The Success Of The Cross

By Francois Du Toit

I was sitting in a church the other day listening to the reciting of the Christian Creed, and realised that even the devil believes the same.

He has no problem with people believing that Jesus lived, died for man’s sins and was raised on the 3rd day and is now seated at the right hand of God. 

He doesn’t even have a big problem with people avoiding hell and going to heaven. He would desperately seek to keep people neutralised on planet earth though! His deception only has one agenda, to keep people ignorant of the success of the cross.

This is the one thing he desperately wants to hide from man, the mystery that he himself failed to understand; had he understood the wisdom of God he would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

There is no life changing power in believing in a historic or even futuristic Christ!

The mystery that was hidden for ages is the revelation that in God’s economy, Jesus the Messiah represents the human race! He didn’t die as an individual! All of mankind died in his death!

He was not made alive as an individual! Mankind was fully represented in Him, made alive together with Him and raised together with him on the 3rd day! 

Hosea 6:2 ~ After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 

The point of departure in the gospel message is now the fact that as humans we are fully represented in the highest seat of authority in the universe; we are seated there together with him in heavenly places! This is true before anyone but God believed it!

“While we were still dead in our trespasses and sins, He made us alive together with him and raised us up together with him!”

Knowing the truth about our value and innocence as it is unveiled in Christ liberates us into the most attractive life imaginable, the life of our original design as image bearers of God!

Transformer… (from glory to glory)

What happened historically and spiritually when Jesus suffered, died and raised from the dead represented the whole of mankind, whether we believe it or not. Father God was in Christ reconciling the whole world to Himself. God did not gamble with the life of His Begotten Son. God’s righteousness is not at risk. His love is based on value, not pity. He saw equal value in us. He redeemed His image and likeness in human form. He saw the fruit of the travail of His soul, and it satisfied Him. God’s faith sees us free! Our new birth is not the result of a sincere decision we make to follow Jesus, but an awakening of our spirit to the truth of what already took place two thousand years ago when God raised Jesus from the dead.

1 Peter 1:3-4 ~ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you.

To merely see Jesus die historically as an individual carries no further significance beyond religious sentiment. Jesus is not an example for man; He is the example of man! Have a good opinion of God. Beholding Him as what we see in a mirror, transform us into His likeness, from glory (opinion) to glory (opinion).

2 Corinthians 3:18 ~ And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

His glory (opinion) sets the pace and the mirror reflects the death and resurrection of us beholding. This mirror reflects mankind in Christ. This is the key to understanding the Gospel, the greatest story ever told in history. Therefore, see ourselves being mirrored in His death and in His resurrection. If Jesus had paid our debts simply because that He saw enough value in us to feel justified in doing that, then for us not to gratefully accept the Gift would be an insult.

Believe that God is right about you, He loves you and He believes in you.

Is this not grace?

A compilation of Thoughts for Life

Tests

There are two kinds of tests, a self-test and the life-test. Both tests ask the same question and imply the same conclusion. In Paul′s final letter to the Corinthians, he challenges the believers to examine themselves, to see whether they are holding to their faith. He says: ‘Test yourselves. Do you not realise that Jesus Christ is in you!′

This is what your faith is all about. This reality is the only correct conclusion of your faith. This is the first and final test that qualifies the believer, just like when a medical student for example, will have to correctly understand and answer all the relative questions in his final examination before he qualifies to face the real life issues of a career in medicine. Why must we come to the conclusion of Christ in us? Certainly not for mere personal entertainment or convenience, but for dynamic and effective service and ministry! The blessing of His nearness, presence and awesomeness is inevitable! Now we can face life′s tests with confidence.

Thoughts For Life - Francois du Toit

Perseverance

James 1:2-4 (New International Version)

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Perseverance is the fruit of what your faith knows to be true about you. You cannot buy perseverance over the counter, neither do you inherit perseverance; it comes no other way. Perseverance in your faith, to be convinced about your true identity and oneness with God, is your link to the most sought-after quality: a life-experience beyond lack. A test or temptation in this context means anything that makes you feel imperfect, incomplete and in lack; anything that would challenge your conviction that Christ is in you.

