Cost of Discipleship Pt 35 Barrier between us and our natural life

Chapter 5- Discipleship and the Individual

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Bonhoeffer- 'We must face up to the truth that the call of Christ does set up a barrier between man and his natural life. But this barrier is no surly contempt for life, no legalistic piety, it is the life which is life indeed, the gospel, the person of Jesus Christ. By virtue of his incarnation he has come between man and his natural life. There can be no turning back, for Christ bars the way. By calling us he has cut us off from all immediacy with the things of this world. He wants to be the centre, through him alone all things shall come to pass. He stands between us and God, and for that very reason he stands between us and all other men and things. He is the Mediator, not only between God and man, but between man and man, between man and reality.  Since the whole world was created through him and unto him--

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds

--he is the sole Mediator in the world. Since his coming man has no immediate relationship of his own any more to anything, neither to God nor to the world; Christ wants to be the Mediator.'

*******

My thoughts - He's speaking truth.

We don't want to believe that there is a barrier between us and our natural life. We want to have our natural life and be Christ's too. How many of us fight to have this? And what we NEED to realize, what's imperative to realize, is that IF we are striving for both, we will be lost, we can't have two masters.

A lot of us have grown up having two parents living with us (though many nowadays don't). We know that it's easy to pit mom and dad against each other. It's easy for us to go to one and not the other hoping to get the answer to some question we have, thinking we know which one is more likely to give us the answer we want. We also know that sometimes one parent will tell us to do one thing while the other will tell us to do the opposite and we are torn between the two, which do we listen to?  It's not easy being put in that position at all. Having two masters. Yet we think we can handle it just fine. We'll use one master for our selfishness and another for our selfless-ness. It's IMPOSSIBLE.

Mat_6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

TRUTH.

But you say you love them both, and that's a lie. In the end their truly can be only ONE Master to follow. 

One calls us to self LESS ness.

The other calls us to selfish ness.

There is a BARRIER between us and our natural life when we accept Christ as our Savior.

We interrupt our SELFISHNESS. We put the breaks on our SELFISHNESS. We announce that we  comprehend that we cannot save ourselves, that we cannot give ourselves eternal life. We recognize that we are Creature beings, created by One who created and wanted to be a HUGE part of our lives.  We weren't abandoned as orphans and left to fend for ourselves. We were given a SAVIOR. Our Creator wanted to SAVE US! Our Creator did NOT want to leave us to perish. Our Creator wanted to offer us HIMSELF, a choice that we make to choose a life WITH HIM, desire to be His. When we make this choice He then comes between us and the life we would otherwise have had without Him, a life that ultimately leads to eternal death. The barrier is put up and it truly is CHRIST Himself who has DIED for us to keep us from having to succumb to eternal death.

We have CHRIST on our SIDE.

Does this mean we won't suffer.  As we've already talked about we will suffer! WE WILL SUFFER!

We have a CROSS to pick up, and bear.

We are only able to pick up that cross and bear it because Christ picked His cross up and bore it for US and it's through HIS power that we survive this life and are kept as HIS till eternal life is realized for us at His return.

More on all this tomorrow, by the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR!

In HIS LOVE!

ALWAYS!

Cost of Discipleship Pt 34 - 'Take my yoke upon you...'

Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Bonhoeffer-'Jesus prays to his Father that the cup may pass from him, and his Father hears his prayer; for the cup of suffering will indeed pass from him-- but only by his drinking it. That is the assurance he receives as he kneels for the second time in the garden of Gethsemane that suffering will indeed pass as he accepts it. That is the only path to victory. The cross is his triumph over suffering.

Suffering means being cut off from God.  Therefore those who live in communion with him cannot really suffer. This Old Testament doctrine was reaffirmed by Jesus. That is why he takes upon himself the suffering of the whole world, and in doing so proves victorious over it. He bears the whole burden of man's separation from God, and in the very act of drinking the cup he causes it to pass over him. He sets out to overcome the suffering of the world, and so he must drink it to the dregs. Hence while it is still true that suffering means being cut off from God, yet within the fellowship of Christ's suffering, suffering is overcome by suffering, and becomes the way to communion with God.

