The transformation begining in the disciples fully did not understand yet about the cross of Jesus. I used the Clarke Commentary this morning in my research. I often skim commentaries to analze my own thinking correction and memory, and sometimes I am in agreement and sometimes there are gaps that other commentary explains in more detail. Jesus is teaching according to Jewish custom yet with the knowledge of his Lordship. What is Jewish custom of a proselyte or convert to Judaism/and the Christian faith? Most faiths in general are probably like this in the since of worship. First, I wrote in recent past devotion the idea that we are to worship one Lord and one faith, We also have talked about repentance or denying oneself of their sinful desires. Third thing is to be willing to take up your cross or to be willing to die for your faith. In the United States alone there is three main things Americans in general would agree to die for, One family, Freedom and land. You take family away, freedom away and then land and you have war in America, why because the importance of these three things are of value to self preservation. Land not so much now, but perhaps personal effects that can not be replace, human diginity might be better in this day and age. In faith one of the greatest struggles is are you willing to die for your beliefs. Are you willing to die for what you value to be true. A coward will find away to perserve his own life including the life of those he loves. Coward is not willing to fight for what is important concerning faith. Yet faith is much deeper thing to be willing to die for, because what you believe can not be destroyed or stolen from you. It the one thing men and women have been told to give up and would not. Can you hide your faith, did Moses mother hide her infant in ark, did the faith get exposed to someone that would listen perhaps.

Does the williness to die for one's faith have to do with war. The answer is maybe if one is in a time where religious people are being persecuted for faith. Daniel found himself in the lions den for disobeying the law of the land. He was willing to die for belief and his habits. Could Daniel have prayed with the window closed. To shut the window was not Daniel's tradition. Schools for a time frowned on children praying. Yet children still pray and carry their Bibles. Some areas have been tolerant of faith and other areas are strict based on other's faith. The question still comes up where in school do you draw a line in public worship. No one can stop a silent prayer, but some verbalize their prayer at the same rate others swear. Where is the line when it comes to faith and willing to stand up for it in public place. Does anyone mind a prayer or religious words. What saying bless you, or blessing upon you. Sounds like words of someone desiring someone to be well and not harm. Yet some would like to destroy that so do you leave public school to hide behind private sector. Will God frown on Christians hiding there faith.

Taking up our cross begins with surrending to God alone in faith and belief, taking up cross is to repent of sin so the cross of Christ has value to our hearts and third is to be willing to stand in faith even when those in opposition would perfer you to sit down and shut up. Jesus is not please with demons that knew who was speaking of who he was. He quieted them. Faith is more then verbal language, but also the action. Taking up one cross might mean speaking up when God requires it or tradition of faith is being exercised.

Being the prosylete for faith is not always in war, but willing to stand up for one's convictions of faith. Silent prayer never harmed a soul. Where was Jesus when some of the demons were rebuked but in the temple or synagogue. Devil shows up in church but he should not be allowed to be disruptive to a service. Is your prayer of faith disruptive to the discussion at hand in public setting? Reliigion was debated in the city square in Roman days, Practicing Jewish Christians found themselves speaking that the Messiah comes in place that only Jews worship and in some cases lost their lives. If we dissect scripture by the laws we are now, are we living by freedom of faith in our land, or by the traditions of Roman Empire and Jerusalem. Paul spoke faith in the city square and gentiles heard the word and believed.

When we carry the cross we share the love of Jesus, we stand our ground on our convictions of faith and do not allow another to walk on top of us or bite our heals. Yet we must be aware of our own actions if they are disruptive or productive to discussion of faith. Are the action of faith by the Spirit or mindless repetition. Beware of Spirit and obey the Spirit. Stephen lost his life speaking that words of truth. All 10 of the orignal twelve died for faith. Those ten seen the cross first hand and knew what would happened if they continued preaching. The spread of the Gospel did not continue until the resurrection of Christ because it brought new hope. Paul even suffered along with others that were willing to stay true to the cross, but he was born later then Christ and never meet Christ when Christ walked the earth.

Many people stay true to drugs, alcohol and a cigarette throughout their life time, never giving up those habits despite what changes occur in their life. If people held to the cross like they do bad habits that can harm the body and even destroy the convictions of faith, why can believers not hold to the cross with the same drug addiction as a druggy. One the person refuses to stand on the word of God alone, Two they are not daily prayed up and filled up on the word of God. Three they have not come to terms on what God they serve yet. Our decision of faith must come with dedication and willingness to go to one's death if need be and to suffer for our faith. With the cross there has to be hope of salvation to carry the message on. Holding to the reason Christ came and suffered for man bring peace between God and man. The decision to serve God and not just receive hope is life altering change that occurs in the believer. The person of faith must be transformed by the word and by the Holy Spirit. The transformation for each disciple starts with the understanding of who Christ truly is but it was the resurrection that spurred them on to share the Gospel. It was message of hope through the resurrection that God was alive and He had walked and talked with them. That He could not be destroyed and ascended into heaven forty days later after the resurrection. He continued to teach his disciples those forty days.

Is salvation and hope worth the human suffering, that is for you to decide. If holocaust came to the USA would you be willing to fight for freedom of faith, or would you stand by and deny Christ to allow persecution to come. Christ will deny you before God if you deny him before mankind. The road is not hard to follow for the way is the same everyday deny yourself and follow after Jesus. Live your life to glorify God the Father.

Dear Heavenly Father continue teaching your children of the cross and the choices they may need to make for you. That the devil simply does not like it and we stand with you in teaching the knowledge of your word knowing the devil will not prevail but your word itself will remain. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: John 8:31 KJV Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;