Even If i Walk Alone

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

Discipleship

The Buck Stops Here

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This morning I was reading about the Church in Costa Rica. The good news is that the Costa Rican people seem to be highly effective at evangelizing the lost. The bad news is that people are leaving the Church and even abandoning their faith at an equal rate as those who are being won to Christ. The problem is perceived to be that they (and I recognize this is a sweeping generalization and that many ministries are doing a great work there) lack the resources and training to nurture and disciple the new converts. Many of those coming to Christ in Costa Rica are like the seed that falls on shallow and rocky ground (Matthew 13:20-21). When the heat comes, they wither and fade away.

I could not help but find a parallel to the Church in North America today. We have great outreach programs to bring people into our churches, and great activities to keep them engaged once they come in. However, we (as a whole) do little to deepen the roots of their faith. My observation is that most church going people are content to listen to the sermon on Sunday morning and expect all growth to come from that. I have to tell you, if that’s how you think it works, you are sadly mistaken. The morning sermon should be the catalyst to spur us into further study, and application of that study, throughout the week. Listening to someone speak for thirty minutes will not change your life. However, applying what you have heard can definitely set you on a whole new course.

It is the responsibility of the pastor and church leaders to instruct the congregations in the ways of the Word. Beyond that, it is the responsibility of each of us to take that teaching into the world, to turn the words into actions. This is the call for each of us who would follow Christ. Jesus didn’t say that if we wished to follow Him then we need only listen to Him speak. No, if we legitimately love him, we will do the things He told us to do (John 14:12-17). When situations arise, such as the state of the Church in Costa Rica, we tend to try and find fault with the Church leaders. While certainly the leaders must shoulder some of this burden, the truth is that it is up to each individual to decide what they will do with Jesus Christ.

As I have stated in previous articles, Christianity is not a spectator sport. If you are simply a fan of Christianity, you are at the wrong game! Followers of Christ are not merely fans, they are engaged; they are in the midst of things, mixing it up. We are called to action, to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). This is our mission and to those of us who have accepted it, there is nothing more exciting in life. Don’t come to Christianity expecting a peaceful life full of happiness and treasure. That’s not what’s in the program. Come to Christ because you love Him so much that you are willing to suffer and die for Him; come to Him with empty hands and with the gratitude of knowing what He has done for you. If you come for any other reason or with any other expectation, you will be disappointed and you will fall away.

God won’t accept an offering that is not fully devoted to Him (Genesis 4:3-5; Isaiah 58:5-8). He doesn’t want your leftovers or your afterthoughts. He came to die for your heart and your soul and He demands every last ounce of your being. As long as we have breath, it is our duty and our honor to breathe for Him. As we inhale His grace, we exhale His love and mercy to those around us. If we fall away from our allegiance to Jesus, we need look no further than ourselves when placing blame. Yes, we need strong leaders who will challenge the people to repent and devote themselves to Christ, and yes we need to supply resources that will encourage and help others grow in their walk. But at the end of the day, the buck stops with each of us, and it is we who must decide what we will do with the call of Christ.

Has your walk stagnated and drifted off course? Do you truly love and wish to follow Jesus? Nothing in this world can stop you from serving Him today. If you will humble yourself and seek only to do His will, you will find favor in the eyes of God. Each day, even this day, we must choose whether or not we will obey and trust the Creator of the universe and the Savior of our souls. No one else can do this for us; only we can decide. I don’t want to live a life of lip service devotion and dwell in mediocrity. I want to serve with all that is within me until this life is taken from me. I want to live in service and surrender to my king. Take responsibility for your own choices today and leave the rest to Jesus. If you’re determined to give everything to Him, I encourage you to leave a comment below and boldly state that you are ready and you are willing. Join me in pursuing Christ with all that you have; the journey leads to a life that is life beyond imagination.

What Now?

