Follow Jesus Christ
Choose to follow Jesus Christ and say no to the ways of the world. We live in a world where many people take pride in the number of followers that they have online. With many followers comes fame and influence, it comes with a certain privilege to some, and with others, the more the followers the more the money that they make.
Many people like posting many aspects of their lives online, many people like sharing anything from the minor details to the major events of their lives. Nowadays many people live their lives online; the moment they have something to say or after doing something, after traveling to a certain place, or after something occurs in their lives, they post it online.
The more captivating the posts, the more the likes, the shares, and the comments they get, and with that the more followers they keep on accumulating.
Too much time is spent online by too many people. There is a false sense of community and connection online that makes many ignore the real-life close connections with family and friends. We erroneously think that the people we befriend online are true friends, yet in most cases, most of them are not.
The social media world is where many people go to seek validation, acceptance, and a sense of belonging. It is a world that people seem to have the freedom to share whatever they want and say whatever they want to say, yet not giving attention to whether what they are doing and saying is edifying, whether to themselves or to the people that they share with.
Inside every one of us is a void that can only be filled by God, yet, too many people have run off into the world seeking ways to fill their voids, a pursuit that leaves many frustrated and without hope; many realize too late that the world is not their friend.
There is too much comparison online, too much posting for selfish gains, too much seeking human affirmation.
It has become like a competition of who has the best body, who wears make-up best, who has the best fashion, who has the most expensive jewelry, who drives the latest and most expensive cars, who has the best house, who has the best spouse, who has the cutest children, who goes to many vacations, who has advanced most in their education and career, and such like things. There is just too much vanity in the world today. People seem to point others to themselves instead of pointing them to Christ Jesus.
When someone has a lot of influence, they should be careful of how they use such influence.
However, this goes for every one of us, we should be careful of the type of life that we are living; we have to realize that there are other people who are watching our way of life, especially if we are Christians. Our lives should be lived for the glory of God. Let other people see God in us when they look at how we live our lives. Let us point other people to Christ Jesus, who is the only way to God the Father, and not to ourselves. Eventually, everything about our life should be about God. Follow Jesus Christ.
We should be careful about the people we admire and follow, lest we be led astray.
Many people have accumulated many followers and have started taking advantage of such influence that they have, and started using it for selfish gains. Many people use their influence to point others to a certain way of life, and they end up leading too many people astray.
If the person you are following is leading you to sin and to themselves instead of Christ, it is time to ask yourself why you are still following them. Some follow another person because they covet that person’s life, which all comes back to fulfilling the desires of the flesh.
If that preacher you are following is not telling you the truth of the Word of God, then it is time to stop and seek God and ask Him to direct you.
Become a person who studies the Word of God for yourself and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and to reveal to you what God’s Word says, and to strengthen you to be a doer of His Word. It is time to stop relying entirely on another person to feed you God’s Word, because if you do not know what God says for yourself, then you will not be able to recognize when that person is in error and leading you astray.
Stop going after feel-good messages and quotes and desire to know the undiluted truth of God’s Word; follow Jesus Christ. Too many people twist the scripture in order to put across the message that they want to pass along. Many people follow people who tell them what they want to hear, because for the majority, the truth is offensive to their ears. Too many people do not want to hear the truth because that truth would require them to carry their cross and give up certain aspects of their lives, a cost many people are not willing to bear.
The only final authority we have is the Word of God, thus, if that person you are following is not telling you the truth and if they are not living their life in accordance with the Word of God, then you should not be following them. If you are to follow anyone, then follow them as they follow Jesus Christ.
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
The enemy is at work, he is out to devour, he hates us and we should be aware of his schemes. Just because everyone else around us is doing it, or wearing it, or saying it, or going to certain places, or living a certain way of life, does not mean that we should imitate them and neither does it mean that they are right. No matter how successful and appealing someone appears to be on the outside, if they are not following Christ Jesus, then we should not be following them.
Do not be a blind follower, do not be carried away by every wave and wind that blows; be rooted in Jesus Christ. If you follow someone traveling along the wide path, then that is the path that they will lead you to. The path that leads to destruction is wide and sadly many people are traveling in it.
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13–14.
The path that leads to life requires dying to self and giving up many of the pleasures of this world, and because of that, very few people are willing to deny themselves and follow Jesus Christ.
It is time to humble ourselves and really seek and invite God to lead us along the path that leads to eternal life. Let us not be haughty nor deceive ourselves that we have mastered life; pride leads to downfall. We have to acknowledge our total reliance on God and submit to His perfect will for our lives.
Let us be willing to let go of all the worldly mindsets that we have accumulated and ask God to teach us His ways by His Spirit and renew our minds with the Word of God.
God’s way goes against the currents of this world, we cannot make it by our own power, but thank God, He has promised to empower us along that path when we choose to follow Jesus Christ, and we know that He is with us every step of the way. God would not have told us to choose that narrow path if it was an impossible path to travel along; it is possible to live for God by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us not attempt to be wise in our own ways, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. Let us choose God and rely on Him.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
We are to be Christ-followers and be Christ-like in our conduct in this world. Let us set our eyes on Jesus Christ; He is all that we need.
Blessings.
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Originally published at https://www.vickysforum.com on January 26, 2022.