A Cross Centered Life

Last night my 'Biblical Community' discussed the book "The Cross Centered Life". A very compact, but thought provoking book. I have thought that I would like to sort of go over that book here. Mostly for my own edification so that I can digest the material some more. I would like anyone who reads these rambling thoughts to post comments or questions so that I can further turn them over in my own mind. And maybe the Holy Spirit will share something new with each of us. :) I will post my thoughts on Chapter 1 - hopefully - on Monday. The rest of the week will be my normal ramblings and/or go over points that come up. I hope you all don't mind - but I just want to share some things that the Lord is teaching me, and to help myself better understand some things. For me there is no better way to delve into a subject than to share it with others. :) For me the cross is central to all I am as a Christian. Nothing I do in my walk with Christ, or any part of my day, does not in some way tie back to the cross. I hope you all will help me digest this material even further in the upcoming days and weeks. Verse for today: Isiah 53, esv Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. Hallelujah