A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Leave It All For The Sake of The Kingdom

 

    Luke 18:29,30

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times more in this age - and in the age to come, eternal life."

    These words were said to the rich young ruler, who had observed the law and obeyed the commandments since he was young (verses 18-28). But Jesus knew this man's heart, as He knows all hearts, and that the man would not be so easily persuaded to give away his treasury. Are we not just as guilty when we refuse to part with whatever we hold most dear to our hearts? 

     

    God is the God of Restoration. 

    Matthew 6:33

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

    Matthew 19:29

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My Name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." 

    Mark 10:29,30

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life."

    There's your real prosperity gospel. Our souls prosper when we surrender everything we have, leave (the opinions of) everyone we love and give all that we are to His mighty hand. For in His hand is Life and Life Eternal. God wants to be first in our lives. So does everyone else. But only we can make a decision who we will listen to and follow. 

    We must consider the consequences of our intended direction, taking time out of our busyness to contemplate the results of our actions. This would be the wise action to take. Seldom do we make wise decisions, especially when we are young children or young adults. But God desires us to seek Him out first, whether early in life or early in the day. To put what He wants (His will) ahead of what we want (our own will) for our lives. 

    LIFE: Job 12:10 & Acts 17:28; Psalm 31:15

DEATH: Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

    LIFE ETERNAL: John 1:1-3; John 20:27

DEATH ETERNAL: Revelation 20:14,15

    PROSPERITY: 1 Chronicles 29:12

LACK: Philippians 4:11,12

    Why does the Bible say 'many are called but few are chosen'? (Matthew 22:14). Because all of us are called to do our part in the kingdom, but not everyone wants to be in this kingdom. Nor does everyone want to do what it takes to serve in this kingdom. 

    We are all called to salvation. Yet, the path to salvation is narrow. It is the width of a cross. The path to salvation is small. It is the size of a mustard seed. The path to salvation is both old and fresh. The call to be saved through Jesus Christ still rings out, yet the plan of salvation was set in motion when Adam and Eve sinned. 

    We are all called to serve in this kingdom. In whatsoever capacity God sees fit to use us, that is where we will serve. But wherever we serve God, it will be for the advancement of God's kingdom. 

    We are all called to love each other like Christ loves us: willingly, wholeheartedly and sacrificially. 

CALLED TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND

For The Sake of The Call - Steven Curtis Chapman

My Portion - Isla Vista Worship

Seek First - Jason Upton

Love You Just Like That - Jason Upton

Magnificent Obsession - Steven Curtis Chapman

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Lauren Daigle

    

Thanks Be To God -- For His Restoration

 

Isaiah 51:3

For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

Isaiah 61:3

To console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 7725

Restore: to turn back, return

From the Hebrew word 'shub' (pronounced shoob), which means, in Psalm 51:12, to rebuild, to bring back home again, to cause to turn again. 

It is the LORD God who causes restoration to be upon His people. It is God who creates and tears down only to restore and build up better His people (Deuteronomy 32:39). We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), modeled on His Potter's wheel (Jeremiah 18:1-10 [in the potter's house]). 

We are His planting (Isaiah 61:3), His field (John 4:35). In Him we are brought from destruction and death to restoration and life, for He is the God of Restoration, the One who brings Life back to His people. And He gives us everything we need to be sustained in this new Life in Him. 

Therefore, we give Him what we have to give Him.

JOY 

Romans 14:17

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Galatians 5:22, 23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
AND GLADNESS

Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fulness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is the thank-offering given to God by a choir of adoring worshippers. It is a confession of thanks rendered to God from a grateful heart. Thanks-Giving is sung, it is a sacrifice of praise given to God by a restored people, a delivered people. 

2 Chronicles 29:31

Then Hezekiah said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.

Romans 10:8, 9

(8) But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the Word of Faith we are proclaiming: (9) that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Exodus 15:1, 2

(1)Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider has He thrown into the sea. 

(2) The LORD is my Strength and Song, and He is become my Salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Revelation 15:2-4

(2) And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

(3) And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are Your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Your ways, thou King of saints.

(4) Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? for You only are holy: for all nations shall come and worship before You; for Your judgments are made manifest.

We give God praise in songs combined with musical instruments, even if that musical instrument is us clapping our hands, 

MELODIOUS SONG

Psalm 81:1, 2

(1) For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph. Sing for joy to God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.

(2) Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.

Having been restored (by His grace) and replanted (by His righteousness), we begin to bear fruit (see souls saved) and prosper (be profitable) in God's kingdom (Psalm 92:12-15; Psalm 1:3), which is where the born again believer lives and thrives. 

Dear God,

I am so very thankful for all that You have done for me and in me that I may glorify Your name for all eternity.

Thank You for saving me. Thank You for restoring me to You and planting me in Your garden. 

Please help me to tell everyone I know and everyone You place in my path, about Your Amazing Grace and Forever Love, with Your love; give me words to speak that they may hear.

Make me to be a profitable servant in Your house, that I may not be found wanting, but be a joy and a treasure to You. Cause me to grow where You have planted me, that Your Name would be glorified by the words and actions of my heart. 

To God be the glory.

In Jesus' name, I pray,

Amen

Word of God Speak by Mercy Me

This Is The Kingdom by Elevation Worship

Seek First by Jason Upton