Bible League: Living His Word The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He met Philip and said to him, "Follow me."— John 1:43 ERV The verse of today speaks about the greatest leader the world ever had! A leader is defined by his followers, those who believe in him. I am a soccer fan, not a soccer follower. However, when it comes to Jesus Christ, I am a follower, not a fan. A fan is defined as an enthusiastic supporter. In our Christian community, we have these two types of people, those that are followers of Christ and those that are fans. The fans sit and watch from a distance and scream and wish Jesus would do it their way. They are clueless about the experience and obedience required for doing the will of the Father. They just want to be prayed for and wish to be on fire like the followers who have paid the price! For Jesus' mission of human salvation to continue across the world, He needed followers, the disciples. These followers were with Jesus; He taught them about His kingdom, and they also lived to demonstrate the Kingdom of God. In the context of this verse, Jesus had met Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Simon was brought by Andrew to Jesus, as we are all accountable to bring our circle of family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to Jesus Christ. Philip must have heard of Jesus from these brothers and trusted. He did not ask Jesus, "Where are you going?" or "Follow you for what good reason?" Beloved, following Jesus requires obedience and discipline. Jesus Christ made the Gospel to be simple and effective, He empowers His followers to witness about him (Acts 1:8). Matthew 4:19 Jesus says to the newly recruited followers, "Come, follow me, and I will make you different kind of fishermen. You will bring in people, not fish." The followers of Christ are sharpened by Him, to do His unfinished mission on His behalf. We are all invited to come. Whatever business or career you follow, Jesus can make you a different kind of professional! He will teach you how to fish for people and put them on his net, His kingdom (Matthew 13:47-50). When you follow Jesus or abide in him, you need to keep focus, be alert. In 1 John 2:6 we read, "If we say we live in God, we must live the way Jesus lived." Hallelujah! Within a convoy on the road, all the vehicles keep close to each other, and wherever the leading car turns, the entire row of vehicles follow! Each driver keeps up and follows! Let us keep up and follow Jesus as He makes us be the community of believers that represent Him while in this fallen world. My beloved brother and sister, who is leading you? Are you still following Jesus? By Christopher Thetswe, Bible League International staff, South Africa Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingProverbs 5, 6 Proverbs 5 -- My son, pay attention to my wisdom NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Proverbs 6 -- If you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger; NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 1 Corinthians 14:1-20 1 Corinthians 14 -- Prophecy and Tongues; Orderly Worship NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.Insight Many people react negatively to the fact that there is no other name than that of Jesus to call on for salvation. Yet this is not something the church decided; it is the specific teaching of Jesus himself. If God designated Jesus to be the Savior of the world, no one else can be his equal. Christians are to be open-minded on many issues, but not on how we are saved from sin. No other religious teacher could die for our sins; no other religious teacher came to earth as God's only Son; no other religious teacher rose from the dead. Challenge Our focus should be on Jesus, whom God offered as the way to have an eternal relationship with himself. There is no other name or way! Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Leviticus 19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.Weights, and scales, and measures were to be all according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian man will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it should find a shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances which weigh moral and spiritual things, and these often need examining. We will call in the officer tonight. The balances in which we weigh our own and other men's characters, are they quite accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds, and other persons' bushels of excellence into pecks? See to weights and measures here, Christian. The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles, are they according to standard? Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light, and yet we often consider ours to be heavy--surely something must be amiss with the weights! We must see to this matter, lest we get reported to the court above for unjust dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief, are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many one scale or the other is unfairly weighted. It is a grand matter to give just measure in truth. Christian, be careful here. Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives no more to the cause of God than the poor contribute, is that a just ephah and a just hin? When ministers are half starved, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance? Reader, we might lengthen the list, but we prefer to leave it as your evening's work to find out and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."Deuteronomy 8:2 "You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. Ezekiel 16:8 "Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine," declares the Lord GOD. Hebrews 12:6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." 1 Peter 4:12,13 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; • but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 2 Corinthians 4:17,18 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, • while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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