Matthew 10:34-39

34“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn
” ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her motherinlaw—
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[e]

37“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I have come to the understanding that I really don’t understand. I don’t understand the paradox of God’s love and grace. I do not get teachings like“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” That is unless God reveals it to me. That is exactley what happened the other day. The Holy Spirit began to teach me about these scriptures. This is what I found out…

1.  Jesus, the Prince of Peace, did not come to bring peace but war. We were prisoners of death and slaves to sin. Jesus came with the sword of the spirit, his very word, to conquer Satan, Sin, and Death. He did not do this to bring peace between us and sin, but between us and God. While we were still sinners, even enemies of God, Jesus came to reconcile us to himself. This was no peaceful transaction, but a nasty, bitter, bloody war that wages on this very hour.

2. We have been enlisted in the battle. Don’t expect because you have been set free from captivated that your life will be peaceful. You are now the target of our true Enemy.  This enemy will put anything and every between you and our Savior, including your own family. Don’t hold too tightly to anything in this world, but cling to the cross. It is our hope and salvation. It is what we live and die for. Anything else is worthless.

3. The only way to win is to die. Before Jesus rescued you from sin, you were died. Like Lazarus, you have been called forth from the tomb, and set free from your bondage. Now to remain in a life of sin and selfish living would be to return to the grave. To truly see abundant life we must present our bodies as living sacrifices before God. We must die to our old lives that we can take hold of a new life of obedience to him. Then we will see our victory.

Take up your cross….