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Monday, June 1, 2015

The Way, the Truth, the Life: How to Follow Jesus Today

First, Jesus is alive.  
He is not dead. 
He rose from the grave and ascended to sit down at the Father's right hand. 


So, not being dead means.... we can actively follow him today.  
  • Not as a concept or good set of principles. 
  • Not as a book.  Not as a dead God who said everything already. 
  • Not like an idol in which we fill in all the blanks.
  • Not like and idol which is not capable of interactive relationship



As Jesus Christ, Lord of Heaven and Earth, who is building and growing his Kingdom every moment until all things come under his feet.  Ephesians 1:10  Isaiah 9:7

Jesus made this point to the Pharisees. 
God of the living not the dead....Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

http://drpaulose.com/spirituality/he-is-risen-indeed-he-is-risen

"But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB '? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." 33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

Following Jesus in the way is astonishing.  



The Pharisees struggled on this point. 



1. They studied the Scripture but missed the Word (logos) who was standing in front of them. 
"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.…


2. They piled precept on precept and missed the core reality that God is living and the God of the living.  He is full of mercy and grace and by loving kindness he wins the hearts of the lost.
1"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."   Matthew 23

 



With these things in mind here is a simple pathway to understanding how to follow Jesus today.  

https://incaelo.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/eighth-station-jesus-meets-the-women-of-jerusalem-who-weep-for-him/aption


 Jesus is the Way  - Jesus is the literal path or way to follow.  

 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.…
A literal way, Jesus.   The Father sent him.  Jesus fulfilled all righteousness.  Jesus sent the Spirit who points us into Christ and shows us how to walk today.  The trinity God is magnificent in love, service, honor and grace.  John 16:12-14

The Apostle John says,   "Walk the way he walked"  I John 1:
Jesus walked in the will of the Father.  
We are called to walk with the Spirit's lead in everything.  Especially the core roads of our lives.
Our lives are an offering.  (Rom 12:1-2)
So walk as an offering.   Eyes open, heart full of love, encouragement and hope streaming from your life and follow Jesus into the life he calls you to.  
Pick up his mission of love for the world 
Pick up his worship of the Father
Move out into the life of prayer and worship and intercession.
Proclaim his saving NAME in every tribe, language and nation - then the end comes!

John 1:1  
The logos or word was in the beginning.  Colossians says he created everything.  
Ephesians says it was all made by him and for him. 

Everything begins and ends in Jesus Christ.   He is the Alpha and Omega - the beginning and the end.   He is the voice the Father is speaking through.   Hebrews 1
Find your life hidden in him.  Col 3:1-3
Then build your life each day in the way he shows you.  

KEY - Activate walking after Jesus today.
Is the core focus of your life rooted and established in Jesus?
Is your career, work, or main use of time founded in what you understand to be the will of Jesus for you? 
Are you living in the place he has called you to live? 
Is the core activity of your life abiding in the presence of Jesus 24/7?  


John 15 Study this chapter for deeper insights in abiding on the Way and in The Way.


2. Jesus is the Truth - the Promise in the Face of Death

The truth speaks life through promise.  Jesus speaks life to us in promise.  Promise of new life in the resurrection power of new creation.   His words are truth.  They penetrate the darkness.  They renew the mind and our mindsets. 

The key avenue to activate truth is through the promises of God.  
Peter points us in this direction. 
"...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust".   2 Peter 1;4 

  • The Promises of life in Jesus directly contradict the Death and the world that is fading away.  (John 14:6)
  • The promise of sins forgiven in the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1)
  • The promise of new life (2 Tim 1:1)
  • The promise of the Holy Spirit coming upon us.  (Acts 1:8)
  • The promise of access to the Father's heart   (Rom 8:15)
  • The promise of love that we will never be separated from  (Rom 8:31-39)
  • On and on the list goes.  

Truth is living and active.  It causes movement in the Spirit.  Truth is not a concept or a principle to try and activate yourself.  The power of the Kingdom of God is resident in the work of Jesus.  Activate the truth of the work of Jesus in you.  That is the way to victory and progress in divine character.  All the Truth we are "walking in" is in the Lord Jesus and the work he accomplished in the Father's will through the Spirit's power.  

Key - Activate the promises of God in your life today. 
Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to find and focus on the key promises required to bring you through the season you are in in love, faith, hope and power of the Holy Spirit.  


3. Jesus is the Life  

Zoe.  Life.  Real living and active power through the Holy Spirit.  
Jesus is the testimony that is prophecy.  That is he is living and active truth and life for everyone on the planet.  
"Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev 19:10

In Jesus.....
"...which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Col 2:2-3

Speaking about Jesus, testifying of his work and glory, worshiping Jesus, proclaiming the gospel of salvation in Jesus is the living word that changes everything. 

The message of the Apostles of Jesus was Jesus and everything about his life and mission translated to the living and active way in walking after him and following him. 

He is the firstborn and the cornerstone of the Church. 
He is the subject of all prophecy - it must be rooted and established in him and call us into deeper life in him. 
Telling of his works and the power he brings to change us is the spirit of prophecy today. 


  • Jesus is the mystery revealed.  
  • Jesus is prophecy.
  • Jesus is life.  Living and active logos.  
  • In Jesus our inheritance is hidden.  

Key - Activate your inheritance in Jesus Christ. 
I Tim 1:18  Remember the encouragements from your Spiritual Fathers and leaders who laid hands on you and blessed you and sent out into harvest fields.   Wage war with them.  Fight the good fight in these encouragements.  Encounter Jesus, the Word today.  Pursue him and his presence.  Agree with your heart and "seek his face" Ps 27:8  Abide in such a way that you know that your life for the day is found in him and his presence.  Then go deeper.  Start pulling down with prayers and petitions and intercession the inheritance that is yours hidden in Christ Jesus. 



Comments?  Ideas? Testimonies?  
Send those to me.  
Thanks for +1's and re-shares. 


Other posts that may interest you:







3) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/07/never-be-lacking-in-zeal-need-some.html



Thanks for reading. 
The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you.
Testimonies?  Share em with me.  
Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!

With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing!  He's got you. 


Jeff Reynolds   ---
Brother Jeff



jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com

 

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