THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS:

PASTOR ROBERT KAYANJA:

THE CROSS AND WHY JESUS CAME (Preamble)

The world seriously believes that death by hanging on the tree is an old
practice since time immemorial but was enhanced by the Roman brutal
punishment to anybody who resisted their tyrannical rule. Therefore
this death by the cross took centre stage as part of the equation of
neutralizing the enemy and was feared. The Romans did a lot in terms
of invention and spearheading the development of the world by
building infrastructure. On the downside however, the destruction of
communities, stability and growth is also attributed to them. The
Roman system in literature, poetry and numbering became the global
standard and much of it is still with us today. The Roman Empire
coincided with the coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ, for it was only the
Romans who could carry out such execution - death by hanging on the
cross.

(Luke 1:1-6)

In previous empire rising and falling you do not see the execution by
the cross especially in the holy land, where rebellion and resistance
against anything ungodly was a common practice even among
children. The Jews could not tolerate anybody who was an idol
worshipper, which the Romans were. Caesar was worshiped as a god.
The Jews put up stiff resistance against such, as was the case at
Masada. Barabbas himself was well known military resister and only at
Jesus’ death did the public cry out for his release. The Romans were

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also known for gladiator games in which one opponent would fight the
other to death and they would rejoice over it. The brutality in the
Roman Empire became ground on which such gruesome death could
be meted out to somebody such as hanging all day till one died.

The Roman brutality at the time was also exemplified by the thirty nine
stripes that they whipped Jesus with. These whips were designed to
peel the skin off one’s back. The cross was used as one the brutal
methods of punishing whoever was perceived as an enemy of Rome.
Roman political leaders also acted as judges even though in reality, not
every general or political leader was necessarily a good judge. Pontius
Pilate rejected the advice of his wife and delivered Jesus to be
crucified.

(Matthew 27:26)

Roman leaders were more interested in political correctness and

pleasing the people than in the truth.

So why the Cross

Over 2000 years ago, this old tactic of punishing your enemy until he
cried out, begging you for mercy, was very prevalent throughout the
Roman Empire as a form of judgement. Where did this method come
from? Who started this?

Historical studies are scanty as there is no record of who particularly

invented and started it- who put it down that it started at such a time.
However, in the book of Job chapter 1, when the devil, the accuser of
the brethren, the serpent of old was having a discussion with God, we
see that he incubated an idea already in him shown in how he moves.

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Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan
answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and
from walking up and down in it.

The enemy’s movement on the earth is with brutality and we see this in
His conversation with God, when he answered… to and fro… up and
down… brutally marking the sign of the cross on the earth and waiting
for whoever would pick up his idea to carry it through.

Brutality is the way Satan operates on anyone; if it is not hanging on

the cross, it is decapitation, cutting open the chest to pluck out a still
beating heart, drinking raw blood or like Shaka Zulu, pinning people to
stakes as a form of punishment. Gas chambers, biological/ chemical
weapons released on innocent civilians, flogging to death those with
whom one doesn’t agree, genocide, the use of nuclear weapons on
innocents all such brutality is the devil’s idea.

Satan incubates the idea of the cross and reveals his plan to God
because when you go to God, whatever you are incubating, godly or
ungodly is revealed. The presence of God causes you to reveal things
that you otherwise intended to keep secret and we have seen this
during the 77 days of glory.

Often, someone comes on the stage to say one thing in a testimony

but ends up revealing things they were not intending to reveal about
themselves and their family. The presence of God causes you to reveal
hidden issues.
I remember as the mother of one the celebrities who got saved during

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phase three of the 77days of glory testified of the salvation of her son.
The story was about how he was abandoned and picked from the
hospital and raised. The testimony was great but as the mother kept
on talking about her son, she confirmed that he was drunkard, she
revealed problems he was having with his wife and that he was a
womanizer.

We in the congregation could clearly see how shocked he was to hear

his mother spill his beans. In the presence of God nothing can be
hidden. God sees everything and brings it to the surface until he can
deal with it and set you free.

So Satan was not going to tell the Lord about the cross, but found
himself revealing that as far as his movement on the earth, the cross
had been designed in his mind to use against the earth, and anybody
who would stand in his way to oppose him would suffer the
consequences.

Though the cross had not yet been invented on the earth, we see that
brutality unleashed on Job. No system had embraced his idea yet, but
we see the way he handled Job, killing his children, destroying the man
and bringing him to shame.

Job 1:8-20

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man,
one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9ThenSatan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for
nought? 10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his

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house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed
the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he
will curse thee to thy face.
12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy
power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went
forth from the presence of the LORD.
13And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
14And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were
plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they
have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee. 16While he was yet speaking, there came
also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and
hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them;
and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The
Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have
carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the
sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy
sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest
brother's house: 19And, behold, there came a great wind from the
wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon

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the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to
tell thee.
20ThenJob arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell
down upon the ground, and worshipped

Then as he moved on the earth he found people who agreed with his
methodology of brutality. We see it in the American south in the
United States during the days of slavery where many young black men
were found hanged without any proper form of justice.

If Jesus had been taken to any courts of law there wouldn’t have been
any evidence against Him. Jesus actually died for no crime He
committed, yet He received the highest and most severe punishment
Rome could offer.

So why the cross?

When Adam sinned against God and the devil came down and
delivered a blow to the human race- the image of God, by tempting
him to do what God told him never to do, he acquired power which he
never had. The devil stole the power from Adam who was now afraid,
cowardly and shameful- It does not matter who you are or how much
you have, the moment you show forth those three elements:
cowardice, fear and shame, you feel like you can’t fight back.

The enemy came and grabbed the power from Adam and used it to
massacre, kill and destroy everything human. His direct opposition was
not against God because he could not handle Him nor survive a war
with Him. He only attacked His territory in the book of Revelation but

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knew he could not withstand the fire power of heaven seeing as only
one archangel could defeat and throw him out of heaven.

When Satan came down according to the book of Revelation he came

down to the inhabitants of the earth and his attack was not limited to
human beings.

Revelation 12:12 (NKJV)

12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe

to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come
down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a
short time.”

