In the Potter's Hands

One of the great images we learn from the Bible is expressed in the metaphor of the potter, as a representation of God. Remember the incident when the despondent Judas brought back the thirty pieces of silver and flung them down at the feet of the priests, after having betrayed his Lord? What happened? The priests gathered up the money, discussed together what they should do with it and decided to buy a potter's field. And it was known thereafter as "the field of blood," (Matt 27:6-10). How is this relevant?

This is God's wonderful reminder of the heart of the Potter. God’s heart. For if you watch this Potter very carefully at work in your life, you will find that his hands and his feet bear the nail marks of crucifixion, and that it is through blood, the blood of the Potter Himself, that the vessels [His children] are being shaped into what He wants them to be.

When we are in the Potter's hands, feeling His pressures, feeling the molding of His fingers, we can relax and trust Him, for we know that this Potter has suffered with us and knows how we feel. He is determined to make us into a valuable vessel worthy for His use. "In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble [those practices which appear just before this in the context ––wrongful attitudes, contentiousness, ungodliness, doctrinal aberrations, iniquity] then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work." (2 Tim 2:20-21 RSV)

What a tremendous lesson can be learned from this metaphor as we submit to God’s will and purposes as Christians. How refreshing to know that we are being shaped, chiseled and crafted into a “worthy vessel” for Divine us by the great Potter. We are in God’s hands everyday of our faithful lives. It’s not easy being there, nor is it easy staying in His hands.

Being Christian... living as Christians... following closely and precisely all His wisdom and counsel is not for the weak or faint of heart. It takes courage and perseverance to be a “child of the Living God.”

Much is involved. Loving one another... paying attention to truth and correct doctrine... giving to God for His mission, and separating ourselves from the negative and powerfully persuasive influences of this world are enormous challenges. Learning the “ways and means” of God to protect ourselves is an everyday pursuit. We can’t afford to let up in our persistence and enthusiasm to be all that He is molding us to be.

We should never lose sight of the fact that as Christians we have enormous power to influence the world around us.... positively and negatively. In order for us to be effective instruments in the mission of God, He has to be enabled by our willing submission to shape, correct and instruct us for our good.

Understanding that helps us to stay pliable in the hands of the Potter. God seeks to mold us into the image of Jesus. Let Him make you into a vessel of Honor He desires you to be. Jeremiah 18:6 says... O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. “Can I not do to you as the potter does with the clay?” You see, all God wants is to be free to work in our lives.

He isn’t trying to take something away from us. He is trying to give something wonderful to everyone of us... “Hear Me. Do what I say. Follow my plan. Get in My Word. Listen to Me in your spirit. Let Me make you a vessel of honor.”

Think back to the way you were when you were first born again, before the Word was ever planted in your heart. You were a sad story before the Potter began to mold and shape you, we all were. God develops authority and power in you as you walk in His Word. An inner confidence rises up because you know Who is inside you and Who you are following. You get the picture of what’s happening to you in 1 John 4:4.. You dear children are from God, and have overcome them, because the one who is in you, is greater than the one who is in the world.

Personal knowledge or self-confidence can never compare with what the Word of God builds in your heart – an inner strength that you can face anything that comes your way because the Greater One live in you. It’s no longer self-confidence but God confidence.

Being a Christian is not easy. It takes hard work, perseverance and unqualified commitment and dedication. There are no short-cuts. You can do nothing of your own design or accord to be acceptable to God. HE makes you acceptable to Him by transforming you!

As you honor God’s Word with loyalty and obedience, He will do more in your life than you could ever imagine. He will make you a vessel of honor, prepared for every good work, fit for the Master’s use. (2 Timothy 2:19-21)

How to Get From Here to There!

WHAT DOES GOD EXPECT OF HIS FOLLOWERS?  As MEN of GOD we should always be progressing on the spiritual journey. That’s our life mission… our Walk… growing in Christ –LEADING our families in spiritual growth.  WHY?   There’s a finish line at some point in our future and we should want to arrive ready to hear those words of our Lord… “Well done good and faithful servant...”. 

