I just remembered a story of two kids from YWAM that were shot in Denver. What happened was; a stranger - guy, wanted to stay in for the night, which was not allowed. So one of the girls from YWAM approached him and said, the rule here is; unless we've known you and you've been a part of the ministry here, you can't sleep over here at night. He threatened, but she insisted. He then pulled out his gun and shot her, he also shot around the room, and escaped afterwards.
The friends of this young girl gathered around her while awaiting the medics. When they gathered, she asked her friends; is it really bad? and they said, yes it's really bad.
You know what her dying words were? "We do this for Jesus, right? We do this for Jesus, right?" that's the last thing she said. Wow, she had her priorities right.
It's often easy to count the cost of following Jesus, and overlook the cost of not. (Matthew 19:27-30, Mark 10:28-31, Luke 18:28-30) In these passages we see Peter asking Jesus; what's the gain since we've left all to follow you? Jesus in reply presents the eternal and earthly reward. The earthly reward includes persecution as shown in Mark's gospel (10:31), but the blessings outweighs it all - 2 Corinthians 4:17.
2 Corinthians 5:1,8-10,14-15
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
Yes there is a cost to following Jesus, we are often presented with a price, but even far weightier are the gains. Oh yes, it pays to serve Jesus.
Remain forever blessed.
The friends of this young girl gathered around her while awaiting the medics. When they gathered, she asked her friends; is it really bad? and they said, yes it's really bad.
You know what her dying words were? "We do this for Jesus, right? We do this for Jesus, right?" that's the last thing she said. Wow, she had her priorities right.
It's often easy to count the cost of following Jesus, and overlook the cost of not. (Matthew 19:27-30, Mark 10:28-31, Luke 18:28-30) In these passages we see Peter asking Jesus; what's the gain since we've left all to follow you? Jesus in reply presents the eternal and earthly reward. The earthly reward includes persecution as shown in Mark's gospel (10:31), but the blessings outweighs it all - 2 Corinthians 4:17.
2 Corinthians 5:1,8-10,14-15
"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
Yes there is a cost to following Jesus, we are often presented with a price, but even far weightier are the gains. Oh yes, it pays to serve Jesus.
Remain forever blessed.