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NOW ITS YOUR TURN
Hello and welcome to another edition of ACTS 29 TODAY:
I see a lot about making disciples today and discipleship, today I was reading in Luke 13: 24 this is Jesus talking and He said.
Strive to enter in by the narrow door [ force yourself through it ] for many I tell you, will try to enter and not be able.
The first thing I see here is the word STRIVE to enter in, the word STRIVE means-make great efforts to achieve or obtain something and struggle or fight vigorously.
Even a dead fish can go down stream, but STRIVING, is swimming upstream, going against the flow, against the whole way of the world, mans way, and the flesh.
We know that Jesus is the door, and that is a narrow door and that only a few will find it, as anyone can go down the broad way, the wide way, and the easy way of life.
We will all have to FORCE OURSELVES THROUGH IT, WHY? because our flesh, our selfishness, and our pride does not want to go the JESUS way.
We don’t JUST FLOAT THROUGH THE JESUS NARROW DOOR WITH NO EFFORT AT ALL. He said MANY WILL TRY…..and…..NOT B ABLE. To get though a narrow door is very difficult, and you cannot take anything with you [ baggage ] as it is hard enough just to get yourself through and with much effort.
Why R some not able? Because they want to hang onto everything they have that they hold so near and dear UNTO THEM SELVES. Here R a couple of things JESUS said about being His disciple.
Luke 14: 26 amp
26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not [a]hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple.
Jesus said he did not come to bring peace upon the earth but DIVISION, a father against the son, a mother against a daughter and so on. When we become a disciple of Jesus it will SEPARATE US FROM ALL OTHERS ON THE PLANET INCLUDING SOME IN OUR OWN FAMILY’S.
27 Whoever does not carry his own cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow after Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] cannot be My disciple.
This is NOT, YOUR BEST LIFE NOW, this is what Jesus says about being a disciple. Its not SELF IMPROVEMENT, ITS SELF DENIAL [ DEATH TO SELF, SELFISHNESS, AND SELFIES ] ITS NOT BEING A BETTER YOU, ITS ABOUT YOU DISAPPEARING AND JESUS APPEARING TO EVERYONE ….THROUGH THE NEW YOU, THE YOU IN CHRIST.
Taking up the cross means the walk of the SPIRIT and the DEATH OF THE FLESH, we R crucified DAILY.
Then Jesus talks about COUNTING THE COST and the man who laid the foundation of a building but was not able to finish it, because he had not counted the COST that it would take to complete it.
33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not [carefully consider the cost and then for My sake] [b]give up all his own possessions.
Am I a disciple of Jesus? sometimes I wonder, and only by HIS grace and power through me will I B able to force my way through the JESUS door, LEAVING ALL ELSE BEHIND FOR HIS SAKE.
It may B a high cost to follow Jesus, BUT NOT FOLLOWING HIM IS A MUCH HIGHER PRICE TO PAY.
Thanks for your time, and as always:
NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW. UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE…….
Larry
Acts 29 Today 