FOLLOWING - choose your leader wisely.

There are many places in the world that freedom doesn't seem to exist. Even in the United States, once the beacon of freedom, there is a steady erosion of freedoms. But ultimately we all have the freedom to choose who or what we follow.

There is a very long list of things not to follow; the customs of the nation, your own heart, other gods, our own plans, man's command, Satan, sensuality.

Leviticus 20:22-23 "...You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. 'Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them..."

Numbers 15:39 "...It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,..."

Deuteronomy 6:14 "...You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,..."

Jeremiah 18:12 "...But they will say, 'It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart..."

Hosea 5:11 "...Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, Because he was determined to follow man's command..."

1 Timothy 5:15 "...for some have already turned aside to follow Satan..."

2 Peter 2:2 "...Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;..."

There's a very short list of who we should follow.

Deuteronomy 13:4 "...You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him..."

Matthew 4:19 "...And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men..."

Matthew 10:38 "...And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me..."

Matthew 16:24 "...Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me..."

Matthew 19:21 "...Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me..."

John 10:4 "...When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice..."

John 12:26 "...If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him..."

1 Peter 2:21 "...For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,..."

The choice is ours to make.

Joshua 24:15 "...If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord..."

Walking with Jesus requires a commitment to follow.