SACRIFICE

God is not asking you to answer the call in the initial emotional moment of surrender. He will ask for the answer when you are thinking clearly and have laid before you all that you can fathom it will cost you. And as you continue the journey you will be asked again and again because at each level or crossroad it will cost you something. Something you had not counted on before.

If you had a chance to defend the Lord when everyone was against Him and you knew what you would say will not only NOT save Him but get you killed would you step up?  Before you answer too quickly the disciples walked with Him daily and sat at His feet learning from Him, loving Him and still in the heat of the moment, they did exactly what Jesus had warned them they would do, deny Him. It sounds horrible but He just gave them the opportunity to see what sacrifice would mean without they themselves having to face it and not be ready. So in essence it was not horrible, it was merciful. Afterwards as they had time to calm down, reflect, understand better what was being asked of them and wait for the strength of the Holy Spirit to answer the call. In essence this is what we are being asked to do. To follow Him means death to who we were before. In the beginning you can believe in Him and remain untouched but as more is asked of you the sacrifice becomes more and more apparent and more difficult. Remaining the same while picking up your cross is no longer an option. This day you will be asked to choose whose side you are on. No matter what you profess, how will you live your life? Following darkness or light? If you have not faced this agonizing question as you continue on your Christian journey you will. When asked who you are will you slide back into what you know so as not to rock the boat? Or will you tell the truth and say you are the son, the daughter of the Most High God and Jesus Christ is your Savior. Much like Peter our intentions mean well but that doesn’t mean when faced with persecution we will be able to stand. This is a question that has to be thought out and agonized over and decided BEFORE we are faced with the question. In the heat of the moment it will be too hard and too late.

When we ask ourselves the question who am I?…When being asked to demonstrate in word and deed whom we serve…as Jesus asks you to pick up your cross…as God asks whom shall I send…Let us pray the answer is Yes Lord send me…..I have counted the cost and I say yes….

Know, remember and trust that He is Risen….we love Him, we follow Him, we sacrifice for Him because He first loved us…in our brokenness and sin….He died for us…God gave Him as a sacrifice for us and He counted what it would cost Him….He agonized over what He was to face and then answered the call….that’s just how much He loves us….Today is a good day….He Is Risen…..Rejoice

John 10:14-18  The Message (MSG) “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father.”