rebbell Posted December 17, 2013 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 164 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 36 Days Won: 1 Joined: 02/28/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/28/1967 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Posted December 17, 2013 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 493 Content Per Day: 0.10 Reputation: 53 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/14/2010 Status: Offline Share Posted December 17, 2013 One word: Surrender. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x141 Posted December 17, 2013 Group: Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 42 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 0 Joined: 11/12/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/05/1959 Share Posted December 17, 2013 It's the first commandment as it is the first feast that we keep, which without we cannot be taught of Christ who is in us, let alone enter and remain in the word that is revealed. But there is a laying down of your soul and a picking back up of it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Senior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 67 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 503 Content Per Day: 0.09 Reputation: 31 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/14/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted December 19, 2013 Oh, oh, you asked a rather unpopular question. However the first instance of carrying your cross, appears in Mathew. "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Mt. 10:38 In my opinion, this is expounded on more when a rich young man approaches Christ and asks Him, "...what good must I do to have eternal life?" Mt. 19:16 Christ tells him that he should "keep the commandments." Mt. 19:17 To this the rich man, asks, "which ones" and Christ specifies commandments that have to do with our neighbors. Mt !9:18 The rich man confirms that he has kept them but what can he be lacking? Christ tells him, "...If you would be perfect go, sell what you posses and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come follow me." Mt 19:21. The man sorrowfully leaves for he is very rich (his cross). So, again in my opinion, carrying your cross is dealing with all manner of things that keep you from the straight and narrow path to Christ. This brings up works which in themselves can not merit salvation, however they are a an essential way of aligning ourselves with Christ. That is, we must choose and show who we are as followers of Christ, everyday. Corrected on 12/19: Carrying your Cross is to die to what stands in the way of following Christ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all? The cross represents the loss of all things. It means to follow Jesus at the expense of one's reputation, which in Jesus' day was everything. The cross was a scandal. To follow Jesus can often create a scanda. A good example of this is Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty who was suspended for stating the convictions of his Christian faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbell Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 164 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 36 Days Won: 1 Joined: 02/28/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/28/1967 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 One word: Surrender.~ Surrender is what we have to do to be able to pick up our cross.Now that one has surrender and picked up their cross, we follow HIM.To you, What does it mean to bear your cross and follow HIM?God bless you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebbell Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 1 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 164 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 36 Days Won: 1 Joined: 02/28/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/28/1967 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 It's the first commandment as it is the first feast that we keep, which without we cannot be taught of Christ who is in us, let alone enter and remain in the word that is revealed. But there is a laying down of your soul and a picking back up of it again.The first commandment is "to love the Lord thy God,"...Ok, now that one has confessed HIM as Lord and Savior of their life, HE plainly states, "Follow Me".What does it mean to you to follow HIM?God bless you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OakWood Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Royal Member Followers: 7 Topic Count: 867 Topics Per Day: 0.24 Content Count: 7,331 Content Per Day: 1.99 Reputation: 2,860 Days Won: 31 Joined: 04/09/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/28/1964 Share Posted December 19, 2013 We will all have a cross to bear eventually, and Jesus is telling us that if we pick up our cross and follow him, we will expect to share in a little bit of his suffering, but our rewards will be great.. I especially apply this to today's World. As we approach the End Times, more and more of us can expect to feel rejection, hardship, and maybe even persecution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Senior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 67 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 503 Content Per Day: 0.09 Reputation: 31 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/14/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted December 19, 2013 Pick up your cross and follow HIM. What does this mean to you all? The cross represents the loss of all things. It means to follow Jesus at the expense of one's reputation, which in Jesus' day was everything. The cross was a scandal. To follow Jesus can often create a scanda. A good example of this is Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty who was suspended for stating the convictions of his Christian faith. Oak: Yes, the cross at those times meant crucifixion and I will have to look at my overgeneralization more closely - I may be wrong. However in those times wasn't life much more harsher. Adultery was punishable by death. Joseph wanted to put away Mary because he risked losing his reputation. Was the rich young man in danger of losing his way of life, family, friends, reputation if he followed Christ? Further doesn't Christ put spirituality on higher level when he said, "If you love your father or mother more than me, you are not worthy of me..." Matt 10:37 So, could it be stated that anything that interferes with your love of Christ can mean isolation from Him? So in essence, generalizing in terms of the cross is not a correct answer but if we look at those times, they are certainly don't resemble our contemporary society. And that is worth mentioning. I don't know anything about the Duck Dynasty but I may give it a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted December 19, 2013 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 598 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,193 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,921 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted December 19, 2013 In the places I see shouldering our cross, the contest of the scripture is speaking of the trials of this life and persecution that will follow if we follow him. Where it mentions picking up our cross it speaks of clinging to, or giving up one's life. That section of scripture appears to me to be letting us know that life in this world right now may not be pleasant. It mentions putting things ahead of Him, even our parents and kids are not supposed to be put above him in our lives. If it comes down to choosing either our families or Him, we are to choose Him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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