Tough as what we have dealt with may sound, will all believers be disciples?

Jesus responded, “Stop your grumbling! The only way people come to me is by the Father who sent me—he pulls on their hearts to embrace me. And those who are drawn to me, I will certainly raise them up in the last day.” Jesus continued, “It has been written by the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God himself.’ If you are really listening to the Father and learning directly from him, you will come to me. For I am the only One who has come from the Father’s side, and I have seen the Father!….And when many of Jesus’ followers heard these things, it caused a stir. “That’s disgusting!” they said. “How could anybody accept it?” Without anyone telling him, Jesus knew they were outraged and told them, “Are you offended over my teaching? What will you do when you see the Son of Man ascending into the realm from where he came? “The Holy Spirit is the one who gives life, that which is of the natural realm is of no help. The words I speak to you are Spirit and life. But there are still some of you who won’t believe.” In fact, Jesus already knew from the beginning who the skeptics were and who his traitor would be. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one embraces me unless the Father has given you to me.” And so from that time on many of the disciples turned their backs on Jesus and refused to be associated with him. John 6:43-46,60-66 (TPT)

The word separates, and those called to discipleship stay not because they follow logic or their reasoning; but they take the word until they get the revelation of the word from the One who called them apart—perfectly setting up what the Lord said about the true disciples in John 17:6,8 (TPT).

“Father, I have manifested who you really are and I have revealed you to the men and women that you gave to me. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have fastened your Word firmly to their hearts.…And the very words you gave to me to speak I have passed on to them. They have received your words and carry them in their hearts. They are convinced that I have come from your presence. John 17:6,8 (TPT)

What then qualifies those that stay? John 17:17 (TPT)—obedience to Him, His instructions as spoken for this is the only way to gain understanding and enter into the covenant relationship given the hearer. Are you called of God, or it’s just a presumption or living just by the call of man?

Selah.

Pastor Afolabi Oladele