A New Study Underway

Good Morning everyone!!! Or maybe I should say good afternoon.... I guess it just depends on what time I post this or what time you may be reading it. So what ever time it is for you I hope it finds you good.

As you can probably tell, my postings have been random and sporadic at best. I have been writing as time allowed and inspiration struck.

Well..... Things are about to change. I have a brand new study I’ve been working on that will be posted here first. You will get the first glimpse of the work that God has set a burning fire in my heart about. God has set my heart to a high temperature for sharing a new view of what it means to follow after Jesus. The name of the study is "CALLED TO FOLLOW" and it will cost you nothing but your time to join in. I pray you will be overwhelm by the spirit and changed by it!

Please feel free to leave stories, comments and input as we go along. I would love, love, love to hear from you!

Here a taste of what’s to come:

I am the one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord" John the Baptist spoke when asked who he was. "It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."

John was speaking of Jesus, the one worthy of our worship, praise and dedication. He was crying out to all who would listen "THERE IS “GOOD NEWS”, THE MESSIAH, HE IS COMING."

The very next day, John is awed with the sight of Jesus coming toward him. He says "Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" This was Him! The very man he had spoken of the day before. This was the one who was preferred before him because He was before him. This was the one John felt he was not worthy to even loose His sandal straps. Coming towards him was God made flesh and set on earth to change everything. There He was, He was coming, heading straight towards John. What excitement and joy must have filled his heart as he waited.

There with John the Baptist, was a young man, probably of teenage years. Andrew was his name, a strapping, physically strong, devout and faithful young man. It didn’t hurt that his name in Greek meant manly.

As Andrew heard Johns proclamation "Behold the Lamb of God!" and then heard Jesus speak, he followed after Him. Jesus seeing him follow turned and asked him what it was that he sought from him. "Rabbi, where are you staying?" Andrew replied. So Jesus took him to see where he was staying. Andrew remained with Him the rest of that day and soon after went to find his brother Simon also known as Peter. “We have found the Messiah” he told Simon, winning over his brother to the Lord with his testimony.

What must Andrew of thought about this man, Jesus. He called Him Rabbi, so he knew Him as a Teacher. But what else must have been in his mind? All his life, growing up in the area of Capernaum, an area despised by the polite Jewish society. Knowing only the trade of fishing and then to hear from John, the one discipling him, this IS the one we have waited for. This is the Chosen One, the Lamb of God. His heart believed. He knew what John spoke was true. We see this with his testimony to his brother. Not only did he believe, but he believed enough to tell his brother and bring him to belief also.

"I must know for myself...." I am sure he thought, as he followed Jesus to where He was staying.

But Jesus didn't call Andrew to follow Him at that time. For whatever reason, He waited. We see it in Matthew 4:18-19, Jesus walking long the Sea of Galilee, sees the two young men Simon Peter and Andrew casting a net into the Sea. Being fishermen by trade, they were doing there job as usual.

Jesus spoke only these few words to them "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men."

How did they respond? Did they ask what the plan was or where they would be going? Did they need to put there affairs in order first? Did they need a job description, a daily agenda, a finance plan or a benefit package with 401K match?

The answer is NO. They needed nothing but the clothes on their backs and a belief that Jesus was the God He said He was. They needed only to trust the heart within them to know that Jesus would be all they would need. He was the Messiah, the coming King, the one they had waited for.

As we end today.... What is in your life that you need besides Jesus? We are called to "follow" like Andrew and Simon did. Will we lay down our nets and just go?

Check back on Monday of next week for the continuation of "CALLED TO FOLLOW" a study on discipleship... Jesus style