Satan is after everything that is alive on the earth. In the beginning he

had covered it with darkness and never wanted it to see a day of light.
Now after the darkness was gone, he said decided to unleash on the
earth his venom of brutality to everything that dwells on the earth.

So the cross was the devil’s invention to unleash his brutality on the
inhabitants of the earth, but because he spoke before God, God began
to provide a solution so that his creatures, animals inclusive, would not
have to bear the cross, and that’s where we discover the glory of God
which comes out of God’s love for us.

God saw what the devil could do when he attacked Job that badly after
God had lifted the covering off Job and in all this, He saw Job stand
against him, declaring out of his own mouth,

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth.” ( Job 19:25)

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The suffering of Job not only reveals the brutal way that the enemy
deals with us, but also reveals the love of God for us.

In the end, God gave Job double for all his trouble.

Job 42:10 (NKJV)

10 And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his
friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:12-13 (NKJV)

12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his
beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand
camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female
donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters.

He is a loving God and because of His love, He promised to provide His

own like Job to neutralize the devil’s brutality.

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV)

15 And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her Seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel.”

So why the cross?!

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It was the devil’s invention which was debated between God and the
devil and they both knew, that God had to provide that Redeemer.
Job’s uprightness made the devil go after him thinking that Job was the
redeemer. However, Job’s declaration that his Redeemer lives caused
the devil to realize that there is another One.

That’s why when Satan came to Jesus after He had fasted forty and
nights, he asked if He was God’s Son? He would not reveal his plan
against poor humans because he was specifically after God’s son, who
would come to redeem mankind. Was this the One? That’s why he
paid heavily to transport Jesus round the world.

Matthew 4:8-10 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding

high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and
the glory of them;
9 Andsaith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall
down and worship me.
10 Thensaith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

In 3 ½ years the devil’s plan was concocted, hooked and unleashed

with extreme prejudice. He caused man to ravage the only Savior that
he had. Unfortunately for the devil, in his ignorance of the plan of God,
he inadvertently aided the redemption plan of God through his
brutality. By beating and crucifying the Lord Jesus, he in effect helped
man be delivered from sin, sickness and the curse. For the Bible says,

Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

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5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

Galatians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become
a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the
Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith.

Poor ol’ devil, he was blindsided by God! He didn't know that God was
using his bloody brutality to bring to pass His redemption plan for
mankind! In fact, the Bible says had he and his cohorts known the
whole redemption plan of God, he would never have crucified the Lord
of glory!

1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NKJV)

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom

which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of
the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory.

Thank God for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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THE MESSAGE (CHAP 1.)

Therefore the MESSAGE OF THE CROSS will bring out a deeper

meaning to help us understand, if we use Mr. Sawlezie’s formula.

MESS-AGE (The Mess-Age of the cross.)

The message of the cross is the period in which there was a mess on the
cross. It is the period when the blood of the Son of God was spilled on
the cross, when He was crucified on it. This was the power of God,
because through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ, mankind was redeemed from the curse of the law and the
power of sin and death.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith.
GALATIANS 3:12-14 (KJV)

Welcome to the message of the cross. It’s not my message, man’s

message or a religious message. This message is that of the CROSS!
THE CROSS HAS ITS OWN MESSAGE TO TELL.

The Mess In The Message:

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are

perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

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The word message is very simple-it has got several words, but if you
break it into two, you will come up with two words; Mess and Age. Out
of a mess, there emerged a message of power and redemption.

Apostle Paul was trying to write to the people of Corinth that the
period regarded to as a Mess, is the power of God to those who are
being saved. Think about it, it is not another man trying to tell you
about the cross-IT IS THE CROSS ITSELF SHARING WITH YOU ITS
OWN MESSAGE.

Death on the cross was reminiscent of the Roman era and it was a very
humiliating way to die. It was a place for the crucifixion of only
hardened criminals. It was no place for a Son of God to die.

Most of the time, great people do not die in such places. Apart from
cases of death through accidents, great people normally die in their
homes, hospitals, hospices or in better places. However, though the
cross was a mess, it was the power of God for us who believe, and we
all need the power of God.

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WHAT IS THE CROSS? (Chapter 2)

The cross is a plus sign; it is two beams put together to make a plus
sign. It is the making of a positive out of two negatives illustrated thus
(- and - =+). The cross uses one vertical (upward beam reaching up
facing heaven and another facing down towards the earth) and a
horizontal beam (moving across from east to west).

So when you bring the negative (represented by the horizontal pole)

and combine it with a single purpose of life (represented by the vertical
pole), you will end up with an addition or a PLUS SIGN. So at the cross
sins are subtracted from you (represented by the horizontal pole or the
MINUS SIGN) and life is added to you (represented by the vertical or
PLUS SIGN).

So as I began to pray, I started hearing the cross sending a message to

me. By the time I had finished hearing its words, a message had risen
out of the messes of the cross, that life is going to be better. Yes, the
message becomes the power of God to save all from every trouble, sin,
and unfavorable circumstances. It stood high enough to reach heaven
and stooped low enough to reach down to the ground and affect all
humanity with its power.

THE WORDS THAT TURNED INTO MY OWN MESSAGE (Chapter 3)

The Bible is amazing when it talks about “The Message.” I’m just a
bearer of that message; I’m not the message. Here is the MESSAGE.

“I grew up like any other tree, started my life like a little corn seed in
wet soil from a nursery, where I was transplanted, then planted into
a better field where I could grow. As I began to live my life, those who
had grown before me challenged me. They were taller and bigger.

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Some of my contemporaries were mahogany trees, others were
eucalyptus trees, and others were sequoia trees. There were other
trees that were small, very small, but all of us were trees.”

“The senior trees welcomed me by ordering me around saying; “What

are you looking at, if you want to grow like us, you need strong roots
like we have.” “Why roots?” I asked. The Sequoia responded (It is the
oldest of the oldest-I call it grandpa tree), “We trees live off of water,
not soil and not food.”

“We are not humans, we are trees. We help humans live, but instead
they cut us down, move us around, sell us, use us and destroy us. You
need water, get water through your roots …huh. Hear me little one?”
grandpa tree emphatically said.

I made sure that I dug my roots so deep so that I could get enough
water and stretch myself and see that my leaves would reach the
sunlight so as to become what I was meant to be.

