Day 13: "Follow Me"

Spiritual growth is not automatic, it takes an intentional commitment. Discipleship begins with a decision.

Matthew 9:9- As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Disciples choose to follow the Lord without hesitation. Christ’s disciples did not understand the implications of this choice, they simply responded to His invitation.

 “Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you make. They can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you!” ~Rick warren

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

When Paul says “work out” he is talking about our responsibilities and when he says God “works in” he is referring to God’s role. God’s spirit works with us, not just in us. God has given me a new life in him and I am responsible for developing it!

In order to embrace change and allow Christ to teach us, we must change our thinking. In Rick Warren’s book, he gives the example of a speedboat on autopilot. This boat is set to go east but for some reason you decide/feel you should reverse the direction you are going and head west. There are 2 ways to go about this change of direction. 1) You can physically force the wheel in the opposite direction and overcome the autopilot. If you chose this method, you will eventually become weak and tired and the constant resistance will eventually cause you to let go of the wheel. This is what happens when we try to live our own way. We can create a short-term change, but it creates constant stress because you fail to deal with the root cause. 2) The second method is- Change your autopilot. Change the way you think!

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Change always starts internally through our own thoughts. We first think something which determines the way we feel and then leads to our actions.

Ephesians 4:20-24 But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

How do we do this? How do I think like Jesus? First, I need to stop thinking immature thoughts (self-seeking). Thinking of myself before Christ and before others is the root of all sinful behaviors! Second, I need to start thinking maturely. Mature Christianity is a lifestyle: “Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds.” Rick Warren

Romans 8:5- Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

In my last entry, I asked all of you to pray for me as I have been struggling with a really big decision. During the past few weeks, I have been spending more time in the word and in prayer than ever before. I have really felt the Lord tugging on my heart. He has always asked me to lean on him for comfort and now that I have decided to obey and completely trust him, He has cleared some exciting yet scary paths. After much prayer, family counsel, and internal debate with God, I have decided to take a HUGE leap of faith. I have never done anything this exciting or nerve raking in my whole life. I don’t know how I am going to get through this or even if it will work out, but I do trust that God has something amazing planned for me and that he is about to radically “rock my world!” (haha) In my next entry I will share what this exciting news is… but I want to meet with my close friends to share the news with them first. For now, please pray that God continues to give me a peace about this decision. I do know God has reason for everything and that through this life changing event I am about to face, I will have to fully let go of autopilot and let Him be in control.

Today’s Challenge:
*What areas of your life need to be “radically rocked?” In what areas of your life do you need to stop thinking “My way,” and start thinking “God’s way?” It may be something small or something big, but I challenge you to think of one thing you need to let go of and allow Christ to control!