Daily Devotional For Thursday, June 19, 2025
Well it is Thursday and we are continuing to look at what it means to follow Jesus. If you have ever been around someone who is a Christian and ask them when and how they became a Christian, they may typically say something like this, “Well, when I decided to make my personal Lord and Savior . . . “ To me it is awesome to hear people share their testimony. I understand why people word it this way, but as I have said numerous times: salvation from beginning to end is all by Jesus. When we make that statement, we are falling prey to a subtle lie from the devil. Let me ask you this question: Is Jesus Christ Lord or is He only Lord when I decide so?
Well, I can give you the answer to that from Philippians 2:10-11, “So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (NASB). This passage refers to a future date every being from human, to angelic to demonic will do this. It does not mean when Jesus finally becomes Lord, but because He always has been, is and always will be. We can’t make Jesus something He already is. So the question comes down to this: Since Jesus is Lord, will I submit to His Lordship?
To me the danger in using this statement, “Well, when I decided to make my personal Lord and Savior . . . “ can lead us to make Jesus in our own image rather than us becoming more like Him. This means we are vulnerable to make our Christian faith fit our preferences, desires, wants and hopes, not the Lord’s. In other words, we are vulnerable to turn and make Jesus more comfortable to us by watering down what He has to say about materialism, sexuality, what constitutes a stumbling block, and etc. Like in a buffet, we pick or reject, we choose or ignore what we do not like because it offends us.
I hate to burst your bubble. Jesus is not some middle class, white, politically correct, non-offensive, Republican or Democrat American. Jesus cannot and will be customized to us. When you read the New Testament, Jesus transforms and revolutionizes our minds and responses, our attitudes and our actions, our desires and our demeanor. The only way we can follow Jesus and make disciples is to obey Christ at His word, take His word as absolute truth, knowing He is so worthy He does not need our approval.
In the beginning, God made us in His image and today, even so-called Christians want to make God in their image. No matter what God and His word say, these so-called Christians support abortion, homsexuality and homosexual marriages, transgenderism, partying and getting drunk, living together, evolution, and etc. Why? I think the main reason is the absence of the Word of God in our churches from pastors who are more pagan than pastoral. Barna research reports this:
“Many Christians no longer believe that God is the Supreme Creator and Ruler of this universe. Many Christians say we are a god in and of ourselves. Over half of all Christians say they do not believe the Holy Spirit exists, that the devil and demons are real, nor that Jesus was God in human flesh. They deny the divinity of Jesus.”
I may offend someone with this, but you cannot be a Christian and reject the Word of God. Disregarding, discrediting and disbelieving God’s Word only affirms you have deceived yourself into thinking you are saved, when you are not. If you will take time to read the Gospels, all four of them: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John affirm that Jesus’ goal was to challenge His disciples and people with His teaching. Jesus was the master teacher and He took every opportunity to teach His disciples through parables, sermons, and miracles what it means to be His disciple.
In the Upper Room, Jesus within hours of His death taught His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to teach them after He was gone. Look at John 14:16-17, 26, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (17) that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you . . . (26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (NASB).
To be a disciple of Jesus means you love His word, the Bible, and you desire to obey it. Look at Jesus’ words in John 8:31-32, “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; (32) and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (NASB). When I took at Discipleship course years ago, that I also took other through called MasterLife, one of the verses we had to memorize was John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (NASB).
Jesus makes it clear that in order for us to receive God’s blessings and rewards, obedience to His word is required. The Apostle Paul does the same in these following passages:
- 1 Corinthians 2:16, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ” (NASB).
- Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (NASB).
- Colossians 3:9-10, “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, (10) and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him” (NASB).
- 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (NASB).
Some might think it is archaic to base our lives in this century on a man who lived 2,025 years ago, in the first century. With all the advancements in science, medicine, culture, education, psychology and sociology, and etc., are these more reliable than the teaching of some person over 2,000 years ago? Well, we will look at this on Friday.
Assignment: Where do you make Jesus in your own image? Be honest. What commands, principles, or truths from Scripture to you ignore, reject or rewrite to suit your own personal opinion? How is the truth of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 evident in your life? Have you ever said or thought, “Well, I know Jesus said this . . . but I think . . .” or ‘I know the Bible says this, but this is what I think . . .” If you say, “NO PK!,” but Jesus says your and my sin says differently. Where and when is this most prevalent in your life?
Scripture To Meditate On: Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I never want to discredit, disregard or disbelieve Your Word. I accept that when I choose to sin, in that moment, that is exactly what I am doing. Lord, there are times I conform rather than being transformed. Please help me to obey You and Your Word so that I become more of Your image and less of mine. I love you Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly