He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought

Is it really a blessed thought to have God lead us? To some it is. To others, it is not always a blessed thought. They only think of the way that the Lord is leading as a thorny way = the way of the cross is a sorrowful way. They grumble and complain all along the way, or then they choose not to fully follow the Lord His way but go their own way presumptuously, expecting God to bless them.

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Prov.3:6

When God leads us and brings us to various junctures in our lives, we can choose to do one of two things – either we do as God tells us (submit) or we can choose not to do as God asks (rebel). Everyone is either submissive to God entirely or then they are a rebel. There is no middle ground. We either say “yes”, or “no” to God.

To submit is to yield to the power or authority of another (in this case to God), and to rebel is to willingly, knowingly resist or rise up against some authority or control. They are opposites. Ask yourself what you are doing?

We are all making conscious choices daily in favour of, or, in rebellion against God’s leading. Yes, we will do as the Lord requires because it is good for us. God is correct. OR, no, I won’t do that. I love my sin too much. Surely God does not expect me to give up ALL my sin. I can keep just a little bit. Unfortunately, many do not trust the Lord’s leading enough to follow Him.

Moses encouraged the Israelites to make their decision for the Lord. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” Deut. 30:19

Solomon’s father gave him this admonishment: “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” 1 Chron 28:9 He could choose to follow the leading of the Lord or not.

On Mt. Carmel, Elijah encouraged the people to choose to submit to the Lord. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions: if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” 1 Kings 18:21.

All throughout history examples are recorded of people who submitted to the Lord and people who rebelled. These examples are written so that we can learn from the mistakes of others and the consequences of not following the leading of the Lord.

Abel chose to submit to the Lord, while Cain rebelled. Jacob was initially a deceiver, but he eventually chose to submit to the Lord, while his brother was rebellious. John the disciple was called a Son of Thunder due to his anger problem, however he submitted to the Lord and he was called the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Judas appeared to be a wise and pious man, however he was a rebel. He did not want to follow the leading of the Lord.

Abraham
God said to Abraham, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” Genesis 22:2 “This act of faith in Abraham is recorded for our benefit. It teaches us the great lesson of confidence in the requirements of God, however close and cutting they may be; and it teaches children perfect submission to their parents and to God. By Abraham’s obedience we are taught that nothing is too precious for us to give to God.” ST Jan. 27, 1887.

Joshua
Joshua in his closing address to the nation of Israel gave them this choice to make. He encouraged them to follow the Lord as he had chosen to do. “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;” Joshua 24:14-16

“When a man comes to his right mind, he begins to reflect upon his relation to his maker. It is moral madness to prefer the praise of men to the favor of God, the rewards of iniquity to the treasures of heaven, the husks of sin to the spiritual food God gives His children. Yet how many who display intelligence and shrewdness in worldly things, manifest an utter disregard to those things that pertain to their eternal interest.” ST May 19, 1881.

Gideon
It took a lot of faith on the part of Gideon to trust the leading of the Lord. From a human standpoint his endeavour appeared as an impossibility. “So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.” Judges 7:8 “It is a dangerous thing for men to resist the Spirit of truth and grace and righteousness, because its manifestations are not according to their ideas, and have not come in the line of their methodical plans. The Lord works in His own way, and according to His own devising. Let men pray that they may be divested of self, and may be in harmony with heaven. Let them pray, “Not my will, but thine, O God, be done.” Let men bear in mind that God’s ways are not their ways, nor His thoughts their thoughts; for He says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” In the instruction that the Lord gave Gideon when he was about to fight with the Midianites,–that he should go out against his foes with an army of three hundred blowing trumpets, and carrying empty pitchers in their hands, and shouting, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon,”–these precise, methodical, formal men would see nothing but inconsistency and confusion. They would start back with determined protest and resistance. They would have held long controversies to show the inconsistency and the dangers that would accompany the carrying on of the warfare in such an extreme way, and in their finite judgment they would pronounce all such movements as utterly ridiculous and unreasonable. How unscientific, how inconsistent, would they have thought the movements of Joshua and his army at the taking of Jericho!” 2BC 1004. However, they yielded to the leading of the Lord and a tremendous victory was gained.

