Turn the world upside down

Matthew 16:24-27

New King James Version (NKJV)

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

 
²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

I'm borrowing from my pastor's sermon yesterday. Pastor Ron told us that Christianity is "a paradox that is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural." Christianity totally flips the world's values upside down. The world ask the questions "what's in it for me? What can I get out of it?" If it doesn't benefit me, then I don't want to be involved in it. We even have a generation of young people who I've heard called the "me" generation. The me generation...That's because all they think about it "what's in it for me?"

Christianity turns the question around, upside down with the question "what's in it for the other guy? What would please my neighbors?" That is totally opposite to the world's way of thinking. The world doesn't care about their neighbor any more that how it will benefit them.

In my understanding, as a Christian, we don't achieve our ultimate happiness by getting all that we want but rather by giving all that we have. WHOA! Giving all that we have? What will be left for me?? I don't know about this Christian stuff, then, if I've got to give it all to someone else. Hold on now. Before you totally freak out, you've got to understand that the more you give away, the more happiness and joy you receive. It may sound strange to society's way of thinking but in the heavenly kingdom, that's the ONLY way of thinking. We all want to have a happy life. We all want self-satisfaction. The Rolling Stones sang

"I can't get no satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no "  Self-satisfaction can not be achieved through money or the things money can buy. Oh sure, money can bring temporary satisfaction but lasting joy, peace and satisfaction in life can only come through Jesus Christ.

Jesus wasn't satisfied with giving just a little here or a little there. He didn't have a 50/50 relationship with people. Jesus gave 100% of himself so that we could have the things we need and have the joys of this life. Jesus gave His very life for us. He died on the cross to pay for MY sins so that I don't have to pay for them. He died on the cross for YOUR sins too. All you have to do is just accept the free gift that He gives you. When you have Jesus at the center of your life you will have the inward joy that gives true happiness whether you've got the money of Bill Gates or a homeless bum. And isn't that inward joy what really gives us Sa-tis-fac-tion?

Time in prison

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NKJ

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11

I gave my testimony last night at the state prison in Gatesville. Satan has been fighting against me speaking there. This was the third time I was scheduled. The first two times, the prison was on lock down for various reasons and no one was allowed in. Last night I finally made it there. I was told that the guards could stop me at any time to do a count. It is usually done once during their chapel time. I was stopped 3 time for prisoner count last night. Truly Satan did not want the ladies to hear what I had to say.

I must say that was probably the best speech I've ever done. Despite the counts and the barred wire on top of the 12 foot chain link fences, I truly felt God at work. I really left my script more than I ever had before. God was giving me His words to say. After I spoke, they broke into small groups and I had a chance to meet several of the ladies. I have no idea of why they are in prison but many of them have come to know Jesus while they've been there. In that respect, prison has turned their lives around.

The ladies I met were absolutely awesome. Some of them know far more scripture than I do even with my years of church and bible studies. Many of them walked up to me and said that i had "told the story of their life." One young woman who is still struggling told me some of her story. Her story makes mine look like a walk in the park. Not only was she sexually abused by her father, but also by other men in the household. During this same time she was physically abused by her mother. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she told me tid bits of her life. She was clearly wanting me to tell her how to get past all of this abuse.

The truth is that even after you accept Jesus into your life, everything doesn't automatically become better after your dip in the waters of baptism. It still takes time. Jesus IS there with us and for us but He does not wipe away all of our past. To be a servant to Him we have to learn how to face down the past. We have to learn how to stand up to it and that takes time. We have to look those pains in the face and tell them that Satan will not win. Jesus has already won the victory of us(Rom. 8:37). We just need to reach the point where we accept that the victory I already won. Some people can do it in just a few years. For some, like me, it takes years of facing it day by day before we are ready to accept it. God has a plan for us and He will give us hope in our final outcome. (Jer. 29:11) We just need to remember that that final outcome may not be today but it will be in God's time.