Short & Sweet: Cross Over by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for your soul.

“45 Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 and he said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.”

Deuteronomy 32:45-47

Cross over. In the Hebrew, cross over transliterates as `abar, which means to pass through, to march over, to pass beyond, to pass over. The term Hebrew actually descends from the word `abar. The Hebrew people were those who crossed over. Following the Ark of the Covenant, the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the Land of Promise.

Similarly, as believers, we are continuously called to cross over to our Promised Land. The cross of Jesus enables us to cross over. At the foot of the cross, we leave the darkness and cross over into the light. We leave self and cross over to Savior. We leave sin and cross over to righteousness. We leave hopelessness and cross over to purpose.

Action Points:

How is God calling you to cross over?
Is there a Jordan River standing between you and your Promised Land? If yes, how can you take a step of faith today and cross over?
Thank God for everything He has empowered you to leave behind because you crossed over to follow Him.

Life is sweet.

Short and Sweet: Cross-walk by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for your soul.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Mark 8:34

Come after Me. Jesus issues a call to all people to come to Him. The word come in the original Greek is erchomai, which means “to come from one place to another.” I have been a few places.

Come …

… walk out of darkness and into light.

… walk out of sin and into righteousness.

… walk out of condemnation and into grace.

… walk out of death and into everlasting life.

In Mark 8:34, Jesus invites whoever desires to come and follow Him. Desires means to will, to determine, to purpose, to find pleasure. The “cross-walk” (following Jesus) leads to a life of purpose, joy, and fulfillment.

Before we can cross-walk, we must first deny ourselves … self or cross. Self-walk or cross-walk. We can’t do both. If we decide to cross-walk, we will leave footprints of hope, struggle, peace, pain, joy, and life that will lead others to the foot of the cross.

Action Points:

Which way are you currently walking, self-walk or cross-walk?
Who else desperately needs to know how to cross-walk?
Is there an area of your life you haven’t laid down at the foot of the cross?
What do you need to do to lay it down?

Life is sweet!

Short & Sweet: Paths and Ways by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for your soul.

Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see,

And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it;

Then you will find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Jeremiah 6:16

As Christians, we should not be threatened by other religions or world views. God calls us to stand in the ways and see. The word see, in the original Hebrew means, “to observe, to consider, to give attention to, to learn about. This does not mean we should try every “-ism and -ology” before accepting the truth of Christianity. We are to “take a stand” in face of all the other ways and ask for the old paths, where the way is good and walk in it. Be assured, God’s way will bear testing and scrutiny and be found to be absolute truth.

For greater comprehension, please study the following words from our verse in the original language.

Hebrew Words:

ask: in Hebrew sha’al, which means “to enquire carefully, to ask of God.” Our salvation comes from the Lord.

old: in Hebrew owlam, which is defined as “everlasting, evermore, perpetual eternity.” The old is always relevant.

walk: in Hebrew yalak, which translates “a manner of life, a way of living, to die.” Christianity is a spiritual birth to death commitment.

Remember, there are ways, and then there is the good way. Jesus is the Way; the good path. Let’s choose the Way that will last for eternity, with no unpleasant surprises in the end. When we choose His path, we’ll find rest for our souls.

Action Points:

Ask for the good way concerning your current challenge.
How can you walk more closely to Jesus?
If anyone followed the current path of your life, where would it lead?

To start your journey with Jesus, please click on the link below:

Following Jesus

Life is sweet!

Lent Day 28 Follow Me As I Follow Jesus

Welcome to Day 29 of our Lenten Devotions! For the rest of this week, we will be studying the topic of spiritual growth, looking at practices that will help us to grow in our faith. Just click on the link below to read today’s devotional, as we explore the topic of mentoring.

Lent Day 28, Follow Me As I Follow Jesus

Thanks for joining us. May the Lord bless your day!