The Words of Christ are crisp, clear, but often hard to swallow. The disciples walked, talked and ate with Jesus. They were face to face, elbow to elbow, and knew him in a way that makes sense. They were in a daily relationship. He was their master and friend. He taught them about the kingdom of God and taught them how to live. They then had a choice. Would them pick up their cross ( self-life) and follow? Or, would they live like the unbelieving people all around them.

We often don’t realize that we choose between the two things each day too. While we live our life, walking and talking, eating and working, we have the choice to pick up our cross and follow too. And, if we don’t follow, we live like the unbelieving people around us. As it is, we are not better than other people because we believe, but we are called to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives, and without following there will be no fulfillment of His will.

Relationships are part of our daily lives. Interesting that Jesus taught early on about relationship. How his disciples treated others was of utmost important to Christ. Most likely because it was one of the commandments of old, “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself” This fulfilled the law of the prophets. And, Jesus was intent on teaching the disciples how to do this, what it looked like, thus giving them a choice to choose between their own way, or pick up their cross, thus crucifying their self-life and follow His way.

Today we have the same choice.

Today’s Truth: Luke 6:27-28

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Whoa! Seriously Lord?

• An enemy is: a hostile force or power, or one who has harmed you, or who seeks to harm you.
• Someone who hates you is: one who has deep seated dislike for you, seeks to do you harm, or delights in your ill will.
• Those who curse you: are those who say unkind, untruthful, or  inappropriate things about you.
• Those who mistreat you: are simply those who are unkind to you.

Obedience for us as disciples of Christ involves more than attending the next church event or making a meal for someone who is sick! Obedience strikes at the core of who we are because to obey Christ in our daily relationships is challenge enough to send most of us off the deep end! But, this is what Jesus tells us is His Way of the Cross…

• Love
• Do Good
• Bless
• Pray

We should memorize these four things! And, don’t fool yourself by only applying this to the people you love and are all cozy with…No, challenge yourself to dare to live differently by applying this list to your enemies, those who curse you, mistreat you and hate you. And challenge yourself to live this way to those who just bug the heck out of you!

Now, Go out and follow Jesus today! Walk out His words, learn to live up in the power of Truth, imagine yourself in relationship with the same Jesus who walked and talked with the early followers. Listen to his words and Obey his way.

More tommorrow on listening and obeying….

It’s a Good Day to Follow After Jesus

Today’s Prayer

Lord, It’s clearer and clearer to me that your way is not my way, is foreign to me, and is not possible if I am not connected to you. Help me to think about these truths today and speak to me as I let the magnitude of what you were trying to teach the disciples be my lesson in the here and now. Lord, change me. I want more of Jesus and daily less of me.

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It’s easy to do the things that come naturally to me. But, it’s not so easy to lay down my will and follow God into the areas that are hard or unnatural to my reasoning, feelings, or habitual ways of living. I am so glad that Jesus understands this, and many years ago began teaching people, like us,  how to live.

It started with the calling of the disciples. They were asked to lay down their nets and follow Him. They were living life “their way” and Jesus came on the scene. He began teaching them a new way to live, and it was all about obedience. Obedience is difficult for many of us because rebellion or self-dependence is our natural way to live. I bet it wasn’t much different for the disciples. Even they, tried reasoning with the Lord. Even they, questioned his directives. But, once they questioned and Jesus answered, they listened. Their listening ears inspired obedient hearts. We could learn a little about listening and obeying.

Today’s Truth: Luke 5:4-7

The Setting: This took place at the Lake of Gennesaret. Jesus was teaching from one of the fisherman’s boats, and when he finished speaking he had the following conversation with Simon Peter. The red letters are the Words of Christ. The bold is Simon’s response.

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, ” Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

Pure and simple obedience is what we are seeing here. But, it wasn’t without a questioning, was it? Meaning, that what Jesus was telling Simon to do, did not make logical sense to Simon. He had fished all night with no results, and now Jesus was telling him to let down his net in the same water.  And though Simon questioned, the bottom line was that he obeyed.

I love the words, But because you say so…..

• What is it today that God is telling you to do?
• What are you doubting or questioning in your human resoning this directive?
• According the Scripture, what would happen if you would just obey, because He said to do something?

Continue with me this week, as I take a look at things  Jesus clearly taught, that we often don’t listen to and often don’t obey. It is my personal goal to lay down my nets daily, journey into the places God is taking me, and receive from Him.

Do you want to experience God in this life? You can. It happens when we listen and obey.

Today’s Prayer

Father, So often I don’t understand what you are leading me to do. Your principles can seem outdated and it causes me to be tempted to think that my way is the best way. But, I bet that is how Simon felt. Yet, you told him to do something that seemed silly. It seems like it was a test. And, you showed him yourself in a Giant Measure! I want to experience you in a giant measure. I want to do things, just because you said so. I want to lay down my net…help me Jesus follow you this way.

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Let’s face it, the term, “Not of this World” sounds a little bit weird. But, that term is what the Apostle Paul urges us to live up to.  In 2 Peter he urges us to live as aliens and strangers in this world. Is he admonishing Christians to be weird, hyper-spiritual, not in touch with reality? No. But, He is always turning our hearts and minds back to what is true about us. We are different.

We are set apart because of Jesus. We are to live differently, think differently, respond differently than someone who does not have Jesus. Why is it then that we often live more like we are of this world, fitting in so nicely with the culture, hardly standing out in a crowd, and choosing our words carefully so that we do not offend anyone with our beliefs in Jesus?

I personally think there are two reasons, maybe more, but these are my two for today….

• The pattern of this culture and a worldly, self-dependent, self-focused, way of life has been deeply ingrained, it’s our groove.
• We are not mindful of WHO we are and WHOSE we are on a daily, moment by moment basis. This forgetfulness, helps us forget to live in our New Identity and in the New Reality of Christ in Us.

Today’s Truth: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 12:2 NIrV

“Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! It is all from God. He brought us back to himself through Christ’s death on the cross. And he has given us the task of bringing others back to him through Christ. God has trusted us with the message that people may be brought back to him. So we are Christ’s official messengers. It is as if God were making his appeal through us.”

“Don’t live any longer the way the world lives. Let your way of thinking be completely changed.”

Here’s the Facts.

• Are you a Christian? Then you are a New Creation! Period.
• You are now His messenger in this world.
• He will be making His Appeal through you. Count on it.
• Your way of thinking needs to change to line up with your new identity as His.
• This new thinking will help you learn to live in the world, but not of it!

Today’s Prayer.

Father, I see it in your Word, I long to walk it out in my life. Change my mind, change my life, use me as your messenger and make me aware each and every time you are leading me to speak, and each and every time you are nudging me to be silent. I want to walk, breathe and live in your groove.

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