Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:27-30
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:9-12
You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:2
Today's thoughts from today's verses:
This is week five of a Six-week Devotional Series entitled, “Christianity, The Real Deal.” It is a series that covers how Christianity is truly the only path to spirituality that is genuine and authentic. Week one: Jesus Christ, the One and Only. Week two: The Gospel of Actual Grace. Week three: People Genuinely Transformed. Week four: Wrong Living to Right Living. Week five: Disciples Who Fully Follow. Week six: Followers Who Finish Strong. We begin week five: Disciples Who Fully Follow, with the following:
We are all familiar with the saying, “fall down on the job.” The saying simply means, “to begin and not follow through.” We are all too familiar with the problem of beginning but not following through. We see it in the lives of others and of course in our own lives as well. There is probably not a day in any of our lives where we are not exposed to situations where the idea of the saying, “fall down on the job” does not come into play. It doesn’t matter what area of our lives we pick, we do not want it to be that we “fall down on the job” in that area. It is certainly true that in our Christian lives we don’t want it to be true that we “fall down on the job.” But even though we don’t want it to be true, far too often it is true.
Jesus addressed this problem in the Luke passage above where he speaks of counting the cost before something is started so that once we begin it we are able to follow through with it. Jesus illustrates this by referring to a builder who did not count the cost and then after laying a foundation for a building was not able to finish. With the unfinished structure in full view of other people, the builder who did not follow through became subject to their ridicule and they said of him, “this person began to build but was not able to finish.” If we are Christians, we are disciples and according to Jesus, true disciples (the real deal) are ones who start and follow through.
The Colossians passage above is a good description of what God wants to bring about in our lives as disciples. We are always a work in progress with the need to be going forward consistently. The 2nd Timothy passage above adds a marvelous element into the mix. We need trustworthy people around us who speak truth into our lives and we need to be one of the trustworthy people who speak truth into the lives of various other people that God brings our way. We certainly needed those people who helped us begin and if we are to follow through and not “fall down on the job” we certainly need those (small groups) who can support us and help us continue on. Just as certainly, God has those people we help to begin the Christian life and those we will support and help to continue on.
So, we began and are on the journey of a transformed life through Christ (We call it “Living Fully”). We do not want to be ones who “fall down on the job” but rather those who follow through with what was begun. The key is a having a mix of people in our lives who speak truth and encouragement into our lives and to whom we speak truth and encouragement into theirs. As a result, our transformed lives will touch the lives of those who have yet to begin the journey. God will use us to help them come to the Master and embrace the journey He has for them. Exploring this cycle more fully and discovering the help we need for being able to go forward victoriously in the full experience of Discipleship is the focus of this week’s Devotionals.
Today's prayer response from today's thoughts:
Lord, it is my prayer that you will grant me a full measure of spiritual “follow through” so that I fully “live fully” for you and don’t fall down on the job.. I want to be the real deal who follows you fully. I know that gearing up is not the answer. I give myself to you in genuine commitment, surrender, and dependence. Lord, I worship you, rest in you, and count on you. Amen!
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:27-30
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:9-12
Today's thoughts from today's verses:
This is week five of a Six-week Devotional Series entitled, “Christianity, The Real Deal.” It is a series that covers how Christianity is truly the only path to spirituality that is genuine and authentic. Week one: Jesus Christ, the One and Only. Week two: The Gospel of Actual Grace. Week three: People Genuinely Transformed. Week four: Wrong Living to Right Living. Week five: Disciples Who Fully Follow. Week six: Followers Who Finish Strong. We begin week five: Disciples Who Fully Follow, with the following:
We are all familiar with the saying, “fall down on the job.” The saying simply means, “to begin and not follow through.” We are all too familiar with the problem of beginning but not following through. We see it in the lives of others and of course in our own lives as well. There is probably not a day in any of our lives where we are not exposed to situations where the idea of the saying, “fall down on the job” does not come into play. It doesn’t matter what area of our lives we pick, we do not want it to be that we “fall down on the job” in that area. It is certainly true that in our Christian lives we don’t want it to be true that we “fall down on the job.” But even though we don’t want it to be true, far too often it is true.
Jesus addressed this problem in the Luke passage above where he speaks of counting the cost before something is started so that once we begin it we are able to follow through with it. Jesus illustrates this by referring to a builder who did not count the cost and then after laying a foundation for a building was not able to finish. With the unfinished structure in full view of other people, the builder who did not follow through became subject to their ridicule and they said of him, “this person began to build but was not able to finish.” If we are Christians, we are disciples and according to Jesus, true disciples (the real deal) are ones who start and follow through.
The Colossians passage above is a good description of what God wants to bring about in our lives as disciples. We are always a work in progress with the need to be going forward consistently. The 2nd Timothy passage above adds a marvelous element into the mix. We need trustworthy people around us who speak truth into our lives and we need to be one of the trustworthy people who speak truth into the lives of various other people that God brings our way. We certainly needed those people who helped us begin and if we are to follow through and not “fall down on the job” we certainly need those (small groups) who can support us and help us continue on. Just as certainly, God has those people we help to begin the Christian life and those we will support and help to continue on.
So, we began and are on the journey of a transformed life through Christ (We call it “Living Fully”). We do not want to be ones who “fall down on the job” but rather those who follow through with what was begun. The key is a having a mix of people in our lives who speak truth and encouragement into our lives and to whom we speak truth and encouragement into theirs. As a result, our transformed lives will touch the lives of those who have yet to begin the journey. God will use us to help them come to the Master and embrace the journey He has for them. Exploring this cycle more fully and discovering the help we need for being able to go forward victoriously in the full experience of Discipleship is the focus of this week’s Devotionals.
Today's prayer response from today's thoughts:
Lord, it is my prayer that you will grant me a full measure of spiritual “follow through” so that I fully “live fully” for you and don’t fall down on the job.. I want to be the real deal who follows you fully. I know that gearing up is not the answer. I give myself to you in genuine commitment, surrender, and dependence. Lord, I worship you, rest in you, and count on you. Amen!