However, many times we stop short in receiving what God wants us to have, and our Walk gets sluggish, or comes to a dead-stop.  Not uncommon for God’s people… I could have done better, but… you know all sorts of excuses.

Consider the example of God's own people.  Israel stopped short when they failed to enter the Promised Land the first time. In their disobedience, they wandered in the wilderness instead of receiving what God had promised.

Stopping short may be the result of holding onto a sin or refusing to follow God's direction in certain matters, but the end result is this: because we wander, we fail to enjoy the blessings of God.  ALL-IN is not an option with GOD… it is HIS expectation for HIS followers.

So how do we move from where we are to where God wants us to be? The people of Israel give us some clues.  The man JOSHUA is an excellent example for us men… HE was married, a father, a leader of Israel and a man who dealt with many adversities and presented a life of faithfulness to God.  Let’s look at Joshua…. 4 things to learn….

Receive and Accept a formidable challenge --- Joshua 1: 2... "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites."   After Moses died, God challenged Joshua to possess the land. This was not a decision to accept lightly. Since Joshua had been with the Israelite people, he knew of their weaknesses and problems. And though he was well past middle age, (85 yrs old) Joshua accepted God's challenges. HE trusted GOD and knew from experience GOD never fails those who trust HIM.

Challenge the Unknown & Untamed --- Joshua 3:15… Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

The Jordan River was at flood stage as they prepared to cross.  How much better it would have been to cross when the weather was dry and the river was low! However, we honor God in our willingness to TRUST Him during hard times. Everyone faces unknown/untamed situations in life. God wants us to walk across those barriers and face the challenges. God reveals His power best in times of seemingly great challenge.

The Israelites were preparing to go where they had never been before, into a land unknown.  They were a brand-new generation of people. Not one of us knows what the future holds. Each day we face the new and unknown. Most of us fear the unknown, so often we settle for problems instead of facing our challenges.  Following God into an unknown territory, though, creates in us a dependency on Him which always lead to victory. 

Recognize God's Commitment – Joshua 1:5... "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua could accept the challenge because he recognized God's promise to him. In essence, God said to Joshua, "If you accept the challenge, I'll commit myself to you."  GOD is a DEAL MAKER… YOU, give me your faithfulness, TRUST me…do what I have asked you to do… and I have your back. I’m with YOU!

Powerful, Personal & Permanent Presence

In verse 5, God reminded Joshua that no one would be able to stand against Israel. not because of their power, but because of His power. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He promises us His power and presence in our lives. 

Even when you don't see God, He is there -- Acts 17:27 assures us...“he is never from any one of us”  The people of Israel were willing to face challenges because God was with them.

Verse 5 also speaks of the assurance that Joshua had… He would never be left or forsaken. Christ has made us the same commitment to us. He has given us The Holy Spirit to live in us so we won't be alone. God's presence becomes personal, powerful AND PERMANENT when we RESPECT and live by God's commands.

RESPECT God's Commands – Joshua 1:7…

"Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go."

God told Joshua that he was to obey the law of God. Though Moses was gone, the law remained. To move into the land and claim victory, the people of God had to be obedient. Today, God calls us to be obedient to His Word in our lives. This respect for God's Word is to be....

Complete -- Just as Israel was to obey the law, we are to implement all of God's Word into our lives. We cannot treat Scripture as a buffet line in which we pick and choose what we will obey.

Consistent -- God told Joshua not to vary from the law. He was to obey the entire law and to do so every day! This was not to be a weekend religion that made no difference in daily living.

For the Israelites, getting to where God wanted them meant facing their challenges with the promised presence of God and doing as God directed. 

Nothing has changed today. Those are still the requirements for Christians who want to move to where God wants them.  TO RECEIVE HIS ETERNAL BLESSING… LIFE EVERLASTING!

Joshua 24:14-17...

14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.

The Bible has a lot to say about this. Paul emphasized the walk of Christian - Col. 2:6-7… So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. BE ALL-IN – DO WHAT HE SAYS.  DON’T ARGUE WITH HIM…!  

