On Your Mark, Get set....GO!!!!

If you read the last post titled Saved or Deceived you have been given enough time to consider what choice you want to make with your life.  If you want to be a follower of Jesus or not.
                                    
In Luke 28:26-34 Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even life itself; such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.  Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?  For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, "This person began to build and wasn't able to finish."  Or suppose a king is about to go to war with another king.  Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty-thousand?  If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.  In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.  Salt is good but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile, it is thrown out.  "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."

Now lets get things straight here,  Jesus does not want us to hate anybody, but in comparison to the love we should have for him everything else is nothing.  Even our very own lives... This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  It is no longer your will but his will for your life and everything on this earth must not possess you.

In Luke 18:18-29, we read:  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him, Why do you call me good?"  Jesus answered. "No one is good- except God alone.  You know the commandments: "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother."  All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.  When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me."  When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.  Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter into the kingdom of God."  Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"  Jesus replied, "What is impossible with human beings is possible with God."  Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"  "Truly I tell you,"  Jesus said to them,  "no one who has left home or wife or brother or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

This ruler was sad because he had a lot of possessions and did not want to give them up.  The Lord knows you need clothes, shoes, food etc...He does not necessarily want you to sell all you have either.  The problem here is that he saw in the young rulers heart that the things he had possessed his heart!  Jesus was not the center of his heart!  Notice in comparison, Peter said, "We have left all we had to follow you".  Peter was a true disciple of Christ!  But look at the promise that came with that sacrifice, "no one who has left home or wife or brother or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."  Never be afraid to let go of whoever or whatever you have to in order to follow Christ, because great is your reward!

In order to do this there is a great need for a self disciplined life. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?  Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Cor 9: 24-27)  This was the apostle Pauls writing to the church of Corinth.

Just like a runner runs in a small pair of short and little clothes so that it may not hinder him, we must remove everything that hinders our walk with Christ.  If it is the friends we associate with, then we need to let them go!  Pray for them that they may be saved and let them turn to you, not you turn to them! (Jer 15:19)  If it is an addiction then you need to pray for deliverance for that addiction and disassociate with everything and everyone that has anything to do with it.  If it's a relationship out of wedlock, you must give it up and trust God.  If that person is God's will for you he will restore it in the right way, in the right time.  But you must put everything in the cross.  You must die to it...That is what it means to take up your cross daily!  Not letting these thing go and trying to walk with Christ is like a runner trying to win a race with a heavy backpack and a bunch of clothes on.  Those things will hinder you and could prevent you from winning that crown!  Sometimes, it could even be a marriage that hinders you.  A marriage partner that was chosen in the flesh and is an unbeliever.  In this case you must obey the instruction given in 1Cor 7:16, but you must continue to follow and as you follow if that spouse does not want to follow you and they want to leave then you must let them go and trust God!

I am not speaking from a stand point of not having to do these things...I have had to walk away from friends, relationships, addictions etc...in order to follow.  I let go of possessions that did not Glorify God or the Holy Spirit asked me to give away.  I even had to separate from my family for a time and season in order for God to do a work in me.  These things are necessary as a true disciple of Christ.  Nevertheless, the Lord has been faithful to his word and promise and has restored everything in my life to more than what I could ever imagine.  When I look back at my life and think about all the suffering the Lord pulled me through and allowed in order to form Christ in me and teach me many things that can only be learned thru experience; all that he has done and restored in my life. I can't help but to well up with tears because he has been so good.  No it hasn't been easy...Swimming against stream is never easy.  A disciple of Christ walks in a narrow path least chosen because of the difficulty of it to the flesh, but your spirit man is edified through out it all.  All the suffering he allows you to go through he has a plan of restoration for it already.  You will look back at your life and know that you walked through these things but your heart will be so healed and pure that you will not feel any pain of the memories...he will make all things new!  There is a difference between suffering that comes upon us from living a life of disobedience apart from Christ and suffering from walking with Christ.  Nevertheless, once you have turned and truly repented from your ways that Lord is still able to restore you.  That doesn't necessarily mean that he will take away the consequences from the bad choices you made while living in sin but he will forgive you and still can use it for your good. (Rom 8:28)

This is the truth about what it means to follow Christ.  Everything comes with a price... If you give your life up for Christ...you will find it!  (Mat 10:39) If you don't it will cost you much more in this age and next age to come....

Therefore, make that body a slave to prayer and fasting!  Let go of everything that hinders you!  Trust God with the pain of letting go of people and relationships and BE FREE!  Run the race and GO!  You can do it but not in your own strength.  Only with the power and help of the Holy Spirit can living a true Christian life be accomplished!

What has Christ done in your life?  Has this post clear things up for you?  Leave your comments below, your testimonies...that they might inspire others who read!

Saved or Deceived?

What does it mean to be saved?  What are we saved from?  How do you know if you really are saved? What must I do to get there?

In America that is known supposedly to be a "Christian Nation" it is one of the most "Godless Nations" in the world today!  When you ask people if they are a Christian most people will tell you that they are, especially living in the "Bible Belt" areas, where there are "Christian" churches in almost every street corner.  Upon examining these peoples lives we find that most are in complete deception thinking that they are saved and this could not be further from the truth!  Unfortunately, many of these people are just doing their best with what they have been taught in the churches today. Given a watered down gospel in order to make everybody happy and keep their members in the doors! Today churches in the West have become a trap more than an escape!  There are many people that are walking around thinking that they are "OK with God" and they can continue living their lives just like anybody else because they have been "saved by grace" and there is nothing they have to do for it....

