Jesus said that no one forced Him to lay His life but decided to do it and obey His Father. We are encouraged to do the same in 1John 3:16; to lay down our lives for the brothers. Not seeking our own comfort and ease but how we can sacrifice ourselves to be a blessing to our brothers and sisters.
Let's follow Jesus here.
Many were divided and thought He was mad. In the same way if you decide to lay your life for the brethren in a world where everyone seeks their own interests and comfort, they'll think you are out of your mind, but the opinions of the people or what people say about us us worthless. Isaiah 2:22 says that we should Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils; For why should he be esteemed?
In other words, mans opinion is worthless. They are mortal being who will die if they miss breathe for five minutes. You can't stop them from talking, but you must not regard what they say as important. Obeying Gods voice is the only thing that really matters.
Jesus was asked to say plainly whether he was Christ and he told them He as already told them and the works bore witness to Him. God bearing witness to the servants of God is the most important thing. We must have an authority from from above, God backing us up, otherwise our words will not change lives. Not how loud we speak but whether God is backing us up is the thing that is important. God will never back up a hypocrite or someone living in sin.
Jesus said they didn't believe because they were not His sheep. We learn that even Jesus, His Father entrusted only a few individuals to Him; and even today,for the true ministers, God entrusts them with some people who will receive what they have. Jesus did not desire to have a worldwide ministry but was content with what the Father gave Him. Remember that the devil offered Jesus a worldwide ministry in the temptation when he told Him he will give Him all the kingdomif the earth if he bowed to Him. Even today, satan is willing to give worldwide ministries to ministers if they will compromise. We must learn contentment. It's not quantity but quality that God looks at. Many ministers have compromised looking for worldwide ministries and they have it but at the end, both they and their deceived members will go to hell. What's the use of such a work.
Jesus ministry which only had 12 and backslid was of such a quality that they turned the world upside down. Today we have many who claim to be Christians but cannot put are still living in sin and the devil is not even afraid of them. He just wants them to continue in their blindness and at the end, they waiting for the gates of heaven to open for them; they will receive a suprise falling in hell for their sins. God cannot be mocked; whatever a man sows, that he shall also reap.
Jesus said that the mark of His sheep is that they hear him, and they know Christ: to know here is an intimate word; there is intimacy between them and Christ, and they follow him; and Christ gives life to them and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of His hand for the Father is stronger than all.
If you don't want to perish, then become His true sheep; listen to His voice everyday; have an intimate relationship with Christ everyday; follow His: his example everyday; in other words, Christ must become your example in everything. They way you talk, or treat others, your motives and attitudes and thoughts and deeds. To follow Him you must love Him more that everyone and everything else and you have to carry your cross to crucify your self-life everyday. Saying no to my will and yes to Gods will everyday.
It is to such a person this promise applies, that no one will snatch them from the Fathers hand; you alone can decide to leave the Fathers hand but no one can snatch you out. Thus the solution to backsliding is to always listen to God's voice everyday, have an intimate relationship with Christ, make Jesus your example in everything you do, walk the way of the cross and love Jesus more than everyone and everything else.
You are blessed to be a blessing
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@Blessed Mshindi Mambo
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