WHO knew not the Lord?

Pharoah – “And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” Ex 5:2

Sons of Eli – “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.” 1 Sam 2:12.

The new generation – “And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim.” Judges 2:6-11

Why did these above mentioned people know not the Lord? Did they not have any knowledge of who the Lord is? Surely they knew all about God. From the many years Moses spent in the court of Pharaoh, it is likely that many people in Pharaoh’s court heard about the Lord, from his immediate family to his servants and soldiers. The Lord was working mightily in Egypt through the plagues, as well as sending messages through Moses. Yes, Pharaoh had a knowledge of the Lord. The sons of Eli were brought up by the high priest and were even serving as priests. However, it is recorded in the Bible that they did not know the Lord. Also it is recorded that the new generation of Israelites did not know the Lord. Are these the children whose parents said to Joshua, “Nay; but we will serve the LORD”? Joshua 24:21. All these people knew OF the Lord, but they did not KNOW the Lord experientially. There is a difference.

It is not good enough to just know about the Lord, without having a living experience and connection with God. You can be raised in the faith and be totally destitute of a knowledge of God as were the sons of Eli. When you submit to the Lord and have this living experience, then the Lord will guide you and you will follow without question.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRANSGRESSION – REBELLION?

Sin is not necessarily rebellion initially. David sinned against God, but he did not rebel. As soon as his sin was pointed out, he repented and returned to following the Lord. When others, like King Saul, had their sin pointed out, they rebelled and made excuses, continuing in their lifestyle of sin, walking away from the Lord.

“The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day).” Joshua 22:22. Joshua is making a difference between rebellion and transgression in this verse.

To continue in a lifestyle of sin, rebellion will result. Rebellion can be added to sin. “For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.” Job 34:37. To sin through weakness is not rebellion if the sin is repented of sincerely. Rebellion is saying “no” to God, when direction is given, whether it be counsel regarding sin in our lives, or a task or direction that the Lord wants us to fulfil.

RESULTS OF REBELLION

As with any other sin, the result of rebellion is death. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23. “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” Exodus 22:18. Witches were put to death in the time of ancient Israel and rebellion is equally offensive in the sight of God.

The result of rebellion is death. “Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua 1:18

Even if you teach rebellion but do not rebel yourself, you are worthy of death. “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.” Jeremiah 28:16

“Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.” Nehemiah 9:26 A person who brings reproof is often thought of as the enemy, but in reality they are servants of God encouraging the people to returning to follow the Lord.

“We are not to unite with the rebellious and call this charity. God requires His people in this age of the world to stand for the right as unflinchingly as did John in opposition to soul-destroying errors.” AA 554

Rebellious son. The ceremonial law in the Old Testament stated that a rebellious child should be put to death. ?If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.” Deuteronomy 21:18-21. How many children and youth would face death in this permissive age if the ceremonial law was still enforced?

SUBMISSION

A well known analogy in the Bible regarding submission to the leading of the Lord is the analogy of the potter and the clay. This analogy is referred to in several places in the Old Testament.

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:1-6

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth”? Isaiah 45:9.10. This verse portrays a person complaining about God?s leading. They are dissatisfied with the vessel that God has molded them into.

“Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding”? Isaiah 29:16

The Apostle Paul even referred to this analogy. “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour”? Romans 9:20, 21

“The potter takes the clay and molds it according to his will. He kneads it and works it. He tears it apart and presses it together. He wets it and then dries it. He lets it lie for a while without touching it. When it is perfectly pliable, he continues the work of making of it a vessel. He forms it into shape and on the wheel trims and polishes it. He dries it in the sun and bakes it in the oven. Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker desires to mold and fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the potter, so are we to be in His hands. We are not to try to do the work of the potter. [I want my vessel to look just like this]. Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the Master Worker.” MH 471

“While the human agent is devising and planning for himself something that God has withheld him from doing, he has a hard time. He complains and frets, and has still increased difficulties. But when he submits to be as clay in the hands of the potter, then God works the man into a vessel of honor. The clay submits to be worked. If God had His way, hundreds would be worked and made into vessels as He sees best.

“Let the hand of God work the clay for His own service. He knows just what kind of vessel He wants. To every man He has given his work. God knows what place he is best fitted for. Many are working contrary to the will of God, and they spoil the web. The Lord wants every one to be submissive under His divine guidance. He will place men where they will submit to be worked into oneness with Christ, bearing His divine similitude. If self will submit to be worked, if you will cooperate with God, if you will pray in unity, work in unity, all taking your place as threads in the web of life, you will grow into a beautiful fabric that will rejoice in the universe of God.

“The Potter cannot mold and fashion unto honor that which has never been placed in His hands. The Christian life is one of daily surrender, submission and continual overcoming. Every day fresh victories will be gained. Self must be lost sight of, and the love of God must be constantly cultivated. Thus we grow up into Christ. Thus the life is fashioned according to the divine model

“Every child of God is to do his very best to uplift the standard of truth. He is to work in God’s order. If self is exalted, Christ is not magnified. In His Word God compares Himself to a potter, and His people to the clay. His work is to mold and fashion them after His own similitude. The lesson they are to learn is the lesson of submission. Self is not to be made prominent. If due attention is given to the divine instruction, if self is surrendered to the divine will, the hand of the Potter will produce a shapely vessel.” 4BC 1154

IS IT ENOUGH TO BE JUST A GOOD VESSEL?

All 10 virgins had vessels, however, not all were ready to meet the bridegroom when He came. Five of them had empty vessels.

A widow woman, whose late husband owed a large sum of money to his creditors came to Elisha for help. The creditors threatened to take her sons and make them slaves. All she had in her house was one jar of oil. From that vessel of oil she would find the deliverance she sought. Elisha told her to “Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.” 2 Kings 4:3, 4. For her to find deliverance she needed to empty her vessel into the many others that she had borrowed.

We may be created and fashioned into a beautiful vessel but we may be useless if we are empty. Then, even if we are full, we still will be useless unless we empty our vessels to aid others to fill their vessel. Unless we submit to being filled with vessels from others (not only from the Lord, but from leaders and elders in the church) we will be useless. When the bridegroom comes, then it will be too late to fill our vessels. They need to be filled and shared now.

“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.” Jeremiah 48:10-12

“The influence of the Spirit upon the human mind will regulate it after the divine order. But the Spirit does not work in a manner and power beyond the human agent’s power of resistance. A man may refuse to hear the counsels and admonitions of God. He may choose to take the regulating of his conduct into his own hands; but when he does this, he is not made a vessel unto honor. Like Moab, he refuses to be changed, emptied from vessel to vessel, and therefore his scent remaineth in him. He refuses to correct his defective traits of character, although the Lord has plainly pointed out his work, his privileges, his opportunities, and the advancement to be made. It is too much trouble to break up his old ways, and transform his ideas and methods. ?His scent is not changed.” He clings to his defects, and is thus unfitted for the sacred work of the ministry. He was not willing to make a close examination of himself, or to closely inquire for light to shine upon him in a clear, distinct manner. His prayers have not ascended to God in humility, while with humble endeavor he sought to live his prayers by understanding and performing his duty.

“After the Lord has put one on test and trial, that he may be assured of his calling to the ministry, if he is content to follow his own way and his own will, if he will not heed the manifestations of the Spirit of God, if he refuses to profit by growth in grace and depth of understanding, be assured that the Lord does not need him; for he cannot communicate that which he has never received.

