Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of images from Brian Doerksen singing the old Billy Graham call to surrender song, Just As I Am reminding all that Christ’s invitation to salvation is for anyone … anytime, … anywhere. But to receive His saving grace, no matter how unworthy we are, we must repent and surrender to His Lordship; and follow Him.
Highlight Passage: Luke 9: 62 [NKJV] …
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
… How many who claim to be “Christian,” are true disciples of the Living Lord.
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Highlight Context – Luke 9: 57-62 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… The cost of true discipleship in Christ.
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Reference Passage #1 - Matthew, Chapters 5-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount tells of how difficult it is to be a follower of Jesus.
Reference Passage #2 - Luke 9: 23 [NKJV] …
23 Then He (Jesus) said to them (a large crowd following Jesus), … “If anyone would follow Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
… Success in following God’s will can only be found by following His truth - THE WORD.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, used a personal story to illustrate how difficult it is to be a surrendered following (i.e., a true disciple) of Jesus Christ. Darmani wrote: For many years I spoke to my distant cousin about our need of a Savior. When he visited me recently and I once again urged him to receive Christ, his immediate response was: “I would like to accept Jesus and join the church, but not yet. I live among people of other faiths. Unless I relocate, I will not be able to practice my faith well.” He cited persecution, ridicule, and pressure from his peers as excuses to postpone his decision.
I identify with the struggling, lost soul in Darmani’s story. For many years, during a time when I was lost, identifying myself as an “agnostic,” … I knew I was in desperate need of spiritual strength. Just like everyone - from birth - I had a “love-hole,” as I call it, which could only be filled by God’s love; but I refused to surrender to His Lordship in my selfishness.
But, … the “Hound of Heaven” came after me; and through a wondrous set of circumstances several decades ago, I was broken to a place where Jesus became the only way out of my sin and selfishness; … so, I gave up selfhood and surrendered to the Savior.
I pray that all who read here today are surrendered disciples of Christ; and like Brian Doerksen sings in the song linked above, you have come, at some point in your life, to repent of your sin nature and receive the saving grace, freely offered by Jesus to anyone - at anytime. And if you have any doubts of that surrender, contact me @ billb13@icloud.com; and I would be honored to be used by God’s Spirit to show you how you can come to Him for the eternal life He promises (see John 3: 16 - a verse you probably know).
But PLEASE … DON’T WAIT !! … COME!!
My Prayer Today: Oh, my Lord, … I pray all who read here know you as their LORD and SAVIOR. If not, bring them home to follow You today. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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