Suffering has to be endured in order that it may pass away.  Either the world must bear the whole burden and collapse beneath it, or it must fall on Christ to be overcome in him. '

*

Bonhoeffer continuing- ' For God is a God who bears. The Son of God bore our flesh, he bore the cross, he bore our sins, thus making atonement for us. In the same way his followeres are also called upon to bear and that is precisely what it means to be a Christian. Just as Christ maintained his communion with the Father by his endurance, so his followers are to maintain their communion with Christ by their endurance.  We can of course shake off the burden which is laid upon us, but only find that we have a still heavier burden to carry-- a yoke of our own choosing, the yoke of our self. But Jesus invites all who travail and are heavy laden to throw off their own yoke and take his yoke upon them-- and his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.  The yoke and the burden of Christ are his cross.'

*******

My Thoughts-

There is NO greater suffering than our being cut off from God. He is love. 

Our concept of love is so skewed that people just don't realize that God's love is the only love that means anything at all. All the so called love we have believe we comprehends means nothing if it's not of God's love.

Our Creator.

Our Redeemer.

We have worth only in Christ, we have no worth of our own.  Yet so much in us that lives in our nature of flesh tells us that we have self worth on our own. Worth simply because we exist.

I've been reading the Old Testament lately and it hasn't ceased to amaze me the battle after battle, the killing of whole cities full of people- men, women, and children all because they worshipped not God but pagan gods.  We are appalled by the mere thought that someone could be killed for not worshipping God. We believe that it's horrific, and if it's horrific then we have to determine God is heartless and horrific, but we KNOW He's not!

It ALL goes back to the beginning and God CREATING us, we are HIS creations and He wanted us to live in a world filled with LOVE. He created us and gave us a CHOICE to love Him or ourselves.  That's what it was, that choice in the garden of Eden. To love God and out of that love obey Him, or love ourselves and obey our own will.  We chose to obey our own will. We turned our backs on God. We refused His love. We were GUILTY! When we chose to obey ourselves we were denying ourselves all the love of God.

God didn't snap us out of existence in that moment of turning on Him instead He gave us HOPE. He told us this-- 

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

There would be SOMETHING between OUR SEED and SATAN'S SEED.  That something would be an enmity.

ENMITY- The state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

Something - this enmity - would come between Satan and His evil desire to make all of mankind his own.

We weren't to be left to ALL become Satan's.

Right away there was a choice and it's told to us in the history of Abel and Cain.  One chose God the other chose self (Satan).

From our BEGINNING, our Creation by God we were blessed by being created at all.  We are GOD'S or SATAN'S.

Every single innocent killed will be GOD'S when the dead in Christ are raised at His second coming.  Not ONE single innocent, not one single person who has God as their GOD, who has their CREATOR as their GOD will suffer eternal death. 

This life in a world of sin isn't what is ultimately IMPORTANT. NOT getting to live a full life, a life to old age, isn't IMPORTANT. Being born into this world gives us the opportunity to be God's, this is what is most IMPORTANT!

Not being God's IS being Satan's.  We don't seem to comprehend that, so we call God a horror for destroying that which isn't of Him, but it can't be any other way because all that is not of God is HORROR.  Our senses have been so dulled, so perverted we just can't see this. Satan has duped us so thoroughly that we think there is something other then God and Satan. We believe there is some middle ground that we can walk upon, that God should walk upon allowing those who choose Satan to still live. 

It's either God or Satan, there is NOTHING ELSE!

Our Savior SUFFERED for US! Our Savior DIED to bear our sins, our guilt! Our Savior wants us to be GOD'S. Our Savior wants His Father as our Father.  We must CHOOSE God and in choosing God, we choose to live the life that our Savior lived and all that means!

Read this again… is their truth in this?

Bonhoeffer-'Jesus prays to his Father that the cup may pass from him, and his Father hears his prayer; for the cup of suffering will indeed pass from him-- but only by his drinking it. That is the assurance he receives as he kneels for the second time in the garden of Gethsemane that suffering will indeed pass as he accepts it. That is the only path to victory. The cross is his triumph over suffering.

