John and Judas Iscariot, were among the twelve disciples of Jesus. However, both were absolutely opposite in their character. John, who was also called John the divine, loved Jesus with all his heart. While Judas followed Jesus outwardly, but never followed Him with his heart.

Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (ref. Matthew 26:15). While John stood with Jesus even until he was hung on cross, so much so that Jesus gave the responsibility of his earthly mother, Mary also to John (ref. John 19:26-27).

While Judas died and was wiped out of God’s plan of eternity. John, was the apostle who taught the Church importantance of love and obedience. The epistle of John is powerful witness testimony of the divinity of Jesus. His love for Jesus oozes through his writing.

As a child of God, therefore, we must learn to follow God through all of our heart, our followership should not be a superficial demonstration but, an outcome of our true love for Him. All God wants is your heart, if your heart is for Him, everything that concerns your life will work in perfect harmony with God’s eternal plan for you.

Confession:
I keep my heart and mind stayed on my Lord, Jesus Christ. I refuse to be swayed by any person, idea or element of this world. I follow Jesus with all my heart, all my spirit and all my body. I have decided to follow Jesus, and I’m not turning back. Amen!!

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Apostle Paul was called the Saul of Tarsus before he became a follower of Jesus Christ. He wasn’t one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, and neither did he ever meet Jesus, while Jesus was on earth. He was a persecutor of Christians until one day he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus. In Acts 9: 4-6 we see, “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

Once, this happened Jesus called Saul of Tarsus into ministry and he became Paul the Apostle. Jesus said to Paul,” …for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen…” (Acts 26:16).

Apostle Paul and his passion for the Lord caused him to take the Gospel around the world. Most of the New Testament are letters of Apostle Paul to the different Churches, he led. He didn’t just become a disciple of Jesus, he raised disciples of Jesus around the world. He may not have walked with Jesus through the streets of Israel, but he truly walked with Jesus in Spirit and Word. Paul did not let his past overshadow the fact that he was chosen by God. His powerful statement in Philippians 3:13-14 throws light on it: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

As Christians we must also learn to embrace the grace, we have received in the Lord Jesus and leave our past behind, and press towards the mark for the prize of high calling. We must let the Lord use us, and change ourselves as his spirit leads us. It’s through the Spirit of God, that Apostle Paul changed from a man of religious hate and violence to a man of love. Let the Spirit of God lead you as per the will of God, and transform you through His Word.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you that your grace causes me to move forward. I leave my past behind and move ahead living for God’s glory. The Holy Ghost lives in me; He works in me! He carries out His ministry through me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen

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Matthew was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is the author of the first Gospel account of the New testament, in the Bible.

Matthew was a tax collector before Jesus called him. In our main verse, we see that when Jesus said to him, “follow me”, he at once left his work and started to follow him. When we study the scriptures, we understand that, Matthew never got back to his job as a tax collector. One command of Master Jesus, changed Matthew and his life forever. It was a simple ‘yes’ from his end, and his life turned from sinner to an Apostle of the Gospel. Matthew’s account of Jesus Christ helps join the Old Testament prophecies to the walk of Jesus on earth, thus establishing through his writings that Jesus is the Messiah.

As Christians we must learn from the attitude of Matthew; he was prompt to act upon the call of Jesus. He didn’t care about anything else but Lord’s call. We must also set our focus on Jesus. There are enough distracting elements in this life on earth, but when we set our focus right on our Lord Jesus Christ, we are set for a life which is higher and above this world.

Prayer:
Precious Heavenly Father, I thank you for your grace, which makes me limitless. Thank you for calling me unto this Gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand firm on my calling and refuse to be moved, in Jesus Name. Amen

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