Even If i Walk Alone

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

priorities

Moving Toward Your Goals

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Did you ever have one of those conversations that feel like someone just threw a glass of cold water in your face? Wisdom can come from the most unlikely of sources, yet one more reminder that God has an incredible sense of humor. It’s so easy to get caught up in the details of our day to day lives that we can lose track of what we’re actually trying to accomplish. I was recently talking with someone I’d never met before about doing some work together. He simply asked what my ideal job would be. When I told him, he responded with, “and how does doing this job move you toward that goal?” Wow; that unsettled me because I knew that working with him would do absolutely nothing to move me toward my goals in life. It was a simple statement from a stranger, someone younger than I, and with far less experience in this world; I don’t even know if the man is a believer in Christ. I only know that, at least on this night, God used him to speak wisdom into my life.

It’s amazing what we can hear, what we can learn, if only we are open to do so. While it is not the topic of this post, I encourage you to be ever listening for and ever seeking the voice of God. I think you’ll be surprised at some of the ways He chooses to speak. Personally, I love that; I love that God is unpredictable, unashamed and lacks all pretense. He simply loves us and will speak to us in any and every possible way.

But back to the question of my new friend: how is what you are doing today moving you toward your life goals? Perhaps we should back up and make certain you actually have life goals. Do you have a well defined purpose for your life? Are you pursuing things you are passionate about, things that God has uniquely gifted you to do? There is a well documented but rarely followed secret to accomplishing your goals: you must write them down. Write down your life goals on a sheet of paper and put a date next to each one. This is the date you will accomplish that goal. Now work backwards from the date and write down the tasks you will need to complete in order to reach your goal. Read through your goals no less than every week. Read them daily or twice a day. Constantly remind yourself of what you are working towards, and those things you must do to reach each goal.

Armed with a list of your goals, reminding yourself of them regularly, you will be well equipped to determine if the task at hand moves you toward or away from your goals. You will spend your life doing one or the other. I don’t want to live a life that constantly moves me away from my goals. I don’t want to face God when my days are done with the knowledge that I left unfinished the work He gave me to do. Life is but a vapor, just a breath. Our time is short and fleeting. Don’t waste your life moving away from your goals. Embrace your mission and only take on tasks that move you forward. Only God and you can say for sure what your unique mission, your unique goals will be. I do know that followers of Jesus will always have goals that in some way will advance His kingdom, His love and His mission. You are uniquely equipped to accomplish your goals. Make sure your mission aligns with His, that your goals advance that mission, and that you spend each day of your life doing things that will lead to the accomplishment of those goals. For this you were created, and for this you are called to live.

Apples and Addictions

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Sometimes it’s good to go back to the beginning. We need those breaths in our life where we can simply relax and recollect. How did we get here, what decisions have we made – both good and bad – to become the person we are today? Are there opportunities to go back and amend a wrong or to alter our present course? How are our focus and our walk? Sometimes it helps to go back even further, to the very beginning, when life began. As followers of Christ and believers in God, our struggles all began with a simple, but not so innocent, bite of an apple. I know I have often thought that given the opportunity, I would have chosen to obey God and stayed pure. Hindsight is indeed 20/20, and reality often differs from our passions and ideals.

Every day I fall victim to my own apples. I am shown the path of holiness, and it is quite clear. The way is well lighted and the road straight and solidly paved. It’s sad to consider how the path is not well-worn, but rather shows little signs of traffic. It seems so simple. We simply need to wake up each day ready to love others, ready to do all that Christ commands us to do. We can do anything we want as long as it does not go against the character and principles of God. But, just like Eden, that simply isn’t good enough; we want more. More is a funny word, as by definition we will never achieve it. Life becomes an endless struggle to clutch ever more: more pleasure, more possessions, more social standing. It never ends, and thus, I become aware that I would have eaten the apple as well.

I don’t want to admit that I fail. I don’t like failing at anything, and I’m certain you feel the same. If we’re honest with ourselves though, we fail far more times than we succeed every day. We all have our apples that we chew on throughout the day. For some it’s greed, others a sharp tongue and still others an addiction of some sort. We can’t seem to stop ourselves. Sin is an addiction in and of itself. We are all addicted to something, and we need to eradicate it from our lives.

