Even If i Walk Alone

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

commitment

This I Choose To Do

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The name of this blog is a reminder of the determination I made several years ago. Even if no one else will follow in the footsteps of Jesus, even if I face great hardships because of my decision, still I will follow Christ at any cost. It’s a daily reminder of my purpose and my mission. Being perfectly honest, this is not always easy.

This i Choose To Do

I have my days where it seems that every choice I make is the wrong one, and I end up on my knees begging God to renew my spirit and make me more like Him. Still, my heart is determined to get up and move forward again. Where else can I turn except into the arms of the One who gives me life? [Read more…] about This I Choose To Do

Starting the Day off Right

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Getting out of bed in the morning can be a challenge or a gift. I have thankfully gotten to the place where I wake without an alarm clock, because I’m certain that the sound they make is akin to something of a demonic nature. Regardless of whether we waken to the sound of a buzzer, a rooster or simply to the sounds of the day, that moment provides us the opportunity to spend some time alone with God. We can choose to roll over and grab ten more minutes of sleep or eagerly embrace the chance to commune with the One who gave us life. I long excused my surly attitude in the early hours by simply saying that I was not a morning person. I still prefer late nights, but the practice of rising before dawn and enjoying some time with God has softened my interactions with others in the morning. [Read more…] about Starting the Day off Right

Finding True Success

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Each of us wants to be successful; we all want to win. There is an innate drive inside of us that compels us to compete and prove we are the best. Being the best means we are successful. If we drive the right car, live in the right neighborhood or have the right job, we consider it proof that we are winning and have become successful. For all those I know who have found themselves driving that car or living in that neighborhood, the vast majority are not entirely happy. If that’s all there is to their life, then a sense of emptiness remains; they lack a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Rabbi Harold Kushner once said, “The purpose of life is not to win. The purpose of life is to grow and share. When you come to look back on all that you have done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the pleasure you have brought to other people’s lives than you will from the times that you outdid and defeated them.

Life is more than keeping score, and this is especially true for followers of Christ. Our goal should not be to outdo someone else, but rather to out-love and out-serve everyone. Our heart’s desire must be to live a life that looks like that of Jesus. If we concern ourselves only with that, we will find our lives are far richer and more fulfilled than if we had achieved material success beyond measure. We are spiritual beings at our core, and spirit cannot be soothed or satisfied with the physical. Beyond what it does for us emotionally, anything we can touch, taste, smell, or hear will never fully quench the longing we have inside. It is only through spiritual communication with God and sharing His love with others that we will find peace and contentment. Nothing satisfies except Jesus.

It is incredibly easy to get caught up in the ways of our culture, but we are called out of a life of normalcy to live as strangers in this world. We are set apart to be different. If we chase after the things that society dictates we must have, then we are worshipping the material rather than the spiritual, and we are not following Jesus. Christ never cared for temporal possessions. He warned His followers that they would have no place to call home and sent them out into the world virtually empty handed (Luke 9:57-58; Luke 9:1-6). The reality was that while they may not have had anything they could physically hold, they were filled beyond measure because the spirit of God was within them.

True success is measured by how closely we are following Jesus. It is determined by our resemblance to Christ and by doing the things He told us to do. If we are continuing His mission on earth, then we are indeed successful. While it may not look like it to your friends, you know the peace and comfort that is within. You can’t put a price tag on the feeling that comes from being fully surrendered to Jesus. In the midst of the worst of troubles, He provides calm and courage. In the darkest night, He provides rest and comfort. Nothing is impossible through Jesus; nothing can stop us when we are truly following Him. There is no greater power than the power of God, and this power lives within you. You can keep your cars and your fancy neighborhoods. You can keep your physical power and influence. I have found all I need in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the true power, and true success is found only in service to Him.

Being Faithful

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Reading through the Old Testament, I often marvel how the Israelites continually turned away from God. Couldn’t they see how powerful He was? Hadn’t they been witness to incredible miracle after miracle? They had heard the voice of God and seen His presence descend among them. More than anyone, it seems they would have been compelled to a state of constant thankfulness and worship. Yet we read that time and again they turned their back on God and did what was evil in His sight. From the perspective of history we look back on them and think, “How stupid could they be?” It’s so easy to judge the shortcomings of others while being oblivious to the failings in our own life.

It strikes me that I am just like the Israelites. I have seen the Lord’s blessings in my life time and again. I have observed occurrences that have no explanation short of the hand of God. Yet still I am tempted by the things this world has to offer; still my attention can be directed in ways not pleasing to Him. Recently I have been focusing on the thought of not turning to the right or to the left, but only moving straight ahead. When I am wavering, the Lord has brought verses to my mind concerning Israel, how they did what was evil in His sight. I am reminded of those great servants of God about whom the Bible says followed Him in all their ways. That is the person I want to be. I want to be the one who finds favor in the sight of God because I consider His ways in all my endeavors. I do not want to be the one who chases after his own thoughts and desires.

