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Where He Leads, I’ll Follow

In A Christmas Story set in post-WWII America, Ralphie swears while helping his dad change a flat tire but doesn’t want to let his parents know that he had heard that word from his father when his dad daily battled their ancient furnace.  Fathers can be a bad example or a good one to their kids; they are certainly always influencing and leading.  Our heavenly Father’s example is always good, and He always leads us in good ways.  Are you following where He leads?

I. Matthew 8:18-22.  As Jesus urges His disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee when the Capernaum crowd begins to press in upon Him, a scribe asks to follow.  Jesus tells him of the hard life that will befall those who obey the gospel (Ephesians 2:1-6) and don’t make this world their home (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).  But it is a life full of sweet promises as the title song tells us:

Sweet are the promises, Kind is the word, Dearer far than any message man ever heard; Pure was the mind of Christ, Sinless I see; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

II. John 13:12-38.  Another disciple coming to Jesus at the same time desires to follow Jesus as well but wants to wait until his father dies.  Jesus tells him that following Jesus has urgency and priority in life.  So much love did He have for the living that He doesn’t want us to die outside of Him.  So, He led the way for us to love others by giving us the example of dying for them (1 John 3:16-18).

Sweet is the tender love Jesus hath shown, Sweeter far than any love that mortals have known; Kind to the erring one, Faithful is He; He the great example is, and pattern for me.

III.  Matthew 11:25-30.  Peter state emphatically that he will follow Jesus even to death but is told that he will soon deny Jesus three times.  Actions speak louder than words, and Jesus’ led to the cross.  So, we have a traveling companion in our following so we won’t grow weary.  We can believe or trust or lean upon our Savior who leads the way (is the Way) to our eternal home (John 14:1-6).

List to His loving words, “Come unto Me!” Weary, heavy laden, there is sweet rest for thee; Trust in His promises, Faithful and sure; Lean upon the Savior and thy soul is secure.

There’s determination in the chorus: Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow all the way; Where He leads I’ll follow, Follow Jesus ev’ry day.  You may sing, “Where He Leads, I’ll Follow,” but do you?

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In a Strait Betwixt Two

Struggling with the ghosts and monsters that glorify death at this time of year, many Christians focus on the delights of the Fall season instead.  Rather, we have an opportunity with those who still fear death (or believe that’s the scariest thing in this life) to teach them that Jesus has conquered death (Philippians 1:19-24).

I.  Hebrews 2:14-15.  Though Paul was suffering in prison, he states that by his life or by his death, Christ would be glorified in his body.  While we often place our comfort over our character, Paul had adopted God’s perspective on death, knowing, as the Hebrew writer says, that Jesus had destroyed the one who had the power of death and freed us from the slavery of the fear of death.  Sadly, many love the world still (1 John 2:15-17) and live in their bondage to this fear.

II.  Philippians 3:8-11.  Paul knew that this temporary world could not offer what was ‘far better’ with Christ.  Often, though, we assign eternal status to the temporary and work to live forever in this world that is passing away, becoming a friend to this world and an enemy to God (James 4:1-4).  Looking to avoid the sufferings that Jesus endured while in this life, we exchange that which is ‘far better’ for worldly pleasures and so forfeit the resurrection.

III.  1 Corinthians 15:42-58.  Unlike many today who have grown comfortable in this life, Christians should view, as Paul did, that our time here is for a purpose to have an impact on those around us.  And, just as those who served others didn’t recognize that they were doing these things for Jesus when they did them for others (Matthew 25:37-40), we too must realize that time here is “necessary on [another’s] account” and abound in our work for the Lord.

So, how do you feel when someone dies in the Lord or think about your own eventual death?  Do you fear death or are you joyful that you used the time that God has given you to live faithfully and play a role in getting others through the gates of heaven?

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I Want to Be a Soul Winner

In the movie version, based on the WWII story of conscientious objector Desmond Doss who saved 75 men on Hacksaw Ridge, the combat medic, exhausted and abandoned by his infantry company for dead, powerfully cries out, “Just one more, Lord,” as he lowers the wounded one by one down the cliff edge.  This should be our attitude towards evangelism, not just one aspect of church life that we’ll get to if we can or have time but the vehicle through which we conduct our Christian walk (1 Corinthians 9:16-27).

I.  Do you want to be a soul winner for Jesus every day?  Paul describes his preaching of the gospel that “necessity is laid upon me,” that “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel,” and that he has been “entrusted with a stewardship.” Are you similarly compelled?  What return are you making on the investment that has been entrusted to you (Matthew 25:14-30)?  How often we sing, “I want to be a soul winner for Jesus every day …,” but do we mean it?

I want to be a soul winner for Jesus ev’ry day, He does so much for me; I want to aid the lost sinner to leave his erring way, And be from bondage free.

II.  Do you want to be a soul winner and bring the lost to Christ?  Paul’s compulsion made it so that everything he did “in word or deed” was done “in the name of the Lord Jesus” Colossians 3:17.  Is what Christ has done for us through the gospel also convict us to “become all things to all people that by all means [we] might save some”?  Do you view your life as not your own because you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and so must persuade others (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)?

I want to be a soul winner and bring the lost to Christ, That they His grace may know; I want to live for Christ ever, and do His blessed will, Because He loves me so.

