Shalom,

I really love this from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers!

Behold, we go up to Jerusalem. — Luke 18:31

 In the natural life our ambitions alter as we develop; in the Christian life the goal is given at the beginning, the beginning and the end are the same, viz., Our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him — until we all attain (RV) to the stature of the manhood of Christ Jesus, not to our idea of what the Christian life should be. The aim of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful, not to win the heathen; he is useful and he does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.

In Our Lord’s life Jerusalem was the place where He reached the climax of His Father’s will upon the Cross, and unless we go with Jesus there, we will have no companionship with Him. Nothing ever discouraged Our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned Our Lord one hair’s breadth away from His purpose to go up to Jerusalem.

“The disciple is not above his Master.” The same things will happen to us on our way to our Jerusalem. There will be the works of God manifested through us, people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude and the rest will show gross ingratitude, but nothing must deflect us from going up to our Jerusalem.

“There they crucified Him.” That is what happened when Our Lord reached Jerusalem, and that happening is the gateway to our salvation. The saints do not end in crucifixion: by the Lord’s grace they end in glory. In the meantime our watchword is — I, too, go up to Jerusalem.

Although we HAVE been commissioned to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20) and we KNOW that HE wants that NONE should perish, but that all should be saved (2 Peter 3:9), Jesus Himself said that THIS is the first and most important commandment: Matthew 22:37-38:

37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). 38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. AMP (Mark 12:29-30)

Remember that TRUE success is being where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do! We love Him by obeying Him, and by spending time in intimate fellowship with Him, loving what He loves and hating what He hates! In the process of walking out this love, we WILL be sent on special assignments sharing the Gospel. Some of these will take place every day in our own unique lives and circles of influence. Others will be in unique places, at unique times and in unique and different ways. The BASIS, though, for all of these MUST be our love and commitment to HIM first and foremost! Anything else will simply be dead works! Take the time that is needful, everyday, for YOU to keep yourself in this position! Be continually led with peace and joy and LOVE the life HE has given you! AMEN! Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "Close":

Shalom in Him!