“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy
of being mine” (Matthew 10:38 NLT).
Jesus is saying, “Don’t come to Me unless you’ve counted the cost.
And the price is self-denial,
self-crucifixion
and self-submission.
If we modify this message of Christianity to make it more attractive or
easier to follow, then what we have is not Christianity!
For too long we’ve incorrectly thought that by simply saying specific little
words and by praying this little prayer, we’re automatically in the club of
Christianity. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Christianity is not a club.
It’s not a movement.
It’s an eternal commitment.
And it’s a hard one.
Again, . . .
It will cost you everything.
So who is this message for?
Anyone who has believed the illusion that simply because you said some
special words once upon a time you’re automatically a Christian.
It’s for those who have never truly denied themselves and given everything
to follow Christ. In other words, you’re not truly living in the power of the
Holy Spirit. To live in His power means yielding to His authority.
It’s for people who have walked in the vicinity of Jesus (church, Christian
university, mission trips) but have never matched their feet inside His
footprints.
It’s for those of you who are seriously counting the cost right now.
It’s NOT for those who simply want to feel good.
It’s not for anyone who thinks it’s the job of Jesus to make you happy.
It’s not for those who just want a pacifier.
This is serious.
Doing spiritual business with God is always serious.
Well, then who in the world would make such an outlandish commitment?
Who would be willing to die?
Only those who are sick of their lives and want to really live.
Only those who dare to live in radical obedience to the Lordship of Jesus
Christ.
Only those who are willing to be converted (in other words totally
transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit—and who want to LIVE in the
Holy Spirit’s power). Those. Those are the ones.
The ones who are willing to say: “I die to me, so I can live for Him and
move and breathe and love and be truly transformed in His mighty power
through His Holy Spirit.”
You can’t be resurrected until you die.
So only if you’re willing to come to your own funeral right now, will you
experience His intimate resurrecting power in your life.
And if that’s you, pray now.
This will be your funeral. But it will also be your resurrection!
And THIS is real Christianity.
This is absolute Truth.
I love you enough to give you the Truth.
Susie