III.  Do you want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for you?  It’s evident that Paul understood that his very eternal reward was at stake, and so being a soul winner was the operating system through which he lived his life (Romans 6:4-11) in Christ.  He wanted to run his race in such a way as to win the prize and the only choices were to be disciplined or to be disqualified.

I want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for me, To lay my burdens down; I want to hear Him say, “Servant, you’ve gathered many sheaves, Receive a shining crown.”

Do you truly want to be a soul winner for Jesus?

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True and Living God

Sovereign God of heaven and earth:

You are God, the true and living God,
You are light and love, compassion and power,
You are everywhere and near,
Always present in my life.

You are God, creator of all,
God who leads and opens the way,
God who wins our hardest battle,
Always blessing your humble children.

Over body, heart and soul,
Reign and rule in Kingdom grace,
God of me and Lord of mine,
Let me see in heaven your face.

In Christ the Lord and Savior, I pray, Amen.

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For Certain People

For certain people my prayers ascend,
My list is long, with foe and friend —
O God who made all things, please hear,
For what I humbly ask is clear.

As much as I desire for them
Good health and home — this but the hem —
O Savior, Lord of trial and test,
Eternal life is my request.

All else will fail — all else will cease —
So why appeal for earthly increase?
O Planner of grace since time began,
May all enjoy in heaven its span.

To save forever, to earth Christ came —
O Father, who gives to man his name,
For their redemption I make my plea —
For this is what I want for me.

Discover what is necessary to have eternal life and redemption with Richard Mansel’s book, The Most Important Question.

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This Life of Contradictions

This life of contradictions, full
of nonsense, fallacious reasons — charged,
impassioned pleas — hard, stubborn will —
a soul by pain and suffering forged.

Like Earth with lava at its core —
volcanoes rise, the ground quakes —
within the soul boil fear and ire,
abruptly and often, the surface cracks.

In Heaven is calm, the city of peace —
no siren’s scream, no surging sea —
O Lord! Above, where passions cease,
— prepare a place for me.

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We Will Not Live Only Once

O God eternal, it is not true, you know,
That we only live once.
We shall live again.
We will be raised from the dead.
We will appear before your judgment throne.
We will enter eternity.
We will suffer horribly or enjoy every rich blessing from your hand.
And our choices here and now will determine our destiny.
O God of all goodness, help me choose this day to love and serve you.
Strengthen my heart to be a person of integrity.
Put steel in my will, that I might do your will.
Clear my mind of all distractions, in order to learn from Jesus
And follow him in all things.
I want to go to heaven.
Make this not to be a mere wish, but a reality.
Because Jesus is mine, and I am his.

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With You I Am Well Pleased

A humorous series of pictures on social media shows dogs’ expressions before and after being told that they are “good dogs.”  We, too, want to hear from God one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but are we willing to make it our goal to please Him and walk in obedience?

I.  John 12:42-43.  Ever donate to some cause just to get a trinket in return?  Though our motives are often selfish, we often tell ourselves that we attend church and do good deeds because we love God and others.  But, it is with ourselves mostly that we are pleased.  Fear of many things keep us from obeying God’s commands and pleasing Him.  We must be careful not to be at home in this world (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

II.  Mark 1:9-11.  The life of Jesus is a good study in how to live to be pleasing to God.  When He was baptized, we see His Father expressing this.  We also see this at His transfiguration in Matthew 17:5.  We understand that Jesus pleased God because He was even obedient to death (Philippians 2:5-8), but the great thing is that through His obedience, He gave us the opportunity to please God (Hebrews 5:7-9).

III.  1 Corinthians 10:1-6.  God is not a soccer mom who has an over-inflated view of His child.  Nor does He lavish fake praise when He knows how separated from Him because of sin we are.  Heaven is not a participation trophy!  Instead, we are warned not to repeat the sins of those who have gone before us because God was not pleased with them.  By living by faith, we are able to please Him (2 Corinthians 5:6-10).

No, we don’t earn our way into heaven by good works, but we must be an obedient child to one day hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  That would not be possible for us to hear if Jesus had not gone before us and obeyed perfectly to the cross.

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To Awake to Joy

To awake to joy unmixed with pain,
Eternal life unmarred by death,
Communion free of hurtful sin —
O God, secure me on this path!

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Lessons in the Storm

A huge winter storm, dumping 18+ inches of snow on the North Country, is expected to continue through today, so we’ve cancelling our classes and worship service out of safety concerns.
My observations: shoveling snow during a storm with strong winds blowing is a great illustration of our Christian walks in the midst of a sinful world.
1. We must first prepare to begin the task by bundling up. No Christian should face the day without the armor of God!
 
2. It will be difficult and leave us exhausted. We must brace ourselves for the task, filling up with good spiritual food and trusting in God’s strength, mercy, and grace to get us through.
 
3. There often won’t be a great return for our labor. The snow may blow in the trough behind you and make you question the effort you’re putting in, but our labor for the Lord is never in vain.
 
4. God gives us fellow workers along the way. A good friend with a plow on the front of his truck, who had been plowing since 4 a.m., took a few passes on my driveway and encouraged me immensely!
 
5. Warm rest is waiting when the labor’s done! Just the thought of a cup of hot coffee by the wood stove was enough to keep me going. Heaven awaits God’s faithful servants!