Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics with Clay Crosse, Bebe Winans, and Bob Carlisle singing … I Will Follow Christ … poignantly declaring their commitment to be fully surrendered disciples of Christ, just as we should be, following Him no matter where He would lead.
=============
Highlight Verse[s]: 1 Kings 19:21b [NKJV] … Then he [Elisha] arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.
… When we’re called by God, … we go!
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: 1 Kings 19:19-21 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Elisha’s calling was being anointed to follow Elijah as God’s leader, Prophet, and mentor.
=============
Reference Passage : … Matthew 28:19-20 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Christ’s “Great Commission” calls us all to go into the world and make disciples.
Reference Passage : … Luke 9:;23 [NKJV] … 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ..."
… Jesus’ calling for ALL those who would follow Him.
Reference Passage : … Acts 1:8 [NKJV] … 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
… All Christians are called to be witnesses for Christ, wherever we are to go.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Alyson Kieda, used a personal story to illustrate how all Christians are called to follow Christ and serve Him, wherever they (we) may be. The ODB author wrote: As a child, I looked forward to our church’s Sunday evening services. They were exciting. Sunday night often meant we got to hear from missionaries and other guest speakers. Their messages inspired me because of their willingness to leave family and friends—and at times, homes, possessions, and careers—to go off to strange, unfamiliar, and sometimes dangerous places to serve God. …
Though not many of us are called to leave family and friends behind to serve God as fulltime missionaries, God wants all of us to follow Him and to “live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to [us], just as God has called [us]” (1 Corinthians 7:17). As I’ve often experienced, serving God can be thrilling and challenging no matter where we are—even if we never leave home.
Fellow Christian, may I ask, “What is your calling?” The ODB entry today led me to answer that question this morning. And when I awoke, my iPhone alarm caused me to hit the wrong button on my phone and it took a screenshot, which I have of my wife (see photo). And I chuckled as I realized that she was a big part of my personal calling as a Christian, … to be a Godly husband, a father to our two girls, and leader of what we call “The Berry Patch,” our family.
But even that high calling is subservient to my highest calling, which is expressed powerfully in today’s linked song above … that “I Will Follow Christ.” And as you meditate on the highlight passage of Elisha choosing to follow Elijah into God’s service as well as the other scriptures above, … with Jesus calling us all to follow Him as witnesses and servants, … we must all ask ourselves what our PRIME calling is as disciples of Christ.
So, I will leave it to you and God’s Spirit, as I’ve been challenged this morning, … to decide if we are walking strongly in our calling as followers of Christ. And if not, what should we do to turn ourselves around and do what He calls us to do in Luke 9:23?
=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for calling me and giving me Your grace to be Your disciple.
=============
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … You call, I follow! … 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment