I often think about the fortune people, but specifically the Apostles, experienced by learning directly from Jesus and walking alongside Him. Sure, disciples had and still have the privilege of learning about Jesus and His teachings, but to be present when He was walking Earth side...I think I'd be in awe every second. Jesus talked a lot about how to treat others, how to honor God, who we are, and what I believe to be the most important, how to obtain salvation.
Living in society present day, it's easy to fall into worldly ways. Even the most rooted and devout followers of Christ still fall short and sin. We're imperfect on this side of heaven. It's why we need Jesus. We change, feelings fluctuate, and we are sometimes inconsistent. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). In our ever changing ways, it's important for us to remember what Jesus calls us to do as His children. We're called to do a lot, but here are 5 to start!
Spread the Gospel
Mark 16:15: & He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Jesus trusts us, as His children, to spread the Word! How beautiful is it that He not just loves us, but trusts us to share the Good News with everyone? He calls His children to do this because He knows that we are alive in spirit and that the Holy Spirit resides in us. This means that we are a direct image of Christ and are responsible for portraying Him to others. It's admittedly hard to spread the Word in rooms where the presence of Christ is not welcome, but it's important to do so anyway because the gift of eternal life is meant for all.
Be Patient with Others on Their Journey with Christ
Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.
Everyone is in their own race, which means that everyone is on their own journey with Christ. That's something to celebrate! It's also difficult to accept sometimes because when we love something and when we know it's the truth (in this case Jesus Christ), we want everyone we love to experience and know it the same way. The problem with this is that we believe our timing is better than God's. God already knows when His children will open their eyes, wake up, and come alive. His timing His perfect. What He's asking us to do as children who are already wake and alive is to continue planting seeds in other's minds. He will water them and have them bloom when the time is right. We must remain in faith that He fulfills all promises.
Be Courageous, Bold, & Strong
Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
When God said these words to Joshua, Joshua was experiencing fear and doubt when he was told to lead His people to the Promised Land. Rightfully so. Can you imagine being told you're responsible for thousands of people? On a smaller scale, we're called to be responsible for others daily. We're called to assist in guiding people back to Jesus. It can be scary. It can be daunting, but with the Holy Spirit residing in us, we can be courageous, bold, and strong.
On this side of heaven, it's easy to succumb to the ways of the world. The world offers us shiny things that "bring happiness" and tell us that if we do x we'll feel y. The problem is that the things of the world are temporary. Jesus is forever. The things of the world change. Jesus is consistent and steady. Happiness is a gift from Jesus and the only way to know true happiness is to know Him. We are to remain courageous, bold, and strong in our faith and sharing it. Despite what the world says, we know what Jesus says. He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). We are called to not just remain grounded in the Truth, but to be bold in telling others the Truth.
Do Not Be Anxious
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety onto Him because He cares for you.
How many of us experience anxiety in some capacity? For me, I used to experience it the second I woke up until the second I went to sleep. Rinse and repeat. It was exhausting and honestly, it was annoying. Jesus knows that the world will challenge us, give us grievances, annoy us, and provide opportunities for us to be anxious. He never wanted us to experience anything less than perfect, but we exist on the other side of sin now and the reality is that the world is far from perfect. So, Jesus knows that we will be anxious, but He is reminding us that when we feel those negative feelings, we can give them to Him. There is nothing too big or too small that Jesus can't fix. After all, He is all powerful.
Remember that Jesus is the Only Way and Our Lives Should Mirror What He Calls Us to Do
John 14:6: And Jesus said to them, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father except through Me."
When you know and believe that Jesus is who He says He is; when you know and believe that He died for you and instead of you; when you know and believe that when you surrender your life to Him you are alive...then you will want to do only things that glorify Him. With the loudness of the world, it's easy to forget what really matters and what the truth is. Being rooted in Jesus reminds you that He is not just the firm foundation, but He is also the Only way to eternal life. He is constantly reminding us that we are His and that He should live in accordance to His word. We're still human. We aren't going to get it right every time. We will fall short. But! When we know better, we will do better. We know Jesus and therefore, we will live as He calls us to live.
There's a reason He says that the path to righteousness is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14). It's not always an easy road to follow. In fact, it's actually the opposite. But, there is freedom in Jesus. There is freedom in knowing that you are saved, that you matter, that Jesus loves you and will never forsake you. He calls us to do much, and little by little, He will work through us to fulfill His will.
I love you, but Jesus loves you more.Â
CPB
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