FOLLOW THOU ME
England
 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarries (or waits) till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me (John 21:22)
Sometimes we wonder why, when we see what we believed to be a good Christian person, suffer and die as I have recently.
But then I am reminded of the conversation Jesus had with Peter. Jesus, having asked Peter three times if he loved the Lord and telling him to feed His sheep. Jesus went on to tell Peter what kind of death he would suffer in the Lord’s service and encouraged him to follow Him. Peter looking back and seeing John following, asked Jesus about him and what would happen to him. Jesus’ reply in the above verse shows that not only did He have the authority to decide what would happen to anyone but that Peter and all those who confess to be Christians should keep their individual focus on Jesus not concerning themselves with idle thoughts about what is happening to anyone else, trusting that He knows what is best for us and accepting whatever comes. Because God deals differently with each and every one of us according to His will and our needs.
I could not say that my friend suffered because she sinned more than me, or that what happened to her will happen to me. Nor could I say with certainty that it could not happen to me. I do not know what lessons my friend had to learn or maybe the lesson was for me, or others around her. The point is not to worry about what might happen, but to keep focused on Jesus and what He requires of us as individuals that is, to FOLLOW HIM. Maybe that is the lesson for me at least.
Jesus shows us that whatever may happen to others or ourselves, we must be right with God. We must get right with Him, not that God should get updated with our way of looking at things in this day and age. It doesn’t matter what the latest fad or fashion is, or what the prevailing thinking of our modern day so-called philosophers and politicians maybe. GOD DOES NOT CHANGE, He is always up to date. It is we who have to change and repent of our wrong doing and thinking.
Luke 13:1-5:There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them: Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Whatever happens to our bodies, it is a temporary dwelling for our souls and God’s Spirit and we must all at some point cast off this mortal body to be clothed with our immortal bodies – as Paul says:
I Corinthians 15:53:For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
In another place, Jesus and His disciples came across a man blind from birth, John 9:1: The disciples asked Jesus who sinned that he was born blind, him or his parents? But Jesus told them that it was not the case of anyone in particular sinning but that the man was born blind in order to demonstrate God’s power and glory. Then Jesus healed the blind man.
Some might say that it was cruel of God to make this man blind just for Jesus to be seen to heal him. (This is the way the world thinks.) But John tells us:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:30- 31)
I have no doubt that that blind man was a very happy man after Jesus had given him his sight.
Also, these people have no idea about God, what He is or who He is and therefore do not understand His ways as God Himself said:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
We live on and by our emotions, which are notoriously unreliable! One day we feel good about something and the next we may feel totally the opposite, we cannot rely on them. Faith is more than emotions, it is a conviction, as the Word of God says:
Now faith is the substance (or ground, or confidence) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. .. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews. 11:1 and vs. 3)
Also:
 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:(Romans 1:20)
So, when we wake up in the morning and question what God seems to have done or not done according to our way of thinking; we should remind ourselves that we live on emotions and these are not constant, they change and fluctuate we cannot base our faith on these but on every word, that comes from the mouth of God.
 But he answered and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
When we don’t feel like praying – PRAY anyway!
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
And: James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
When we think God has let us down, we must remind ourselves that it is we who have changed and let ourselves down because God says:
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not …
For which we should be grateful because that verse goes on to say that we are not totally destroyed because of our sins, by the mere fact God has promised He will not do so and He does not change. That does not mean however that we will not be chastised for our wrong doing. We most certainly will, but even this is done in order to bring us back to the right ways – His ways.
God does not ask us to feel, but to trust and obey:
Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.
Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said: We ought to obey God rather than men.
There is much more to say on this subject, but suffice it to say that I know my friend was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and now after much suffering is at rest in one of those many dwellings (John 14:2) the Lord Jesus said His Father had provided for those who FOLLOW HIM.
