THE CROSS: IT IS FINISHED

Hello fellow believers. This is the final Rambling...about the LAST MAN ON EARTH...and how he dealt with those pesky...troublesome...zombies. Light, garlic, mirrors, and the cross are the weapons that he used...and so are we as we walk in the light as He is in the light, as we utilized the sweet aroma as a stench of death of the garlic...as we look intently in the mirror of the Word...and we are ending up with the big gun, THE CROSS. To some the point of life...to others a nice piece of jewelery to hang around their neck. Of course the CROSS was the instrument of death used for other people other than Jesus. It was the means of capital punishment for troublemakers...including thieves...political prisoners...murders, etc. If Jesus came in modern times...we might be wearing a cute little gold, diamond encrusted ELECTRIC CHAIR around our necks...or if He came in the Old West...we would be wearing a cute little noose with a hangmans knot around our neck.

In the movie...Mr. Price thought he was the last man. In the Bible...Adam was the first man...but someone came along to clean up the mess that the first man made...and that is the TRUE LAST MAN....Jesus. "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that ONE died for ALL...therfore ALL DIED...and HE died for ALL...that they who live should no longer live for themselves...but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." (II Cornithians 5:14,15) The First Man was the root of SIN that was spread to this world..."Therefore, just as through ONE MAN sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to ALL MEN..because ALL sinned." (Romans 5:12)

ADAM #1 brought in sin....ADAM #2 was CRUCIFIED on a CROSS for those sins. "So it is written, 'the FIRST MAN, Adam...became a living soul. The LAST ADAM (Jesus) became a LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. However, the spiritual is NOT FIRST...but the natural; then the spiritual (Adam...then Jesus). The FIRST MAN (Adam) is from the earth..earthy...the SECOND MAN (Jesus) is from heaven." (I Corintians 15:45-47) Who is this LAST MAN? "I Am the Alpha and the Omega...the first and the LAST...the beginning and the END." (Revelation 22:13)

For years now...I have listened and watched my mentor...Bruce Coble in action. I have learned a few lessons from him. This picture is of us in Kenya. Bruce is a man of God...that I aspire to be. Some of the things I have learned from Bruce includes:
(1) Worship is critical
(2) Serve Others
(3) Love Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. (4) The first will be last and the last first. Always see where Bruce is in line at a cover dish dinner (5) Always go back to the CROSS. NOTE: I guess you can blame Bruce for me always going back to the D.B.R. As the song states it was... at the CROSS...at the CROSS where I first saw the light...and the burdens of my heart rolled away...it was there by faith...I received my sight...and now I am happy all the day [Issac Watts and Ralph Hudson]. It is at the CROSS that I first received forgiveness...and at the CROSS where I go back to when I lose my way. It is at the CROSS...that I use as a touch point to deal with sin (the things that I do) and sin (the nature) so I am no longer a slave to sin. It is by the EMPTY TOMB...that I can look into...and know that it is also an EMPTY CROSS...where the work has been done.

Jesus spoke SEVEN WORDS (statments) as He hung on the CROSS as the sinless lamb...who became the propitiation...substitute...satisfaction..
scapegoat...in our place. The last statement that He made was..."IT IS FINISHED". After He bowed His head...he GAVE UP His spirit.
(John 19:30) His work was done...and now...all we can do is accept what God accepts.

As the FLESH rises up in our lives...we can choose to yield to the flesh..or embrace the work of the CROSS. When those FLESH ZOMBIES of the old nature rise up...we take a stand in power and authority...and declare with assurance...YOU ARE DEAD...BY FAITH...LEAVE IN THE NAME OF JESUS. Shine the LIGHT....whip out the GARLIC...reflect the MIRROR...and stand next to the CROSS...and they must leave.

"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 delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"If then you HAVE BEEN RAISED UP WITH CHRIST...keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. SET YOUR MINDS on the things above...not on the things that are on the earth, for you HAVE DIED and you rlife is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life is revealed...then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

Thanks for hanging in there through this series.

Mooey Kisses
Ramblin' Rod