Even If i Walk Alone

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

commitment

Living Simply

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Jesus lived a life of simplicity. He did not clutter His days with unnecessary baubles, dress extravagantly or live in a huge house with a meticulously manicured lawn. None of these things were important to Him. All that mattered to Jesus was carrying out the mission of God. He lived His life diametrically opposed to societal norms. If we are committed to live a life that looks like His, we need to reflect on how we are measuring up to His simplicity.

We who live in the West live in the wealthiest societies that the world has ever known. Every day we take for granted what others around the world and throughout history have never known. On a typical morning, I will retrieve food from the refrigerator and cupboard, heat it in a microwave oven, and pour a glass of clean, cool water before heading upstairs for a long, hot shower. On a typical morning, half of the world’s population will wake up hungry and remain that way because there is no food; if they can find water, they must often walk for miles to access it, and then it may be anything but clean and cool. They live in filth because there is nowhere to bathe, nor any kind of bathroom facility in their one story, one room, and tin-roofed hut. They live in fear of the darkness because there is no electricity to illuminate their nights.

Yet the multitudes of blessings we find in our typical morning, if we would stop to consider them, are not enough. It’s not enough that we are blessed with comforts unimaginable for half the population on the planet. A typical Western household will have a couple of automobiles, several sets of clothing and shoes, and several pieces of electronic forms of entertainment. By contrast, the typical household for half the world will have no motor vehicle, one set of clothing but no shoes, and no useless gadgets with which to amuse them. Their days are spent working, farming, walking and helping out in their community. Meanwhile, we leave our houses only to go to work, shop or for the occasional barbecue.

Whose life more closely reflects that of Jesus? We have become a people dissatisfied with simplicity. We require excess and comfort. Oh, we’ll follow Jesus, we’ll live as He did, but we’ll do so in the context of the comforts and pleasures of our modern society. Jesus was countercultural, but we live a life of assimilation. An honest look will reveal that our lives look like anything but that of Jesus’ life. He modeled simplicity and we live in complexity. He modeled generosity and we live in selfishness. Yet still we claim to be His followers; still we claim to be striving to live a life that looks like His.

This is about the time when we generally hear the disclaimer of, “Now I’m not asking you to sell everything you have”, from our pulpits. It always amazes me that in almost every church I’ve ever attended, preachers will follow up a convicting statement with another that softens and perhaps even nullifies the first. For example, “You can’t spend all your time watching television or going to the mall. Not that there’s anything wrong with those activities by themselves, but…” So I’m not going to soften the blow here. The rich young ruler (perhaps a forerunner to you and me) asked Jesus what He needed to do to be like Him and inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. There was no but, there was no follow up excuse, and there was no retraction later on in scripture.

Jesus wasn’t bogged down by earthly trappings or possessions. He lived a simple life of utter dependence on God. He did not give thought to what He might eat or what He might drink, but rather trusted His Father to provide for His needs. When was the last time you lived in such abandonment? When was the last time you placed that kind of trust in God?

It is no wonder Christ identified with the poor; their lives more closely reflected the manner in which He lived. Can Jesus recognize anything of Himself in our own lifestyles? I am ashamed and convicted by my own surroundings. I am blessed beyond measure and take almost all of it for granted. God forgive me. I want to live a life that looks like Jesus. I want to follow Him in every way. I have the desire, but do I have the will? It is the question I must ask myself, and it is the same question that I ask you. Are we truly willing to live a life that looks like Jesus? Are we willing and ready to walk in His simplicity?

World Wide Neighborhood

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At 42 years of age, I have seen many amazing technical innovations in my time. None can compare, in my view, to the piece of technology you are utilizing right now to read this blog: the World Wide Web. Never in history has the world been so small, so connected. There are nearly seven billion people on this planet, yet we can be almost instantly connected with a great many of them at any time of the day or night. The internet provides the medium for novice on-site reporters to broadcast images of what is truly happening around them. We are no longer beholden to the filtered and slanted view of the news we have historically gotten from our own media. This isn’t a political statement, but rather one of nationalism. It is quite obvious and common that every country tells its history from its own self-serving angle. This is why early American history will sound quite different when reading Anglo-American, British or Native American writings. All of this is to say that it is now extremely difficult to hide the truths and atrocities that occur around the world every single day.

The ultimate result of this brave new world that is laid bare before us is that we, as followers of Christ, can no longer feign ignorance to what is happening to our brothers and sisters on our watch. In countries all around the planet, Christians are brutally slaughtered and mercilessly tortured simply for professing to the same faith that we do. In a great number of countries, churches are illegal and not tolerated. Christians gather in homes, in secret shelters and hiding places to worship the Lord together. They risk being beaten, raped and murdered all for the sake of Jesus. Families are torn apart; loved ones who are sent to far off prisons are never heard from again. They are forced into 18 hour days of hard labor and given little food, clothing or shelter. Yet, still they endure; still they gather together to praise and worship Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, followers of Christ in the Western world leave the church and even walk away from their faith because of disagreements over the color of the new carpeting in the sanctuary or the style of music played in the morning service. We put in our hour every Sunday morning and forget about our commitment to God until the next week. We spend the days in between griping about the fact that there’s nothing to eat while our cupboards are full. We complain that we have nothing to wear while our closets resemble the inventory of a small boutique. We grumble that life is unfair and difficult while depositing a six figure income into the bank.

