Closer to Cross

How to Remain in My Love and My Joy. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my  love,  just  as  I  obey  my  Father’s  commandments  and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! John 15:9–11. For more than three years, My disciples experienced the joy of being in the center of My love. On the night of My arrest, they realized I would be leaving them to return to My Father. They were devastated at the thought that they would no longer be able to experience My love and care. I told them they could remain in My love by doing what I did to remain in My Father’s love. I remained in the Father’s love by keeping His commands. My disciples could remain in My love by keeping My commands. Child, the same is true for you. If you will learn My commands and keep them, you will remain in My love, My joy wi...

Leading Your Family and Others in My Kingdom You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25–28. Leaders  often  are  domineering  and  overbearing.  They  often  rule  with arrogance and use fear to pressure their followers. This is not the way I want you to lead. Instead, I want you to lead with humility and gentleness. I want you to lead in a spirit of serving people, including your family. I want you to guide with love and honor instead of demands and fear. I want you to lead by example. Don’t just tell your children to trust Me and run to Me, but let them see you trusting Me and running to...

How to Love Those Who Hate You (and Those You Have Hated) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do  good  to  those  who  hate  you,  and  pray  for  those  who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  Matthew 5:44–45. Child, I have called you to love those you might otherwise hate and those who hate you. You may think, But I don’t hate anyone. That may be true of your feelings, but hatred is a behavior. When you are angry with someone and experience a judgmental or vengeful heart, that is hatred. When you gossip about others, you are damaging their reputation, and that is hatred. My disciples asked Me if they should call fire down from heaven to destroy a group of Samaritans who rejected them. I rebuked them and their spirit and then reminded them that I did...

You Make No Sacrifice When You Sacrifice for Me. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit  eternal life. Matthew 19:29. Many of My early followers gave up their wealth, their livelihoods, and their  security.  They  were  disowned  by  their  families,  hated  by  their neighbors,  and  even  martyred  because  of  their  faith.  Many  gave  up everything they had just to make sure other followers had what they needed. And the truth is, everything they gave up was temporal, and everything they gained was eternal. They knew that their momentary sacrifices were storing up treasures in heaven. But that is not why they made such sacrifices. They simply answered My call to deny themselves, take up their crosses daily, and follow Me. They experienced ...

You Are Worth So Much More Than You Can Ever Imagine I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. John 10:11. I know there are times when you feel like a failure. You think, How can God still love me? And yet I’m telling you that My Father and I love you more than you could ever imagine. We don’t love you because you have earned Our love. And We don’t stop loving you because you’ve earned Our disdain. We love you because it is who We are. When you were dead in sin, having no hope whatsoever, My Father loved you with an indescribable love. He sent Me to live and to die for you. We could not unite with you because of your sin. But now, through your faith in Me, you’ve exchanged your sin for My righteousness. Because of My atoning sacrifice, you have been cleansed of your sin and clothed with My righteousness. Your worth is not based on what you have achieved or earned. It is established forever by Our love for you and proven by what We have done to give yo...

The Power to Forgive Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, “Pay me what you owe!” Matthew 18:27–28. Why do so many who claim to be My followers find it hard to forgive? The reason is, forgiving is not a natural response. The natural responses to being hurt are anger, resentment, and even revenge. Child, I know you still find it hard to forgive some who hurt you. But you can’t follow Me if you will not forgive.  When  you  withhold  forgiveness,  you  choose  to  disobey  My commands. You belittle My sacrifice on the cross. I died to pay the full debt of your sins. When you forgive, you are obeying My command, loving the Father and Me, and honoring what We have done for you. You forgive not because your offender deserves it but be...

I Want You to Know My Father Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:27. My Father’s ways are as far above your ways as heaven is above earth. Though some know a little about Him, no one really knows Him except Me and those to whom I reveal Him. Child, I want you to know My Father. You will stand in awe of His majesty and glory. You will shudder in amazement at His love, His righteousness, and His justice. I don’t want you merely to know about Him; I want you to know Him. First, look at Me and My behavior. As you look at Me, you will witness My Father firsthand. As you see the way I dealt with people, you will see His dealings. I did exactly what pleased Him. He lived His life on earth in Me. Second, listen to My words. Every word I uttered is one He commanded Me to say. My words were His words—perfectly expressed. Finally, act on My words. As you do, My Father and I will come and make Our home with You. And I will rev...

Your Grief Need Not Remain So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. John 16:22. I understand your grief, and I am sorry you are hurting. There is nothing wrong with grief for a season, but it must not become your master. It must not  keep  you  from  accomplishing  the  purpose  I  have  called  you  to accomplish. Your life on earth is but a brief moment in eternity. I am your Shepherd, and you are My sheep. My sheep must follow Me. When grief is your master, it can steal your life and keep you from following Me. If you will draw close to Me, you will see the Father as He really is. As you grow in intimacy with Me, your earthly sorrows will fade. As you dwell in My words and do what I say, My joy will flow into your heart and your joy will be so full it will overflow to others. Let My words pour My Spirit and life into you. If you will, the dark clouds of sorrow wi...

How to Know You Are One of My Sheep I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep and my sheep know me….My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:14, 27. When humanity stands before Me, many will think they are My sheep. They will call Me “Lord” and will tell Me of the miracles they worked in My name. But I will respond, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Here is what sets My sheep apart from all others: I know My sheep and they know Me. They have been born again and have become joined to Me. The whole direction of their lives changed. They used to follow their own paths, doing whatever they wanted, pursuing their own desires. But when they were born of the Spirit, they began to hear My words and do them. They left their paths and began to follow Me. The more they obeyed My words, the more intimate we became. Child, I want that same intimacy with you. Today and every day set your focus on My words. Consume them like your favorite...

