September 2002

Christ:
The Landscape of Life

Part Sixteen

Recently Father spoke through my heart a Rhema word for all His sons to consider soberly.

“HIGH CALLING, HIGH COST!!”

THE HIGHER THE CALLING IN CHRIST,
THE HIGHER THE COST TO THE FLESH!

“The servant who knows His Lord’s Will, but will not prepare himself to do it; nor will he do according to the Lord’s Will, he will be beaten with many stripes! But he that did not know the Lord’s Will and did not commit deeds deserving a beating, he shall receive only a few stripes! TO WHOM M-U-C-H IS GIVEN, M-U-C-H WILL BE REQUIRED! And to him that men most trust, from him they shall ask the most!” (Lu 12:47-48)

                As tribulation on the earth increases, people will seek men who trust and obey God! These are their only hope! For when a man does not know God, nor can he see or hear God- nonetheless he sees and hears signs of His existence- such a one is as lost and as terrified as anyone can be! But God knows how to hide Himself as well as how and when to reveal Himself to His people! Man cannot “hide God” by shutting his eyes to His visage, or by covering his ears to His voice! The most this can afford man is a state of hopelessness that denies God’s comfort and strength! There are only two reasons man turns his back on His own Creator: FEAR AND LUST! Lusting after the fleshly comforts of this world; and fear of the fleshly discomforts of God’s world make men loath to pay THE COST OF COMPLETE SURRENDER TO GOD! This is exactly what happened when the twelve Hebrews spied out Jericho before the Israelites would enter in. Ten of those spies came home with terrifying tales of GIANT ENEMIES; while the other two spies (Joshua and Caleb) returned with glowing testimonies- and physical evidence- of GIANT FRUIT!! God struck down the fearful testifiers!!
                 The eternal cry of carnal man in times of pain, suffering or loss is, “WHY ME?!” But the question should be, “WHY NOT ME!” Jesus said, “The servant is not greater than his Master!” (Jn 13:16) Our Master suffers all things for all people- in ways few understand! Men see the Cross as a wooden structure on an historic hill in a physical locale where Jesus Christ suffered and died! They cannot see the Cross as God’s symbol of DIVINE DISCIPLINE for all men; but especially for believers, it exemplifies SURRENDERED SUFFERING! 1 Cor 1:18 says, “The preaching of the Cross is foolishness to (fleshly) men that perish; but to US (spiritual men) who are saved (by Christ’s Life) the CROSS is GOD’S POWER (Gk 1411 dunamis, “DIVINE ENABLEMENT, MIRACULOUS ABILITY, AND DYNAMIC POSSIBILITY”)!” On the Cross the sin of the world is nailed securely; then DEATH (carnal-mindedness, Ro 8:6) IS SLAIN FOREVER!
                 Christ has promised Eternal Life to all men, and He cannot rescind His own solemn Oath! It is binding upon His Sovereignty! Natural man can make and break a promises when self-will is not in alignment with the Will of God; however, Infinite Integrity cannot violate a Vow! Paul said, “WE MUST enter the Kingdom of God through MUCH TRIBULATION!” (Ac 14:22) Rapturists notwithstanding, this is the Truth by which Jesus Christ lived and died! He also said “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!” (Ro 8:37)

“God is not a man that He should lie; nor the son of man that He should
change His Mind! For does God speak and not do what He has spoken?
Has He promised and not make good on that Promise?” (Num 23:19)

Now hear again the Word of the Lord:

“HIGH CALLING, HIGH COST!!”

[TO BE CONTINUED]