WE SPEND a lot of time looking for a spiritual experience that doesn’t require any follow-through. WE prefer to be swept along effortlessly in our Christian walk, but that's not the way it works.

Spirituality WILL fade into nothingness IF we fail to follow through.

For many, the Christian life is like a soap box derby. Someone gives you a big shove down a steep hill and you're sailing. The wind blowing your hair, the speed is exhilarating, and everything's great.

WHAT HAPPENS…? YOU slow down; you get slower and slower until finally you stop. You're stalled until you find another hill and someone to give you another push.

A lot of folks are stalled in the wilderness, hoping God will come along and give them a big push that will propel them into a big, beautiful experience. The roadside is littered with countless Christians who used to be "really turned on" for the Lord.  Most of them are there because they didn't follow through.  DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT???

MEN, how are YOU doing?  YOU have a wife and family… LIKE Joshua for Israel.. YOU are responsible for LEADING.    It's been my observation that many men are overwhelmed by the responsibility of being the husband, father and spiritual leader that God has called YOU to be…

YOU have this assurance…"nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:37).  RENEW Your mind and your heart… let him transform YOU… POUR yourself into EVERYTHING GOD commands and LET HIM BLOW YOUR MIND.

There’s Great Power in You... Use it!

There is uncommon power available to us through God, The Holy Spirit. Uncommon faith is believing that we can receive strength when we are weak and that we can be instruments of that strength when those around us are being consumed by the the ungodly world.

If you are a Christian, you are stronger than you think you are. You just need to start tapping into the spiritual strength that God wants to give you!

Christians should live day-by-day, one day at a time, in God’s strength. But often they turn their focus from living in His strength, to living in the world’s strength.  Often, unwittingly, they allow the enemy to build a fortress, a stronghold in their lives that can overpower their focus on the things of God.

No one can live the Christian life in his own strength. Yet so many people try to do just that. They know God has saved them, but in living, they believe a life that pleases Him is possible only through their efforts. They are unwilling to give up the things of the world that hold them captive.

Each day is a battle. Treat each day like you are in a fight for the security of your eternal soul. Satan wants to destroy you, but God wants you to want to let Him help you live a victorious life in Christ.

Each and every day, we should commit ourselves to God and ask Him to live through us that day. That will take a lot of work. A lot of prayer and intense focus on the goodness, purity and holiness of God. We will still experience temptation and adversity. But you will grow in dependence on His power, knowing that He walks with you. We do not have to face the things of this world in our own strength.

Who is in charge of your life—you or Jesus Christ? Do you have strongholds that control you, that must be ripped apart? If you are wise, you will allow the Son of God to direct you each and every day. Let Him give you guidance, direction, and power to make godly choices. Does that mean you will escape all problems, heartaches, and burdens? Not a chance. Nor does it mean that you will never sin again. But you won’t have to struggle on your own.

Be intentional!  You can walk in the power of the living God—and that is life at its very best.

TWO Knowledges... Which will YOU live by?

The knowledge of the world and the knowledge of God are so different. The knowledge of the world is alluring, deceptive, incomplete. The knowledge of God is true and pure and leads to a life well lived. Which foundation do you want to build your life on?

The strong in this world are temporarily glorified by submitting to the ungodly influences of its ruler, Satan. But the truth of God is seen through giving power to the weak for dynamic Christian living. God does it by transforming, renewing and increasing the strength of those who take refuge in Him. Where the world forces you down and entraps you in bondage, God lifts up, frees and rebuilds. Eternity hangs in the balance – between a life lived fully in Christ and one that flirts with the ways of the world.

Faith is the foundation of our lives and it’s what strengthens us. But living the Christina life is not an easy journey. It can be very hard. It’s fraught with peril and pitfalls. Our old, sinful nature continually battles against the Spirit, causing us to fall into sin. (Gal 5:17) Remember, Satan doesn’t want you to be victorious in Christ.