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What if you’ve fully surrendered your life to Christ and don’t know what to do next? It’s not as if life comes with neon directional arrows so you know which way to turn at any given moment. You’re ready to sacrifice everything for Christ and do whatever He asks; you simply aren’t certain what He’s asking. What about the talents He’s given you; is it okay to use them for endeavors that aren’t exactly in line with promoting His kingdom? Where do you draw the line? I’ve been battling many of these same issues recently, and I suspect I am not alone. These are weighty questions, and I most assuredly do not have all the answers; but I will share with you what I have been learning in hopes it may be of some help to you.

As followers of Christ, everything we do should be for His honor, for His glory, and to further His Kingdom. We are the servants of Jesus; we are His slaves. When we committed ourselves to Christ we relinquished all claim on our lives; we are His and He is ours. The life we lead for Him cannot be separated from the life we live for ourselves; they are eternally intertwined. No longer is there any concept of things we do for Him and things we do for our self. When determining what we should do with the gifts He has given to us, there is no choice other than to use them for His glory. If you are a singer, you must sing for Him; if you are a teacher, you must teach others about Him; if a craftsmen, use your creations to further His kingdom.

I realize these can seem like vague generalities, and it is most helpful to have concrete examples. Since I don’t know your situation or your gifts, I will attempt to articulate what this looks like in my own life. I have been given the ability to write, and writing in almost any genre comes easily for me. I now realize that all that matters is that I use this gift for Jesus. In my pursuit of earning a living as a full-time writer, I have recently had opportunities to go down paths that held the possibilities of cutting significant time from that goal. I could write for various interests and develop copy to sell the products of others. However, my overriding objective is to shake the world with the love of Jesus. These other opportunities would do nothing to show the love of Christ to my audience; they would simply enhance my own profile and marketability. I struggled with this decision for several days before coming to the conclusion that I must not pursue anything that will take additional time away from my definite chief aim of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus and encouraging others to live in total devotion to Him.

Living life solely for Christ will challenge our logic and alter our perception of things like possessions and economy. We may not obtain the comforts of this world, and we may never know financial security. The only thing we are guaranteed to acquire is increased persecution. The closer we get to Jesus, the more intense the attacks will become. It takes either a special kind of lunatic to pursue this life, or else it takes someone who is madly, deeply in love with Jesus Christ. I prefer to not place myself in the lunatic camp and instead endure whatever may come for the sake and privilege of loving and serving Jesus. I may not always be certain where the next step leads, but I do know that Jesus waits at the end of the road.

When I am not sure of what to do next, I fall back on the basic truths of being a follower of Christ. I am to pursue justice, feed the hungry and care for the poor and outcast. What can I do that will further that mission? This question brings clarity of purpose and helps refine our choices. I want to encourage others to give their lives fully to Jesus so that together we might impact the world and help bring about His kingdom here on earth. Are you struggling for direction or battling how best to use your gifts? Remember that everything you do must glorify God and further His mission. We are His slaves, and if we are sincere in our commitment, we will love every minute of it. Nothing fulfills a life like doing the work of Christ.

The Way, the Truth and the Life

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Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. Truth and life are found only in Him, and the way we find these things is by living in the way He commands us. There is no alternate truth and no alternate life. We can believe the things He said and live, or reject His words and perish. These thoughts can be very divisive and are often seen as intolerant, but Jesus did not come to bring tolerance; He came to bring redemption and love to all who would believe and walk in His way. People want to believe that there are many truths or perhaps many paths to truth, but this belief is diametrically opposed to what Jesus said. There is no “and” or “or” to finding life; there is only Jesus.

This is a simple teaching, yet one that is hard to accept. The fact that there is only one way to truth and life makes it fairly easy to make the right choice. We don’t have ten different paths to confuse our decision; there is only one. Yet this teaching is difficult because we want to go our own way. We want to blaze our own trail, and having to succumb to the ways of another finds us wanting to rebel. The narrow path is brightly lit and lined with people who have gone before us who are there to keep us from stumbling off the road. Yet we are stubbornly intent on walking down the wider path, even though it is dimly lit and has dangerous cliffs on either side. When one takes a moment to step back and logically examine the choices, which way we should go becomes painfully obvious.

