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ArthurRosh
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Joined: 2011/9/26
Posts: 940


 Look and Follow - Bakht Singh

Look and Follow - Bakht Singh

John the Baptist said repeatedly, “I knew him not” John 1:26, 31, 33. Perhaps there are many who are in this same condition and cannot say truthfully and joyfully that they know the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though they hear about Him, sing about Him, and talk about Him, the Lord Jesus has not yet become their personal Savior and Friend. He came into the world to be a Friend who can abide with us forever. Earthly friends cannot be with us always but our Lord said in Matthew 28:28, “Lo, I am with you always.” These words are meant for all who would like to have the experience of His abiding presence. Even my conversion, I knew one thing; that there was a living and true Friend, who could be with us always. In the Sikh religion I had to recite a prayer every morning at bath time. As soon as I poured water upon my head these words came spontaneously out of my mouth, “O God! Thou art true; Thou hast been true from the beginning and Thou shalt be true. No man can know Thee. Though he meditates for centuries and gathers the whole world’s knowledge. O God! I have no virtue in me. I only depend upon thy grace. Show me the Friend and the Satguru (the Teacher of the Truth) who can help me and lead me”. I had repeated these words for many years with a longing to meet that living Friend. I used to go to some lonely place, forest or riverside, hoping that there I might meet an old man with a long white beard, who would say with a loving voice, “Come on my child. I will be your Friend.” This prayer which I repeated daily in my blindness gave me a longing to see that living Friend. In the end I began to blaspheme against the Holy Bible and tore a copy of it into pieces. I did this to show my hatred to Christianity. Also I became a slave to many vices. Even though I did this, nevertheless, God Himself sought and found me. Even a sinner like me, and forgave my sins. For the past thirty-three years He has been my Friend with whom I can talk freely, and on whom I can depend for help. He supplies my every need.

In my collage days I had a good friend. We would always go out together for walks every evening and eat our food together. Whatever we did we would do together and whatever money either of us had we would share together. If I went to bazaar to purchase anything, I would always buy two of the same thing, one for him, and the other for me. When he went to the bazaar, he also did the same. We quarreled after some time, and even though we were living in the same room, we did not talk with each other for many weeks. Even then, whatever I bought for myself, I brought for him also and put it very quietly on his table; and he also did the same. Even though for some time we were not speaking with each other, yet in our hearts there were the same friendly feelings. Underneath we were still friends, and we desired to share all things. How much more endearing should be our friendship with the Lord and how much more joyfully should we share all things with Him.

Jesus - The Lamb of God

The Lord Jesus said in John 15:15, “all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you”. They were not able to understand what He was saying. It was only when our Lord rose again and came into their hearts, they could know the meaning of these words. They were just ordinary fisherman but they were able to learn the things of God. Today you find that through their inspired writings many are being taught heavenly wisdom, and we never get tired of their words. The Lord has the same loving desire towards us, that we too should understand and receive all wisdom form Him, and know Him more and more.

We shall see how the Lord revealed Himself to John the Baptist. He was a man full of the Holy Spirit, and he spoke so powerfully that many went to hear him even in the wilderness. In these days speakers and preachers adopt so many methods to draw people to themselves. But John the Baptist was only a man living in the jungle, a voice in the wilderness; yet many people went to hear him. On a certain day our Lord Himself came among the crowd. John the Baptist saw Him, but did not know who He was. He said, “There standeth one among you whom ye know not” John 1:26, and again “I Knew Him not” John 1:33. It was only on the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the Lord Jesus Christ that John knew who Jesus was. John said, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Him,” John 1:33 “I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God,” John 1:34. We do know how many times our Lord went to John the Baptist before that day. John knew that Jesus was on the crowd, but could not say, definitely who He was, He had waited and longed to see the Messiah no doubt, but God told him plainly, “It is only when you see the Spirit, like a dove descending on Him, you will know who He is.” Even though the Lord was in the crowd and John the Baptist was a prophet, yet he did not know who He was. He said, “I knew Him not.” Now in the same manner it is possible for you to attend meetings, and even though the Lord Jesus Christ may be present, as He was then present in the crowd, yet you may not know Him.

Now what happened the day He was baptized? See Matthew 3:16. Before John the Baptist could recognize the Lord it was necessary according to God’s Word, that the Lord should be baptized, because His baptism spoke of His death, burial and resurrection. He was to be recognized not by the miracles, which He performed, but by His baptism, and by the Holy Spirit coming upon Him.