Remember, God tests no one; there is no hidden agenda with God, no shadow of inconsistency or change of mind. God is convinced about you. His mind is made up about you. His opinion of you is not subject to your passing or failing a test. He is in no need to still experiment with you before He finally approves of you.

Thoughts For Life - Francois du Toit

Rest

Before we establish ourselves in His righteousness, we sometimes get the idea that God speaks in very exclusive and economic ways; His words are rare and we have to pay a priest or a pastor to hear God on our behalf. But the truth is, we do not even have to wait for next Sunday!

To get in touch with God is just a local call (wireless cell phone!) away. He is not watching us from a distance. Long distance trunk call is religion and is out-dated at the Cross! Acquaint ourselves with God; because Emanuel means God with us and Jesus had placed His presence among men. He dwells within us; we in Him and our identity are found in Christ. He is always in touch with us, within our immediate reach. Our joy and our love, reflect Him; His presence is our portion, we are within the frame of His thought, within the focus of His heart. Our peace is our awareness of His forgiveness. Our joy is our awareness of His righteousness. Our wealth is our awareness of the abundance of His grace. We love because He first loves us...

Acknowledge Him, adore Him… He is forever consistent and He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Sin issue is a done deal at the Cross. Nothing can separate us from God. It remains our choice to labour into His rest and hear Him. We are His audiences; so tune in and listen up...!

NOW

Hebrews 3:13-19 (The Message)

12-14 So watch your step, friends. Make sure there's no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it's still God's Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn't slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.

These words keep ringing in our ears:

Today, please listen; don't turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising.

15-19 For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren't they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn't it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they'd never get where they were going, wasn't he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed.

NOW is the fullness of time. NOW is an eternal concept, not a time concept. Every moment in the history of man is God′s NOW; also every moment in man′s future is God′s NOW! The moment the individual embraces His voice, the now of His eternal strategy begins to unfold.

Francois du Toit of Thoughts for Life (Daily Devotionals)

Emmanuel

To strive to obtain love, peace and joy or to pray to God to give you these qualities is a wasted religious energy. Nothing you can seek to do or wish and pray for could qualify you more for life. Nothing can make your life more significant than to simply become aware of His nature and presence in you and His favour towards you.

Hosea 4:6 ~ My people perish through lack of knowledge…

To realize His presence and provision within you, is what sets you free to be who you are. The more aware we become of God in us, the more overwhelmed we are with a sense of total fulfillment and completeness.

Needs disappear into insignificance; He is not a God who is a far off; Emmanuel means ‘God with us′.

Francois du Toit of Thoughts for Life (Daily Devotionals)

I Believe, and So I Speak!

I believe, and so I speak!

Psalm 116 (NKJV)

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

1 I love the LORD, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
13 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
14 I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints.

16 O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the LORD.

18 I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people,
19 In the courts of the LORD’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!


David encouraged himself in the Lord by saying: "Return to your rest O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."

We too believe and so we speak...!

A dedication to Francois du Toit of Thoughts for Life (Daily Devotionals)

Affirmation

I was touched by the Lord as He ministered to me through the Thoughts for Life (Daily Devotionals) from Francois du Toit of Mirror Reflection on 9th of March i.e on my Birthday...

No one can upset, discredit or humiliate you without your permission.
God has placed a value on your life that is beyond dispute; your true value is a non-negotiable. To forget what manner of man you are, whenever you encounter contradiction, is to deceive yourself. No one can do you greater harm.
You are spirit. In essence your spirit is not subject to change. Yet your mind, your mood, your body and your circumstances can all change. You are infinite.

Voice of Grace From Mirror Reflection

He did not come to introduce a new set of rules, neither was His mission to establish the Christian religion or to start a Christian club, called the church. He exhibits the life of every man, the authentic, original, only life ever meant for man to live! There exists no competition to its attraction! He redeemed the image and likeness of God in human form. Remember Jesus did not come as an example for us but of us!

By Francois du Toit, Mirror Reflection.

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