THE COURAGE TO FOLLOW GOD...

Today I had the privilege of going to Parris Island Military Base...I preach for Campus Crusade for Christ...It is a honor to go over there from time to time to speak or to preach to these young recruits...Often there are several hundred young men that come to the services that are offered for their edification and knowledge...

God is always working out His plan in our lives...Not just the recruits, but also each person who is involved in the Ministry of sharing the Good New of Jesus Christ...Jesus Himself said, " My Father and I are always working..." We need to know that God is at work even while we sleep, work, eat, or whatever we do...

This morning I arrived at Parris Island at 7 o'clock AM...The recruits had already started coming in the the building...They do not get to just roam around and come in as they see fit...they always have their Drill Instructor to guide them and keep them in order...Often the DI has to get in somebody face and give him up close and person instructions...Today was no different...

I am sure that many of those young men feel intimidated by the harsh words that come at them from their DI...but it is necessary to keep the recruits in a proper state of humbleness...

My job today was to teach the Knowing God Personally class... Like I said, often there will be several hundred depending on whether or not they have any new recruits that have arrived that past week...

Today the first hour there were none...So I just sat in and listened to another teacher speak about Growing In Christ...

The second hour there was only one young man for me to speak to...Even though he had been at Parris Island for three weeks, it was the first time he had come to the Religious Education class...

I spoke to him and asked him to get his gear and follow me...We went to a huge room that could have seated several hundred...He took a seat and I sat down by him where only one seat was dividing us...I introduced my self and he told me his name and we began our time together...

I could sense that he was a little uneasy so I did my best to become his friend for the hour we had together...

The first thing we talked about was his father...He has never known who his father is...right away I could see that some of his insecurities came from this area of his life...Talking to him was just what I needed and it turned out, talking to me was just what he needed...

He started to open up to me after I sincerely told him that I loved him and that I was not the judge...I did my best to make him feel welcome...Then I asked him if he was a Christian...He said yes...I asked him if he was a good person...He said yes...I then asked him if he had kept the Ten Commandments...He said yes, that he had kept them...It was here that I knew he really didn't know what he was talking about...

Then to prove my point I asked him if it would be ok if we looked at some of the Ten Commandments...He said sure, he didn't mind so off I went...

I asked him if he had ever lied...of course he said yes, he had lied...Then I asked him if he had ever stole anything ...After thinking for a moment, he replied that he had stolen something when he was a little boy...Then I asked him if he had ever committed adultery, he said no...Then I rephrased the question and asked him if he had every looked at a woman and in so had lusted with here in his heart...He told the truth and said, "Yes, haven't you?" I could only tell the truth...I had...I knew that I have broken all of the Commandments of God...but what I was trying to do was to let him see his own sin by his own confession...and it worked...After a while he came to see that he was a sinner in need of a Savior...

Not him or me or you can pay the penalty for our sins...There has been only one payment for all those sins and that payment comes from the shed blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary' cross...

I did my best to let him know that God is a just and fair God and our sin must be paid for before we can come into His presence...After a while this young man came to realize that he was not really a good person and that he was just as guilty of breaking God's Law as any of the rest of us...

Today, he walked in the Chapel thinking he was saved but was wrong...When he went out, he went out with the understanding that Jesus had paid his fine... the moment he realized that and then accepted that payment, repented, and in faith gave his self to Jesus, he was saved...

I asked him this morning that on a scale of 0 to 100 percent, what percentage was he sure that he was saved, 100 percent being totally sure...His answer at first was only 50% sure of his salvation...

When He left the Chapel this morning he was 100% sure of his salvation...This only happen by the grace of God and because somebody took the time to share the gospel with him...He went away satisfied that he was a real child of God, washed in the blood of the Lamb...

The reason I titled this message, "The Courage to Follow God", is because this young man told me that before this day, that he had lacked the courage to follow Jesus, he had lacked the courage to talk to anyone about salvation...He had lacked the courage to stand up for what he believed in, but after our encounter this morning, he felt like he just had to tell someone about what had happened in his life..

This is a sign from the Lord...This young man now had the courage to stand up for what he believed in because now he knew just what he really believed...Praise the Lord for Jesus...

1st Chronicles 28:20 tells it like this..."Be strong and courageous, and do the work...Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, is with you...He won't leave you or forsake you..."

Because we are saved by a risen Christ, we can have hope for the future, no matter how tough our circumstances may seem...After all, God has promised that we are His throughout eternity...And, He has told us that we must place our hopes in Him...

Today, summon the courage to follow God...Even if the path seems difficult, even if your heart is fearful, trust your Heavenly Father and follow Him...Trust Him with your day and your life...Do His work...care for His children...and share His Good News...Let Him guide your steps...He will not lead you astray...

Down through the centuries, in time of trouble and trial, God has brought courage to the hearts of those who love Him...The Bible is filled with assurances of God's help and comfort in every kind of trouble which might cause fears to arise in the human heart..You can look ahead with promise, hope, and joy...

This young man came to the Chapel, came with little assurance, and very little comfort, but went away with the promise of eternal life, with the hope of Jesus Christ in his heart and a joy in his spirit that could only come from the Spirit of a Risen Savior and His name is Jesus...and He is always workin...Let Him work on You!

Robert N. Graves, Sr, Fisherman for Christ...