When you think of settlers, what comes to mind? My mind goes to the 1800’s, wagon trains, pioneers, camp fires, the whole western theme. Do you know that settlers still exist in this day in age? Google defines “settler” as such:
“A person who moves with a group of others to live in a new country or area.”
Did you know that as a Born-Again believer, you are a spiritual “frontiersman” or “Frontierswoman”? Oh yes! When you accepted Christ into your heart to be Lord over your life, your Savior, He said to you, “_______________ (put your name there) follow me.” In the same manner He chose EACH of His apostles, He has chosen YOU. Which means, you are now a pioneer for Jesus. As you begin to walk your journey in Him, you will go through hills and valleys along the way. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:14:
“For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”
Jesus said in Matthew 19:29:
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
When you hook the wagon of your life up to follow Jesus your trust has to continue to stay focused upon Him ALL the days of your life. There will be some you meet along the way that Holy Spirit will use to grow you in more ways than you can imagine. For during this journey, He will refine you. Take a look at Psalm 66:10:
“For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.”
There will be some settlers that you see that instead of moving forward in Him, decide to “settle.” Settle in their walk, settle in their lives. Settle in their thoughts and minds. Instead of pressing forward, they become stunted in their spiritual growth. Legalistic or stuck in their “traditional faith.” Baby Christians who allow the spirit of religion to over take them. James spoke of this in James 1:26:
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Settling for less than what God intended. As you keep your eyes focused on Him, press forward. Set your mind like flint that your eyes will stay focused on Him and not on people. Don’t let anyone cause your head to turn, you are not following them, you are following HIM. He did not say the journey would be easy, but He DID say in Matthew 11:28-30:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Oh the insights you will see, the wisdom you will gain as He guides you and leads you into a closer walk with Him. There will be sunset experiences where your life in Him changes you in ways you never imagined, but there will also be spiritual dawns that will fill you with that peace that passes ALL understanding, “Ah-ha” moments in which you see things in and through His light. Places on this journey of revelation that can only come from seeking after Him. Philippians 3:13-14 says:
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
There will be others on this journey who Holy Spirit will use to encourage you, to bless you (and you them) and by your love and commitment for Jesus you will have sweet fellowship together recognizing that through this journey He has a calling on your lives. We are to be “as wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (see Matthew 10:16). But we are not alone, there are other frontiersmen and women that God is calling to join Him (and us) along the way. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 says:
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
YES once you choose to follow Jesus, you become part of His Called Remnant, especially as you determine that nothing will sway you from Him. He has a purpose for you that only you can fulfill. This journey is more beautiful and growing than anything you will ever experience. BE A SETTLER but DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS THAN WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU! Press on! The destination is made possible only by the love, mercy, forgiveness and grace that Jesus paid on the cross for you. You only have to be willing to follow Him. So, saddle up! Hitch up that wagon of you! Let’s follow Jesus as He shows us what’s up yonder! Come on! Let’s ride!!!
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