Closer to Cross

Growing Your Faith  Have faith in God. Mark 11:22 . There is so much deception in the world. People talk about believing in themselves, even loving themselves, as if these are powerful redeeming virtues. They are neither powerful nor redeeming. A drowning man cannot save his life, no matter what he believes about himself. And self-love diminishes one’s love for God and others. How foolish to place your faith in yourself or in any human. Even angels, in all their power, cannot save a person from the bondage, judgment, and condemnation of sin. Faith in anyone other than God is blind and impotent. Only My Father and I give life to the dead and rescue those who have no strength to rescue themselves.  Child, I know you want to grow your faith in the Father and Me. That’s what We want as well. But there is only one way you can grow your faith:  hear My words and do them. To gain the faith to walk on water, Peter first needed to hear from Me. Once he had My command, he could pla...

Called to Be Diligent to Embrace Truth and Avoid Deception  Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah.” They will deceive many. Matthew 24:4–5. It is easy for people to claim to be My followers and even My representatives. Some are, but many are not. Remember, on the last day many will tell Me of the miracles they performed in My name. But I will tell them, “I never knew you.” They have not only deceived others. They have deceived themselves, thinking that performing miracles is proof that they are My followers. But their hearts are far from Me, and their lives are defined by iniquity and lawlessness. Child, do not fall into their deceit. You must discern who are My disciples, not by their words or their works of power, but by their works of righteousness. Do you see them obeying My teachings and commands? My true disciples walk in My commands and teach others to obey all that I have commanded. My true disciples will not be revealed...

Called to Be Harmless   Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16. Child, you are surrounded by many who have no love for My Father or for Me. Some are only ignorant participants in Satan’s kingdom, but others are like ravenous wolves that desire to tear down and destroy My followers. But do not despair or even be anxious. Your Father is greater than all. What they mean for evil, He will turn to good. Instead of Satan being victorious in tearing down Our kingdom, We will ultimately destroy his kingdom. But We will not destroy it with the weapons of this world. We will gain victory by leading My sheep in Our ways. We will plunder his kingdom with the undefeatable weapons of the Father’s wisdom, love, and righteousness. You, along with My other sheep, will defeat Satan’s wolves. Not by returning their evil with evil, but by answering each arrow of evil with Our arrows of goodness. Return hatred with love...

Called to Be Wise Behold,  I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16.  As it is written, “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” Understanding is knowing the ways of the Father. Wisdom is knowing how to walk in the ways of the Father in every moment.  i gnorance is not knowing the ways of the Father, and foolishness is choosing to walk in your own ways rather than the Father’s ways. Living in ignorance and walking in foolishness will bring futility, deception, despair, and harm into your life. My Father and I have a wondrous, eternal purpose for you during your remaining time on earth. Ignorance and foolishness are terrible thieves. They will steal your attention away from that which is most important. They will fill your life with distractions that will prevent you from experiencing and accomplishing all that the Father and I have for ...

The Right Way to Give  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3–4. I know you want to be more like Me. And yet the enemy of your soul whispers to you that it’s hopeless, that you aren’t good enough and you don’t have the power to change. He’s a liar! Because you have been born of the Spirit and have the Holy Spirit with you and in you, you do have the power to be more like Me. As you abide in My words, the Holy Spirit will write them on your heart. Then He will empower you with the grace and faith to obey My words, and He will remind you of My words whenever you face behavioral choices. As you obey My words, your soul will be conformed to My image. You will become more like Me. One way to be like Me is to give to the needy secretly. Unlike hypocrites who give to glorify themselves, you give to glorify the Father. ...

Secretly Do Good   Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. Matthew 6:1–2. I have called you to follow Me. I have called you to be a light in the midst of darkness so others can see your works of  righteousness and glorify God. But I have not called you to be like the ancient Pharisees, who performed religious works and duties hoping to be seen by others. They performed their deeds with the intention of bringing glory to themselves rather than to God. Their reward was the praise of people. They will receive no reward from God. On the other hand, everything you do, do for the glory of My Father and Me. Let others experience My love, My kindness, and My mercy through...

Giving When It’s Not Deserved  And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Matthew 5:40–41. So many people do only what’s expected or demanded of them. Some do even less. I do not want you to act that way. You do not belong to this world or its king or its values. You are a child of the Most High. You are My follower, and you represent Me. So your behavior doesn’t affect just your reputation. It also affects Mine. Your behavior either reflects Me or dishonors Me. It either magnifies Me or diminishes Me. If others can’t see Me in your life, how will they see Me at all? If they don’t experience My unconditional love in your words and actions, how can they know My love? Child, I am joyfully relying on you to represent Me! The treasures of this world aren’t important. If someone demands something from you, don’t fight them. Just give them more than they demand or expect. It will only...

