Are You a Follower of JESUS?

 

Are You a Follower of JESUS?

 

The Gospel truth! The Gospel is what JESUS commanded us to take to the world so that men will be saved! The Gospel is what most of the Church has forgotten to live, preach and teach!

 

There are many people who believe they are Christians and are not, Matthew 7:21-23, 25:31-49.

There are many people who know the Bible, who have memorized Scriptures but do not have a personal relationship with JESUS.

There are many people who do the works of the Kingdom but do not have a personal relationship with JESUS.

Christians are called to be Followers of JESUS: JESUS said that His Followers would lay down their life, take up their cross and follow Him every day.

 

I was a doer for many years and GOD used me and blessed me, but I was not a Follower. I lived my life the way I wanted, I did the works of The Kingdom that I wanted, I was a Christian but not a Follower of JESUS.

 

I read over the verses in Matthew 7:21-23 for a couple of decades and did not understand them, in 2013 almost forty years after I became a Christian HOLY SPIRIT opened my understanding to begin to know what JESUS was saying. Now almost ten years after that I believe I understand what JESUS was saying to the Jews who believed in Him (and this applies to all believers).

 

The first part is easy, there are those who will be doers of the works of GOD’s Kingdom; they will do wonders, cast out demons and prophesy. But, JESUS will not recognize them and casts them into hell. Most Christians seem to believe that He is talking about people like the man John told JESUS they saw casting out demons in JESUS’ Name and they told him to stop because he was not one of them. JESUS told them not to stop anyone who was doing the works because they could not soon after curse Him. Then there are other examples of this, like the Jewish exorcists who cast out demons in the name of JESUS Whom Paul preached, or Simon who proclaimed himself to be a servant of GOD but was really a slave of the devil. And this is true, there are many who do good works, who do the works of GOD’s Kingdom and GOD uses them and even blesses them to the accomplishment of His Will. This is true – GOD does use any who will do His works even those who disobey Him, like King Saul and King Jeroboam.

 

The deeper truth is; “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” It’s not that JESUS does not know them, He knows everyone; it’s not that He does not know what they are doing, He knows everything. It’s that they are not following Him, they are doing what they want. I was that kind of Christian for most of my adult life; King Saul was that kind of king, Ananias and Sapphira were that kind of Believers and there are many today who are that kind of Christian – doing The Works of GOD’s Kingdom that they want to do rather than what He has Called them to do. Lifting up their name alongside JESUS’ Name, building up their ministry rather than The SPIRIT and The Word’s ministry. JESUS was asked, “’LORD, are there few that are saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.’” Paul told the Philippian Believers to “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD Who Works in you both to will and to do for His Good Pleasure.” John tells us “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and The Truth is not in us…And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with The Father, JESUS CHRIST The Righteous.” Paul told Timothy, “Remind them of these things, charging them before The LORD not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to GOD, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

 

Being a Follower of JESUS will not be living the good life, we are to strive, to work and we will be persecuted; JESUS said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

 

But do not think that the Christian life is all work and no fun there is joy, peace and reward! We have peace to give: “If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.” Where do we get our peace? “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with GOD through JESUS CHRIST.” We have peace in the hard parts of life: “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. But GOD has Called us to Peace.” “…and the Peace of GOD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through CHRIST JESUS.”

We have joy: “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My Joy fulfilled in themselves.” “But The Fruit of The SPIRIT is love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” “For what is our hope, or Joy, or crown of Rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our LORD JESUS CHRIST at His coming?”

We have reward: “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets which were before you.” “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own Reward according to his own Labor.” “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the Prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone that competes for the Prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable Crown.” “For what is our hope, or Joy, or Crown of Rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our LORD JESUS CHRIST at His coming?” “And behold, I Am coming quickly, and My Reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.”

 

The key to all of this is to Seek GOD First! “If My people who are Called by My Name will humble themselves, and Pray and Seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways, Then I Will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” “But Seek First The Kingdom of GOD and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My Yoke upon you and Learn of Me, for I Am Gentle and Lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My Yoke is easy and My Burden is light.” “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to Pray and not lose heart.” “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in GOD, believe also in Me. In My Father’s House are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” “Blessed are those who do His Commandments, that they may have the Right to The Tree of Life, and may enter through the gates into The City.”

 

Scriptures: All quotations are from The NKJV (emphasis mine) Always read Scriptures in their context!

The Gospel: Matthew 4:17, 23, 9:35, 24:14; Mark 1:14-15, 13:10, 16:15; Luke 4:14-15, 43-44, 24:47; John 3:26, 4:1-3; Revelation 14:6-7

Being a Follower: Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 8:34-38, 16:14-18, Luke 13:22-24; John 20:19-23, Philippians 2:12-18; 1 John 1:5-2:11

Works - Faith: Galatians 3; 2 Timothy 2:14-16; James 2:14-26

Fake Followers: 1 Samuel 13:1-15; 1 Kings 11:26-13:34; Mark 9:38-40; Luke 9:49-50; Acts 5:1-11, 8:4-25, 19:11-20

Persecution: Matthew 5:11-12, 10:16-26, 34-39

Peace: Matthew 10:5-15; Romans 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16; Philippians 4:6-9

Joy: Matthew John 17:13; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19

Reward: Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:8 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Revelation 22:12

Seek GOD: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 6:33-34, 11:28-30; Luke 18:1; John 14:1-4; Revelation 22:14