Cross Bearing

-- An Acrostic --

                                     Christ being your sole Headmaster,      
                                     Run with great love and passion, 
                                     Obeying His great and high call,
                                     Surrendering to Him your all,     
                                     Striving to please Him no matter what.

                                     Being all that He wants you to be,  
                                     Enduring all shame and reproach,
                                     Admitting that you’re so unworthy,
                                     Robed with humility as a cloak,
                                     Imitating Christ’s behavior, 
                                     Not moving your eyes from Jesus’ face,
                                     Going for that straight, narrow door. 

--Hope, girl, age 14

Scriptural basis:

“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’” (Luk 9:23; cf., Mat 16:24; Mar 8:34)

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:1-2)

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mat 7:13-14)

"Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Luk 13:24)

“Find out what pleases the Lord.” (Eph 5:10. NIV)

"I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me."  (Gal 2:20)

"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."  (Gal 6:14)

Related Poems:

The Cost

I'll Follow You

Reward of the Overcomer

Related blogs:

The Cost of Discipleship
The Straight and Narrow Path   
Costly Grace
Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?
Crucified with Christ
The Ways of Life

Related Quotes:
“Cross- loving men are needed.” -- Hudson Taylor

“Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing.” -- Hudson Taylor

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.  The "At the Cross" illustration is by my seventeen-year old daughter, Charity Lacroix. You can find more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note:  The poems in this blog were written by my children, ages ten through seventeen. The "Why This Blog" post explains how the Lord inspired these poems in answer to a prayer during illness. I also recommend visiting my children's blog, A Brush with Life, where you will also find beautiful art they have drawn for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Die or Deny

Keep me by Your saving power
From that dark and dreadful hour
When the masses will deny
Their Lord, for whom they fear to die

Strengthen that which You began.
Hold me in Your loving hand.
I entrust my soul to You,
For that which I myself can’t do.

I have not come to save my life,
Defending self when faced with strife.
What good is it, the world to gain,
Yet stand before the Lord in shame?

For what we do He will reward.
Did we deny the Sovereign Lord?
O, Keeper of my wandering soul,
You alone preserve the whole.


– Charity, girl, age 16

Scriptural basis:

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Mat 10:28-34)

"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luk 21:36)

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2Co 5:10)

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done." (Rev 22:12)

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." (Rev 3:10)

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jud 1:24-25)

More of our children's poems:

Don’t Run from God

At the Crossroads

The Answer

America, Turn Back to God

The Name of the Lord
The Sheep and the Goats
The Spirit is willing

Related blogs:
The Mark of the Beast (666)
The End Has Come
Word of Warning for America
America’s Destruction is at Hand
Are you Rapture Ready?

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note:  The poems in this blog were written by my children, ages seven through sixteen. I provided minor input on the completed version of the poem published on this page.  The "Why This Blog" post explains how the Lord inspired these poems in answer to a prayer during illness. I also recommend visiting my children's blog, A Brush with Life, where you will also find beautiful art they have drawn for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Cost

Foxes have their holes,
The birds have their own nests;
But the very Son of Man
Could find no place to rest.

You want to follow Christ;
Only some other day.
You have yourself to serve,
And you don’t want to pay.

But serving Jesus comes
Along with something else;
It’s giving up your hopes,
Denying all of self.

God wants all that you can give,
Your body, heart, and soul.
Commit your life to Him;
To Jesus, become sold.

Not one man who puts
His hand to the plow,
And then looks back is fit
To serve the Master now.

But you can have a chance
To give your very best.
Invite the Lord inside,
And He will find His rest.

-- Charity Lacroix, age 14

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev 3:20 NASB)

"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? (Luk 14:26-28 NASB)

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mar 8:35-37 NASB)

"So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. (Luk 14:33 NASB)

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." (Phi 3:7-8 NASB)

But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  (Luk 9:62 NASB)

More of our children's poems:
Cross Bearing

The Glory of God
Without Love
When I Get to Heaven
Seashore
Vessel for the Master
The Spirit is willing
Pearl in the Sand
He Wants To Be Involved 

Reward of the Overcomer
Mirror of Christ

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note:  The poems in this blog were written by my children, ages seven through fourteen. The "Why This Blog" post explains how the Lord inspired these poems in answer to a prayer during illness. You're invited to read my article on this topic, called "The Cost of Discipleship," as well as "Costly Grace." I also recommend visiting my children's blog, A Brush with Life, where you will also find beautiful art they have drawn for the glory of God. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  The "Your Move" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.  Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.