I am humbled and sickened when I reflect on our greed, self-centeredness and apathy. I am heartbroken when I recall the parable of the Good Samaritan and the command to love my neighbor as myself. We’re not getting it done; we are not obeying the simple command of Jesus. I’m not worthy to call Him Lord. When will we begin to understand and own up to the fact that our petty annoyances are repulsive to God? Much like the Israelites who wandered in the desert, we are a stubborn and whining people, unable or unwilling to see God for who He is. The blood of a billion neighbors cries out to us, and we walk by on the other side. God forgive us; God help us to repent and seek Your face and to live lives worthy of our calling.

This isn’t a feel good post. To be perfectly honest, I never really know where the topic is going to end up when I begin to write. Many will read this and be offended. That’s okay; I’m offended as well. I’m offended that I could be so blind and uncaring. I’m offended that I profess to be a follower of Jesus yet do so little to help my neighbor in need. The world has become smaller; our neighborhood now extends the breadth of the globe. Our brothers and sisters lay bleeding in the ditch. We are the called; we are the chosen. We are the ones who must reach out as the hands of Jesus and care for their needs. The command to love our neighbor as ourselves is simple, but it is not easy. We know what the problems are. We know what our response must be. Are we willing to serve Jesus and carry out the mission He entrusted to us? There are only two choices: follow or walk away. Our choice has eternal and incredible consequences. Which path will you choose?

Holy Dissatisfied

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The call of Jesus is simple. Love God with all that you are and love everyone else in the same manner. Feed the hungry, care for the sick, the widows and the orphans. Live a life of service; reflect God’s love to everyone you meet. This was and is the mission of Jesus Christ.

If you failed to recognize modern Christianity in the paragraph above, you are not alone. Christians have become known as an intolerant bunch of self-righteous homophobiacs who build big comfortable buildings with high walls in an apparent attempt to keep others out. Our building project budgets dwarf our missions giving and our internal activities far outpace our outreach ministries. How did this happen, and more importantly, how do we fix it?

The answer begins with you and me. We must repent; we must change. If Christ has been removed from the church, then it is our responsibility to seek Him outside of those comfortable walls, to find Him in the eyes of the people He came to save. We must go to the alleys, to the suburbs and to the ghettos. We will find Him in the poor, the sick and the abandoned. Jesus is near, but we have become blind.

It is time that we who claim to know Jesus begin to live a life that looks like His. We must walk where He walked and touch those whom He touched. The time has come to shed our Western trappings and live a life marked by simplicity and grace. Our closets are packed with clothing we never wear while half the globe walks around in rags and without shoes. Our cupboards and refrigerators burst with food in quantities unfathomable to the three billion people in the world who somehow exist on only $2 per day. Jesus said to give all that we have, but we quarrel about the proper amount to tithe, and whether that amount is before or after taxes. Although we are the most blessed generation of people in history, are charity pales in comparison to our earnings.

While some will give of their money, they will withhold their time. Other will give their time, but hold on to their vices. Following Jesus is all or nothing. You can’t do it half-way; you’ll simply get left behind. Following Jesus requires an intense faith a passion to do the works we were both created and commanded to do. Now is the time for this generation to rise up and rebel against the religious traditions we have been taught. Almost everything you’ve learned is wrong because it suffers from years of man-made additions to what is at its heart a very simple mission. True followers of Jesus will reject the pharisaical teachings of the past and return to a life spent in relentless pursuit of the Savior.

Let us begin that journey; let us learn to strip away all that is not of Jesus and begin again to walk in His footsteps. Along the way we will learn what it means to truly identify with the poor and the sick. We will discover renewed passion for life and a compassion for others that is unquenchable. When it comes to Jesus, it is essential that we yearn for more and more; we must never be satisfied. Our longing for Him must leave us aching for more and more. He is our Creator, the One who is madly and passionately in love with us. He longs to be known by you. Will you seek Him? Come with me and let’s learn to pursue Him at any cost. Let us learn together what it means to be a true follower of Jesus.

Relentless Pursuit

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Are you satisfied with your progress as a follower of Jesus? Do you feel comfortable with where you are in your walk? I have to be honest, I am definitely not. I have learned so much in the past few years, and my life has definitely changed for the better. Without a doubt, I reflect Jesus much more clearly today than I did even a couple of years ago. Each day is an opportunity to learn a little more about Him and to affect new changes in my life so that I might look more like Him. But it’s not enough. I’m so far from where I want to be that it almost seems that I’ve made no progress at all.

