“Whoever wants to”

Luke 9:23

New International Version (NIV)

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Notice there is no force mentioned here but there is choice, “Whoever wants to”.

Jesus also cautioned us that following him would have some cost to us.

John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Most people want something for nothing they want good deals that don’t cost them much or anything at all.

Well in order to offer us this good deal it cost God the life of His only begotten Son, it cost Jesus His sinless blood and body of flesh.

In order to save us from the lusts of our sinful bodies of flesh because of His love for us He gave His Son who never sinned to pay the price of our sins.

Jesus Gods perfect example to follow.

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

But Jesus also promised us that the rewards of following Him would far outweigh anything that we are asked to give up or any price that we would have to pay in order to follow Him.

Matthew 19:29 (NIV)

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

This is the absolute best deal that I have seen anywhere on earth in my lifetime and I am very glad that I chose to follow Jesus some 53 years ago.

And just as Jesus said there has been a cost to me I have had to give up some things such as bad habits and things my flesh enjoyed doing, I have lost some relationships with family and friends because they choose to continue to follow the world and I chose to follow Jesus.

There are places that I can’t go there are things that I can’t do and these I do not miss.

As a Christian I have found better places to go and better things to do I no longer live with my head bowed in shame for the places I go or the things that I do because I walk not behind Him not in front of Him but  I walk side by side hand in hand with Jesus. He directs my steps and shows me the way that I should go.

If you are looking for a good deal I urge you to take God up on His offer today.

As you well know good deals are hard to find and always have a time limit with their offer.

Even so it is with Gods offer today you live and breathe and have the opportunity of choice.

Tomorrow you may not.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)

 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)