Learning to follow Jesus and surrendering to His Lordship was not intended to be like a trip to Disneyland. And it certainly was not designed to be ‘easy on the flesh’. Jesus was pretty upfront with that when people inquired as to what He was asking of them. (Luke 14:26-22; 9:23) He made it quite clear what this ‘narrow path’ would be like (Matt. 7:14; Luke 13:24).

And still...the invitation remains open to all...”Follow Me”. There were times when people did not like hearing what Jesus had to say, and they made the choice to turn and walk away (John 6:66), even admitting that what they were hearing was ‘hard’ to listen to (John 6:60). When Jesus asked those closest to Him: “Do you want to also go away?” (65), Peter’s rhetorical question in response was spot on: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (68).

But learning to do what He asks for anyone who does turn to Him...is not an ‘option’; never has been and never will be. Yes...it’s that serious! (Acts 3:22-23; John 2:5; Luke 13:3,5). Yet, when you stop and consider the options, there really is no ‘choice’...if you truly want to experience the abundant life Jesus came to offer us, which included knowing His peace, joy, provision, and protection. And as I pointed out yesterday, learning to follow and to be ‘led by His Spirit’ (Rom. 8:14) usually begins with those simple, basic steps of hearing His voice, and then doing what He says (John 10:27); like learning to just curb that unruly tongue of ours (James 3:1-12).

‘Oh, but that is so hard to do’, we’ve convinced ourselves. It’s hard to ‘keep quiet’ or to ‘keep from sinning every day’, we’ve been told. Friends...do you know what I’ve learned over the past few years? It’s hard to ‘die to flesh’...when we love our flesh more than we love Jesus. Jesus was the one who told us that ‘IF...we loved Him, we’d keep His commandments” (John 14:15). And here’s a *News-flash* for us all, straight from His word: “His commandments are not burdensome/grievous” (1 John 5:3).

Not to compare human/carnal ‘love’ to this ‘God kind of love’, but most can identify with what it was like when you first ‘fell in love’ with that special person, and there was nothing you would not do to make them happy. It wasn’t hard...to spend that money, or go the extra mile to do something special for them. And, as the writer of Hebrews points out, this notion of ‘resisting sin has not caused us to shed blood’ (12:4). Yes...there will be some ‘suffering’ as we put this ‘flesh’ to death, which is what the Spirit is leading you to do, daily (Rom. 8:13; 1 Cor. 15:31; Luke 9:23), but this is the walk we’ve been called to. And He did not expect you to do all this on your own, either (John 15:4-5; Matt. 28:20)

“Although harshly treated and afflicted, He (Jesus) did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep that keeps silent before its shearers, He did not open his mouth.”

This was of course a prophetic word found in Isaiah 53:7 that pointed to the coming ‘Lamb of God’, the promised Messiah and the Savior of the world. Jesus just wasn’t ‘packaged’ the way most people expected Him to come in order to set His people ‘free’. And He certainly did not always conduct Himself in ways that even those closest to Him thought He should...when it came to various situations. i.e.- “Put your sword away, Peter!”. “No John...we are not going to call fire down on them from heaven; you know not what manner of spirit you are!”

Peter would later write these words: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-23)

“Leaving us...and example...”

Does Paul not tell us to “be imitators of God...and walk in love as Christ also loved us”, in Eph. 5:1-2?

Did John not spell it out for us clearly...that “whoever abides in Him ought himself also to walk as He (Jesus) walked?” (1 John 2:6)

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8)

Then, going back to something else Peter wrote: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” (1 Pet. 4:1-2)

Seems I remember Jesus saying something rather important about ‘doing the will of God’ in Matt. 7:21. I mean really...why bother calling Him, ‘Lord, Lord’...if we are not going to do the things He tells us? (Luke 6:46). And did you catch that last part about doing what “He tells us”?

Yes, God has a voice, He still speaks today, and we are encouraged/warned...that “IF...we hear His voice...don’t be like those rebellious Israelites in the wilderness and harden your heart to Him” (Heb. 3:7-8,15; 4:7)

God really desires to speak to you and ‘lead you besides those still waters’ as well as ‘make you lie down in green pastures’...as He ‘restores your soul’ (Ps. 23:1-3) I don’t think I’m missing the mark here when I say if ever there was a time when people, both ‘believers’ and unbelievers alike...were so needing and longing for such a place...we are living in that time now. But please know this: That ‘path’ that He came to lead you in...is the ‘path of righteousness’ (Ps. 23:3)...and a ‘path of peace’ (Luke 1:79). And for the record, when we speak or hear about ‘righteousness’, that basically means...doing what is ‘right in God’s eyes’, as opposed to some ‘good vibe/feeling’ you may have about something, even when it doesn’t line up with God’s word. There’s plenty of that deception going around these days, and it’s nothing new! (Jer. 23:16-20)

Helpful hint here: When it comes to hearing God’s voice and being led by His Spirit...rest assured- it will never contradict what is written in His word. For example...you may ‘feel’ that God gave you a ‘peace’ about ‘sleeping’ with your unmarried partner (having sexual relations), but whatever ‘feels’ you had about that is false and deceptive. Because God’s word says just the opposite.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Prov. 14:12) “If you live according to the flesh, you will die...” (Rom. 8:13) “Those who continue to practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:21).

Friends...once again hear me out: It’s not hard to surrender to Jesus, when you love Him with all your heart. But if there is something within you that you are reluctant to ‘lay down’ and ‘turn from’...it’s time to do some serious soul searching and ask yourself if maybe there is something you are...’loving more’ than God? Don’t be like that rich young ruler who made the wrong choice- Matt. 19:20-22.