We build the foundation of our lives with a host of flawed ideas and attitudes. We try and blend them with our Christian values... but that’s like oil and water... they don’t mix. Strongholds and fortresses grow in our lives that hold us back and blunt our desire to be “all in” in serving the Lord and living up to His standards.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22) The Christian life isn’t something only to be professed, it’s also something to be lived. Lived the right way to please God. True faith, is more than holding theological knowledge – it’s living what you know. It produces works of love, it purifies the heart, and overcomes the knowledge and influences of the world.

What you know of God, is more than just belief. What you know should affect how you live. Knowing God, the things of God, His wisdom are not ideas to be casually or selectively embraced. His Truth is to be the total foundation for all you are and how you live. God’s Word is “living and powerful”, a “light to our path”, and is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness.” (Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:105, 2 Timothy 3:16)

Thoughts for the journey, as you work out your salvation in the wisdom of God and with fear and trembling.

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude

According to the dictionary, the word "attitude" means "an internal position or feeling with regard to something else." Other words often used as synonyms are: "disposition, feeling, mood, opinion, sentiment, temper, tone, perspective, frame of mind, outlook, view, or morale."

Airplane pilots often use the word "attitude" to describe the horizontal relationship of an airplane to the runway as the aircraft is positioned for landing. If the airplane’s attitude isn’t aligned properly, in this case “level to the runway surface”, the plane will make contact with the ground at the wrong angle which will cause a crash.

In essence, your attitude is your inward disposition toward other things, such as people or circumstances. As with an airplane, attitude is applied whenever you must deal with something other than yourself. According to God’s Word, when you become a Christian, a part of your new creation is the development of new attitudes —your attitudes about everything and everyone should become like those of Jesus.

The Bible says, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:" (Philippians 2:5). "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds." (Ephesians 4:22NIV)

Most of us can easily identify bad attitudes when they are displayed outwardly in words or actions, that are negative, critical, rebellious, defiant, impatient, uncooperative, apathic, discouraging, presumptuous, arrogant, self-centered, rude and such. These are examples of bad attitudes manifested in behaviors Christians should reject.

However, keep in mind, attitudes are inner dispositions of the heart and thoughts — they are the hidden intentions which will eventually serve as the basis for our actions.  "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." (Prov. 23:7). In reality, no one else really knows the thoughts of your heart, except you and God. Consequently, attitude is something that only you and God can work out — a change which must take place inwardly. No doubt you know someone with a bad attitude and you’ve witnessed the negative outcomes it produces.

Consider good ‘ol George. He went to church cheerfully as long as his secular business activities continued to prosper — as long as everything went well for him. He sang joyfully, gave to the needy, he even tithed and he rarely missed a service. But when hard times set in on his business, George began to drop away. He became resentful toward God, even critical of other Christians. When his world began to crumble, so did his attitude toward others.

The right attitude to have when difficulty comes is to persevere in faith and draw nearer to God — to fall in deep humility at the feet of Jesus. The Bible makes it clear that God works all things together for our good when we love Him, and the testing of our faith is for our benefit. Life’s troubles will never defeat the person with a right attitude.

Here’s another scenario to illustrate a bad attitude. Call her Sally. She has been a Christian for only two years and very much a newborn in Christ. She acts like she loves the Lord and is trying to live as a Christian, but has been battling sins of the flesh — she occasionally fell to the temptation of drunkenness. Sally is observed one evening by the preacher of her church and his family at a restaurant, where they see her slouching at the bar, obviously intoxicated. The next Sunday after service, the preacher and his wife took Sally aside privately, and encourage her ever so gently about the sins of drunkenness. They are not harsh or judgmental. He encouraged her to work on changing of this activity [i.e., repentance] and they prayed with her.

The outcome? Sally was offended by the preacher’s forthrightness. She immediately changed churches and would often be heard "bad-mouthing" that church, the preacher and its leaders. How should Sally have reacted?

