Making Adjustments Are You Willing?

"As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." - John 10:15

The 6th Spiritual Principle is that "You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing."

"So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." – Luke 14:33

Just like Jesus did. He set aside His place in Heaven in obedience to the Father and laid His life down for us. I would say that was a pretty big adjustment wouldn't you? God requires no less from us. Abandoning our love for the world. Being willing to leave our nets, so to speak. Those things that we cherish. Maybe even think we are entitled to after working so hard for them. They are - or should be - of no comparable value to our relationship as a child of God.

"For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:  circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" - Philippians 3:3-9

That was quite an adjustment for Paul, don't you think? He had studied and persevered in pursuit of his faith, as he understood it apart from knowing Christ. He was at the top of the religious heap. Yet, after meeting Jesus, he considered it all "rubbish" in comparison to "the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things". 

I attended a number of Promise Keeper conferences along with tens of thousands of other men. Someone would start a call on one side of the stadium "I love Jesus, yes I do. I love Jesus, how 'bout you!" Then the other side of the stadium would reply with the same words. Back and forth it would go, getting louder and louder. Finally ending with a joyful shout. That sounded wonderful, but did everyone really mean it? Jesus said to Peter.

"So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?' He said to Him, 'Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.' He said to him, 'Feed My lambs.'" - John 21:15

Jesus said of all of His follows, then and now.

"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." - John 14:24

That is a big adjustment. It requires more than words. It requires us to lay our lives down on the altar. To take up our cross and carry it through this life. What we must lay down is different - person to person. But each of us knows what it is. The Spirit of God has shown us. The question is, "Are we willing to obey?"

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone