Even If i Walk Alone

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

passion

Words that Require Action

by

The topics I write about on this blog are intended to prompt action. If they are just words, or perhaps even clever thoughts, then there is no point. Reading how we should follow Christ, if left at simply reading, produces nothing. We are called to movement. We are the hands and feet of Jesus, and hands and feet are both instruments of action; they are instruments of change. Clay gripped by the hands is never the same again; neither is a soul whose has experienced our helping hands. When we walk, we end up in a place that is different from where we were before; so it is when we venture forward in love. Everything changes when we take action. Nothing changes if we simply are aware of what we should be doing.

Just as it’s easy to read and be unchanged, it is also easy to write and be unchanged. It is sad if you read these words and do nothing. It is absolutely tragic if I write the words and leave it at that. With knowledge comes responsibility. We can never claim that we were unaware of what we were supposed to do. If you don’t want the responsibility, stop reading now! Lock away your Bible and burn your books. But if you would follow Christ, if you would serve the one who gave His life for you, keep reading. Then get up and put the words into action. We are indeed the called, and to what are we called? Action! We are called to serve and love everyone with whom we come into contact. We are called to identify with the poor by sharing what we have with them. We are called to care for the orphans and widows by taking them in as one of our own family. To love and to serve cannot be passive events; both require action.

One of my favorite authors, Ken Blanchard, loves to say “None of us is as smart as all of us.” If I may take a small liberty, I propose that none of us is as strong as all of us; none of us can accomplish as much as all of us. Here is my challenge, my desperate request: take what you read here and in other writings like this and apply what you learn. Put action behind the words; be the hands and feet of the message. We desperately need each other. Let us put our hands together to accomplish much, and let us put our feet together to walk further than we ever could alone. You are not alone, and neither am I. Christianity is a team sport; it can be no other way.

Are you willing? Can I count on you? I promise that you can count on me. I will be there, holding high the flame of Christ. We all get tired, but together we can press on. So my prayer is that you will join me in actively pursuing Christ. My prayer is that I will passionately, desperately devote my life to Him and all He is, and do so with utter abandon. I want to love. I want to serve. Are you in?

We Are the Called

by

It’s easy to think of missions occurring in far off lands, probably in a sweaty jungle or on a remote island. Missionaries are special people, to be certain, bravely living out the call of Jesus. But when we personalize it a bit we tend to grow uncomfortable. We’re not missionaries, we’re just ordinary folks. Mission work is for men in animal skins and women in hand woven sweaters. Where did we ever come up with such ideas?

[Read more…] about We Are the Called

Right Time, Right People, Right Reason

by

For too long in my walk with Christ, I waited for the right moment to serve Him. Surely there would be a great clap of thunder to announce that it was now my time or perhaps people would just start showing up asking for me. Visions of grandeur, it would seem, actually have little place in the kingdom of God! Yet, through the years I have discovered I was not alone in this delusion. I have met many others who, like me, were just waiting for the right time or for the right set of circumstances before launching into their ministry for Jesus.

Waiting for the right time, it turns out, is a misnomer. Each and every moment of the day is the right time for you to serve God by serving and loving others. So if every moment is the right time, that means that every moment we spend waiting for the “right time”, is a moment wasted. By waiting for the perfect time, we are actually choosing to ignore that the perfect time is now. God calls us to serve Him now, but we argue that it would be better for us to wait. How foolish we must appear to our Holy God. How sad must He be as He watches the countless moments squandered by proud humans who claim to know better? Serve God at the right time in your life, but realize that the right time is now.

Another common problem I have lived and observed is the desire to go it alone. Surely no one else holds our same convictions, so we have no choice, right? True Christianity is all about community; it’s about coming along side our brothers and sisters and helping each other along the way. Jesus chose twelve men to walk with him every day. Paul chose to have a travelling companion whenever possible. Moses had Aaron. All through the Bible I see stories of servants of God coming along side of each other to multiply their effectiveness and to encourage each other. It’s important to surround yourself with others who are striving to live as Jesus did. When you are weak or when you fall, they will pick you up; and when they are weak and fall, you’ll do the same for them. Choose the right people to walk with you on your quest to follow Jesus.

Finally, we need to make very certain that we are serving Christ for the right reason. It’s easy to serve Christ for the feeling of self accomplishment, to build your esteem in the eyes of your church or to impress others. If we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus for any reason other than our love for Him or our desire to serve Him, we may as well stop because Jesus sees what is in our hearts. He calls us to serve Him with all of our hearts. If we have an ulterior motive we again seem to be saying that we know better. If our worship and sacrifice are not pure, they will be rejected by God. That is a terrifying thought. Serve God out of gratitude for what He did for you, and out of love for everyone around you. Do it for the right reason, or don’t bother doing it at all.

Devote your entire life to nothing less than service for the One who gave everything He had for you. The time is now, serve Him. Take others along with you on the journey and watch God multiply your ministry. Keep your heart right with God all along the way. Focus on Christ at all times. Serve God for the right reason, at the right time and with the right people.

