Thursday, 21 March 2024
”So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not [carefully consider the cost and then for My sake] give up all his own possessions.“ – Luke 14:33 AMP
”Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.“ – Matthew 7:14 NKJV
I always say I was saved at 18 years old when I accepted Jesus Christ as my LORD and Saviour, and I proceeded to live as a typical church-going, sometimes Bible-reading Christian. However, I was only truly born again in my 30’s. I still remember the day and the moment like it was yesterday. I knew right there and then that I would never ever be the same. Something in my spirit completely broke and I experienced a surrender that felt greater than me. It was as though The Holy Spirit was the one surrendering me to Jesus. I felt such a deep love for GOD in that moment, that I knew I wanted to give all that I am to Him. If He had been physically standing in front of me at that very moment, I probably would have begged Him to take me with Him wherever He’s going.
I believe there are many others who have experienced this deep soul-changing moment at one point or another in their Christian life. But as beautiful as that is, the real journey comes when Christ ACTUALLY does come into your heart and begins to tell you how to live your life and where and what He wants you to do. In short, He takes over. In His taking over, He will more often than not, put you in situations that can be so challenging, that you will even question if it’s still GOD allowing all that you are going through. He begins to strip you of yourself and remove so much of what you think you cannot live without that at the end you begin to realize you have nothing else but Him to rely on.
”Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.“ Matthew 4:19-20 NKJV. When Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him, they did not question anything and they immediately followed Him. Many of us believe, that if we were to be found by Jesus and the same request be put forward, we would also follow no questions asked. Indeed many did follow Jesus, but how many remained when times became tough and the testing sifted them. The Bible tells us that we will be put through the fire to see of what kind we are. Those who follow Christ for things and for blessings often suffer the most because those seasons look and feel like curses rather than an opportunity to hide in and to grow in Christ.
Unfortunately, Christianity is not man’s idea and therefore we cannot do as we please or decide how our lives will go. Jesus is coming back for His spotless bride and for those who have made a decision to follow Him wholeheartedly, there is fullness of joy in the presence of GOD, and His blessings continuously abound. Indeed He does promise that, before we even ask, He will answer. That is what life looks like for those who truly abide in Him and Him in them. We do not consider only what is sweet and good because even the thorny parts of life have a divine purpose.
Unfortunately, Christianity is not man’s idea and therefore we cannot do as we please or decide how our lives will go
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