Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,049
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39 ESV)
The gospel of salvation that is so popularized today here in America is not the gospel taught by Jesus Christ and by his New Testament apostles. In fact, the “Jesus” that is being taught today also does not match with the character of who he was, in all aspects, when he lived on this earth. But what Jesus said here represents well both his character and his gospel message, and what that message means for us who believe in him.
Jesus didn’t come to this earth to gain a large following for himself of people who liked to hear “feel-good” messages. He didn’t say all the right things that are acceptable in our culture. He didn’t blend in and fit in with society, and he was not best buddies with the ruling class and with people of socially acceptable status. He didn’t shy away from “stepping on toes” or from saying what might offend other people’s sensibilities. He spoke the truth.
Now he wasn’t obnoxious. He wasn’t a blowhard. He wasn’t full of pride. He was very humble, for he willingly left his throne in heaven and came to earth and took on human form and suffered like we suffer so that he could be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world via his death on that cross, and so he could rise from the dead in victory over sin and Satan, on our behalf. But he spoke the truth that the people needed to hear, even if they rejected and mistreated and abused him, in return; even though they had him killed.
Therefore, those who believe in him, in truth, in what he taught (in context), who have bowed the knee to him in submission to his will, who have died with him to sin, and who are now walking in obedience to his commands in holy living, are being treated like he was treated if they are truly following in his footsteps in living for him and in following his leading and in speaking the same truths that he taught. Even their family members will mistreat them.
Why? Because not everyone believes in the Jesus of the Bible. Not everyone follows Jesus Christ and his full teachings. Many people still live in the flesh and for themselves and for their own sinful pleasures and they do not acknowledge Jesus for who he is, nor do they bow the knee to him in submission to his will. And so some of them will hate and/or mistreat those who are following Jesus, and who are doing his will, speaking his messages.
But pay close attention to his words here, for this message is not what is largely being accepted today. If we love other humans, even our family members, more than we love Jesus, and so we shy away from talking to them about the Lord, and from sharing the truth of the gospel with them, so that we don’t offend them, and so that they won’t hate and mistreat us, then we are not worthy of God, and we will not be partakers with him.
For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. So if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to his commands, in practice, in the power of God, then we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God/Christ (see Luke 9:23-26).
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42 ESV)
And now he is speaking of those who are his true disciples (followers). If our lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ, to obey him, to not walk in sin, and to follow him wherever he leads us in doing whatever he has called us to do, especially as we share his teachings (in context), some people (few) will receive us. But in today’s culture, the majority will not, even many who also profess faith in the Lord Jesus but who are living more worldly lives.
But how others treat us who are genuinely following the Lord in truth is also how they treat Jesus. And the same applies to us. How we treat others who are genuine biblical disciples of Christ, who are teaching the truth of his word, and not the lies, is how we treat Jesus. Yet, sadly, many professers of faith in Jesus are rejecting the Jesus of the bible, and his gospel, and his true servants, in favor of “feel-good” messages which appease human flesh.
Persecuted for Christ: [Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]
YOU RAISE ME UP
Brendan Graham / Rolf Lovland
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be.
Caution: This link may contain ads
Are We Living Worthy of Christ?
An Original Work / January 24, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
The gospel of salvation that is so popularized today here in America is not the gospel taught by Jesus Christ and by his New Testament apostles. In fact, the “Jesus” that is being taught today also does not match with the character of who he was, in all aspects, when he lived on this earth. But what Jesus said here represents well both his character and his gospel message, and what that message means for us who believe in him.
Jesus didn’t come to this earth to gain a large following for himself of people who liked to hear “feel-good” messages. He didn’t say all the right things that are acceptable in our culture. He didn’t blend in and fit in with society, and he was not best buddies with the ruling class and with people of socially acceptable status. He didn’t shy away from “stepping on toes” or from saying what might offend other people’s sensibilities. He spoke the truth.
Now he wasn’t obnoxious. He wasn’t a blowhard. He wasn’t full of pride. He was very humble, for he willingly left his throne in heaven and came to earth and took on human form and suffered like we suffer so that he could be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world via his death on that cross, and so he could rise from the dead in victory over sin and Satan, on our behalf. But he spoke the truth that the people needed to hear, even if they rejected and mistreated and abused him, in return; even though they had him killed.
Therefore, those who believe in him, in truth, in what he taught (in context), who have bowed the knee to him in submission to his will, who have died with him to sin, and who are now walking in obedience to his commands in holy living, are being treated like he was treated if they are truly following in his footsteps in living for him and in following his leading and in speaking the same truths that he taught. Even their family members will mistreat them.
Why? Because not everyone believes in the Jesus of the Bible. Not everyone follows Jesus Christ and his full teachings. Many people still live in the flesh and for themselves and for their own sinful pleasures and they do not acknowledge Jesus for who he is, nor do they bow the knee to him in submission to his will. And so some of them will hate and/or mistreat those who are following Jesus, and who are doing his will, speaking his messages.
But pay close attention to his words here, for this message is not what is largely being accepted today. If we love other humans, even our family members, more than we love Jesus, and so we shy away from talking to them about the Lord, and from sharing the truth of the gospel with them, so that we don’t offend them, and so that they won’t hate and mistreat us, then we are not worthy of God, and we will not be partakers with him.
For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. So if we hold on to our lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and walk in obedience to his commands, in practice, in the power of God, then we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God/Christ (see Luke 9:23-26).
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42 ESV)
And now he is speaking of those who are his true disciples (followers). If our lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ, to obey him, to not walk in sin, and to follow him wherever he leads us in doing whatever he has called us to do, especially as we share his teachings (in context), some people (few) will receive us. But in today’s culture, the majority will not, even many who also profess faith in the Lord Jesus but who are living more worldly lives.
But how others treat us who are genuinely following the Lord in truth is also how they treat Jesus. And the same applies to us. How we treat others who are genuine biblical disciples of Christ, who are teaching the truth of his word, and not the lies, is how we treat Jesus. Yet, sadly, many professers of faith in Jesus are rejecting the Jesus of the bible, and his gospel, and his true servants, in favor of “feel-good” messages which appease human flesh.
Persecuted for Christ: [Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]
YOU RAISE ME UP
Brendan Graham / Rolf Lovland
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be.
Caution: This link may contain ads
Are We Living Worthy of Christ?
An Original Work / January 24, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
