Even If i Walk Alone

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

Matthew

An Army of Love

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Every kingdom has an army, so I was thinking about what the army of the Kingdom of God would look like as we endeavor to bring that kingdom into reality here on earth. Certainly this army would not look like the traditional army. Jesus rebuked Peter when he lashed out with a sword to try and defend Him (John 18:10-11), so this would seem to dictate that superior firepower should not be a goal of our army. Christ taught that the meek would inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), so the tactic of aggression appears to be out as well. Similarly, we are taught that we should not “lord over others” (Mark 10:42-45), so domination and conquest are also out. What then, does the army of the Kingdom of God look like, and how is it that they will achieve victory?

One of the clues is found in the second half of the reference in Mark we looked at above (Mark 10:42-45). Here we find Jesus teaching that if we want to win, we have to lose in the eyes of the world, in the prevailing viewpoint of our society. He teaches that we must become the servant to those around us. Instead of conquering our enemies, we are instead to serve them. This is a counterintuitive battle strategy, but it should surprise no one accustomed to living in the upside down Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The King James Version of the Bible translates 1 Peter 2:9 to say we are called to be a peculiar people, and it doesn’t get much weirder than this. The way we prepare for battle as the army of the Kingdom is to voluntarily lay down our lives in order to serve the very ones who are warring against us. How peculiar indeed.

A typical army is financed and outfitted from the support of the nation through taxation. Supporting the army is not an option, it is rather the law. By contrast, financial support for the army of God is totally voluntary. Those engaging in battle rely on the generosity of their fellow soldiers to provide the means to furnish their supplies. In this way, we are more of a brotherhood than an army, a family that looks after one another. This is a good thing, because unlike the typical soldier who can count on the support of His family, God’s warriors are more often despised by their families for their participation in the war. Jesus told us that He came to bring division not only to the earth, but also within families (Luke 12:51-53), because not all would be willing to accept His mission. Without the support of our earthly families, we must rely on our spiritual brothers and sisters to encourage us on in the fight.

The one area where the army of God is very much like a traditional army is in the arena of battle. Make no mistake, there is a very real and very deadly war being waged in the spiritual realm, and you and I are in the thick of it. People are hurt, maimed and killed as a result of the wounds inflicted in the war in which we are engaged. Satan seriously wants to destroy you and Jesus has set in His heart to redeem you. This spiritual battle is often manifested in physical ways through oppression, possession and redemption. Do not make the mistake of believing that what happens in the spiritual realm does not affect your everyday life. You are being influenced by one side or the other in every moment, and it is up to you which way you will choose.

Though we may lack traditional firepower, we possess the greatest weapons of all: faith and love. The Bible tells us that faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20) and can extinguish every attack of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). Love is the ultimate weapon in that it can diffuse discord, counteract hate, and turn an enemy into an ally. Jesus said that the greatest expression of love was to lay your life down for another (John 15:13). As we seek to carry out the mission of Christ, we must daily be looking for opportunities to serve others to the point of giving our lives for them. We must invest ourselves authentically into everyone we meet. As we demonstrate the love of Christ to others, we win victory after victory for Christ. Every act of kindness and servitude brings His Kingdom on earth one step closer to fruition. Together our selfless acts of love combine to amass a movement of love that cannot be stopped. This is what the army of God looks like; this is how the war will be won. Not by acts of violence or through weapons of force. God will rule the day by beating back the darkness with His unstoppable light. As we join Him in the battle we will find victory through our acts of service and mercy. We are His army, an army of love.

The Curse of Affluence

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Blessings from God are often measured in terms of material wealth. It has been so throughout most of recorded history, and it remains the prevailing thought in much of Christendom today. Whether that wealth is measured in flocks and herds or money and cars is irrelevant; possessions are seen as a harbinger of the blessings of God. Indeed an entire subculture has sprung up around this teaching, the so-called “health and wealth” theology. Subscribers to this thinking believe that the Bible actually guarantees that if you will follow Christ with all your heart you will become rich and experience an abundant life. This teaching is of course in direct contradiction to Jesus’ teaching of forsaking your earthly possessions and that the poor would be blessed, not the rich (Matthew 19:16-28; Luke 6:20; Luke 16:19-25).

