Following Jesus

‘Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing… I have loved you even as My Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in His love’. John 15:5,9 &10

There is a huge difference between going to Church and following Jesus. The fact that we are visible in Church and regularly attend meetings does not mean we are following Jesus. Serving in Church also is no guarantee we are following Jesus. Following Jesus means ‘remaining’ in Him; a choice to remain. Remaining means your actions are a constant testimonial of the Kingdom even outside Church. Your day to day decisions are taken with the consciousness of His will and in the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Following Jesus is not a cross you take up on Sunday morning and drop on Sunday evenings. There has to be a leader for there to be a follower. Following Christ means just that, it is not following when you head in a different direction from the one leading. ‘For apart from Me you can do nothing’.

Following Jesus requires a commitment to the will of the Father, obeying His commandments, living out His examples of love, discipline, prayer, thanksgiving, fellowship, compassion, selflessness, fruitfulness and responsibility. Following Jesus requires that you keep going even when you cannot see, seeking the voice of the Master and recognizing His voice amidst others. It sometimes means heading in the opposite direction from every other person. Lastly, following Jesus is a guarantee of protection, provision, promotion, acceleration, restoration, glory, peace, joy, fellowship, communion and eternity.

Thought: Following Jesus is a decision no one can make for you. It is a choice you have to make on your own. Make a decision to truly follow Jesus along the pathways of salvation and unto eternity, through the straight and narrow.