Tag Archive | follow

Speaking the Gospel

May29

Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; . . . so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11a, c NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/1pe.4.11.NASB1995

What a privilege we have to be entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. To tell people about the saving grace we embrace. But do we? Are we embarrassed, ashamed, afraid? Fear is the greatest deterrent I’ve found to sharing the gospel. Fear of rejection being at the top of the list. Contentment in our own salvation is another. God commands us to go into all the world and make disciples, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 28:19-20 NASB1995

So, what can we do?

🌹Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.13.7.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

8. Journey to The Cross – Jesus is The Bread of Life

Apr10

Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”
John 13:36 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.13.36.NASB1995

Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.
John 7:33 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.7.33.NASB1995

Those who follow Jesus now will follow Him into resurrection later.

As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.  This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”
John 6:57-58 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.6.57-58.NASB1995

What a miraculous, wonderful, life worth living promise:

🌹After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
John 14:19-20 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.14.19-20.NASB1995

Are you experiencing Jesus in you and you in Him?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Power to Glorify

Apr16

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”
Jeremiah 32:27 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/jer.32.27.NASB1995

‭All believers have been called. Called through salvation to fulfill the plan of God. The glory in this is that fulfilling God’s plan is not dependent on us. That’s a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. Before you get too excited though, we do have responsibilities beyond our confession of belief in Jesus Christ:

1. Love the Lord your God – Joshua 23:11
2. Seek His kingdom first – Matthew 6:33
3. Surrender your will to God’s will – Matthew 6:10
4. Obey – Acts 5:29
5. Honor – 1 Corinthians 6:20
6. Follow – ‭1 John 2:6
7. Abide in Him – John 15:4

You can participate in the wonders of God and see His glory as He works through His fully devoted servant – YOU!

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:25 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/gal.5.25.NASB1995

And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:52 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/act.13.52.NASB1995

‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,
Jeremiah 32:17 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/jer.32.17.NASB1995

Lord God, I surrender. Use me for Your glory!

‭‭Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

For the Sake of Christ

Aug3

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Mark 8:34‭-‬35 NASB

What does it mean to “to take up your cross”?
As I meditate on this verse, I come to the conclusion, I must be like Christ.

Jesus denied His will to be obedient to the Father’s will. I must deny self – my will, my desire, my way – seeking God’s will, His plan for my life.

Jesus carried His cross, despite the outcome, to fulfill the Father’s plan. If I am to carry my cross, I must obediently follow God’s plan for my life, no matter the outcome. The gospel needs to be shared, no matter the cost.

What are your thoughts?

🌹saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
Luke 22:42 NASB
🌹For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:36 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

What Is That To You?

Apr24

Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
John 21:22 NASB

I must confess, it is very easy to look at another person and judge their ministry and/or intentions when it is not our concern how God uses others in His planned will.
Jesus is talking with Peter about his coming ministry for Christ and Peter sees John and asks, “Lord, and what about this man?” What was Jesus’s reply? “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
We are not to be concerned about what God’s plan is for other believers, but follow Jesus faithfully in His plan for us.

Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.
1 Corinthians 4:5 NASB

What should our individual concern be?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24 NASB

Follow Jesus. He is the way, the truth, the life. Keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 NASB

Look to Jesus.

🌹 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
Matthew 17:8 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Serving Jesus

Apr21

If anyone serves (is serving) Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves (is serving) Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:26 NASB

We cannot serve Jesus without following Him. Where He is working is where we will be. Following Jesus, which means surrendering our will to His will. His will is our priority. It is ALL about Him and obeying His will.

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:38 NASB

Jesus relinquished His will to the Father by surrendering His life to fulfill the Father’s plan. All the way to the cross. He gave up His throne. He humbled Himself. He suffered. He died.

Are you ready to pick up your cross and follow Jesus? Relinquish your life no matter what is asked of you, no matter where it takes you?

This relinquishing of life comes with a promise, “If anyone is serving Me, the Father will honor him” and “Where I Am, there will My servant be also.”

🌹 The promise of eternity with God. Wow!!!

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

To Seek or Not

Aug19

At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.
Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.
For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.
2 Chronicles 16:7‭-‬9‭, ‬12 NASB

🌹In time of turmoil and distress in whom are you seeking? In whom is your trust?

The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did.
2 Chronicles 17:3‭-‬4 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

To Serve – Follow

Oct22

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. John 12:26 NASB

The service of the Lord is not done alone. It cannot be accomplished by any one person. If you desire to serve the Lord, then you must follow Jesus. He is the One who accomplishes the Father’s will. We are blessed to be a part of that work because the Father will honor us when we follow Jesus in service.

What is the service of the Lord? To lead people to reconciliation with God. Christ came to reconcile mankind to the Father.

So follow Jesus for when we do we know the way to go:

And you know the way where I am going.”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.                     John 14:4‭, ‬6 NASB

🌹Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Amazement

Oct22

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; — Luke 5:4-9

It is amazing what God can do when we obey and let Him work through us. This testimony of Simon Peter’s encounter with Jesus tells us just that. Peter worked, along with others, all night and caught nothing. Under their own power they worked very hard through the night. I am pretty sure they felt defeated, tired and lacking hope. What changed that next morning? Jesus instructed, they obeyed and the outcome was plentiful.

They were amazed and Peter humbly fell down at Jesus’ feet. God’s power is bigger, better, stronger and more productive than ours. Our reliance on Jesus as He works through us will keep us amazed at what He can do with a willing, humble and obedient heart and soul. Do you want to be amazed? Let Jesus work in you.

This amazing event was only a taste of what Jesus had planned for Peter and the disciples. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:10b) Can you only imagine what our Lord can do through you to catch men for His sake? These fish that Peter and the others caught are slim pickins compared to what Jesus can do through us to reach a lost and dying world.

Be amazed!!!! Start by obediently following the Lord Jesus.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Son of God

Aug4

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. — 1 John 5:20 (NLT)

Do you know that the Son of God has come? I hope so. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus came to earth because of God’s great love for His creation. Jesus suffered and died on a cross so that we could have the opportunity to know Him, the only true God. Because of Jesus we are able to know God.

We live in fellowship with God because of our relationship with Jesus. A relationship that comes by belief in who Jesus is and surrendering our lives to Him. We ask forgiveness and follow Jesus and His example in life allowing Him to lead and guide us. This relationship is an eternal relationship.

So, do you know Jesus? Seek Him through His Word. Trust in Him as your Savior. Ask Him to come into your life so that you may experience an eternal relationship with God, your Father. Jesus is waiting to hear from you so that He may give you understanding so that you may know the true God. Jesus is the way, truth and life. Seek Him today.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon