Why Are You Following Jesus?

            “And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.” (Jn. 6:2)

Why do you follow Christ? In the beginning of chapter 6, we see these followed him because of the miracles of healing he had done. Just a bit further on in the chapter, we find those who followed him because of the miracle of the loaves and fishes which fed the hungry. Does the reason one follows Christ matter, as long as one IS following him? What does it really matter? Read on in chapter 6; we see in verse 26-27 that Jesus rebuked them for their motive for following him. So it must matter. But why? Continue reading John’s account: as Jesus spoke, those who followed for the afore mentioned motives “went back, and walked no more with him.” Apparently, those motives were not strong enough to carry one through in following the Lord.

But, beginning in verse 67, when Christ asks his disciples if they would “go away also”, we see a proper motive for following Christ. Peter’s reply shows a different motive, a different focus in his following: “To whom would we go?” Art not thou the all in all? Is there any beside thee? “Thou hast the words of eternal life” and naught else can satisfy our hearts created for eternity. “We believe and art sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God”, the Lamb of God that cleanseth away our sins and maketh our sick souls well.

Christ himself is the only sure motive for following Christ; a knowledge that he is all in all, a longing for his words of eternal life, a belief in him as the Son of God. The motive must be hunger after himself alone, not merely a desire for what he can do for you.

So, why do you follow Christ?

Reading "Doctrinal" or "Bible Help" Books

      I have been enjoying some very worthwhile books the last two years, books that have blessed my heart and enriched my life. Books that have caused me to look more at Christ, and that have shown me more of God than I have seen heretofore. In the past, I didn’t like to read “religious” books such as those by Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, A.W. Tozer, etc., because I had the Bible, and shouldn’t be turning to man’s teaching. I had people in my life that nearly scoffed at such books, and certainly didn’t encourage reading them, because one ought to read the Bible! I do not recall what caused me to begin reading “such books”, but I “fell in love”, as the saying goes, with J.R. Miller (You that know me knew that name would come in sooner or later, didn’t you? :-)), and I have expanded my reading from there, especially after reading an A.W. Tozer book recommended to me by our assistant pastor. As my understanding of God and adoration for Christ increased through the readings, my love for, interest in, and understanding of, the Scriptures grew. I still had the slight niggling of worry because, after all, I didn’t need those books: I had the Bible. Let me say here that I never replaced my daily Bible reading with the other authors; I still faithfully read the Holy Scriptures. But I was enjoying these books, and learning from them. Then I began wondering…why was it not just okay but even necessary to hear the preaching of the Word when we could just read it? Why was it fine to listen to teaching on the Word when we ought (?) to “just read it”? Why was it fine to read articles in homeschool magazines and church-based papers, if it wasn’t fine to read books that taught the Word? Furthermore, God’s Word says he gave “some teachers”: so what is so wrong about writing preaching and teaching down, printing it, and passing it on in book form for the coming generations? Aren’t these books merely the preservation of the preached or taught word? Another argument against them was that “They are written by man, so you can’t trust them. Stick to reading the Bible”. True, one must take everything to the Light of Scripture, but we must do that with every sermon we hear. More than that, we must do that with all our own opinions and convictions of the Scriptures themselves. But by all means, be teachable! So now I thoroughly enjoy them, read them without a guilty conscience, and reap the good from them I can. Meanwhile, I’m growing in love for the Lord and his Word.
      Elementary? I know.
      I’m currently reading my first Andrew Murray book, “With Christ in the School of Prayer”, as well as listening to his “Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses”. Since January 2012, I’ve read many J.R. Miller books, “Discover Your Destiny” by Cary Schmidt, “Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will” by Kevin DeYoung (Not recommended without reservation!), “Because He Loves Me” by Elyse Fitzpatrick, “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer, “Better Not” by John Heyl Vincent, and others, while I’ve also listened to more than those. I also count the many, many, many A.L.O.E. books I’ve read, as they are so rich in lessons in spiritual life. So, what good books have you been reading lately?

