Daily Devotional

I often think back through the years to an event that took place the summer following my graduation from High School.  I was at a church summer camp up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of Oroville, California.  The Lord had been working in my life and I made a decision to really know the Lord and committed myself to be His disciple.  This meant that He would be the Lord of my life, and I surrender myself to follow Him.  Little did I know what God would lead me to do.  As I pursued Him, He began leading me into full time ministry.  He wanted me to allow Him to shape my life from that very moment on.  Jesus’ words came into focus, “Follow Me and I will make you…”  These words bring a lot of thoughts into my mind.  Jesus said those words to some fishermen, Peter, James and John.  He commanded them to leave their boats, nets, and the fishing business to follow Him.  He was inviting them to commit completely to what He was about to train them to become, “fishers of men.”  I notice in these words that Jesus did not say…

• “Follow Me and nothing bad will ever happen.”
• “Follow Me and you can become whatever you want.”
• “Follow Me and I will give you everything you have always wanted.”
• “Follow Me if it fits your plans.”

Jesus did say…

• “I command you to follow me.”
• “Follow me and build a relationship with me.”
• “Follow me and I will give you purpose for life.”
• “Follow me and leave everything else behind.”
• “Follow me and I will work out my design for your life.”
• “Follow me and focus on my goals for your life.”
• “Follow me and I will change you.”

Jesus was talking about extreme obedience.  He was going to train these men over the next three years so they would go out and literally change the world.  As a result of Jesus’ command, Peter, James and John left their boats, nets and fishing business to allow the Lord to make them into what He wanted them to be.  Jesus in His High Priestly Prayer said in John 17:4, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”  The training of the disciples was done.  They were ready to go out into their world and to make a difference as they proclaimed the gospel.  Their discipleship training didn’t just take place overnight.  For this to happen it took…

• years of 24/7 training.
• years of taking off the rough edges.
• years of learning to walk by faith.
• years of learning by their mistakes.
• years of yielding their lives in complete obedience to the Lord’s plan.
• years of allowing God to so completely change them that they came to the end of their own dreams and wholly embraced God’s perfect will for them.

Today in this 21st Century, it is going to take the same obedience to follow the Lord.  We are living in the last days according to Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4.  If it was the last days two thousand years ago, aren’t we in the last moments before Christ’s return today?  As a result, this calls for extreme faith and obedience to fulfill God’s purposes through our lives.  The Lord is still saying to his children, “Follow Me and I will make you…”  That decision I made years ago to be a follower of Jesus Christ is still changing my life.  The Lord is continuing to make changes day by day.  That process will never end this side of heaven.  God is still making me into the vessel of His design.  I find that there is no greater joy then to let the Lord do that work which brings me a fulfillment and purpose that is so much better than anything I could have ever planned.  Jesus can do the same in your life if your will, “Follow Him and let Him make you into the person He wants you to be.”

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for calling me to Yourself.  Not only did You save me, but You have commanded me to follow You.  Each day change my life and may my will be conformed to Yours.  I love You and I give You, my life.  Help me to walk in complete obedience to You today.  Amen

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.