Following Jesus

 Are You Following Jesus?

“Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬-‭20‬, ‭NKJV‬‬)

Jesus met Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew and asked them to follow Him. Not only that, He said He would make them fishers of men. These hardened professional fisherman left their nets immediately and followed Jesus, becoming His disciples. They knew how to catch fish but becoming fishers of men was a new venture and one that would cost them their lives. They spent three and a half years following Him, watching every move of His and sought to emulate Him. At a particular point, they asked Jesus to reach them how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). 

The more I think about the  encounter between Jesus and Peter and Andrew and what ensued, the more I realize that becoming fishers of men is the ultimate goal for us as believers. It is impossible to become a fisher of men without following Jesus wholeheartedly, unreservedly, uncompromisingly, humbly and in holiness and righteousness. 

Against this standard, how are you doing? The disciples were later to die for Jesus; only Apostle John died a natural death of old age. *Are you prepared to die for Jesus?* Many would say that is an unfair question but the point is that the quality of our relationship with Jesus is connected to our desire to give Him everything including our lives. Jesus said, 

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭26‬, NKJV‬‬)

My brethren, these are things that go unmentioned in Christendom most of the time because many Christians have the mindset of receiving whatever they want from God. They are not tuned into God’s agenda and they come to God with their own agenda. Their ‘_relationship_’ with God is built around their preferences not His. They choose when they want to go to church and at what time; they pick and choose what they want to be involved in (evangelism being the least considered); they seek status, material wealth, and influence first before the things of God. Discipleship becomes a no-go area because they are hardly disciples of Jesus. It is impossible for anyone to make a disciple for Jesus if he or she is not a disciple first of all. 

There is a tendency these days to tolerate ungodly behaviour citing the mercy of God. Yet the Bible says that God is a consuming fire (Hebrew 12:29). While God is loving, compassionate and merciful, it would be a serious mistake to  take Him for granted. We have an obligation to follow Jesus passionately and in total surrender.

Are you following Jesus or yourself? One who follows Jesus in the true sense of the word cannot miss the true essence of life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and in following Him unreservedly we have abundant life - life that impacts others positively and powerfully and which glorifies God. Make up your mind to follow Jesus today and go for it. The starting point is to surrender your whole life to Him and receive Him as your personal Lord and Saviour. God bless you as you heed the Word of God today.