November 2nd

NOVEMBER 2nd

To take yesterday’s devo further, is there anything that you would not do or anywhere that you would not go or anything that you would not give if Jesus asked you to do, go or give?

You were created to follow Him. As a follower, He will ask you to be obedient. If He asks us to do something uncomfortable, step out in faith or something that seems humanly impossible, would you? If He asked you to go to the mission field in another country or here in the inner city, or if He asked you to serve special needs kids or foster, or adopt, or if He asked you to carpool with an annoying neighbor, would you? If He asked you to give your last dime to Him, or your car, or more resources than you have ever given to impact His Kingdom, or care for a single mother and her kids, or pay the grocery bill for the person next to you in the checkout line, would you? What do you consider off limits?

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We are not just talking about monetary resources here, it includes all of our resources, time, talents, energy, and money. We can’t waste our lives, we must use all that we have and are for the Kingdom of God.

So now what would you NOT do, go, or give if Jesus asked you to? Jesus is calling us to the next level of following Him as time is getting short. Let us examine every layer of our existence for any limit that we have placed on Him.

Luke 9:23-25 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

It can be so easy to settle in to a comfortable life as a “follower” of Jesus that isn’t a follower but rather just a believer. It is so easy to find any number of podcasts online that affirm whatever life we want to embrace and avoid speaking hard truth or calling us to a higher walk with Jesus.

It is easy to get comfortable straddling both the comforts of the world and believing. But here is the challenge we face. We should be living like we have an audience of one. And that one is Jesus. Our decisions and choices only need to be approved by Him. Furthermore, instead of looking to see how He feels about our choices, how about we ask Him what HE wants us to choose?

Isaiah 48:17-18 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Our goal should be obedience.

Lord thank you for your plan that includes me, thank you for your plan FOR me. Help me to be willing to go, do and give whatever you ask me to and show me anything that is standing in the way of my obedience. Help me to deny myself and actually follow you. Help me to seek You and your direction so that I can walk in your way. Help me not to be complacent. Thank you for your grace that covers me always.