Reflections, February 8th, 2009

Sunday, February 8^th, 2009

How Far Are You Willing To Go?

"Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:31-33 (NKJV)

 In this life we will be hit with many things. We will be faced with obstacles and situations we could not have fathomed. Yet, God is with us always; through every storm, He is our anchor. In every dry place; He is our water. God is there, whether we can see Him or not. Whether we feel Him or not. He promised to never leave us, nor forsake us. But it is a wonder how soon we can forget what God has done for us, when we are faced with trouble in our lives. It is a wonder how soon we buckle, when our faith, what we believe, is under attack. Sometimes the pressure gets hard, and we can find ourselves caving, and following the pack. God has called us to walk in His love and Spirit. To be set apart from this world. And believe it or not; He has called us to stir up the waters, and cause friction where they may not have been any. Don't believe me? Then keep reading, and study the Word of God for yourselves.

It is my fondest prayer that this week's Reflection bring you encouragement, enlightenment, and food for your spirit. I pray that you take the time this week, and examine your hearts. Examine where your relationship with the Father stands. May God's mercy be seen and your life, and His spirit of truth and courage fill your very being.

There are so many times when we have a habit of "following the pack". But God is calling us to lead and to change hearts and minds, not so much by what we say; but by how we live our lives. Sometimes people are just not going to accept your relationship with the heavenly Father. Sometimes people will persecute you for your faith; even amongst your own family. And guess what? You will even be attacked by those who say they believe what you believe. Remember the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Yeah, I thought so. Well, as in Jesus' time, so it is now. But we cannot allow these deterrents to keep us from our personal walk and relationship with, Christ. We mustn't allow these-albeit sometimes hellish circumstances-to make us give up, or run from what we believe and know to be true in our hearts; That God is good. That He is just. That He is faithful. And for those that believe, all things are possible in Him.

There will come a time in our walk when we are going to have to make a choice. We are going to have to decide if we are willing to be on the "out", not popular, and even eschewed for the name of God. You know, Jesus was amazing. He walked this earth, and He taught about the principle of God's love. His Father's unconditional love. And because of what He taught, He stirred up more trouble that a fox in a hen house. And guess what? It was not even amongst the unbelievers! Or, even strangers! No, it was amongst his fellow brethren; those that followed the Laws of Moses; those that claimed to be following the will of the Father-the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. And even amongst his own siblings. But Jesus had an answer for this. It was most blunt and to the point:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be in his own household. He who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:34-39 (NKJV)

Yes. When Jesus came into this world, He was the peace and good will toward all men. But He was also the Sword that came to set people apart. He came to disturb the order of things, so that we may be reconciled unto the Father, and gain eternal life in him. God knew exactly what He was doing when He sent His Son. He was sending His Son, to enlarge His family upon this earth, and in doing so, would be causing many to turn against their own.

How far are you willing to go for the sake of Christ? How much are you willing to lose on this earth, for eternal life with Christ? How far? Jesus understood, and wanted to relay the message and reality to those that would follow and believe in Him; that not everyone will accept what you believe. Not everyone will follow. And that yes, you will get opposition from the ones that you love the most. Sometimes one's walk in Christ will cause them to be at odds with their mother or father. Sometimes our choices are different than what people who love us expected.

Perhaps you grew up with your family believing another way, and you begin to follow another. Maybe your family never believed in God. That there is a Creator that loves us so; but you found out there is, and it has caused a separation. Maybe you used to have some very close friends, so close they could be family, but because you now are a believer, they have pulled away from you. These things will happen. They are expected to occur. It may not be everyone's experience; but these things will happen. If it happened to Jesus, then we are not exempt.

Jesus was teaching that, if you love your family, your mother and father more than He; to the point that you are willing to forsake knowing Christ to please your family, then you are forsaking Him. There will come a time in our walk with Christ when we must choose. Do you love your child more than you do God? Look at it this way; or you willing to be in the good graces of your children or family or parents or that relationship, and forsake knowing Christ? Is this earthly relationship more valuable than your eternal relationship with God? God is a jealous God. And He will have no other god before Him. And that which we hold in higher regard, than the Father, is our god.

It is of my own understanding and interpretation that verse 39, is saying that if we find a life in this earth that is exclusive of God, then we have already lost our life, our eternal life in him. We have forfeited the Kingdom. However, if we lose our life-our earthly way of doing things, our way of unrighteous living, the life that we are used to and comfortable with, our family and friends who do not believe-for the sake of following Christ, then will find our new lives in Him.

Make no mistake about it; it can be a very tough road, and sometimes lonely. But God will bring into your life a love that you never knew existed. He will give you, and fill your heart with joy and peace that surpasses all human comprehension. How far are you willing to go? Or maybe I should have asked: How much are you willing to give up? Are you willing to forsake your mother, father, bother, sister, children for the sake of Christ? Are you willing to stir up the waters in your family, and talk about God? Are you willing to lose some family, and friends, and sometimes a very comfortable way of life, for a cross? A cross that gets very heavy and painful at times? Are you willing to give your life for Jesus, as He laid down His life for you?

As you ponder these questions in your heart, and seek the will of God for your lives, remember that God loves you, and will go out His way for that ONE sheep that is lost. If there was only one person on this earth that needed salvation and reconciliation; rest assure that Christ would have came just for that one. Because we are all that precious in our Father's sight. Take heart, for Jesus Christ prayed just for us, and continues to intercede on our behalf, while seated at the right hand of the Father:

"I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." John 17:9-18(NKJV)

Seek God with all your heart. Know that He loves you. It is my hope and prayer that the spirit of prosperity will find rest in your spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, social and financial lives. May God's will be done concerning you. Be Blessed, my friend.

©2009. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

 Forever God is Faithful!  Have a Blessed Week!