Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Archives for August 2010

Achieving the Goal

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Many wise men have said, in one form or the other, that a goal not written down is merely a fantasy. I have proved this out in my own life. As followers of Jesus, our ultimate goal is to live a life that looks like His. We know this to be true at our core, and we express this fact to others. Have you ever taken the time to write down this goal? As long as it is just something we want to do or achieve, and as long as it remains only in our mind, the chances of obtaining the goal are almost zero. When we don’t write our goals down, they become elusive and our attempts at accomplishment are haphazard and scattered. Once we commit our goals to paper, they become more tangible and we can begin to develop plans to bring them to fruition.

The achievement of any goal essentially boils down to what we are willing to begin doing, what we are willing to stop doing, and how much self-discipline we are willing to bring to bear to achieve the desired outcome. Desiring to live a life that looks like Jesus has one distinct advantage over any other goal you may set out to achieve. That advantage is Jesus Himself. He loves you beyond measure and desires you to know Him more deeply than you already do. He excitedly waits to help you discover more of Him and to live in a manner that reflects His glory. Instead of disciplining ourselves out of duty, we discipline ourselves out of love. This makes working towards this goal far more pleasant than most others. Every step closer to Jesus improves the rest of our life exponentially. We may not gain financially as a result of our pursuit, but we will gain incredible joy and peace. Achieving the goal is rewarding, but the person you must become to achieve it is far more rewarding still.

Once you have determined to go all in and pursue Jesus at any cost – and you’ve written it down – you must then write out your “why”. Why is it that you want to live a life that looks like Jesus? Why is it that you want to give up everything to follow Him? What is your motivation? Following Jesus is hard, and you will face many times of discouragement. These are the times when many will turn back and make the tragic decision that it simply isn’t worth it. When you face trials, refer back to your “why” to discover again the reasons you have to push through the storm and emerge strengthened on the other side. Having clearly defined reasons for wanting to follow Jesus will help you keep everything in proper perspective and enable you to stand fast against the attacks of the enemy.

You have established your goal and determined your reasons; now it is time to plan. Write down what a true follower of Jesus looks like. How do they act? What sort of things do they say? Where do they hang out? With whom do they associate? Develop a clear mental image of what a true follower of Jesus looks like, and write it down. Be as detailed as possible. How do they spend their days? How do they interact with their family? Now take a look at your own life; how do you measure up? By looking at the description of the person you want to become, you should be able to see several areas where your own life needs to change. Work on one area at a time. Determine to change your life in that one area so that your own life begins to align with your description of the true follower of Jesus. What actions can you take today to start looking like that ideal picture? How will your life change over the next week and month to look more like that of a true follower of Jesus? Once you have established one area of your life to be more consistent with Christ, move on to the next. Always write down what needs to change and how you will accomplish this. Review these mini-goals daily, before going to sleep at night and when you awaken each morning.

The chances are good that if you are reading this blog you have a strong desire to follow Jesus with a reckless abandonment. It’s exciting and invigorating to know there are others out there who share the same passion. The difference between those who obtain this life and those who just wish they could, is simply a matter of focused discipline. Writing down what you want to achieve has a mysterious power to help you accomplish your goals; this mysterious power is called focus. Once you are focused you can move forward. Without focus, you will wander aimlessly, forever taking two steps forward and one step back. It’s time to move past wishful thinking and fantasy. It’s time to devote ourselves to the One who gave everything for us. Jesus was intentional and focused as He lived His life for us; now it’s our turn. Write down what you want to do; describe who you must become to do it. Then persist without exception, relying on God’s power to accomplish in you all He intends to do.

How (Not) To Grow a Church

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My Dad was a pastor so I grew up very aware of the inner workings of churches in America. I was privy to the strategies and techniques used to grow a church and the plans to attract more people each Sunday. It is both interesting and sad that church growth has traditionally been about the number of bodies in the pews rather than the actual development of the individual; but I digress. As an avid reader I have consumed many books on the subject of the Western church, megachurches, emerging churches, evangelism, church growth, etc. With that in mind, I believe I have discovered the one sure fire way to impede church growth (as defined by adding members): preach the Gospel. Most Christians I have talked to in my life attend their particular church because they preach the Gospel, or they leave a church because it does not. It makes me wonder exactly what Gospel they are talking about. Let’s take a quick look at a few teachings of Jesus to determine whether or not your church is actually preaching the Gospel.

In Luke 18:18-23, Jesus told the young man that if he wanted to follow Him, he would have to sell all of his possessions and give the money to the poor. When was the last time your preacher told the congregation they needed to start liquidating their material possessions and donate that money to care for the less fortunate in their town and around the world? How well do you think that sermon might go over? This isn’t some vague notion or the opinion of a learned scholar, these words came directly from the mouth of Jesus. How convenient that we have chosen to either ignore or explain away this teaching. This is part of the Gospel of Jesus. The good news is that He has come to bring life and justice, and sometimes justice means selling what we have in order to give to those who are hungry or homeless.

