood; so that all who come to Him in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice receive His righteousness in place of our sin, all by His precious blood!

“To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:19-21

We are privileged to know the love of The Son of God, who poured out His own blood to pay for my sin and yours—payment for all who will believe in His sacrificial payment for sin, made on the cross of Calvary!  What have you done with His grace and mercy to pay for your sin?  Do you know Him?  Have you received His grace and mercy in salvation.

“And you,

being dead in your sins

and the uncircumcision of your flesh,

hath he quickened together with him,

having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances

that was against us,

which was contrary to us,

and took it out of the way,

nailing it to his cross;” Colossians 2:13-14

The question is how close are you to Calvary?  Have you been there for salvation?  If you are saved, are you carrying your cross in faith and devotion to the Lord of all—Jesus Christ the Lord?

In closing, we can choose to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, we can choose the broad road or the narrow way—destruction or life!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test—and the cross and God’s Word are the standard!

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit,

and the Spirit against the flesh:

and these are contrary the one to the other:

so that ye cannot do the things that ye would…

25 If we live in the Spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.” Portions of Galatians 5:16-25

Amen and Amen!!!

Comfortable Or Committed??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #374

10 Sunday Aug 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, Comfort, Commitment Or Convenience, Confidence, Conformed or Transformed?, Conformed to HIS image, Crucified With Christ, Do You See What God Sees?, Every Knee Shall Bow, Eyes that SEE HIM, Fickle or Faithful, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Following Jesus or the World?, Freedom To Or From?, God Who Sees, God's Call, God's Faithfulness, God's glory NOT mine!, God's Time, God's ways are not our ways, Greater is HE that is IN US!, Ready or NOT Here Jesus Comes!, Redeemed By HIS Blood, Redemption Through HIS Blood

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Comfortable Or Committed???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #374

A passage that we considered recently is one I want to revisit today, but from a different perspective; as you can tell from our title, I want us to assess our life with Jesus!  What have we set our eyes on?  Are we set on being comfortable or committed to whatever Jesus has called us to.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside

every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus

the author and finisher of our faith;

who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down at the right hand

of the throne of God.

3 For consider him

that endured such contradiction of sinners

against himself,

lest ye be wearied

and faint in your minds.”  Hebrews 12:1-3

Jesus has called us to “lay aside” some things, and to “run with patience” the race that He has set before us; keeping our eyes fixed on Him, because He alone can lead us in the right path. He is the only way to God—the only way of salvation!  And apart from Jesus we have no hope, as Jesus tells us, we must be in The Vine and “abide in HIM”!

“I am the vine,

ye are the branches:

He that abideth in me,

and I in him,

the same bringeth forth much fruit:

for without me ye can do nothing.”  John 15:5

We are called to bring forth much fruit, and that can only happen when we abide in The Master, Jesus; for HE is the vine, not us—we are but branches and dependent upon our attachment to the vine—Jesus!  We can do that as we determine to be committed to Jesus regardless of the difficulty or discomfort.  We get into trouble when we choose comfort over commitment; when we choose frivolity over frugality (being wise stewards over all, not just finances); do we exercise impact spending over impulse (again not just talking about money, but time, talents, desires, and focus)!  It’s so easy to get caught up in social media, ad-fed spending, entertainment distractions, any number of things—you can fill in the blank of the things that try to draw us away from our commitment to Jesus!   Let’s consider a couple of passages that give us good guidance and food for thought as believers to continue to abide in The Vine—Jesus!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

And Peter’s inspired advice. (And FYI, conversation=lifestyle.)

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind,

be sober,

and hope to the end

for the grace that is to be brought unto you

at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children,

 not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

 Be ye holy;

for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons

 judgeth according to every man’s work,

pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God,

that raised him up from the dead,

and gave him glory;

that your faith and hope might be in God.”  1 Peter 1:13-21

It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!

Amen and Amen!!!

