How far are you prepared to go?

5 June 2009

Father, You are Holy, Jesus You are worthy and Holy Spirit you are glorified! Amen!

If I ask you how far you are prepared to go for Jesus, what would you say? Think carefully before you answer this question.

I know a man who loves God more than he loves himself. He has grown from just being an ordinary man who knows God to a crowned prince who serves his King with honour. He got married as a young policeman with lots of dreams for him and his wife. However, after a couple of years she got involved with the wrong people and did the wrong things. They divorced and his life started falling apart. His job was stressful and demanding and left him feeling depressed on top of being lonely. He wanted to commit suicide but then heard the voice of God who said that He must not do it for he had plans for him.

He did not do it because he HEARD THE VOICE OF TRUTH. He resigned from the Police Force and fought a battle of health, finance and loneliness. However, through all of this he grew in faith, met the wife he now has and was appointed in a high position earning good money. Through the years though, he forgot what God has done for him and lived a prosperous life but without a close relationship with Jesus. Last year, to no fault of his own, he lost his job, his big salary, his car and subsequently his house and precious possessions.

However, in all of this he found our Lord Jesus Christ again. He heard the voice of God again saying to him that he should sell all his possessions and follow him. What a tall order! Well he is now doing exactly that. He has said no for a big job and is living daily on what God discloses and provides to him. This was the second time he has HEARD THE VOICE OF TRUTH. He is now working full time for the Lord!

Before I continue with this article I just want to say to you that the person I am referring to is my brother and I am so proud of him, I love him.

Why am I telling you the life story of my brother? Well, this week I have been challenged in many ways. I found myself in more than one situation where I had to decide whether I give the car guard R2, R5 or R10. Needless to say, I thought that he only deserved the R2 for the few minutes he watched my car. However, God said he deserved the R10. Hence, twice this week I gave R10 to the same guard, on different occasions.

You might say what is the point? Whether I gave R10 away to someone for watching my car for only a few minutes, or giving away the last food in my house to someone in need, it carries the same message. It is about being prepared to go the extra mile for Jesus. This week I again realised that all I have belongs to Jesus and none of it is my own. I might refer to it as mine, my house, my car, my kids, my savings account, my clothes etc. Dear reader, none of this belongs to us, none of it!

My brother was told to sell everything and to follow Jesus, just like in Matthew19 verses 16 – 30. The rich man asked Jesus how he could get eternal life and Jesus said to him that he should obey the commandments. The man then said that he already does that. He then asked Jesus what he still lacked and Jesus said to him “go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.” At this the young man went away sad, because he had great wealth. Dear reader if it is hard to give R10 to the car guard for only watching my car for a few minutes, how hard must it not be to sell all your possessions and give it to the poor? Are you prepared to do that, are you prepared to give up all you have and trust God for your daily bread?

With this I am not saying we must sell all we have and give it away. I also don’t say that we should think that when we lose everything precious to us that we have nothing left. No matter how much you might have or what you have lost, Christ is with us, every moment of every day. He loves us and cares for us. If the challenge is to give up something it means that something greater is awaiting you, for God says that he only has plans to prosper us and not harm us. It is in God’s will that his children have all they need. The question is what we think we need, versus what we really need. Even though the worldly things may perish, the Spirit is alive in us and we will live forever!

You might be in a position where things are going just great for you and that is wonderful. Use whatever God blesses you with to be a blessing to others by sharing that which you have been given and always remember that it is not yours but it has been entrusted to you for the blessing of others. Furthermore, if you are reading this letter and are in a position like my brother, in that you have lost your job, earthly possessions and are now waking up every morning not knowing where tonight’s supper will come from, take courage in Gods promise in Philippians 4 verse 19 that says “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Amen!

I know I love Jesus with all my heart and this week when I realised that I have had too much control over MY THINGS and MY ways, when actually it all belongs to GOD, I had a wake-up call. What if God said I must sell all I have and gave it to the poor, would I be prepared to do it? I realised that nothing is more important than God, not my own self, my husband, my kids or anything in my life. We have to surrender our OWN SELF and give it back to HIM, who will show us how to deal with it to His honour and glory.

What about you reader, where are you today? How far are you prepared to go? How far are you prepared to go for Jesus?

With lots of love in Jesus Name

Princess K