Even If i Walk Alone

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

Archives for November 2010

Spiritual Leaks

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I believe most people who decide to become followers of Jesus are very sincere in their desire. We all start out very excited and determined to follow Him; generally after making the commitment we are quick to tell others about our decision as well. Then life sets in and the day to day doldrums that encompassed everything we did before prove to have not magically disappeared. Our excitement may wane a bit as we find less and less time to devote to praying and studying the Bible. Convincing ourselves that our commitment will override the need for concentrated effort, we continue on our path, much as we did before giving our lives over to Jesus. It’s not that we intend to fall away or even that we are mired in sin; it’s simply that we’ve lost our focus, let down our guard, and allowed the pressures of life to steal our enthusiasm and our zeal. We’re drifting and we’re not even sure how it happened.

Like a tire with a slow leak, we can go about our way for quite some time without ever realizing there’s a problem. When we do notice something amiss, we read a good book or listen to some music to pump us back up and head out on our way again. But just as ignoring a tire with a slow leak will eventually leave us broken down with a flat somewhere in the middle of nowhere, so too will unattended spiritual leaks leave us feeling dissatisfied and wandering in the wilderness of life. A little slip here, a loss of focus there, and suddenly our once devoted life has succumbed to the temptations of the world and we are no longer living for Christ at all. It is vital that we do not let our guard down for even a moment; small cracks become big problems down the road if we don’t tend to them. As soon as we recognize we have gotten off course, we need to immediately repent and pray for direction to get back on the right path. It’s also important to take a few moments and reflect on how you got pushed off track. What deceptions and devices were used? Learning the tactics of the enemy will help you fend off future attacks and help you recognize your vulnerabilities; this informs you of the areas in your life that need improvement.

It’s rarely the huge, cataclysmic events that cause us to veer away from following Christ but rather the small, barely perceptible shifts of focus that are our downfall. It’s the friend who hurts our feelings and so we harbor a grudge; it’s the boss who squashes our enthusiasm until we decide to no longer excel and simply do an average job; it’s the everyday things in life that lead to discouragement, jealousy and anger. When you are experiencing emotions that are not part of God’s character, you are causing cracks to form in your life, cracks that allow the spiritual leaking to begin. Remember that no one can cause you to feel any of these negative emotions without your permission. You must discipline your mind to reject feelings that do not align with your purpose in life. If someone wrongs you, forgive them and move on. Life is too short to waste time dealing with the thoughts thrust upon us by others. We have a mission to carry out and have no time left to lose. Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us to make the most of the time because the days are evil so we should discern what the will of the Lord is. The will of the Lord is to put aside petty differences and to go into the entire world telling others about Jesus while serving those in need. That is how we are to live our lives.

Be careful about letting cracks form in your heart. Spiritual leaks are silent and insidious killers of the soul. Without diligent focus and attention to our emotions and reactions we can easily find our joy depleted and our lives broken down and useless. Constantly recharge yourself through prayer, study and associating with others who share your beliefs. Salve your wounds by serving others; there is no quicker way to patch a crack than to be about the mission to which you are called. Staying on purpose hardens our resolve and makes the cracks less likely to appear.

Are you suffering from spiritual leaks? Take an honest look at your life and ask God to patch the holes and get you back on the road toward pursuing Him. Mind your focus and steel your resolve; guard your thoughts and learn to improve the weak areas of your life. Preventing the cracks in the first place is the best defense against spiritual leaks.

Betting the Farm on Jesus

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As I began gathering my thoughts and praying about my goals for next year, I suddenly became aware of a very obvious but often underlying point. Everything I am considering, the core around which I am planning every action, is Jesus Christ. I have reached a point in my life where this is becoming as natural as breathing to me. No longer am I making plans based on what my whims and desires might be or setting my aspirations on making a significant amount of money. No, everything revolves around Jesus. My dreams are to do things that will draw others to him. My joy comes from the thought of freeing the oppressed and seeing the name of Jesus taught to all nations and people groups. I don’t say this to point out how much I’ve grown (indeed I would argue that having been a Christian for thirty-seven years now, my progress has been ridiculously slow), but rather to say that if Jesus is not who He said He was, I am basing my life on foundation of deceit and empty words. In other words, I’m betting the farm on Jesus.

