I Will Serve The Lord by Steve Green
Matthew 10:31-39
31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven.
33) But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father which is in heaven.
34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36) And a man's own foes shall be they of his own household.
37) He that loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38) And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me.
39) He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.
It must have been very hard for many of the crowd following Him to hear these words which Jesus spoke, when He explained the cost of discipleship. But it was not very different from that which was written in the commandments back in Moses' day. Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." See, if we put anything or anyone first in our lives besides God, then that person or thing becomes our god, our idol.
In this passage Jesus reveals that as God's Son He also has authority to demand that we love Him first. And not just make a statement saying we do, but showing by our actions: (1) Taking up our cross; (2) Following Him; (3) Lose my life for Him.
We are to daily make this decision to be obedient to His words and follow His example in service and surrender to our heavenly Father, as well. Do not worry that your children are not following God the way you want them to; pray for them that they follow Christ the way God wants them to.
Can you or I say truthfully that we will stand and serve The Lord, though the cost is high? Yes, from the comfort of our fine homes, we may make this statement, but what about they who serve in the mission field? Or the battlefield? Or the streets? Are we willing even then and there to take a stand for Christ?
What in this life is worth losing our soul over? Nothing should hold us back from desiring to be 'stuck like glue' to our God and Savior, as David wrote in Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows hard after Thee: Thy Right Hand upholds me." To 'follow hard' is to be 'stuck like glue'. Lord, make me wholly Yours.
Books like Fox's Book of Martyrs and Jesus Freaks show us by their testimonies of faith what it means to take a stand for Christ and not back down. Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of Righteousness". Girdle of Truth upon our abdomen and just above our hips and Breastplate of Righteousness over our heart, both armor-pieces referring to being clothed or armored in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for He is to the Christian both inner-wear and outerwear. Why do you think that is?
We need Jesus on the inside, not only cleaning house but shining His love through us that the people who see us see Him clearly. We need Jesus on the outside as both our defense and our offense. For He is our Lawyer and the unbeliever's Judge. He saves, protects, defends His people. And His people are the ones who declare Him as Lord and Savior; not just in the privacy of their homes and churches, but on the street corners, in the grocer's, at the mall, internet postings, parking lots, work places, retirement homes. Wherever we go and whatever we are doing, we are to be sharing Jesus Christ.
"Though my foe may slay me, I will serve The Lord." Not disregarding the cost, but counting the cost and realizing that my soul and my service have worth to God. It is a wiser decision to set my focus on Him and follow His steps wherever He may lead me.
Where You Go, I Go by Jesus Culture
31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32) Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven.
33) But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father which is in heaven.
34) Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35) For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36) And a man's own foes shall be they of his own household.
37) He that loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38) And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me.
39) He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it.
It must have been very hard for many of the crowd following Him to hear these words which Jesus spoke, when He explained the cost of discipleship. But it was not very different from that which was written in the commandments back in Moses' day. Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." See, if we put anything or anyone first in our lives besides God, then that person or thing becomes our god, our idol.
In this passage Jesus reveals that as God's Son He also has authority to demand that we love Him first. And not just make a statement saying we do, but showing by our actions: (1) Taking up our cross; (2) Following Him; (3) Lose my life for Him.
We are to daily make this decision to be obedient to His words and follow His example in service and surrender to our heavenly Father, as well. Do not worry that your children are not following God the way you want them to; pray for them that they follow Christ the way God wants them to.
Can you or I say truthfully that we will stand and serve The Lord, though the cost is high? Yes, from the comfort of our fine homes, we may make this statement, but what about they who serve in the mission field? Or the battlefield? Or the streets? Are we willing even then and there to take a stand for Christ?
What in this life is worth losing our soul over? Nothing should hold us back from desiring to be 'stuck like glue' to our God and Savior, as David wrote in Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows hard after Thee: Thy Right Hand upholds me." To 'follow hard' is to be 'stuck like glue'. Lord, make me wholly Yours.
Books like Fox's Book of Martyrs and Jesus Freaks show us by their testimonies of faith what it means to take a stand for Christ and not back down. Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with Truth, and having on the breastplate of Righteousness". Girdle of Truth upon our abdomen and just above our hips and Breastplate of Righteousness over our heart, both armor-pieces referring to being clothed or armored in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, for He is to the Christian both inner-wear and outerwear. Why do you think that is?
We need Jesus on the inside, not only cleaning house but shining His love through us that the people who see us see Him clearly. We need Jesus on the outside as both our defense and our offense. For He is our Lawyer and the unbeliever's Judge. He saves, protects, defends His people. And His people are the ones who declare Him as Lord and Savior; not just in the privacy of their homes and churches, but on the street corners, in the grocer's, at the mall, internet postings, parking lots, work places, retirement homes. Wherever we go and whatever we are doing, we are to be sharing Jesus Christ.
"Though my foe may slay me, I will serve The Lord." Not disregarding the cost, but counting the cost and realizing that my soul and my service have worth to God. It is a wiser decision to set my focus on Him and follow His steps wherever He may lead me.
Where You Go, I Go by Jesus Culture
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