BIBLE PASSAGE:
Whoever does not take up their cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
(Matthew 10:38)
MEDITATION:
The heading of this devotional the Lord sent me to share has kind of a
strange question, doesn’t it. However, it should cause us to pause and
reflect on the type of relationship we have with the Lord. We should
evaluate the level of our personal commitment to following Jesus.
As we look around us, we can see many signs that point to the return of
Jesus. Of course, nobody knows when He will return, but we all want to
be prepared, right? Satan wants to do everything he can to prevent us
from growing closer to the Lord and becoming the person He wants us
to be, but don’t let him discourage you from reading this devotional that
I am convinced was given to me by the Lord.
Satan’s goal is to convince us that we are right where God wants us to
be (when we are not). If he succeeds in his efforts, then we will fail at
being effective in serving the Lord, and we will miss out on having a
relationship with Him that He desires. Satan wants us to be a type of
‘lazy Christian’ who is not motivated or inspired by God to be a part
of His earthly ministry to reach the lost, even though Jesus has told
us we are to be participants in God’s work.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20)
Pause for a moment and reflect on your immediate thoughts when you
read Matthew 28:18-20. Did it inspire you to start looking for ways that
you can participate in ‘making disciples’, or did you think to yourself,
“He is talking about those called
to be full time pastors and missionaries”
Look at these words of Jesus,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only
the one who does the will of My Father who
is in heaven.
(Matthew 7:21)
He is very blunt in telling us that if we want to enter Heaven, then we
need to do the will of the Father (God). So, what is the will of God?
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some
understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you,
not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come
to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
His will is, ‘nobody will perish, but all will come to repentance’.
Now, Satan would have us think,
“This scripture is referring to the
Lord, meaning Jesus, and not God”
See how Satan can be subtle in his efforts? But, what does Jesus say?
I and the Father are one.
(John 10:30)
When we look at Matthew 10:38, we can see that following Jesus is what
defines us as believers. We are told that if we aren’t committed enough
to following Him, then we are ‘not worthy’ of Him. We can claim to be
followers of Jesus, but what level of following Him are we claiming?
When we are followers of Jesus, we should expect to see some major
changes in our lives, right? Why? Because we are walking in the same
direction of the world, but Jesus is not. We should see a change in our
own lives as we turn and head in the same direction as Jesus, wouldn’t
you agree?
Is that an easy thing to do? Of course not, because the ways of the world
can entice us in many ways to walk in the opposite direction of Jesus. We
may think to ourselves,
“How can I possibly turn away from what the world
has to offer and not only start going in the direction
of Jesus, but remain consistent in following Him?”
It’s a question that many believers have probably asked themselves (including
me), but when we have a genuine desire to follow and become more like Him,
God gives us the needed help to succeed in our efforts. Look at these words
from Jesus:
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you
another advocate to help you and be with you forever
(John 14:16)
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, will teach you all things and
will remind you of everything I have said to you.
(John 14:26)
Perhaps we should take some time to look closer at the One we are following.
In order to do that, let’s look at the prayer of Jesus to the Father when He was
near the door of His crucifixion (which would make salvation available for us all).
The life of Jesus was focused on glorifying the Father.
Father, the hour has come. Glorify
your Son, that your Son may glorify You.
(John 17:1b)
Question:
How much are we focused on glorifying God?
Do we seek our own glory instead of His?
The life of Jesus was focused on knowing and completing
what God wanted Him to do (which would glorify the Father).
I have brought You glory on earth
by finishing the work You gave Me to do.
(John 17:4)
Question:
Are we doing what God expects of us?
Do we even have a clue as to what He expects of us?
Have we identified the spiritual gift He has given us?
If we have discovered our spiritual gift, are we actively using it?
The life of Jesus was focused on encouraging others to know God,
and His Son. Why? So that others would be able to receive eternal life.
Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
(John 17:3)
For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted
them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and
they believed that You sent Me.
(John 17:8)
Question:
How much effort do we make to point others toward God and Jesus?
What keeps us from making any effort?
Jesus was focused on obedience to God.
I have revealed You to those whom You gave Me
out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them
to Me and they have obeyed Your word.
(John 17:6)
Question:
What is our level of obedience to God?
Are we doing what He expects of us?
Are we avoiding the things that displease Him and
are causing a ‘gap’ in our relationship with Him?
Jesus was focused on ensuring all would know that everything
good comes from God (and everything bad does not come from God).
Now they know that everything
You have given Me comes from You.
(John 17:7)
Question:
Do we believe everything good comes from God,
including our abilities, talents, and spiritual gifts?
Do we give God the credit, or try to grab the credit ourselves?
Jesus was focused on ensuring that others knew He
was sent by God to become the Savior of the world.
For I gave them the words You gave Me and they accepted
them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and
they believed that You sent Me.
(John 17:8)
Question:
How much effort to we make to tell others about Jesus?
Do we ignore opportunities to tell them because we are
afraid they will not be receptive?
Note:
It’s not our mission to ensure others receive and believe,
but as followers of Jesus, it is our task to tell others about
Him (and let God do the work of convicting them).
Jesus was focused on praying for His followers.
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world,
but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours.
(John 17:9)
Question:
How often do we pray for other believers, by name?
How do we pray for them?
Do we pray that they will grow closer to God and obediently
do the work He has given and equipped them to do?
Do we pray they will become more like the One they are following?
Do we pray that God will bless them and their families?
Jesus was focused on His relationship with the Father.
All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine.
And glory has come to Me through them.