I’ve been asked how I could possibly believe the things I do. The whole story seems rather fantastic and rather imaginary, does it not? I have also been told that it takes a lot of faith to believe the way I do. As Steve Taylor once penned in a lyric, “Don’t you know by now why the chosen are few? It’s harder to believe than not to.” It’s far easier to dismiss the Biblical message and the Gospel as a fanciful story written by suspicious men of days long past. It’s easier to live a life that is accountable to no one other than yourself. Who wouldn’t enjoy the thought that we should indulge in all of the best this world has to offer? Christianity is viewed as an archaic set of rules meant to limit our freedom and subject us to judgment. Couple this with a beginning that ultimately cannot be proven, and we see why so many laugh in the face of the Gospel.

I believe that reality is the exact opposite. While the story is truly fantastic, it is no less plausible and actually far more logical than any alternative the world has offered. When accurately studied, the whole of evolution is untenable and hopelessly ridiculous. I find that it takes far more faith to believe in the magic circumstances of primordial ooze and it’s equally fortuitous progression into human kind than it does to believe in creation by a loving God who possesses intelligence far superior to our own. I find the sacrifice of Christ on man’s behalf hard to fathom from the standpoint of what we deserve, but also see it in perfect harmony with the character of God revealed in Scripture. The last thing I find in a life of following Jesus is a lack of freedom. I have never felt so free or at peace as when I am seeking Him. I never found freedom in anything the world offered, only temporary satisfaction that was quickly exchanged for long term bondage. That is not freedom! The so-called rules of Christianity are actually things we choose to do out of love for our Lord. We don’t give up or miss out on anything. Instead we bask in the glory of the love of Jesus. I have seen Him answer prayer; I have lived a life that defies explanation outside of Divine intervention. I am not sorry for, nor doubtful of, what I believe.

So I’m all in. I am betting the farm on the truth of the claims of Jesus Christ. My life will mean nothing outside of Him. Every step I take, I take with the intent to follow Him. My goals and aspirations revolve around continuing His mission. My passion is to become the person He created me to be so that I might express His love to others and work for His justice in a broken and hurting world. This allows me to face the future with an invigorated attitude and confident direction.

In what are you placing your faith? Do you have a firm foundation on which to build your life? Are you convinced that Jesus is who He said He was? True hope, true freedom, are found only in Christ. Decide today to follow Him and give Him all of your life. Your dreams and desires are safe with God. Like me, you can feel confident on betting the farm on Jesus Christ.

Risk vs. Reward

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No matter how you stack it up, life is a never ending adventure. Each day we have the opportunity to rewrite the script, to change our course and to seek new challenges. In the free nations of our world, we have the privilege of achieving high levels of success and acquiring great wealth. We can do all of these things without giving much thought to the spiritual side of life; so we risk squandering the most incredible opportunity of all, the chance to know God personally, to enjoy an intimate relationship with the one who created us. Many are afraid that if they give their lives to Christ that they will have to give up too much of what they have worked to obtain. They are afraid they will be required to sacrifice their lifestyle, their friends and their activities. The price simply seems too high.

What if we risked it all? What if we determined to live our lives full throttle for Jesus Christ? If we threw ourselves into the teeth of life with reckless abandon and didn’t care what we might lose, how then might we impact the world? Two thousand years ago, one man and twelve of his followers literally altered the course of human history forever. One man’s influence has permeated through every generation that has come after Him. A small handful of ordinary souls who devoted their lives to following Him spread His message throughout the world and thereby continued the mission to which they had been called. They risked everything; they suffered persecution, torture and even death. All this they deemed worth the cost because they knew if they endured for God’s sake, He would reward them with eternal rest and peace in His kingdom. They were willing to lose everything they had achieved and acquired for the sake of continuing the mission of Jesus Christ. They risked it all and lost everything of temporal value, yet they gained everything that could be gained; they got Jesus.