Even trees have desires and ambitions of why they are living. What
humans forget is that we too have hands and clap them for our God

Isaiah 55:12

“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the
mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing,
and ALL THE TREES OF THE FIELD SHALL CLAP THEIR HANDS.”

Every living thing lives in anticipation of the fulfillment of its desires.

Unfortunately, our fellow creatures take it upon themselves to desire

for us and determine what we are good at or for. Imagine being in a
position when someone else has to make all your decisions for you!

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Sometimes, the decision is that you are good for charcoal, toilet paper
or just for ladders to make steps for those who climb up and go down.
“Just accept what we want you to be,” they say. We trees cannot
determine that. Humans do it for us and in most cases they are wrong.
They make orders for us and assign us for specific tasks. When we try
to whisper, “can’t I be something else?” they repay us back with
chainsaws.

The creator created us all for a greater purpose in life. I wish they
(humans) would let us discover our purpose from God instead of them
deciding for us.

As they cut us down we bleed; though our blood is not that red
pigment they call blood, we bleed sap. It can make tyres or rubber,
syrup and others. We are very resourceful. Every creature God created
has the potential to be very resourceful.

DAILY WE ARE CUT DOWN

“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck
down, but not destroyed—”
2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9 (NKJV)

The humans are supposed to be our great partners in life; we need

what they breathe out (carbon dioxide), which is food for us and in
return we provide for them what they need to breathe (oxygen). We
need each other. Unfortunately, daily they come in great numbers with
all kinds of equipment like chainsaws, pangas and axes. At times they

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just get so mad that they bulldoze us down. They just come not to
appreciate our contribution towards their wellbeing but to cut us down
for their selfish ends.

Those amongst us who happen not to be strong enough end up making

charcoal. Those especially who are not tall enough end up making
firewood all over the world. If you came into our habitation you’ll
realize we are a unified force that protects wild species. Birds use our
hands to grow and nurture their little families and in return they sing to
us, we don’t charge rent, we are trees.

We also provide homes for a wide range of animal life including snakes,
baboons, gorillas and chimpanzees. Animals that are always hunted
down for their skins and steak and find refuge with us. The less
fortunate ones which get trapped are killed and we are used to
barbecue them. So I determined not to be used to barbecue my guests
the wild animals. I determined to grow tall by sending my roots deep
into the ground in search for living waters.

So I purposed in my life to grow stronger, tougher and bigger so that

pangas would never be used to cut me down and that I would never be
used to make charcoal or firewood. I resolved that if I were to be cut
down, it would have to be for the purpose of making doors for a new
parliament or replacing old ones in the Senate or to be used in a palace
somewhere in the world. If I did not become any of the above, I
thought I would be transformed into a throne on which a noble King
would sit and judge his subjects. If not, I would become a podium on
which the preacher’s notes would be placed or be able to hold the word

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of God-for it is He who made us grow daily knowing very well what we
could be.

You see all my life the rain had been falling on me and the sun had
been scorching me. So I grew tall to be a good choice for an electric
pole in a city where there is a lot of hustle and bustle. Remember we
trees feed on carbon. It must be plenty in the city.

It was just my wishful thinking. .

But all the above is my wish, not my decision. Humans decide all that
for us. If you have no power to make decisions, your wish will never
materialize. Just as I was contemplating on this, my next door neighbor
was cut, falling down with a heavy thud. He was shattered into pieces
and as he came down his thorny branches scratched all of us around
him.

These are the prickly thorns I later found on the head of a strange man I
was carrying on a hill far away. “Thorns!” exclaimed my other neighbor.
I don’t know why some of us grow thorns. Perhaps they are meant to
serve as protection, or one day they could be turned into something
useful like a crown.

I don’t like thorns, so I decided never to grow them-a choice I made and
let others grow them. No one deserves thorns in their lives, not even
the worst of beings.

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The heavy fall my neighbor had left all his broken pieces all over the
place, but the best parts of him were tied onto a truck and off they left
with them. None knew my neighbor’s whereabouts. I don’t know
whether he was taken to China or the United States or whether he
made it beyond the shores. Probably he was turned into a dining table
for one of the world’s most successful, or a coffin (casket) for those
who died without fulfilling their purpose in life. The best for any of us
living trees, is to continue serving as long as possible in better positions
and places.

Some trees are turned into paper on which great memories are
inscribed and fine commendations and certificates are printed.
Sometimes these are framed by another kind of us to hang in great
palaces and in numerous places. Others are chopped and shaped too
small to serve as chopsticks in the hands of our masters; tasting their
food while others are used to remove stuck food from in-between their
teeth and gum.

In all, we are bound to serve our masters in any way they deem fit. That
is our fate, not our faith. Yet still many of us who grow soft, end up
making soft tissue; toilet paper and hand wipes…

Personally I desired that one day I would end up holding greatness;

whether in a cathedral, a palace or any other magnificent place around
the world. I wouldn’t mind the way the humans transported me, one
thing I know is that I would enjoy the way I would be framed when I got
there.

As long as you are still on your feet in your habitat, you know that you
are still living. However for us as trees, whether standing or stripped
into beams, we still live on. It doesn’t matter whether wet or dry, a tree

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doesn’t die. We live in a forest as trees and still live on as furniture or
any designed product after we leave the forest.

EVERY TREE HAS ITS DAY (Chapter 4)

It was one cold morning. The sun failed to show up in its usual place
where it rises and sends me rays that make me blossom. It was rainy. I
did not know it was my turn to go to the table of decisions, where they
cut you into separate beams. That cold, gloomy day was the day for
me to be cut down.

I heard the noise of a motor machine-the chainsaw. My masters had

surrounded me and said amongst themselves; “this one, this one.”
Then, in only seconds I couldn’t feel my legs any more. I had been
severed from my roots. The wind began to push me in a direction I had
never moved before. I couldn’t hold my ground any longer and I was
getting light headed.

They tipped me over and there I was, going down so fast. I had a great
a fall. I made a great noise. I went down with everything that was both
surrounding me or attached to me. Little birds that had laid eggs in
their beautiful nests in my branches, they too went down with the fall
that smashed and shattered their dreams that would still be alive.

