We are NEVER alone…

God’s promise is that He will NEVER abandon us; but the question is, are we walking with Jesus, in intimate fellowship, or are we following Him from afar?

Matthew 28:16-20

The Message (MSG)

16-17 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion.

The moment they saw Him they worshiped Him. SOME, THOUGH, HELD BACK, NOT SURE ABOUT WORSHIP, ABOUT RISKING THEMSELVES TOTALLY.

18-20 Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave His charge:

“God authorized and commanded Me to commission you:

Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Then instruct them in the practice of ALL I have commanded you.

I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Question: ARE we fulfilling God’s command, or are we holding back?

Are we worried about what others may think, OR are we risking ourselves totally, offering up our life, as Christ did for us (see Romans 12:1-2)?

Here’s what the Bible says,

“If someone claims, ‘I know Him well!’ but doesn’t keep His commandments, he’s obviously a liar.

His life doesn’t match his words. But the one who keeps God’s Word is the person in whom we see God’s mature love.

This is the ONLY way to be sure we’re walking in GOD and with Him. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived.”
(see 1 John 2:6)

There is an ancient Jewish proverb that says,

“Follow the rabbi, drink in his words, and be covered with the dust of his feet.”

Back in Jesus’ day, students of a rabbi would follow him around and in order to be sure they didn’t miss anything important, that the rabbi said, they’d have to stick close behind him… in other words, one would end up covered in his dust for having stayed so close to the rabbi while walking along the roads of the Holy Land.

We’ve all probably had seasons where we, as the Bible says of Peter – before denying Jesus three times – that he was following Jesus from a far (see Luke 22:54).

Hopefully we also have had seasons where we, as the above Jewish proverb says, were we’ve been following so close that we’ve been covered in His dust.

In other words, we are walking in His steps, in close fellowship (24/7 365), right behind Him, identifying with Him totally and fulfilling His mission.

This is what it means to be a disciple – you’re a follower of Christ.

In another place, Jesus asked the question, why do you call Me Lord and yet don’t do the things I’m telling you to do (see Luke 6:45-49)?

Don’t be double-minded and wishy-washy when it comes to your faith in Jesus.

If we truly love Jesus, He says we show it by how we keep His Word and obey His Commandments, and then He says, “the Father and I will come and make our abode with you” (see John 14:15; 23)

Come join the Adventure!

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