Carry Them to the Top of a Hill

Judges 16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

In spite of Samson's failures in the flesh, he is a type of Christ. A type is prophetic foreshadowing in the Old Testament physical realm of something that would find it's anti-type (fulfillment) in the spiritual realm in the New Testament.

Samson in the flesh was weak but under the Power of the Holy Spirit, he performed mighty works. He defeated innumerable Philistines who were a type of the sin nature that is within each of us and fights against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). This nature is still within us even after we are redeemed. However, Paul says it will not "have dominion" over us (Romans 6:14).

In this passage he takes the "doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill".

Our spiritual Samson, our deliverer, Jesus Christ, took the doors to the Kingdom of God, which is the rule, reign, and presence of God, that were open only to the High priest who would enter into the most Holy place in the Temple but once a year, and opened them to whosoever will. He did this when He carried them to the top of a Hill called Calvary.

He says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). He says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

He goes even further and bids us, both to be saved and after we are saved to "...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).The idea here is we may come without fear of rejection, anger, or not receiving. This passage also carries the idea of coming as often and as much as needed.

Samson did what he did to show that he, under the Power of the Holy Spirit, not only was not under their control but that they were at his mercy because he had now taken control of the doors that they used to control entry to the city.

When he did this, he not only opened the doors to whosoever would enter but he also took "the gate of the city, and the two posts...bar and all". He not only took control of the door but all that was attached to it and any possibility of closing it back up.

When Christ died on the Cross, He became the Door (John 10:7, 9) but he also took the keys to death and Hell (Rev. 1:18). So it was not only an opening but a closing. He was always victorious over death, Hell, and the grave as well as had entry into the presence of the Father but on the Cross He gave us a way of victory over these things as well as access to the Father. He once and for all made it clear that not only did Satan not control Him but that He was in control and He would give that control to all who would come to the Cross and receive the gift by Faith.

Lastly, this symbolizes as well the fact that not only did Christ Redeem us from death that was brought about by Adam's sin and pay for our sins. But He also took all other judicial consequences of this death penalty. All that was attached to the doors of the Kingdom being shut up because of sin, including sickness, bondage, fear, anxiety, etc. Whatever bad that happens in this world is because of sin, not those of individuals necessarily but the fact that this world is fallen and under the death penalty due to Adam's sin, including all those things that accompany death.

The Bible says in Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.". He paid the price in His own body for all, spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions), and body.

Whatever your need today, whether you need to receive the free gift of eternal Salvation, which is first and most important, or you are sick in body or bound by addiction or fear. Whatever it is, Christ carried it to the top of a Hill called Calvary and took care of it on an old rugged Cross.

Why are you carrying what He already paid for? Why are you suffering with what He already suffered for? Carry it to the top of a hill right now, a Hill called Calvary, and lay it at the foot of the Cross!

Grace and Peace to you all,

Evangelist Randy McCarter

Salvation Belongeth to The LORD

Psalm 3 - 1 (A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.) LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. {for: or, about} 4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

In this passage David is fleeing from his own son who has turned against him. David's life, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), once again is experiencing a low point, about as low as a person could get. David's life is an encouragement to me because it shows that even the one who is a type of Christ, a king anointed by God, a man described as being after God's own heart, a man of whom Jesus is spoken of his house, is just that, a man. He experiences ups and downs, he even fails, even sins. He was just like us.

David was who he was not because he was perfect, just the opposite. He was who he was because he knew his power did not come from himself but from God and regardless how bad it got, how much he messed up, or how far away he got, when he came to a point he would turn to God and give it to Him. Sometimes he sought God at the first and saved himself a lot of problems but like us, sometimes he went in his own power and had to call on God after he failed. Either way, David knew it was God and not he who was on the throne. He may have sinned and failed big but he also repented and returned big. David knew it was only in God and not relgious ritual or tradition also.

All we need do to be like David is to trust completely in Christ's finished work on the Cross of Calvary and allow the Holy Ghost to work in us and fight for us. Jesus has won the war for us. It is over but we must also look to Him for the smaller battles that come our way as live in Sanctification as Christians and allow the Power of the Cross, the Blood of Jesus to cover our lives. Then and only then may the Holy Ghost have the room to move in our lives and apply the Victory that is ours in Christ. We must get self out of the way. We must stop looking to other sources whether they be in "church" or the the world. These include self help formulas, psychology, humanism, and yes, religion among many others which incorporate these elements and others. No matter how good it seems, if it is devised by man it will not ultimately work. If it is anything other than the Cross of Christ then it will not ultimately work. Even more, when we try to add to the Cross, we are effectively denying the Cross altoghether. If the Work of Christ on the Cross, the Blood He shed, is not enought alone, then it is not anything. We must stop adding to it and we must stop denying it. We must, as David learn to look to it continually. When we are in Christ, He is "our deliverer" and "Salvation belongeth to [Him]. When we know this then we truly can lay down and sleep knowing it is the Lord that sustains us and all fear is cast out. Praise the Lord!

Grace and Peace to you all,

Evangelist Randy McCarter

David Recovered All

In 1 Sam. 30 David, a type of Christ, has lost everything to the enemy. He is at his lowest. But David recovered all by God's Power. And he returned it to each of his men. Christ recovered all that was lost because of sin when He died on the Cross. If you are in Christ, do not let Satan lie to you. You were bought with a price, the Blood of Jesus, and sin has no dominion over you (Rom 6). Our spiritual David, has gone to the enemy's camp and recovered all. Receive what He has done for you and live free of all bondage as we in Christ should. Remember, the fight is not yours, Jesus already won. Look to the Cross and give the Holy Ghost the room to work. In Jesus' Name take back what Satan has lied and made you believe he can take from you. Remember, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Grace and Peace,

Evangelist Randy McCarter

Too Busy!

I want to do more on this Blog. It is called Cross Life. That means a life lived with Faith focused on Christ's Finished work on the Cross. A life covered by the Blood of Christ and totally dependant upon Him, dying daily to self, yet alive in Christ. It is this kind of Faith and only this kind of Faith that allows the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, leading, Sanctifying, empowering, strengthening, in other words making us more like Christ. This is the Revelation that has set me free. Yet, I can not find the time to write about it here. I find time to do a million other things. So why not write about what I feel is the most important task I have to do. It is more than a task. It is my calling and commission from God, not this blog but to Preach the Message of the Cross. This is just one medium to convey that Message.
I feel the the Message of the Cross is the only thing that will bring reformation to the Church. I further believe that reformation must come to the Church before revival will come. I further believe that revival must come to the Church before the Church can make any difference in the world.
Thus, I am going to make a point to write more often, even if what I write is shorter. I would like to get up a daily devotional but may begin with weekly or 2x weekly. The bottom line is that I feel I am not using a platform that God has given to Preach the Message of the Cross and fully intend to start doing so.

Grace and Peace to you all,

Evangelist Randy McCarter