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In the next few minutes that followed, I couldn’t feel my branches or
the hands I used for clapping to my Lord. They were all stripped from
the rest of me. These branches held the leaves through which I used to
create oxygen for those humans so that they could continue living, but
now they were all gone.

Now I had no legs, no hands. I was no longer a tree, I had been reduced
to just a log. I had gotten into thinking that since I was constantly
supplying these people with oxygen, they would never cut me down. I
was doing quite a good job. I had trusted the exchange program; they
give to us and we give them. I was wrong. All of us would have to go
down some day, and this was my day. A decision had been made for
me. They decided I was better a log than a tree.

So they came for me on such a gloomy day, cut me down, dragged me

onto a cold truck and into a huge warehouse where I was to stay for
some time with other kinds from all over the world. They wanted me to
dry in the cool and not in the scotching sun-a slow drying process. This
is just like human religion. You become cold as you slowly dry up.

BROKEN UP

While in that huge warehouse, a different set of humans came in. They
chose me and dragged me out of the place again onto a truck and took
me to a place where I was to be stripped naked, removing all my bark.

When that was done, they poked me with sharp tools to see if I was
thoroughly dry. They then placed me on a noisy machine that started
the job of cutting me into beams.

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Some of my pieces went to make tables, others I don’t have an idea
what became of them. But these people chose only two beams out of
the many from me and put them aside in this warehouse. I had them
say; “These are very strong, we can use them for a good special
purpose one day.” I had been segmented into different pieces, thus,
was to end up being taken to many different destinations.

The two beams that were left in the warehouse were also picked up
(after staying for a while) and dragged out in the same manner we
were used to. I did not know what I was going to become; whether
drumsticks, or a bench in the park or a boat for the fishermen or a
spare leg for a broken chair, I knew not.

As they pulled me and dragged me onto the floor of a carpentry

workshop (they had drawn out a design for me) I was still in my rugged
and dragged raw form.

Suddenly, they started mercilessly drilling two huge holes in the centre
of my beams and then brought a heavy big rod with screws at the end
and joined the beams together at the centre, in a shape that did not
make sense to me.

I had been joined to make a sign. I was ready for the saw to cut me into
table boards but not being joined together in a ragged state to form a
plus sign. This is what they said. It was not what we trees cut down into
logs were used to do.

TURNING YOU INTO WHAT THEY WANT (Chapter 5)

One thing about life and humans is that if you let them, because of the
power given them, they can turn you into whatever they want. But if
you let destiny determine the way you live your life, you will end up

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with the desires of your heart. Humans always turn to the woods either
for hunting or hiding. If they want a chair, we are picked on, or if they
want a coffin for their big, mean and dead person, we are their choice.

I was therefore chosen out of many to be crafted into this plus sign
shape. I heard others say it was a cross on which criminals were
crucified. “What? Criminals!” I exclaimed.

Regardless of how good or bad one is in society, no living creature

wants to be identified with criminals or any wrong doers. No one wants
to be associated with wrong characters. Instead you want to be
paraded and counted with those in palaces where people will look at
you and say; “This is a beautiful door. It is a fine and fantastic art work
of wood, well curved and vanished.” But my fate had been decided.

If you hang up with criminals, they eventually overshadow you with

their evil. My entire composition was now reduced to only two poles
that were chiseled into a cross on which to hang criminals. So they
drilled a heavy nail (iron rod) that turned the two poles into a cross. A
man who was bleeding profusely (as I did the time I was cut down) on
His back, all His skin ripped off His back (just like they had done mine
when they stripped my bark off me), was to be placed on me. His
clothes were torn off His body and hang on Him just as rugs.

My neighbor in the forest who was shattered when he fell left his
thorns on the ground. Someone had picked up the same thorns and
made a crown out of them. The thorns we trees had also rejected and
left on the ground were now hanging on the head of this innocent, very
quiet and good-looking man.

22
For a moment I wondered; “What’s wrong with these humans, they hate
us and now they have also turned on their own kind as well, as though
the trees are finished!” then I heard His fellow humans shout at Him;
“pick up your cross and let us go.”

In all my life I have been always dragged. This time though I was picked
up. I had become more valuable as a result of being made into a cross.
Wow, thanks for the nail that joined me into a cross. Wow, a human
picks me up now! What a day, what kind of human is this who picks up
two rugged beams of wood?

WHO AM I (Chapter 6)

You see I had lost all sense of belonging. I did not know who I was
anymore. For I started out like a seed, like a little corn and then I
became a little plant. From a little plant in a nursery I was taken into a
forest where I grew into a tall tree proud of myself, until they came for
me and cut me down into a log and then lumbered as beams and finally
turned into a cross.

I heard some of these humans call this Man who carried me a

blasphemer. Others called Him Lord, Messiah, King and others were
calling Him savior, healer, friend. But the majority called Him a
criminal. They spat on Him, beat him and pulled His bleeding head to
pluck off His hair.

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I FELT HIS GRIP

My being dragged upon the ground ended because of this tall, skinny,
tender and gracious man. Even the way He handled me despite the fact
that He was in pain, was noticeably different. He held me so tenderly
that I could feel the hurt He felt through His hands though I had never
felt human hands before. Though I was stripped and cried, I felt life
with Him.

This bleeding man with thorns on His head carried me, lifted me as we
journeyed somewhere I didn’t know. He was silent throughout this
entire episode. I felt His grip as if He was determined not to let me drop
down. He endured the pain so that I may gain my glory of being carried
by a man. He never dropped me.

Because of the actions and words of those around Him, though I didn’t
understand their language, I knew my friend who had picked me up in
my rugged state was in deep trouble. As they whipped Him on the
back, I felt the whip on me as well. Whatever missed touching His flesh,
landed on me! I really took some whipping as well. These humans
whipped mercilessly as though the flesh never bled.

Then when I looked back (I was on His back), I saw four of my other
friends with whom I had been in the warehouse. They had been turned
into crosses too and they too were being carried by two other humans.
As I looked closely, I realized they were not being beaten and abused
by the other humans like the one who was carrying me.

