Don’t count your trials to be a strange thing. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss how our human character is so contrary to God. We can, only by faith, trust in the Lord to bring us through every trial and every circumstance. This is how the Lord refines His children; by the power of the Holy Spirit, we must come to know His name. Brother Larson reminds us that this is how God works. We cannot work this with our own hands. God’s grace is for all His children, even when we are being chastised by the Lord. Trials are the greatest evidence that we are His. Will we embrace Him, and His way, today?

We glory in tribulation, knowing what it can produce. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss finding joy in our sufferings. God proves things to us about Himself, and ourselves, through our trials and sufferings. We can know that God is at work in our trials. The believer should respond differently to a trial than one who does not know the Lord. Trust God, and suffer well. He is in control, and we can find peace in the middle of our storms. When we glory, and rejoice, while enduring the trials before us, it will be well with our souls.

Tribulation works patience. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss the trying of the believer’s faith, which brings about maturity in our Christian walk. Reading James 1:3, the panel reminds us that everything we travel through, as believers is a trying of our faith, and we must be patient to let God work through the circumstance. Brother Smith says while God allows Satan to tempt us to do evil, God’s intention is to help us to grow. Know this, there is no temptation taken you, such as common to man, that God will make a way of escape that we may be able to bear it.

We must learn dependency on God. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss resting in the true peace of God. Brother Larson shares his personal testimony how God showed him how to rest at the feet of Jesus, and stop trying to help God out. We must come to the place, of where all hope of our flesh must die. Jesus said, fear not, neither be thou dismayed; He is, who He is. He is the great I am. When our faith is in Christ, in the time of trial, learn to lean on His provision. He brings peace that passes all understanding.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss how all believers are justified by faith alone; any other way, only brings glory to self and not God. True righteousness is imputed to us by the righteous life of Christ. Faith in the finished work of Christ, is the only way to be justified, washed, and sanctified. This is how we stand in His grace. We must not add to, or take away from it. When we receive this, justification by faith, and never remove our faith from this position, we are guaranteed a future spent with God for all eternity. The Cross is the legal link between a human being and God. It is the New Covenant. Here, and here alone, we find peace with God.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read Romans 5:1-2 discussing that preaching any aspect of Calvary is the gospel, but we must grow in our understanding of what Christ provided in totality of our salvation. Faith in Christ also brings His grace to how to live this life as a victorious Christian. Our object of faith must be solely placed in the finished work of Christ and not our own personal works. No other source can produce what only God’s grace can provide. Brother Paris explains how the grace of God dethrones the sinful nature within us. Christ must take authority over our lives by this faith in Him alone; if not, the sin nature may revive in our lives.

Jesus, by death on the Cross, paid the penalty for all sin. He, as well, on the Cross, broke the power of sin. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss the message of the Cross for those who are new to the message, or still have many questions about it. The Cross addresses the clinging vines of The Fall. The message of the Cross teaches how a saved individual can learn to walk in their salvation. If we receive, and hold on to, the finished work of the Christ on the Cross will allow the Holy Spirit to be our power source to live out our Christian lives in victory.

Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel welcome special guest, Pastor Ross Kibodeaux. Brother Kibodeaux was a former student of Jimmy Swaggart Bible College and shares his testimony of how God is using him as a professor at Summit International School of Ministry in Pennsylvania. The panel discusses how the believer is constantly being transformed into the object of our faith. By faith in Christ’s finished work alone, we are justified and we are sanctified. Brother John explains how at salvation we begin to grow into what we already are.

Stagger not at the promises of God. Today on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read in the fourth Chapter of Romans, discussing imputed righteousness. Justification can only come when we place our faith in God’s redemption plan, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Abraham, even under the Old Covenant, placed his faith in a future redeemer, which imputed to him the righteousness of God, for he believed God and him alone. The promise of God to Abraham wasn’t just referring to a physical manifestation of a son. Abraham saw something so much greater. He waited for some 25 years for the birth of Isaac. Brother Watts says during those waiting years for that personal promise, Abraham’s faith grew in God’s redemption plan.

What does it mean to be weak in the faith? Today, on The Message of The Cross, Pastor Loren Larson and panel read in the Book of Romans, discussing obedience to the faith. Reading Romans 4:19-22, Pastor Loren Larson and panel discuss how the believer must keep their faith ever anchored in the finished work of Christ. He uses the life of Abraham as our example of justification for the Jew and the Gentile. Abraham believed God for His promises despite the difficulties he faced. He was justified by faith alone not of any works or law keeping of his own. Abraham didn’t just believe God for a son, he saw a future hope that was to come through a Savior. That’s what he believed God for, which was accounted to him for righteousness.