Is Jesus worth dying for? Our Shepherd has been guiding me through Acts 20 and 21 these past two days! He has been teaching me, through His Blessed Holy Spirit, some SOUL SHAKING realities. Let me share one with you now.
I call this the "Prayer of Freedom". It is not a prayer that Paul specifically prayed (he probably prayed something like this at sometime in his life, I'm sure). It is a statement that he made that I have shaped into a transforming prayer (rather, the Spirit of God has made into a prayer for me...there is no way I could pray this prayer without the Spirit's leading and you will see why). In Acts 20, Paul is 'compelled', I love that word, to go to Jerusalem for the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's extravagant generosity (His grace)! The Spirit of God has clearly told him that he will face hardship and prison in every city that he goes to...and here it comes...you ready? Paul says, "...I consider my life WORTH NOTHING to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. (Acts 20:24)" Paul's life was WORTH NOTHING to him...JESUS' life was WORTH EVERYTHING! Listen...it gets even MORE INTENSE from Paul...
In Acts 21, his buddies are "desperately urging" him not to go to Jerusalem. Listen to what Paul says. From what he says comes what I am calling, "The Prayer of Freedom"! Paul says in Acts 21:13.
"Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I AM READY NOT ONLY TO BE BOUND, BUT ALSO TO DIE IN JERUSALEM FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS. (emphasis mine).
Here is the life lesson God's Spirit taught me to pray from this: If you want TRUE FREEDOM to live as a FULLY DEVOTED, SPIRIT FILLED, FATHER LOVING, LOST FISHING, RADICAL FOLLOWER of CHRIST, you've got to be READY to DIE for the Name of the LORD JESUS. If you are READY to DIE for Jesus Christ, then you are truly READY to LIVE for Him...no matter what happens. When you get to that point, or rather, when the Spirit of God gets you to that point in your life, you have TRUE FREEDOM TO LIVE! Stress will not be an issue. Worries will not be an isssue...negative thoughts and opinions will not be an issue! They are only issues in our lives when we are AFRAID to DIE. I could talk about this all night...let me cut to the chase...
Here is my prayer. I prayed this tonight..."Lord Jesus, make me ready to die for you." The only way we can get ready to die for Jesus is through serious, radical, prayer! I realize, or at least think I do, the magnitude of this prayer. This is not a comfortable prayer. But I have come to realize this fact: If Jesus does not consume me, the stresses of life will...when that happens, I am dead already. I don't want to live that way...it's miserable. BESIDES, JESUS IS WORTH IT! I would rather live being ready to die than to be dying wishing I would have lived!
Listen, we can honor God and bring glory to him in how we live AND in how we die. I want to be so ready to die for Jesus that nothing phases me in how I live for Him. You see, If I am ready to die for Jesus...I will preach the "heart cutting sermons" His Father calls me to preach without fear. I will do so with compassion but I will not back down. If I am ready to die for Jesus, I am ready to live for my wife and my daughter. I am FREE! If am ready to die for Jesus, time constraints, sicknesses, hardships, negative people will not phase me. If I am ready to die for Jesus, no one and nothing will intimidate me. I will live RECKLESSLY and in the words of my twin bro, "DANGEROUSLY FAITHFUL"! My only FEAR will be for GOD! My only hate will be for SIN! My only love will be for GOD, FAMILY, the CHURCH, and the LOST! I will not be worldy or consumeristic.
Now remember, to be ready to die for Jesus, you have to count YOUR life WORTH NOTHING and JESUS' life WORTH EVERYTHING... like Paul did (Acts 20:24). That's what the entire theme of this blog page is. JESUS IS WORTH IT! The "IT" must include our very life. JESUS IS WORTH MY LIFE! LORD JESUS, MAKE ME and ALL WHO READ THIS TO BE READY TO DIE FOR YOU! MAKE US READY TO DIE and FREE TO LIVE! That's the PRAYER of FREEDOM for you and for me. May it be for our families and for all of the Bride of Christ! In the Risen Jesus who was more than READY to die for us, AMEN!
