There is a cost of being a follower of Christ.  We must put all things behind us and strive to put Christ first in our lives.  We are to honor our mother’s and father’s but this is secondary to Christ!

YOU WILL BE A SERVANT OF GOD, AND SERVE IN FEAR
KJV Matthew 10:24-28
24.  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
 25.  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
 26.  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
 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.

WE MUST LOVE CHRIST AND THE WORK MORE THAN ANY OTHER THING OR PERSON!
KJV Matthew 10:34-39
 34.  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
 35.  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
 36.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
 37.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
 38.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

PAUL FACED TRIBULATION IN THE GLORY OF GOD
KJV 2 Corinthians 11:23-31
 23.  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
 24.  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
 25.  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
 26.  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
 27.  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
 28.  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
 29.  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
 30.  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
 31.  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

TRIBULATION CANNOT MOVE US
KJV Acts 20:22-24
22.  And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
 23.  Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
 24.  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

CHRIST SAID THAT PAUL WOULD FACE MUCH FOR CHRIST NAME SAKE
KJV Acts 9:16
 16.  For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

THOSE WHO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ARE SUBJECT TO SUFFERING
KJV James 5:10-11
 10.  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11.  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

THERE IS A VICTORY IN JESUS
KJV 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
 57.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
 58.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

ALL THAT LIVE GODLY WILL FACE PERSECUTION
KJV 2 Timothy 3:10-12
10.  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
 11.  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
 12.  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

GIVE OUR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD IN JOY
KJV 2 Corinthians 8:1-8
 1.  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
 2.  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
 3.  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
 4.  Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
 5.  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
 6.  Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
 7.  Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
 8.  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

GIVE TO CHRIST FIRST AND THE REWARD WILL BE ETERNITY
KJV Matthew 19:24-29
24.  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
 25.  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
 26.  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
 27.  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
 28.  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
 29.  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
 
 

Copyright 1999 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.