October 28, 2005

 

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

--Mark 8:34

 

When Leonardo da Vinci painted the beautiful picture of the “Last Supper,” there were several efforts made before the final portrait was completed. At one point, da Vinci was almost finished when he invited a friend to come by, take a look, and give his opinion. The friend studied the picture for a long while and then said, “The cups — the cups in the painting are the most magnificent works of art that I’ve ever seen!”

 

With that, da Vinci went to the canvas and painted the cups out and said to his friend, “You missed it. It’s not the cups. It’s Christ Jesus that I want you to see!”

 

Many years ago, I wrote seven signs to know you are following Jesus Christ in the flyleaf of my Bible that I had heard before.

 

I know that I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ when:

1.      I obey the Holy Spirit without hesitation or argument.

2.      I am committed to do the will of Jesus no matter what.

3.      I am available to serve Him anytime, anywhere, and at any cost without regard to circumstances.

4.      I recognize His ownership of my life (in my family, finances, future, and so on).

5.      Pleasing Him exceeds my desire to please myself and to please others.

6.      I look to Him as the source of all my needs and desires.

7.      To know Him intimately becomes the obsession of my life.

 

Away with cheap discipleship! What qualifies you to be a disciple is obedience — pure and simple. That is the passion of a follower of Jesus Christ — that in all things He might have the preeminence. Not the trivial things in our lives, but that Christ alone may be portrayed in our lives and be the main focus!

 

FOCUS YOUR EYES ON CHRIST AND PRAY THAT HE WOULD MAKE YOU A USEFUL INSTRUMENT AND DISCIPLE IN HIS HANDS.