Are You Really Following Jesus?

 Are You Really Following Jesus?

Make Sure

 

What does it mean to follow the real Jesus?

Well, let’s look and see.

Jesus’s ministry was a ministry of healing. This should tell us something about what we believe in regards to the Gospel and how we are to serve God.

Because we want to be like Him. That is real godliness.

After Jesus fasted in the wilderness and was tempted of the devil.

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”— Luke 4:16-21

Is this how you are following Jesus? Are you preaching the Gospel to the poor? Are you healing the blind and broken-hearted? Are you setting the captives free? Are you fulfilling this mission in His footsteps? Are you letting the Holy Spirit do this work through you?

Let me show you something.

In the book of Matthew Chapter 25, Jesus tells us what will happen when He returns. One of the stories is the the Judgement of the Nations.

He asks about what we did for the hungry, naked, thirsty, strangers and those in jail?

Then He says, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”—Matt 25:40

He doesn’t ask about your sin. He doesn’t ask about your sexual immorality or your politics. Because if you know Him, those things are washed away. He asks about what you did with your talents, and your gifts. Did you serve others? Did you tell others about Jesus? Did you show love and help people? Did you help those people everyone else rejected?

Because when we know Him, that is what we do.

If we live our lives in church and never know Him we are virgins without oil. We never put our faith in Him.

Do you really follow Him?

Jesus gave most of his condemnation to the religious leaders who were all about forcing people to obey the law, but did nothing to help or love others.

He says,

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”—Matt 23:13-15

He spoke consistently against the religious leaders while healing the sinners.

He drove out the money changers from the temple. Twice.

This is prophecy and shows us the persecutions of the early church and of these latter days, where the Lord will cleanse His temple of those who do not believe.

Jesus came to heal people and set them free. He did not come to preach the law, and condemn sinners.

When you understand what sin really is, your mindset will change to match what Jesus came to do.

Sin is a corruption that get into us and makes us commit sins. It came from Adam, it corrupts our nature and makes us totally depraved. There is nothing good in us because of this spiritual plague.

And it is a plague. We can look at the law and see the description of leprosy. Leprosy, blindness, and all of these diseases are pictures of our corrupted nature.

Leprosy like sin, is contagious. It makes us unclean and filthy. It rots our flesh and kills us slowly, and we no longer go around healthy people and cannot go to the temple.

Look at how the pharisees treated the lepers, and blind and poor. They treated all of them as sinners punished by God. Is that how your church leads you to treat people? Is that how you view others who are not as good as you? Be honest with yourself. This is important.

When was the last time you sat down and talked with a dirty, smelly foul mouthed sinner? When was the last time you gave money to help someone in need. Not sterilized giving, where you are twice removed from the wicked. But, actually helping someone? Looking them in the eye as they lie to you, and you love them anyway and give them money without judgement?

Just like Jesus gives to you.

Jesus came to heal us and set people free from the bondage of Satan and Sin.

He died for us, who do not deserve it.

Jesus said “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

That is what following Jesus looks like.

It’s a daily self sacrifice, to live to help others and tell them about Jesus. It’s a daily mission to fulfill what Jesus came to do. Save others, help others, and set them free.

Is that what your church leads you to do? Or do you just sit around singing songs?

There is no song singing crown in glory.

Our worship is based upon what He has done for us, it leads us to want to help others.

Time is drawing short. The Lord is coming.

Listen to the Holy Spirit as he guides you.

“My sheep hear my voice” Jesus said.

He will lead us into all truth and help us to know how to serve and follow. We often hear His voice, then let the devil or fear talk us out of what Jesus is calling us to do. He might want us to do something to help people. Then, we tell others and they talk us out of it, or discourage us.

We are at war. The devil doesn’t want you to follow Jesus. He wants you to sit at church and do nothing. Listen to that still small voice. That urging to help or speak or serve. Learn to hear Him and follow.

We are saved and called to be a part of His mission.

Are you really following Him?

or are you following the pharisees?

---

Cover photo by pexels

As If By Fire

 As If By Fire

Will you have rewards? 

 

 

 

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”—1 Cor. 3:13-15 (Chapter 3)

When God saves us. He saves us forever. I do not believe we can lose our salvation, and the scriptures do not teach that, despite any man made argument to the contrary.

If you know Him. If you are His. If you have turned to Him and asked Him to save you and confessed Him as your Lord. Then, He will not cast you away. He chastens us. He grows us. He breaks us and molds us. He refines us.

