I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Jesus called His disciples and said, "Follow me".

It is hard to "Follow Jesus" when the world is stuck to your foot. Many of us have so much that holds us back: our family responsibilities, bills we have to pay, debts we owe, stuff we have.

That "stuff we have" is a big one. Throughout the years I have acquired so much of sentimental value. I have no one I can leave it to who would be interested in it.

I can't take it with me when I die, so what use is it to me?

I have learned to resent my "stuff."

I just want to survive. I want to be comfortable. I want to live abundantly.

By "abundantly" I don't mean to "have an abundance" of anything. I mean to be able to enjoy life at it's fullest, with nothing holding me back.

In Luke, Chapter 9, Jesus said: 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

What is the point of living if you can't keep what you work for? Those who work for the Kingdom get to enjoy the Kingdom for eternity.

As I said, this year, for me, is about preparation.

Luke 14:

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus is calling me.

And, soon, Jesus is coming back, and I want to be ready.

If He comes back in my lifetime, I want Him to look at my life and say, "Well done". He is not going to do that just because I have acquired great wealth or was able to accrue a good retirement. As a matter of fact, in the Bible, the word "retirement" doesn't exist.

I just want to be able to survive until He calls me home, giving Him the Glory for all I have, and praising Him for each day He gives me. I want the peace of knowing that I am doing all I can to enlarge His Kingdom, not mine.

I have been in training for this my whole life. It is time now to "take up my cross and follow Him."

Yes, I am going to face the judgment and ridicule of a lot of you out there. Some of you are going to throw up your hands and write me off. I hope you don't. I hope you follow me just to see what I am up to. I hope you are curious as to how God blesses me through all this. I hope you find answers through my experience.

My son has chosen a "home-FREE" life with the homeless. He has made bad decisions and bad choices, and his lifestyle is not one that I would have chosen for him. I am hoping that by also choosing a "Home-FREE" life, I can show him a better way with purpose that he can still obtain.

After all, I am supposed to set the example. I will do that by following the example that Christ gave me.

I pray he follows it before it is too late. I would love to travel this road with him.

There is so much he could show me as well. Jesus uses everything we have learned to do the job He has called us to be.