Should any of us determine to follow the Lord Jesus whithersoever he leadeth us, we will be tested. From time to time according to our growth and spiritual development we are going to be brought to a fork in the road at which juncture we must then decide to hear or not to hear the voice of the Lord as to which direction to take.
Voices will speak to us, “This or that is the way to go.” These voices are most often the most vociferous, the loudest, the most compelling…and of course, always the most popular way. After all whom we love and trust are following THAT way, a way of error. Yet, there is a still small voice that is nearly undetectable speaking to us from the very innermost of our soul saying to us, “THIS is the way, walk ye in it.” Yet, traditions speak to us saying that it is not. Dearest friends will think that we are gone astray. Church men whom we love and cherish the most will forsake us if we do not submit to the traditional way. In truth, they will abandon us, leaving us alone in doubt and often in tears, forsaken and abandoned.
Yet, the Lord Jesus would lead in such a way that is little understood and certainly the least popular way. At whatever point that we choose not to hear and heed the still small voice, the voice will fall into silence. The light that we have or that the church seems to have will progressively by degree, grow dimer until the candle of the Lord is dark and we are left in darkness and will never awaken enough to realize it….the Lord is long gone and the sweet, tender voice is eternally silent and those of us who were once followers Him are void of the once sweet presence of the Lord.
Such is the condition of millions of souls today and such is the state of many churches even though they still have all the doctrines and trappings of “good ole timey religion.” They have missed the call that said to them years ago when they came to a fork in the road, “this is the way, walk ye in it.” Many have not. They chose the road easy to travel that cost them very little if anything at all. Thus, the fear of God is evaporated, now twice dead and plucked up by the roots, left alone until the day of Judgment. But, what of the judgment? What will the answer be then?
Corlis Dees and his brother were born into a Truth bearing Pentecostal church. Corlis was filled with the Holy Ghost, called into the ministry and pastored a flagship Pentecostal church for many years. Inspite of much prayer by his family, the brother never surrendered to follow Jesus.
One day Corlis went to see his brother for a visit. His brother said to him, “Corlis, Jesus appeared to me and stood right in front of me and I saw him as plainly as I see you. He said to me, ‘come follow me.’ That’s all he said and then turned to walk away. He walked and walked until I could finally see him no more.”
Brother Dees asked him, “Well did you follow him?”
“No, I did not.”
Did he ever turn back to encourage you to follow him?
“No. He did not.”
Did he ever motion with hand for you to hurry up and follow him.
“No. He did not.
“Well then, what happened?”
“Nothing. He just kept walking until he was, after a while out of sight.”
“And you never once tried to follow Him before he vanished away?”
“No, I did not.”
This is a sad but very true story but that is not the end. It was only a few days later that he died in a barroom, lost without God. But, what will his answer be when he comes to judgment. What will his excuse be when he is called upon to answer.
In fact, what will YOUR answer be? What will MY answer be when you and I are called on to follow him in His way?
Will our answer be, “Well, I went the way of all my dear friends and all my dear church members whom I loved so much?” Such an answer will never be acceptable. No one is responsible for how you follow or NOT to follow the Lord. None but ourselves are responsible for our decisions but ourselves ALONE. A fork in the road is just ahead. Choose ye wisely
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