The Consequences of Following Christ

Acknowledging God

All Glory and Honor 

Matthew 10:34-39 The Message

34-37 “Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.
38-39 “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

For Reflection

When you decide to choose to follow Christ, you emerge as a baby from a protected, comfortable societal womb into an alternative society of God-fearing folk. Your perceptions of the world will change.  Your desires to follow the Way of Christ will dominate your activity.

Be prepared. Your choice will come with a social price. Those who knew you before this transformation may not be comfortable with a new relationship and push you toward behaving as you had before. Find your new self in the image of Christ and be encouraged, comforted, and emboldened by the Holy Spirit that has displaced old desires in your soul.

Pray

Pray for the courage to embrace your new self.  Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Pray for wisdom. Pray for opportunities to grow into Grace.

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