Christ Follower: What Does it Mean? - Part I

If you had to put all your eggs in one basket, what basket would it be? For me, it is the Lord Jesus Christ. I am willing to stake all for him. Though I follow him poorly and sometimes very ineffectively, I am a follower of him.

How are you doing as a follower of Christ? Or maybe you don't claim to be his follower but have given the idea some consideration. What does it mean?

There are three things I see in the scripture about what it means to be a follower of Christ:

It Means Following the Person of Christ.

It's not about following a program nor following another follower of Christ, but it requires following Jesus himself. It is a personal fellowship and follow-ship.

To follow Jesus means we have to trust in him.

I had a friend who used to ask: "Are you ready to go?"

"Where are we going?" I would usually reply.

"Don't you trust me?" was invariably his answer. I would usually tag along just out of curiosity.

When we apply this to following Jesus, we might hear Jesus say as he said simply to all of his disciples: "Follow me." It is not upon us to ask where. It means any time, anywhere and at any cost.

This may mean forsaking something we value much for what we now know to value most. For Levi, the tax collector, it meant leaving a lucrative business. For Peter, James, John and Andrew, it meant they would forsake being fishermen to become fishers of men.

But it also meant they would enjoy the blessings of being a follower of Christ. Peter recognized that following Christ was a matter of life and death when he said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6.68)."

Jesus said: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life John 8.12."

He also said that every person who would follow him, forsaking so much else, would have reward both now and in eternity (Mark 10.28-30).

Yes, it is worth it to follow Jesus.

Keep a watch out for:

Part II - Following the principles of Christ - and

Part III- Following the purpose of Christ

Do you have Religion or Jesus?

Are we into the things of the LORD, or the LORD himself?

Jacob had been a conniver, schemer, and a deceiver most of his life. He did have one thing most don’t have and that was a desire for the blessings of God. But did he know God? For many years of his life, I’m not sure he did.

Some people want God’s blessings but they do not necessarily want the God who blesses.

All his scheming forced him to get completely away from his family for fear of his life, for he had learned that his own twin brother wanted to kill him.

I believe Jacob came to know the LORD God at Bethel (Genesis 28.10-22). This is where he laid some stones down on the ground to use as pillows. I suppose when one rock got too hard, he would switch to the other. I don’t know.

In a deep sleep, (I guess you can sleep anywhere if you’re tired enough) he dreamed of angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reached heaven.

The LORD stood above the ladder and spoke to Jacob. He would grant to him all the promises of his Grandpa, Abraham and his Dad, Isaac. The LORD said that all the families of the earth would be blessed in him, just as he had told Abraham and Isaac. He also said he would give him the Promised Land and told him he would be with him in all the places he went.

When he awoke he made a little cathedral in that wilderness spot. He named it “Bethel” which means “house of God.”

Jacob was really enamored with this place, Bethel. While I am sure the LORD meant a great deal to him, he just kept talking about the location. There, he set his stone “pillow” up and made into a stone “pillar” as a memorial. His pillow became a pillar. It was also here that Jacob committed to start tithing.

You can all go back to the place where you first came to know the LORD and that spot may mean a great deal to you. You may have kept that first bible where you first read of Jesus’ love. Perhaps you are deeply fond of the person who led you to the LORD. Maybe the location of the church where you learned and grew so wonderfully is sacred to you.

All this is well and good, but these “things of God” cannot replace or compete with God, the Great Creator of the universe and Redeemer of your soul!

I don’t mean to be overly critical of Jacob, for he now had a true faith in the LORD and began to grow in his relationship to him.

Around twenty years later he determines to go back to Bethel (Genesis 35). He wants to return and build an altar there. He asks all his household and servants to put away all idols in preparation for this.

Pay close attention to these words. We are told, “he built there an altar, and called the place El Bethel: because there God appeared unto him…”

As you may have surmised, wherein Bethel means “House of God,” El Bethel means “God of the House of God.”