In the book of Matthew (chapter 8, verses 21 and 22), a man says he will follow Jesus, but first needs to go bury his father. Jesus rebuked him and told the man that if he wanted to be His follower, he would need to forget about his family. In fact, Jesus went so far as to say we must hate our mother, father, brothers and sisters if we would follow Him (Luke 14:25-27). I have heard more sermons preached on taking care of one’s own family than I have on hating them. The point is we must be so consumed with Jesus that everything we do in life is with Him in mind. All other obligations and responsibilities must be set aside when it competes with following Jesus. If a scheduling conflict forces you to choose between a kid’s soccer game and feeding the hungry at a soup kitchen, it has to be the soup kitchen every time. This is not going to be a popular message on Sunday morning, and I can only imagine the email the pastor would receive after preaching it. But this too is the Gospel. Our mission is to tell the world about Christ, to make disciples of all people. Everything we do must revolve around this purpose.

Finally, Jesus told another man who wished to follow Him that He had no home (Matthew 8:19-20). The implication is that if we would follow Christ, we too will be homeless; so much for the American dream. In the era of the “prosperity gospel”, this is not a popular topic. Western Christianity has come to be taught as some sort of slick panacea, a comfortable existence lived with a dose of compassion. The modern church has planted itself in the suburbs and consumed itself with programs to entertain and cocoon its members. Many churches have become nothing more than large social clubs where one must maintain a certain look and lifestyle in order to gain admittance; the homeless are often not welcome. Yet, the Gospel of Jesus, the true Gospel, states that if we would follow Him, we will have no place to lay our head at night.

Do you really want to attend a church that preaches the Gospel? The Gospel is amazing news indeed; it is the story of God’s love for His creation. It is the story of His redemption of our fallen and wicked world. It is the story of Jesus giving up His own life so that we might gain eternal life. There is more than this, however. The Gospel is also about our responsibility to spread the message to all nations. We are called to give up everything we own or hold dear for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God. We are called to sell our possessions, to renounce our earthly relationships and to live a life of utter dependence on Jesus. Not all will be faced with these trials, but all must be willing. If God chooses to bless us with even more than we give up, then it is for His glory. If He chooses to not return abundance to us in this life, it is also for His glory and we will be lavishly rewarded in the life to come. Are you willing to live your life in total surrender to Jesus? Are you willing to live out the whole Gospel, not just the comfortable parts? Your answers to these questions will determine whether or not you are a true follower of Jesus. Don’t get left behind.

Finding Your Rhythm

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Much has been made about maintaining balance in our lives. We don’t want to be workaholics, but neither do we want to become lazy. We need to rest without becoming lethargic. We need to pray and study but we also need to take action. To be certain, we must figure out where all the different roles fit within the context of our life. I submit, however, that it is more about rhythm than it is about balance. Personalities are so unique that each of us will have differing capacities and priorities, and therefore what looks like a life that is wholly unbalanced to one person may in fact be the perfect balance for another. The key is how we allow the ebb and flow of life to pass through us; this is our rhythm.

As we read in the book of Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything under the sun. God has created us to be a diverse people with varying tastes and styles. We have unique talents and abilities that we use in our own distinct ways that reveal the fingerprint of God on our lives. We pursue passions and a direction that God has instilled within us in ways that sometimes only makes sense to ourselves! God’s heart beats in a steady pulse that resonates in different rhythms for all of us. We must learn to tune into our personal rhythm and live in that flow.

The key to discovering your rhythm is to maintain your focus on Jesus Christ. When we are seeking Him first, we settle into an easy cadence that permits us to handle whatever comes our way. Did you ever notice that when you are focused on God that hard times or circumstances rarely seem so difficult? We are able to keep everything in perspective and understand that whatever befalls us on earth is truly a small thing in the grand scheme of eternity. When life begins to feel overwhelming or when we become depressed or unhappy, this is a sure sign that you have fallen out of rhythm.

I’m sure you’ve heard musical performances where the drummer “loses the beat”; his job is to supply the tempo and the rhythm for the group. When he falls out of time, the rest of the band loses their place and the ensuing cacophony is far from pleasant! God is the great cosmic drummer and supplies the tempo for our lives; He never misses a beat. However, if we stop listening for the beat, if we start playing our own rhythm, we get lost and start playing chaotic notes that don’t fit the song we have been given to perform. To carry the analogy a little further, when we are in rhythm, all of the various parts of the composition we are performing work together in beautiful harmony; when we get off time, all the parts come into conflict with one another and it takes great effort to pull them all back together again. As any musician knows, the way to get back on track is to relax and listen for the beat that is being laid down by the drummer. Once you hear it, you are then able to easily get back within the flow of the music. You have rediscovered your rhythm.

It is important that you pay attention to the tempo God is setting for your life. You keep in rhythm by focusing on Him so as not to lose your place. When our eyes stay focused on Jesus, all of the distractions of life are easily handled and put in their proper perspective. If you are feeling overwhelmed, chances are you have lost the beat in your relationship with Christ. Find some quiet time to get alone with Him and listen for the rhythm. Write down anything that is causing you stress. Putting it down on paper gets it out of your head and allows you to pray through the issue and determine tangible steps you can take to eliminate the problem. As you slowly decompress and spit out the cacophony of notes in your mind, you free up space to hear the divine heartbeat of God. Listen closely to the beat and find your rhythm. Relax and enjoy the beautiful song He is creating through the music of your life.

