WHAT PRICE IS TOO HIGH?

The rich young ruler walked away sad when Jesus told him to sell all he had, give to the poor, and come follow Him. The price was not too high for the young ruler to pay. Instead, his love for Jesus was too small. When there is true, genuine love, when you love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, there is no price too high to pay.

The disciples received beatings for preaching the gospel, and Acts 5:41,42 tells us, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

Don’t tell Jesus you love Him, show Him! Love God with all you’ve got. Hold nothing back! God smells the fragrance of a Godly sacrifice. Paul wrote how he received “the things which were sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” Phil. 4:18b.

If it’s a Godly sacrifice, somebody else is benefiting from what you’ve done. Excel in hospitality and seek for opportunities and the resources to build up and increase your brethren in Christ.

People are most valuable to God, and a person after God’s own heart will value what He values. In the Parable of the Feast Luke 14:15-24 those first invited did not go because other things were of greater value to them. The things of God are supposed to be a big deal and those who walk in love see value where others do not.

Shortly before Jesus went to the cross “a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table” Matt. 26:7.

Spices and ointments were like gold and very expensive. This particular flask of oil was worth a year’s wages, but the woman valued Jesus more than the money. Judas Iscariot rebuked the woman for doing this and when Jesus told him to leave her alone, he immediately left to go to the high priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” v.15. Like the rich young ruler he valued money more than he valued Jesus.

Some people say it’s too hard and it cost too much to obey God and keep the love command. These same people have time and money for everything else, but when it comes to God they say the price is too high. Is that the case or do they not value the things of God enough? Those who truly love God and value what He values are the ones who will gladly sacrifice for Him. They’ll endure hardness like a good soldier and do whatever it takes to complete the mission.

You must make up your mind as to what matters most

to you.

You must make up your mind as to what matters most to you. Paul said he would very gladly spend and be spent for those he ministered to. When you’re spent you’ve got no more to give. You’ve given it all.

Abraham was a man who was willing to give God anything and everything. He left his people to go to an unknown destination and in Gen. 22:2 God asked him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Surely this was too high a price to pay. Abraham didn’t think so, for the next day he rose up early and set out on a journey to obey the Lord’s command. He took God at His word that through Isaac his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky, and if necessary God could raise his son from the dead. This is why he was called the friend of God and his faith will always be honored.

Jesus taught in Matt. 13:45,46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.” This man was seriously and deliberately searching for goodly pearls for he treasured what God treasures. In order to secure the costliest gems he would travel far and was prepared to secure them no matter what the cost.

This is what happens when you love God on purpose and value what He values. You’ll go out of your way to search for ways to honor Him and be a blessing to other people. You will gladly spend yourself and be spent, because in your heart there is no price too high to pay, no cost too great.

In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure we read, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” Matt. 13:44.

The joy factor is a key element in the sacrifices you make to keep the love command. Jesus said in John 15:11,12, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” The Message? Bible says “that My joy might be your joy, and your joy fully mature.”

Jesus is telling you to have a self-sacrificial love so that your joy will be full.

Neh. 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is your strength and when you walk in love you’ll be a strong Christian. You’ll be bold and strong, you’ll walk in your authority as a child of God. You’ll have confidence toward Him 1 John 3:21 and your faith will work when you walk in love.

People think if you walk in love you’ll be unhappy all the time and never get what you want. The only people who are not happy are those who are selfish and not walking in love. Those who obey the command to love are living in overflowing joy and it’s the cheerful, sacrificial giving that allows God to open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing there is not room enough to contain.

The Lord said in Ezek. 34:26, “I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their seasons; there shall be showers of blessing.”

God will cause you to be a blessing to somebody else so always care about people and cheer them on. Encourage them to press on and keep going no matter what obstacle they may face. And if need be, reach inside your wallet and give them all that you have. Be willing to spend and be spent for others.

www.supernaturalkingdomministries.org