Suffering means being cut off from God.  Therefore those who live in communion with him cannot really suffer. This Old Testament doctrine was reaffirmed by Jesus. That is why he takes upon himself the suffering of the whole world, and in doing so proves victorious over it. He bears the whole burden of man's separation from God, and in the very act of drinking the cup he causes it to pass over him. He sets out to overcome the suffering of the world, and so he must drink it to the dregs. Hence while it is still true that suffering means being cut off from God, yet within the fellowship of Christ's suffering, suffering is overcome by suffering, and becomes the way to communion with God.

Suffering has to be endured in order that it may pass away.  Either the world must bear the whole burden and collapse beneath it, or it must fall on Christ to be overcome in him. '

*

Bonhoeffer continuing- ' For God is a God who bears. The Son of God bore our flesh, he bore the cross, he bore our sins, thus making atonement for us. In the same way his followers are also called upon to bear and that is precisely what it means to be a Christian. Just as Christ maintained his communion with the Father by his endurance, so his followers are to maintain their communion with Christ by their endurance.  We can of course shake off the burden which is laid upon us, but only find that we have a still heavier burden to carry-- a yoke of our own choosing, the yoke of our self. But Jesus invites all who travail and are heavy laden to throw off their own yoke and take his yoke upon them-- and his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.  The yoke and the burden of Christ are his cross.'

Truth!

When we choose self over God we are choosing to walk with Satan and our burden truly is HEAVY!

When we choose God over self we are choosing to walk with God and our burden is born by CHRIST first and foremost! Our Advocate is our all in all, and we must follow Him and only HIM.

Please LORD, please help us to choose YOU over ourselves.

In Your LOVE! In YOU!

The Cost of Discipleship pt 32 - Bear His Cross

Chapter 4-Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

Bonhoeffer- 'To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When it comes, it is not an accident but a necessity. It is not the sort of suffering which is inseparable from this mortal life, but the suffering which is an essential part of the specifically Christian life. It is not suffering per se but suffering-and -rejection, and not rejection for any cause or conviction of our own, but rejection for the sake of Christ. If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity, as one of the trial and tribulations of life. We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering. The Psalmist was lamenting that he was despised and rejected of men, and that is an essential quality of the suffering of the cross. But this notion has ceased to be intelligible to a Christianity which can no longer see any difference between an ordinary human life and a life committed to Christ. The cross means sharing the suffering of Christ to the last and to the fullest. Only a man thus totally committed in discipleship can experience the meaning of the cross. The cross is there, right from the beginning, he has only got to pick it up; there is no need for him to go out and look for a cross for himself, no need for him deliberately to run after suffering. Jesus says that every Christian has his own cross waiting for him, a cross destined and appointed by God. Each must endure his allotted share of suffering and rejection. But each has a different share: some God deems worthy of the highest form of suffering, and gives them the grace of martyrdom, while others he does not allow to be tempted above that which they are able to bear. But is the one and the same cross in every case.

The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death-- we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to another wise godfearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.'

Just tonight during our weekly Bible study we discussed this 'suffering', well, maybe not just in this way, I hadn't even studied this yet, but suffering was brought up.

It was mentioned that Christ died and suffered so we didn't have to suffer, to which it was countered that we DO have to suffer. Christ died so we could LIVE eternally in HIM, not so we didn't have to suffer, quite the opposite.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

How many? ALL.

All that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS shall suffer persecution.

Not just a chosen few, but ALL.

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father,art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.


Jesus wasn't speaking only of His apostles but 'FOR THEM ALSO WHICH SHALL BELIEVE ON ME THROUGH THEIR WORD'-  He's talking about US!  US who believe through the words of the Apostles, the Disciples who lived when Jesus lived and receive His holy word directly!


Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Tribulation.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while,make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Afflictions.

Rom_8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Suffer with Him.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called untoliberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word,even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest,which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory,provoking one another, envying one another.

They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Bonhoeffer says-  'To endure the cross is not atragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ.'

TRUTH.

