Be afraid of rejecting your cross.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit."  (John 12: 24).

Every farmer understands that new life comes out of the old.  But the old must die to give way to the new.

"And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”  (John 12: 32).

Jesus Christ died on the cross making it a source of new life.

"It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world."  (John 16: 21).

The joy of bringing a new life physical or spiritual into the world is unbelievable.

So, do not be afraid of the process. Be afraid of rejecting the cross.

St Francis de Sales writes: "The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity, the cross He now presents to you from His innermost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it is not one ounce too heavy for you."

Your cross is tailor made for you.

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I am a trusting lamb led to the slaughter.

"Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me:
“Let us destroy the tree in its vigor;
 let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.”  (Jeremiah 11:  19).

As we approach Good Friday, the plot against Jesus thickens as seen here through the experience of Prophet Jeremiah.  Where are you in this unfolding drama? You will be either for Jesus or against Jesus.

"O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
Lest I become like the lion’s prey, to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me."  (Psalm 7: 2 - 3).

"Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance."  (Cf Luke 8: 15).

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On which side are you? For truth or Against truth?

"At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?"  (John 7: 25).

Yes indeed, it is He.  Jesus the Christ.

"Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.”

"These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, And they did not know the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense for holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward."  (Wisdom 2: 20 - 22).

Do you know one of the great distinguishing marks of Christianity? Detailed prophecies on the birth, life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son of God?
For those on the side of truth, there are more than sufficient evidence. For those who hate the truth, no evidence will be sufficient.  (Cf John 18: 37).

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I was born for the purpose of bearing witness to the truth.

 "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  (John 18: 37 ESV).

Jesus who was born to bear witness to the truth humbled and subjected Himself to the Mosaic principle of acceptable testimony.

“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified."  (John 5: 31).

Jesus gives four witnesses that testify He came from God:

#1.  The witness of John the Baptist (John 5: 33).  The people know that John the Baptist is a credible witness.
#2.  The works of Jesus:  Jesus fulfilled all the messianic signs for the Messiah by the Prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 42: 7).
The works of Jesus continue today in the works of missionaries and the Church.
#3.  The testimony of the Father:
"And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."  (Matthew 3: 17).
"A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." (Luke 9: 35)
#4.  The evidence of the Scriptures. (John 5: 39).

Do you believe in Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son of God?
For those who are well disposed, there are more than sufficient evidence. For those who are not of the truth, no evidence will be sufficient.  (Cf John 8: 37).

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Grant me O Lord a time of favor.

"I pray to you, O Lord, for a time of your favor.
In your great mercy, answer me, O God, with your salvation that never fails."  (Isaiah 69: 14).

Why is Lent such a blessed time to receive favors from God?
Consider the following:
+Jesus went into water for Baptism and sanctified water and made it holy for Baptism.  (Matthew 3: 16).
+ At the Wedding Feast at Cana, Jesus made marriage between one man and one woman a holy Sacrament and an institution. (John 2: 1-12).
+ Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert and defeated the devil 3 times.  (Matthew 4: 1 - 11).  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the early Church understood the significance of the event and instituted the discipline of Lent.
I received most of the blessings in my life during Lent.

"Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you; and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land and allot the desolate heritages."  (Isaiah 49: 8).

Faith is accepting the word of God as true.  Then act according to the the word you believe.

" The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.

The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down."  (Psalm 145: 8 - 9, 13 - 14).

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My Stronghold is the God of Jacob.

The Lord of hosts is with me; my stronghold is the God of Jacob.

God is my refuge and my strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore I fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.

The Lord of hosts is with me; my stronghold is the God of Jacob.

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn.

The Lord of hosts is with me; my stronghold is the God of Jacob.
(Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6).

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The official took Jesus at His word and departed.

"The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed."  (John 4: 49 - 50).

Are you scratching your head trying to understand what faith really is? Above in my opinion is a good example of faith-in-action.  Oh that I will always act according to this model! On top of this, the senior official received the gift of understanding that helps him  perceive how God acts.

On Day 27  of Lent 2018, the word of God encourages us to be humble and pray:  "Lord, increase our faith." (Luke 17: 5).

"You changed my mourning into dancing. You took off my funeral clothes and dressed me up in joy so that my whole being might sing praises to you and never stop.
Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever."  (Psalm 30: 11 - 12).

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