Will You Fully Follow & Obey Jesus ?
A true disciple of Jesus is a “learner and follower” of Jesus. It is not just someone who has said a prayer of salvation, or someone who goes to church. A true disciple of Jesus is someone who is fully committed to Him. Fully committed to fully follow & obey Jesus no matter where He leads. And no matter what He says to do. And no matter the cost.
Will You Fully Follow & Obey Jesus ?
Many Christians sincerely believe that they are following and obeying Jesus. Many are following and obeying Jesus in their marriages. And in their families. And perhaps in their finances, and in giving to help others. They are following Him in many areas of their lives.
If you ask most Christians if they will fully follow & obey Jesus, they will tell you “yes of course”. And they sincerely believe they are. But there are 2 keys areas where many Christians today are not following & obeying Jesus.Â
3 Things That God Is Passionate About
If you study the desires of God’s heart in the Bible, you find that there are several things that God is passionate about. First God wants to have a restored personal relationship with all people. He wants all men to be saved and have this restored relationship with Him (1 Timothy 2:4).
God then wants those who have a restored relationship with Him to have a growing and intimate fellowship with Him (1 Corinthians 1:9). That is God’s calling and desire for all of His children.
And God also wants His children to grow more and more like Jesus. He wants His children to have a Christ like character, and to be an honorable people. And to be filled with His glory. God also wants them to be fully devoted and faithful learners and followers of Jesus. In other words, devoted and faithful disciples of Jesus.
These are the things that God is very passionate about. They are most important to Him. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness…”Â
A Command Of Jesus That Most Christians Are Not Obeying
One area that most Christians do not fully follow & obey Jesus in happens to be one of the most important to Him. Because it is so important to Jesus, He gave all of His followers a command.
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” – Matthew 4:19
A “fisher of men” is a person who is actively sharing the Good News of Jesus with others in their daily lives. It is a disciple who is committed to fully follow & obey Jesus. Even though it may be uncomfortable to share the Gospel with others for him/her. Even though it may bring persecution, or rejection.
A true disciple of Jesus is a fisher of men. Because Jesus commanded it. And out of love and devotion for Jesus a true disciple will fully follow & obey Him.Â
Very Few Christians & Churches Are Obeying The Command to Be A Fisher of Men
In most churches today, perhaps only the pastor(s) and a small group of members are actively sharing Christ with others in their daily lives. And in the majority of churches today, no one is sharing the Gospel and the hope of Jesus Christ with others.Â
Many church members justify this by saying that a fisher of men or witness has a “special gift” or a “calling” for evangelism. And they claim their gift or calling lies elsewhere – in the choir, or teaching Sunday School, or elsewhere. Also, most people feel uncomfortable or fearful of sharing the wonderful news of Jesus with others, and thus they don’t do it.
But Jesus commanded it. And Jesus’ command is for all of His followers, not just for a few that have a special gift. When Jesus said “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men”, He was saying that if you fully follow & obey Me, I will empower you to do My work. That is also the meaning of Acts 1:8. “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Research Reveals That Very Few Are Truly Fishers of Men
Research by Campus Crusade For Christ approx. 15 years ago revealed that less than 2% of Christians in the US were actively sharing Christ with others. Less than 2% is an extremely low number. And it has gotten worse since then. And other organization’s research has shown similar results.
There is something very wrong when God’s passion is to have a restored personal relationship with all people, and His followers could seemingly care less. A true disciple of Jesus will allow God to touch and change his/her heart. So that he or she will have the same desire and passion to reach lost people that God has. God truly needs to touch and change our hearts. First to have a love and passion for Him. And also a love & passion for others. Then we will fully follow & obey Jesus.
In Part 2 we will continue to look into God’s word to see how we need to fully follow & obey Jesus.
Pursuing Intimacy With God
Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.
There are hundreds of Bible verses and great truths & promises in the Pursuing Intimacy With God studies.
** New Expanded Edition of Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible Studies Book – 40% more material
Ebook version of Pursuing Intimacy With God on Google Books
Pursuing Intimacy With God ebook Kindle version
Book of Revelation Bible Study Series
Other Links
Religion vs Relationship With God
Why Should You Pray & Spend Time With God ?
Is Jesus Your First Love ? Part 2
Prayer Is Passion To Seek & Know God
God’s Purpose & Mission For You And Your Church
Spiritual Gifts: All Christians Have Gifts
Jesus Wants To Heal You & Set You Free
Salvation & The Gospel Of Jesus Christ
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
Kevin Bart has been a Jesus follower for over 40 years. Kevin has taught Bible study classes, small groups, and discipleship classes for many years. He developed Pursuing Intimacy With God after many years of seeking God and studying His word.
Kevin is a former business owner, and current international missions ministry leader with more than four decades of combined business and ministry experience. After building and running a successful business for 23 years, with God’s guidance and blessings, he sold his company to dedicate himself to full-time global missions.
For over 20 years, Kevin and his wife Nancy have led an international missions ministry. Utilizing learned business and financial management skills, as well as knowledge and experience in travel points and miles, to date they have had 51 mission trips to 36 countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
