How to Follow Jesus

 I am afraid that there are many people who think they know what it means to follow Jesus, but they have missed the real meaning. We have a lot of "easy believism" going around today. People are teaching that all we have to do to be a Christ follower is to ask Jesus to come into our heart. They do not say anything about repentance or life change. This is not the Gospel. We need to hear what Jesus had to say and go by what He said.

Jesus was very clear when He spoke to all of the people who came to Him. (Luke 9:23) He told them all that if anyone desired to come after Him, He was to do three things. He had to deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Jesus. Jesus said a mouth full when He gave us these instructions. Let's take a moment to let them sink in.

To follow Jesus, we have to deny ourselves. We can't do our own will. We have to decide that His way is the only right way, so that we want His will to be our will. That is part of repenting of our sins. At the same rime we have to take up our cross daily. The cross was how Jesus died for our sins to fulfill the will of the Father. Our cross is what God has for us to do in our life. We have to be set on doing that even if it leads to our death, like it did for Jesus.

That is what we are to do "daily." It is not just a one time decision to pray a prayer and that is all we have to do. It is a daily decision to listen to God and do what He has for us to do. When we have that attitude of mind and heart every day, then, we can really follow Jesus. We can say what He would say, go where He would go, and do what He would do. That is the greatest life anyone can ever live. It is a radical change, but it is a change for the best.

#NHBaptistdotorg

Tomorrow, I intend to read Luke 11-13.