What to Do When You Are Wounded  But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. Matthew 5:39. My dear child, you live in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation. People love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. They have become gods unto themselves, and they have no part with Me. But you need not be discouraged or dismayed, for you are with Me and you are Mine. I am the Light of the World, and because you follow Me, you need never walk in darkness. As My follower, I want you to be a light in the darkness that surrounds you. I want you to represent Me with your words of truth, but even more with your acts of righteousness, to everyone I bring into your path. Those in the world will wound you in many ways. They will speak evil to you and about you. Some will act hatefully toward you, and others will simply neglect or avoid you. But I want you to respond to their evil in the same manner that I res...

Truth Is Simple—Only Lies Are Complicated  Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37 . Satan is the Father of Lies. This world is his kingdom. Those who don’t know Me have grown up in a dishonest world, where people define truth and lies like shades of color. If something is “mostly” true, they view it as true. If there is a slight exaggeration or a few necessary details are omitted, they act as if they have been honest. But God has no part in Satan’s dark world. He is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. You are a child of God. I have called you to walk in the light as He is in the light. Avoid dishonesty in your ways and your words. Your interactions with everyone must be above reproach. When you enter into a commitment, there are to be no lies, no exaggerations, no necessary details hidden or omitted. Whatever you say you will do, you are fully committed to perform. No partiality, no reservations. To...

Great News About Heaven  And they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. Luke 20:36.  Ever since Adam and Eve’s sin, humanity has been enslaved by sin and its terrible consequences: separation from God, all manner of evil, and the agony of death. But My sacrifice on the cross has changed everything for those who believe, repent, and follow Me. Born again, they have become children of My glorious resurrection and adopted children of God. Child, as My faithful follower you, too, are a beloved child of the almighty, everlasting God. Oh, that you could fully comprehend what this really means! The only thing standing between you and heaven is the completion of your mission on earth. You can’t begin to imagine what it will be like once you pass through death’s door. You will experience the full love, righteousness, and mercy of the Father. You will never suffer anything that you suffered on earth. No pai...

Your Most Important Priority  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33. It is natural for you to attend to most everything else before you seek My Father’s kingdom and righteousness. The countless demands on your time seem to be never ending. My child, you are missing the greatest opportunity of your life. The blessings and rewards of seeking My Father, His kingdom, and His righteousness ahead of all else cannot be received in any other pursuit or activity. When you seek Him first, you will gain a level of purpose, fulfillment, and joy that nothing else can give. More important, your life will count for eternity rather than just the few years you have on earth. Begin your day in My words. Let My teachings determine your choices and actions in everything you do. Replace activities that have little worth or relevance to your relationship with Me with activities that do. Begin and end every day meditating on My w...

Reconciling Is More Important to Me Than You Can Imagine  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23–24. How great is your Father in heaven? He is above all! He inhabits your praise and joyfully receives your worship and the gifts of your heart. But as much as He loves your praise, worship, and service, He wants you to be at peace with your brothers and sisters. He wants you to do what you can to repair any offense that stands between you and those whom you have offended. Even if you are worshiping Him and realize you have offended someone, stop and seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Then come back to worship. You may not be able to move the other person to forgive you, but that is not your responsibility. Your responsibility is to sincerely and humbly seek forgiveness and ...

Now Is the Time to Turn Around and Follow Me  Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Matthew 4:17. I began My ministry on earth with a message that the world desperately needed to hear. As it is written, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” People follow paths that appear to be right, because serving themselves first only seems natural. But those self-serving paths lead to eternal separation from My Father’s kingdom. Could anything be worse than spending your entire life going down a path that you thought was right only to find that it was heartbreaking to the Father who loves you? Today many who bear My name embrace the world’s values and walk in ways that are contrary to My Father’s ways. Child, what are your ways? What do you value, and what do you do? How do you spend your time? How do you spend your money? Which activities and distractions have you allowed to become more important than following Me? For ...

Your Ultimate Answers to Any Temptation  For it is written, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” Matthew 4:10. When Satan failed to draw Me away from the Father with his first two temptations, he made a third attempt, using his most powerful weapon: an offer of glory, wealth, and power. He offered Me all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory—the very things that reflect his values and desires. He wrongly assumed that those same desires could be aroused in Me. But I am holy, as the Father is holy. The values of this world have no place in Me. Child, he will also tempt you by trying to appeal to your base desires. He will offer you more recognition, more wealth, more esteem, and more power over others. Although your nature is vulnerable to these temptations, know that you have one and only one safe harbor that will protect you. Your safe harbor is worshiping and serving the Lord your God. Nothing makes you more secure against Satan’s attacks th...