Time is of the Essence

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Even though we have no guarantee of even our next breath, we tend to lead our lives as if we will live for years to come. Most people lack the sense of urgency in their lives that we should all have as followers of Christ. We do not know how much longer we will have to further His kingdom on earth. The homeless person you walked by today might be the last chance you will ever have to help someone. The new outfit or video game you purchased today might be the last dollar you ever have the opportunity to spend. The time you spent mindlessly staring at the television might just be the last chance you ever have to be with your family. The lack of urgency with which we live our lives now will most certainly lead to regret later. I don’t want to live a life marked by regrets.

It is made clear in Scripture that no man knows the span of his days. We lack the ability to see the big picture of life unfolding around us and therefore have no idea when our earthly life will be taken away. That is a fact we cannot alter. What we can affect, however, is what we do with every second we remain in our earthly clothes. This is why it is vital that we live our lives with absolute urgency. Every encounter and conversation is vitally important. Each activity becomes one of great importance. Until we start recognizing every second as an opportunity to be the Kingdom here on earth, we will not be living out our mission to its fullest extent. It is hard work to remain so focused, but this is how Jesus lived His life, and so we must strive to live our own lives in this manner as well.

Whenever possible we should remove useless motion. Many confuse being busy with being effective. Our urgency must be interlaced with purposeful intention. It is not enough to be doing something; we must be doing the things that matter, the things that will make the most impact for Jesus. By being mindful of the mission we have been given, we can plan our days around doing those activities which please Him and allow us to reflect His love onto our world. We must live our lives in a manner that keeps us free from the trappings of this world so that we will be free to spend all of our efforts on doing those activities that will glorify Him.

Make time to pray for those around you, to ask for wisdom to discern the things you should do and how you should go about them, and also pray for the courage to follow through. The best way to live a life of urgency is to simply begin doing something. Look for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Instead of being judgmental of others because of their appearance, seek to come up with ways that you might be of service to them. Pray for each person you encounter and be sensitive to what the Lord puts on your heart to do for that person. If you are standing in line at the grocery store and you feel a strong pull to pay for the groceries of someone else in line, do it! If you see a child with little money longing for a toy he can’t afford, buy it for him. If you see homeless people milling about, go grab some food and hand it out. Do the things Jesus told us to do. Don’t hesitate.

We have our marching orders. Move out, and do so with urgency. Make the most of your time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). We have no guarantee of tomorrow, we have only today. In fact we have only this moment. How are you choosing to spend it?

Cultural Silos

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I have recently had the opportunity to attend a couple of events that cut across a wide swath of cultures. I have long been a vocal proponent of reaching across societal boundaries and have lamented the lack of diversity in most of our churches. For me, being at these events was especially rewarding and brought great joy to my heart. To be around people whose upbringing and entire culture has been vastly different from my own was encouraging and eye opening. The food, music, dance and style of worship all differed from that to which I am accustomed. While I found it both exciting and energizing, I could not help but wonder why these types of events are the exception rather than the rule.

Why is there such distrust among the family of God when it comes to cultural differences? One culture does not have all of the answers. We all grow in our walk with Jesus when we invest in the lives of others, regardless of their ethnicity or standing in society. We are all members of one another (Ephesians 4:25), so we should live in unity. There is a great passage in the book of Ephesians that tells us how we are to live with each other: we are to be honest, to only use words that will build up one another, and not be angry (see Ephesians 4:25-29). We often struggle to live this way among our own inner circle, much less when we reach out to those who we deem different from ourselves.

When Jesus came into contact with people, He didn’t consider where a person was from, how wealthy they were, or what their political affiliation may have been, He simply loved them and gave them His full attention. As the Creator of all things, He easily understood that every human soul is the same and He considered each one worthy of His love. Is this the way you and I look at people, or are we more likely to make a snap judgment of them based on hairstyle, clothing or the shade of pigment in their skin? The truth is we tend to huddle together with those who dress, act and look like us, affectively creating cultural silos across the Christian landscape. This is not what Jesus intended for His people; we were called to be one, not many.

We are the children of those who have gone before us, and we bear the scars of prejudice and genocide. Let us not be the ones who carry on the activities and perpetuate the mindsets that lead to division among people in general and the church at large. We are called to a higher standard; we are called to be more than this. We must rise above the fray and diligently do the work that leads to unity among all people. We are followers of Jesus and it is incumbent upon us to begin to live as if that were true.

I certainly have not yet figured all of this out, and I am definitely not above reproach in this area. Like everyone else, I carry the baggage of my generation and upbringing. I am learning though, and I encourage you to do the same. Don’t lock yourself into a cultural silo where everyone looks and acts the same. Branch out and discover what those who are different from you have to offer to your life and your faith. Jesus loves each of us the same, there is no favored class in Heaven. We need to rid ourselves of traditional stereotyping and begin to see the wonder in the great variety that is the human race. Our Creator is creative indeed; may we learn to dance in the beauty of our diversity.