(John 17:10)
Question:
How much do we focus on our relationship with the Lord?
Do we take credit for our talents and abilities, or do we give
Him the praise for everything good in our lives?
Jesus knew the plans of the Evil One, so He was focused
on asking God to protect His followers.
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still
in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father,
protect them by the power of Your name, the name
You gave Me, so that they may be one as we are one.
(John 17:11)
My prayer is not that You take them out of the
world but that You protect them from the evil one.
(John 17:15)
Question:
How often do we pray for God to protect other believers from not
only sickness and harm, but also from the temptations of Satan?
Do we pray for other believers
to be ‘in step’ with the desires of God and His Son?
Jesus was focused on His followers experiencing joy in their lives.
I am coming to You now, but I say these things
while I am still in the world, so that they may
have the full measure of My joy within them.
(John 17:13)
Question:
Do we pray for other believers to experience joy in their lives?
Are we ever envious of the joy we see in other
believers and if so, does it affect the way we pray for them?
Jesus was focused on making sure His followers would know that they
would not necessarily be liked by non-believers, and in fact could be
hated by some. He also wanted them to not be discouraged, but to realize
any hate directed toward them was because they no longer ‘fit in’ with the
world and its sinful lusts.
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them,
for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
(John 17:14)
Question:
How much have we allowed the ways of the world and our desire
to be liked by everyone, to deter us from being obedient and serve
the Lord where He has called us to serve?
Jesus was focused on pursuing righteousness.
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them
into the world. For them I sanctify Myself, that
they too may be truly sanctified.
(John 17:17-18)
Question:
Do we pray for other believers to be ‘sanctified’
(which is being purged of unrighteousness and
filled with righteousness by God), so they will
become more like the One they are following,
namely Jesus?
Jesus was focused on helping His followers realize the impact they
could have on unbelievers. He prayed for those spreading the good
news, and for all who received salvation as a result of their efforts.
He was also focused on the unity of believers and their cooperative
efforts to point others toward Him and the Father.
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those
who will believe in Me through their message, that all
of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and
I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them
the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as
we are one – I in them and You in Me – so that they
may be brought to complete unity.
(John 17:20-22a)
Question:
How often do we encourage those who are actively serving
the Lord and using the spiritual gifts God has given them?
Are we guilty of being so nearsighted that our focus remains
mostly on ourselves?
We should be focused ‘inwardly’, but as followers of Jesus
we should also be focused ‘outwardly’. Why? Because Jesus
was outwardly focused, right?
Think about the last ten days – can you think of the number
of times you have encouraged another believer, and especially
one who is visibly serving the Lord (preacher, missionary, etc.)?
Can you recall at least one time in the last ten days that you
have encouraged another believer?
Jesus was focused on all people believing that He was sent
by God, and that they are loved by both He and the Father.
Then the world will know that You sent Me
and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
(John 17:23b)
Question:
What efforts are we making to tell others about God
and Jesus, and how they are loved by both of them?
Are we sensitive enough to realize that many people
are starving to know they are loved? It’s a great
opportunity to tell them about divine love, isn’t it?
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching
in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the
kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When
He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because
they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a
shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is
plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest
field.”
(Matthew 9:35-38)
Jesus was focused on all people being with Him (in Heaven).
Father, I want those You have given Me to be
with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the
glory You have given Me because You loved
Me before the creation of the world.
(John 17:24)
Question:
How concerned are we that everyone receives salvation?
Do we ever write someone off as a lost cause?
Shouldn’t we continually pray for unbelievers and
look for opportunities to tell them the ‘good news’?
Jesus was focused on continuing to tell others about the love of God.
He had a desire that all people would ‘know’ (really know) Himself
and the Father. Why? Because He wanted them to know of God’s love
for His Son and for them to realize that this type of love should become
a part of their own lives.
Righteous Father, though the world does not know You,
I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have
made You known to them, and will continue to make You
known in order that the love You have for Me may be in
them and that I Myself may be in them.
(John 17:25-26)
Question:
Shouldn’t followers of Jesus have the same desires of His?
SUMMARY:
If we want (really want) to be more like Jesus, then we need to pursue
and focus on the same things He did, right? We received salvation to
be ‘active’, and not ‘idle’. When God showed us His mercy by giving
us His free gift of salvation, we are immersed into a transformation
process (called ‘sanctification’). It is a procedure where God purges
us of all unrighteousness and fills us with His righteousness.
If we are truly saved, sanctification WILL happen and we will embrace
the changes (even though it may be difficult at times to give up things we
want to hold on to but that are not pleasing to God).
Question:
Have you felt God sanctifying your own life?
If so, how are you responding to the transformation?
Satan wants us to believe that,
“God doesn’t need our help”
Of course that’s true, but He wants and invites our help. If God doesn’t
need our help, then why would He want our help? It would have to be
because it will benefit us, right? It can increase our fellowship with
God and serve as confirmation that we belong to Him.
When Satan tries to discourage us from being a part of what God
is doing, we need to consider:
According to the Pew Research Center’s report, in 1990, prior to the
Covid Pandemic, 90% of U.S. adults identified as Christians. In 2018
their research showed that that number had dropped to 63%. The
number of people reporting no religious affiliation continues to go
up. As a result, we, as Christians, need to be intentionally sharing the
Gospel and using our spiritual gifts to serve the Lord in His earthly
ministry. We need to be identified as believers with ‘beautiful feet’.
“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
As it is written:” How beautiful are the feet of those
who bring good news!”
(Romans 10:15)
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