The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
John 12:26
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Let him follow me. Jesus’ first invitation to Peter and Andrew was simply Follow me. The Lord’s invitation to Matthew was simply Follow me. Jesus invited the rich man who thought he was perfect to Follow me, he did not. To each and every person on earth the Lord’s invitation is simply this: Follow me. Notice the beginning of today’s verse …If any man… He is inviting any and all to simply Follow me. By doing so we serve Him, for none can serve Him unless they follow Him. But what does follow Him mean?
How about a personal example. The day I wrote this was a Friday. It was a nice sunny spring day in Texas. I wanted to be outside playing golf, fishing, working in my shop, or any number of other things that I find to be fun. But instead I was sitting in an office, studying, praying, writing and when that was done, I recorded a few “Bible Edge” radio programs. After that, I studied for the Sunday messages, then attended a Bible conference that evening. I did these things not because I naturally am drawn to study, sitting in an office, or dealing with the insane post-processing of recordings. I did these things to follow Jesus in my calling as a preacher. I left a wonderful corporate job almost 30 years ago to follow His calling to this work. Frankly, in my own selfish desires, I would rather be in a small cabin in the mountains by a stream filled with trout and woods filled with game and would seldom see anybody, but that is not God’s will for me.
Now, I wrote that with a purpose. Many will read the above paragraph and say something like: “That man should do what he wants to do” or “He seems unhappy and unfulfilled.” But, you see, I chose to follow the Lord’s calling of Follow me. Whatever the cost, whatever the work, whatever the results, I want to only live a Follow me type of life.
On an occasion, Peter asked the Lord what John should do. To which the Lord responded: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22) Jesus basically said to Peter, “It is none of your business what John will do, what is that to you? All you need to pay attention to is that you follow me.” My calling is not yours, yours is not mine, but if you know Christ as your personal Savior He has a calling for you. There is something He needs you to do, wants you to do, something He created you to do, something that only you can do. Follow Him in it and do it! If your calling is to work a secular job, follow Him and do it. If your calling is to be a wife and fellow helper to a man of God, follow Him and do it. If your calling is to toil in obscurity, minister in hostility, and die in anonymity, follow Him and do it.
If you do, according to today’s verse, the Lord’s Father will honor you! Wow, now that is an edge for life, that’s a Bible Edge for living!
William Howe, Ph.D.
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