Jesus seeing a large crowd following Him turned and preached one of the strongest message to them. It is known as the cost of discipleship. Many in the church call themselves disciples who are not true disciples. It's good to be honest with ourselves and not deceive ourselves. A disciple means a learner and a follower of Jesus. Are you one? What have you learnt from Jesus in the last 30 days that you are trying to follow?
The first condition is that Jesus must be number 1 above family members and friends. Yes more than even His own life. The Love for Jesus must exceed that of father, mother, brother, sister children, even His own life. He says we must 'hate'. This means if you compare the love of Jesus to that others including self, the love for others must look as if it is hate. If there is a decision to be made which you have a choice between pleasing Jesus or any of your family members or friends, you choose immediately to displease them so that you can please Jesus. When your parents or siblings calls you to go in a certain direction and Jesus calls you to go in another direction, you go the Jesus' direction.
The whole mindset is that I will always choose to please Jesus even if I must displease family and friends and even self.
He said also that we must carry our cross everyday and follow Him.
The cross has a vertical bar and a horizontal bar.✝️ The horizontal bar symbolizes my will, my way, and my plans and desires, whereas the vertical bar symbolizes Gods will, Gods way, Gods desires and plans. The cross is a symbol of crucifixion. It's a symbol of death. The man with a cross is facing only one direction and He knows He is going to die. He has said goodbye to family and friends and the would as well. There is no turning back.
The cross we have to bear everyday. Luke 9:23
For you to be a disciple, everyday you have to put to death your own way and will and plan and desire whenever they cross Gods plan, and will and way and desires. There is only one direction ⬆️➡️. Forward and upward. You have set your face like a flint determined to go in the direction God has planned for you (Isaiah 50:7) and you have kissed goodbye to everyone and everything.
How many disciples do we have in our churches? It's almost impossible to find one genuine one among the thousands who claim to be christians. Very often we want things our own way and we get offended when things don't go our way and we murmur and complain. The reason you get offended easily and complain and murmur is because you are not a disciple of Jesus. Face up to it. This is the very reasons we don't have the peace and fullness of joy promised to disciples. Can you say that your life is filled with perpetual joy and peace which no one can take away from you by either doing something or not doing something for you?
Jesus said before you decide to be a disciple, you must sit down and count the cost. It's better not to start to than to start and stop in the middle. If you begin this journey of discipleship, you must finish the race. Don't begin something that you will not finish.
He also added that if we don't forsake all our possessions, we cannot be disciples. Possessions are things that possess us. Things that are so dear to us that we are unwilling to lose. We hold them tightly. To forsake them does not mean you cannot own anything but it means that nothing possesses you. Everything you have you are freely willing to give away whenever the Lord tells you to. They are all on open hands and you are always ready to let go if God takes them away either through loss or giving out. If there is anything you own that you are not willing to let go as a follower of Jesus, you are not His disciple.
Jesus said that this life of discipleship is the salt of the world and we should never lose that taste otherwise we will become useless and worthless fit to be thrown away. This teaches us that we can be a blessing to others today when we are disciples but once we leave that path of the cross, we become a curse and a burden to others. Never think that because God used you to bless others, He will always do it. No, He will use you as long as your life is on the cross as described above but if you decide to leave the path of death to self and loving Jesus above everything else, you will lose the anointing like Saul and the first things to leave your life when you move out of this life is peace and joy.
Have you lost your peace and joy? Yes, it's because you left the path of the cross and got sidetracked to something else. Go back to the crossroads where you lost the way and ask the ancient path of the cross, and you will hear voice in your heart saying, this is the way, walk in it. Jer 6:16, Isaiah 30:21.
You are blessed to be a blessing
Feel free to share
@Blessed Mshindi Mambo
No comments:
Post a Comment