What if we have it all backwards? What if instead of our possessions being a blessing they are actually a curse? The more material things we own, the more we have to lose. The greater our collection of stuff becomes, the harder we work to keep it all. Suddenly we wake up one day and realize that instead of being the lowly and humble servant of Christ we intended to be, we have become the rich young ruler who cannot let go of his possessions. Before we go further, let me be clear that I am not saying that wealth and possessions are necessarily a curse or even inherently bad; just humor the thought for a moment and open yourself up to think about this in a different way. Ultimately whether or not the goods entrusted to our care are a blessing or a curse depends on our attitude toward them and our willingness to release them for the service of Jesus.

When we are generous with our resources I believe it becomes easy to get lulled into a slumber where we dream we are not controlled by money. Meanwhile, regardless of how extravagant our giving may be, the probability is that we continue to pad our savings account and add to our retirement funds. We give much away, yet we also store away considerable sums for ourselves. But what if we stopped being concerned with saving for ourselves and instead poured all of our resources into building the Kingdom of God? What if we kept only enough money for ourselves to cover our food, shelter, clothing and transportation? Simply doing that would still place us in the top 15% of the richest people on the planet. Yet if we would so simplify our lives, how many more resources could be released to feed the hungry, care for the sick, and take the message of Jesus into places that have never heard? It is a challenging and difficult concept to ponder, and I will tell you up front that I don’t have the answer to this paradox; it remains a burden on my heart about which I continue to pray diligently.

No longer storing away for a rainy day or our own retirement comes with great risk. What if we lose it all? Who will care for our needs? But isn’t losing it all exactly where Christ said we would find true life? Didn’t He say that we must forsake everything to follow Him? When did we determine that those words did not apply to us? Perhaps we in our affluence have molded Jesus into a God of our choosing rather than choosing Jesus for the God that He is. The message of Christ has not changed; His message and mission are the same today as they were when He walked the earth. As Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”

We have been numbed and blinded, and now we are in the precarious position of trusting our possessions more than we trust God. Don’t believe me? Try this test: by the end of the week, withdraw all your money from the bank and cash in any retirement and investment funds you might have. Take all of that cash, drive downtown and distribute it all among the poor. Please leave a comment below and let me know how you did. Is that ludicrous? Is it irresponsible to take our earthly wealth and use it for the things Christ told us to do? The only reason we find this to be a crazy idea is that we have become comfortable in, and seek assurances from, our wealth. What we may have perceived as a blessing is now a curse and an anchor because it stands between us and God.

Again, I do not have the answer to this dilemma. I confess that I have not fully liquidated my assets and given it all to the poor. I am haunted by my own lack of faith and selfishness, and am seeking God’s answers and strength in this matter. How about you? Are you at the place where you can give absolutely everything away for His purposes? Have the perceived blessings in your own life become a curse, something that stands between you and God? I think it’s worth pondering this to determine just how tightly we hold onto our possessions, and to examine how ready we are to totally rely on God to provide for our needs. Let us boldly and prayerfully seek God and give serious consideration to what He would have us do with our resources. Praise Him for all He has provided; glorify Him in all that you do with those gifts. Hold loosely to your material possessions so they do not come between you and your faith in God. Don’t allow your blessings to become a curse.

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.

For the Love of God, Give! Part II

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In the last post we started looking at Matthew 25:31-40 as we endeavored to determine what our lives should look like if we would truly reflect the love and mission of Christ. Today I want to finish that thought, so we can all be clear on what the life of a disciple really looks like. As we saw last time, following Jesus is all about giving of our time and resources to carry on His mission and to follow through on the commands He has given us.

While our closets swell with the amount of clothing in them, millions of people in the world have nothing to wear. They spend their days naked and without shoes, many of whom literally live in garbage dumps. These aren’t word pictures to shock you; they are simply the truth. All of us can donate clothing to area ministries that provide for those in need. Also consider giving a portion of your money to ministries who provide the same service globally. There is no excuse for someone in this world to go without clothing or shoes. How sickening to see images of children in foreign countries basically wearing rags, and then taking a walk through our local shopping mall. We have the resources, we simply lack the will. Instead of buying ourselves some new jeans or shoes, consider donating a pair instead.

In Matthew 25:36, we are commanded to take care of the sick. I confess to not handling sickness well. If someone so much as coughs in my direction I freak out a little. This is not the reaction that Jesus had. He lovingly touched those who were ill. He didn’t turn away, He embraced them. We need to be mindful of when our neighbors are sick and be a welcome help to them. Visit nursing homes and hospitals to share a few moments of your time and a kind word to those who are not only sick, but lonely as well. Give to, or go with, organizations that are providing medical care to people in other countries. Be a part of the solution. Be the Good Samaritan; do not pass them by.

