“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33)
Are you a disciple? Just because you are a Christian doesn’t necessarily mean that you are a disciple. Every disciple is a believer, but not every believer is a disciple.
Jesus gave us the definition of a disciple in Luke 14. Three times in this passage, He said that if we do not do these things, we cannot be His disciples.
First, Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (verse 26). A statement like that is shocking, but let’s understand what Jesus was saying. He obviously was not telling us to hate in the traditional sense. Rather, Jesus was saying that your love for God should be so strong, so intense, that all other loves would be like hatred in comparison.
Second, Jesus said, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (verse 27). If you want to live life to its fullest, then you must deny yourself and put Christ first. You take your goals, desires, dreams, and aspirations, and you present them to God. And ultimately you will discover that God’s plans for you are always the best.
Last, Jesus said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it? . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (verses 28, 33). You must count the cost to follow Jesus. Yes, it costs to follow Jesus. But it costs more not to follow Him.
Jesus called us to go and make disciples (see Matthew 28:19). But it takes one to make one.
Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Friday, February 24, 2012
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
From Resisting to Resting
And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." —Genesis 32:28
Jacob, the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham, was a conniver. He just couldn't wait on God's timing. On the day that Jacob and his twin brother Esau were born, Esau came first, with Jacob holding on to his brother's foot. That is how Jacob earned his name, which means "heel-catcher." When they were older, Jacob not only convinced Esau to sell him his birthright for some stew, but he also tricked their father into giving him the blessing that was intended for Esau. Esau wanted to kill him, so Jacob went into exile and ended up working for a guy he really deserved: Laban, who was as much of a conniver as Jacob was.
Eventually Jacob made the journey back home again, and on the way, the Bible tells us in Genesis 32 that "Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day" (verse 24). It was as though God said, "You are always struggling and fighting with me, so let's go for it."
Now Jacob was one tough guy, and he wouldn't give up. Consequently, God touched the socket of his hip so that it was out of joint. That made Jacob cling to this messenger from heaven, and he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" (verse 26). Jacob went from resisting to resting. Instead of fighting with God, he was surrendering to God, so God gave him a new name.
Are you wrestling with God? We wrestle with Him when He reveals His will to us and we say we want our will instead. How much better it is when we surrender to Him. Corrie ten Boom said, "Don't wrestle, just nestle." Don't fight with the One who has your best interests in mind.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Jacob, the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham, was a conniver. He just couldn't wait on God's timing. On the day that Jacob and his twin brother Esau were born, Esau came first, with Jacob holding on to his brother's foot. That is how Jacob earned his name, which means "heel-catcher." When they were older, Jacob not only convinced Esau to sell him his birthright for some stew, but he also tricked their father into giving him the blessing that was intended for Esau. Esau wanted to kill him, so Jacob went into exile and ended up working for a guy he really deserved: Laban, who was as much of a conniver as Jacob was.
Eventually Jacob made the journey back home again, and on the way, the Bible tells us in Genesis 32 that "Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day" (verse 24). It was as though God said, "You are always struggling and fighting with me, so let's go for it."
Now Jacob was one tough guy, and he wouldn't give up. Consequently, God touched the socket of his hip so that it was out of joint. That made Jacob cling to this messenger from heaven, and he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" (verse 26). Jacob went from resisting to resting. Instead of fighting with God, he was surrendering to God, so God gave him a new name.
Are you wrestling with God? We wrestle with Him when He reveals His will to us and we say we want our will instead. How much better it is when we surrender to Him. Corrie ten Boom said, "Don't wrestle, just nestle." Don't fight with the One who has your best interests in mind.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Nowhere Else to Go
From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety. —Psalm 61:2
A grieving father recently asked me, "What words helped you?"
I told him, "Well, I don't know what words helped me. I just know who helped me. And I know where I needed to turn. I need to turn to Jesus."
When we are burdened, when we are overwhelmed, we need to come to Jesus. There really is nowhere else to go. Jesus did not say that when you are burdened or overwhelmed, you should go to counseling. Nor did He say you should just go read a book, or even go to church or go hear a sermon—although these things are good. Ultimately, the answer is to go to Jesus.
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). The invitation simply was, "Come to Me"—not "Come to My teachings," although it could include that. Nor did He say, "Make changes in your life and come to Me." It simply was, "Come to Me."
The psalmist declared, "From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety."
Yet modern culture would say something different. It would say, "Well, if you can, just get that promotion. If you can, just get that house. If you can, just take that vacation. Then you will find rest." Materialism would say, "Build it up, and you will find rest." Pleasure mania would say, "Live it up, and you will find rest." Religion would say, "Keep it up, and you will find rest."
But Jesus says, "Come to Me, and you will find rest." It is not so much that we need words—we need the Living Word. When we are under pressure, we need Jesus.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
A grieving father recently asked me, "What words helped you?"
I told him, "Well, I don't know what words helped me. I just know who helped me. And I know where I needed to turn. I need to turn to Jesus."
When we are burdened, when we are overwhelmed, we need to come to Jesus. There really is nowhere else to go. Jesus did not say that when you are burdened or overwhelmed, you should go to counseling. Nor did He say you should just go read a book, or even go to church or go hear a sermon—although these things are good. Ultimately, the answer is to go to Jesus.
Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). The invitation simply was, "Come to Me"—not "Come to My teachings," although it could include that. Nor did He say, "Make changes in your life and come to Me." It simply was, "Come to Me."
The psalmist declared, "From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety."
Yet modern culture would say something different. It would say, "Well, if you can, just get that promotion. If you can, just get that house. If you can, just take that vacation. Then you will find rest." Materialism would say, "Build it up, and you will find rest." Pleasure mania would say, "Live it up, and you will find rest." Religion would say, "Keep it up, and you will find rest."
But Jesus says, "Come to Me, and you will find rest." It is not so much that we need words—we need the Living Word. When we are under pressure, we need Jesus.
Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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