Hosanna Restoration Church

A long time ago in a land far away God revealed Himself and His favor to some people. These people realized it was important to stay in favor with God and they did lots of stuff to try and follow His rules. They did not do everything just right, but God was faithful even when they were not. Still, it was a very up and down and in and out relationship that these folks maintained with God. Other people watched and liked it when it was good and would join these people, but it was just not always as smooth as it could be.

God kept telling them about a day when He would send them the key to be really free and one day Jesus Christ came into the world. Jesus was amazing and He revealed the plans for the Kingdom of God and those who would follow Him. This plan looked good to some and not so good to others.

Ultimately, Jesus surprised almost everyone and died on a cross! How could the cross be in the plan of God? How could the cross be a key to victory? But then the Holy Spirit began to clarify things. The only way men could be right with God was if they had no sin. The cross represented the place of sacrifice. These people knew about sacrificing bulls, goats, birds, and grain, but could one person pay the price for everyone. Yes, if that person was the Son of God.

And so, the cross was the vehicle God used to launch Jesus Christ to the right hand of Father and at the same time launched the sins of everyone who would believe in Jesus Christ, into the sea of forgetfulness. There is power in the blood that was shed on that cross and power in taking up that cross and following Jesus.

It is no wonder that the enemy does his best to mock and desecrate the cross. He knows what it represents. It represents the victory of Jesus Christ and the defeat of everything the devil stands for.

Is there an advantage in following Christ? If the only advantage were to be made right with God, that would be enough. For out of that relationship all the blessings of God flow.

Is it any wonder then that the enemy works so hard to erase the idea that there is any need to be right with God. It is foolishness to much of the world. Why do we need God when we can do so much in our own strength?

Well my dear friends, it will soon become more and more obvious to everyone that we need help, and the only real help is God. With this in mind, those of us who know Him even a little need to draw near and be prepared to reveal the greatness of God and the advantage of the cross to all will believe in Jesus Christ. People will see a need to be right with God and we will be prepared to show them the way. Pick up your cross and follow Jesus in all that you do and say.