Page 52 - Christ in You - The Hope of Glory

coming to maturity in Christ. “The way is afflicted” which leads to life. Comfort and
affliction are opposites. We cannot choose to live comfortable lives and expect to find the
mature image of Christ formed in us at the end of our journey. It will not happen.
I am convinced that a life of very humble circumstances provides the optimal
environment for the maturing of almost all of the children of God. God wants us to be
dependent upon Him. He will not lead all men to quit their jobs, as He instructed me to do.
I was a minister of the gospel and the Scriptures declare:

I Corinthians 9:14
So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the
gospel.

Yet, God does have a specific plan for every son and daughter. He would have them
submit their every decision to Him. Yahweh wants to be the One to choose where you work,
where you live, and what you spend your money and time doing. If all saints submitted all
these decisions to God I believe that most would find themselves living in daily dependence
upon God. When the Lord taught His disciples to pray, He began this way:

Matthew 6:9-11
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.’

When people came up to Yahshua saying they wanted to be His disciple, it was not
unheard of for Him to counsel them to sell all they had, give it to the poor, and then come
follow Him. To do so placed a person in a position of complete daily dependence upon the
Father. Manifesting a willingness to dispose of one’s possessions and live the life the Lord
chose for them was not the requirement of a select few. A willingness to surrender all was
required of all who would be Christ’s disciple.

Luke 14:33
So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his
own possessions.

Luke 5:11
And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and
followed Him.

Luke 18:29-30
And He said to them, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or
wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of
God, who shall not receive many times as much at this time and in the
age to come, eternal life. "

In this last passage we see a parallel to the afflicted path that leads to life. Yahshua
tells His disciples that all who have left the comforts of house and possessions and relatives
behind will receive “eternal life.” Because they accepted the afflicted path, these will receive
life.