Why I choose to Follow Jesus
I am amazed at the simplicity and accuracy of the GPS. If I go somewhere new and somehow get turned around when leaving, I merely have to go to the main screen of my GPS and press the Home button. I don’t care how congested the traffic is or how unorganized the street layout is, it will lead me home. That to me is a perfect analogy of life in Christ.
Psalm 23:1 … A Psalm of David. The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in 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 You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
This message came to me while hiking this week. Johnny and I were coming down from Crowder’s mountain and some firemen were training on carrying out an injured hiker. We were so engrossed watching them that we took the wrong trail. Needless to say, we say more of the woods than we had planned on; which is always good. But it got me thinking, and the Holy Spirit gave me this message.
Compass: The way of man
• You start life depending on the experiences of others.
1. Real men drink beer
2. Real men smoke
3. It’s alright to look … as long as you don’t touch
4. The one who cares … loses
5. Look for women in bars
6. It’s alright if you don’t get caught
7. It’s alright; everyone else does it
Isa 59:10 … We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in deserted places like dead men.
Mt 15:14 … Let them be: they are blind guides. And if a blind man is guiding a blind man, the two will go falling into a hole together.
Jer 9:4 … Let everyone keep watch on his neighbor, and put no faith in any brother: for every brother will certainly be tricking his brother, and every neighbor will go about saying evil. 5 Everyone will make sport of his neighbor with deceit, not saying what is true: their tongues have been trained to say false words; they are twisted, hating to come back. 6 There is wrong on wrong, deceit on deceit; they have given up the knowledge of me, says the Lord.
• There is sometimes great difficulty in establishing your bearings. …… Show map!
1. What if start out in life with no concern for where you are going?
2. How do you go from aimless living … to life with waypoints? (Goals)
3. You have no choice but to seek the advice of others.
• What happens when you lose your last bearing? ….… How do you get back of course?
1. Let’s say some tragedy or distraction, or loss has taken you so far off course that you no longer know how to get back on the path you were walking on. You are lost, and everywhere you turn, or everything you try, only makes your situation worse. What do you do? Where do you turn? Look to Jesus
GPS: God’s way
Ps 25:9 The meek He will guide in judgment; and the meek He will teach His way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you, My eye shall be on you.
Ps 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.
Ps 73:24 You shall lead me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way they knew not; I will lead them in paths they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. I will do these things to them, and not forsake them.
Isa 48:17 So says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am the LORD your God who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
Joh 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come.
Like I said in the beginning. I am amazed at the simplicity and accuracy of the GPS. If I get turned aside or get confused as to what the right course of action should be, I merely have to go to the GPS and say Home. I don’t care how congested the traffic is or how unorganized the street layout is, it will lead me home. That to me is why my life in Christ is much better than life on my own.
If you are trying to make it on your own. Turn it over to Christ
