Monday, March 21, 2022

Loving God, Following Christ

 


1 John 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8; Luke 5:32; Matthew 4:17
"Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." For he that is in the world goes about "like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 
But He that is in me seeks the lost, "He has come to call sinners to repentance." "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
It is the great commission He gives His disciples, His followers: "And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15
If we are true followers of Christ, we are preaching the gospel, we are sharing Christ with the world, we are supporting those who go out farther than we can into the world to share the gospel with many, many others. 
If we are true followers of Christ, we follow Him in love, agape love: an unconditional, no-strings-attached love. The Word reminds us to "love one another as I have loved you". How has The Lord loved us? --Jeremiah 31:3 "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion." 
--John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
--Mark 12:31 "The second (commandment) is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
We are not force-fed the gospel, therefore we should not be attempting to force-feed others. We who preach/share the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ are to be doing so in love, His love; in power, His power (which we have been given when we are given His Holy Spirit); with authority, His Authority. 
Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ believes from the heart. The moment  we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, we are saved. Romans 10:8-10, 13 "But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  --  "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." 
Salvation is granted on an individual basis. We must each come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for it is a personal relationship that He desires to have with each one of us. I can pray for your salvation, but you have to choose whether or not you will be saved. 
Micah 4:5 "For all the peoples [now] walk Each in the name of his god [in a transient relationship], As for us, we shall walk [securely] In the name of the LORD our [true] God forever and ever."
Matthew 4:19 "“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
To follow Jesus is to walk with Jesus. Come, let us walk with Jesus now.