ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY
PART 95
(copied from Mark Cahill's Book)
First we are told that we can't lose by
walking away from our worldly possessions
for Jesus' sake. That is, if it's a choice between
keeping close to Jesus or keeping close to our
family, friends, and possessions and we choose
Jesus - He will restore everything we lost to
us - and more.
Many have seen and experienced
this. And He will do it - "now in this time."
We don't hate our family and friends, or want to
lose our stuff, but if it is a choice between them
and Jesus - and its odd how the world often
confronts believers with these choices - Jesus
will see to it that we are blessed with much
more than what we lost: "houses and brethren,
and sisters, and mothers and children and
lands."
One way this is fulfilled is that when you are
born into the Body of Christ, everyone already
in it becomes your brother, sister, mother,
father etc. and their homes, in a sense become
your homes. Read the Bible and see how often
it says godly people were visiting and dining
with people not of their family. Life in Jesus is
a life of abundant provision. Not money in the
bank so that we can say, "Hey, look what I've
got!" But a sure supply of all we need.
So where does the
difficulty come from?
Re read that passage
and notice that little phrase, "with
persecutions." What
does that mean? It
means that people who
are on the broad path that leads to destruction, spoken of by Jesus, will be raised up against us.
persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me
at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystria; what
persecutions I endured : but out of them all
the Lord delivered me.
Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ
Jesus, shall suffer persecution.
(2nd Timothy 3: 11-12)
Not everyone, all of the time, but from time to time, it happens. The more we live life as unto God, the more our lives are a testimony as to
the goodness of God, and the wickedness of
people who hate God. Though we can expect people to reject us because of our faith, we can
also expect God to protect us and rescue us.
next post 6th March
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