If I Had My Way

by

Leah S. Carpenter

If I had my way, there would be no more sorrow in the world. Joy would fill hearts, and happiness would no longer be fleeting. Families would love and remain close; church families would get along, edifying one another, building one another up in the Lord. There would be no sighs of longing after that which is so good to desire, yet out of one’s reach. If I had my way, there would be no pain – mental, emotional or physical. There would be no sickness, no weakness, no premature death. Precious dreams would remain and not fly away, unrealized. Life would continue a long course, with human life treasured and allowed to be held by those nearest it.

But if I had my way, there would be no softening, strengthening effects of sorrow, no compassion learned from pain. The greatest, most difficult – yet sweetest – influence in our lives would be swept away: sorrow, pain. Love would not be as deep, for it could not grow as well without sorrow, which is love’s sweetest, most nourishing water. Joy could not be as sweet, for it would not have the contrast of sorrow to teach us how to savour it. Life could not be as sweet, for, without brevity, we would not know to treasure it. Moreover, if I had things in my way, there would be no need of a Saviour, no need to turn to Jesus, our truest Treasure. There would be no need for the Comforter; no realization of Christ’s arms of love and his sufficient grace. Ah, then I shall leave in his hands the ordering of our lives, for he knows how to give the best to his children. He knows best how to give us all things richly to enjoy. Truly his way is best; let me not murmur, but cling to him.

I cannot end pain and sorrow, but one day, God will. I cannot end sickness, but one day God will. I cannot end sin, but one day God will make us perfect. I cannot hold my dear, hurting friends when they cry, but God not only holds them, he puts their tears into his bottle. I cannot mend their broken hearts, but God is mending them. I cannot use sorrow for their good, but God is – that is why he sent the pain. I cannot stop premature death, but God, the Sovereign of all the universe, knows that there is none, for all are in his hand. I cannot have things my way, but I have them the way they should be: ordered by the God of Love, who not only can do no wrong, but who promises to turn all things to good for those who love him. Ah, then let me have things God’s way, for his way is infinitely best.

Ah, then let me have things in God’s way,
For his way is infinitely best,
Let me embrace now God’s way,
For in his way I find rest.

Let me have things in God’s way,
For my way would ruin it all
For God knows best that in his way
There is no flaw at all.

My way has many lacked blessings
That would ruin his plan
For my way could never consider
The best that there is for man.

Let me joy now in God’s way,
And never a shadow of doubt
Cast at the wisdom of his way
And discontentment block out.

The Sweetest Lady I Know: A Tribute

Emma M. Brown-Kirkman

Loaned to us October 1, 1922

Went Home to The Father on February 17, 2010

She’s the sweetest lady I believe I have ever met, and a role model for me. If ever I have wanted to be like someone, it is her. She had the sweetest voice, so soft and gentle, and a soft little laugh. I know I’ve heard her laugh many times, for she laughed easily (such a gentle, joyous—or sympathetic—laugh) but I don’t really remember her laugh very much: her constant, sweet smile overshadowed that for me. It seems to me that anyone who sees her smile cannot go away the same person they were before. She rarely said much, and what little she said was usually confined to kindly questions about you and your family, but she would sit or stand beside you holding your hand in silence that was sweet, like everything else about her. Usually, one has to be very familiar with someone to be comfortable with silence between them, but you never thought of it with Mrs. Kirkman—there was no such thing as discomfort with her. You knew instinctively that you could trust her fully, that she was understanding and full of love—the love God had placed in her heart which and she had cultivated. I watched her growing more frail as the years passed, and knew we wouldn’t have her much longer. She had been sickly for a while, and I grieved to hear it, and, for her, was anxious for her summons Home, but it is hard to think that it will seem so long to me before I see her again. I know it sounds trite to say that earth’s loss is heaven’s gain, but it seems so true in this case. Her angels were Gentleness and Love, and how they must rejoice to have her Home at last. And I am thankful that I had her on earth as a friend and example for a little while. Her memory will live on in my heart, and I pray that her example will be followed by me and many other women. Words and space cannot allow a proper tribute to her life, because her life was devoted to God. She and her dear husband are an inspiration to all who know them. Their outpouring of God’s love to all they come in contact with are a testimony of His greatness and mercy. Her husband was spreading God’s love at the funeral service just as he always has each time I have seen him, even when he is weak and ill. I thought of both of them as I read James 3:17 & 18 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”