[countmeworthy]

I have always had difficulty understanding 'taking up the cross'. Funny, I was just talking to a brother yesterday about that very thing ! LOL.

So yes. Repentence & the cross (The Blood of Jesus) is necessary for Salvation. To be sure, I totally understand Galations 2:20...and there it mentions being crucified with Christ.

Salvation I have discovered is a process. There is eternal salvation & then our daily salvation.

A broken & a contrite heart God will not despise.

With certainty, every person who is born again has repented. If he has not how can he/she see desire Christ? Darkness does not want to be in the Light.

But we must repent daily because our minds & hearts are still polluted. As an example. It is easy for people to pray for their loved ones, our country, Israel etc... but try praying for someone who broke your heart or betrayed you when you thought you could trust them. Try praying for an ex spouse who cheated on you, divorced you & left you high & dry...AND they were a 'Christian'. Yeah... not so easy is it?

Though I have not been married... I am speaking from my experience of being betrayed, hurt, abandoned etc... I did not pray for them right away of course but in due time as I grew closer to the Lord, His Spirit told me to pray for them. WHAT ??? NOOOO LORD!!! WHY me ????

But when I obeyed and prayed for them to draw nearer to HIM, to have Mercy on them as He had mercy on me, to forgive them as He forgave me, the hurt, the yoke, the heavy burdened lifted.

Glory to God in the Highest!