...someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go” (Luke 9:57).

How many times I have boastfully said: “Here am I Lord, send me” while thinking to myself, “As long as Your plans do not conflict with my plans.”

And Jesus reveals me for what I truly am (John 2:25). It is there that I realize the depth of my depravity and the grandeur of His Kingdom possibility. It is there, if I am willing, that the King of Kings can either destroy my lofty aspirations or I continue in my treason. He says, "...the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

There is no place for loyalty to anything or anyone above Christ Jesus. When He calls, I must answer or find myself in resolute conflict and absolute misery. Obedience is the key that unlocks the door of inner turmoil.

And then there are those times when the time is seemingly inappropriate to me, but divinely orchestrated. From all appearances, my response may seem to be in agreement, but upon honest scrutiny, my disobedience is cloaked with a conjunction: "Lord, I will follow You, but ... (Luke 9:61)." My reservation becomes my restriction. My disobedience becomes my diversion and I miss the opportunity of joining my Father in His work.

Recently I heard it taught that Jesus was a homeowner, therefore, the teacher went on to explain, Jesus was a man of prosperity (this particular prosperity teaching seems to pop up every so often). Now, the point is not to argue the vice or virtue of prosperity, but I am opposed to wresting Scripture to validate carnality. Without question, my flesh wants nothing more than to be pampered and fed and satiated and to grow fat and lazy and comfortable. Yet, Jesus said: “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

If we are to follow Christ, we must lay aside the thoughts of wanting great things, making great things, and having great things in the world – even if what we purpose appears to be noble, and right and honorable. On more than one occasion I have attempted to do great things for God, but in the end, it was all about me and meeting some hidden desire within or to satisfy my thirst to be remembered across the centuries. We must deny ourselves, and take up our cross.

A disciple is called to be a minister and must not entangle himself with the affairs of this world (2 Tim. 2:4). There is no excuse for disobeying the call of Christ.

Jesus said: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’’ (Luke 9:62).

Those who begin with the work of God must resolve to go on with it, or they will make nothing of it. To look back is to draw back and drawing back is a very dangerous position. He that endures to the end shall be saved.

We are haunted by the idea of eternity so we must ask ourselves will we be remembered by how devotedly we served, how fiercely we loved, how bravely we fought, how deliberately we died.

We are pilgrims, sojourners, disciples - simply passing through foreign territory. When God calls, start going and never stop.

Grow in grace and truth,

Doug Morrell

CORE Notes From Doug