Give Me Everything

No, this isn't a story about American Communism. Today's story is about the cost of discipleship. The cost of following Jesus in a world that refuses to even acknowledge His existence. A world that refuses to bend a knee in obedience to Someone it doesn't think it needs.

There is a tendency for people to forget about God when they are doing well. When life is wonderful and things are comfortable we all tend to ignore the commands of God and the things that He requires from His children.

A friend and I were having a discussion the other day about the twenty-something generation and it's unwillingness to "give up everything," even though Jesus demands that from ALL of His followers.

Jesus is quite clear in His teachings that we must be His and His alone. We are to be holy (set apart) and have nothing to do with the world which is controlled by Satan. We are to be IN the world, not OF it. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said this:

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." - John 15:19

Are we Jesus' disciples? Then why do we look so "worldly?"

Jesus often referred to Judah and Jerusalem as "harlots" who had prostituted themselves to other gods. Are we any different than they? What are the "other gods" in OUR lives? Our phones? Our schedules? Our ministries?

I used to be a youth leader in my church after I first became a born-again believer in Jesus. That was a great time, but it was also a dangerous time for my marriage. I was so caught up in my youth ministry that I ignored my wife. That was bad.

In the Book of Ephesians Paul wrote about the role of the bride (that's us) and our devotion to Jesus.

"Wives (that's us), submit yourselves to your own husbands (that's Jesus) as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." - Ephesians 5:22-24

Everything!

The way we dress, the way be talk, the way we act. EVERYTHING should be with God in mind. That's where many fail in their "religion." They are unwilling to sacrifice everything. WE are unwilling.

Let us be willing to give up everything to Jesus. He gave up everything for us.

"And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him." - Luke 5:11