Some humans were dressed in red with whips in their hands. I kept
hearing groans of “Oh-ooh” I heard as they threw their whips about and
I kept receiving many of them. The spittle and the kicking this man

24
received almost looked like the whole gang wanted Him to drop me.
But He held me tight, for if He had dropped me en route to where we
were going, I would have ended up in the fire straight away. Thank you
gentle One for not dropping me en route to the hill.

Humans have got many words and languages. I heard them say words
such as; “Messiah, Christ, Son of God, Living Water, kill Him, crucify
Him.” I got disturbed but was never in doubt about the place we were
going to; I knew it was somewhere special. The humans were angry
with this man who was carrying me. As we moved on this stony dusty
road, His blood stained the stones on the road.

I cannot remember the last time I had a drop of water or any liquid. But
as the gentle but firm gripping holder put me on His shoulder, I started
sucking up the blood flowing from His back and from His thorn-pierced
head. Immediately, His blood made me alive even though I no longer
had any legs or leaves. Even the drops of His sweat had more water
than the one I was used to while I was still in the habitat.

I whispered to the man carrying me, “Your blood is better than the water
of leaves in the forest. It is quenching my thirst.” I believe He didn’t hear
me because as I tried to tell Him, other humans called women who also
looked like the other angry humans-the men, came. But these ones
talked in sharp voices like birds, little birds. They started crying and He
said to them, “don’t cry for me but cry for yourselves and for your
children.”

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep

not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For,
behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed

25
are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which
never gave suck.
Luke 23:28-29 (KJV)

I heard another word from the humans that I didn’t quite understand-
“cry.” Then He added; “..if they have done this to the green tree what
about the dry tree?” Luke 23:31 (KJV) I asked myself, “why, You mean
You are a tree?” I exclaimed. “What kind of tree are You?” I inquired. “Is
that the reason why you picked me up?” “You are my kind but you bleed
red. We trees bleed syrup or gum or water, not red fluids.” “Do You mean
that what they are doing to You they are going to do it to me since I am
the only dry tree here?” I asked.

Because of the way He was holding me, He seemed to be saying “they

want to do this to you but I have swallowed the flies for you. I have taken
the bullet for you. Their plan was to do this to you but I have taken it for
you.”

No wonder He was holding me tight; He is a tree, living, walking and

talking. We trees do not do these and are not used to seeing them.

His blood was stronger than anything I had ever been exposed to. I said
to the man who was carrying me, “thank you for the adventure.” “Thank
you for getting me out of the warehouse where moth and wood weevil
would have eaten me at will. I had dried up with no purpose in my life.”

Because of you, I am now in the open among humans though they are
mean, I now have meaning. You have been deformed so that I may be
in shape. I now have a new name; I am nether a seed, plant nor a tree; I
am the cross. Thank you Sir!

26
GIVING MAN

“Because of you Sir, I was who was a collection of beams on the floor of a
warehouse, I am now being carried on your shoulder, where the Holy
Spirit dove came and rested. The place where you rest your government is
where I am resting. I am not only being carried, I am also sucking your
own precious blood, making me alive again. Everything in me that had
died is literally becoming alive again.”

Then all of a sudden I began to hear Him breathe heavily, gasping for
air. I said to Him, “What’s that, are you alright?” You see we trees don’t
have a heart. His was pumping very fast and He was breathing very
heavily. “My waist,” He said. “You are so heavy but I will carry you until
you reach your destiny. I will not leave you here.

At this time His heart was pumping real fast. I began to notice that His
voice had weakened to a whisper. I immediately stopped sucking His
blood for He had lost too much of it. He was getting tired along the
way.

Then I heard all the humans throw insults at this man. Then I
remembered when I used to be in the forest they could come and say;
“It will make good wood and fetch good money. So cut it down.” The
same way they uttered their words then, was the same way they spoke
about this good man,” crucify Him,” they kept saying.

As we approached the hill still a far off, I heard them say; “Aah aha, you
will die today then resurrect yourself.” I realized this was not a game. He
had been forced to carry me so that He could be killed on me.

My carrier, the one who had pulled me out of the warehouse began to
faint. I could hear Him losing His life. He was getting weaker and

27
weaker because not only did He lost a lot of blood from His back, but I
had sucked much of it and I had no way of giving it back. I needed it.

My best friend ever was dying. He had become so tired because of my

weight. Then before He could drop me, we stopped and there was a
stranger who was going on his way. In fact he was not the same color
like my friend. We trees have the same color generally. However,
humans are of different colors; some are white, some are dark, others
are brown and the list goes on.

The stranger was dark skinned. The men in red with whips ordered him
to pick me up from my best friend’s shoulders and carry me. I could tell
this man was forced to carry me. The way he picked me up was very
rough. His hands were typically human hands. He carried me to give
my best friend rest and energy to reach our destination. But he was as
much human as the others.

But this other man had nothing to offer me. I was thirsty and needed
more, but he could offer me nothing, except to take me where they
had already dug a hole to place me. It was the place where I was going
to stand baring this man who loved me so much by getting me out of
the warehouse where I had died and dried up. He was giving me
another chance to stand again.

So when we arrived at that place, I even still remember it. For they said
it over and over again, “Calvary hill.” My friend picked me from the
man’s shoulder whose garment I had stained with the blood I had
sucked from my best friend’s shoulders and back.

Then they lay me down on the rocks and they brought my friend who
had picked me up and given me some drops of blood, making Him the

28
centre of attraction. People from every nation and tribe had gathered
together to watch my performance.

Finally I had purpose in life. I was going to be used again. I thought my

time was over, I thought I was going to end up like toilet rolls, but now I
had been joined and formulated into what they call the cross and I was
about to have purpose in life again. I was now to carry Him who had
been carried up to the stage.

He lay on top of me and I could hear them stretch His arms and legs. I
could hear Him gasps for life. I too began to feel the pain of the wounds
on His back. As He was pressed on me, He began to sigh painfully. I was
the first one to feel the pain of the nail that had joined me together to
give me purpose again.

Humans say No pain no gain. I had gained purpose again. The new
name I had gain was the cross of the Son of God. They then laid His
arm and palm on the other side then I heard them say, “Crucify.” I did
not know what crucifixion was all about, but then I heard Him scream
in pain. A nail had entered His flesh and I could feel its velocity and
power approaching me. If I had a mouth I could have shouted out;
“stop!” but the humans didn’t stop. They kept on nailing until it passed
through penetrating my now dry skin.