This might seem like a strange name to us but here’s what I think is significant about it:

Whereas Jacob had previously met God at Bethel, and the experience was so awesome that he always associated God with that place – it was, to him “The house of God,” even though there was nothing there except for some piled up stones. It remained special to him.

But now – Jacob had come to know not only the wonder of the house of God, he was now more enamored with the God of the house.

Do you have churchianity or Christianity? Are you into forms and rituals? Must you light a candle before you can enter into God’s presence? Are your prayers recitals or are they heartfelt expressions of faith and love for the LORD? Is the church building more important to you than the church – God’s redeemed people?

If you have experienced wonderful things from God in some certain place or through some certain person, by all means, love and respect them. But, above all, let’s love, admire, adore, honor, worship, and devote ourselves to the LORD God who Himself not only has, but shall deliver you “from every evil work and will preserve (you) unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever.” (2 Timothy 4.17-18)

Look and Live - Testimony of Charles Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon is one of the most well known preachers of all time. He was born in 1834 and died in 1892. He was saved at the age of 15, preached his first sermon when 16. Never went to theological school yet at the age of 19 became a pastor. By age 22, he was pastor of the largest Protestant (Baptist) church in London. He often preached to crowds of 10,000 people. He was an avid abolitionist. He started a college, two orphanages and a total of sixty-six ministries. He published a monthly magazine – The Sword and the Trowel. He published volumes and volumes of books and other writings including almost all of his sermons. People everywhere read from him with great interest and still do until this day.

A pastor friend of mine, Lee Jones, told me that he had prayed God would give him some books that would help him to learn truth and be able to preach truth. Soon after, someone gave him a set of volumes of Spurgeon’s sermons. 

After I heard that, being new in the ministry, I concluded that if God had answered my friend’s prayer by giving him those sermons that I too needed to get them as well. I scraped what I could to get ahold of my own set of Spurgeon’s sermons. They were a great inspiration and blessing to my ministry. That was probably the best investment I ever made in the ministry.

Spurgeon is still one of the most quoted Christian speakers even today.

He was a great preacher of God’s grace. His testimony of salvation in Christ is most enlightening and interesting. Here is a section of his testimony:

___________________________________

While under concern of soul, I resolved that I would attend all the places of worship in the town where I lived, in order that I might find out the way of salvation. I was willing to do anything, and be anything, if God would only forgive my sin. I set off, determined to go round to all the chapels, and I did go to every place of worship; but for a long time I went in vain. I do not, however, blame the ministers.

One man preached Divine Sovereignty; I could hear him with pleasure, but what was that sublime truth to a poor sinner who wished to know what he must do to be saved? 

There was another admirable man who always preached about the law; but what was the use of ploughing up ground that needed to be sown?

Another was a practical preacher. I heard him, but it was very much like a commanding officer teaching the maneuvers of war to a set of men without feet. What could I do? All his exhortations were lost on me. 

I knew it was said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;" but I did not know what it was to believe on Christ. These good men all preached truths suited to many in their congregations who were spiritually-minded people; but what I wanted to know was,—"How can I get my sins forgiven?"—and they never told me that. I desired to hear how a poor sinner, under a sense of sin, might find peace with God; and when I went, I heard a sermon on "Be not deceived, God is not mocked," which cut me up still worse; but did not bring me into rest. 

I went again, another day, and the text was something about the glories of the righteous; nothing for poor me! I was like a dog under the table, not allowed to eat of the children's food. I went time after time, and I can honestly say that I do not know that I ever went without prayer to God, and I am sure there was not a more attentive hearer than myself in all the place, for I panted and longed to understand how I might be saved. 

I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm, one Sunday morning, while I was going to a certain place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a side street, and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there may have been a dozen or fifteen people. I had heard of the Primitive Methodists, how they sang so loudly that they made people's heads ache; but that did not matter to me. I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they could tell me that, I did not care how much they made my head ache. The minister did not come that morning; he was snowed up, I suppose. At last, a very thin-looking man, a shoemaker, or tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. Now, it is well that preachers should be instructed; but this man was really stupid. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had little else to say. The text was,—

"LOOK UNTO ME, AND BE YE SAVED, ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." 

