Follow Me
October 6, 2014
As I was walking through my home Saturday afternoon, I heard two words and they were Follow Me! I know that this was something that I had heard and read in the Word of God before and as always, I look for confirmation from The Lord if this is what He would have me to speak on.
I got that confirmation Sunday morning at Bishop Robert Gilchrist's Church, Body of Christ Church in Erwin, North Carolina when the praise team and Minister Nevada Banks allowed God to use them to minister to the people.
I began to search the scriptures for reference and for passages for this message and of course I found them and I will give them to you in a little while.
As I was thinking about that I thought about how we have all at some time or another in life, especially those of us that drive, have had to follow signs posted along the highway, especially when there is road construction for whatever reason, and we have had to get off of the main road and follow the signs that detour us. We have to get off of the path, trail, route that we are familiar with because of the detour. If we take our time and carefully follow the directions, instructions and most importantly, take our time, we will definitely get to where we are going with little or no delay.
As in the natural, so in the spirit. When we come over to The Lord's side, we are required to faithfully follow His leading. In doing so, there are times when the road is not at all straight, sometimes it is bumpy, there are storms and these is rain, not all “good” times but times of trouble, but if we are obedient, hold fast to our faith and trust Him and follow His leading, we will get to where we are supposed to be in His will.
When I was writing that part, I thought of the 23rd Psalm:
Psalm 23 King James Version (KJV)
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Goodness and mercy shall follow me as I follow Him!!!!!!
Jesus said unto them and now unto us:
Matthew 4:19
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
In the world today, people and I am talking about people in the church, are following after all manner of stuff that has nothing to do with Christ. So much mess going on and men and women pretending to be men and women of God but do not know Him as Lord and Savior.
All about who has the most members, the biggest church, the most money. Pastors from the pulpit, telling people you cannot live in the type of house I live in, the neighborhood I live in, you cannot drive the type of car that I am driving! What kind of foolishness and ungodliness is that? And yet blind people do not know that, that kind of mess is not of God and God is not pleased with it. The word of God does not and will not lie.
For the scripture reads:
2 Peter 2:1-4King James Version (KJV)
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
So beloved we are warned not to follow them that are not concerned about us or our souls, but looking for what they can get out of us. Use us, get all that they can out of us, then discard us like trash.
The Word of God does not lie to us and gives us proper instructions to follow:
1 Timothy 6:10-12
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Then we have those that pretend to be men and women of God and want us to follow them regardless of what they do or what they say and they always like to [mis] quote this portion of Scripture:
1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV)
11 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
This was Paul speaking to the Corinthian church: The apostle not only preached such doctrine as they ought to believe, but led such a life as they ought to live. Yet Christ being our perfect example, the actions and conduct of men, as related in the Scriptures, should be followed only so far as they are like to his.
This tells us that we should have and are required to have, personal relationship with Christ, and to seek the truth through prayer, fasting and reading His Holy word, then we will know for ourselves those that are not following in the way of Christ and we should not follow that which does not line up with the Will, Word and Way of God. And for those that reject to follow His leading, to seek wisdom and knowledge the Word of God speaks to them:
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
So we are expressly told what not to do and what to do, and if we do that which Christ has instructed us to do: follow Him, Happy are we indeed.
Listen to what God's Word says:
John 13:17
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
And children of God, Saints of God, know that when you do not follow after the foolishness of man, take a stand for that which is right in the sight of God, know this: you will suffer for righteousness, but it is a blessing to do so for the Word of God tells us:
1 Peter 3:14
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
1 Peter 4:14
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Don't worry if you are for a little while, in spiritual prison for we know that the Apostles were imprisoned for righteousness, preaching Christ. Be encouraged for God will send His angels to take care of you just as He did for them:
Acts 12:8
And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
And in closing, if we are to follow Christ, we are required to:
1 Peter 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
And if we are indeed seeking to do just that, then there is also a portion of Scripture that tells us to
Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Be careful what and whom you follow and make sure that you, as children of God, Men and Women of God, do what Christ told the twelve:
Follow Me!