First, she should have had a humble, submissive attitude toward the preacher’s loving counsel about her behavior of sin which was based totally on God’s Word (2 Tim. 4:2, 1 Cor. 5:11-13, Gal. 5:19-21, Gal. 6:1). The counsel provided was “God’s” conveyed by the preacher. She didn’t have the right attitude. As a general rule, persons who have a bad attitude toward authority figures in the church will almost always have a problem with God.

According to scripture, your attitude toward life, toward your personal circumstances, and toward other people should always be like the Lord’s — as is defined by scripture. Good attitudes are generally demonstrated in being positive, encouraging, loving, humble, teachable, cooperative, considerate, selfless, loyal, persevering... (Galatians 5:22-23).

Bring your attitudes about every aspect of your life into harmonious obedience to God’s Word. Apply discipline to your thought life — harmonize your thoughts to those of Christ’s. Make what you think and how you think about everything, a spot-on match with our Lord’s thoughts. A good attitude is a matter of faith, disregarding your feelings, with a determination to embrace God’s outlook and disposition.  2 Corinthians 10:5 wisely counsels... "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..."

Philippians 4:8 says... "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things."

Dwell on the things that God’s Word tells us — those good and virtuous things. If you dwell on the negative things of a carnal world, then your attitude will reflect the same.

Anxiety... born of Earthly Desires

The modern world is a rat race! Our adversary Satan, uses the world’s condition to stimulate fear, doubt and uncertainty in us. It doesn’t take long for the things of the world around us to become our primary concern, pushing God’s kingdom out of our hearts and minds entirely.

Consider your own life, those of family members and close friends. They’re always busy and stressed out from trying to accomplish a thousand things each with a deadline. Gotta get this or that done, now, right now! It’s very rare to find a person who is not stricken with the disease of anxiousness. Maybe it would be good to re-read Matthew 6 to get some insights on this disease of anxiety.

Life in our world is full of many concerns stemming from the absence of certainty and control over our future. The psychological and physical effects of anxiety can be overwhelming for our minds and bodies. Are you a person who’s life is dominated with anxiety? Are you consumed with worry? Here’s a short summary of some of the controlling effects anxiety may be having on your life...

The emotional effects of anxiety may include feelings of apprehension or dread, trouble concentrating, feeling tense or jumpy, anticipating the worst, irritability, restlessness, watching (and waiting) for signs (and occurrences) of danger, and, feeling like your mind's gone blank as well as nightmares/bad dreams, obsessions about sensations, feelings of deja vu, a trapped in your mind feeling, and feeling like everything is scary.

The cognitive effects of anxiety may include thoughts about suspected dangers, such as fear of dying, being in a traffic accident, falling from a bridge and similar dreadful fears. You may... fear that the chest pains you experience from time to time are a deadly heart attack or that the shooting pains in your head are the result of a tumor or aneurysm. You feel an intense fear when you think of dying, or you may think of it more often than normal, or can’t get it out of your mind.

The behavioral effects of anxiety may include withdrawal from situations which have provokedanxiety in the past. Anxiety can also be experienced in ways which include changes in sleeping patterns, nervous habits, and increased physical responses such as extreme finger or foot tapping.

Do you experience any of those conditions?  Have you ever stopped and tried to analyze your worries? Why do humans so easily succumb to worry? We can learn to manage anxiety and other worry produced emotions by understanding what the Bible says about them.

We worry because we’re slaves to our own desires and will. Worries increase when we become focused on the things of this world. We have desires, and if our desires aren’t fully met we experience frustration to all out devastation. We worry because we’re too concerned about earthy things, and not spiritual things. Jesus told people not to worry about earthly things, for they are subject to decay and can be quickly lost, but heavenly treasures are secure for eternity (Matt. 6:19; 6:25). We worry because we’re afraid God won’t work things out for our good. In other words, we have very little faith in what God has promised (Matt. 6:30).

We worry because we’re not content. We’re not satisfied with God providing our needs (Matt. 6:32), He must also provide our wants. And these aren’t just our present wants, but the future ones we haven’t even thought about .The Bible teaches that we should deal with each day's problems when they occur and not be obsessed with future concerns that may never happen (Matthew 6:34).

