He Preached Unto Him Jesus

Acts 8:26–38 

26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this,

 He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 

A number of people are being baptized today, they are being baptised because they have come to believe something that has changed their lives. No…even more than this, much more…they have come to believe something that has changed their ETERNITY.

It is not only life that will never be the same again, death too has lost its sting. In fact, Death itself is quite literally swallowed up in victory. Never again will any of them fear death, they simply have no cause to fear death anymore, again, quite on the contrary because death now ushers in eternity in heaven as opposed to eternity in hell.

All simply because they have believed with all their heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, just as this man of great authority did some two thousand years ago. Those who are being baptised today share in the same hope that that man had realized when he understood the Gospel, when he understood what the ‘preaching of Jesus’ meant. Like him, they are both saved and safe from judgement.

Now, this all happened because also, just like this eunuch of great authority, under Candice queen of the Ethiopians, those who are being baptised today had someone who preached unto them Jesus. 

At some point in their lives, they heard of this man, they heard of Jesus Christ and who he is and what he had done, why he came, why de died and how he rose from the dead.

My friends, it has long been regarded as simply “THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD”, it changed the world as it was and the history of Jesus Christ and what he has done is irrefutable…in fact history itself has its dating system hinging upon the birth of Jesus Christ, your own birthday is identified in the light of HIS!

Writing about Christianity as the single most incredible impact on the western world, an agnostic writer who is not a Christian, but the name of Tom Holland in his recent book titled “Dominion: How the Christian revolution remade the world” writes;

Even in the twenty-first century, as the tide of Western dominance palpably retreats, assumptions bred of Europe’s ancestral faith continue to structure the way that the world organises itself. Whether in North Korea or in the co

Pt 7.5 Modern Versions are Another Gospel

2 Corinthians 11:1–4 

1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2 Corinthians 11:1-4

In light of all we have considered so far respecting modern Bible Versions, this passage seems quite telling.

“lest….your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”, such a telling phrase and so perfectly applied.

God inspired his words, promised to preserve his words and preservation presumes possession.

God is powerful enough to do so

God does not lie

The purposeful devices of man can never hinder what God had determined to do.

God is the author of language and therefore is not limited by language.

The simplicity of this is quite incredible especially compard to the convoluted excuses we hear again and again that ever modern translation is different but the same.

That nothing has changed.

That it is the same Bible

The same Jesus

The same Spirit

The same Gospel

This morning you will have more than enough to see that mans contrivance is false.

Much has changed

It is NOT the same Bible

Not the same Jesus

Not the same Spirit, and 

Certainly not the same gospel that is presented in any of the modern translations!

This mornings study is ANYTHING BUT exhaustive. It is quite literally the very tip of the ice

Berg and should be more than enough for you to realise that MODERN VERSIONS ARE ANOTHER GOSPEL.

THE ANGEL OF LIGHT.

In verse 14 of our text from this morning we begin with what deception LOOKS LIKE.

2 Corinthians 11:12–15 

12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

I mentioned last week that the devil does not appear in red pajamas, with horns on his head, have a dragons tail, bearing a pitchfork. 

If he did, we’d all identify him and cast him out.

PROPS: Modern Bibles.

Modern Bibles don’t say “UNHOLY” on the cover. To the contrary …. “HOLY”.

The word “HOLY” and Holiness appear 654 times in the Bible and it is not difficult to discern its meaning. Most importantly it is defined directly by the very nature and character of God who ALONE is HOLY.

It must first BE PERFECT, without error, infallible, good, unspotted and blameless.

If a book is going to be called a “HOLY” book, that is the ONLY reference by which it can ever be called. Yet not a single person in the world believes any of these versions of the Bible are actually “HOLY”, but that is what they say on the cover.

Just as Satan is transformed as an angel of light, so too do these maleficent volumes of deception transform themselves as HOLY, but in appearance ONLY.

Turn to;

Deuteronomy 13

We recall in the Bible how it is you can tell a true prophet of God from a false prophet? 

The question was asked in Deuteronomy 18 telling us essentially that if the prophesy of the prophet don’t come to pass, he is a false prophet.

But in Deuteronomy 13 there is some more detail JUST IN CASE the prophecies actually DO come to pass and yet he is still a fal

7. The Permutation of Truth

It is clear that we live, at least, at the entering in of that time of “woe” spoken of here in Isaiah. 

The passage clearly gives reason as to why such a time as this is occurring, and we have spoken about this also in the past. We touched on what happens when man rejects the word of God, when many no longer have a “standard” from which to base ALL that is true. 