Jesus, The Add On??? Really??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #343

24 Thursday Apr 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, Advice for the journey, All About Jesus!, Almost But Lost, Compromise, Confessing Sin, Confidence or Presumption?, Conformed or Transformed?, Conformed to HIS image, Cross, Crucified With Christ, Daniel Prayed--Do You?, Daniel Prayed--Will You?, Daniel's choices, Daniel's Prayer, Deceit or Discernment?, Faith or Entertainment?, Faithful Follower, Faithful God--Faithful me!, Faithfulness, No man can serve two masters!, No Sin No Need?, SIN, Sin IS the issue

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Jesus, The Add On???  Really??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #343

 

“Be it known unto you all,

and to all the people of Israel,

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom ye crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

even by him doth this man stand here

before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought

of you builders,

which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name under heaven

given among men,

whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12 

Jesus is the only way of salvation—the only way to heaven—the only way to be God’s child—the only way to have new life, hope, joy and peace “that passeth all understanding”!  But we are living in a culture where even the church seems to be ready to abandon the truth of the Gospel, and keep adding things, activities, exercises that are attempting to fill the void in mankind; when only Jesus can and will fill that void.  As it’s often been said, we have a “God-sized hole/void”, and only God can fill that void!  But it seems that we are surely trying to fill it with anything that makes no call of repentance and faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for sin—His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice. The angel told Joseph that the issue was sin; not diet, exercise, meditation, or even fellowship and “love”!  Oh, the things that we are excusing and even promoting that violate God’s Word, but we call it “love” and press on, instead of seeking God’s “approval”!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.”   Matthew 1:21

It’s God’s plan not man’s, yet we keep on trying to make it more palatable, that which even Jesus said would repel people.  Why do we think they killed Him and most of the prophets and preachers throughout scripture.

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

 The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not

him that sent me.”  John 15:18-21

It’s part of the message that Jesus gave to Nicodemus, but we conveniently leave off part of “God so loved”!  And God does love, but Father God and Jesus Christ the Son are “the same yesterday, and to day and forever…”! (See Hebrews 13:8). Will we preach Jesus—the only way?  What are we tacking on to Jesus!  Yes, Jesus loves me and you, yet He also makes it clear over and over again that you must choose between the straight road or the broad one—God’s way or the world’s, and the consequences will follow your choice.  (see Matthew 7:13-28)

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”  John 3:16-21

So, how do we choose right?  We must seek Jesus and His cross!  Dying to self and giving our life to Jesus, and seeking His will, His way, His truth, and reflecting His life before a lost and dying world by speaking “the truth in love”!  But never change His truth to try and attract a crowd!  It will never work, because it isn’t what He called us to do or to share.  We must share His truth His way.  Paul gives us great advise as He shared with his son-in-the-ministry, Timothy—dig into God’s Word not the world’s!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

“Study to shew thyself approved

unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.”   2 Timothy 2:15

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable

for doctrine,

for reproof,

for correction,

for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect,

thoroughly furnished

unto all good works.”  2 Timothy 3:15-16

May we be found faithful to God’s Word!  May we learn to measure by HIS WORD not popular opinion, trends, fads, or what is the top thing on social media!  It’s so easy to buy into the cutesy, tear-jerking stories and form opinions that are 180 degrees away from what God has said.  But so many go on feeling rather than the facts and truth of The Word of God!  I know I harp on that, but oh, my friends, we must wake up, repent, and turn from our own wisdom to pursue God’s!  I’d like to close with an amazing passage from Daniel—a young man probably still in his teens, but a young man who knew his God—one who had made up his mind to serve God not man!  This passage is Daniel’s prayer of praise to God for answered prayer.  Who is your God? (See Daniel 1:8)

“Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

for wisdom and might

are his:

21 And he changeth the times

and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth

the deep and secret things:

he knoweth

what is in the darkness,

and the light

dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee, and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom

and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.”  Daniel 2:19-23

I would encourage you to read through the book of Daniel, even just the first 6 chapters and you’ll find a young man, and his friends, who were committed to their God, to His ways and they always stood firm and never took credit for what God did; even to such a degree that others saw in them the character of God.  But don’t miss the lesson that we must, I say must, learn, and that is when we go God’s way, we will face opposition, hatred, jealousy and we must be like Daniel and his friends and press on faithfully.  Paul reminds us of just that, and I’ll leave you with these thoughts to ponder.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:

but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things which are behind,

and reaching forthunto those things

which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize

of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14.

Amen and Amen!!!