If the price still seems too high for you, that’s okay; you don’t have to pay it. You don’t have to risk everything and follow Jesus. You can continue life as you know it, acquiring more and achieving greater and greater success. You can pile up cash, purchase expensive toys and take exotic vacations. You can absolutely live your life totally devoid of anything to do with Jesus and thereby not risk losing everything you now possess. That’s great news, right? Here’s the problem. By refusing to risk it all, you are guaranteed to lose everything. This truth is spelled out very plainly in Scripture (Matthew 16:24, 25). If you are not willing to risk it all, you are assured of losing everything. You can gain all that this world has to offer and in the end it will be taken from you, you’ll be stripped naked, and you will be left alone. You will suffer an eternity that is absent of God, absent of love, and absent of redemption. You will lose it all because you were unwilling to risk everything for the person and cause of Jesus Christ. This is reality, and it is your future if you continue down the path the world chooses. What will you decide?

The risk of following Jesus is nothing compared to the certainty of not following. We can risk it all and thereby gain everything. Or, we can play it safe and lose it all. These are the two choices that we have in life, there is nothing else. You can’t risk a little and hope to gain a little in return, perhaps just enough to guarantee your comfort. It simply doesn’t work this way. Jesus said that if you are not for Him then you are against Him (Matthew 12:30). What is the greater risk, to give your life to Christ or to stand in opposition to Him? I assure you if you oppose the God of the universe, you will lose every time. It’s a no win situation, so why would you even want to go there? You can’t keep putting off your choice, because today may be the last day that you have the opportunity to choose. None of us has any guarantee of tomorrow (James 4:14). You must make the choice today, and it affects more than the rest of your life; it affects your eternity. Again I ask, what will you decide? Will you play it safe and hope for the best, and by doing so lose everything you have and all hope for salvation? Or will you risk it all, throwing yourself with abandon into the mission of Christ, no matter the cost, and gain life? The price is great and the risk is heavy, but the reward is beyond measure.

Dine In USA

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The very good folks over at “Here’s Life Inner City” ministry are sponsoring the “Dine In Campaign” this holiday season. The premise is very simple. Pick a day (or days) that you would normally eat out, and stay home instead. Instead of spending money at the restaurant, donate what you would have spent to buy a Thanksgiving meal for a poor family in America. For $36.71 you can feed a family of six this holiday season. Instead of facing another year around an empty table, your sacrifice will provide a wonderful meal for an entire family. “Here’s Life Inner City” is using the donations to pack up meals in “Love Boxes” to send to their ministry partners across the nation to feed those in need this season. I highly encourage you to consider taking part in this campaign. This is a very tangible way to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to follow His command to feed the hungry and care for the poor. Click here to donate or learn more.

We can all sacrifice a meal out so that someone else might experience a dinner they would otherwise never be able to afford. Imagine the smiles and full stomachs provided from your simple act of service. Instead of spending on ourselves, let’s give of what we’ve been blessed with to care for another. I am excited to participate in the campaign and to share it with you as well. We talk so much here about sacrifice and caring for the needs of others, and often people ask what they can do and wonder how they can demonstrate Christ’s love to the poor. The “Dine In Campaign” is a great start, a wonderful opportunity to walk as Jesus walked and to touch those he touched.

The poor always held a special place in the heart of Jesus, so we also must be moved with compassion toward those less fortunate than we are. It is so easy to get caught up in the preparation and festivities of the season. Don’t become so busy that you lose focus of the mission. Satan delights in using good things to steer us off course. If he can distract us with the business of the holidays he will have succeeded in turning our eyes from the poor and those in need, both here at home and around the world. For literally billions of people, this time of year holds no sense of celebration. They are too busy simply trying to survive. They are hard at work scrounging for food and dealing with illnesses caused from drinking filthy and contaminated water. We must be careful not to pause in our efforts in continuing the mission of Jesus during this time of the year.

