Jesus is Calling... Will you Answer?

Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, he said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. Mark 8:34-35 NLT

Sister, Sister.... this might be the most crucial devotional we have ever dealt with... our soul salvation. Life can get so cumbersome with its demands and suggestions that it distracts us and discourages us from keeping the main things in life as the main things. The circumstances and situations do warrant our attention. .. but how do they make their way on the top of our list every time. They even make it on our list above Christ. We go to sleep with things on our minds... schedules that have no room for prayer or study of God's Word. We wake up with them on our minds and more. We are just winging our walk with Christ. Sister, have you ever fallen back on the statement... "God knows my heart." Come on, let's get real. That's a lame excuse for not prioritizing the one that loves you more than yourself; who hung, bled and died for you... He took the place that we deserved but yet Jesus calls us and we don't answer. Life is calling louder than the voice of God in our minds. We don't hear a thing but the demands of life and the empty pursuits we run after. When will this change? When will I recognize that eternity is at stake in my life. When will we realize the more we try to hang on to the world and life that has a fading existence, we lose it. When Jesus told us if we want to follow Him... self is the first thing to go. He told us that we have a cross to carry and I don't think any cross is made easy. For some reason Sister we keep thinking God is supposed to do everything we ask, not the other way around. When did the children start leading the parents? This might happen in society but not in the Kingdom of God! Sis, Jesus is calling your name loud and clear. He's calling you to holiness and righteousness. He's calling you to obedience and proper stewardship. He's calling you to forgiveness and peace. He's calling you to love others and spread His name.  It's time to respond while you have time. You may be born again but keep allowing the world( everything outside of Christ) to consume all your attention. Wake up!!! Our redemption is near. Let's set our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith.

Prayer Focus:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Forgive me for always placing everything before you. You deserve the highest place in my life. Help me to deny myself and take up the cross you have called me to bear and worship you with my life

In Jesus' Name
Amen

Application Exercise

One of the ways we can make sure that Christ is first in our lives and in our day is to start each day with devotional time. You can develop your own time with God. I's so many ways to approach it. You can Pray, read a devotional; study the scriptures.; worship and sing to the Lord. The important thing is to spend  intentional time with God. Early might not work for you Sister but, make your schedule around God not God around your schedule. This may not be conveinent but it is well worth it. 

Another practice to help make sure you are responding to Jesus ' call is to fellowship with other Believer's on a constant basis. This will strengthen your walk and help you stay accountable. Having an actual accountability partner is a great way to help you develop a consistent flow of all the new practices you will start to walk in. Be for certain Sis, you are not walking alone. Jesus is with you and so are we. Let's help one another to deny our desires, our ways, pick up our cross and follow Jesus.

The Team of Push Pause & Pray