John the Baptist having baptized the Lord prophesied what was to happen to Him afterwards. He saw the Lord coming to him the next day, and called Him by a new name: “Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world!” He did not say, “Behold your Savior,” or “Behold your Messiah.” Even though they were eagerly waiting in those days for the Messiah to come. In the beginning he said, “I knew Him not.” Though He was there in the crowd. Now he could say, “I know Him.” And he called Him “the Lamb of God”. Being a prophet he knew how the Jews were celebrating the Passover every year killing thousands of Lambs without knowing what they were doing. But that morning John had begun to see that Jesus Himself was ‘the Lamb of God’. He saw now that the other lambs could not take away the sin of men but this lamb was able to take away the sin of the whole world.

You may do what you can, you may shed many tears, you may fast many days, and do any amount of charity and attend any number of meetings; but none of these things will give you the assurance of the forgiveness of sins. Look at the crowd who came to be baptized with great hopes these men had come to John the Baptist. They had heard that he was a man of God. Whether rich or poor they all began to tremble when he spoke. They were convicted and they began to confess their sins with tears. Yet if you had questioned them, “Now Mr. So-and-so, you have confessed your sins and shed many tears, can you tell me whether your sins are forgiven?” Then they would have said, “No, we still have a troubled and guilty conscience.” It is a terrible thing to have a guilty conscience. You may silence your conscience for a short time saying to yourself, “It does not matter if I do this, why am I so frightened? I am not the only one doing it.” But a day will surely come when your guilty conscience will trouble you. That guilty conscience will make you restless and you will feel like a fish out of water. A fish swims nicely in the water, but outside the water it squirms and jumps. It is the same with a man who has a guilty conscience. Such men will be very restless. The men who went to John the Baptist saw their sins and the coming wrath of God. But even though they confessed their sins, John the Baptist could not forgive them. He told them that the Messiah would come and He would bring forgiveness.

Now the Jews had a wrong conception of the Messiah. They thought He would reign over all the nations, like King David. Perhaps even John the Baptist had a similar conception and they were all waiting for such a Messiah. Now God was revealing the Messiah to him in a new way. When John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord Jesus, then he knew that Jesus was the Son of God. That was the first step. Then we read in John 1:29 and 36, John proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God!" This was the second step. When you want glasses you go to an optician. He tests your eyes, and says, “Can you see the letters on the board?” “No.” Then he tests you with another glass. “Now it is a little bit clearer.” Once more he tests you with yet another glass and then you say, “Now it is very clear.” In the same way John the Baptist’s vision of the Lord Jesus Christ became clearer step by step.

On the first day John saw Him while baptizing Him, but he remained silent. The next day he saw Him coming towards him and declared, “Behold the Lamb of God! And the third day he saw the Lord as He passed by, and shouted. “Behold the Lamb of God!” In the same manner, spiritually you also will not see everything in one day; you will require many divine touches to see Him as He is.

Behold Him and Follow Him.

Previously John exclaimed to himself, “Behold the Lamb of God!” Now he was saying, “Andrew, you also see him. You will notice the advance in his experience. He wanted others also to see Him. Having heard John call Jesus the Lamb of God, the disciples desired to see Jesus. They pondered in their hearts, “The Lamb of God! Now let us follow Him, “and they left John and followed Jesus. The Lord turned, and saw them and said, “What seek ye?” The Lord knew that they wanted to see Him more clearly. When you follow Him, He Himself turns around and looks at you. He will ask you. “Child, what do you want?” You may perhaps ask Him for many things such as a job, or physical healing. But these disciples had no such requests. They said, Master, where dwellest thou?” Now those who have seen the Lord Jesus Christ have a strong longing, “Where is my Lord? Where does He live?” Have you the desire to find out where He lives?

But many Christians are seeking the living Christ in the graveyard. “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” They want to see Him in buildings made by men. You can find Him only when you earnestly seek Him. Do you know where your Master lives? First, He wants to live in your heart. He is not looking for building made by men. How many people are begging for money, to construct a building in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to build a so-called “house of God.” “Please give us some money,” they say, “We want to build a house for God.” Such people do not know the meaning of “the house of God.” God lives in only two places. He lives in the High and Holy place and also in the humble, broken, and contrite heart (Isaiah 57:15). Has the Lord Jesus come to live in your heart? Has he become your living Friend? He died for you to forgive your sins and to cleanse you and make your heart His dwelling-place. For that purpose He is seeking you today. If you repent of your sins and receive him, He will come and dwell in your heart. Give your heart to Him. Then keep your eyes upon Him. Follow Him and He will reveal Himself more and more to you.

 2013/3/20 22:09Profile
lylewise
Member



Joined: 2009/2/20
Posts: 494
Celina, Texas

 Re: Look and Follow - Bakht Singh

Beautifully written. Trading Karma for the Cross. A great testimony of God's power!

 2013/3/21 3:15Profile





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