He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV)
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (NIV)
Such simple words “follow me”, Amen? Yet, they are often so hard for us to follow through on. Selfishness chronically raises its ugly head and denial of it seems beyond our ability to accomplish. Certainly that is why Jesus addresses that very issue in all four Gospels. He knows crucifying fleshly desires takes the power of the Spirit to consistently carry it out. Otherwise we are all dismal failures in our attempts. Flesh didn’t die for us, Jesus did and yet we relinquish to its wishes more often than not. We are to chisel away what’s not Jesus in our lives – that should keep us all busy until we go home to be with the Lord, right? We cannot play footsie with our consuming lusts and passions and expect to reflect the image of our Savior Who poured out His life for us. If we give ourselves and inch we will take it! We must be resolute with a firm resolve and rational about our walking in righteousness – all, of course, through the power of the Holy Spirit Who indwells every true believer in Christ Jesus and empowers us with all we need to live a Godly life.
Jesus came to this earth to flesh out how we are to walk. Take heed to this. Then He died to reconcile us to the Father as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. And He didn’t leave us as orphans either. He gave us the Holy Spirit to empower us to walk as He walked. Jesus does it all. All to Him we owe. We are to loose the lesser loves of the objects of nature. Cling to the Rock of Jesus and walk as He walked. All for our good and His glory.
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6 (NIV)
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Matthew 23:37-39 (NIV)