DAY TO DAY WITH JESUS RECOVERY DEVOTIONAL
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Brother James, OIC
Brother James, OIC
If any man come to me, and hatenot his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26)
Americanized Christianity (which really isn't) has for as long as I can remember tried to equate being a Christian with the American Dream and Mans Own Goodness both of which are dark deceptions. Because of the perilous times we live in Jesus gave us many seemingly hard sayings especially for the new believer. To trust and obey these instructions begins the cost of discipleship in your life. Why is it Jesus would begin with telling us to hate the members of our household. He explains it differently in another passage of scripture:
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)
Jesus is looking for those who will desire His Life above all else. To be Born From Above requires this full and total loyalty. Yet that's just one reason, the other is familiar spirits associated with those we grew up around. For many years I tried to fit God into my agendas and my desires asking Him to do this or that. Then the prayer would seemingly be answered and I would go off thanking God and believing I must be in His will but I wasn't. I realized after years of trying to conform God to my way of thinking to fit in with my goals of family and the American Dream that I was nowhere close to Gods Will. In fact I was on the broad path of destruction. God released me to my own way of thinking. My good intentions were actually paving a road to hell. Yet I remember how for awhile it seemed I was in Gods will, going to church etc then I'd crash and burn...looking back before I was given my own way I realized I never once said; Father not my will but Your will be done. Gods will is in His Word and for us it is the commands of Jesus. The #1 principle I must remember daily in these last days is:
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them,
Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.(Mark 8:34)
AND
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 10:33)
There are ways we deny Jesus that early on in our walk we couldn't see. Foremost is usually we are wanting yo save our life or return back to a life we've lost (that was not Gods Will for us anyway) through divorce or failure. So we pray God return us to that life and promise Him we will succeed this time. It happens and we go off thanking God for answered prayer when the whole time He simply knew we wouldn't learn until we went through the same messes again sometimes over and over again. Look with me at the great heroes of Faith and what would happen if they weren't committed to God and His Promises:
Heb 11:13 -16These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
So reliance on anyone or anything other than God is trusting yourself & man and DENYING HIM. The Cost Of Discipleship is great but the rewards are greater: And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (Mark 10:27-31)
In Christ’s Love and Service,
Brother James Pierson, OIC
Founder/Senior Minister
1992 OverComers In Christ Outreach Ministries
Overcomers In Christ International-Total Recovery Ministries
