Even If i Walk Alone

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

Fear

Why We Don’t Utilize God’s Gifts

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In the last blog post (see “Gifts from God”), we discussed the gifts that God has given to each one of us. A reader asked why I thought people did not use the gifts they have been given, and I felt this was worthy of a follow up post. I’d be very interested to hear some of your thoughts as well, so please leave a comment with some of the reasons you believe people do not use their gifts, or perhaps even reasons you have refrained from using your own gifts. I’m certain your comments will be useful, inspiring and thought provoking to the rest of the audience.

So what are some of the reasons people do not exercise the gifts God has given them? If we take a step back and analyze the question, it is somewhat unbelievable to conceive of the premise; we have been given gifts, talents, and abilities from the Creator of the Universe and the only thing we see fit to do with them is hide them away so no one knows! This surely is not our finest moment. When I was growing up, I remember people (mostly women) who would get a towel from Elvis Presley at his concert; they showed everyone their gift (if a sweat covered rag indeed qualifies as a gift)! They couldn’t wait to tell everyone they’d meet about this amazing item. It was displayed with honor in their homes, there for all to see. My example is somewhat frivolous I realize, but the truth remains. When someone we admire gives us a gift, we can’t shut up about it. We are compelled to use it and tell the story behind it to everyone we encounter. Yet when the King of the Universe, the one we proclaim is our Lord, gives us a gift, we hide it away to make certain no one knows about it. Why?

Fear – We are afraid people will make fun of us; we’re afraid to be labeled a Jesus freak or a fanatic. We’re afraid we’ll be cast out of our circle of friends. We’re afraid people will look down on us. There is no fear in love and God is, above all else, love. If we are fearful then we are not trusting in Him. Would you follow someone you don’t trust? Of course you wouldn’t. If you are fearful, then you are not trusting God, and so it would seem logical to conclude you are not following Him. We follow those we trust. If you would be a true follower of Christ, there can be no fear in doing so.

Time – We claim we don’t have time to use our gifts. Our society and lives have become so busy that there simply isn’t space in our life to make use of what God entrusted to us. If this is you, may I humbly suggest that your priorities are not in order? If you have time for other things, but not for God and the works He gave you to accomplish, then He is not Lord of your life. Stop kidding yourself; you are not following Jesus if you are too busy following other pursuits in life. This is dangerous and you need to surrender yourself to Him anew.

Money – Our gifts require us to spend some money, and we simply don’t have it. God equips you to do the works He designed for you. If He calls you to feed the hungry and you can barely afford food for your own family, you need to simply trust Him to provide. Use whatever you have to do what He created you to do. He’ll take care of the rest. Following Jesus means walking a path that won’t always make sense to us. We aren’t called to understand everything He commands us to do; we are called to simply do. If He is truly your Lord, you will trust Him. If you do not have the faith in Jesus to provide for your needs, then you are not truly following Christ; you are merely a spectator in the crowd.

Laziness – Following Jesus is a hard road; it requires hard work. Many times we simply don’t feel like putting forth the effort. We’d rather catch an extra hour of sleep or watch something on television. In the Western culture, it is easy to forget that there is a spiritual war being waged all around us. If you believe in Christ and in His word, you know this to be true. If we are lazy in war, we will be defeated. If we are defeated, we cannot be following Christ, because Christ is never defeated. We can get knocked down, but as long as we are following Christ, we can never be beaten. There are no timeouts in war. There is no possible way to follow Jesus in a lackadaisical manner.

Selfishness – If we were to use our gifts, we would never have time to do the things we want to do. If this is where you find yourself, you need to take a hard look at what you want to do with the life God has given you. Either Jesus is the Lord of your life or you are. Whom will you choose? Following Jesus is an all or nothing proposition; you can’t serve two masters. If you are to be a true follower of Jesus, you must give up your life as you know it. Jesus died for you; we must do the same for Him. If you would proclaim Jesus as Lord, your every aim and desire must be to do the works He created you to do.

Are you utilizing the gifts God has given to you? If not, did you find yourself in any of the excuses above? If you haven’t been using what God has entrusted to you, it’s not too late. As long as you have breath you can begin to use what God has given you to accomplish the tasks He created you to do. Not sure where to start? Drop me a line ([email protected]); I’ll help you figure it out. Not sure what to do? Start with the basics: feed the hungry; shelter the homeless; take care of the sick, the orphans, the widows and those in poverty. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Do the work He created you to do. Utilize the gifts God has given you.

Integrity

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Are you a person of integrity? As I have stated previously on this blog, I believe integrity is an all or nothing character trait. You do not have amounts of integrity; it is either something you do or do not have. To be a person of integrity is to be above reproach at all times. So how could anyone possibly live a life of integrity when we constantly mess up and fail?

