Where He Goes I Will follow

Scripture:

Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Devotional:

In the movie “White Christmas” Bing Crosby comments on how they would all follow their general no matter where he went.  He had their loyalty and devotion.  At the end of the movie a bunch of the guys in their old unit would head out to a sky resort in order to save it and show their general that he has not been forgotten.

There are people whom we will follow no matter what.  There are great leaders who inspire us to excel beyond what we thought possible.  Who in life do you follow?  Who are you willing to blindly follow anywhere?  Peter, Andrew, James, and John dropped everything they had or ever knew in order to follow Jesus.  They gave it all up.  In the end though look at how much they gained.  By following Christ they ended up continuing the mission that has changed the world.  Are you willing to follow Jesus no matter what?  Where He goes will you follow?  He alone is worthy, and you just might help change the world…

Chin Up

Scripture:

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Devotional:

As I think about Joshua I can’t help but wonder what he was thinking.  After all Moses was a pretty hard act to follow.  Yet God called him, not Moses, to lead the people into insurmountable odds, against them.  Does that sound like you?  Are you feeling overwhelmed?  Helen Reddy sings a song “You And Me Against The World.”  The song is a mother singing to her daughter.  It is just the two of them against everything and everyone else.

The truth is that we are not alone.  We have nothing to fear.  God is with us.  Just as He was with Joshua He is with us.  As long as we are focused on Him and do not turn from Him we are covered.  God has our back.  No matter the odds.  No matter how bad it looks God is with us and He will fight for us just as he did so many years ago.  Verse seven states, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”  We can be triumphant and have success.  But best of all we are not alone getting there.  Even though it looks bleak and things are not going well God is with us.  Remember you will be triumphant and will prevail.  Not by your strength but by His.  So no matter the odds, or how bad it looks, keep the chin up.  Be strong and be courageous, because God is with you.  With Him who can prevail against you?

Be Prepared

Scripture:

Matthew 24:32-44 (NIV)

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Devotional:

Are you ready for when the thief comes?  Today we have alarm systems and surveillance cameras to detect when someone tries to break in.  Cameras can be used to see what happened and who was there.  We think we are safe when in reality we still don’t know when someone might attempt to break in.  In fact if they are good enough they can bypass all your security measures. 

So let me ask this question.  Are you ready for Jesus’s return?  How is your heart?  Are you really prepared, or just think you are?  I know there are times when I struggle.  I know that I am not ready.  So how doe we get ourselves ready?  What must we do?  Take a few minutes and look at your own heart and mind.  What can you do to be better prepared?  I will not pretend to have all the answers but what I do know is that the condition of my heart is the key.  Gary Smalley wrote a book titled “Change Your Heart Change Your Life.”  In his book he shares more truth in that statement that I have heard from most others.  He shares that what is in our hearts will be what comes out.  He points out the Biblical truth in that statement. 

So if you want to be prepared a good place to start is to look at the condition of your heart, read the Bible, and most importantly pray.  Talk to God and get to know Him.  Ask Him questions and seek Him out.  He is there waiting for you to call out to Him.  He will help you change the condition of your heart.  He will help you to be prepared.  Finally surround yourself with fellow Christians.  It is through fellowship with each other that we can grow, learn, and strengthen one another…

Please feel free to email me back or post a response if you feel like sharing, japonzio@sgly.org. 

Who Can Stay?

Scripture:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NASB)

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Devotional:

In a room full of people if someone asked for to leave if they fall into one of the categories listed in today’s scripture, how many would be able to stay?  Would you be able to stay?  The truth is that each one of us has sin in our lives.  In some form or fashion all of us would be required to leave.  There is only one person who could remain in the room.  Jesus our Lord and Savior is the only person to ever live without sin.  However, in His death He took upon himself the payment for all the sin in the world.  Jesus hung on a cross beaten, mocked, and alone.  He did so for us.  

All our sins can be forgiven.  All we have to do is seek repentance and ask for forgiveness.  Christ’s death and resurrection is more than enough to cover the cost.  Salvation, the greatest gift ever, is totally and completely free to you and me.  The cost of it though is very high.  It cost the life of the only perfect man to ever live and walk on this earth.  Each of us sin.  We have things in our lives we regret or wish we never did.  The good news is that through Christ we are forgiven.  Through Jesus we have a place in heaven with God…

What Do You Owe?

Scripture:
Romans 13:7-8 (NIV)

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Devotional:

In today’s world it is increasingly hard not to owe someone something.  So what do you do when you find yourself in over your head?  How do you make things right?  It is a difficult struggle but one we can overcome.  Romans 13:8 tells us that the only thing we should ever owe is love.  We are not to carry any other debt.

I don’t know about you but I definitely do not fit in that category.  I owe more than just love.  One thing I have learned over the years is not to beat yourself up.  Of course we do, I do way too much.  That isn’t healthy either.  It is important to know that you are doing so and stop.  Turn to God and give it over to Him.  The best course of action is to start with prayer.  Then read the Bible.  Next is to seek out wisdom and council from fellow Christians.  Remember you are not alone.  Everyone at one time or another has had difficulties in their life.  We take each day, and each step, one at a time.  It does get better but you have to work at it.  You have to turn to God and trust in Him. He will see you through.  We owe more than money…What do you owe?