He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. There was, I thought, a glimpse of hope for me in that text. The preacher began thus—"My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, 'Look.' Now lookin' don't take a deal of pains. It ain't liftin' your foot or your finger; it is just, 'Look.' Well, a man needn't go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn't be worth a thousand a year to be able to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look. But then the text says, 'Look unto Me.' Ay!" said he, in broad Essex, "many on ye are lookin' to yourselves, but it's no use lookin' there. You'll never find any comfort in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, 'Look unto Me.' Some on ye say, 'We must wait for the Spirit's workin'.' You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says, 'Look unto Me.'" 

Then the good man followed up his text in this way:—"Look unto Me; I am sweatin' great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin' on the cross. Look unto Me; I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sittin' at the Father's right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! look unto Me! 

When he had gone to about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes or so, he was at the end of his tether. Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said, "Young man, you look very miserable." Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my personal appearance before. However, it was a good blow, struck right home. He continued, "and you always will be miserable—miserable in life, and miserable in death,—if you don't obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved." Then, lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, "Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin' to do but to look and live." 

I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, "Look!" what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. 

There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, "Trust Christ, and you shall be saved." Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say,—

     "Ever since by faith I saw the stream

     Thy flowing wounds supply,

     Redeeming love has been my theme,

     And shall be till I die."

I do from my soul confess that I never was satisfied till I came to Christ; when was yet a child, I had far more wretchedness than ever I have now; I will even add, more weariness, more care, more heart-ache than I know at this day. I may be singular in this confession, but I make it, and know it to be the truth. Since that dear hour when my soul cast itself on Jesus, I have found solid joy and peace; but before that, all those supposed gaieties of early youth, all the imagined ease and joy of boyhood, were but vanity and vexation of spirit to me. 

That happy day, when I found the Saviour, and learned to cling to His dear feet, was a day never to be forgotten by me. An obscure child, unknown, unheard of, I listened to the Word of God; and that precious text led me to the cross of Christ. I can testify that the joy of that day was utterly indescribable. I could have leaped, I could have danced; there was no expression, however fanatical, which would have been out of keeping with the joy of my spirit at that hour. Many days of Christian experience have passed since then, but there has never been one which has had the full exhilaration, the sparkling delight which that first day had. I thought I could have sprung from the seat on which I sat, and have called out with the wildest of those Methodist brethren who were present, "I am forgiven! I am forgiven! A monument of grace! A sinner saved by blood! "My spirit saw its chains broken to pieces, I felt that I was an emancipated soul, an heir of Heaven, a forgiven one, accepted in Christ Jesus, plucked out of the miry clay and out of the horrible pit, with my feet set upon a rock, and my goings established. I thought I could dance all the way home. I could understand what John Bunyan meant, when he declared he wanted to tell the crows on the ploughed land all about his conversion. He was too full to hold, he felt he must tell somebody.

… The clock of mercy struck in Heaven the hour and moment of my emancipation, for the time had come. Between half-past ten o'clock, when I entered that chapel, and half-past twelve o'clock, when I was back again at home, what a change had taken place in me! I had passed from darkness into marvellous light, from death to life. Simply by looking to Jesus, I had been delivered from despair, and I was brought into such a joyous state of mind that, when they saw me at home, they said to me, "Something wonderful has happened to you;" and I was eager to tell them all about it. Oh! there was joy in the household that day, when all heard that the eldest son had found the Saviour, and knew himself to be forgiven,—bliss compared with which all earth's joys are less than nothing and vanity. Yes, I had looked to Jesus as I was, and found in Him my Saviour.

Overcoming Racism

Racism is an ugly thing. It judges people on the basis of their skin color, language, background, family of origin, or custom.

Should people be judged at all? I must say, yes. I know Jesus said "judge not, that you be not judged," (Matthew 7.1) but the surrounding context shows that we cannot eliminate all judgment. His point was that we should stand ready to be judged by the same standard by which we judge others.

We all have to make judgments every day. It is also easy to make ineffective judgment upon individuals. 

