Why The Cross?
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Hi, my name is Patrick. You may have seen me walking down a road near you with a cross. If you have, you've probably wondered, “Why?!”
Many years ago, I spoke to a man about Jesus while I was at a Walmart. When we got done, we exchanged phone numbers to follow up later. As I was leaving, he said, “I will probably never hear from you again.” He didn’t live that far from me, but as time went on, I got busy with work and family. The Holy Spirit prompted me several times to get a hold of him, but I let my busyness talk me out of it. Then one day, while I was mowing my lawn, police cars and fire trucks raced passed my house. A little while later the paperboy came by from the direction they were going. I asked him what was going on, and he said, “A man just stabbed his wife to death and tried to kill himself by setting his house on fire!” Immediately the Holy Spirit said to me, “It is that man from Walmart who I told you to talk to again!” I was broken. Then God said to me, “When I tell you to do something, I need you to do it! Lives are on the line!”
Some time later, God told me to put together a simple cross and take it out on the street. (In Luke 14:21-23 He says, "Go out to the streets and alleys … out to the highways and country lanes and compel people to come in so that My house will be full.") I wrestled with the idea for some time, wondering, “What will come of this if I do?” God said, “Stop thinking about it! Take two pieces of your old barn wood, put a nail through them both and take it out on the street!” A few days later, while parked on the street with this cross in my car, I finally had to say to myself, “I am not leaving here until I do this!” But the minute I did, I sensed God’s pleasure. Yes, dragging a cross around is strange, but God cares enough to use strange things to get our attention; they are like signs on the highway pointing to Him: “Follow the signs!”
Yes, God still speaks today. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27). But He is also calling those who are not yet His sheep: in the ear of their hearts, through the will to live and the longing for immortality (Ecclesiastes 3:11), through the creation (Romans 1:19-20), through their conscience - His law that is written upon their hearts (Romans 2:15), through His written word - the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21), and through the words of those who know Him (Romans 10:14). He may have even spoken to you in a dream, or simply through a friend who knows Him. If He has, don’t be like I was with the man at Walmart – too busy to listen to God. Lives are on the line! Maybe your life! No one knows their day or hour! Hebrews 4:7 says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart!”
I started HeartLikeFire.net to help explain having a relationship with God. Like the Apostle Paul who said, "I did not shrink back from telling you anything that was helpful." (Acts 20:20), I'll share any truth that I think might be necessary in hopes to stir you to respond to God. Your soul is the most valuable thing you have! Please take time to seek God about these things. Nothing is more important!
If you would like, I would love to discuss any questions you may have, or pray for any concerns that are on your heart.
God bless you – from a friend,
Patrick
Many years ago, I spoke to a man about Jesus while I was at a Walmart. When we got done, we exchanged phone numbers to follow up later. As I was leaving, he said, “I will probably never hear from you again.” He didn’t live that far from me, but as time went on, I got busy with work and family. The Holy Spirit prompted me several times to get a hold of him, but I let my busyness talk me out of it. Then one day, while I was mowing my lawn, police cars and fire trucks raced passed my house. A little while later the paperboy came by from the direction they were going. I asked him what was going on, and he said, “A man just stabbed his wife to death and tried to kill himself by setting his house on fire!” Immediately the Holy Spirit said to me, “It is that man from Walmart who I told you to talk to again!” I was broken. Then God said to me, “When I tell you to do something, I need you to do it! Lives are on the line!”
Some time later, God told me to put together a simple cross and take it out on the street. (In Luke 14:21-23 He says, "Go out to the streets and alleys … out to the highways and country lanes and compel people to come in so that My house will be full.") I wrestled with the idea for some time, wondering, “What will come of this if I do?” God said, “Stop thinking about it! Take two pieces of your old barn wood, put a nail through them both and take it out on the street!” A few days later, while parked on the street with this cross in my car, I finally had to say to myself, “I am not leaving here until I do this!” But the minute I did, I sensed God’s pleasure. Yes, dragging a cross around is strange, but God cares enough to use strange things to get our attention; they are like signs on the highway pointing to Him: “Follow the signs!”
Yes, God still speaks today. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27). But He is also calling those who are not yet His sheep: in the ear of their hearts, through the will to live and the longing for immortality (Ecclesiastes 3:11), through the creation (Romans 1:19-20), through their conscience - His law that is written upon their hearts (Romans 2:15), through His written word - the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21), and through the words of those who know Him (Romans 10:14). He may have even spoken to you in a dream, or simply through a friend who knows Him. If He has, don’t be like I was with the man at Walmart – too busy to listen to God. Lives are on the line! Maybe your life! No one knows their day or hour! Hebrews 4:7 says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart!”
I started HeartLikeFire.net to help explain having a relationship with God. Like the Apostle Paul who said, "I did not shrink back from telling you anything that was helpful." (Acts 20:20), I'll share any truth that I think might be necessary in hopes to stir you to respond to God. Your soul is the most valuable thing you have! Please take time to seek God about these things. Nothing is more important!
If you would like, I would love to discuss any questions you may have, or pray for any concerns that are on your heart.
God bless you – from a friend,
Patrick
