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Follow the one true leader
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As a child, many played the game "follow the leader."

All would line up behind the one chosen to be the leader and mimic the actions of the leader. If one failed to "follow the leader" they were out of the game.

Spiritually, God is the true leader who must be followed. God has made it clear how he desires things to be done. Yet even in spiritual things, God lets man choose whether to follow his word or human reasoning.

Knowing this, one should make sure to study God’s word to know what he desires, and then strive to follow it to the best of their ability.

The Psalmist wrote, "As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him" (Psalm 18:30).

God’s word will show the way for each person to live a good life and know that heaven awaits the faithful. The problem is some think the good life is seeking riches and glory of this life when in reality the good life is loving God and following him and caring for one’s fellowman.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he said, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31).

The latter part of the Psalmist words talked about a "buckler." A buckler was a small rounded shield carried in the hand or worn on the arm. God is a shield to all who will place their trust wholly in him. Promises God made come true. One of the greatest promises God ever made was to his servant Abraham, when he promised that in him all "nations of the world would be blessed" (Genesis 12:3).

This promise was fulfilled in Christ.

God planned for man’s salvation. He gave his Son to die for the sins of mankind (John 3:16). He has given mankind His word — the Bible — to know how to obey him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

In this word, one finds examples that show how individuals obeyed God to become his children. They believed in Jesus as God’s Son, they repented of their sins, confessed Christ before men and were baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38; 8:29-39).

Men down through time have tried to come up with other ways of pleasing God. Some turned to making idols, while others worshipped the creation of God rather than God himself and still others changed what God commanded to suit their own way of thinking (Romans 1:22-25; Matthew 15:9).

God spoke concerning man’s ways and thoughts compared to his, through the prophet Isaiah, "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).

God’s way will lead to heaven, while man’s way will lead to destruction "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).

All need to see the need to follow the true leader — God.

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