(Read Mat 8:16-22)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday we looked at the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law. All she had was a fever, but it was still important to Jesus. The man who had the power to heal leprosy also had the compassion to heal a common fever. With the fever gone Peter’s mother-in-law fixed the team dinner. That evening many demon possessed people were brought to Jesus. He simply spoke and the demons left the people. The Bible says Jesus then “healed all who were sick”.
It had not been long since Simon was fishing on the Sea of Galilee. He was now a full-fledged disciple of Jesus. Simon had a front row seat to Jesus’ ministry and I am sure he was amazed by the power flowing Jesus daily. It was a tremendous privilege to be in Jesus’ inner circle.
After healing those present Jesus told his disciples that they were about to go to the other side of the lake. It was then that a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you any place you go.” Jesus responded, “The foxes have holes to live in. The birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to rest.” This was not to say that Jesus had no place to sleep or that He could not afford a hotel room, as I have heard some erroneously say. Jesus’ point to the man wanting to go on the journey with Him was that the journey came with a cost. The young man would have to leave everything he knew and follow Jesus into the unknown. Jesus was not tied to a certain home. The disciples were not going to enjoy the comforts of a steady abode. Jesus was on a traveling journey and all those who wanted to participate had to endure the travel with Him. The young man opted not to go.
Another man chimed up and said, “Lord, I will follow you too, but let me go and bury my father first.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let those who are dead bury their own dead.” That may sound harsh to you, and it is probably not the vision of Jesus you normally have, but you must remember Jesus was on a mission. He waited 30 years to start a ministry that would only last three and a half years. Jesus did not have time to waste. If the young man wanted to follow Jesus, then he needed to be willing to leave at that moment, just like Peter did when Jesus gave him the offer. Peter walked away from his boat and his fishing business on the spot. That was the cost then and it is still the cost now!
So what does this mean to you today?
- Simon was willing to pay the cost of discipleship. He left everything to follow Jesus. What did he get in return? His destiny!
- In order for Simon the fisherman to become Peter the Apostle, he had to be willing to leave the life he had for the life Jesus was offering him. Peter made the choice, he paid the cost, he made the sacrifice. Are you willing to do the same?
- Many claimed to want to follow Jesus, but few were actually willing to pay the cost of discipleship. Are you willing to pay that cost today?
- There’s no success like Godly success. But that success comes with a price. God has never required any less than ALL of you.
- Godly success is not a matter of more trying, it is a matter of more dying. Simon had to die to self in order to become Peter, and you will have to die to self in order to become the person God called you to be.
- God has already given you the grace to succeed. He gave you the assignment and the grace for the assignment (2 tim 1:9). The only thing standing between you and Godly success is… YOU! You must be willing to pay the price. You must be willing to die to self. You must be willing to give up the life you have for the life God wants you to have. Are you willing to pay the price?
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. Your part is already done by grace. You made plans for me, You put Your divine empowerment IN me, You orchestrated my success, and You have given me divine favor. All that stands in the way of me and my divine success is ME! In order to become the person You birthed me to be, I must be willing to give up the person I became on my own. Before coming to know You I picked up habits, characteristics, customs, practices and ways that conflict with the life You birthed me to have. I established relationships, on my own, that will keep me from becoming the person You want me to be. I grew accustomed to things that are now counterproductive to my divine assignment. So now the question is squarely in my court. You have a great destiny for me, and I have a life I have grown accustomed to. In order for me to become the person I am called to be, I must be willing to die to self and give up some of the things I like; things that are now keeping me from becoming my true self. Your grace is there, but You are waiting to see if my faith will be there. I declare that it is. By faith I declare that I am willing to give up the life I have for the life You want me to have. I die to me. I decrease that You may increase in me. And as I do, You flow through me, and I become the person I was always intended to be. I am willing to pay the price for Godly success. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
