Day 1. The Demands of following Christ Series, Part 1
Matt. 10:38: And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
It is possible to take this verse literally. When I was in college there was a guy who used to drag a 10-12 foot wooden cross behind him, resting on his shoulder, everywhere he went. It was quite a spectacle. I don’t really think that such actions are in view when we are told to take up our cross and follow Christ. Rather, I think, the mindset this verse should lead us to adopt is one of obedience to Christ in all things, just as he was obedient in all things, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2
Obedience is a tough thing. Thomas Goodwin makes a great point in a very plain and simple way when he says, “Judas heard all Christ’s sermons.” So it is not good teaching that grants us the ability to obey. Rather, before we can even think about obedience, before we ever will think about it, grace must first get a hold of us. Until the grace of Christ takes root in our hearts, it is vain for us to think we can obey God. The call to abstain from every form of evil,” in 1 Thess. 5:22, is not a suggestion. Or again, in 1 Thess. 4:7, “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”
In Christian obedience there is more than simple obedience. We are to think both of the quid, and the quomodo of how we obey. That is, what (quid) we do, and the manner (quomondo) in which we do it. We are to consider with what sort of heart we obey. “The Lord weighs the spirits.” Prov. 16:2. Following Christ obediently involves more than doing God’s will, it also looks at the manner that we do God’s will.
“As the saint is described sometimes by a “clean heart,” so also sometimes by “clean hands,” because he has both; the holiness of his heart is seen at his fingers’ ends.” George Swinnock
“This is the true obedience, whether to God or man, when we look not so much to the letter of the law, as to the mind of the law-maker.” John Trapp.
Day 2. An Opportunity Missed
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all patience and instruction.
About 150 years ago one of the best known spiritual leaders in the world was a man named Dr. Chalmers. One evening he found himself at the home of a nobleman with several other guests, all of whom were going to be staying for the night. Dr. Chalmers was known for his eloquence in the pulpit, but was also known to excel in conversation. This evening was a common evening, as Dr. Chalmers was the life and soul of the evening’s conversation.
The subject was a common topic, and for this evening, spiritual subjects were not the focus of the conversation. One of those present was the chief of one of the clans in Scotland. He listened intensively to Dr. Chalmers and though the subject was common, he still seemed to hang onto Dr. Chalmers every word. The conversation eventually came to an end and each of the guests and the host retired to their various rooms.
The room of Dr. Chalmers and the man from Scotland were across from each other. Shortly after entering their rooms, Dr. Chalmers heard a loud noise from the room across the hall which followed with a “heavy groan.” Dr. Chalmers hurried to the room and found the chief fallen. He breathed a few times and expired.
Others quickly gathered into the room. Dr. Chalmers was the first to speak as all looked upon the dead, white-headed chief. “Never in my life,” he started, “did I see, or did I feel, before this moment, the meaning of the text, ‘Preach the word; be ready in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all patience and instruction.’ Had I known that my venerable old friend was within a few minutes of eternity, I would not have dwelt on that subject which formed the topic of this evening’s conversation.”
He continued by giving all present, and now us, some godly wisdom, “I would have addressed myself earnestly to him. I would have preached unto him and you Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I would have urged him and you, with all earnestness befitting the subject, to prepare for eternity. You would have thought it, and you would have pronounced it, out of season. But, ah! it would have been in season, both as it respects him, and as it respects you.”
That is the wisdom of experience. The sad words here are, “I would have,” because they express regret at what might have been. And while we all have regrets in life, this is one of those ultimate regrets. We would all do well to learn from this and winsomely seek to speak of Christ, as Dr. Chalmers says, and of Him crucified for sin.
Day 3. When His Back is turned
Job 23:10-11 “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11 “My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. (NAS)
I stopped by the dojo (karate school) early one morning to pick up some homework papers from a class I am taking. I greeted my instructor, Sensei DeGori, and we talked for just a minute. He asked why I stopped by so early and I asked him if I could get the papers from the class. He happily complied. We exchanged goodbyes and I headed for the door. To get to the door I had to leave the exercise area. When you enter and exit the exercise area, students are supposed to bow out of respect for their teacher, the place they learn in and the school as a whole. I like the concept because it really puts my mind in a respectful mind set to learn.
As I was leaving, I noticed that Sensei was busy at the computer and was not paying attention to me as I left. I knew he had things to do and that was okay. Then, the Lord struck me with a thought. Sensei had trusted me to obey the protocol, even when his back was turned. I have seen him stand at the exit and turn small boys and girls, one by one, gently by the shoulders to remind them to comply with the requirement to bow as they scramble to meet their parents. It is never harsh, and is often allowed to slip with the youngest ones. There will be time for that later. They are not being disrespectful, they are just being kids. Respect and trust are earned over time. I rarely see anyone who has been at the school for any length of time fail to bow with a heart of respect for what they are learning, how they are being taught and how they are improving themselves in every aspect of themselves.
I know the analogy does not fully hold, but how do we behave, as Christians, when no one is looking, when God’s back is turned? Of course the Father sees and knows everything. Nothing is a surprise to Him. But do we obey the protocol and earn His trust and respect with our conduct? There is an old saying: “When someone accuses you of something, have lived so that they will not be believed.” You must have a track record for this to work. When the enemy of our souls attacks with a verbal battery, will people wonder if there is any truth to the lie, or will they simply dismiss it as impossible. Jesus before the Pharisees and Saducees requested that if He had committed a crime that it would be named. His question was never answered with anything other than the backhand of a guard, which alone was cause for the dismissal of any charge. Paul would have been found guilty of no crime by Festus. If Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he would have gone free. The charges for both should have been dropped. To open the way of salvation Jesus was condemned. For an opportunity to tell the good news of Jesus Christ to Caesar, Paul gave his all.
