Follow Me!

Jesus said, "Follow me." 

     I read in someone else's writing that Jesus said, "Follow me" thirteen times.  He used those simple words to call some of His disciples, and they followed. We are given these same words today. Here are a few ways we can follow Jesus: 

F all in love with Jesus 
O bserve Jesus' example and do the same
L et go of self-will to do God's will
L eave Satan's ways
O bey God's commands
W orship God and praise His name
     

     

Follow Me

A ruler once questioned Jesus and asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus answered, “Follow Me!” He also gave other specifics. 

     Below is my acronym on “Follow”:  

 

F ollow

O bey 

L ive according to God’s commands

L ove Jesus 

O vercome fleshy desires

W alk with God and not the world

 

     Even though we need to follow Jesus, our flesh nature makes it impossible to do so in every way. Therefore, God has made it easy for us to obtain eternal life. All we have to do is believe in Jesus. Accept Him as our Savior. By doing so, we gain a desire to follow Him. 

Follow Me!

      When Jesus started His ministry and called His first disciples, He said, "Follow me!"  We are told in Matthew 4:22, "Immediately they left their boat and father and followed Him."  I question, "Is my faith great enough to do the same."

     "Follow me!" comes a voice, giving a choice.
     The excuse comes in a whiny hum, "I do not have the skill."
     "Follow me.  You will.  Walk my way, this day."
     I question what I will continue to say?  

     Will I be brave or in weakness remain a worldly slave?

     Am I convicted that Jesus is not limited or restricted?
     "Follow me!" again comes the voice, so small.
     Will I say with joyful sigh, "Here am I" as Jesus stands waiting while I am hesitating? 

     

     

     

     

Chose Who You Will Serve

     When I think about who I want to walk beside every day, the One who comes to mind is Jesus.  That is who the disciples also decided they wanted to walk with and to have a relationship with.  When Jesus says, "Follow me," we all have to make a choice, just as the disciples did. 
     The disciples chose to follow Him.  They chose to accept Him as their Master.  They chose to have faith in Him.  They chose to love Him.  Yet, when I read about Peter, he also chose to deny Jesus.  Judas chose to betray Jesus.  The difference between Peter and Judas was that Peter  chose to ask for forgiveness, and received peace. 
     What were their rewards for following Jesus?  They saw Jesus "hush the wind and calm the sea." They saw Him heal the lame and the blind.  They watched as He cast out demons.  They saw Him raise the dead.  They saw Him carry His own cross.  They saw Him mocked and scorned.  They saw Him carry His own cross to a death in which He died for them and for all mankind.  They knew His love. 
     What are my rewards?   I have a Savior who hears my every request.  I have salvation through His grace.  I have forgiveness when I fail Him, if I choose to ask.  I have His love and His peace which "surpasses all understanding." 

Follow Me

     Day 3 on the Sea of Galilee --- I am finding that so many important events happened in and around the Sea of Galilee.   



     In Matthew 4 the beginning of Jesus's ministry, which is right after his temptation in the wilderness, starts in Capernaum near the sea.  "And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:...The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles..."
     There, He called some disciples as he walked by the Sea, making them "fishers of men."
     He taught and healed multitudes of people from Galilee...
     He calmed the Sea when his disciples pleaded to be saved from its wrath during a storm.
     He fed the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two fishes. After they had eaten, "Straighway, Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship..."
     It was after this that "Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water."  Peter had the faith, although short-lived, to step out and walk on the water.
     Jesus did so much, not only around the Sea of Galilee but elsewhere, as well.  While He was walking here upon the earth in human form, I must remember the one reason He came was to call us to Him; to believe in Him. 
     As I associate all the events during His ministry around the Sea of Galilee and in other areas, the  one most important fact to remember is when He said, "Follow me."       Time after time in scripture, Jesus says, "Follow Me."
     To the disciples, he said, "Follow me."
     To the young scribe he said, "Follow me."
     To the Tax Collector he said, "Follow me."
     To Levi, the son of Alphaeus he said, "Follow me."
     To me, to His sheep, he says, "Follow me."

John 8:12 "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

 

John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

    
    
     


     
     

FOLLOW ME!

From the beginning of time God has called, “Follow Me.” 

     When Adam and Eve did not follow the instructions of God, sorrow was the result.  God stated, “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, …cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”

     When the Israelites were discouraged and feared entering the promise land the Lord’s anger was kindled, “Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob..”  This resulted in the wandering in the wilderness forty years.

     Most all of us remember the story of Jonah and the whale.  God called Jonah to go forth to Nineveh and cry out against their wickedness.  However, Jonah didn’t “follow.”  Instead he tried to flee from God and ended up in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights until he prayed unto the Lord and agreed to follow Him.

     In His great love for mankind, God sent his Son to die on the cross in order to save us from our sinful ways.  In return, we are to “Follow Him”.  In verse after verse, especially in the New Testament we find the words, “Follow me.” 

  Matthew 8:22  But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead buy their own dead.”

  Matthew 10:38  Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

  Matthew 16:24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

  Matthew 19:28  Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

  Mark 1:17  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

  Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him.  “One thing you lack,” he said.  “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”

  John 1:43  The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee.  Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

  John 8:12  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

  John 10:27  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

  John 12:26  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me.

  John 21:19  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.  Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

     As I think on these words, “Follow me,” it is really very simple.  Believe in Jesus, read His Word, love His ways, and be willing to carry the Cross to others.  Above, in John 8:12, Jesus tells us what a wonderful blessing he has in store for us if we truly follow Him.