Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing his song … Walk By Faith … poignantly singing of how we Christians must walk by faith, following only those who follow Christ. … AND THEN ON TO THIS LINK for Steve Green singing People Need The Lord
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Highlight Verse[s]: Hebrews 11:26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
26 He [Moses] thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
… Yes, … even Moses in the OT was following Jesus.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Hebrews 11:23-28 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
... God reminds us, thru the author of Hebrews, of Moses leading the faithful out of Egypt, thru the wilderness, and giving them the Law to follow.
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Reference Passage #1 : … Luke 9: 23 [NLT] …
23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.
… Jesus made it clear to deny self and follow Him.
Reference Passage #2 : … John 14:6 [NLT] …
6 Jesus told him [Thomas], “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
… So, it’s clear Whom we must follow.
Reference Passage #3 : … 1st Corinthians 11:1 [NLT] …
1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
… Paul confidently told his followers to follow him because he knew Whom he was following.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, C.P. Hia, used an historical illustration to show how we must follow Christ and help others to follow us to Him. The ODB author wrote: A memorial stone stands in the grounds of a former Japanese prison camp in China where a man died in 1945. It reads, “Eric Liddell was born in Tianjin of Scottish parents in 1902. His career reached its peak with his gold medal victory in the 400 metres event at the 1924 Olympic Games. He returned to China to work in Tianjin as a teacher. . . . His whole life was spent encouraging young people to make their best contributions to the betterment of mankind.”
In the eyes of many, Eric’s greatest achievement was on the sports field. But he is also remembered for his contribution to the youth of Tianjin in China, the country where he was born and that he loved. He lived and served by faith.
What will we be remembered for? Our academic achievements, job position, or financial success may get us recognized by others. But it is the quiet work we do in the lives of people that will live long after we are gone.
Yes, our legacy should be to follow Jesus and then do all we can to lead others to Him. As from the highlight passage above, Moses, first hesitantly and then later confidently, led God’s people to follow The Lord; and those who followed Moses were blessed. Then came Jesus, Himself, commanding His followers to deny themselves and follow Him as “the way, the truth, the life;” (see Luke 9:23 and John 14:6); and some did and others didn’t. And then the Apostles were charged to lead others to our Lord (see the Great Commission); … and they did, … as did Paul, confidently telling others to follow him because he was following Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:1).
Today there are many social gurus in our culture who, like the Osteens and Oprahs, are like Genies, promising much but leading untold thousands to disaster. But we, who have truly claimed Christ as Lord, must do all we can to, as Jeremy Camp sings, to “Walk By Faith,” and do all we can to lead others to or toward our Savior.
So, my friends, be wary of whom you follow out there; and let’s do all we can today to walk by faith and follow our Lord, leading others to Him; … because … as Steve Green sings in the 2nd linked song, … “People Need the Lord!”
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … As Steve Green sings, I so desire to follow You in faith and to lead others to You … even today if it be Your will. … 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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