29
THE NAILS IN THE TENDER FLESH AND RUGGED WOOD
(Chapter7)

The very first nail that had just gone through the tender body of the
Son of God made its way through His hands and I felt its sharp point
approaching my rugged surface. I had felt pangas and hooks in me
before, but the way the cross nails came into me was like a bullet
through butter.

Its approach alone leaves you quaking and shaking. Because of the way
it was driven into His tender hands, it came in with part of His flesh.
They nailed it so hard until it was inside me. As if that was not enough, I
heard His groans and sighs of pain as they drove another nail into the
other hand on His other side. I screamed with Him in pain; I felt what
he felt!

The velocity and pounding of these angry, sinful humans with a

vengeance made me feel the weight of sin. The heaviness of iniquity
overwhelmingly fell upon me. They then joined His feet together and
drove the third and last nail in His tender flesh with two different men
using their hammers shouting alto, baritone one, two…

Oh I felt the pain and the price He was paying for human kind in order
to set them free. They had pinned, hanged and nailed Him to the cross.
I felt and tasted His flesh and soaked in His blood. I absorbed the
impact of the crucifixion as His nails entered me. Me, a tree of the
forest, a rugged beam joined to make a cross was joined together with
the Holy, tender hands of the sinless One.

I was carrying Him laid down on me, pressing His whipped torn back on
my rugged surface. I never thought I would ever carry the one who

30
loved and took me out of the cold warehouse. Now a very dry wood
was carrying the most expensive gift God has ever given humans.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23 (KJV)

I had wished and hoped that probably one day I would be made into a
door that leads into a bedroom or dining room of the White House or
Buckingham Palace. But my fate was to carry this gentleman whom I
heard them call the Son of God. I felt He was my Creator. Not many
creatures will ever lift or carry their creators. This was my destiny, but
the crowds were telling me He was a liar, a sinner, a blasphemer and
that He deserved to die by hanging.

NAILS ME FOR HIM

My Best Friend took me out of the place death and wastage gave me a
new name from “beam of wood” to “the cross of Jesus Christ” on which
He received three nails, one on each hand and another in His feet. On
my part, I received five nails; two nails went into both His hands, one
for each hand, another nail went into His feet, another nail joined me
into making a cross and the last nail was used to pin the inscription on
Him-“King of the Jews.” In total, these five nails are my trophy-signs
that I was crucified with Him; not that I live, but that He lives in me.

"I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me.”
Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

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My Friend received a crown of thorns, but I received a nail crown. It was
like I was being commanded to hold Him and not to drop Him and to
lift Him up for the world to see. How could I drop the One who had
never dropped me? How could I let go of the one who did not leave me
in the warehouse? It was my turn to reciprocate His kindness and love
toward me!

I thought all I had to do was to let Him lay on me but little did I know
that more was coming. They had dug a hole in the ground and I who
had been cut by the humans was lifted and made to stand. This time I
was to carry and lift up He who they called a curse-Jesus Christ the Son
of God.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a
curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree"),
Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)

With ropes tied on either side of me, they pulled my Best Friend and
me up. They then dropped me into the hole they had dug up at Calvary
hill. I landed heavily tearing His already beaten up and torn flesh. He
bended on the cross, water and blood filling up His lungs and stomach.
I thought He was about to fall off from me to the ground.

One of the two other men that were crucified with Him seemed to
think that He was about to fall and so he began to mock my Best Friend
saying, “Get yourself down.” But I made up my mind that I would not let
Him go. He had brought me up so high where other trees wouldn’t dare
go-at Calvary Hill. Because of Him I lived again and had a new name.
The reason I had another chance is because of Him. If I dared leave

32
Him, I would have been firewood for hell. So I refused to let the nail get
out of me, I wanted to see what would come next.

They carried Him up together with me and for the first time in my life, I
had this great opportunity to lift up not just a mere human, but the Son
of the living God whom I heard some call the Savior of mankind.

What a privilege I was given before a spectacle of humans in the midst

of those who hated me! For until then, no mountain, hill or valley had
ever lifted Him so high before such a crowd. Towns, villages and cities
had all gathered into that place and I had that opportunity of lifting
Him so high for all to see.

Throughout the whole ordeal and show of vengeance against the Great
and Holy One I was crucified with, He said nothing. In response to their
insults, accusations and attacks, He behaved like a little lamb led to a
slaughter, because He said nothing.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His

mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its
shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Isaiah 53:7 (NKJV)

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
"Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He
suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who
judges righteously;
1 Peter 2:21-23 (NKJV)

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They began to pull me to stand. My Friend was so gracious in all this
suffering; He was not an angry man. He was not a bitter man, but was
forgiving.
“Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they do."
Luke 23:33-34 (NKJV)

Then I heard the mockery and the strife over His clothes. They were
diving His clothes among themselves! All of a sudden, I began to hear
Him speak. Some of the words were very faint because He was losing
His life and energy very fast. I could hear Him cry, “I am thirsty,” (John
19:28). It is then that I regretted having taken His blood and water. Still
without it I couldn’t have lifted Him.

Where I was there was neither river nor water, otherwise I would have
sent some to His mouth. My roots had been cut a long time ago and
there was nothing I could do. Someone then gave Him a drink but He
refused it (Matthew 27:34). What kind of man was this that no matter
what you did to Him, He would not respond according to the way He
was being treated, I wondered! It was such a privilege for me to lift and
carry such a man.

Then I heard him talk to someone very far from where we were. He
called Him Father. He said, “Why have you forsaken me?”

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,
"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have
You forsaken Me?"
Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

34
It seemed like He wanted me to reassure Him know that I was not
abandoning Him. “I am covering your back. I will not let anything from
behind you hit you because I am watching you,” I responded.
Unfortunately my best friend was losing life fast.

