The Cost

" If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother ( in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude towards God) and likewise his wife and children and brothers and sisters- yes and even his own life also- cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26

Does his challenge you? How many of us put family on a pedestal, above all else?  Matthew 10:37 puts it this way: whoever loves father and mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me. Selah! I know people who do this, I could have been prone to this, but God intervened. The people this refers to live for family and rarely go outside of the family circle. This means the never reach out but become insular.

The first time I came to Tamworth, the church I now attend had this problem. I actually saw a spirit in the corner, it was large and fat, in other words well fed. It took radical pastoring to break its power. The people were very insular, I asked the Lord the name of the spirit, He said, "incest." Now I pondered this as I know incest as a sexual word. Yet this spirit had the people so focussed on their own worlds and the few they related with, they never looked out.

We can be blinded by the norm and so caged that we never challenge it. This is a problem because Jesus said these type of people are 'not' His disciples. 

I remember reading a book about the Welsh revival and how God had removed the pastor's children because the pastor would not seek the Lord beyond his comfort. The children went to live with relatives whilst he did the work of the ministry. Now, even I find this a stretch, but it got results. Revival broke out.

I have been separated from my grandchildren so that I can do the work God has for me. I cannot be the typical grandmother that runs around after the grandchildren but rather the one who loves them dearly from a distance and sees them a few times a year.

Each of us need to know the Lord's purpose for us, in this scripture. We are to seek Him, not follow a ritual and trust Him not our sooky emotions. Amen!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Rules?

The princes of Judah are like those who move boundary markers, I will pout out my fury on them like water. Hosea 5:10 World leaders of church and state are now all highly visible. When they are not open to consultation or do not listen they make judgements that are judged as foolish by both God and man. In Australia we just celebrated Australia Day and at this time various people are honoured for their contribution to society. Our Prime Minister, Mr Abbott, without consultation, conferred a knighthood on the Queen of England's husband, Phillip. Almost to a person, Australians judged this to be foolish. Even supporters have now distanced themselves. Imagine what it is like when church leaders follow their own emotions or the emotions of their people and change what is acceptable to God. For example, no longer considering adultery something that precludes a man from ministry. We might think we are clever, but actually going with a sinful flow. Where is God in all this? My emotions ar...
Read more

Know Your Sword!

So he took Him to Jerusalem, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "if you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He will give His angels orders concerning You, to protect you, they will support You with their hands, so that you will not strike Your foot against a stone.' And Jesus answered him, "it is said: 'do not test The Lord your God." And the Devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him for a time. Luke 4:9-11 In this third test Satan quoted scripture but Jesus knew His scripture and was not going to be deceived by his enemy twisting the truth. I am amazed at what Satan tempted Jesus with. He did not know Christ. He had succeeded in tempting the first Adam yet he was thwarted in this attempt. Jesus had lived 30 years and been tutored in godliness with contentment, he was prepared, baptised in the Spirit and sold out to the Father's purpose. Every time our enemy comes against us we ...
Read more

Little Things Grow

The boy's mother said to Elisha, "as The Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you. So he got up and followed her. 2 Kings 4:30 The Shunamite woman had travelled to Mt Carmel to find Elisha after the death of her son. Although Elisha had sent his servant Gehazi to the boy with his staff the woman had come to find Elisha and was not leaving without him. I like this lady's spirit. I am sure The Lord God Almighty also valued her heart. She had a heart for God and made room for Him in her world. Now, having lost her son she knew what to do: find Elisha and not let him go until he came to restore her son. What made the Shunamite woman believe that Elisha could raise her son? Was it the same faith that made her provide him a place to stay in her home? I believe it was God working in her life. I am grateful for her faith, I can read and be encouraged. We do not know her name yet her story lives in scripture. What a little thing it was to feed Elisha and then provide ...
Read more