Daily Devotional
By Pastor Jerry Teboe
A Closer Walk with Christ in 2026
A Walk with the Master Series
Discipleship
Mark 8:34-38
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mar 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mar 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
After Jesus had made His declaration about His coming death, burial, and resurrection, which was greatly misunderstood by the twelve, He called others who were nearby and began to teach about discipleship. His definition of discipleship is seen in the following. Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Discipleship is an opportunity for those who are willing to step into the Lord’s ministry. A well-known theologian had the following to say about this subject.
Discipleship is a matter of profit and loss, a question of whether we will waste our lives or invest our lives. Note the severe warning Jesus gives us here: once we have spent our lives, we cannot buy them back! Remember, He was instructing His disciples, men who had already confessed Him as the Son of God. He was not telling them how to be saved and go to heaven, but how to save their lives and make the most of their opportunities on earth. “Losing your soul” is the equivalent of wasting your life, missing the great opportunities God gives you to make your life count. You may “gain the whole world” and be a success in the eyes of men, and yet have nothing to show for your life when you stand before God. If that happens, though you did own the whole world, it would not be a sufficient price to give to God to buy another chance at life.
Is there any reward for the person who is a true disciple? Yes, there is: he becomes more like Jesus Christ and one day shares in His glory. Satan promises you glory, but in the end, you receive suffering. God promises you suffering, but in the end, that suffering is transformed into glory. If we acknowledge Christ and live for Him, He will one day acknowledge us and share His glory with us. (copied)
With this understanding of discipleship, let’s apply our hearts and lives to follow and serve the Lord. The hardships of this life do not compare to the glory which God has in store for us when we do. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
Bible Reading for the Year
April 8th, 1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 12:1-34
Prayer Needs
Pray for Dr. Joe Jordan who had an angioplasty on Thursday, March 12th. They found one artery was 70% blocked. The date for his coronary artery bypass surgery is Thursday, April 9th.
Pray for Kathy Radkins and her husband who are going through hard times due to medical issues and lack of work.
Please continue to pray for Jennifer Teboe Buchamer. She had her treatment of Keytruda on Thursday the 26th. She has had some pain recently. She has a CT scan coming on April 17th.
Please pray for Phil Corey in his continual dialysis treatments. Please pray for Michelle and for Doris too. Doris is having problems with her blood pressure.
Please pray for Robbie Harvey, Barbara Teboe’s nephew, who has MAC lung disease. He fell and broke several ribs. He is now home from the hospital but in a lot of pain.
Please continue to pray for Beth Buchta that her hip will completely heal. She saw the doctor the other day and found she was overusing her hip. Her recovery can take up to a year.
Please pray for Madison Bowers Millwee. She is now at 32 weeks and is doing well. Everything is relatively stable at this point. She will continue modified bedrest until she delivers.
Please continue to pray for Marvin Silverthorne for his eyesight to improve.
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Pray for our Missionaries!
Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia
Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries)
Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia