WEEK 2 DAY 4
Faith Means Following
Devotional
In our culture, faith is often reduced to intellectual belief or emotional experience. But in Scripture, faith is inseparable from following. When Jesus called His disciples, He didn't ask them to merely believe certain facts about Him—He invited them to follow Him.
This truth is powerfully illustrated in Matthew 7, where Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. He goes on to say that many will claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in His name, yet He will declare, "I never knew you."
The sobering reality is that it's possible to have correct theology, emotional experiences, and even supernatural manifestations without truly following Jesus. Authentic faith always expresses itself in obedience—not perfect obedience, but a sincere desire to walk in Jesus's ways rather than our own.
Following Jesus means turning away from self-reliance, self-direction, and self-centeredness. It means submitting our plans, preferences, and priorities to His lordship. And it means joining Him in His mission to seek and save the lost.
When we understand that faith means following, we stop treating Christianity as a set of beliefs to affirm and start embracing it as a path to walk, a Person to follow, and a mission to join.
Bible Verse
"And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.' And immediately they left their nets and followed him." - Matthew 4:19-20
Reflection Question
If someone were to examine your daily decisions, time commitments, and priorities, would they conclude that you're actively following Jesus or merely believing in Him?
Quote
In the Bible, the only thing that faith means is following.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I've sometimes reduced faith to mental agreement rather than wholehearted following. Forgive me for the times I've called Jesus "Lord" without living under His lordship. Help me to demonstrate my faith through obedience and to follow Jesus in every area of my life. Amen.
In our culture, faith is often reduced to intellectual belief or emotional experience. But in Scripture, faith is inseparable from following. When Jesus called His disciples, He didn't ask them to merely believe certain facts about Him—He invited them to follow Him.
This truth is powerfully illustrated in Matthew 7, where Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. He goes on to say that many will claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in His name, yet He will declare, "I never knew you."
The sobering reality is that it's possible to have correct theology, emotional experiences, and even supernatural manifestations without truly following Jesus. Authentic faith always expresses itself in obedience—not perfect obedience, but a sincere desire to walk in Jesus's ways rather than our own.
Following Jesus means turning away from self-reliance, self-direction, and self-centeredness. It means submitting our plans, preferences, and priorities to His lordship. And it means joining Him in His mission to seek and save the lost.
When we understand that faith means following, we stop treating Christianity as a set of beliefs to affirm and start embracing it as a path to walk, a Person to follow, and a mission to join.
Bible Verse
"And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.' And immediately they left their nets and followed him." - Matthew 4:19-20
Reflection Question
If someone were to examine your daily decisions, time commitments, and priorities, would they conclude that you're actively following Jesus or merely believing in Him?
Quote
In the Bible, the only thing that faith means is following.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I've sometimes reduced faith to mental agreement rather than wholehearted following. Forgive me for the times I've called Jesus "Lord" without living under His lordship. Help me to demonstrate my faith through obedience and to follow Jesus in every area of my life. Amen.