For example, if you were driving along on the street and saw someone standing in the street waving their hands, you would have to make a judgment very quickly. "Is he O.K?" "Does he need my help?" "Is he dangerous? Will he hurt me, or someone else?" "If I gave him something, would it really help him?" We probably don't know the answer to any of those questions but we will have to make a decision regardless.

Where we run into evil is when we prejudge someone - when we make a judgment based on skin color, language, their people group, clothing style or appearance, we usually misjudge.

Perhaps you were previously mistreated by someone who happened to be of a certain skin color; perhaps more than once. Then, it becomes easy, almost natural, to begin to judge all people of that color on the basis of your experience. 

If a person of a certain "race" raped your daughter, then it would be easy to think that all people of that "race" is evil. One might even begin to judge that all males are wicked because it was a male who did this. This would not be fair to all the other boys and men out there.

If someone of a certain background stole from you or lied to you, you might automatically start to think that group was all liars or thieves.

How can we overcome racism?

1. Recognize that racism exists. The solution begins there, and we should all ask at some point, "Am I a racist?" Many are blinded to their own faults.
   
2. But don't give in to the trap that racism is "systemic," which I take to mean that it is innate or built into the fabric of people of a particular color. Not all people of any color are racists, in fact, they are probably a small minority in most groups.
   
3. We need to quit thinking of people on the basis of race. God's word says:
   
   And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, (Acts 17.26)
   
   According to this, there is only one race - the human race, even though we have all naturally divided ourselves into our own families and nationalities, which is fine, all of us are the same family.
   
   For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. (Ephesians 3.14-15)
   
4. We must stop assuming that all people of any group are all alike. There are bad people and decent people of all backgrounds.
   
5. We need to reach across the barriers.
   
   Invite people of various appearances, languages and customs to come join you in your home, your activities and your church. Welcome them as family when they are married together with your family or adopted.
   
6. Don't fall for the race baiters. There are some people who want to keep the racial tensions flowing for selfish reasons or political purposes. They are using people like puppets on a string - like pawns in a chess match. They, especially the leftists and Marxists, have an unspoken agenda to bring our country down in order to remake it in their own image. They do not love our nation, but will make it look like they have noble intentions, using such terms as "racial justice" to accomplish their desired goals. Don't bite the hook. Most of them don't look at downtrodden people of color with a desire to help them. They only want to incite more tension, bitterness, unrest and even violence. Many of these same people use the "N" word when referring to conservative black individuals.
   
7. Pay attention to conduct and character, not color.
   
8. Remember that the Lord does not look upon people on the basis of their color or nationality. He is concerned about the condition of our souls. This includes your soul.
   
   For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3.26-28)
   

How to Love the Woman God Gave You

If you're looking for someone to show you how to love your wife properly, don't look at me. Here's a conversation I had with my wife today:

"Honey."

What?

"I love you. Be sure and get that down, ok? Because I don't want to keep having to tell you over and over again."

I'm not sure that's exactly the best example of how to love your wife. Just saying.

So where can we find the best example?

Jesus. (Usually, if you don't know the answer, just say "Jesus).

What kind of love does Jesus have for the church?

1. It is Sacrificial. - Ephesians 5.25
   
   
2. It is Consistent. - Jeremiah 31.3
   
   
3. It is a Forgiving Love. Ephesians 5.26-26
   
   
4. It is Selfless - Ephesians 5.28
   
   
5. It is a Unifying Love - Ephesians 5.31
   
   
6. It is Unconditional - John 3.16
   
   
7. It is a Fortifying Love - Ephesians 5.29

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. - Ephesians 5.25-33

Guys, let's get to it. We really have our work cut out for us, and, while you're at it, be sure and tell your wife you love her - if necessary, again and again.

 

It Takes a Man

There are many things that women can do and there are many things that only women can do, but for now let us think about what it takes a man to do.

Photo by Jakob Owens on unsplash

It takes a man to be a Husband.

