Matthew 16:24-27 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man 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: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
What would you trade for your own soul? A bowl of pottage like Esau in Genesis 25? For riches like the certain ruler in Luke 18:19? To please men instead of God in which Galatians 1:10 speaks of? To appear righteous before man like the Pharisees? This is in vain since Jesus warns in Matthew 5:20 that if your righteousness does not exceed Pharisees and Scribes who appear perfect before men you will not inherit the Kingdom. For fornication? For idolatry? For adultery? For abuse? For stealing? For covetousness? For drinking? For extortions? (1 Corinthians 6) All these things can steal the kingdom of God away from you if you so choose.
Don't be afraid of conviction! If God convicts your soul in the Scripture, AMEN! Don't ignore it! His Spirit is revealing to your heart something. This is a privilege for your heart to be soft to the point of having conviction! You cannot change your own heart, confess that. If you see sin, confess that! To the One who can make you clean! Jesus has paid the price, He voluntarily went to the cross just to set you free! To forgive you for your sins! Matthew 4:16-17 "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repent, turn from your sin, turn your eyes to the Son. Seek Him, plead with Him the blood He shed on the cross! Seek deliverance. Be convicted. Be desperate! Seek the Living Lord to reveal Himself to you! Seek the Scriptures, read, ask God for honesty of heart, to reveal you your sin, to by grace through faith forgive you and set you free! Only He can stir in your heart repentance and grant you such. Only He can save!
John 12:25 "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."
Matthew 10:16-22 "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 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. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 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. 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: 31-33 "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
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.
Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
Romans 8:13 "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
Psalm 101: 3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."
I realize those things that I have been blogging about lately are not easy to swallow, nor are they pleasing to the flesh. They are opposed by many, but they are in fact what I believe the Lord has been putting on my heart to record. They are straight out of the Bible, the Word of God, unrevised, no sugar coating, straight up what God, what Jesus says, what He calls His disciples to, what through the Spirit is more than possible. The Spirit gives life, but the flesh brings death. I desire to write on those things that last, those things which God has made that cannot be removed. The only things worth thinking on, that our conversation may be in heaven and not on this earth. Setting our minds on things about, on Him, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, He is eternal life.
Not many preach those things that Jesus preached and still does preach in Spirit. He is not a coward, He is not afraid, He doesn't know fear, He gives truth in boldness, He is a Great High Priest, Warrior, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, He is strength and comfort, He is bold and will boldly declare His Word through any who will receive Him in truth. He says to lose your life, to hate your life, and that you will be hated, to set no wicked thing before your eyes. To set Him before your eyes. What do you set before your eyes? To have zero confidence in your flesh, but to be filled and led by His Spirit. To know in your flesh no good thing dwells, but in the Spirit you can kill the flesh and it's deeds. And by this you may have Life. Why meddle in those things which are of no value, that would take your eyes off of Christ and put them on vain things that will pass away at any hour the Father chooses? Why settle for pottage when a great feast is standing by? Why desire to be something in this world, to desire to be well liked rather than to please the Living God? Why have any confidence in our accomplishments, glory in our own works, putting eyes on self which is soon to be gone? Our life is but a vapor, but He will never fade, there is no end to Him. By losing your life to Him you will gain eternal life.
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