Are you struggling with your faith or your flesh. Ask Jesus for strength and for faith. Let Him know you need help. Lean on Him. He wants you to know that He is trustworthy and dependable in times of difficulty. You are never alone. If you have blown it, He stands ready to forgive the broken and contrite heart. The proud man will be withstood, but the humble heart of gratitude for mercy and forgiveness will be accepted every time. Because He knows what we’re doing when His back is turned. He is simply teaching us to be faithful in the little things, even when no one is looking.
Prov 29:23 A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. (KJV)
Lord Jesus – give us the strength and courage to be faithful to You, even when no one is looking. Help us to build faith that works in a crowd or in the middle of the woods on a hike. When we honour You in the little things faithfully, we can expect growth in our lives and more challenges ahead. Amen.
Day 4. The Right Kind of Help
READ:
And I, if I am lifted up . . . will draw all peoples to Myself —John 12:32
Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.
When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.
But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified— to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2 ). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker’s simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.
The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Saviour. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.
Day 5. After I lead people to Christ, should I offer them immediate assurance?
John 3:16; Romans 8:16; Romans 15:4
It isn’t your task as an evangelist to give immediate assurance to people you lead to Christ. The Holy Spirit will do that work: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16).
There are, however, many promises in Scripture you can share that the Holy Spirit will use to help your newly converted friends gain assurance of their eternal destiny (e.g. John 3:16; 1 John 5:1). Those promises of the gospel offer what is called “objective assurance” to genuine believers. Even a brand-new believer can look to such promises and find a measure of assurance–the thief on the cross gained it when the Lord promised Him a place in paradise.
There are other passages in Scripture that speak of subjective assurance. For example, 1 John 2:3 says, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” That assurance will grow and deepen as person walks consistently with the Lord. Should a Christian persist in sin for a time, he will forfeit that aspect of assurance for as long as he grieves the Holy Spirit.
Both the objective and subjective means of assurance are spoken of in Romans 15:4: “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance [subjective] and the encouragement of the Scriptures [objective] we might have hope.” That process is part of the Christian’s lifelong spiritual growth.
There’s really nothing to gain by giving new converts immediate assurance of salvation. They will realize true assurance through the promises in Scripture and by sensing the Spirit’s work–the Holy Spirit will bear witness with their spirit that they are children of God. No formulas can bring about such assurance.
Day 6. The Called, The Chosen, The Elect
Psalm 65:4: “Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.”
Matthew 13:19, 20 “For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.”
John 15:15, 16 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
Romans 9:11-16: “(For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.’ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
James 2:5: “Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”
2 Timothy 1:8, 9: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”
2 Peter 1:5-10: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.”
Insight: God has called and chosen the elect. We should be eternally thankful for this awesome blessing. While we were unbelieving sinners, Christ died for us and drew us to His side for forgiveness, salvation, and redemption.
Prayer: “Dear Lord, bless us and help us to see You as You are. Thank you for being worthy of our praise and devotion. There is no other like You. Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for loving us more than we understand. We will have more faith in You because of what You have done, who You are, and how You have kept your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Day 7. Obedience
“’I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.’ Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.” I Samuel 15:11 (NIV)
My husband has many stories about his childhood and playing with friends that lived across the street. They played ball almost every afternoon and would spend hours in the woods building forts, pretending to be GI Joe or swinging from tree branches like Tarzan. Tom grew up on lots of land, and he could play just about anywhere he liked with the exception of one simple rule: always ask permission before crossing the street. One afternoon when Tom spotted his best friends playing ball, he decided to “ask permission” of the side porch (inanimate objects always seem to give us the answer we’re looking for), instead of taking the time to ask his mom’s permission. When the porch “granted permission,” Tom crossed the street to enjoy an afternoon of fun with his friends.
When his mother looked out the picture window and saw Tom playing ball on the other side of the street, you can image the disappointment and discipline that followed. When asked why he had disobeyed her, his rationalization was that he did in fact ask permission before crossing the street. Her rule never mentioned anything about her being the only one who could grant permission.
Even though Tom had asked permission from an inanimate object, I doubt many of us would agree that Tom obeyed his mother’s rule. This story is a reminder how easy it is to become entangled in the downward spiral of disobedience. It all begins with making excuses for our behaviour. Then we usually blame others and finally we resort to self justification to explain away our sin.
Look at this story of Saul as he spared an enemy king and kept the finest riches in the kingdom in disobedience to God’s command. The Lord had commanded Saul to destroy everyone and everything, but Saul allowed selfishness and rationalization to draw him into the downward spiral of disobedience.
Initially, Saul argued that he had followed the Lord’s command, with the exception of sparing the rival king. He then lied when he stated everything had been wiped out (I Samuel 15:13, 15). When Saul was rebuked by the prophet Samuel for his disobedience, he continued in his downward spiral by blaming the people. Finally, in an attempt to justify his plan to offer the riches as a sacrifice his continual disobedience caused the Lord to withdraw His blessing from Saul’s reign.
It’s tempting to think our arguments and rationalizations are convincing to the Lord, but God isn’t fooled. Delayed obedience or partial obedience is not obedience at all. It is disobedience, and we are wise to remember that there are always consequences for our disobedience. If you have become entangled in the downward spiral of disobedience I encourage you to confess your sin. Receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and change your behaviour. You will begin to experience the blessings of obedience.
compiled by JOSH and BEATRICE 
thank you!
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