What are your apples, your addictions? May I suggest you jump on the sobriety wagon? Just like those attempting to kick the more publicized addictions, we need to quit our sinful behavior at once, not try and gradually improve. Monitor your progress; keep track of how many days you’ve “been sober”. Write down the areas of your life you know are not pleasing to Christ. Pray that He will help you turn from these behaviors and thought patterns. Then consciously reject those same behaviors one day at a time. Can you make it one week sober? Two weeks? A month? Tackle one behavior at a time. Once you’ve been “six weeks sober”, you can add a new behavior and start your sobriety pledge for that area of your life as well. The longer you stay sober, the harder it will be to go back to that behavior. Who wants to go back to day one after reaching day 50? Although it’s difficult, stay close to God and pray throughout your journey. He will help you stand up under the pressure. The next time someone hands you an apple of sin, smile and hand it back. Tell them you don’t eat those any longer.

Black Friday Stewardship

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Looking through the so-called “Black Friday” sale circulars a couple of days ago left me nearly breathless. The sheer volume of deals to be had was stupefying. Certainly I was not immune to the emotion of the occasional, “Wow, I’ve got to have that” reaction. A few years ago, I probably would have joined the Friday morning crazies, credit card in one hand and mace in the other as we all convened with the same goal in mind: be one of the lucky 25 to land the deal of the day. I’d like to think I’ve progressed in my walk with Christ over the years, and now certainly material things have far less of a grip on me as they once did. It’s a battle to be sure. Every now and then I see something I’d really like to have – not a need you understand – and I have to remind myself that I manage God’s money. I carry a card in my wallet to remind me of that fact. It’s not that God doesn’t want his followers to have the occasional nice things, but rather that he desires to bless us with far more timeless gifts like grace, mercy and love.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of holiday shopping and all of the “must-have” bargains. This year, more than any year in recent memory, it’s all a bit surreal. The latest numbers on unemployment are over 10%, and the combined number of unemployed and underemployed is over 17%. Where are these people getting the money to shop? As a volunteer financial counselor I admit that the lack of logic in all of this makes me cringe. If you didn’t budget for this shopping day at the beginning of the month, if you don’t already have the cash set aside, you have no business being out there! All this, of course, focuses on the practical side of money management. If we’ve learned nothing else from the recent financial crisis, we should have learned that you simply can’t spend more than you have. That’s just common sense. But there’s an even greater principle that we as Christ followers must examine: the principle of managing God’s money.

As followers of Jesus, we have no money of our own. All that we have is provided by God. He blesses us with money and loans us possessions so that we might use these things to bless others and further His kingdom (Matthew 25:14-30). Everything we have is only ours temporarily; all that we have been entrusted with is to be used to serve God. Instead of asking the familiar “What would Jesus do?” question this year, instead start asking “How would Jesus spend?” Every time you pull out your wallet ask yourself if what you are about to buy fills a need or affirms love for someone. Yes, a $300 gift for someone can show them that you care, but so can a $10 gift. Why not purchase a little for those who already have a lot, and spend more on those who have nothing? Are you spending more on gifts for friends and family than you are on the homeless, the widows and the starving? I can pretty much assure you this is not how Jesus would spend. He chose to devote Himself to the outcasts rather than the well to do. The gifts He gave (through healings and miracles) were generally done for the poor and not for the wealthy. We should act in kind.

This is the time of year in Western society where we buy gifts for one another, supposedly in honor of God’s greatest gift to man, His son Jesus. But I don’t see mention of that in any advertisement. I see flat screen televisions, GPS units and video games. I don’t see any items for sale that would further the kingdom of God. I don’t see any of the Black Friday ads announcing how they will feed the homeless or clothe the shivering poor. Yet we will spend and spend, spurred on by the flashy ads and we will not think twice about the disheveled hungry person we might see along our travels. Is your spending in line with that of the kingdom or have you bought into the lies and deceit of Satan? Are you convinced that you need the latest and greatest gadgets or are you content with the greatest gift of all? This is a dangerous and telling time of the year for we who claim to follow Christ. Think twice next time you pull out your wallet. How are you managing the finances God has entrusted to you?

