Though None Go With Me: Move on With Jesus

Though none go with me. Not all people will stand by you…believe in your dreams or calling. Move on with Jesus.

I recently finished a 30-day devotional by a writing friend, Dr. O’Shea Lowery, Lord, Please Help Me: God’s Truth & Light for Dark Times.

And I thoroughly enjoyed each devotion and the practical application to my life. So I’m sharing an excerpt this week from one of the devotions.

Though None Go With Me

“As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?'” John 6:66-67 (NASB 1995)

God is bringing all of His children to their very own personal Promised Land—a place where He has assigned us to work and carry out His kingdom agenda.

…while journeying toward these ordained places, seasons may occur in which we find ourselves traveling alone—not aloof from God but from those to who we wished would have accompanied us. The guestion is, will we allow these moments to halt us in our journeys, or will we continue to follow Jesus?

David was the king of Israel, both blessed and anointed. Yet, on one particular day, David found himself fleeing for his life—not from an enemy or even a stranger but from Absalom, his very own son. David had to leave behind his home, his throne, and all that he loved. (See 2 Samuel 15:13-18)

Shea reminds us how we all experience those times in our lives when people who we trusted and loved rejected and betrayed us. And also times God had to step in and purposefully remove acquaintances from our lives who were unsafe or unhealthy.

Not All People

We experience these hard times. But here are 3 things from Dr. Lowery to remember:

Pray These Scriptures to Thank God

Do I thank God?

Because I’m quick to thank others.

Thank you rolls off my tongue when someone opens the door, a server brings me more water, a compliment comes my way, I receive needed help, and more.

But do we remember to thank God for so many blessings and His presence in our lives?

And sometimes we need reminding to say, “Thank you, God.”

Since I enjoy praying specific Bible verses, I’m sharing 10 Scriptures to pray.

Thank God: Scriptures to Pray

(1.) “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4 (ESV)

Prayer: Lord, I bless your holy name. You are matchless and deserve all the glory arnd honor due your name. I praise you, Lord, with thanksgiving for who you are, my God, and for all your wonderful attributes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(2.) “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1 (ESV)

Prayer: Father, thank you for your goodness to me. You’re a good, good Father. Thank you for your love toward me that lasts forever! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(3.) “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.” Isaiah 12:4b (ESV)

Prayer: Lord, I’m thankful for your wondrous works in my life. Help me exalt your name and share my testimony of salvation and Jesus to everyone who knows me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thank You, God

(4.) “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)

What I Control and What’s in God’s Hands

Have you ever wished for control? 

I’ve desired control over circumstances and specific areas of life. 

The no-control feeling reminds me of an amusement park ride. Because the controls are in the hands of the ride operator, not me or any other rider. 

So the few times friends talked me into a free-fall ride or roller coaster, I prayed the entire time for the Lord to get my feet back on the ground. 

It’s a helpless feeling. 

While the Lord continues to teach me how I’ve never had control, the struggle still sometimes rears its ugly head.

I believe God is always in control. And He’s on His throne. The Lord’s CEO of the world and my life. So if the Lord manages the world and all of creation, He certainly manages my life well.

But I discovered a few things within my control. And God controls everything else.

(1.) Attitude: What I Control

Why do parents, teachers, and coaches often ask for an attitude adjustment? Because for kids and adults alike, our attitude is something within our control. Attitude makes all the difference in tough circumstances, a relationship hiccup, an unwanted project at work, and so on. 

We learn a lot about attitude from Jesus.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5 (NASB, emphasis added)

(2.) Choices

4 Obedient Ways to Wait on God

I know. It’s so tough to wait on God.

But what if God orchestrates His works at the perfect time in our lives for His glory and sovereignty?

Even if things look and feel hopeless, His glory shows up in the choicest hour.

From Genesis to Revelation, stories of miracles and His mighty works grace the pages of God’s Word. The dead come back to life. Nature obeys the Creator’s voice—the rain comes or stops, the winds and waves cease or the sun doesn’t set.

Still further, a virgin gives birth to the messiah. A boy’s lunch of a few fish and bread multiplies to feed thousands.

The lame walk, the blind see, and the oppressed find freedom.

And there are many ways we see God in our daily lives. Like breath in our lungs, provision, mercy, heavenly wisdom, forgiveness, and so much more.

But His people also had to wait on God in biblical days and it’s no different in present day.

Wait on God

Not only does the Lord perform wonders for His people at the opportune time. But moments and miracles of faith require us to follow God’s instructions.

In Exodus 14, Moses leads the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. A place of physical and emotional bondage. As God’s people travel through the wilderness, the Egyptian ruler, Pharaoh, and his army pursue them.

The scene looked and felt hopeless. Have you been in this place before?

“And they said to Moses,…are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way and brought us out of Egypt?…it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness” Exodus 14:11-12. (Emphasis mine.)

The Israelites find themselves up against a huge barrier, the Red Sea. As they wait on the shore, the enemy closes in with no where for them to go.

But, I’m familiar with the it-would-have-been-better attitude. Are you?

More of Jesus and Less of Me

More of Jesus sounds like a good thing for His committed followers. And it IS my heart’s desire.

So I like how the Bible points us to this perspective through John the Baptist when he said,

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30 (NIV)

But what does this look like in our lives? A closer look at this passage in John 3 sheds some light for us.

