Following Jesus - When Being Mostly Devoted Is Not Good Enough

My Utmost For His Highest

Arise, let us go from here. —John 14:31

{CHAMBERS} “If we are quietly waiting before God after He has said to us, “Come aside by yourselves…” then that is meditation before Him to seek His will (Mark 6:31). Beware, however, of giving in to mere daydreaming once God has spoken. Allow Him to be the source of all your dreams, joys, and delights, and be careful to go and obey what He has said. If you are in love with someone, you don’t sit and daydream about that person all the time— you go and do something for him. That is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Daydreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.”

{ELGIN} (James 4:17) “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” We would prefer to think of sin in terms of doing “bad” things. You probably know that the word “sin” means to miss the mark.  So we must ask, what is the “mark”.  For a Christian, it is to do the will of God.  I say for a Christian, because for the lost, it is impossible to “hit the mark”.  The rich young ruler thought that being “good” was enough to please God.  He found out that God requires complete devotion … (Mark 10:21-22) [Jesus said] “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.” Doing the will of the Father is not just going to distant lands or being in full-time vocational ministry, it is walking with the Lord every day in every way. When a commander in the Army tells you to do something, it is not a suggestion, it is a command. Sometimes he must be explicit and say “I am ordering you to …. “ but most often that phrase is implied by virtue of his position and authority.  This is what Jesus said about it.  (John 14:21,23-24) “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” […] If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”