Jesus is the only way, and everything He says is true. While we can debate the finer points of modern church organization and disagree over worship styles and evangelism methods, Jesus is not up for disputation. He is who He said He was, and His instructions are clear. Throughout the Bible we find the common theme of caring for the poor and seeking justice for all people. We see that love is the greatest gift and the most powerful weapon. Love, justice, and mercy; these characteristics are the truth of Jesus. Paul said in I Corinthians chapter 13 that we can have all there is, but if we lack love then everything else becomes futile and worthless. If we don’t have love, then we don’t have truth. If we don’t have truth, we don’t have Jesus.

If we possess and practice love as Christ did, we will find the life that only He can offer. The love of Jesus is unconditional and unselfish. It is much different from the so-called love we find in the world today. We have so carelessly tossed around the word “love” that we have stripped it of its beauty and meaning. We say we love ice cream, football, surround sound, and sex; no wonder we’re confused by what it means to truly love as Jesus did. Serving others, having compassion on the poor, selflessly denying yourself so that someone else might have what they otherwise would not – this is the love modeled by Jesus. Until we learn to love as He did, we will lack truth and be unable to find our way along the path that leads to life.

Where do you find yourself today? Do you believe that Jesus is the only truth, the only salvation for mankind? Do you understand what it means to walk in the way that He did? Where are you in regards to living your life in love and service to others? These are questions of eternal importance. Where you spend eternity hinges on your answers to these questions. Jesus said that without Him, we will die. If we trust in His truth and live in love as we walk the road He travelled before us, we will find life in Him. If you have been seeking truth outside of Jesus, confess that to Him in prayer today. Acknowledge that you’ve missed the mark and have been walking on the wrong path. Ask Him to teach you to live in love and accept the truth of who He is today. Determine to never turn away, and ask Him to lead you along the way of truth. Walk in His love and His truth and you will find life eternally through Him.

The End of Freewill

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The days of the easy-going Christian are numbered. The laissez-faire attitude exhibited by so many professed Christians leads not to Heaven, but to Hell. We were given the gift of freewill by our Creator with the intent that we would give it back. When we surrender to Christ, we relinquish the rights to our own ideas and individualism so that we might have the mind of Christ and be one with Him. Little children do whatever they want to obtain pleasure in life. Adults make measured, intentional steps to reach their goals. Far too many Christians are content to stay in the infancy of their faith, convinced there will be a lack of consequences. Jesus Christ did not come to this earth to be tortured and crucified so that you could say a magic prayer and then live your life in the same manner you did before you prayed. He came to redeem your soul. Redemption comes through surrender; Christ sacrificed His life for us so that in turn we could follow Him by giving ourselves away to Him. We have the far easier end of the bargain, but we still have a part we must play.

Nowhere in Scripture does it teach about the popularized “sinner’s prayer” that is taught in so many churches around the world. However, the Bible does teach that if we would be followers of Jesus then we must give up every claim to our old life. It teaches that we are to share what we have with those around us so that no one is in need. It teaches that we must lay our lives down for others just as Christ laid His down for us. What Bible have we been reading for the past couple of hundred years? The Bible says that all are called to go throughout the world teaching about Jesus and making disciples, yet few of us ever leave our neighborhoods. We write checks to give to those who apparently have some mystical calling to be missionaries. We are all missionaries; the Bible exempts no one. Jesus told us to “Go” and we simply can’t find the time because we are immersed in the shallow cultural activities of our modern societies and lives.