Eliminating All Fear by Fearing God Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. Matthew 10:28–29. Why should you continue to live in worry and fear? You are often anxious about so many things, and your life is tormented with stress. Child, it doesn’t have to be that way. When you are fearful, it is a sign that you are setting your focus on the temporary things of this life. This world is not your permanent home. Even death should not be feared by My followers. It’s simply the doorway to your eternal home. To be free from all fear, you need only to revere God above all else and love Him by obeying My teachings. I want you to know that nothing will come your way except through My Father’s loving will. He knows everything about you, and yet He loves you so much that He sent ...

Will You Be Called a Son or Daughter of God? Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9. In this world conflict defines humanity in its fallen state. People engage in active conflict with My Father and His ways because they want to be the god of their lives. Their self-centeredness also keeps them in conflict with other people. When you were born again, your nature changed. You wanted God to rule in your life, and your conflict subsided. If you still have inner conflict, it’s because you are not yielding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. You’re not obeying My teachings. If you experience active or subtle conflict  with  others,  it’s  because  you  demand  your  way  and  judge  or condemn their ways. But I am calling you out of conflict. I want you to be a peacemaker. Enter into a greater peace with God by following and trusting Me. But My peace must not end in you. It must flow out of you to...

Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Matthew 5:6. Can you remember the last time you were really hungry? What did you think about? Could you concentrate on anything other than your desire for food? Or can you remember the last time you were really thirsty? The longer you went without water, the more desperate you became to get a drink. As important as food and water are, righteousness is even more critical to the life and health of your soul. Do you treat righteousness as if it were of little importance? Or do you actively pursue it? Child, I am your Shepherd, and you are My precious lamb. I want to lead you into paths of righteousness. But when you focus on gratifying your other appetites, your soul is filled with everything but righteousness. The only way to gain a driving hunger and thirst for righteousness is to follow Me. Look at My life and activities and imitate Me. Listen to My words and do ...

  My Followers Love to Fulfill My Father’s Desires But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Matthew 9:13. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8. You have received so much mercy from the Father. Why is it sometimes hard to show mercy to those who have wounded you? Perhaps you think they don’t deserve your mercy. The truth is, you did nothing to deserve the mercy of God. Mercy is never deserved. The Father owes mercy to no one. Yet He chose to extend His love and mercy to you—not just by forgiving your sin, but also by paying its impossible debt. That payment required Me to suffer the agony of the Cross, and it cost you nothing! Every day the Father and I still forgive your sin and extend Our unlimited mercies to you. Beyond this, We gave you the greatest gift ever given, the gift of eternal life. Oh child, stop grieving the Holy Spirit. Demonstrate your gratefulness to the Father by showing mercy to all who have hurt you—not because they deser...

Let the Holy Spirit Minister to You in This Way. The Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26. In every situation you must decide how to respond. How can you know My Father’s will in that moment? In some situations a number of choices will glorify the Father. In others there may be only one choice that truly is His way. How can you choose the path that is in keeping with His will? Child, this requires a vital ministry of the Holy Spirit. If you hide My words in your heart, the Holy Spirit will remind you of My words, bringing them to your mind at the moment they are needed. He will then empower you with grace to obey My words at that moment. As you act in faith and take that step of obedience, you will find yourself living in the perfect center of My Father’s will. He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will tell you things to come. He will g...

  Your Perfect Teacher But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26. When I told My disciples that I would soon leave them, they panicked, thinking they would no longer have Me as their Teacher. That’s when I revealed that the Father would send them a new teacher. The Holy Spirit would teach them everything they would need to know. My followers need to be continually taught and guided into truth. Child, the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit is critical for your life. That’s because My Father’s ways are contrary to your natural inclinations. As My Father said through the prophet Isaiah, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” But your learning must begin with me. As you study My life and meditate on My words, the Holy Spirit will teach you, writing those teachings on your he...

  The Time Is Now—Don’t Put It Off Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.  Matthew 8:22. One day a young man told Me that he really wanted to follow Me as a disciple. However, he also wanted to return home and take care of his ailing father’s business. He wanted to bury his father when he died and then follow  Me.  What  seemed  to  be  a  reasonable  request  was  actually shortsighted  and  foolish.  Why?  Because  it  showed  that  he  greatly undervalued Me, My mission, and My calling. He was willing to set aside the eternal impact he could make in the lives of others and instead settle for the temporary gain of caring for the family business. He had been given the opportunity to know Me intimately and be one of My disciples—to be My witness and to feed and lead My sheep. Instead, he wanted to address a temporary need that would quickly pass. Child, My chall...

  Don’t Be Deceived by False Teachers But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall. Matthew 7:26–27. Child, I know you have been puzzled, even discouraged, by the words and actions of some who claim to be My followers. How can people who claim to be Christians do what they have done? It is easy to claim to be My follower. But as I told my disciples, “You will know them by their fruits.” The only way to rightly discern people’s relationship with Me is to look at their lives. My true followers hear My teachings and follow them. Not perfectly, but they hunger for My teachings and strive to obey. Those who hear My words and choose not to do them are building their lives on sand. Although they may know all about me, they do not know me intimately. If you see people living contrary to My te...