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GOD-TRACKING IS PICKING UP THE CROSS TO FOLLOW CHRIST!
by Dudley Anderson trACker 530 The e-Devotional helping to keep you on-track More at www.godtracker.co.uk 03 April 2015 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BOOK OFFER God-tracking Through the Year year one By Dudley Anderson The ideal companion to this weekly e-devotional "This book is definitely filled with 'practical spirituality' " "A sublime collection of inspirational devotionals." Order your copy NOW through godtracker.co.uk/book.html Also on Kindle at Amazon >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dear God-tracker GOD-TRACKING IS PICKING UP THE CROSS TO FOLLOW CHRIST! Simon was only a few yards outside the gates of the city when he heard the sound. Men were shouting and women were wailing. Then he heard the sound of cracking whips. Simon stopped dead in his tracks. Instantly, he knew a crucifixion was taking place. It was Passover and Simon and his two boys were making their way to Jerusalem for the holy week. They were looking forward to the celebration in remembrance of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. It was the boy's first visit to Zion, "What will we see when we get there dad," Rufus asked as they walked along? "Well," replied his father, "there will be many people in the city, you can be sure of that. They will each bring a lamb or two doves to be sacrificed as an offering. The priest will take the lambs and offer them to God as a symbol of how He had passed over the people of Israel at the last plague of death in Egypt. You see, it was by the blood of the lamb that the Israelites were saved." Just then, the crowd burst from the city through the gate. At their head, one single bloodied figure was stumbling under a heavy wooden cross. The soldiers whipped and beat while the crowd hurled insults. The man cried out and fell headlong into the gravel, the heavy cross landing on his ripped back. "You there," called the centurion, "you, pick up his cross and carry it for him!" Simon was horrified. It was not simply helping this condemned man that affected him. That he could bear. It was the fact that he would be associated with this man's condemnation and linked for all posterity to his crucifixion by carrying the cross. It would be as though Simon himself was being crucified! Reluctantly, Simon bent over to pick up the wooden beam. As he did his eyes met those of the condemned man: soft, pained and innocent. Dear God-tracker, Jesus once said to his disciples; "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Like Simon of Cyrene on that Good Friday so many years back, if you and I will dare to stoop down and pick up that cross we will be forever associated with the crucifixion of Jesus. You see, when you chose to accept Christ as Lord you chose to be crucified with him. If you have truly called on the name of God and put your faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus then you have died with him at Calvary. The life you now live, as you seek to track God's plans, you live by faith in the risen Christ who loved you and gave himself up for you. What a humbling day it must have been for Simon of Cyrene as he became associated with the crucifixion of the King of the Jews. But what a glorious day it must have been three days later for Simon and his boys as they received word of the resurrection from the dead of the King of Kings! He might have agreed with what the Apostle would later write, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." God-tracking is picking up the cross to follow Christ! Be blessed Dudley It's all in the Book Matthew 27:32-56 Matthew 16:24-26 Romans 6:1-11 Follow Dudley Anderson on Twitter @godtracker Vo/W Verse of the Week Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Quote of the Week Sample of Dudley's Fave Quotes "He came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay." --- Anon Don't Give Up, Look Up! Look up and Fix Your Eyes on Jesus! O Lord, in all I do and seek your purposes for my life with humility as I live in the victory of your resurrection "Dear Father, thank you so much for that auspicious day almost 2000 years ago when Jesus carried his cross to Calvary. Thank you Lord Jesus, for bearing my shame and dying in my place. Today I wish to associate myself with your crucifixion by picking up my cross and carrying it, as though I was being crucified. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live to my own fleshly desires but live by faith in him who loved me and gave himself up for me. I acknowledge you, O Lord, in all I do and seek your purposes for my life with humility as I live in the victory of your resurrection. Amen." If you need more prayer feel free to email [email protected] >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What is trACker? GodTracker and trACker owe their origins to an international Christian radio programme produced by Dudley Anderson called, OnTrack. Although OnTrack went off-air in 2005, trACker has continued to help people to track God's plans and purposes for their lives since July 2003. trACker is a service of godtracker.co.uk. Please consider helping towards expenses in delivering this service to you, HERE or by visiting http://godtracker.co.uk/ Listen to GodTracker for Radio here: http://www.godtracker.co.uk/index.html#Listen Recommend trACker to a friend. Point them to www.godtracker.co.uk or to click on http://godtracker.co.uk/index.html#subscribe Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa Dudley Anderson began writing for radio in 1994. Dudley currently writes a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought called GodTracker and has complied 2 devotional books based on GodTracker. More information at surereaity.net Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |