To be a Christian is to be a warrior.

The good soldier of Jesus Christ must not expect to find ease in this world: it is a battle-field.

Neither must he reckon upon the friendship of the world; for that would be enmity against God.

His occupation is war.

Jan 3, 2012

The Call


In  the words of the King…

We are to preach…

for HIM…

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  Matthew 28:19-20  

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  Mark 16:15 

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  Luke 14:23 

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.  Matthew 10:27 

We are to have a single eye…

for HIM…

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  Mark 12:30 

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Matthew 6:19-24 


We are to leave the world behind…

to follow HIM…

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.  Mark 8:34-38 

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  Mark 10:29-30 


We are to suffer persecution…

for His name…

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  Matthew 10:17 -18

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  Matthew 10:21 

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Matthew 10:24-25 

We are to endure hardship…

for His name…

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  Matthew 5:10-12 

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  Matthew 10:22 

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.   John 15:20-21 


We are to  give up everything…

for HIM…

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.  And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.  And Jesus said unto him,

No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.  Luke 9:59-62

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  
Matthew 10:32-39 

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Matthew 12:50 


But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13   


Preaching. Shame. Persecution. Endurance.

Blessed. Fellowship. Treasure. Eternity.


For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
Matthew 18:11



If you are walking in His footsteps…

you will do it…for HIM

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for your all-Bible posts. This one has really shown me the simplicity of the Christian love story.

    We are the lost. Christ is the Love.
    Love gave His all for the lost.
    And now the lost has the opportunity to be found-- if they so choose to follow the Love.

    I think maybe we complicate things WAY too much. Especially when trying to speak to new Christians. We try to get them to see EVERYTHING that we see at the moment they first believed. Really, it's just all about Him. We must follow God, and without His loving lead... we are lost.

    Don't know if that made sense, but thank you for another great post!
    Raquel

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are Jesus' actual words to us...His Bride. These are the instructions He left us with...how many are fulfilling the call?
    Intense. Our Love for Him should be the driving force in our hearts and lives. We should be about His business upon this earth...while eagerly awaiting His return.
    When He comes...I want to be doing all He instructed me to do...

    Imagine His delight upon finding those who have done all He asked...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amen sis. I have to catch up on the rest of your post.

    ReplyDelete