“Every soul is to minister. He is to use every physical, moral and mental power, through sanctification of the Spirit, that he may be a laborer together with God. All are bound to devote themselves actively and unreservedly to God’s service. They are to cooperate with Jesus Christ in the great work of helping others. Christ died for every man. He has ransomed every man by giving His life on the cross. This He did that man might no longer live an aimless, selfish life, but that he might live unto Jesus Christ, who died for his salvation. All are not called upon to enter the ministry, but nevertheless, they are to minister. It is an insult to the Holy Spirit of God for any man to choose a life of self-serving.

“Ministry means not only the study of books and preaching. It means service.” 4BC 1159

“Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.” Judges 5:23,

“And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.” Nehemiah 3:5

“And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.” Zephaniah 1:12

God has a work for all of us to do, but He doesn’t leave us to work alone.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. Many will not yoke up with Christ because they do not like the direction that He is leading them.

“We are to bear the yoke of Christ that we may be placed in complete union with Him. “Take my yoke upon you,” He says. “Obey My requirements.” But these requirements may be in direct opposition to the will and purposes of the human agent. What then is to be done? Hear what God says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” The yoke and the cross are symbols representing the same thing,–the giving up of the will to God. Wearing the yoke unites finite man in companionship with the dearly beloved Son of God. Lifting the cross cuts away self from the soul, and places man where he learns how to bear Christ’s burdens. We cannot follow Christ without wearing His yoke, without lifting the cross and bearing it after Him. If our will is not in accord with the divine requirements, we are to deny our inclinations, give up our darling desires, and step in Christ’s footsteps.

“Men frame for their own necks yokes that seem light and pleasant to wear, but they prove galling in the extreme. Christ sees this, and He says, “Take My yoke upon you. The yoke you would place upon your own neck, thinking it a precise fit, will not fit at all. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me the lessons essential for you to learn; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” The Lord never makes a false estimate concerning His heritage. He measures the men with whom He is working. When they submit to His yoke, when they give up the struggle that has been unprofitable for themselves and for the cause of God, they will find peace and rest. When they become sensible of their own weakness, their own deficiencies, they will delight to do God’s will. They will submit to the yoke of Christ. Then God can work in them to will and to do of His good pleasure, which is often entirely contrary to the plans of the human mind. When the heavenly anointing comes to us, we shall learn the lesson of meekness and lowliness, which always brings rest to the soul.” RH Oct. 23, 1900

MERCY:

If we have sinned by going our own ways and not following the leading of the Lord, there is still time to turn around and follow the Lord. Today, we can say “yes” to every requirement of the Lord. We can say, “yes”, to being molded and fashioned by the Lord into a vessel of honour. Turn back, while there is still time. The Lord has promised that He will “heal their backsliding. I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:4.

“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.” Daniel 9:9

“You who are tempted and tried and discouraged, look up. Let no weary, halting, sin-oppressed soul become fainthearted, and lose hope. The promises of God come sounding down along the lines to us, assuring us that we may reach heaven if we will abide in Christ. Look up; it is fatal to look down. Looking down, the earth reels and sways beneath you, and nothing is sure. A divine hand is reached toward you. The hand of the Infinite is stretched over the battlements of heaven to grasp your hand in its embrace. The mighty Helper is nigh to help the most erring, the most sinful and despairing. Look up by faith, and the light of the glory of God will shine upon you. Do not be discouraged because you see that your character is defective. The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in distinct contrast with his perfect character. Be not discouraged; this is an evidence that Satan’s delusions are losing their power, that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you, and that your indifference and ignorance are passing away.” BECHO 12-01-92.

May God help us to follow the leading of the Lord for our lives and to find the joy, peace and happiness there is to be found in following the Lord. It may be a strait and narrow pathway, but with the Lord beside us, the yoke is easy and the burden is light. It’s a risk worth taking.
AMEN

Wendy Eaton, Australia