I Am With You

In the book of Matthew Jesus made this announcement. . .”He that is not with me is against me. . .” (Matt.12:30). This was and is a testing moment. It could not be otherwise as it is pressed with firmness and love upon the heart and conscience of man. Nothing could be more searching. The question was not, Who will work today? No, it  was a far deeper and more searching type of question: Who is with Me? It was not,  Who will go here or there, or do this or that? There might be a vast amount of doing  and  going, and all the while it might be but the impulse of an unbroken will acting  only upon  selfish  thoughts.  Yet, at the same time giving an appearance of devotedness and  carefully calculated to deceive one’s own self, as well as others.   However,  remember, “God is not mocked. . .” (Gal.6:7).

            Therefore, to say, Lord I am with you implies the surrender of one’s own will, yea, it means to surrender completely one’s self. Saul of Tarsus was on this ground when he said, “Lord  what  wilt  thou have me to do.” (Acts 9:6).  Marvelous  and  gracious  words are now  coming  from  this one who before was a fierce and cruel persecutor of the church of Christ.

            We  now  must  ask,  Are  you  with  Him  or against Him? Search and see. Examine yourself closely. If you are with the Lord (first by your obedience to the Gospel, and  abiding  by His  word  even  now),  then  you  are  ready for anything and everything  He  commands!  You  will  be  ready   to  stand  still,  or  ready  to  go  forward, ready to be active, and ready to earnestly contend for the faith. The main point is this, namely,  the surrender of thyself to the claims of another, and that other is the Lord Jesus Christ!  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt.16:24).

            May we do all according to the word of God! This is the only true path for those who will be God’s workers, and Christ’s servants in this world where self-will is dominant. It is immensely important to always know that Christ is the Master, and we are His servants. When the heart is really subject to the authority of Christ, it settles all our questions and becomes the only regulator of life. As we live our life according to His will, then and only then will we be able to say, Lord, I Am With You!

. . . . Fred  House