The church at large is in need of a massive wakeup call or we face a devastating future. Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:17-23; how many of us will come to Him on our final day, thinking we our secure in our salvation and yet be turned away in utter shock and despair when He says that He never knew us? If we do not repent now and change the way we are doing life, we may not have the opportunity to do so later. None of us is guaranteed another breath, yet we live as if we are indestructible. Look at the world around you, and what do you see? Selfish people living selfish lives convinced of their own immortality. Few give any thought to the sick and dying, the poor and hungry, or the persecuted and enslaved. We don’t want to look at those images or acknowledge our responsibility to the world. We’d rather be content to gather in our buildings once a week, break some bread, drink some juice and go home. Our commitment to the mission and calling of Jesus Christ is pathetic and we are in serious danger of being found lacking when it comes to our time of judgment.

We’ve got to wake up, and we’ve got to do it now. If we serve Christ then we must do the things He told us to do. We are covered by His blood so that we might share it with others. We must be His hands and feet to a world of death and decay. If we will not carry out His mission, then who will? It takes more than a prayer to be committed and more than good intentions to affect change in our world. Our lives are no longer our own; they belong to Jesus for the purposes of accomplishing what He determines. We are the ones responsible for bringing justice to our world. We are the bearers of His cross. This is not a charge for the faint of heart; it is a mission for those who would dare to call themselves followers of Jesus, and in so doing, to change their world. Freewill is dead; long live the will of Christ.

Is Jesus Enough?

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Is Jesus enough for you? If there was nothing else, no Heaven, no eternal life, just Jesus, would He be enough? Is the fact that He gave His life for you, suffered the pain of the nails for you, and drank in the depravity of your sin, enough to secure your devotion to Him? Do we want Jesus or do we simply want the good things that are promised to those who follow Him? Living your life as a follower of Jesus will surely bring with it a large share of very bad days. We live in a fallen world where the consequences of generations of sinfulness continue to compound with devastating results. We get sick, loved ones die and children suffer because of our choices and the ones made by those who came before us. Through it all we cling to Jesus, desperate for answers, despairing for hope. Would we continue to hold tightly to Him if there was no reward? Would we still love Him if there was nothing in it for us save for the love He gives in return?

We have been taught to evangelize, to tell others about Him so that we might have a hand in keeping their souls from Hell. We tell people they need Jesus so they can go to Heaven. We talk in terms of “saving” people and “adding people to the Kingdom”. Heaven becomes the goal and the reason for coming to Jesus. This misses the point of the relationship God intends for us to have with Him. He sent Jesus to redeem us because of His love for us, so that in turn, we would glorify Him through our love for Jesus. Our entire purpose for living, the whole point of coming to Jesus, is that we might show the Glory of God to the world. We were created to do good works for Jesus so that those who don’t know Him might come to see His beauty and His love. We are called to reflect the light of God to an oppressively dark world. Hope is found in the light, and the glory of God is light for the world.

We are culturally predisposed to give something to get something. When we give our lives to Jesus, the only thing we should be interested in “getting” is the opportunity to demonstrate His glory to others. The whole of our intent, the entirety of our purpose, should be focused on reflecting His beauty to everyone we meet. We turn to Jesus because we become aware of how hopeless life is without Him. We recognize the incredible love He has for us, as demonstrated by His willingness to lay down His life for our sake. There is no life outside of Christ; His death on our behalf allows us to live in Him. What does Christ get in return? He gets the chance to glorify His father through His creation. The point of life on earth is to glorify God. Every word we say, every action we take, every thought we think brings with it the opportunity to glorify God and to recognize His amazing power. Every conversation we engage in is an occasion to tell someone else of God’s love and Holiness. We must always point to the glory of God in everything we do. It is for this we were created, and for this we must live.

Is the love of Jesus alone enough for you to follow Him? Is your love for Him enough to keep you looking to Him in the trials of life? If you decided to follow Jesus simply to avoid Hell, you may need to double check your commitment. Do you really love Him or do you love that free pass out of hell? Do you love Him or are you simply enamored with the thoughts of living forever? If all else passed away, would you still love Jesus simply because of how He loves you? Is Jesus enough?