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"Follow Me"

    Sometimes as Christians we get worn down. We lose our faith in God and begin to doubt Him when our promises don't seem like they will ever happen. We get mad because our life doesn't look the way we wanted it to. I believe that the source of these frustrations is that we have placed God's plans within the confines of our own plans and ideas for our life.

    When we expect God to fit into our box, we make ourselves the God. We make Him a means to our end and say that it was all done in His "honor." Far too many "Christ followers" have their own detailed plan for what their future looks like-- their spouse, their occupation, their role in the church, their finances, etc. Why do we think that we have got it all figured out? We say to Jesus, "If you could just ok my plan that would be great." We make it all about ourselves. I believe that truly being a disciple of Christ is laying YOUR plans for your life aside to leave room for Jesus'. It means dropping all the expectations you had and simply following Him whatever He has for you.

    If we know He is good, then why do we doubt Him? I encourage you today to set the things aside that you want for you to make room for what He wants for you. If what you wanted to start with was in His will for you, then you will be able to watch it come to pass with your eyes fixed on Him and not the blessing. But if we are too distracted by what we want, we will miss the blessing in His plan for us. Christians have to be in the habit of constantly giving up what we want for Him.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (NIV)

Luke 14:27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (NIV)

John 21:19 And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (ESV)

Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. (ESV)

Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (NIV)

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