“That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4:1)

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18)

In the first instance, the disciples lost focus of WHO told them they WOULD go to the other side. There was never a doubt in the mind of Jesus they would end up on the other side of the lake.

The same Jesus, with the same authority, told us to go make disciples.

We are thankful that our co-laborers in central Africa understand and walk under His authority.

Even as the quarantine was being put in affect in central Africa, they completed 13 outreaches and conferences the first of March and witnessed 529 accept Jesus and are now sharing the good news with others even as they observe the conditions of the quarantine in their respective countries. The limited person to person witnessing, is drawing more people in family units to faith in Christ, and social media, including the ongoing radio broadcasts, are reaching still others. When Jesus commands us to go and make disciples, He has the authority to make sure that even the gates of hell can’t stop the mission.

The difference between a fan and a follower lies in understanding what it is to be DEVOTED. Jesus was devoted to do the will of the Father, no matter what the cost.

God’s Word clearly gives us the promise that – “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being save.”

On condition that: “They DEVOTED themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. EVERYONE was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had EVERYTHING in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. EVERYDAY they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THEIR NUMBER DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.” (Acts 2:42-47)

The Greek word for DEVOTED is “proskartereo”.

Definitions:

(1) To adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one;

(2) To be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing;

(3) To continue all the time in a place;

(4) To persevere and not to faint;

(5) To show one’s self courageous for;

“Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake , so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body.”
2 Corinthians 4:10-11)

A young boy, the son of a missionary, had heard his father say to the native congregation that if each Christian in that particular city would win fifty to Jesus the entire city would be Christianized. Without reservation this twelve-year-old boy accepted his share of the responsibility. Every day he would pray for a boy friend of his who was a Hindu. Such successful personal work was done that after a few months the boy friend was baptized. Radiant with happiness the lad watched the baptism, and said to his father, “Only forty-nine left for me now, Dad.”
Oh, that our faith were so simple that we would look to the Master for power to win against the enemy of souls!