“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33).
Paul declares that we have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Paul spoke of nothing less than a wholehearted way of living. You are either a slave to impurity or a slave to God. He doesn’t say that sometimes he is a slave to righteousness and sometimes a slave to God. Are we guilty of lowering the standard when it is convenient for us? Do we let Jesus have ALL of us sometimes and a LITTLE of us at other times?
Many of us surrendered to Jesus because we realized only He could meet our needs. We were desperately in need of a Savior. But, my friends, that is only the first step of eternal life. Jesus has needs that can only be met by us.
Jesus chose us to bear His fruit, and once He has met our need, He calls us to meet His needs. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16).
We are the vessels through which His Holy Spirit has an outlet into this world of darkness. Are you available, through wholehearted surrender, to be a servant of God — going where He tells you, speaking His words of Truth, loving with His agape love, renouncing all rights to yourself? If so, you will be His light in the world. You, indeed, will be His friend, because you have considered the costs and are obeying His commands. “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14). Brothers and sisters, Jesus became a servant for us while we were yet sinners, and then He gently, yet firmly, invites us to be His friends. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15).
Will you accept the INVITATION? You accepted Him for what
He could do for you; are you ready to say “yes” to what you can do for Him?
SCRIPTURE
Further References: Luke 14:28-33; John 14:12, 15:12, 14; Romans 6:15-23
©2005 Masterpiece of the Wilderness, Deanna Deering
Have You Considered the Costs?
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Posted on July 31, 2013 by admin
“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33).
Paul declares that we have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. Paul spoke of nothing less than a wholehearted way of living. You are either a slave to impurity or a slave to God. He doesn’t say that sometimes he is a slave to righteousness and sometimes a slave to God. Are we guilty of lowering the standard when it is convenient for us? Do we let Jesus have ALL of us sometimes and a LITTLE of us at other times?
Many of us surrendered to Jesus because we realized only He could meet our needs. We were desperately in need of a Savior. But, my friends, that is only the first step of eternal life. Jesus has needs that can only be met by us.
Jesus chose us to bear His fruit, and once He has met our need, He calls us to meet His needs. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16).
We are the vessels through which His Holy Spirit has an outlet into this world of darkness. Are you available, through wholehearted surrender, to be a servant of God — going where He tells you, speaking His words of Truth, loving with His agape love, renouncing all rights to yourself? If so, you will be His light in the world. You, indeed, will be His friend, because you have considered the costs and are obeying His commands. “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14). Brothers and sisters, Jesus became a servant for us while we were yet sinners, and then He gently, yet firmly, invites us to be His friends. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15).
Will you accept the INVITATION? You accepted Him for what
He could do for you; are you ready to say “yes” to what you can do for Him?
SCRIPTURE
Further References: Luke 14:28-33; John 14:12, 15:12, 14; Romans 6:15-23
©2005 Masterpiece of the Wilderness, Deanna Deering
Category: Blog, Deanna's Words, Encouragement