Every now and then I will hear a professing Christian say that believers should not follow men. Although we certainly ought to be cautious about how others influence us, the idea is not Biblical.

It certainly is true that we should be following Christ, but we also must keep in mind Who it is that gave us the Bible – and inspired every word. God gave it and it is without error.

As humans, we may tend to think we could never be fully like Jesus as He walked on Earth. It is true, but it could become an excuse for us not to try as hard as we should. Some do not even try. Still, we are commanded to “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). It is the will of God.

While I do not think that anyone of us can be perfect this side of Heaven, yet we are wrong to use it as an excuse not to seek to please God in all we do and think. I also believe that most people today never really know what the Holy Spirit is capable of in a human life.

To cover this excuse, God gave us a human example – Paul. Although he was not perfect – and he admits it – yet the Holy Spirit has told us that he is an example for us. In fact, the phrase “Be ye followers of me,” is repeated twice – also occurring in I Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

When studying Paul’s life more carefully, you will find that his life would be a challenge to anyone of us to follow Christ more closely. Not many people today even come close. God gave us through him a view into what God wants us to be – along with Christ’s perfect example.

Instead of merely talking about Christ and gladly telling others how long we have been saved, may God help each believer to put into practice more and more of what we see in Paul’s life, and in Christ’s glorious life. If you say you follow no one – is your life really like that of our Savior? Remember also that a disciple is a follower.

In Psalm 23:2, it was seen that the Lord leads His sheep – particularly those that are close to Him to “green pastures,” and to “still waters.” These things refer to His loving provision for His sheep and the refreshment gained from them.

The green grass and waters refresh the body and help our mind to be at ease, knowing that He will take care of us. Today’s verse reveals that these things also help to restore our souls. It is a reference to our minds – thoughts, desires, motivations, etc.

The Lord does not expect us to serve or follow Him in our own strength. If we had to do so, we would quickly burn out and likely quit. The difference is that He does not drive us – He leads us, and along the way He provides us with some needed times of refreshment – and sufficient grace. Remember that after a busy day, Jesus told the disciples to “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while” (Matthew 6:31).

Our Shepherd does this so that He may lead us “in the paths of righteousness.” He is not content just to lead us through this life. There is a goal He has in mind. It is more than just being useful. He plans to conform us to be like Himself along the way: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

The verse also reveals why He does this for us. It is so that His Name – His holy Name – may be honored by the way His sheep live. If there is a lack of willingness to please Him in what we do – chastisement will be coming. He wants us to be willing to honor Him with godly lives – that is the direction of His leading – not merely to fill a position.

If we tolerate sin, we cease to be able to hear Him. Confession restores the soul so that we can again hear His voice and follow.

Psalm 23 is one of the most widely known passages of Scripture. It has provided comfort to believers through the ages and to believers of all ages. I want to look at the verses in this beautiful psalm – starting with the first verse.

The first verse provides the key to being able to enjoy the blessings found in the rest of the chapter. The individual who wants those blessings must be able to say with confidence: “The LORD is my shepherd.”

It is much more than a simple phrase. There must be a time in your life when you went from following the world, the flesh, and the devil, to begin following the Lord. You must have told God that you were sorry for your sin and that you now trust Christ alone to save you from Hell – the punishment we all deserved.

He is not your shepherd until you take that step. Once you do, He changes you. How do we know that we are His sheep? The answer comes from John 10:3,4: “the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”

Notice two things from these verses. First, the Lord’s sheep hear His voice. Secondly, our Shepherd leads His sheep.

These two things lead to another question: How do His sheep hear His voice? Primarily, He speaks to us through His Word. Secondly, he speaks to his sheep through His servants (pastors and teachers) that teach the Word and make it plain, which is why attending the local church regularly is so important.

Believers who profess to be followers of Christ need to ask themselves how well are they trying to live according to the Bible? Then, they must consider how strong is their fellowship with Christ: are they open to change if He asks for it and is He really leading? Real sheep naturally follow.

When Jesus passed by Matthew’s tax collecting booth, He stopped just long enough to utter two simple words: “Follow Me.” Matthew understood Him correctly and instantly – and, without any hesitation – rose up, followed Jesus, and did not look back.

In the same way, Jesus has called every believer to follow Him. That means we have been called to a new way of life, a new way of thinking, and a new way of living.

We have been bought with a price. We should no longer seek the things the world seeks after. We understand that there is nothing here that we can take with us to glory. Everything we see is temporal. The things that matter to men here don’t matter there. The things that people get rewarded for here are not the things they get rewarded for in Heaven.

A different kind of life must be lived here to get rewards in glory. To help us know how God wants us to live, the Bible is the guidebook for believers now. There are no shortcuts, excuses, compromises, or failures that God will accept.

Although none of us has reached perfection, He has given is everything we need to follow Him – including forgiveness and mercy when we fail. He also has plenty of grace to help in time of need.

As we take a look at Jesus and see how the Holy Spirit helped Him, we see that His grace is truly sufficient for all our needs. Are you following Jesus now and trusting in His grace to sustain you as you live for Him?