Jim Rohn liked to say that the Bible was full of two kinds of stories, those that show us what to do, and those that show us what not to do. We have great examples on how we should or should not behave, we simply need to read and study the Word of God to determine how to live our lives. The Bible does not contain every circumstance or decision you will ever face, but it does contain every principle you will need in order to handle the situation. When we are committed to following Jesus with our whole heart, when we dedicate ourselves to walking in His way, He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). We aren’t guaranteed an easy road, but we are assured of a right direction. Regardless of the difficulties we face, knowing that we are not turning away from the Lord in any way will bring satisfaction and peace to our lives. Nothing brings more comfort than doing what is right in the sight of the Lord and acting on all that He has told us to do.

Can you relate to the Israelites as well? Have you seen God move in your own life only to later forget and carry on with business as usual? We have countless examples in the Bible of those who chased after God with all their heart, and those who turned away to pursue their own selfish desires. It never ends well for those who turn away from God. The only question then is whether or not we will be wise enough to learn from the examples of those who humbled themselves before the Lord and received His blessings, or face the consequences of following those who rebelled against their God. Following Christ is really very simple, we need only worship Him alone and do the things He told us to do. More often than any of us want to admit, however, we are far more interested in chasing after the temporary comforts of this world.

So what will you do? Will you give all that you are to follow Jesus and obey His commands? Or will you turn your back on all He has done for you and worship the selfish and powerless things of this world? Looks fade, money burns and houses crumble; there is nothing permanent except for the love and mercy of Christ. Don’t be like the foolish examples in the Bible. Do what is right in His eyes and worship the Lord with all of your heart, soul and mind. May we be pleasing to Him in all our ways; let us live that we might be worthy of His sacrifice in every moment of our lives.

The Fear of Losing

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We all find security in something. For some it’s our jobs, for others it’s their money. Some find security in their possessions and others in their families. The true follower of Christ will find their security only in Him. Jesus said that whatever we gain on this earth will be lost, but if we put our trust and faith in Him, we will gain eternal life (Matthew 16:24-27). We clutch tightly to what we perceive to be secure while neglecting that which truly is.

There is an art to letting go and a freedom in travelling light. Anything gained in this world will at some point become a burden. Money becomes a stumbling block to stepping out in faith. Families bring responsibilities that can limit our movement. Both money and family can be tremendous blessings, but we must realize that earthly blessings come with some sacrifice. Any responsibility by its very nature requires our time and energy which results in time not entirely focused on God. Again, this is not inherently sinful; it’s simply a restriction of human beings. Physical entities do not have the ability to be more than one place at once. Our brains can only accommodate one thought at a time. Yes, we can perform rote tasks while thinking about something else, but our minds will be rapidly and constantly shifting focus from one task to the next. True focus requires our undivided attention.

We want to seek God above all else and desire to be in His presence always; yet the temptations of this world call out to us, steal away our focus, and erode our faith. Serving as a missionary seems noble, but we have our family to think about. Stepping out in faith is exciting, but we have a lot of financial responsibilities to consider. Giving money to the poor is what Christ would want us to do, but we find ourselves a little short at the end of the month after paying our cell phone bill. We cling to things that are of no consequence. We hold tightly to all we are destined to lose, and we do this at the expense of the Kingdom of God.

When we stand before Jesus and give an account of our lives, I guarantee you He will not be impressed by the square footage of our house, the car we drove, the job we had or the balance of our bank account. All of the things we covet stand in contrast to the will of God. Our selfishness is detestable to Him. We have large homes with extra rooms while millions sleep on the street tonight. We spend thousands and thousands of dollars on multiple cars yet millions in Africa will walk miles just to retrieve some water. Hoarded money swells our investment accounts while billions go hungry. We are holding on to the wrong stuff. We are desperately trying hold onto what we cannot keep, and sacrificing all that truly matters to Jesus.

What is the answer? What is the cure for the disease of selfishness and insecurity? In a word, the answer is Jesus. When we seek to live our lives as He did, we will find our priorities changed. When we begin to take seriously the word He spoke and the commands He gave, we will begin to be like Him and the chains of this world will fall away. Until we become deadly serious about devoting the whole of our lives to Him, we will continue to struggle in our pseudo-Christianity. Until we recognize Him as the Lord of our lives, we will remain lip-service Christians. Our hypocrisy stands in judgment over us. May God save us from ourselves and our paltry attempts to live for Him! Until we are ready to lose it all for His sake, we will never gain the life He has prepared for us. Love God, love others; serve the Lord with all your heart, mind, strength and soul. Don’t be afraid to lose what you cannot keep. Rather, tremble at the thought of never taking hold of that which you cannot lose. Only Jesus is eternal; only that which is done in His name will remain. What are you afraid of losing?