They that are Christ's have CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts.

We are called to alife of crucified flesh! This is God's word!

They that are Christ's….HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH.

How can we ever believe that we don't have to suffer?

Have crucified-
- Definition:
1. to stake, drive down stakes
2. to fortify with driven stakes, to palisade
3. to crucify
a. to crucify one
b. metaph. to crucify the flesh, destroy its power utterly (the nature of the figure implying that the destruction is attended with intense pain)

SUFFERING!

Bonhoeffer expounds on this suffering-

'It is not the sort of suffering which is inseparable from this mortal life, but the suffering which is an essential part of the specifically Christian life. It is not suffering per se but suffering-and -rejection, and not rejection for any cause or conviction of our own, but rejection for the sake of Christ. If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity, as one of the trial and tribulations of life. We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering.'

AN ESSENTIAL PART of the SPECIFICALLY CHRISTIAN LIFE.
SUFFERING and REJECTION FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST!

How can anyone believe that Jesus Christ suffered so they wouldn't have to suffer? To NO longer suffer would mean death - either physical death, or death of any selfawareness whatsoever so that a person truly rejoices in their suffering for Christ.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

When Christ suffered viciously at the hands of His torturers, His murderers, He did so feeling PAIN!He didn't lack the sensation of PAIN! To even imagine that He felt NOTHING, NO PAIN would be to imply He wasn't human at all.

Christ's sufferings were REAL!

He suffered not only physically but emotionally- He felt the pain of those who were lost all around Him, rejecting Him as their Savior.

Luk_13:34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings,and ye would not!

Emotional pain.

Joh 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
Joh 11:34  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
Joh 11:35  Jesus wept.

Groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.  Jesus wept.

He suffered.

We are told that we will have fiery trials to try us,  this is suffering!

We are told to pickup our cross, this is suffering!

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Suffering.

You do NOT take up across and not suffer.

 Bonhoeffer- 'The Psalmist was lamenting that he was despised and rejected of men, and that is an essential quality of the suffering of the cross. But this notion has ceased to be intelligible to a Christianity which can no longer see any difference between an ordinary human life and a life committed to Christ.'

This is so incredibly true!

Bonhoeffer- 'The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death-- we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise godfearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.'

TRUTH!

Please LORD, help us to comprehend the truth in YOUR WORD. Yes, we are reading from a man's work, a man who is expounding on the truth, but NOT making any new truth. We go to YOUR word and we find the TRUTH and when we find the truth by YOUR grace, through the Holy Spirit's guidance, please LORD help us to live the TRUTH, to LIVE in YOU, our ALL IN ALL.

All in YOUR LOVE LORD! ALL IN YOUR LOVE!

The Cost of Discipleship Pt 31 Cease to notice the pain of our own cross

Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

Bonhoeffer- ' "...and take up his cross." Jesus has graciously prepared the way for this word by speaking first of self-denial. Only when we have become completely oblivious of self are we ready to bear the cross for his sake. If in the end we know only him, if we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto him.  If Jesus had not so graciously prepared us for this word, we should have found it unbearable. But by preparing us for it he has enabled us to receive even a word as hard as this as a word of grace. It comes to us in the joy of discipleship and confirms us in it."

My thoughts- 'If we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto him.'

Seriously, we have been brainwashed by Satan to constantly think of ourselves.

Is it impossible to not think of ourselves?  I think it might seem that way.  Just like keeping the commandments, just like accepting Christ daily, just like asking for forgiveness these are things that have to be consciously, ACTIVELY, decided!  Maybe it seems counter intuitive to consciously be aware of NOT being aware of self, but truthfully how do you stop something you aren't aware of?  You have to be aware of what you want to change, or it can't be changed, right?

I think we get so caught up in WANTING to be this perfect person that we can get extremely discouraged because we are so far from being perfect. We think we ought to be one way, but actually are another and when they collide we are led towards despairing- where Satan wants us- without hope.

