The cross: cost Jesus everything
Genesis 41:1-4
Genesis 41:1-4 says, “Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. “And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.” Joseph had been incarcerated in Egypt. When the butler was released, he thought he was about to escape the false imprisonment that captured him but he still had two full years! God waited two full years after Pharaoh\’s butler was redeemed from prison to set Joseph free. The unfairness of the past did not matter. Joseph said, ‘I’ve done nothing to deserve this.’ The butler promptly forgot about Joseph for two full years. Who was involved in that? God was! What can we say about a God Who was willing to pay the price to redeem us from sin, then could sell us into slavery to help others? That was Joseph’s testimony. It was God who purposed and ordered Joseph’s life. It was God who brought him up and ordained him for this. It was God Who extracted the preparational price out of Joseph’s life. It was Joseph’s blood in the street that qualified him to be an agent of redemption. Do many preach about this side of the cross? It is no wonder that we have people who don’t understand who God is or His plan and purpose. The most central truth in all 2 of Scripture is called the cross. In all of history the cross is the dividing line event that redeems failure. Thousands of believers go to church every Sunday and how many of them learn to carry the cross? How many Christians learn to embrace the cross? The Lord told us that in the last days not everyone would want to hear the truth. Are we willing to speak real truth about redemption? The cross-cost Jesus everything. It will cost us something if we embrace the Spirit’s leadership. According to the book of Revelation walking through the last days is very costly for the church! The church overcomes by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, loving not our own lives even unto the death, Revelation 12:11b. What does this tell you about God? What does this story in Genesis tell you about man? Since this is God’s word what changes do I need to make in my life? Whom am I going tell or share with?
- Pray that as the heavens declare, you will during this season go back to the message of the cross and ask the Holy Spirit to give you a revelation on this greatest altar that was ever raised.
- Pray that you will revisit the importance of “carrying your cross” daily as commanded by Yeshua. The cross was the scene of the new covenant that was cut between Jehovah and man restoring us back into fellowship with Him and therefore back into our redemptive purpose as mankind to rule and reign with Him forever.
- Read and meditate on Gen 1:26-28, Rev 22:4-5 and ask the Holy Spirit to bring you to a new and greater revelation of the significance of the cross and the covenant we have through it.