Then He began to breathe His last, but before He did, He turned to His
Father and said, “Forgive them for they do not know what they do!”
(Luke 23:33-34)

As a tree I knew what they were doing, because it was these very same
humans that had cut me into beams and threw me into a warehouse.
They knew what they were doing. They wanted to turn me into some
kind of furniture, maybe a chair, a podium or a toilet seat. Whenever
they wanted to do something, they always came up to us and cut us
down. Now they were cutting this innocent man and yet He said they
did not know what they were doing! I wanted to tell Him that they
knew what they were doing, but He had already said it. So I held Him.
Even when He was dying twisting and turning in pain, I held Him. The
pain on Him was too much that one time He felt like pulling out His
hand and I felt like the nail was coming out that I shouted, “No!”

Then He died on me! I held Him waiting for the humans to come and
pull Him down. I held Him as they came and pierced His side. I said I
would not drop Him down even though He was dead because we wood
are very good at holding the dead- we make it as coffins. We are very
good at holding those who are lifeless and to give them a decent burial
and send off.

I realized in my heart that if I were to drop this good man, His fall from
me would have crushed Him into pieces. The fall would have been

35
greater than the pain He had endured so far. It had been spoken of Him
that His bones would not break.

He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Psalms 34:20 (KJV)

The intensity and the pain of the nail were in me to hold Him so that He
might not drop. My strength began to give out, my hope began to
diminish and I did not thing I could hold Him for much longer.

As I was contemplating on what to do, suddenly an earthquake begun

to happen and I thought I should let Him go. But then I said to myself,
“I cannot let Him go because I’m the only one holding Him.” Those who
had been with Him (His disciples) had run away. They were miles away
and none of them wanted to be there, but I was holding on to Him until
a man beneath me began to say “surely this was a Son of God.”

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching
Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they
feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Matthew 27:54 (KJV)

HE CREATED ME TO LIFT HIM UP

My life began to realize what a privilege I had among all the trees of the
forest that I had been holding the Son of God. The Son of God is my
creator-He spoke my kind into existence at the beginning of creation.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding
seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in
itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth

36
grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding
fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it
was good.
Genesis 1:11-12 (KJV)

He is the one who ordained me to be here though others didn’t want

me to be here. We were all kinds of trees and my purpose was to
oxygenate those who use it to turn it into carbon dioxide. I realized that
I was born to stand tall on Hills and to carry He who was above all
mankind and above all the wisdom of men. I had just been carrying the
Son of God, my Maker and Creator, my Designer, the One who gave
me purpose time and time again.

I will lift Him higher; I will always lift Him higher for the world to know
that they don’t have to die because He died for them. I am the emblem
and receipt of His love. It was His love for me that took Him to the
cross.

It was His love that the nails became so painful. I felt the same pain
that He felt and I am here to tell you that what you think is a mess-is
really the power of God unto salvation.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are

perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)

It is the reason we are Christians today. It is the reason why are born-
again today. I carried Him before you could ever receive Him in your
heart. In the few words He spoke, in the few words He whispered He
never said “curse them, kill them.” He said; “ forgive them.”

37
HE MADE A JUNCTION

He is more than human, other humans cut us down but He pulled me

out of my woods where I had been condemned to my fate. He shaped
me again from a tree and made me a cross. He made me a junction
from which people could cross over from death to life. People can look
at me again and see hope. They don’t have to perish in their condition,
but they can have the gift of God, which is eternal life.

THE CROSS IS THE RECEIPT OF REDEMPTION (Chapter 8)

They can look and see me as the receipt of their redemption. They
have been paid for and God loves them. For it is written

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree, That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith.”
GALATIANS 3:13-14 (KJV)

They do not have to die in their sickness and disease but they can have
abundant life.

I am the message of the cross; I know what I felt. I had no purpose until
He came and gave me purpose because He lives. I came out of the
warehouse and left other wood there.

38
MORE THAN A JEWEL

Today everybody in the world wears me as a necklace. They put me on

their T-shirts and on their cathedrals. When they look at me their hope
returns. I am the cross that was once alive but was cut down, left in the
warehouse to be turned into whatever sons of men wished, only for
Him to come and give me a new purpose. I who was dead and dry could
live again. My fate was probably to end up as toilet paper, a chair that
could break or a dining table that can be sold off. Today, my new shape
is desired around the world. People can’t even eat their food before
making an acknowledgement of the sign of me.

I am new; though I was not loved before I am loved now. All this did not
happen because of my power but the power of the man I was carrying.

Today we cherish the old rugged cross. We cherish it because it carried

the Son of the Living God. The cross has a message it is delivering to
us. It is telling us that no life has to be wasted any more.

People may look at you as a commodity, as something for sale or to be

used, but the cross is a message to you that you are precious in the
sight of God.

Today I feel the Lord has allowed the cross to preach to us.

At the cross, right there when He said it is finished, cancer was

finished. Witchcraft was finished; poverty, demons and the devil were
all finished.

You have to understand that Jesus never said those words at the
whipping post. Thank God for the whipping post, for by His stripes we

39
were healed. But the greatest victory for you and I today was at the
cross. Everything was shaken because of the cross. It is at the cross
that the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. You now have
full access to the Almighty God.

Today don’t let anything dry you up. Life is yours in Jesus’ name. Jesus
paid it all-I don’t know where you are; you may be in a dry warehouse
where those who cut you down forgot you. It seems as though you are
“useless,” Though they have been taking from you your best parts,
today you must say “Enough is enough; No more. I want Him to me up.
I want Him to form me into a new design that will change the world.”

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS OF THE CROSS (Chapter 9)

Luke 23:33-38. “And when they were come to the place, which is
called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on
the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his
rainment, and cast lots. 35And the people stood beholding. And the
rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him
save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36And the soldiers
also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37And
saying, if thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. 38And a
superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and
Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Even if Jesus Christ was crucified between two thieves, it is only from
His cross that we get all the blessings. These are the seven blessings of
the cross.

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1. The Curse is broken

The most feared consequence to people’s actions is a curse. Most

people are afraid of curses from previous generations or from other
people, but that should not matter anymore because Christ has
redeemed us from everything, including the curse of the Law and has
in place blessed us.

Galatians 3:13

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree.

This blessing does not come as a result of works but because over
2000 years ago, Christ died on the cross for our sin. He took our place
on the cross, hence taking the curse and in exchange we took His
blessing. One fundamental truth is that no matter how long the curse
prevails, every curse is broken once we cherish the Cross.

