Led Or Lost

John 10:27-28: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Matthew 4:19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

There are three characteristics of Jesus* sheep in the passages. They hear His voice, they follow Him and they are fishers of men.

If we hear His voice and follow Him those things might only be obvious to us personally. I believe that we can be considered fishers of men in a broader sense than just being evangelists.

1 Corinthians 3:6: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Some plant, some water, some reap and some encourage and support those that plant and water and reap financially and in prayer. I believe the supporters are counted fishers of men just as the others.

Individuals can convince themselves that they hear Jesus* voice and are following Him, but if they are not fishing for men or helping others do that in some way they need to examine themselves. If they are not helping or fishing for men, I don*t see how they can be hearing Jesus* voice or following Him.

Evangelist Wil Rice on Hosea 8:3 Israel hast cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.

There are two kinds of people today. There are those who are led and those who are lost. Actually, all of us are following somebody, but what I mean is that all of us allow God to lead us or we are lost to our own way. Those who refuse God*s leadership are lost to their way.

Such was the case with God*s own people Israel. When Hosea says in Hosea 8:3 that Israel had cast off the thing that was good, they had cast off God, His good guidance, His good leadership, and His good provision. Israel had cast God off, and now their own idolatry, wickedness, and rebellion would cast them off. Their own ways would surround them, beset them, and destroy them. They were lost. Oh, they had leadership, but it was the wrong kind. Oh, they had religion, but it was one of their own making. They were not led by God. They were lost to their own way.

Now if this calamity could befall an entire nation of people, don*t you think it could befall one person? Where are you with God? Are you led? Or are you lost? Perhaps you are considering some major decision or even a small decision that gnaws at your mind. Few things are worse than being lost to our own ways.

Increasingly, to follow God*s leadership is a frightening thing because it is so counter to the culture and what we read, hear, and watch every day. But God*s Word works and God*s way works. Let God lead. Seek Him. Be willing to follow Him, and I can promise you He will show you the way.

Care to discuss Led Or Lost with Ron?

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