I believe living a life of integrity means you are constantly building your integrity. Whether or not you have integrity is really more of a heart attitude. What, in the very depths of your soul, at your core, do you desire? Do you want to be someone who never cheats, never lies, never cuts corners, and always puts the interests of others before themselves? If you do, I believe you have integrity. However, that integrity needs to be manifested in your behavior. Every day we are building or tearing down our perceived integrity. To put this in another way, whether or not we have integrity is a heart issue; whether or not we demonstrate that integrity is a matter of choices.

In the business world, you build integrity every time you are honest with a client. You build integrity when you put the needs of your customers and your employees before the needs of yourself. Every time you refuse to cut corners, you build your integrity. In business, the most successful individuals are historically those with a perceived high degree of integrity.

Integrity is demonstrated in our relationships as well. Here again, putting the needs of your husband or wife before your own shows that you have integrity in your relationship. Modeling respect for your spouse (or boyfriend or girlfriend) also shows integrity. For example, noticing an attractive member of the opposite sex does not show a lack of integrity. However, letting your gaze linger and your mind ponder possibilities with that individual shows a complete lack of integrity. You promised an unwavering life-long commitment to your partner, and a person of integrity honors their commitments. Jesus says that if we think something sinful, it is the same as having done it. Having integrity in our thought life is one of the most important traits a Christian can have. It is also one of the most difficult.

I suppose you may be wondering why we’re having this discussion of integrity. Simply put, if we cannot be people of integrity in our dealings with everyday life, we stand no chance of living a life of integrity when it comes to serving Jesus. We committed our lives to Him, but how many of us are living out that commitment? Do you keep your eyes fixed on the Holy Son of God, or do they wander to the pleasures of this life, consumed by the lure of instant gratification?
Are we demonstrating integrity in our financial habits? Are you spending more on your entertainment than you are in caring for the poor and needy? Do we demonstrate integrity in our thought life? To quote the late Keith Green, “What’s playing in the theater of your mind?” This is the acid test for integrity: are you living a life devoted to Christ and others, or are you pursuing your own pleasure and happiness?

Tom Ziglar points out a couple of great results of integrity: we never feel guilty about our actions, and we never have anything to hide. If we are living our lives for Christ, then we never need to fear. We can be totally honest with everyone we meet for we have nothing to hide. We can sleep at night without guilt, without regret, for we know we are doing the things Christ would do. We are free, freer than we could ever hope to be otherwise. A lack of integrity brings guilt and fear and wears us down from the endless pursuit of trying to maintain a façade.

Search your heart. Are you a person of integrity? Do you want to serve Christ more than anything in this world? Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to follow Him? If not, pray and ask that God would give you integrity and the strength to demonstrate that integrity through your actions. As a person of integrity, we will love others at all times, assist them in their struggles and serve God every waking moment. Be a person of integrity. Serve Christ with all your heart. When you fall, get up quickly and continue your journey with Him. Let’s build the Kingdom without guilt and with nothing to hide. Determine that today is the day you become a person of integrity. Put the world on notice; from this day forward you will serve and follow Christ with integrity in all aspects of your life.

Thankfulness and the American Orphan

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To most of us in America, Thanksgiving Day is all about three things: turkey, football and a day off. Quite honestly, I’m a big fan of all of those things. Unfortunately there are many for whom this day has no meaning. They have lost hope amid the struggles and trials of our modern society. They have become too bitter to be thankful for anything; they are simply in need. For those of us with Christ in our lives, we have something to give. We have hope for the future, and we have love. These gifts are not to be hoarded; they are to be given away.

I’ve been reading the book “Street Lives: An Oral History of Homeless Americans” recently. It’s a collection of firsthand accounts of living on the street. It is truly heartbreaking to read their stories. While the language and subject matter can be a bit rough at times, I encourage you to read this book or books like it. We are so isolated in our comfortable homes and neighborhoods. Few of us know what true hunger feels like. Even fewer know what it’s like to have no bed, no home and no hope. While there are many shelters that do a good work, there are far more that are abusive and even perpetuate the mindset that keeps people living in despair. The number of children and veterans among the population of the homeless is staggering. Many of the homeless have no family remaining, no place to turn for help and no one to love them. They are truly the orphans of America, regardless of their age.

As followers of Jesus we are called to care for the orphans. What are we doing to help? For most of us, helping involves giving to shelters and inner city ministries, and probably buying some groceries or meals for those in need. This is necessary and admirable, but it does not go far enough. Food for the belly is obviously important, but food for the soul is paramount. We need to feed more than their stomachs. We need to feed their hearts, their minds, and their self worth. We need to clothe them not only with blankets and coats, but with love. What can you do to help? What can I do? We must come together and do something about this crisis. Why? The answer is simply because Jesus said to do so; that is enough. We who choose to follow Christ have an obligation to do the things He did. As the orphans in need of love cry out to us, they convict us of that which we are not doing. None of us can end homelessness by ourselves. We can, however, love one person. Together we can solve the problem in our cities by determining that we will not tolerate the way homeless orphans are treated.