As you are reminded of the things for which you are thankful, remember those who lack hope and are mired in poverty. If we have something for which to be thankful, then we have something which can be shared. Not long after Thanksgiving we will celebrate the greatest gift in the history of mankind, the gift of Jesus. We must see that the gift of God’s Son continues to be spread to those who have not yet heard. We must not relax our efforts to go into the entire world, telling them about Jesus, and serving them in their need. This is the mission Christ entrusted to those who would follow Him and we must not relax our fervor or determination simply because of the holiday season. Indeed, the holidays should inspire us to do more, not less.

This year, consider spending your money and effort on those who truly are in need. Give to the poor, spend time with the outcast and touch the untouchable. This season is a time of great distress and depression for so many as they are reminded of what they lack. May we not be so absorbed with what we have that we neglect the poorest of the poor. Let us endeavor to serve them in humility, love and friendship. Jesus demands nothing less of us. Pray to ache as He does over the plight of the poor. Thank Him for your blessings and then share all you can with someone in need. Make this holiday season a season of service. The smiles you encounter will be those of Jesus Himself as you carry out His work on earth.

The Remnant

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Another winter approaches, reminding me of the passing of one more year. I’m a year older and a year closer to my last breath. Have I accomplished all that Christ has put within me? This isn’t some mid-life crisis type of reflection; I have weathered that storm and come through on the other side somewhat unscathed. This is more about being sure that I am making the most of the minutes I have been given here on earth. Am I each day giving everything I have to the service of others and the mission of Christ? How about you?

Athletes and musicians devote years of their life in anonymous toil, perfecting their craft through countless hours of repetitive exercises. They are honing their skills with the end in mind, a purpose that drives them to persist through every trial and obstacle. In the end, their triumphs and their gifts, if not utilized to further the Kingdom of God, will mean little to human history. Yet their perseverance and raw determination, their relentless pursuit of a dream puts most of us to shame. We are invited to participate in the greatest mission ever known; we have been given the gifts and talents to make the dream a reality, yet we squander our opportunities through laziness and indulging in self-seeking activities that benefit no one and extract a great toll on our own lives.

If we do not gain an unrelenting focus to pursue that to which we are called, we will live lives of quiet desperation and die unfulfilled, unprepared, and unaware. That is not the life I wish to lead, and it is not the life for which I have been created. We hear the words over and over again, but are they sinking in? We know the things we should be doing, but are we engaging in those activities? We are the hands and feet of Jesus; we are His instruments of change. If we will not go into the world and fight for justice, if we will not feed the hungry and care for the sick, then who else will do it? Jesus is the light of the world and we are called to be His reflection. How much brighter would the love of God shine throughout the earth if each of us were properly tuned and polished so as to perfectly resonate and reflect that love to those around us? How brightly would that light shine if it were multiplied by the number of those who proclaim to know Christ? Our world is covered in darkness because we are a dim reflection of our Savior.

Every day that we are blessed to live we must set our minds on Christ and doing the things He commanded us to do. We must practice using our God-given gifts to hone our skills so that we might be ready to use them in any situation and every season. When we wake up each morning, it is imperative that we recognize the opportunity before us and greet the day with enthusiasm, knowing that we have been given the opportunity to join with Christ in building His Kingdom on earth. What could be more invigorating or exciting?

The truth is most of us will choose not to participate. Many who take up the call will become discouraged and fall away. But there will remain a few that will persist, a remnant that will stop at nothing to pursue the work that has been given them to do. I want to be part of that crowd. I want to share in the glory of God by refusing to turn away or give up. I want to seek Him with all that I am and use every last breath to tell others about His love and His mercy. In my own strength I will fail; alone, I will falter. My pledge is to desperately beg for His help, His strength and His power so that I might achieve the things for which I have been created. The remnant is small, but the remnant is able. Will you join with the few who will persist at any cost? The price is substantial, but the reward is beyond measure.