Who Will You Become?

by

The last three blog entries dealt with setting goals for the New Year (see “Goals for the New Year”, part 1, part 2, and part 3). The New Year has now arrived and I hope you have taken the time to think about the upcoming year and set some goals for yourself. Ultimately, the goal setting exercise can be effectively boiled down to a single question, which is what I wish to discuss today. That question is, “Who will you become this year?”

When 2010 is over, what kind of person will you be? If you do not strive to know Jesus better every day of this year, it is unlikely you will have your best year ever. Nothing creates satisfaction more than knowing you are walking in the way Jesus walked, living as He did and acting as He did. As we do these things we begin to see and live the life He intended for us. We can never be truly fulfilled and happy when we are living any other way. God instilled in each of us a passion to seek Him and to follow Him. Not doing so breeds frustration, anger and despair. When we aren’t living the life He designed for us, we will not find satisfaction, though we may try, in our work, our leisure or our relationships. So when 2010 draws to a close, will you be living – or at least attempting to live – the life you were created to live?

When 2010 is over, how will other people describe you? As we aspire to live out our passions, we can become consumed by learning what that life looks like. It generally involves countless hours of study and reflection. The danger here is the risk of becoming self-absorbed. We can be so engulfed in seeking the “how” to live that we lose sight of the “why” we should do so. Regardless of anything else, regardless of your passions and gifts, they are to be used to further the Kingdom of God and to love and help others along the way. We cannot do this in isolation, huddled behind our books and sheltered from the distraction of the world outside. Without putting action behind our mission, we will never achieve the life God intends for us. So when 2010 draws to a close, will others see you as loving, humble, compassionate, generous and full of wisdom? Or will they see a selfish, self-absorbed, studious but ultimately worthless person? Who will you become, and will it be obvious to others?

When 2010 is over, will you be closer to Christ, or further from Him, than you were at the close of 2009? This is really the core of the question. Will you know Christ more deeply when this year is done than you did at the close of the last one? Do you truly desire to know Him, love Him, reflect Him and take His message to a world of hurting people? This is all there is. Nothing else matters in this life. Regardless of our success or achievements, nothing will mean a thing if we do not have the love of Christ overflowing from within us. There is no satisfaction apart from living the life He intended for you to live. There is no way to live that life without knowing Him fully and deeply. As we embark on the journey of a new year together, let’s learn to know and love Him more. Let’s serve Him with fantastic passion and excellence. In this way, 2010 will be the best year of our lives. So it’s gut check time; when 2010 is over, who will you have become?

Goals for the New Year, part 3

by

With the new year upon us tomorrow, I wanted to share a few more thoughts on goal setting. It’s important that we do not face the new year without a plan. If we do not articulate a plan for ourselves, we allow life to affect us rather than us affecting life. Jesus always had a plan, and He impacted life more than any other being who ever walked on this earth. Okay, He did have the advantage of being God, but even mortals such as us can learn from His perfect example. Let’s not only learn from His example, but as far as humanly possible, let’s conduct our lives in the same manner as Christ did.

Before getting too far ahead of ourselves and setting goals for next year, I believe it is important to reflect on 2009. Reflecting on last year helps us gain some perspective. Think back and write down 5-10 accomplishments from the past year. What was your proudest moment, your greatest achievement? Also take a moment and make a list of lessons you learned in 2009. These are perhaps things you attempted but did not succeed at, or maybe things you were too afraid to try and you missed the opportunity. Thinking back on what you accomplished last year can provide a spring board and some healthy momentum as you plan for 2010. Learning from the actions of last year can help not only determine new goals, but also to avoid pitfalls as you make your action plans.

It’s important to remember that even with the information I have been sharing, there is no one tried and true formula for achieving your goals. Specifically defining what your goals are, writing them down and breaking them into bite size tasks certainly helps and gives you a great advantage over those who do not do these things. But ultimately, successfully accomplishing your goals is somewhat of an art form. How you get from the starting gate to the finish line is up to you. You know yourself better than anyone. Passionately, creatively, discover how you can achieve the goals you set for yourself. Determine to succeed and let nothing get in your way. Review your goals regularly and adjust accordingly.

Finally, anything you wish to accomplish will be meaningless if it does not align with the character of Jesus. One easy question I ask myself is, “Is this something that would make Jesus smile?” My ultimate goal is to serve Him with every ounce of my life. I choose to accomplish this by spending regular time in prayer with Him, studying His life and the heart of God, and using my gifts to further His kingdom. It is a lifelong pursuit, but it is a pursuit of love. I will not stop until I achieve the life He intended me to live. We have one life, and it is short. How will you spend your days? What will you do with your life? What will you do for Him? A new year is upon us; dedicate yourself to Jesus and plan a powerful life of love for next year. This is the year that everything changes. This is the moment to decide. Let’s make 2010 the best year of our life.