© 04-09-1998

Crucifixion always takes two people, the one being crucified and the one who holds the hammer and nails. The cross is always painful, always bloody and always ends in death. Two thousand years ago Jesus was the one on the cross and I held the nails. He volunteered to give up his life for my sins and me. And I demanded his death to prove His love for me. His flesh had to die in order for my spirit to live in him. His hands that never committed a sin were nailed hard to the tree. His feet that never walked away from God were pinned down. His heart that never knew anything but love was broken. I am the one who did the nailing. I am the one who broke His heart. I am the one who yelled Crucify Him. I am the created who killed my creator. Two thousands years later the roles are reversed. Now it is I with my back to the wood and Jesus holds the hammer and nails. My hands are out stretched and my eyes are shut waiting the first hammer blow. My flesh has to die in order for his spirit to live in me. My fleshly hands that have committed all types of sins must be nailed hard to the tree. My fleshly feet that ran from God must be pinned down. My fleshly heart that knows only hate must be broken. This time Jesus will do the nailing. This time Jesus will break my fleshly heart. This time Jesus is yelling crucify self. He is the creator who will kill His created. This time it is Jesus who demands my fleshly death to prove my love for Him. Yes the cross is always painful, always bloody and always ends in death. Go ahead Jesus let the hammer fly. I’m ready.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.