While the latter is true that we are saved by grace, there are conditions that we must meet in order to be truly saved.  The bible says that Jesus came to save his people from their sin. Mat 1:21  First, John the Baptist comes on the scene and his mission was to prepare the way for the Lord.  John came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mat 3:1-2).
We later read in Mat 4:17 when Jesus began his earthly ministry after being baptized in the Holy Spirit He also begins his preaching saying, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".  So what is the first condition/step toward salvation?  REPENTANCE!

Most people who have prayed "the sinners prayer" have not fulfilled this very first step! Repentance means to turn away.  Like doing a 180 not a 360...What we are witnessing in many churches today are people led to these prayers based on emotionalism instead of a true conviction of heart given to them by the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, they have an emotional moment, pray a short prayer and BAM you are now part of the kingdom of God!  They go home completely unchanged and unrepented and continue to live their own sinful lives. Really??...Well, my bible says that, "Not everyone who says to me Lord Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Mat 7:21).  This scripture is talking about people who think they are saved and are really not!
There are many preachers in pulpits today unsaved, living in self deception and deceiving others!  Watch out!  Jesus said in Mat 24 known as the "Olivet Discourse" that the biggest thing we had to watch out for in the end times was DECEPTION!  Sadly, most of the deception today is coming from within the pulpit of the churches.

We are all born in a fallen state with our backs turned to God.  When we turn away from our sinful ways, we REPENT.  What do we turn away from?  Sin and idolatry (1The 1:9).  Anything that we love more than God is considered and idol (or another God).  It could be a spouse, child, car, boat, animal, money etc...The bible says we should love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself (Luke 10: 27).  Therefore, we give God back his rightful place in our lives...FIRST PLACE!  God has to see that a man choses him first before he will forgive his sins. God does not force anyone to do anything you do not want.  He gives you a free will.  The bible says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks: and if any man hears his voice, and opens the door, he will come in to him (Rev 3:20).  He is a gentle man and will not force his way in.  A relationship with God is like a marriage...sometimes a man might ask a women to marry him and she doesn't say,"yes" until 5 years later or she might say, "yes" right away. The marriage cannot happen until both agree to the marriage. He says to you, "I want to be united to you, I want to forgive your sins, I want to bless you, I want to come live in your heart, I want to deliver you from your bad habits, heal your emotional pain etc...but he won't do it until you say, "YES".  This is why so many people in the world live without God.  Many people in the world live with RELIGION but that is vastly different than living with God.  There are many religions including the "Christian" religion. Most people are in a religion because they were born into it. There is a big difference in being religious and being united with the person of God.  Jesus did not come to start a new religion, to follow traditions, or to go to church every Sunday. He came to bring us into a relationship with the "Father God".  We are all born seeking our own profit and gain, we by nature our SELFISH!  That includes religious people...

To turn to God means to turn away from seeking my own way and everything that dishonors the Lord.  It means to turn away from the sinful pleasures of this world.  It means to stop seeking your own honor, your own recognition, and to leave your life of sins.  It is easy to deceive ourselves and think because we have prayed a short prayer this has happened in our lives.  Jesus said, "These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me.  But in vain they worship me for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mat 15:8-9).  But the bible says we must bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance (Mat 3:8).  How do show fruit of repentance?  If you have stolen-give it back. If you need to ask someone for forgiveness-go and do so.  Your acts (fruit) will prove that you have repented.  NO FRUIT=NO REPENTANCE!  You have to acknowledge the sin of worshipping created things and others more than God. It doesn't mean having to give up earthly things that we may use in everyday lives but it means giving up an attachment to earthly things...but if we make these things more important than our heavenly Father then we are making these things "other Gods" and they will destroy us. The Christian life means living a SELFLESS life!

Next, comes forgiveness...Jesus said in Matthew 6:15 that if we don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses!  You want God to forgive all your disgusting sin but you don't want to forgive others!  This is a must to enter in to the kingdom of heaven.  I understand it is really hard to forgive others that have caused you so much pain in your heart! Those who have abused you, taken advantage of you, broken your heart and have tried to destroy you!  Nevertheless, forgiveness is an act of the will...you chose to forgive or not to forgive.  Unforgiveness is you drinking the poison and expecting the other person to die...It slowly kills you!  Forgiveness is not saying what someone else did to you was okay.  It doesn't even mean you have to expose yourself to that person again, especially in the case of abuse. It just means obeying God and forgiving that person as an act of your will and trusting God to bring you the healing in your heart that the person who sinned against you caused.  Are you willing to trust God and allow him to heal your heart?  Why hold on to all that pain?  Let it go and let God in!

These are the basic conditions for salvation...Jesus paid a heavy price on that cross for your salvation.  It cost him everything!  What does he ask of you in return?  Everything!  Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service".  If he has your heart, he has your body, he has everything else... your money, possessions etc...

So, now that you have read the basic conditions for salvation....do you know if you are? Have you met these conditions? Examine yourself closely.  What do you meditate in (your thoughts)?  What do you spend most of your time in?  What kind of music do you listen to? What do you watch?  We have to be really honest with ourselves and ask God to give us the courage to really look at ourselves. The person in the mirror sometimes is the hardest one to face!

Be Blessed!