Every single eye opening mistake we make is an opportunity for us- it allows us to make a choice.  We can seek forgiveness for our mistakes, or not seek forgiveness and wallow in selfish despair.  We can recognize that the Holy Spirit is opening our eyes to our faults, that we are being tried in FIRE so that we can BE perfected by God. Being shown our selfishness, being shown our lack of self-denial is a chance to seek self-denial.

We must make CHOICES to lose self and replace self with CHRIST.  To think it'll come natural to us who have indulged self for so very long, is to deceive ourselves.  We need to make CHOICES for Christ constantly.  If we do NOT make these constant choices then we are setting ourselves up to fail.

 Bonhoeffer- 'If we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto him.'

Don't DESPAIR if you haven't ceased to notice the pain of your cross bearing, Satan wants us to DESPAIR!  Praise God for opening your eyes to recognize the pain of selfishness, the pain of self awareness, rather than self-denial.

Strange to hear the words- 'pain of self awareness'.  

We are SO deluged by self awareness paraphernalia, it's everywhere!  Satan wants to encourage our self awareness but in such a way it points us to INDULGE in our selfishness, rather than denying ourselves and taking up our crosses.  Self awareness teachings today want us to be aware of our needs, our wants, our actions and make them all a positive thing in us, only serving to increase our SELF and in that, our selfishness.  But NOT a single self awareness author would most likely dare to admit to such a thing.  DECEPTION. Satan would have us deceived! There will be NO advertising deception, it negates the deception.

There is a PAIN of self awareness, a pain of our pitying ourselves for the crosses we bear. We look at our PAIN- mental, physical, emotional, spiritual and then we feel as if it's too much, it's too hard, and there it is…. We are focused on SELF, not Christ, not His cross!

Lord, please HELP US to grow less aware of self and more aware of YOU and only YOU!

Cost of Discipleship - Bonhoeffer Self-denial

Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

Bonhoeffer-' "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself."  The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him:  "I know not this man."

My Thoughts- We MUST say to ourselves we know NOT ourselves.  SELF-DENIAL.

Bonhoeffer-'Self- denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is  not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware ONLY of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self-denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to him." '

My Thoughts-

We want to believe that if we give up a cherished sin that we are denying ourselves fully.  We actually believe that giving up of THINGS is all there is to it. That if we are to live the life of Christ we will live it without sinning. But truthfully, we have to know deep down if no where else that as long as we hold ourselves in ANY esteem we aren't denying ourselves fully. We look at our own likes, desires, wants, thoughts, beliefs, standards, opinions, feelings, we note all these things as if they are ours by some birth right. We are ENTITLED to these self originating things, simply because we have them, simply because we exist.  We feel this way because we are caught up in the WORLD revolving around us! We are the center of our own universe. We believe this! To us this is truth!  We are much too arrogant to believe that there is so much more than our personal existence. We put OURSELVES into our children,  wanting them to carry on our existence with them after we are gone. We are full of SELF. So to say that self-denial is the mere denial of a few things we desire in our lives, is far from the reality of true self-denial. 

Bonhoeffer says -To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self.

This is TRUTH.

All the apostles after Christ's death and resurrection lived this. Their entire existence was focused on Christ and doing His will- living to bring others to His truth. None of them became rich, none of them filled their homes with treasures, none of them lived to meet their own selfish desires. Why do we imagine we are supposed to do what they didn't do?  Why do we believe that because we aren't called to be preachers, evangelists, teachers, and such, but to lead simple lives that we have some right to surround ourselves with comforts and treasures?  Satan has done his job so incredibly well!  He's got us believing that so much just doesn't matter as long as we mouth the words but don't live them, we're fine. We can live as we please to suit our wants and desires, because surely God would not want us to live otherwise.   Satan has us focused on ourselves and he wants to keep our minds on ourselves, no where else.

How aware of Christ are we, really?

Is He in all we do?

Is God our life?

Have we regulated our Savior to a few thoughts a day?

So many have done just that and they believe it's perfectly fine. 

Where are their thoughts the rest of the day?

Where else, but on themselves and those in their lives.

Do we live for Christ?

Are we TRUE disciples of Christ's?  

