by David Brenneman
"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9.
How much of the lives of the Disciples did Jesus want of them?
75%? 80%? 99.9%? All of it?
Was there any recorded instances of acceptable bargaining with Jesus regarding following Him in any way that wasn't 100%?
"And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:59-62.
Was reading in one of my study Bibles last night. In the notes I read it said that after coming to Christ for salvation, the Spirit says that class is in session.
None of the Disciples that remained with Jesus did anything but follow Jesus. They didn't ask for time off. Didn't need to go on a mini-vacation. Didn't do anything but keep at following Jesus.
I was really thinking hard on this last night when I was noticing how much time I was taking to read a chapter in a book by Dr. Charles Stanley, and Mark chapter 3 in those 4 study Bibles plus all the notes on Chapter 3.
Then this came to mind this morning: "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11.
Take that farther down the road in consideration of what Jesus said to His Disciples.
"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. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." Matthew 16:24-27.
What does it really gain anyone, in light of eternity, in light of the work of God in Christ Jesus in them...to waste it entertaining things that do not grow them in Christ?
Studying the Bible is hardly boring. The books of the Bible were written for our instruction.
"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:4-6.
My Dear Reader...do you want to be living a life that's pleasing to Jesus or pleasing to yourself? The two can be one in the same or they will be polar opposites.
The only aspects of the lives that we live that will survive the fires of the review of it by Jesus Christ are those we have where what was important to Jesus came first.
When you read your Bible...in the most uniqest of ways the Author of all of it is present with you. You can ask the Teacher anything about it. You may get an answer right away or it may take time to be revealed.
What the Disciples were taught for 3 and a half years was that a life in Christ Jesus meant a 24/7 365 commitment. Jesus, after His resurrection, commanded them to teach others this same thing.
Name anyone's work that can claim this: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
How much of your time is actually rooted in sheer selfishness? You've convinced yourself that something is more important in your non-demanding time to be engaged in that you deem as more important than growing in Christ.
Many countless people will watch in utter shock and horror, myself included, at what will become of our lives before Jesus when what we've really done in our lives is tested by the fires if His truth.
You cannot change your past but you can, from this moment on, turn to Jesus with your whole heart.
Think about all that you keep running after. Think about how little of your life Jesus is really truly getting of you. Jesus said to store up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, where thieves cannot break in or steal. The treasure of God are those who have come to Christ for salvation.
"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11.
"Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.
Really look at your true commitment to Jesus whom you claim as Lord and Savior of your life. Spring is upon us. What needs to go from your life that should be replaced with a renewed commitment to the One who saved you from your sins and the penalty of death that was upon you?
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.
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