Challenge

As I have mentioned in a previous post, the 2nd Saturday of every month we pass out Challenge Newspapers. These papers have stories and testimonies of how Jesus has changed people's lives.

Challenge. I looked up this word and found a variety of definitions: (1) To demand as due or deserved. Require ... Jesus requires our whole life and at the same time deserves it. (2) To order to prove identity ... Shows our devotion and identity in Christ when we are willing to lose it all for the sake of the Kingdom. (3) To confront or defy boldly. Dare ... Jesus confronts our sin and dares us to follow Him and never look back.

All of those definitions can be applied to how Christ challenged people to follow Him.

Check out Luke 9:57-62...

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

I am currently reading the book Radical, by David Platt, and he really challenged my way of thinking when it comes to following Christ. When people came to Jesus and said they were willing to follow, Jesus basically tried to talk them out of it. Jesus did not tell them to pray a simple prayer so that they could be saved. No, a relationship with Jesus requires complete abandonment. We are challenged to leave everything to follow Him.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? Luke 9:25

Are you willing to accept Jesus' challenge? Are you willing to give up the comforts of this life for the profit of gaining a relationship with God?

These are some of the ladies from Faith Baptist Church that helped pass out Challenge Newspapers. My prayer is that these ladies would understand the cost of following Christ. That they would understand that being a Christian is not about going to church or even reading your Bible and praying daily. The cost of discipleship is much greater than that. Please pray that they would accept the challenge of Jesus and follow Him wholeheartedly.

We broke up into groups of three and walked the streets of Soweto. This week we were in an area called Dobsonville. We tried to speak with people and see who was interested in God and invited them to church. Pray for the contacts that were made and will be followed up with. Pray they would accept Christ as Lord and be willing to give it all to follow Him.

I love Karabo dearly... My heart goes out to him because he lives a rough life. He is cared for by his Gogo (grandma) who also takes care of 3 other siblings all from different fathers. He never really had a childhood but is forced to be the man of the house. Please pray for him to know the love of his Heavenly Father. Pray he would make wise choices and live his life for Christ.

What is work without a little play... as we were walking the streets we saw these children jumping rope. My friend Portia asked if I could do it and I explained that I'm getting to old for that stuff haha. She then proceeded to show us all up with her mad jumping skills...

Check out this video of Portia...

Jump Jump from Rachel Jensen on Vimeo.