War – We Will Lose Things

Greetings Dear Reader,

If I pursue Christ and try to kill my fallen nature there will be loss.  I have lost many things through giving in to my fallen nature.  I have hurt others and caused some to lost faith.  I cannot fix this and carry both the loss and its pain.  The more severe pain is the loss from doing what it right.

I should seek neither solace nor pity for the losses incurred from my own sin.  However, when I suffer because I do what is right then I can cling to Christ and the comfort he offers.  How lost I would be without this.  Sometimes we walk into the situation knowing that standing for what is right, even gently and with humility will cost us dearly.  Other times we are blindsided by rejection and judgment when we know we are doing what is right.

The real plight comes to this; if I wish to follow Christ then I must expect there to be a great cost.  Look at the price he paid for us to be able to follow him.  We are warned that we will be hated.  We are warned that our own families will not honor us.  We are told that the price of following is death to self. 

So I must accept and live that to follow Christ offers great loss.  Those losses will hurt. Those losses will bring bitter tears.  I will say that Christ offers hope.  Those losses will be recompensed.  Those losses will fade in comparison to the joy that Christ promises.  I see those around me try to ignore or bypass the war.  You cannot.

Worse I see people who know Jesus trying to live without him.  Whatever reason they give it is impossible for me to imagine trying to be anything good without Christ.  So the losses will go on and the pain will continue but it is all worth.  He would rather die than live without me.  That is enough to get me to count all loss for the sake of him.

How can they live without Jesus – Keith Green

How can they live without Jesus

How can live without God's love

How can they feel so at home down here

When there's so much more up above

Throwin' away things that matter

They hold on to things that don't

The world has gone crazy

But soon maybe

A lot more are gonna know

For maybe they don't understand it

Or maybe they just haven't heard

Or maybe we're not doin' all we can

Living up to His Holy Word

'Cause phonies have come

And wrong's been done

Even killing in Jesus' name

And if you've been burned

Here's what I've learned

The Lord's not the one to blame

For He's just not religion

With steeples and bells

Or a salesman who will sell you

The things you just want to hear

For His love was such

That he suffered so much

To cause some of us

Just to follow, follow

So many laughing at Jesus

While the funniest thing that He's done

Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world

While their hate for Him just goes on

And love just like that

Will bring him back

For the few He can call His friends

The ones He's found true

Who've made it through

Enduring until the end

The ones He's found true

Who've made it through

Enduring until the end

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."