Are you ready?

I really enjoy the friends that I have that urge me to be a better Christian - hold me accountable I guess you could say.  I don't have many like this, but the ones I do, I cherish.  I was discussing the whole Isis situation with one of my hold-me-accountable-friends today.  I'm not super educated on the Isis situation.  I do know that it's scary.  I do know they are probably killing a Christian right now while I type.  My hold-me-accountable-friend really made me think - Am I ready?

Jesus tests many in the Bible.  You are probably familiar with the story of Abraham and Sarah.  Genesis 22 is the story of Jesus asking Abraham to take his son to the mountain to be sacrificed.  His one an only son that he and Sarah had patiently waited for.  Did you get that?  Jesus asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.  Are you ready to be sacrificed for what you believe in?

You can read about the Temptation of Jesus in Luke 4.  In short, Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days in the wilderness.  The devil constantly tempted him and Jesus responded, "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."   In the end, Jesus said, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test."  To which the devil responded by leaving after every temptation had ended.  Did you get that?  Jesus said you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.  Are you ready to say that?

Jesus asks us to take up His cross and follow Him.  

"Then Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life for my sake will find it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul." Matthew 16:24-26

Did you get that? Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  Are you ready to deny yourself and truly follow him? Did you get that? For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Are you ready to give up the whole world and die for what you believe? 

What if these people gave you the opportunity to forget about Christ and living your life for Him? Once you forget and take up their ways, you become free and you see your family again.  You get all of your worldly things back.  You have "freedom."  Would you do it?  

The Egyptian Christian men, that I'm sure you've seen the picture of, appear to be content.  Of course, that's relative.  Who can really be content when they're about to be beheaded?  I can tell you who - followers of Christ that are confident in what they believe, fight for what they believe, take up the cross, and don't back down.

So my fellow brothers and sisters - are you ready?  Let's take up the cross and defend what we believe in.