(1.) There’s a God and it’s not me: More of Jesus

John the Baptist reiterated this to his listeners, “I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.” John 3:28b (NIV)

When we recognize Jesus as part of the Triune God with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, we know our limits. Because we realize how we are creations, not the Creator. Our humaness dwells in the natural, while Christ dwells in the supernatural realm.

And we realize who He is and who we are in Him—a vessel for His light and glory, not our own.

I let Jesus be Lord in my heart and life.

(2.) Jesus is from above and above all

“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” John 3:31 (NIV)

Jesus left the glory and splendor of heaven to come to earth. Both God and man, Jesus spent His ministry years teaching about heaven and things above.

Jesus, divine in nature, stands above all people, gods, kings, and earthly authority.

What Hope Feels Like in Jesus

Sometimes hope feels like a thing we are looking at from the outside. But we can know what hope feels like when we know Jesus.

Because we all search for real hope.

While the world offers many forms of hope, they soon fizzle and fade away.

But God made big plans to bring Hope to a hopeless people.

Hope’s birth took place in a lowly stable. Hope grew and carried out the heavenly Father’s will—even death on a cross. 

You see. hopeless never gets the last word.

Hope rose from the dead when Jesus Christ conquered the grave. 

So in Jesus, we can know what real hope feels like. Because we know Him.

H – Hope has a name, Jesus: Hope Feels Like

My favorite thing about hope is how it has a name, Jesus. Jesus came to die for me and for you—for our salvation and the salvation of all willing to embrace real hope in the Lamb of God.

God sent Jesus from the throne room of heaven to take our place. Beaten, bruised, and pierced with nails, His blood spilled on a cross. And He bestowed forgiveness on us to cover our sins.

Jesus saves us from condemnation, wrath, ourselves, other gods, and eternal death. But salvation also brings new and abundant life with Jesus as the Savior of our souls and a spiritual way of life. 

Jesus is our hope for this life and the next.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:13 (ESV, emphasis added)

When you know Jesus and your hope is fully set on His grace, it’s what hope feels like.

Unapologetic About My Faith in Jesus

The world seems to have gone half mad. Sadly, the madness often surrounds the foundations of the Christian faith. But I remain unapologetic.

Christian values are ridiculed. Or, spiritual and biblical principles are questioned as valid and relevant or relatable. But I remain unapologetic.

And people (and the enemy) try to convince us truth is relative and up for debate. Or, culture whispers in our ear, We each have our own version of truth—and that’s okay.

But it’s not okay.

If you follow this blog, you know I’ve experienced rude remarks on social media about my faith.

 Still, I’m unapologetic about the foundations of my faith.

Here are 3 key foundations to remain unapologetic about.

1.) Unapologetic about the Bible and its Truth

Not only does God’s Word never return void, it also never goes out of style like the changing times.

Jesus Rose From the Dead for You

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”  Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

I never want to get over how Jesus rose from the dead for me.

And He rose from the dead for you.

You see, it’s all about Jesus…every Easter, every Sabbath, and every day—life itself.

Because Jesus came to earth with “go big” plans from the Father.

Christ came to live among the people, teach God’s truths, love unconditionally, and heal others physically and spiritually.

Sentenced as an innocent man, Jesus was crucified at the hands of influential men.

And here’s the best go big part, He came to die for the sins of all mankind.

The Lamb, impeccable and without blemish, was torn and tattered for us.`

Eternal life purchased for us…the first Easter gift. God desires to call each of us one of His children. There are no boundaries or limitations, not age or gender or bloodline. We each meet the same eligibility requirements because Jesus became our bloodline on the cross.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’” John 11:25 (ESV)

Good Friday, The Darkest Day in History

Good Friday was the darkest day in the history of the world. When Jesus Christ, the Son of God, breathed His last breath.

Jesus Died on the Cross for You

If you were the only person on earth, Jesus would have come and died on the cross for you. 

Because your life is worth the cross. 

Still, it’s easy to believe things that are not true. 

Like God loves others but not me. 

Or it’s hard to make the cross and empty tomb personal—Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead all for me. 

Say this quietly in your heart or out loud:  My life is worth the cross. 

This is how much God loves you and me. 

Yes, Christ came for the whole world, but He also came for you. 

Think about that, meditate on it in your heart. 

Let’s look at supporting scriptures.

(1.)  Jesus loved you so much, He died on the cross for you.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV) 

Read John 3:16 again, inserting your name in place of “world” to make it personal. 

1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us” (ESV).

God created love and demonstrated love on Calvary’s cross through His Son—a show-and-tell affection.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me and Your provision of grace through Your Son. Help me to believe and know it was for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(2.)  Jesus took on your sin and spilled His blood to redeem you.

10 Wonderful Ways God’s My Father

I first met God at sixteen. Since that amazing-grace day, the Lord Almighty is my Father. 

And the Bible confirms this happens when we accept Christ as Savior, God’s gift of salvation.

“…God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba Father!’” Galatians 4:6b (NIV)

This meant everything to me then and now.

Because my earthly-father story includes chapters of abandonment, a longing to know my biological father, and dreams to be loved by a father.

And a redemptive ending that still amazes me.

God as our heavenly Father, rises above any father definitions we write into our stories. No matter our earthly-father experiences, God is Abba Father.

God Loves Me

(1) He adopted me.

Just as my stepfather helped raise me as his own daughter, God adopted me into His family.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Ephesians 1:5 (NLT)

(2) He loves me.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1a (ESV)

My biological father came back into my life and I finally realized that he did indeed love me.

God My Father Forgives