You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. (I Corinthians 7:23)

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:20)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

This life is not our own. The LORD God of heaven and earth created it, sustains it, purchased it with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, and deserves to utilize it exactly as He wills.

“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 that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)

Have we truly “sold it all” to gain Him?

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:19-20)

Have we truly “left all” to follow Him?

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “LORD, I will follow You wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “LORD, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “LORD, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)

Are we “fit for His kingdom” or are we “looking back”?

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:28-39)

When Jesus calls, the answer of His people is immediate obedience – to follow Him wherever He goes, at any cost. Nothing else matters.

We can’t have God on our own terms. He can only actually be found when we come to Him on HIS terms. Half-hearted lukewarm christianity is worthless. It brings only destruction. All the man-made formulas and traditions in the world cannot help people truly KNOW GOD, only ABOUT Him. The LORD GOD of heaven and earth doesn’t cooperate with people who want to be in charge.

When we “sell it ALL” to have Christ, He comes close and shows Himself faithful to His promises.

“And you shall love the LORD your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, with ALL your mind, and with ALL your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

Trust in the LORD with ALL your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of ALL your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:5-10)

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with ALL your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a)

It’s time to REPENT and TURN from our own ways. It’s time to TRULY SURRENDER to GOD ALONE through His Son JESUS CHRIST, and let Him have complete RULE and REIGN of our lives! He promises it will be for His glory and for our good!

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

The Kingdom of God has come near. We don’t know when our last breath or last moment to make this decision will be! Are we ready to lay it all down and follow Christ?

What is YOUR decision?

Write to the angel of the church in Sardis:  ‘Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:  “I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.  Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before my God.  Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent.  If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.  But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.  In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.”‘  Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.  Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia:  ‘Thus says the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens:  “I know your works.  Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept My Word and have not denied My name.  Note this:  I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.  Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.  I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.  The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never go out again.  I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God — the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God — and My new name.”‘  Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.  Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:  ‘Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation:  “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish that you were cold or hot.  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.  For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline.  So be zealous and repent.  See!  I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me.  To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne.”‘  Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. ‭‭(Revelation‬ ‭3:1-22‬)

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. (Luke 5:10b-11)