Christian Living

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MANDATED DISCIPELSHIP: OBEDIENCE COST!
Sue Stidham

Is ‘giving our lives to Christ’ words we say or action we take?

The Bible is clear when it mandates us to “Go and teach all nations…" and “Go and preach the Gospel…”

This is instruction given to all Christians.
Does this mean we must go to Africa or the Middle East? Not necessarily unless you know that God has specifically called you to do so.
The mission field for our discipleship is before us daily. We meet people everyday at work or shopping with whom we have opportunity to share Jesus.

He said in Luke 4:43 “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.” We are as Christians, to be followers of Christ.

We are to pattern our lives after His. And to let His light shine through us to a dark world. For what purpose? For God’s purpose! His is not a game. The world from its beginning has been a place of Spiritual Warfare.

Though we know in the end, Jesus is victor over satan for God’s creation, we also know that along the way millions of souls are lost to the enemy. It is our commission, our instruction, to offer them the opportunity to meet the only one who can give them eternal Salvation.

Why aren’t most Christian believers active in this blessed task? If you lack boldness to speak of Him to others, pray for God to grant that boldness to you. Furthermore, our very lifestyles should be a witness of His presence in our lives.
Kevin Turner, founder of Strategic World Impact and International Missionary writes:
“Obedience cost! Real discipleship cost! The cost is to forsake our lives...”
That should be a revelatory statement if you have not already realized that your life doesn’t belong to you after giving it to Him.

“It’s not a spiritual spa regimen to make us feel better, it’s war.” Says Turner.
“And war is never nice. There are casualties. In fact, ultimately the price of being a part of God’s global purpose can mean losing your life.”

In the Philippines, this recently became a reality to the yearlong, terrorists-held evangelistic couple—the Burnhams. And lets not forget Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer held in Afghanistan for several months, or the hundreds of ‘captured-for-slavery’ Christians in Sudan.
Turner continues, “Maybe too many of us have been led to believe that the Christian life is supposed to be nice, respectable, predictable and smooth - that Christianity means blessings, not war. Or perhaps we have counted the cost of real discipleship in God’s plan, and then, God help us, we have refused to obey.”

Tommy Tenney, author of God Chasers, appeals to those who want a get-real, personal, one-on-one relationship with God.

If we desire to be counted among them, we must ask ourselves if we take seriously our part in God’s plan.

“Obedience means shifting our expectations to being a blessing instead of just being blessed.”

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