The reason given to us about this time occurring, this time when people call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

The reason there is a “Permutation of Truth” (A Replacement of truth) Is seen in verse 24, “because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel” (v24).

Yes, this text directly refers to Israel, but it is also a rule of law that evidently applies to all who have rejected his word.

If, according to Romans 1, the mind of man becomes reprobate from rejecting all that is plain to see concerning God (and you only need to see Hollywood or ANY popular Music awards ceremony to see that reprobation), then what level of evil can occur when the very foundation of ALL our laws are rejected?

Job speaks to this;

Job 21:14 

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 

When man so evidently rejects the “knowledge of his ways”, the only thing left to man is its REPLACEMENT, its “Permutation”. A changed, transformed, mutated version of truth is ALL that can replace Truth!

Now, before you begin to think such evil is limited to the addressees of the letter from Isaiah, turn forward to Jeremiah 6 and see how the Lord specifically addresses both Israel and the nations of the world;

Jeremiah 6:18–19 

18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Notice, it is the VERY FRUIT of their own thoughts that the people themselves are CURSED WITH!

Like Haman in the book of Esther, who built a tower with a hangman’s noose for a righteous man, but was hung on it himself. He essentially built it to hang himself upon it.

Like the many in the scripture who set a trap for others that they themselves fall into (Psalm 57:6).

Proverbs 5:22 

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 

Proverbs 1:18 

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. 

Proverbs 1:31 

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 

Proverbs 11:5 

5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 

If you are still in Jeremiah, turn forward to chapter 8

Jeremiah 8:9–10 

9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 

Notice that there are NONE IMUNE from the effect of rejecting the word of God!

Not the wise, not the prophet, not the priest, none! All shall be ‘ashamed’, all ‘dismayed’, all ‘taken’ by their own error.

All of this simply because the word of the Lord has been rejected. 

Now beloved, when PASTORS THEMSELVES contend against his word, and the churches are eventually turned to nothing more than exalted Social Clubs, what can we expect from a world looking for truth, but unable to find it?

Everything becomes inverted.

You thought that it should be wise men that lead the nations?

The prohibition of truth began in the Garden and extended to this very day. From the murder of the prophets to the crucifixion of Christ, the feeding of Christians to the lions in Rome, to the Roman Catholic barbaric inquisition that lasted as long as three centuries in Europe. The horror stories of history, even to this very day, testify that TRUTH IS PROHIBITED and attended to often by the silencing of life from the testifiers of truth. There is no place for the Word of God in this world, other than to those who believe. Little wonder there is such passionate attack on the Bible.

The post KJV Only Pt 6 The Prohibition Of Truth appeared first on Hope Baptist Church.

Make It Plain

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Hab 2:1-4)

Introduction

Two weeks ago we concluded the Standing Strong Youth Camp. A wonderful blessing to everyone who attended and especially to those 18 souls who gave their lives to the Lord and were saved. 

What stood out to me more than anything at that camp was the clarity and the urgency of the Gospel and how incredibly it was received.

People were literally transformed at the camp and it was evident even to some of the children.

I had a letter from one mother who wrote in part;

As further evidence of the power of the camps, in achieving its ministry vision, my son also commented on the stark contrast of attitudes exhibited by some of the boys he had connected with.  I am grateful that he had the opportunity to bear witness to these changes and to be able to gain an insight into the contrast exhibited between the “before” and “after” giving one’s heart to Jesus. 

Make It Plain For Warning

Make It Plain For Safety 

Make it Plain For It’s Certainty

Make It Plain For Justice

Make It Plain For Warning

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Make it plain for warning.

The passage in Habakkuk sees its historical setting just prior to the captivity of the Jews to the nation of Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar had come to take away their place and nation.

We see in the introduction of the book in Habakkuk 1:5–6

5 …. for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. 6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. 

So, we see that the warning of chapter 2 is for them. 

Manassa the evil son of Hezekiah was said to be the king of the southern kingdom of Judah at the time, and the waring was apt, for his reign was one of the most evil in the history of the nation where it was said that “he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon” (2 Kings 24:4)

The warning therefore was for the people of the nation for the evil that was to come upon them, a warning that was to be made clear, a warning of danger of the most terrible kind that the nation had never yet experienced but was warned about as far back as Moses in Deuteronomy;

See Deuteronomy 28:48–50 

Even then God made it plain, even some 800 years earlier God had made it plain for warning.

… Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

The temporal warning is clear, but what of the eternal?