It takes a better man to be a good husband.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself... (Ephesians 5.25-33)

It takes a man to be a Dad. A woman cannot be a husband or a dad any more than a fish can be a bird, any more than a volcano can be the Pacific Ocean or any more than a man can be a wife or a mom.

Dads can and sometimes must do some of the things we may be used to seeing women do. A man can be a great cook. It doesn't have to be the woman. Ladies may have to take on some of the role of a Dad, especially in the absence of the man. A man may be an excellent nurse. I knew a little lady who was an outstanding mechanic.

But it still takes a man to be a Dad.

It takes a better man to be a good dad.

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6.4)

There is a fine line between the need to discipline and the need to show love and compassion. Blessed is that man who can walk that tightrope. The best way to learn to walk a tightrope is to walk a tightrope.

Any man can get angry
But it takes a better man to forgive.

Any man can remember
But a better man will know how to forget.

Most any man can act tough
But a godly man also knows how to be tender.

Any man can try to self sufficiently pull himself up by his own bootstraps
But a real man knows how to depend upon his God and Creator.

Any man can easily be a loner
But a man of grace knows how to be a friend.

Any man can drink himself drunk
But a true man shows restraint and sobriety.

Any man can be a sorehead
But a man among men knows how to laugh at himself and roar with joy.

Any man can be petty
But a better man will let the small things stay small.

Any man can run when danger comes upon him
But a real man will defend his family, his community, his country and what is right even if he must die doing so.

Any man can be right
But a man of integrity will admit it when he's wrong.

Any man can lay back and take it easy and should at times if he can,
But the big man will take responsibility and get up and go to work.

Any man (just about) can grow a beard
But the right kind of man can grow a boy.

Most men know how to make money
But the great man knows what is valuable.

When God created human beings, he created a man first, then the woman. It wasn't until they both came into existence that God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. That wouldn't have been true without the woman, but neither would it have been true without the man.

It takes a boy to make a man, but it usually takes a man to help a boy find his way through life and that same man may be needed to help his boys and his girls find their Creator and Savior.

Watch ye, stand in the faith; be men, be strong; (1 Corinthians 16.13) [i]

---

[i] Young’s Literal Translation

The Land of Milk and Honey – Not All Milk and not all Honey.

and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey." ' (Exodus 3.8)

God called Moses to go back to Egypt, from where he had fled, and deliver the oppressed Israelites. He would guide them back to the land from whence they had gone out four centuries prior – the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Of course, after 400 years, the land of promise would have greatly changed. On a positive note, it was a land flowing with milk and honey. This was clearly exhibited later on when some of their spies went in there and “cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole.” (Numbers 13.23)

Sounds like the kind of place any of us would want to live, doesn’t it?

However, before we get overly excited about the prospect of living in a land flowing with milk and honey, let’s not forget something.

In the same verse, God tells Moses that this place where he would lead Israel was also the land of the six “ites” – the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites.

These six people groups would turn out to be formidable foes. God would tell Israel to drive them out, but it seems they never did so 100%. They would turn out to be a huge thorn in Israel’s side and provide plenty practice for their young men to do battle. They would also be a negative influence on Israel with their immorality and idolatry.

The Christian life is a lot like this.

I wouldn’t trade my life in Christ for anything and I sure wouldn’t want to go back to Egypt (the place where I was apart from the love of Jesus). The walk with Jesus is truly a land flowing with milk and honey. There are abundant blessings every day.

But our life in Jesus is not without its conflicts. We have to deal with the world (1John 2.15-16,) the flesh (Galatians 5.17) and the devil (Ephesians 6.11) continually. There are battles to be won and ground to be taken in this walk with God.

The Promised Land in the Old Testament is not really a picture of heaven, for in heaven there will be no evil lurking around, trying to take away our blessings.

The Land of Promise is more clearly a picture of the abundant Christian life (see John 15). Let us remember that walking with God is fulfilling and joyous but also full of challenges. However, God has equipped us to take on any foe to the faith which might come against us. As you walk with him today, the Lord will help, equip and empower you to overcome any evil that you might encounter. The battle is worth the reward.

…and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith.
1 John 5.4