Follow Your What?

Follow Your What?

Disney has ruined us. Did that catch your attention? This is not a political article. It is an article about a way of thinking that, at least to me, seems to be promoted in some Disney movies but in reality is promoted in a lot of places. That mentality is: follow your heart. If you do not know what to do, just follow your heart. Got a big decision? Just follow your heart. That might help sell a lot of tickets to a movie and make people feel good about themselves, but is it good advice?

Well, Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else.” You know that to be true. Have you ever thought with all your heart that something was right just to find out you were wrong? I think about Saul/Paul in the New Testament who was persecuting Christ with a clear conscience (Acts 23:1). This article began when I read a quote by Samuel Rutherford that says, “Your heart is not the compass that God steers by.” Could our culture be wrong about following our heart? I would hope you have had enough experiences in your life and enough Bible teaching to know this is a faulty way of living. It really makes self god of our lives, and that can only end poorly.

If our heart is not what God steers by, then what does he steer by? Proverbs 3:5-7 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” How do we trust and acknowledge God? By doing His word. That is one reason I want to be in Bible study both corporately and privately. I want to be in worship, etc. Palm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feel and a light to my path.” If I am going to be led by God’s word, I must know God’s Word.

White Water Rafting

Last year was my first experience with white water rafting. The church took a group to a place near Chattanooga, TN which was actually used for the Olympics in 1996. I was new to this so I tried to pay attention to what our guide was telling us and do what he said. I was really impressed with our guide’s knowledge about the river. He might say something like, “There is a rock on the right side. Left side, paddle twice.” We would, and sure enough, we would pass a rock that was submerged under the water. He was good enough that he knew how to get us stuck to get us wet and how to get us out of when we were stuck. We went the whole way without flipping until the end when he purposely flipped us.

That experience makes me think about life. God is the experienced guide. The difference is that He has complete knowledge about how to live life to get us to the end safely. He has sent us His word so that we might know how to live our lives and avoid obstacles (Psalm 119:110). The church is like those guys who rode in the raft with me. We had to work together so we would not fall out of the raft. In fact, there were times when our guide would say something to the effect of: “Hit the deck,” where we would have to get in the raft and lock arms with the person beside us so we would not fall out. Let us be active in church so our brothers and sisters can help us and we can help them (Ephesians 4:16). Sometimes someone would fall out of the raft due to their carelessness or refusal to listen to the guide. The guide would graciously invite those who had fallen out back into the raft. That is life. Sometimes we fall out, but God graciously calls us back. One other thing I am convinced of is that, unlike our guide, God will never intentionally “flip” us out of His presence. We serve the greatest, best guide. Listen to Him.

Starting A Bible Study

I met a lady the other day who was starting a Bible study. My curiosity got the best of me, and I asked her how she got into this Bible study. She related the following story to me: Basically, she had spoken to an acquaintance about needing to get into church, and the acquaintance mentioned having a Bible study together. She agreed. Praise God! I hope this study will lead to her becoming a New Testament Christian and to God’s glory.

Sometimes I think we make evangelism too complicated, or we use that as an excuse not to be obedient to the example we see in Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus said to his disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I command you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” My job is to simply plant the seed of God’s word into hearts. Be so excited about church that you are inviting others. “Would you like to come to worship with me? Do you want to sit down and study the Bible?” You might be told no, but again, my job is not to make them say yes but to plant the seed. They might just say yes. Pray for opportunities, then look for opportunities and take them.

Where might you look? How about your family? Do you have any friends? Where do you work or go to school? Are there people there? How many neighbors do you have? The list could go on and on. Be excited about Jesus and His church. When I am excited about something, I talk it up. Take advantage of the opportunities God blesses you with. “Hey, we are having this thing (VBS, Gospel Meeting, etc) at church. Why don’t you come with me?” “We are having a class on prayer that is really helping me. You should come.” Whose life will you sow God’s word into?