On the cross, one of the men who was being crucified as a criminal was
translated to paradise that very day when he asked Jesus to remember
him in His kingdom.

Luke 23:43 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You

come into Your kingdom.”

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be
43

with Me in Paradise.”

This vividly shows us that change of mind can destroy the power of a
curse that has been inside of you. Death was defeated on the cross, so
no matter what the situation that would have killed you is, once you
get close to the cross of Jesus Christ you shall be saved.

41
2. What your Family Lost is returned.

Paradise is the garden that God had created for Adam initially for his
enjoyment but he lost it. Resultantly, the whole of mankind lost. But
this thief, after reconciliation to God on the cross, was promised to
meet Jesus in paradise which mankind had lost.

The first thought that comes to mind when we hear about going to
heaven is the thought of death, yet we tend to forget that Jesus came
that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Unlike
this thief who had to first die before entering paradise, we are going to
have paradise with Jesus while we are still here on earth and even when
we get to heaven.

Deuteronomy 11:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days
of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers
to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

3. Forgiveness was requested on our behalf

Luke 23:34

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

It does not matter what you have done, 2000 years ago, an application
for your forgiveness was sent to the throne room of heaven by the Son
of God and it was accepted. The forgiveness He asked for was for all
mankind. He could have asked the Father at any other time, but He
waited until the cross to do so because it was at the cross that all our

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guilt and condemnation is dealt with and the devil cannot condemn us
anymore. In the book of Revelation, the Bible says;

"...for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them
before our God day and night." Revelation 12:10

4. Change of Status.

Those who caused you pain, loss and suffering are about to recognize
the truth about your life and change their perception of you. Jesus was
being accused of many things including being a blasphemer, because
He had said that He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three
days. Surprisingly, it was those in authority (the Romans) that were
among the first to change their perception of Him.

Matthew 27:54

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw
the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and
exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

This is going to happen to you as well. Changing of status is a blessing

from the cross of Jesus Christ. We who have been condemned and
judged by the world are now sons of God because of the cross of Jesus.

5. Nobody will deny you (Access Guaranteed)

The first physical consequence of man's sin was that he and his wife
became naked, so they made garments to cover their nakedness.

Genesis 3:7

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Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they
were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made
themselves coverings.

When God came on the scene, He made a more durable garment for
them and covered their nakedness.

Genesis 3:21

Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and
clothed them.

God does not want His children naked, exposed and vulnerable to the
enemy and that is why even at man's lowest point when Adam had just
committed high treason and handed over the dominion of the earth to
Satan, God still covered him and his wife with a tunic of skin.

When Jesus was on the cross, He paid the ultimate price to redeem
mankind, and His blood did not just cover our sins, it blotted them out.
Now, we have full access to the blessing of Abraham through the cross
and the blood of Jesus. All things are ours and we CANNOT be denied.

1 Corinthians 3:21

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought
near by the blood of Christ.

6. Wealth

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When Jesus died, He was not buried by ordinary men, but by a
distinguished and wealthy man - Joseph of Arimathea. This man was
able to convince the ruler at the time to give him the body of Jesus for
a dignified burial.

Matthew 27:57-60

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from
Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of
Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph
had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it
in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a
large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

Peter could not do what Joseph of Arimathea did even if he had

wanted to because he lacked the financial muscle to do so. He himself
said in the book of Acts 3:6, "...Silver and gold have I none..."

At the cross of Jesus Christ, people who add value to us are brought
into our lives. God adds to us people who will take our lives to another
level. Just like He sent Joseph of Arimathea, God is sending unusual
people who will not abuse nor crush you at your lowest, but will be your
golden connections.

Some of us think that since life has been hard in our past years of
Christianity then God will not show up now but when everybody’s
hopes are down at the eleventh hour, God shows up.

When Jesus was crucified, an inscription was placed above His head
written in Greek, Latin and Aramaic saying, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of
the Jews.’
Inspite of your seemingly dying situation, God speaks words of

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greatness about you that will carry you to your destiny. You have the
King of Kings and are never alone.

7. It is finished

On the Cross Jesus said, ‘It is finished!’ He did not say anything else
after that. That which has been tormenting and afflicting you is
finished. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are

perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
1Corinthians 1:18

Take an example of two beams: once you put both of them

horizontally, they are both minuses but once you give one to God
(putting it vertically) then they construct a positive. A positive is the
sign of the cross, so once you get to the cross, God adds to you.

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Growing trees

If we understand what happened in Genesis 1, when the Lord was

creating trees, we will see so much truth available which is relevant to
our world today. You see, the cross is two beams joined together to
form a plus sign, but these beams were got from a tree. Trees are very
central to the very existence and salvation of man. When man was
placed in the garden, he received instruction about trees; to grow
them, to tend them, to eat of them and desist from some of them. The
most dangerous of creations to man was a tree. No wonder, the
salvation of man had to come through a tree.

Look at the world today with the global warming challenge that is
facing us all, and what is the solution? Growing trees. Man cannot
escape our need for trees. They supply our most needed oxygen for the
sustenance of life and were a tool of salvation used in man’s
redemption.

When Jesus told His disciples to carry their crosses and to follow Him
(Matt10:38), His words applied to us all. Man must carry his cross, and
you cannot have the cross without wood from trees, hence our need to
grow trees starting long before the global warming crisis.

THE MIND CAPSULE

Isn’t it interesting how the world just keeps trying to catch up with God
in many of these aspects?! Tablet PCs are relatively new technology
yet we see God using tablets when giving Moses the Ten
Commandments.

Exodus 24:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the

mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the

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law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach
them.”

And these are tablets that were written on by hand, yet man only
caught up with that technology four thousand years later.

Another interesting one is how God is not on Facebook, and thousands

of years before Mark Zuckerberg came up with Facebook, God wrote
on Belshazzar’s wall. Daniel 5:5 In the same hour the fingers of a
man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the
plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of
the hand that wrote. Man is just beginning to write on walls with
Facebook and we think it is all very new!

Prayer Note (Worthy is the Lamb)

Thank you for the cross, Lord

Thank You for the price you paid,

Bearing all my sin and shame

And now your forgiveness I embrace

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