The final command in the passage above tells us to visit those in prison. All over the world, Christians are persecuted, thrown into prison and left to die. They are tortured and deprived of food and sleep. Our fellow Christians are both sick and imprisoned and we should support ministries who care for these people and who seek justice on their behalf. We can either join them physically or support them monetarily. Be the hands and feet of Jesus, and care for their needs. Many of us know someone with a family member in prison. Go with that person to visit the one locked in a cell; give them your support and love. Be a mentor for someone in jail. Don’t judge them, but show compassion instead. In all ways, serve others and by doing so you will reflect the love of Christ.

There are many ways to follow the commands of Christ, both by joining forces with ministries or supporting them financially. We in the West have been blessed with significant resources and I believe it is our duty to fund those ministries who are carrying out the commands of Jesus. We don’t necessarily need another new ministry; we need to support the ones that have already established a foothold in helping those in need. May I suggest The Voice of the Martyrs, Persecution Project, World Vision and Compassion International? As you plan your giving for this year, see how many ways you can fulfill the commands of Matthew 25:31-40. Spend your money wisely in acts of service for Jesus. The Bible tells us that where we spend our money is a reflection of our heart. As we give to the service of Christ, our hearts will be transformed to look like His. As our hearts are transformed, it will overflow into our daily lives. The simplest way to live a life that looks like that of Christ is to do the things He told us to do. Give generously of your time and resources. Everything we have is His, so give it all back in service to Him. Give like there is no tomorrow. For the love of God, give!

For the Love of God, Give! Part I

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As we embark on this new year , what plans have you put in place to live a life that more clearly resembles Jesus, a life that is devoted to service to others? If you desire to follow Jesus more authentically this year but aren’t quite sure what that looks like, may I suggest that you start with reading Matthew 25:31-40. Here Jesus lays out in plain language what it looks like to serve Him. If we do the things he tells us to do out of love for Him, our lives cannot help but be transformed more and more into His image.

We are commanded to feed the hungry (Matthew 25:35). Almost every area of our country has a food bank that is utilized to provide food to those who cannot afford it, and giving a gift there can help feed a family. Serving meals at a shelter will bring you face to face with hurting people who are in desperate need of not only food, but also love. Sharing a warm bowl of soup with an even warmer smile can do wonders for someone in need. I know people who make up sandwiches at home and take them downtown to distribute among the homeless. These are just a few of the ways you can feed the hungry right in your city. There are many ministries around the world that provide food for children and adults who are on the verge of starvation. Consider volunteering to work with one of these ministries or supporting them financially. In all these ways we can give the hungry something to eat.

Clean water is something you and I probably take for granted. We think nothing of going to the sink and pouring a glass of water or firing up a hot shower in the morning. Yet nearly one billion people in the world today (that’s 1 out of every 8 people) live without access to clean drinking water. This leads to all sorts of illnesses and fatal, yet totally preventable, diseases. We have the technology and the resources to make sure that every man, woman, and child can have clean water whenever they need it. This planet teems with life-giving water, and it is inexcusable that many have no means of obtaining it. Locally, you can take bottled water to the homeless or help pay the water bill of someone who is poor. Globally you can again volunteer or give to a number of organizations that are working to bring clean drinking water to the nations. Don’t turn away from such a desperate situation that has such an achievable solution. Make it a priority this year to give water to the thirsty.

You don’t have to look far to see the problem of homelessness. In the downtown areas of most cities you will find a community of people that have no place to call their own. More and more we are seeing people standing on the street corners of even the affluent parts of town in search of a helping hand. Broken homes result in children living on the street, tired of the drama in their homes. Single mothers find themselves without the ability to both provide childcare and hold a steady job, and soon find themselves without a place to stay. If the Church will not take in these hurting individuals, then who will? As our homes and places of worship expand, it seems we have less and less room to accommodate and care for the needs of a stranger. I think this is one of the greatest tragedies of our generation. We love to build buildings but have no room to share. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will take in those who are homeless.

In the next post we’ll wrap up our quick journey through Matthew 25:31-40, and look at some additional ways we can begin modeling our lives to look like Jesus. We have been blessed with many resources, and it is our duty as trusted stewards to give of ourselves to that which Christ has called us, or to give so as to enable others to carry out the mission. Ideally we will give of both our time and money. If you are looking for ministries that faithfully carry out the commands we’ve talked about today, check out World Vision, Persecution Project and your local homeless shelters. Give of your time, give of your money, give of yourself. For the love of God, give!