http://www.isaiah58.com/music/DarrenPrater/Darren%20Prater%20-%20Beyond%20The%20Cross.mp3
Hey John,
I was thinking about the Sacrifice of Christ today, and how if it wasn’t for Jesus saying yes to his Father, that he was willing to go to the cross and suffer and die for us, then He would not have ascended to his Father and offered himself as the sacrifice for us, and there would not have been a sacrifice for us at all. Jesus was the only one worthy, and if it wasn’t for Him, God’s Baptism of the Spirit would not have been made available to us, and we wouldn’t be where we are today. There is no way to understand the things the Lord has given you for us, and all of God’s people, on the other side of the cross. It really did take Jesus for us to have what we have!
That made me think of my song “Beyond the Cross”, so I sat down at my desk and pulled it up and sang through it. These lines really stood out to me:
Beyond the cross is mercy, beyond the cross is fire
Beyond is understanding, that’s meant to take you higher
Beyond the cross is knowledge, wealth and wisdom too
Beyond the cross, salvation, that’s meant for me and you
These words come from the “higher power” that Brother Earl sings about, far greater than any thoughts I could have on my own. Without God having mercy on us, there would be no understanding of anything. I am thankful He gives it, and thankful to have it. I believe that there has been a lot of good for everyone to come out of these readings in Acts, among all the other good readings we have done together. Thank you for all the work you have done to get it to us.
Darren