Based on “Living or Dying - We WIN!” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 7/17-18/10,
Message #6055; Daily Devotional #4 - “Follow Me…Closely”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Recently, my husband and I were driving south on Interstate 95. At one point we found ourselves behind a tractor-trailer truck that had an assortment of Christian decals on the rear doors. We were impressed with the driver’s bold display of his faith and his efforts in evangelism. Glancing at the familiar fish shaped decals as we drew closer, my eyes were drawn to a simple bumper sticker that was placed among the other decals. It said simply, “Do you follow Jesus as closely as you are following me?”
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): What does it mean to “follow Jesus?” Does it mean enjoying the fellowship of other Christ followers, attending church services regularly, and raising our hands joyfully during praise and worship? If we tithe regularly, spend time reading the Bible each day, and serve our church joyfully, does that mean we are following Him closely?
Early Christians were willing to give their lives to follow Him. Stephen, the first Christian to be martyred for His faith, prayed for forgiveness for those who persecuted him and stoned him to death (Acts 7:59-60). When the early Apostles were jailed, they refused to be silent in exchange for their freedom and later “rejoiced” when they were flogged because they had been …counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (Acts 5:41)
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): We learned long ago that “if nothing changes, nothing changes.” We also learned that to truly follow Jesus, our focus must be on Him, and we must be willing to let God change and mold us to become more like Jesus. But what are we willing to sacrifice? Our money, our time, our lives? Do we hear Him when He calls us to serve, or does our hearing become selective when serving Him limits our own comfort? We do not have to wait to hear God’s voice to pay attention to the poor, the sick, the homeless and the imprisoned people of the world. Jesus tells us that caring for them is the same as caring for Him (Matthew 25:40). By the world’s standards, suffering and discomfort do not breed joy. God’s Word, however, gives us testimony after testimony that willingness to follow Jesus, even in the face of our own discomfort and suffering, is the only true path to joy. We all know that Jesus is a great Savior, but will we also make Him our role model?
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 5:41-42
blw
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.