WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE ASHAMED OF JESUS…and HIS WORDS??

I want to ask the question to ALL that are called to be disciples of JESUS…are we ASHAMED of HIM …..AND…..HIS WORDS…..the GOSPEL?  Are we really afraid to DIE to anything that reeks of SELF in order to truly follow HIM?  In today’s very “politically correct” society have we become afraid or ashamed to stand up for CHRIST?  Are we afraid that we will lose…fill in the blank…social media followers, clients, constituents, votes, congregation members, tithers, money, even friends or family??  Are we PROMOTING our OWN SELFISH ambitions and political, personal or business agenda versus simply PROMOTING JESUS and HIS WORDS?  In exchange for promoting “another GOSPEL” or other words that are just NOT in the Bible, are we exchanging our SOUL?  AND..the SOULS around us?  I would beg to question, is that REALLY LOVE? 

I always go back to the words in red…the words of JESUS…because I’ve said before…if  “Jesus SAID IT” it’s probably pretty important!  What I read in Mark 8:34-38 is a stern “WARNING” that JESUS gave not only to HIS disciples, but unto the people that were with him.  Jesus said in Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.  This is the TRUE COST of being HIS disciple…we have to DIE DAILY to anything that reeks of “SELF”!! We have to FOLLOW HIM and LISTEN to HIS WORDS…and not a man or man’s philosophy, or ideology!  In Mark 8:35 Jesus continues, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for MY SAKE and THE GOSPEL’s, the same shall save it”.  Here I read that we cannot choose self in exchange for JESUS and THE GOSPEL…or we may be risking “our eternal soul”.  In continuing to read in Mark 8:36 “For what shall it PROFIT a MAN, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul”?  This reminds us to take our choices in what or who we follow or promote seriously.  I always say, “be careful who you follow, chase or hang out with, and what you listen to, because we become what we associate ourselves with”.  This is a serious charge from JESUS…that we are to be aware of what we are PUTTING FIRST in our chasing…what we have set up on the throne of our hearts?  What idol’s are we building…and have we put SELF over JESUS and HIS GOSPEL?  JESUS says it best in Mark 8:37 “Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  This is an ETERNAL DECISION!  JESUS warns us in the next verse in Mark 8:39 “Whosoever therefore shall be ASAHMED OF ME and of MY WORDS in the “adulterous and sinful” generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels”.  Let us really take a moment and reflect…this WORLD is not our home, and are we keeping in mind that EVERY CHOICE we make is important!  Please consider…PUT JESUS and HIS WORD first.  FOLLOW JESUS and count the cost.