How often, I have chided those that have taken their leave in this world, "Pick up thy cross pilgrim!" The secret is, we cannot assist in this journey, for this walk is all His. To attempt to pick up the cross, but only signals the advent of our pilgrimage of grace. For in lifting the cross, we discover there is only One, that can bear such weight.With Ellie's series on "Leaving Bethel" I share this message as only an echoing supplement, to her encouraging word. As our sister has shared, we are leaving religion. Religion, is to believe man has a desire to die to self and with it, the ability to carry the cross. Modern Christianity, with it's whorish church system, is built upon the foundation, of this very very false premise. To the greatest contrary, the "cross", is a "God work", so awesomely Holy, man can have no part in it. Only Christ, within can carry the cross and with this, we die even to our effort. Let all Heaven and earth, bow to Him alone, who is Holy and Able!
CHRIST, THE INWARD ROOM WHERE IS
FOUND EVERYWHERE AND EVERYTHING
Pick up thy cross pilgrim. We are leaving the leeks and garlic of Egypt and are moving to the other side!
"And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. In the same way, none of you can be my disciples, unless you give up everything."
(Heb 11:13-16, Lk 14:33)
God's sons are sojourners, heaven bent. They are not here on earth, to gather and take their inheritance on this side. Daniel knew to refuse the pleasant bread and Jesus became the bread, worthy of all those that followed Him. These pilgrims had nary a place to lay their head, save Jesus, the Promise and Pattern Son. So it is, like Jesus, we die to our selves and die to the things of this world, to follow Him on into Resurrection Life. We cannot assist in this journey, for this walk is all His. To attempt to pick up the cross, but only signals the advent of our pilgrimage of grace. For in lifting the cross, we discover there is only One, that can bear such weight. He even stands before us at paradise gate.
Ray Prinzing wrote beautifully about the stranger and sojourner, we have become. Here is one of many inspired messages he wrote. It is entitled the "As a Stranger." I pray it will encourage and bless you.
“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as a stranger, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Heb. 11:9-10)
It was girded up with faith that Abraham sojourned in the land of promise. He was actually in the midst of that land, it was alongside of him everywhere, yet he kept the status of a stranger, with temporary dwelling of tents. He recognized where his citizenship belonged, even in his fatherland, a realm that was beyond this natural, temporal land, and he knew his seed would inherit it after him, he would not settle down as if this was his permanent dwelling place. He could believe for the promise, even swell in the midst of it, but it was not the totality of his vision. The natural promise and fulfillment were to him only the projection of a vision, and he desired the reality and fulfillment of the greater.
If one is content to live in the midst of signs and symbols, they will not go on into the fulfillment of what that sign was pointing to. Abraham looked beyond – he did not belong to the promise, the promise belonged to him. He belonged to the One that was able to fulfill the promise, and satisfy the inner desires of the heart. To be sure, there are a lot of “promises” which belong to us, but how much do we belong to the PROMISER? Belong to Him Who shall work a total redemption!
God has promised us many natural blessings – they pertain to this LAND, this earthen vessel. Food, clothing, etc., your Father knoweth ye have need of these things. But for all these natural blessings, those who have caught a vision of the greater realities, become a stranger to these things. We will not drive our stakes down and settle for present portions – certainly not for the natural blessings, nor yet even for the spiritual blessings of the “in part.” We look for a greater, “when that which is perfect is come.” (end quote)
My friend, "Heaven on Earth" is a paradisaical realm of unimaginable glory and it lays closer, than the nose is to your face. Only Jesus can unlock the gate, to this paradise. He is even the Gate and Paradise Himself, the Supernal Garden that rests within each of us.
Adam, which be you and me, has left the external paradise for greater still. This new paradise is Christ and He is within. For when we see Him, we'll not care to keep the lesser, which stands without, but instead give all, for the better that rests within.
And now good-morrow to our waking souls,
Which watch not one another out of fear;
For love, all love of other sights controls,
And makes one little room, an everywhere
~ Donne
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments. and His ways past finding out! For from Him every thing comes; through Him everything exists ; and in Him everything ends! Glory to Him forever! Amen." Rom. 11:33,36
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