We have to ask ourselves these questions because not to ask them is to cover our eyes, to blind ourselves from truth.  Remember, God allows those who would be blinded to be blinded, He'll blind them if that is what they truly desire.  He forces NO ONE to the truth. 

Please LORD we would know ONLY YOU and YOUR TRUTH!

Let us buy of you EYE SALVE so that we may SEE all You would have us see!

Cost of Discipleship Pt 29 - Continuing

Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross (continued)

First, before I jump back into the book I have to say in rereading the last message on this study of the book 'The Cost of Discipleship', this verse JUMPED out at me.

'Mar 8:33  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. '

JESUS told one of His DISCIPLES, one of His CHOSEN - 'GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN.'

He called him SATAN.

If someone is being called Satan isn't that the worst thing you could EVER call someone? Seriously, doesn't Satan depict the worst of the worst ever, the father of all things evil. Being called Satan is calling someone the worst of the worst. You are calling that person evil through and through. You want NOTHING to do with evil if you want to do what is good, what is right, what is love, what is of God.

Get thee behind me Satan.

Imagine the SHOCK of being called Satan by the Lord Himself!

The Lord didn't leave Peter or any other to wonder why He'd just called Him Satan.  Jesus continued-- 'For thou savourest NOT the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.'

And this is really it isn't it? This is what we all war against- the things of this world, the things of men.

We are SATURATED with the things of men.

We surround ourselves with the things of men.

We tell ourselves we cannot live without the things of men.

We are among men, we are part of men, and we put more stock in the things of men, the things of our own making than we do about God's things.

Do you SAVOUR the things of God?

Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Who else did Jesus tell to get behind Him?

Luk 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Satan himself.

Worshiping the Lord our God ONLY.

Savoring the things of God ONLY.

We cannot savor the things of man, because then we fall into the dangerous ground of worshiping man, not God.

What things do you worship?

What things occupy most of your time, most of your life, outside of the work you do to earn a living?

Do you let work become an obsession for you, worshiping it for the things of men it can buy for you?

We need to examine ourselves because we will hear the same words- 'Get thee behind me Satan' if we do NOT savor the things of GOD!

We'll continue with 'The Cost of Discipleship'  tomorrow. For a refresher I'm going to copy paste the last study on it we did on March 14.

Chapter 4- Discipleship and the Cross

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mar 8:32  And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

Mar 8:33  But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar 8:35  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

Mar 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Mar 8:37  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mar 8:38  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Bonhoeffer- 'Jesus must therefore make it clear beyond all doubt that the "must" of suffering applies to his disciples no less than to himself. Just as Christ is Christ only in virtue of his suffering and rejection, so the disciple is a disciple only in so far as he shares his Lord's suffering and rejections and crucifixion. Discipleship means adherence to the person of Jesus, and therefor submission to the law of Christ which is the law of the cross.

Surprisingly enough, when Jesus begins to unfold this inescapable truth to his disciples, he once more sets them free to choose or reject him. "If any man would come after me," he says. For it is not a matter of course, not even among the disciples. Nobody can be forced, nobody can even be expected to come. He says rather "If any man" is prepared to spurn all other offers which come his way in order to follow him. Once again, everything is left for the individual to decide.'

My thoughts-  So why are we taught that to suffer is to be avoided at all costs? Why are we 'programmed' to believe suffering is something awful? We are taught this. As babies and little children we are being taught to shun all suffering. We are instead taught to indulge all our desires and whims so we don't even begin to take on the tiniest of sufferings.  It's not this way all over the world. There are 'third world' countries where people are raised in a culture of nothing but suffering and children learn very young that this is their lot in life and they learn to make the best of it all.

Jesus taught the disciples that he would suffer, he would be rebuked, he would be put to death and the reaction… Peter began to rebuke Jesus.  The disciples could not imagine their beloved Messiah being caused to suffer, being rebuked, being rejected and ultimately being put to death!  No way! They didn’t want that to happen! But Jesus turned around and REBUKED Peter- calling Peter, Satan.  Telling Peter that he didn't want the things of God, but the things of men.  Isn't that the case for ALL of us?! Jesus continued and told them - 'Whosoever will come AFTER me- le him DENY HIMSELF, take up his CROSS, and FOLLOW me.  Whosoever will SAVE his life SHALL LOSE IT; but whosoever shall LOSE his life for my sake and the gospel's the same shall SAVE it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the WHOLE WORLD, and lose his own soul?'