The love of God provides the love, strength and hope that we all need. There is enough for us to bask in and still have plenty in reserve to give away. I am thankful for the love of Christ. I am thankful that He saved me. I am thankful that I am not an orphan. Yet I am thankful for the orphans all around us, for they are opportunities to share the immeasurable love of Christ. We must put aside our fear, our prejudices and our preconceived notions; it’s time to reach out and love the orphans all around us. Put your arms around someone in need today, and rejoice in the opportunity to be able to do so. Be thankful for all you have, and then give others something to be thankful for as well.

Poison in the Well

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There are things in all of our lives that we would rather not deal with.  We procrastinate or even outright ignore them in hopes they might somehow just disappear.  Confronting difficult circumstances or individuals is uncomfortable and quite messy.  Yet if we are to be able to fully manifest Christ to others, we need to get rid of what’s poisoning our own hearts.  Resentment, anger, guilt, whatever your issues might be, these all hinder us from living a life that looks like Christ.  This isn’t a 12 step program in a blog; the answers to the issues you face are as unique as the issues themselves.  There is, however, a common thread that weaves through any challenge we face:  We cannot be rid of a problem until we confront it.  Avoiding an issue only makes it bigger and its hold on us stronger.  Facing the issue breaks that hold and causes it to wilt before our very eyes.

The good news is that dealing with our so-called demons is almost always less painful than what we imagine.  For some reason we have been conditioned to always expect the worst possible result of confronting our fears.  Yes, I believe the dreaded F-word (‘fear’, for those who missed it!) is at the heart of all our struggles.  We put up with trials in our life because it’s simply easier than the alternative.  We allow friendships to die over some old argument because it’s easier than calling that person and talking about what has come between you.  We stay at a job we hate because it’s easier and safer than going to look for another.  Worst of all, we don’t tell someone about Christ because it’s much more comfortable to let someone else do it.

It all comes down to fear.   Fear poisons our hearts and prevents us from living in the power of Christ.  Fear cannot stand under the scrutiny of love.  What are you harboring inside?  What’s poisoning you?  What are you afraid of?  Have you forgotten that we serve the most powerful being in the universe?  Is having a difficult conversation beyond His power?  Is looking for a new job something He would not understand?  Is risking ridicule to tell someone about the love of Christ too great for the creator of love to overcome?  It’s foolish when we take the time to step back and examine our fears; our fear becomes incredibly irrational in the light of His love and power.

Dare we face our fears?  Dare we rely on Jesus to provide the strength we need?  Is your faith big enough to believe that His power is sufficient to overcome any fear you may have?  We need to stop letting the poison of fear fill our veins.  It’s time to stop ignoring the issues, start confronting the fears and letting the power of Christ flow through us to reach those in need.  There is no room for fear in a heart filled with love.  Confront your fear today, but do so in His power.  Talk to that person, take that step, and risk your comfort.  Christ did all this for us; our obligation is to respond in kind.

No Fear

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There was no fear in Eden.  Humans lived among the wildlife and no one was afraid.  Man and woman lived naked together and there was no shame, no fear of acceptance.  The concept of fear did not exist, everything was good.  And in the midst of this environment God walked with man.

Fast forward to today.  Fear is rampant.  Animals flee in terror from humans, and humans in turn show both caution and fear to the beasts of the field.  Nakedness now comes in flavors of brazenness and embarrassment.  There is fear of acceptance.  In fact fear of acceptance leads some to hide away lest anyone should see and still others to give away what they rightfully own to those undeserving to receive it.  We fear a lack of money, a lack of food and worry over being able to afford shelter.  Fear is the great evil.  It paralyzes and it cheats us of our dreams.  Fear permeates the darkness and covers the light.  We are indeed a people infected by the curse of fear.

We weren’t created this way.  We weren’t created to deal with these feelings.  We were created to wonder and awe and to love all that surrounds us.  We have been robbed.  We have been cheated of the life we were meant to live, of the life we so deeply desire to live.  But there is hope… love conquers fear.  Love is not only the great equalizer, it is the greatest conqueror.

Jesus came into a fearful world and set us free from the curse.  He offers each of us absolute freedom from the poison of fear.  The antidote is love and this love bleeds from our Savior.  He poured out his love on Calvary and we need only bow at the foot of that cross to be drenched in His love.  When we love, we cannot fear.  Love casts out fear as surely as Christ cast out demons.  Love conquers fear every time.

Of what are you fearful?  Do you fear losing your job, your spouse, your children or your sense of security?  I submit that when we fear we expose the fact that we do not have enough love in our lives.  The love I speak of is love we give.  As followers of Christ, we all have been given more love than we could ever need.  This is the very reason we are to give some away.  In Christ we have an endless supply so we can never give too much love away.  When we allow fear to reside within us, we are squeezing out the places reserved for love.  Fear proves we are inward focused, we are selfish.  Start giving love away.  Instead of worrying about your own job, see if you can help someone who has already lost theirs.  Instead of fearing for your security, reach out and comfort someone else.  Remember, love trumps fear every time.  We are given a Spirit of love, not of fear.  We were created to love, not fear.  Start living as the person you were created to be.