July 10, 2002, UCB, Stoke, UK

July 2002

Image Caption: Thought for the month

Thought for the month

Submitted

“ IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME .” (Matthew Chapter 16 verse 24) Did you know that of the 56 brave men who signed the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, most didn’t survive the war that followed ? Five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Nine were killed in the Revolutionary War; twelve had their homes looted, burned or occupied; two lost sons in battle; another had two sons that were captured. Deciding to be free, to think and live independently and to pursue your destiny, is always a costly decision. Always ! Moses traded the comforts of a palace because he ‘saw’ the Promised Land and was willing to pay the price to get to it. Jesus embraced the Cross because He ‘saw’ a Kingdom that would be established in the hearts of men and ultimately cover the whole earth. Those who would be free, live with shallow tent pegs; they own many things, but nothing owns them. They’ve come to terms with that which means little and have chosen instead that which means everything. For years I preached “count the cost.” Then one day I discovered that Jesus had already counted the cost for us. Listen, “...If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” ( Matt. 16:24) There it is; the cost of following Him is the same for all of us - it costs everything! Copied by permission from Word for Today supplied by U.C.B. PO.Box 255, Stoke on Trent ST 4 8YY Who offer FREE copies of their daily devotional notes