God warns of a clear and present danger that is to come upon the people that will affect their temporary lives, yet what are we to say with respect to his warning for the eternal?

God warned that the people might fear the danger. God warned that the people might take heed, “that he may run that readeth it”, yet what about the warning of the eternal soul of all mankind? 

And how are WE to pass on that warning?

Turn to;

Matthew 10:27–28 

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

There is no man alive that could ever think of anything

One Thing Is Needful

Luke 10:38–42 

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

Tonight I will be presenting the wonderful gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

For those who do not know specifically what The Gospel is, it’s definition can be found in 1 Corinthians 15.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Jesus dying for our sins is that substitution of his life for ours, and it was according to all that was spoken of in history past in the Old Testament. That he was buried and rose again the third day is the single most attested fact of all history. In fact, scholars have said that if the method used to deny the resurrection of Christ was applied to any other historical event, all written and documented history would need to be denied and wiped away.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be denied. Excused, explained away it has been attempted, rejected it still is to this day and perhaps by some of you here. 

Tonight I am going to give you all an opportunity to believe the gospel. To those who have believed it, it will be an opportunity to rejoice that you have been saved as the Bible teaches, and to stand with complete confidence knowing nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:39)

Three points I intend to bring out for you comfort this evening and I want you to write them down so you don’t miss them;

There is One Thing Needful, it is The Care OF The Soul

The One Thing Neglected, it is The Safety Of The Soul

There Is One Thing Necessary For The Salvation of the Soul

There is One Thing Needful, it is The Care OF The Soul

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Here we see Jesus himself addressing Martha who was “cumbered about much serving”. She had seen Mary sitting at Jesus feet while she was attending to the work in serving those people who had come with Jesus. 

Martha clearly though Jesus was on her side as she worked while Mary sat.

But Jesus responded contrary to what Martha supposed saying;

… Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

I want to share with you this evening that the “One Thing Needful” Jesus spoke of, is the one thing needful for ALL people and not limited to Mary.

Lets consider the context that we have here.

Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Who is Jesus? The Son of God, in fact he is “the very God of peace” (1 Thess 5:23), he is “God manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim 3:16), Jesus said to Phillip, “he that hath seen me hath  seen the father” (Jn 14:9). 

Mary was therefore sitting at God’s own feet; therefore the “One thing needful” is attending to is the ONE thing of all things most needful.

Jesus saying ONE thing is needful and stopping there without further qualification,

The Simple Life: Fulfilment and Freedom from Anxiety

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:22-34)

Introduction:

It goes without saying that the Lord knows the human condition. He knows our wants and needs. He also knows our strengths [we have none] and weaknesses [of which there are many]. As such, the Lord is very direct in addressing these, He simplifies them incredibly; almost to the point of ridiculousness. By this I mean, ridiculous on our part because as mere humans we have a tendency to complicate things: which is why I have titled this message “The Simple Life”

In many respects, these verses are a blueprint for life. Again in simplifying matters for us, the Lord makes it evident that “it’s not rocket science”. It’s not rocket science and if we take these things to heart, we will automatically have a blessed and fulfilling life: 

Free of doubt and anxiety

Free of greed and covetousness 

Free of self-centredness and selfishness

Focused on the things that matter 

The Simplicity of Mindlessness:

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment”

The term mindfulness has become a “buzz word” in recent times and refers to a certain attitude of “living in the moment”. On the other hand, I have deliberately used the word “mindlessness” for the simple reason that the Lord commands us to “take no thought” for our lives. In “minding less” we resist giving place to anxiety and the cares of this life. 

A fairly simple command, I think you’d agree…and it is. However I don’t believe that it’s  matter of just “switching the mind off” or redirecting it with amusements and distractions. This is not what the Lord is advocating. And so rather than being replaced by alternative thoughts and activity, we are taught that we are to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. 

In other words, our minds need a complete overhaul. 

The root cause of our problem of course, isn’t a mental problem but a heart issue. It’s the heart which is deceitful above all things and which deceives the mind. In order for our minds to be renewed, our hearts must be changed also. 

It is out of the heart from which flow the issues of life. And in this case ultimately it is the heart that is troubled.

The weapon of choice in the battle against anxiety is of course, the word of God. 

We’ve been assured that: 

“(For the weapons of our warfare

The post Be Strong appeared first on Hope Baptist Church.

The Protest of Truth

Pr Edi Giudetti

15-01-2023

Introduction

We are going to take an excursion this morning into the journey to uncertainty. How from the beginning Satan desired doubt to be created in the word of God, and how vain men in history have worked to facilitate that uncertainty.

