Matthew 4:18-22 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers – Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew – throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
This is my call. Follow me. Just me. Not your professions. Not your possessions. Not your family. Me. Will you answer that call? Will you walk away from everything when you hear me calling? Do you think it was easy for my disciples to abandon their lives and pick up a new life entirely, following me – wherever it was that I would lead? Do you think it was easy for James and John to just walk away from their father? No hesitation. Just left him alone to run their fishing business. No, these decisions were not easy, but they were the correct decisions. By choosing to follow me, wherever I led, doing whatever I asked, these men became key players in laying the foundations of my Church. Their decisions did not make human sense. I was not widely known. I had barely begun to preach, to heal, to minister to my children. Yet, these men immediately believed in me, and left all that they knew to follow me. That is faith, child. Following when you do not know the outcome. Following when you are not assured success. Following because you know my voice and believe in me. Many are those in your world today who profess to know me, who profess to believe in and trust me, who profess to follow me. Yet, where are they in all of this? Do you see many out there standing up to evil, working against it in my name, availing themselves of the power I have granted you in battling against your enemy? Where is true faith? True obedience? True trust? True dedication to my principles? Which will you be? A follower or one who professes to follow yet does nothing? A warrior or pretender? Do not forget my warning “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:22-23) Choose. Who are you – a follower or a pretender? What are you willing to give up in order to follow me and be one of my ambassadors, one of my warriors? You do not have forever to decide, yet you will have forever to reap the rewards of these decisions.
Amanuensis 