Day 1

January 10 // Carl Jackson

Matthew 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus is telling his disciples to make disciples of all nations. What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower of Jesus Christ. Today Jesus is telling us through the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations, all races, all rich people, all poor people. The key word is ALL. Jesus does not want anyone to perish but have eternal life with Him and to have life more abundantly. Once a person has accepted Jesus Christ in their life, they become a disciple of Jesus and are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus wants us to teach all people to observe all that He commanded us to do. The two commands that come to my mind are “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If we could live out these two commandments, this world would be better, our nation would be better, our community would be better. We would not be having all this protesting, looting, and unjust killings. Everyone who is reading this devotion is my neighbor regardless of how rich you are, or how poor you are, no matter your political viewpoint, or your ethnic background. Jesus wants us to love one another and if you love me, you won’t hurt me. Paul said the greatest gift is love.

The good news is that Jesus lives and He lives in you and me. And if Jesus is with us and in us and for us, who can be against us. 

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your presence in our lives. We ask that you make us more like you. We pray that you would heal our world and our nation. Father God, we need you more now than ever before. Please let Your Holy Spirit, Your Love, Your Peace fall fresh on us. Father God, we pray for our nation and our leaders. We pray for the sick among us and we pray for all those who grieve. Father God, we thank You and praise Your Holy Name! We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus, the Christ.

Amen.