Let it go and Follow- In His Word 3-3-14

Let it go and Follow- in His Word
Simon Peter was fishing when Jesus called him and his brother Andrew to follow Him. They did just that.
Jesus was walking by and called out to the sons of thunder- Follow me! And they did!
Just like that; they began walking with Jesus. Was your salvation the same easy transition as the Word of God makes it sound here? Or did you struggle with letting go with the things of this world. Things that feed our fleshly desires such as fame, fortune and fabulous times just because we want to have them are things of this world. Its not only drugs and alcohol that ruin a person it’s the things we talk about, the things we choose to do for our own pleasure because we think it won’t hurt anyone.
Then general consensus is that if we are following Jesus then we will not speak those words, we will not desire ungodly friendships and we will not hate our brothers or sisters or speak unkindly to them. The fact of the matter is James and John’s mother wanted them to be the greatest in God’s Kingdom next to Jesus. They gave in to her desires for her sons to be in such positions and even went with her and bowed down in respectful posture to Jesus when she asked for this favor.
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. Matthew 4:18-22
Peter who claimed to be so strong in his pride claimed never to deny Christ and yet we all know he did three times in the very day he proclaimed it. Now these three were indeed the inner circle of friends Jesus had in his twelve and they were given that position for a purpose; if they were the ones who needed proving how weak they really were who are we to think we are any stronger?
James and John continued to follow Jesus and walked the walk of a believer in the Son of God as King of Kings, lived their lives for Him.
Peter repented and did likewise; he devoted his life to teaching people how to follow Jesus.
 
They left it all behind. These guys and the rest of the 12 left their old self behind and became true followers of Christ. Did you? I struggle with stinking thinking now and then and old thoughts come up and pride grows in my heart and I have found that like Paul I have to die daily to keep it away. I am who I am only by the Grace of God in me, not of anything I have done, not because of any books I have written or friends I have made aside from my best Friend; Jesus.
We used to sing a song when I first got saved it went something like; “I am not my own I was bought with a price I was purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. All my sins are gone He redeemed my life…” all of this because of the blood of Jesus that was shed so that we too could be followers of Christ.
Where were you when you first heard His voice—whether through another person preaching or a song on the radio, or that still small voice that speaks to your heart and mind; where were you when Jesus said to you, “Follow Me”?
What have you stripped off and left behind? Are you dragging your nets behind you or did you leave them behind?

Peter, Andrew, James and John, all fishermen, all left their nets and followed Him.
Think for a moment, nets were used for catching fish that was their livelihood before Christ. It was how they made their living, catching fish.  After Christ they caught people for Him. How much of an influence could they have been if they were dragging their nets with all their stuff on it behind them? They could not have done much feeding the five thousands with a net full of old dirty fish. Fact is not so many people would have come around if they were dragging dirty nets with them, it would have slowed the whole group down.
When we drag our old lives with us into our new Christ following lives we bring a stench with us. Jesus’ blood washed our sins away lets not choose to wallow in the stinky fish anymore. Let it go!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Hebrews 12:1-3

When we do the things we used to do before we started to follow Him we are not letting go of the things that weight us down.
Jesus wants us to follow Him today not to follow our own selfish desires but to do what Jesus would do. To walk in His steps, read the Word, know the Word, walk in the Word and share the Word. Sure, its not always easy but when we keep following Him and let go of the past hurts, sickness, desires, and even some things we used to do for ‘fun’ need to change; when we let it go, we can let God move us on further towards the front of the line when we follow Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to follow after You. Keep us and guide us as we try to let go of the old man and step in your steps and walk in your way, in Jesus name, amen.

Suggested Reading: Hebrews 12:1-29, Psalm 40:1-17, 1 Peter 1:1-25, 1 Peter 2:1-25