Christ Brings Division...

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW'; and 'A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.--Matthew 10:34-39

To My Sweet Daughters,



These are some tough, tough words.  The ultimate end of the gospel is to bring peace with God. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, however, we enter into a war.  We are now at peace with God but enemies of the world. 


Jesus demands our all...He wants our whole hearts.  There is nothing we are to put before Him.  He talks of the cross at the end of this section of Scripture, reiterating that He is demanding total commitment from His disciples...a call to full surrender.  When He comes into our hearts we become His bond servants.  Our lives are His...they are no longer our own.  Whatever we do now, we do in His name and for His glory.  Jesus is not repudiating our earthly relationships or denying our responsibility to them, but He is making clear what our priorities should be.  Our conversion can cause strain in our family relationships, persecution and even martyrdom.

Yes, Christ is called the Prince of Peace, but He says many times in His word that if we live for Him we will face conflicts, and endure hardship.   Sure we can escape conflict but only by denying our God and compromising and witness and that would be sin.  We will be misunderstood...we will be persecuted even by those who are the closest to us; yet we must not allow this to affect our witness.

If we are going to suffer though, make sure we suffer for Him...for His name...for righteousness.  We do not want to suffer because we are obnoxious and difficult to be around.  Yes, the cross is an offense but as Warren Wiersbe says...do not be an offensive Christian.

Love
Mom