I will not begin to be content until my entire life is consumed by Jesus and His love. Once consumed, I will be free to love others with the same immeasurable love that God has for me. Once consumed, I will live without fear and act boldly for Him every time, regardless of the cost. My words will no longer be used to tear someone down but rather will only be used to build up everyone around me. My thoughts will be pure and free from evil; envy, jealousy and rage will be foreign to my life. I will forgive as soon as I am offended. I will live only to serve others. I will shine brightly in all situations because the love of the Messiah will reflect off me with an intensity that is unmistakable. This is not the man I am today, but this is the man I aspire to be.

I recently read a quote by Leonard Ravenhill that said something to the effect that we don’t have Elijah’s in our world today because we have no one seeking God like Elijah did. Simply put, we don’t manifest the power of God because we have not fully surrendered our lives to Him. This surrender is not the emotional breakdown we might experience at a worship or prayer service, a concert or listening to a convicting sermon. This is not about a moment in time, no matter how special or amazing that moment may have been. No, total surrender is demonstrated in every breath we breathe and in every movement we make. Total surrender means there’s no more selfishness or self-interest. It means seeking God in prayer at all times, and consulting with Him in every concern. God is present; He’s with us at every moment. The love of Christ is shining all around us. We need simply allow Him to start removing the dirt and grime from our lives so that He might reflect brightly off of us and toward someone desperately in need of the unconditional love that only He can offer.

Living a life wholly devoted to Jesus is not easy. In fact, it is very hard. The rewards, however, are out of this world! I can’t be certain what rewards await us once our time on earth is done. That’s okay; I am at least as happy with the rewards of living for Him right here, and right now. The peace that overwhelms me when I reflect on Him and spend time in solitude just praying to Him is beyond compare. The strength and happiness I feel at the very thought of Jesus is something I would not trade for anything. The knowledge that I am doing the work He created me to do is a feeling that has no equal.

Are you satisfied with your walk? Are you consumed with Him to the very core of your soul? Do you desire Jesus more than anything else? Never stop striving to answer ‘yes’ to each of these questions. I’m not there yet, I sometimes fall. I struggle with the best and sometimes I outright fail. Failure is a fleeting moment, however, and I will not stay down. I will live my life for Jesus and Him alone. I will spend my days in relentless pursuit of the One who gave His life so that I might live. I will not quit, I will not tire; I will not rest until I burn with Holy fire. I am far from satisfied.

Seeking the Kingdom First

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For those familiar with Scripture, you are more than likely aware of the command to “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). This is pretty clear and straightforward. If you are a list oriented person like me, you may be wondering what numbers two, three and four might be. We’re good with seeking the Kingdom first, but what are we to seek next? In truth there is no next. There are two reasons why this is a list of one, and why one is all that we need.

First, we are never able to check off the first (and only) item on the list. We never fully accomplish seeking the Kingdom of God first. Seeking the Kingdom of God is a moment by moment endeavor. We may successfully seek the Kingdom first in one moment, but in the next we are back to our own selfish pursuits. Since we are no longer seeking the Kingdom first, we must return to number one on our list. In fact the very moment we cross off “Seek God’s Kingdom” from our list, we immediately nullify its completion. At that moment we have become self-serving and are no longer seeking the Kingdom first. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is a lifelong activity. We must consciously choose to seek His Kingdom every moment we live. Since He never told us to stop seeking, and since He never rescinded that command, we must continue on with the last instruction we received. We must continue to seek Him. It can be a daunting challenge to constantly seek His kingdom first; daunting, but not impossible. God is with us at every moment. He is with you right now. We often forget that His Spirit is alive and at work within us. If you are a sincere follower of Christ, the Spirit of God is part of your life at all times. He gives us the ability to consult with Him at any moment, for as long as we need. Our job is simply to remind ourselves that He is with us; we must master the discipline of becoming intimately and consciously aware of His constant presence in our lives.

The second reason we have a list of one is that this one item encompasses all that we are to do in service to Jesus. Seeking His kingdom first means we will see Jesus in everyone. We will see Him as the hungry child orphaned by the plague of AIDS, and we will feed Him. We will see him in the hollow eyes of the crippled homeless man, and we will shelter him. We will see Him sick and in agony, and we will care for his needs. If we seek first God’s Kingdom, we will behave like citizens of that Kingdom. We will love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our minds. We will love our neighbors more than we love ourselves. We will seek to do the things that Jesus did and we will carry on the mission He left for us to do. If we seek first His kingdom, we will live lives that look like Jesus. We will know what it means to walk as Jesus walked, and to love as Jesus loved.

Seeking the Kingdom is not simply the first thing we are to do as followers of Christ; it is the only thing we are to do. If we will follow this single command, we will do all that Jesus told us to do. Begin recognizing that God is with you at all times. Seek Him out in every situation; get in the habit of engaging in non-stop conversation with our King. As we shift our focus, moment by moment, onto His Kingdom and His plans, we will find that burdens and sins begin to melt away. There is no room for sin in a life that is wholly devoted to God. There is no burden so heavy that it is not diminished in the presence of God. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and seek nothing else. In seeking Him first we will find His peace, His patience and His love. Seek Him first, and seek Him only; then you will be fully and truly whole.