What will it cost?

What will it cost you?

I guess the question is "Is Jesus worth it?"......... even unto death?

I read a lot of blogs and the magazines that talk about Christians around the world, forsaking all, living for the Glory of God and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though it might, and in many cases does, cost them their lives.

I look at my life and i have not been there. I have had rocks thrown at my feet, threatened to be thrown in jail and kicked out of a village because of preaching the Gospel, but not unto death, not where I felt like I was "persecuted".

Most of us would say "bring it on" to persecution if God wants it. But the thought for today is, would you really be ready? Would I really be ready?

The answer to "Is Jesus worth it?" is YES, He is more than worth it! We need to feed ourselves on the word of God and remember His great promises. Jesus promises He will never leave us nor forsake us in Joshua 1:5 / Hebrews 13:5 "I will not leave you or forsake you"and that He is always with us in Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus also promises hardship and suffering.
Philippians 1:29 "For it has been granted unto you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake"
Not only is it promised for Christians, it is a blessed thing!
Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
Matthew 5:11-12 " "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Now I am not out looking for persecution, I am not trying to get persecuted. That is not what the Bible teaches us. We should not go out looking for or desiring persecution, just to be ready for it, cause it WILL come.

If you do not have "small" persecutions like being made fun of, or family struggles for being a believer, for living it out......you might want to ask "why don't I?"

I ask myself that when things get quiet. There are times I realize I have "settled" a bit and I am not living out a Christian life where people will see it and ask questions, and make fun.

Are we stepping out of our worlds and reaching to the community, to our neighborhoods, to our work places? We have to be living out the Bible as well as being in the community to make a difference, to show a changed life, to live the Gospel out for people to see.

May we be encouraged when hardships come, praise God in persecution and and suffering! Remember what happened in Acts 5?

Acts 5:40-41 " and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council,rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name."

They REJOICED after getting beat! How did they do that? They did it because JESUS IS WORTH IT and they knew that Jesus was glorified in that moment. Those doing the beating saw something different as they beat them and saw them rejoicing. That is living a life ready for suffering when it comes and knowing that this breath of a life is to be lived out loud for our great God!

God is working all things together for good and for His Glory! The sufferings and persecutions are meant to make us more like Him as well as proving our faith "so that the tested genuineness of our faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7) 1 Peter is a great book to read about suffering.

Above all, read the Word daily and go to your closet and cry out to God to show you more of Him and to conform you more like Him. Our number one goal in life is to grow more and more like Jesus and in love with Jesus. Sanctification is a awesome thing!

Be encouraged!

For His Glory!

Chris