He does not cast us aside, because we broke one too many rules. Even if we reject Him. Still He is faithful and continues to keep His Word and do His work. (Romans 8:37-39. 1 Thess. 5: 20-24, 2 Thess. 3:3)

If we really know Him. If we have really given ourselves to Him. If we really confess Him as Lord. He accepts us and saves us forever. (Romans 10:9-10)

He saves us and starts working in us and through us. The law and any other rule becomes a guide for growth and confession. We are washed. We are clean. But, sometimes our feet get dirty in this world. The laws help us to know what to clean and pray about for growth and healing. The Law shows us our sin, and we know what to confess to the Lord.

As we live in Christ, we are to be Spirit led. We are to turn to the Lord (repent) and let Him save us and grow us. We are to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways and He shall direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans chapter 8)

This means that we are to listen to His Spirit, and when we do this He works in us and through us. So, our work and our life, and our following Him; is done by His power, not ours. It’s Him doing it, not us. If we allow it.

Our works of righteousness are as filthy rags. (Isa. Chapter 64, Romans Chapter 1)

We cannot please Him in our own flesh. We are fallen. We have a corrupted nature. Even when we are saved, we still fail and sin. We cannot please Him in our own obedience or desire. No matter how great it is. If He didn’t do it, or call for it, or lead us in it. Then, it’s flesh. It’s hay, wheat and stubble. You can build a million orphanages and ministries but if He’s not in it or led you to do it, then it’s nothing.

When He returns, all of our work and all of our life will be tried in the all consuming fire of who He is. (Hebrews Chapter 12, Deut. 4:24, Deut 9:3, Matthew Chapter 25, 2 Peter Chapter 3)

Like in the days of Noah, the water fell and broke up from below swallowing the world and destroying it. Only 8 souls saved on the Ark.

Likewise, when He returns the Earth will be burned up in fire, and those in Christ will be saved as if by fire, receiving the rewards. He shall judge the quick (saved, living) and the dead (unsaved) at His appearing. (2 Tim. 4:1)

All that will remain will be that which can survive the fire. Gold, silver, and precious stones through God’s work in us.

But, all flesh. All hay, wheat and stubble will be burned up. Those things that were not from God, by God or commanded by God, will perish. All things not of your relationship with God. Burned.

We will be left with what God has done. Not what we did in our flesh. No matter how good. No matter how much we obey the Bible in our flesh.

Did we know Him and follow His Spirit? Did we abide? (John Chapter 15)

But, we ourselves shall be saved as if by fire. Only having the things God has done. And we shall cast them at His feet. Because He has done it all, not us. (1 Cor 3:10-15, 1 Cor Chapter 3, Rev. 4:10-11,)

He is worthy.

And there shall be a new Heaven and new Earth, where He dwells with us. A new Creation where there is no death, corruption, curse or sin.(Isa 66:22-24, Isa Chapter 66, Isa Chapter 65, 2 Peter Chapter 3, Rev. Chapter 21)

Now, several points need to be made. There seems to be different judgements. The Judgement of the Believers which is where our rewards are decided. The Great White Throne judgement, which refers to the lost, and the judgement of nations. We do not know exactly how these things will happen and when or in what order.

When He comes there will be Judgement. When He comes there will be rewards. We know there will be a fire judgement. We know there will be a millennium, and a thousand year kingdom. But, exactly how this works we are not told. (2 Peter 3)

But, if you are a believer then we are called to serve the Kingdom. We are called to abide in Him and endure the attacks of the enemy.

When Jesus returns, our works as saints will be judged. And the work that God has done in us and through us will remain as a reward.

But, Paul warns us that if we are saved and we have done nothing. If we have not let the Holy Spirit work in us, on us and through us. If we have lived as Carnal Christians. We will face that fire, and will have nothing to show for it. God, will keep His Word and save you. But, you will go into eternity with nothing. Like a man who ran out of his burning house naked in the middle of the night. Everything burned up.

You never stored treasures in heaven. You stored them all on Earth, and when its burned. It’s burned.

But, you yourself will be saved as if by fire.

Smelling of smoke. By the skin of your teeth, so to speak.

God keeps His Word.

Learn to listen to His voice and serve the Kingdom. There is no better place to be, than with Him.

---

Photo by pexels/edited by author