Kyle Idleman - Not a Fan, Daily Devotional

ZONDERVAN

Not a Fan Daily Devotional

Copyright 2016 by Kyle Idleman

ePub Edition January 2016: ISBN 978-0-310-34412-4

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Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Idleman, Kyle.

Not a fan daily devotional : 75 days to becoming a completely committed follower of Jesus / Kyle Idleman.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-310-34409-4 (softcover) ISBN 978-0-310-34412-4 (ebook)

1. Christian life. 2. Christian life Churches of Christ authors. I. Title.

BV4501.3.I355 2015

242'.2 dc23

2015033700

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Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Not a Fan is a registered trademark of City on a Hill Studio, LLC.

Published in association with Donald W. Gates Jr. C/O The Gates Group, 1403 Walnut Lane, Louisville, KY 40223

Cover photography: TongRo Images / Thinkstock

Interior design: Kait Lamphere

First Printing December 2015

contents

A special thanks to Brian Sites for all of his help in turning the Not a Fan message into a daily devotional. He doesnt just communicate the message, he lives it, and I am thankful for his encouragement and example over the past twenty-five years.

T he journey really does start here: learning to be a committed follower. It could be tempting to jump ahead in a desire to be a spiritual leader. It might sound more productive to prescribe twenty-five days of action steps designed to transform your spiritual life. But it all begins with making a simple decision to follow and learning what it means to live that out daily.

Many Christians and churches work so hard to turn discipleship into a program or curriculum. While those tools can be helpful, the most committed disciples are those who walk closely with their teacher. What does the LORD require of you?... to walk humbly with your God (Mic. 6:8). Disciples follow well when they know the teacher well.

For these first twenty-five days of our journey together, I simply want to encourage you to deepen your relationship with Jesus. Really get to know him better, again, or maybe for the first time. Even more than that, I pray that knowing him more intimately will lead to following him more passionately. Thats why youll see a daily challenge at the end of each devotion, giving you a practical way to Follow Today. Wherever you are on your faith journey, I hope youll take the next step toward Jesus. None of us has yet arrived. I think youll find the closer you walk in relationship with him, the more committed a follower youll become.

Jesus said to his disciples, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Matthew 16:2425

A re you a follower of Jesus?

Its the most important question you will ever answer, and it seems like a good place to begin this journey: Are you a follower of Jesus?

I know. Youve been asked this question before. Because its so familiar there is a tendency to dismiss it. Not because it makes you uncomfortable. Not because its especially convicting. The question is dismissed mostly because it feels redundant and unnecessary. You recognize that this is an important question for many to consider, but for you? Well, its like walking into a Boston pub and asking, Who cheers for the Red Sox? Its an important question, but youre so sure of your answer, your mind quickly dismisses it. But before you move on too quickly, let me clarify what I am not asking. I am not asking if you go to church or if your parents and grandparents are Christians. I am not asking if you raised your hand at the end of a sermon or repeated a prayer after a preacher. I am not asking if you spent your summers at VBS and/or church camp, have ever worn witness wear, or understand phrases like traveling mercies and sword drill.

Many of us are quick to say, Yes, Im a follower of Jesus, but Im not sure we really understand what we are saying. One of the most sobering passages in the Bible tells of a day when many who consider themselves to be followers of Jesus will be stunned to find out that he doesnt even recognize them. Jesus describes a day when everyone who has ever lived will stand before God. On that day many who call themselves Christians and identify themselves as followers will stand confidently in front of Jesus only to hear him say, I never knew you. Away from me. To be clear, thats not my opinion or my interpretation; that is what Jesus has said will happen. Read Matthew 7:2123.

Whether youve just assumed you are a follower of Jesus or are faithfully walking with him, I pray this devotional journey will encourage you along the way as you reaffirm your commitment to follow him not perfectly but wholeheartedly. And remember we are invited to follow by the grace of God, and it is his grace that will give us the power we need along the way.

following today

Recall that time you first decided to follow Jesus. Where were you? What prompted you to respond? What, if anything, changed about you in those first days and weeks? Write down your answers to these questions: Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you currently living out that decision?

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:1314

E arly on in my preaching and teaching, I tried to talk people into following Jesus by portraying discipleship as appealing, comfortable, and convenient. My intentions were good, but my interpretation was bad.

One of the reasons I wrote the book Not a Fan was to consider how Jesus defined what it means to follow him, to be more than just a fan of his. Its also why I keep looking for new ways to encourage people to seek Jesus daily, instead of waiting for someone, even a pastor like me, to spoon-feed them. Most of our praying should involve sitting at Jesus feet and listening to his strong words with a humble heart and open eyes.

I really hope that when you picked up this book, you werent looking for a book about Jesus the T-ball coach, who will pat you on the head at the end of each game and tell you not to forget your free snow cone before you go home. When Jesus described the life of a follower, he described a risky adventure down a narrow and difficult path that only a relatively few will take. The Jesus I know and preach about is unsettling. He is countercultural in an uncool way. And he loves you so much that he tells you the truth even when it is hard to hear. Its