Follow me

When Jesus met someone for the first time, He challenged them with one Big Idea: "Follow me."

The word DISCIPLE is used 262 times in the New Testament.
The word is "mathetes", the basic root meaning is to be a learner, but it has much more content than that. The lexicons tell us that it means "one who shares a close and intimate relationship with a person." Leon Dafur in his wonderful study of the New Testament language says "The disciple is one who at Jesus’ call follows after Him. He must observe the will of God and even binding upon himself unreservedly to the person of Jesus, go as far as death and
the gift of his life out of love,"
Discipleship is more than just being a learner, being an intimate follower, having an intimate relationship, following to the point where you would go as far as death out of love. There's no question about the fact that the only message Jesus ever proclaimed was a message of discipleship.
The call that Jesus gave was a call to follow Him, a call to submission, a call to obedience. It was never a plea to make some kind of momentary decision to acquire forgiveness, peace, heaven and then go on living anyway you wanted. The invitations of Jesus to the lost were always direct calls to a costly commitment. In a country where the divorce rate is over 50%, how can anyone make that kind of commitment to follow Christ.
Luke 13:24 Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.7:14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
I truly believe that many people are going to be in for a shock when they stand before the Lord. This really pains my heart, and I think this is where a lot of my anxiousness comes from in my heart. People need to hear the truth, and not the watered down version they are hearing in Americas churches (not all churches, there are many teaching the hard truth). I know that His spirit is moving, and He will not let His people live a double life for long. Those He loves, He also disciplines.

Peace to you all!Tim