My brothers and sisters, have you taken a risk that would damage you significantly if God didn’t come through for you?

I don’t mean a silly risk like skydiving or bungee jumping (not that they are bad), but the risk of offering ourselves to God and living for His kingdom. Perhaps it involves giving of money. Perhaps severing old relational ties. Perhaps changing your career to serve God better. Perhaps moving from a familiar and comfortable church to help start a new church.

By definition, living by faith is risky. Because faith is seeing the unseen. And what’s unseen is not guaranteed and therefore, risky. Many will straddle both worlds – just in case the other happens to fail – one foot in the world in case God isn’t real, and another foot in the faith in case hell is real. But that’s having both feet in the world, according to Jesus. Unless you have both feet in God’s kingdom, you do not have any foot in His kingdom! It’s all or nothing.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:24-25. Soon after saying this, Jesus died on the cross to demonstrate these words. And He tells us to follow Him…

Christian life should feel like dying, at times. Living for Christ should feel like we’re wasting it (like Mary’s expensive perfume poured on Jesus’ feet). Our old nature will condemn us saying, “What are you doing living like that? Why are you doing those things for those people? What about you? When will you get your share? Who’s looking out for you?”

But our new nature should reply, “Jesus is looking out for me. He alone is my treasure, and He is enough! He will vindicate me!”

Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
– The Missionary Heart

“I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience.” Karen Watson, a martyred missionary in Iran.

PH