From Abel to Zecharia the son of Berchaia i.e. From the first prophet to the last prophet Satan worked in the hearts of men to protest the word of God coming to the people, to protest the truth.

All of the prophets preached with certainty, all spoke in the name of the Lord and the people were EXPECTED to recognise it. But though they preached, the hearts of the people turned them away, they protested the truth heard.

There seems to be a natural inclination in man to do whatever it is that man desires to do, a desire that stems from the most ancient of history and it seems we have all inherited this natural inclination. 

That natural inclination toward self-determination and self-delight will be defended and rationalised to the very point of self-deception. We will literally lie to ourselves, willing to deny all reality to the contrary, and accept the most bizarre beliefs to justify our predisposition. 

SELF DECEPTION is one of the single most common maladies in all people, and it is a curse that ONLY humility can relieve us from. Reality will always have its day.

Isaiah wrote;

Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isa 28:15)

This is the reality of modern man today, but this was written almost three thousand years ago about the ancient Israelites. Proving with certainty, man has NOT Changed!

You don’t need the Bible to prove man has not changed, Read Plato, read Aristotle, read Marcus Aurelius’ or Cicero, from 2000 to 2500 years ago, mankind is the same today.

So much we see in the Bible today about the nature of man that simply HAS NOT CHANGED.

Consider this one; turn to 

Isaiah 47:13 

13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. 

Is this not a very present reality among the lost of the world? They will not seek after God, they will not trust in the Lord, but they seek after vanity to save them.

Jonah wrote, “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” (Jon 2:8)

Turn to another one in Isaiah with me just for fun;

Isaiah 30:9–10 

9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

THE PROTEST OF TRUTH is the devil’s work from the beginning to this very day, to first create doubt in the word of God, then to directly question it, then to deny it, until he can corrupt it, with the ultimate aim to REPLACE IT (We will speak of that “replacement” in the Seventh message in the series titled The Permutation Of Truth). 

MAN SEEMS HOWEVER TO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PREDISPOSED TO IT!

When man proudly turns away from the certainty of truth, he turns to whatever tickles his fancy, whatever it is that gives to him a temporary reprieve from facing a reality he does not want to know.

Man creates his own idol of quasi-religious ideas to suit himself.

As long as man can choose his own preference of comfort, he will defend it no matter how irrational he must become in doing so.

Proverbs 26:16 

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. 

The vain man is a lazy man/woman 

The Doubt of Truth.

Genesis 3:1–3 

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD G

Jesus Never Comes Next

Luke 9:57–62 

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. 

Follow Jesus First

So often is the consideration that to follow Christ is that charge that in so following we should have glory in this world, but this seems not to be the case set forward to us in the passage here.

58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

What a contrast this seems to be from the prophets of this world who so evidently desire the riches and comforts of this world. Jesus has nowhere to lay his head, yet could we expect the same to ever be said of the expectations of men such as Creflo Dollar, TD Jakes, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Ken Copeland, Joyce Meyer or especially The “Bishop of Bling” Lamor Whitehead, who was recently robbed of half a million dollars of jewelry he was wearing during a service? (July 2022)[1].

There is little doubt in my mind that should all the material wealth be taken from such people, and they were to have no resting place for their heads, they would soon turn aside quickly from the way.

Luke 9:57 

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 

Jesus did not respond that following him would enjoy the comforts of this life, not even necessarily the comforts of a bed that most people enjoy, no, not even of the home of foxes nor birds, following Jesus held no such promise. 

Had this man given true consideration to the cost? Did he really understand where “whithersoever thou goest” would take him? 

Consider the disciples of the Lord and their own promise to Christ as they desired to share in his glory.

Mark 10:37–40 

37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. 38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

The cup Jesus spoke of that they should drink was that same cup Jesus prayed thrice that “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” (Mt 26:39), but their answer seemed to have been given rashly, I’m not convinced they considered the cost either. Nevertheless they did “drink of that cup” and followed Christ to a cruel death.

But as Jesus entered into his glory, they also followed him there.

Beloved, it is not the comforts of this life that should be the expectation of those who follow Christ, it is the hope, joy and glory of life everlasting that does so. 

There is no hard and fast rule that states we would all suffer discomfort of life or even martyrdom, but there should also be no expectation in our minds that our lives will never endure trials. 

Those who truly followed the work of the Gospel had already determined in their minds that the comfort of eternity is worth all the trials of the temporal. It was the Christian martyr of Equador, Jim Elliot, who said, “he is no fool to give up that which he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose”. People like him