The way of the Cross
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Totally Secure
Totally Secure
A father passing by his son's bedroom, was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and everything was picked up. Then, he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow. It was addressed, "Dad." With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter, with trembling hands...
"Dear, Dad. It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mum and you.
I've been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I knew you would not approve of her because of her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes, and because she is so much older than I am.
But it's not only the passion, Dad. She's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.
Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves, and trading it with the other people in the commune, for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want.
In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS, so Stacy can get better. She sure deserves it!
Don't worry, Dad. I'm 15, and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit, so you can get to know your many grandchildren.
Love, your son, Joshua.
P.S. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Jason's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the school report that's on the kitchen table. Call when it is safe for me to come home!
While us that are parents could really feel for this poor father as he read that letter, Not so different than how we act with God we justify how it “could be Worse” how “we arnt that “bad” Its not like we ever killed anyone.
Our world is in turmoil. Every where you look there is devastation there is heartbreak, Anger fueled into mass murder, People living without self control being enslaved to their Sin.
Al Quada and other terrorist make us on guard even fearful to board a plane or go to a large community gathering
Story about flying back alone from Iraq
However, We can have the courage in our hearts when we consider all that God had done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ that lonely day on Calvary when the Son of God died on the Cross and bore your sins all sin so that none might perish but all come to repentance and have eternal life.
The psalmist understood it well in
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
The 16th psalm is yet another “Preserve me o God” or something like Please keep me safe, O God This is a cry from a human heart lost in sin and degradation
Without Christ we are nothing we have no hope of Forgiveness and no hope for eternal life Jesus is not a way He is the only way
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The psalmist gives a beautiful picture as he looks ahead to the cross and the empty tomb
The Psalmist Picture
Total dependency on the love of God
a. He takes me into his refuge v1
b. He covers me with His goodness V2
what this tells us is that God’s plan for our salvation through Jesus is the very means by which we can be held in His Arms and Covered in His goodness. This happens through the imputed righteousness of Christ that is conferred on all who believe in His name
9 A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.
3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
1 thess 2:13
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
2. Total security in the Plans of God
a. because he secures me in my Salvation v6
b. because he will not abandon me at my death v5,6
The plans the Lord has made for you are made possible through the torture the ridicule the death the burial but mostly through the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Here the psalmist reminds us of the security we can all have when we put our faith and trust in Jesus. When we do Jesus not only gives us a good inheritance in and through our salvation, but he gives us assignments that fall in “ Pleasant Places”
How can anything be more fantastic in life than knowing Christ?
8 They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
3.Total Confidence in the plans of God
a. Because He did not abandon His Son at Death v10
b.Because He will not Abandon me at death
Praise the Lord for this confidence. You and I can be assured that our refuge is in our God. That God is your strength. We don't need to fear when we have peace through our Faith and trust in Him
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
This is why Jesus went to the Cross.
He died so that you might be set Free
It is through Him that we have life
And this life is for today and for eternity