What do we make of this? Seriously, what do we make of those words of our SAVIOR'S?

Are we, like Peter wanting to tell Jesus He is wrong? Do we want to tell Jesus, NO, You shouldn't suffer Jesus, and NO, we shouldn't suffer either, Jesus. No one should suffer, and surely no one who believes you, no one who follows you the Messiah, should be put to death!

IF we act like Peter, if we believe like Peter, then we are acting under the power of SATAN! And Jesus will say to us, just like He said to Peter, 'Get thee behind me, Satan.' 

We can follow the corrupt ways of mankind and especially of the materialistic views of our day and age and we will be disciples of Satan. Or we can follow Christ, but we have to DENY ourselves, we have to PICK UP our CROSS!

We aren't forced, never forced, we must choose our path. We must choose who we will follow.

If we imagine that we can get by in this world without following either God or Satan, think again. When you choose to look to yourself you are not looking to your Creator and most certainly not your Savior.  And when we do not look to God there is only one other place to look- Satan.  Satan loves when you choose to follow your own path because he know that by your rejecting God you are accepting him.

More tomorrow by the GRACE of GOD! Please LORD, help us to LEARN the truth of DISCIPLESHIP and in learning, believe and follow as YOU want us to follow YOU.

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All by the love of our SAVIOR.

Signs Pt 25 Be Ready

Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mar 13:34  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Mar 13:36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

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Those two verses there in Matthew 24:40,41 are what an entire group of people, probably in the millions, base their belief on what they call the Rapture. Jesus is giving parables of the SUDDEN, UNEXPECTEDNESS that His return will be. He is saying that when He returns to call those that are HIS to meet Him in the air, that yes, many will go but many more will not go, but NO WHERE does it tell us that this is all done in secret, and people aren't going to know why, and people are going to be given a second chance, NO WHERE!  When Christ returns He is taking ALL those that are His, even those who died and have been sleeping death's sleep for thousands of years.  He is going to take the dead that are His and the living that are His, the rest will NEVER BE HIS!  NEVER!  There isn't going to be any more time for people to repent. Christ returns when it is ALL done, every case is decided. Our time to REPENT is NOW! We can't wait a single second and imagine that we have another second. A brain aneurysm takes only a moment to kill someone, and none of us know if we even have another second. We have to accept Christ NOW, not believe we have time enough later to repent. When Christ tells us one will be taken and another left, He means it.  He never says He'll come back later for those He left the first time, NEVER. That is a made up DECEPTIVE theory that Satan has cultivated to capture many, many people who STOP looking for the truth in God's word. So many never even search for the truth themselves but rather take the word of others. NEVER TAKE MY WORD FOR ANYTHING SCRIPTURAL! Look it up for yourselves PLEASE!

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

WATCH.

Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Mar 13:34  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Mar 13:36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

If you KNOW you might be robbed- you watch!

If you know you might be robbed and take no precautions, you will be robbed.

We have to be READY ALWAYS.

Our Bible tells us- 'Therefore be ye also READY.  FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMETH.'

Be READY. 

We MUST be prepared at all times!

Every day our Savior is ONE DAY closer to coming again!

Every day we have to be ready for Him to return. There should be NOTHING left undone in our preparation, not a single thing for a single moment. If there is, we are not preparing, we are not ready.

Our trust has to be fully placed in the righteousness of our SAVIOR.

If we are waiting for someone to pat us on the back and tell us we're ready now, we'll be waiting forever. If we are waiting for perfection in ourselves, we'll never be ready because we'll be tempted to use that as an excuse. We'll tell ourselves it's too hard, or we'll tell ourselves God understands. We will say a lot of things to ourselves but the bottom line is we HAVE to be ready and that means we are eagerly awaiting our Lord's return. We are waiting, watching, praying always!