Wherever He Leads I'll Go....the Wayfarer 9.10/16

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

Matthew 16King James Version (KJV)

16 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

² He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

³ And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

⁵ And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

⁶ Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

⁷ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

⁸ Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

⁹ Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

¹⁰ Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

¹¹ How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

¹² Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

¹³ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

¹⁴ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

¹⁸ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

¹⁹ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

²⁰ Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

²¹ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

²² Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

²³ But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

²⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

²⁶ For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

²⁷ For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

²⁸ Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

That 24^th verse dictates that if we are to be Christians, if we are to follow Jesus, which is the true definition of Christianity, that we are expected to follow His commandment of loving one another as He loves us, including the denial of the carnal self.

Today’s title, taken from another of the hymns I so love is a statement of having made the choice to do what has been asked of us, its opening lines taken from the very scripture chosen as well for the opening.

Wherever He Leads I'll Go

Take up thy cross and follow Me
I heard my Master say
I gave My life to ransom thee
Surrender your all today

Wherever He leads I'll go
Wherever He leads I'll go
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so
Wherever He leads I'll go

He drew me closer to His side
I sought His will to know
And in that will I now abide
Wherever He leads I'll go

Wherever He leads I'll go
Wherever He leads I'll go
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so
Wherever He leads I'll go

My heart, my life, my all I bring
To Christ who loves me so
He is my Master, Lord, and King

Wherever He leads I'll go
Wherever He leads I'll go
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so
Wherever He leads I'll go

Wherever He leads I’ll go

Songwriter: LLOYD COPAS

The passage from which the opening scripture is taken serves as reminder to one and all that the effort expended in order to meet this requirement also comes with the necessity of discernment of the reality of the signs of the times in which we live, times that make the following all the more difficult in a world that sees only the perceived reality offered them through the eyes of man, blinded to the perception of Christ, blinded to the very signs demanded by a generation seeking no sign from God in regard to what is demanded of us, seeking instead verification of the righteousness of their own ways and devices slated for utter failure as what is sought is in contravention to the very desires and plans of God Himself.

What greater sign is to be offered than that already given through the scriptures, the history of that which has occurred, continues to occur more rapidly, and will culminate in the fulfillment of the warnings given by Christ Jesus and fulfillment of the promise to those who take the time to recognize the need to heed the warnings in order to assure the promise?

The WAY has been established, the TRUTH has already been given, for all willing to hear and accept it, the LIFE remains the promise for having heard, accepted and followed!

Following, means accepting direction given by the one leading, instead of attempting to get to a destination by any other means, choosing a completely different direction given by those unwilling to follow that direction already given.

Matthew 7:13-27

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The signs asked for have long been given. Refusal to see them cannot lead to the destination desired. In order to arrive at that desired destination, demands following the WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE, to which the signs point.

This demands faith in the ONE followed, and surety of arrival, both of which I boldly claim for myself and all willing to follow HIM!

2 Timothy 1:12

King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer