And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. (Mark 8:31-32; Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:21-22)
Jesus knew very clearly what His purpose was, and He explained it without apology or regret. A very famous, very wealthy, and highly respected media mogul "teaches" that "Jesus did not come to die for our sins but to teach us "Christ-consciousness"? Well, I think Christ would rebuke her just like He rebukes Peter; Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:22-23; Mark 8:32-33) People are so mindful of the things of men, but Do not be wise in your own opinion. (Romans 12:16) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (I Corinthians 1:18)
Peter was not demon possessed, just like this media mogul probably isn't demon possessed. Their problem is the same, Peter couldn't at that time and this person can't see God for Who He really is, just like the majority of people on the planet. This same person also can't understand "For the Lord, Whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." (Exodus 34:14) How could such a loving God use death as a means of reconciliation? Why does there have to be suffering and innocent lives lost? We can't begin to understand all of God's reasons for why He allows certain things and commands other things: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) But we have to rest assured ...that our suffering now cannot be compared to the shining-greatness that He is going to give us. (Romans 8:18 NLV)
Everything that has been made in the world is waiting for the day when God will make His sons known. Everything that has been made in the world is weak. It is not that the world wanted it to be that way. God allowed it to be that way. Yet there is hope. Everything that has been made in the world will be set free from the power that can destroy. These will become free just as the children of God become free. We know that everything on the earth cries out with pain the same as a woman giving birth to a child. We also cry inside ourselves, even we who have received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the first of God’s gifts to us. We are waiting to become His complete sons when our bodies are made free. We were saved with this hope ahead of us. Now hope means we are waiting for something we do not have. How can a man hope for something he already has? But if we hope for something we do not yet see, we must learn how to wait for it. We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan. (Romans 8:18-25, 28 NLV)
Either we are going to believe God and His Word, and pray that through His Holy Spirit, He gives us understanding; or we'll choose to not believe because of our minds limited ability to comprehend the things of God. We must pray for one another, just as the Apostle Paul taught, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (I Corinthians 2:5) ...do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:9-10)
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:34-38; Matthew 16:24-27; Luke 9:23-26) Jesus gets to the heart of all of us who have a problem believing in God and believing the Word of God, we want to do what we want to do, without feeling guilt or accountable to God. God required that Jesus deny himself, by dying on the cross for our sins; and God requires that we deny our self, by taking up our cross daily, and follow Christ! Therefore submit to God. (James 4:7)
All of us want to "live our lives the way we want", but everything we "want" to do and are able to do is not necessarily good for us to do. Every lifestyle choice, every food eaten, every place we can go, all the different things we can see and are exposed to aren't always the best choices, even though they "feel good" or "feel right" or "feel natural". If God says in His Word we should do certain things and we shouldn't do other things, we have to deny our self, taking up our cross daily, and follow Christ! For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Doing the right thing doesn't always mean doing the easy thing.
We can't change God into the "god" we want. We have to accept Him for the God He is, and put our entire hope, faith, and trust in Him, that He will make us into whom He created us to be. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17) ...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” (Mark 9:1) ...till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28) ...till they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:27) And Jesus did not lie! All but one of the twelve disciples, and hundreds of others saw Christ after His resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-11), before seeing Christ being ...taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11; Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53) AMEN
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