I did not come to bring peace but a sword. —Matthew 10:34
“Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes
you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender
than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to
deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a
person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does
not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that
thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically
with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of
the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message.
People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces
right through to the heart of the matter.” CHAMBERS
I was teaching on the church – the Body of Christ last
Sunday. I was showing the class that we
were called out of the “natural” into the “spiritual”. That process requires a severing of the old
to allow for the new. For most, if not
all, of us that separation is not a clean one.
We spend our lives struggling with the draw of our old nature and our
reluctance to abandon ourselves to our new nature. Jesus said “For I have come to turn “‘a man
against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against
her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone
who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who
loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not
take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life
will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:35-39) That brings context to the time Jesus told
the young man who wanted to bury his father before he followed Jesus, “Let the
dead bury the dead.” (Luke 9:60)
The
choice to follow Jesus requires us to separate ourselves from the natural life with its affections
and immerse ourselves in the supernatural life.
To stop trusting in this world and trust completely in God. That is a struggle. And if we choose to not
pursue God but find satisfaction in accepting Jesus as Lord but then live our
lives with little consideration given to Him, well, what would you expect,
certainly not a vibrant spiritual life filled with joy and blessing. So many are good at the point of salvation
but stumble when we are challenged to leave the world and what you love and
depend upon behind us. The rich young
ruler was certain that he had it all together, until Jesus said, give
everything you have to the poor and follow me.
He couldn’t do it. What is it
that you have a death grip on from your natural life. The world will tell you that it is not
unreasonable and perhaps you are even entitled to hold on to it, but Jesus says,
“let it go, it’s in the way, trust Me.” ELGIN
Knowing You Jesus
All I once held dear, built my life upon
All the world holds dear and wars to own.
All I once thought gain, I have counted loss
Broke and worthless now, compared to this
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no better thing.
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