Posts with the tag “following”

"If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." - John 15:6-8 At first glance, the disciple Judas looked like the rest. He...  Read More

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." – John 15:5 There is a kind of pressure that sneaks into your life when you believe everything depends on you. Maybe you’ve felt it. That need to perform, to achieve, to prove yourself to others or even to God. But this kind of pressure doesn’t produce fru...  Read More

"When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem." - Luke 9:51 Jesus didn’t drift. He didn’t meander from place to place, hoping life would eventually make sense. He lived with clarity, conviction, and purpose. And as His follower, you’re called to do the same. Luke 9:51 marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. Up until that moment, He had traveled through towns...  Read More

"Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose and followed him." - Matthew 9:9 You don’t have to clean yourself up before God can use you. He isn’t waiting on you to become impressive. He’s just waiting for you to follow. That might sound simple, but for a lot of us, it's hard to believe. Especially when you’ve been ...  Read More

“Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!’” – John 21:22 In John 21, we see that Peter had just been restored by Jesus after denying Him. He was given a mission and a calling. But before he even took a step forward, he looked at John and asked, “What about him?” It’s a moment that feels all too familiar. Jesus had just spoken directly to...  Read More

"Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’" - Mark 10:51 When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus in Mark 10, the crowd tried to silence him. But he just got louder. He knew what he wanted, and when Jesus asked him directly, “What do you want me to do for you?” He did not hesitate. He had a clear desire, and he was not afraid...  Read More

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24 There is something brutal about a cross. It is not made for comfort. The wood is raw, the edges are splintered, and the weight is not just physical but emotional and spiritual too. It is not built for relaxation or ease. It is built for death. Jesus did no...  Read More

"If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself…" – Matthew 16:24 You do not have to teach a child to be selfish. It just comes naturally. Maybe that is why a story like this hits home. A mom was making pancakes for her two young boys, Tom and Ryan, when a fight broke out over who would get the first one. Seizing the moment, she said, “If Jesus were here, He would say, ‘Let my brother ha...  Read More