All worries spring from the fact that we have a strong desire for something which, if not met will bring down our spirits and make us lose our joy. There are many legitimate concerns worth consideration in our lives. But if we become hyper focused on life’s issues, then Satan turns our concerns into obsessions, to the point that we’re dwelling on whatever is on our minds to the exclusion of “the things of God”... the most important “thing” being our relationship with Him.

Worrying does nothing for our situation as Matthew 6:27 says... "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Worry is the cause of millions of deaths – heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, etc. Our Lord does not want us to live this way, but rather with the peace of the Holy Spirit filling our hearts. It is not God’s will for us to be slaves! God saved us to be free and immersed in His Kingdom business; not to always be chasing after our own will. Matthew 11:28 says... "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

While we can never be completely free from worry, the Bible shows us how to minimize worry and anxiety in our lives. Philippians 4:6-7 says... do not worry about anything, but with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make your requests known to God and then the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We can have genuine hope and security in a troubled anxiety ridden world, because the Lord upon our confession of faith and obedience to His plan for salvation has given us the Holy Spirit. God Himself is dwelling within us, working out His fruits in us over time (Galatians 5:22-23;24-25). This means that we can be delivered from this disease of anxiety and inordinate concern for our own will. We must conduct our journey in Christ, in lock-step with the power that permeates our lives... The Holy Spirit.

Matthew 6:33 says... "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." It may sound cliché, but it’s a universal truth... focus yourself toward the heavens, towards the things of God, and you will see the things of earth becoming smaller, and insignificant. The kingdom of God is like this.

Etch these three IFs in your mind & heart...

IF we make Christ everything to us, we will find ourselves less and less concerned about the cares of this world.

IF we are single minded – setting our main goal in life to become conformed to the image of Christ, and to press into the Lord, becoming one with Him, then we will find ourselves being delivered from obsession with our own will, and the cares of this world.

IF we trust only in the Lord, knowing that our Lord is in full control, that He is on our side (Rom 8:31), then we can rest assured that we defeat the debilitating effects of worry and anxiety and find (don’t be discouraged when it doesn’t happen instantly) the spiritual peace we all desire.

Are You a True Follower of Christ?

Being a true and passionate follower of Jesus holds the promise of eternal life.  Something so magnanimous has a cost. As Christians, we need to understand the cost that comes with following Christ. Cost is always grounded in absolute truth.

Following Jesus is not to be taken lightly or trivialized. Think about what you are doing in your Christian walk and realize that following after Christ comes at a cost. We must be willing to put God and His truth first... no matter what the sacrifices or consequences may be in our lives. What does that mean... first?

Maybe the very best answer to that question is summarized in Matthew 16:24-26... "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

There are many so called Christians who have not really considered the cost of following Jesus. Most are only going through the motions of Christianity. They react to emotionalism and self-serving beliefs found in the Charismatic movement, because they believe God surely must be with such groups because of the miraculous powers they believe they’re witnessing. It’s not about truth, it’s about what they want... what will make them happy.

Taking up the cross of Christ requires, trust, faith, perseverance and commitment to the truth of the Bible. The road ahead of any Christian is cluttered with many distractions. Many of our Lord’s’ early disciples were willing to follow Him as long as things were going smoothly, but as soon as they couldn’t understand what he was saying or felt challenged by truth and reality, they simply left Him.

That is exactly what many Christians are doing today. They will follow God’s Word until something happens in their life that makes it hard for them to follow God’s Word. It’s usually a “truth” they can’t accept. Then they turn away from God, because the road ahead conflicts with their own desires... the things of this world.

Living Christian is not an easy life. The journey with Christ is not an easy road. Prepare yourself. Discipline and focus you mind, as Peter did, on one powerful undeniable reality... that Jesus has “words of eternal life” and no matter what disappointments may come from this life, we must hold fast to “those words” and follow Christ faithfully.

Jesus himself said in John 8:31-32 says... “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."