Are You a True Follower?

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What is your motivation?  Why do you do what you do?  As followers of Christ, our answer to those questions must simply be ‘Jesus’.  Any other answer is unacceptable.  If any part of us seeks to glorify ourselves, we cannot call ourselves a follower of Jesus.  Following Christ is all or nothing.  We must give everything we have for Him or it simply isn’t going to be enough.  Can you say that in the depths of your heart, even when you falter, your one goal is to love God and follow the way of His Son?

If you can answer yes to the question above, welcome to the greatest adventure.  But before we embark, let’s make sure we’re being honest with ourselves.  Two simple tests will determine if we are indeed who we say we are.

The checkbook test: The first test is to take a look at your checkbook.  Where are you spending your money?  If you are spending more money on entertainment and comfort items than you are investing on building the kingdom, you cannot honestly call yourself a follower of Christ.  Followers of Christ are generous with their money and think more of others than themselves.  How can we say we care about the poor and homeless when we live in homes with four flat screen televisions and three cars?  It makes no sense.  This is why Jesus said it was so hard for a rich person to enter heaven (Mark 10:17-31).  Sometimes when we have a lot, we forget our responsibility is to give even more.  If we can’t honor God with our finances, we can’t honor Him with our life.

The time diary test: For two weeks, keep a time diary, a journal of how you spend your time.  Record, in thirty minute intervals, how you spend your time.  Feel free to adjust the time interval to suit your personality; but recording shorter intervals can be tedious, leading to frustration and eventually giving up.  Recording in longer intervals pretty much guarantees you will lose details and leave out some forgotten items.  At the end of your two weeks, add it all up and see where you are spending the majority of your time.  How does God rank?  Where do you spend more time, with God or with your television?  Do you spend as much time helping others as you do playing video games or playing sports?  Do you spend more time eating than feeding others?  Remember, following Jesus means sacrificially giving up our lives to love and serve others.  How does Jesus rank in your time diary?

If you failed either test (or even both), there is good news.  First, the very fact that you took the time to examine your life proves you have a strong desire to live your life as a true follower of Christ.  Second, it’s not too late to make the changes necessary to pass both of the above tests.  Do you want to be a true follower of Jesus?  It’s within your power.  Love God and pray for His power in your life to help you live it in a manner pleasing to Him.  Then, make the change.  Don’t wait, don’t put it off.  You only get one shot at living this life.  Make sure you live it as a follower of Jesus.

A Foundation of Love

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What is it you really want out of life, what do you hope to accomplish?  In the end, what will it all matter?  I have a lot of dreams and goals, but none of them will count for anything if I don’t get one thing right; that one thing being how well I reflect the love of Christ.

Putting everything else aside for now, let’s focus on that one thing.  What do we need to do today to best reflect the love of God?  Have we become too busy, so much so that we don’t take the time each day to just stop and communicate with Jesus?  Many people set aside time at the beginning of each day to do this, and that’s great.  There’s nothing magical about what time you do it, the important thing is that you do indeed take the time.  You can choose morning, afternoon or evening as long as you don’t let anything get in the way of this time with Christ.

What inevitably tends to happen is that instead of scheduling a set time to be alone and focused on God, we try and squeeze this time amongst the other activities of our day.  This never works!  Adding God to your life will always result in a low impact and uncommitted walk.  We can’t add God to our life, He must be our life.  If there is room for anything else we can add that on, but life must start and find its centrality in Christ.

This one change, this one way of changing how we do life will prove revolutionary.  Let nothing get in the way of your time with God.  Once you have established the time, don’t let outside distractions cheapen it.  Talk to God, sit quietly in His presence, listen and dream with Him.  This may take some getting used to, but I assure you it is more than worth the effort.

Starting with God as the foundation allows us to build up other areas of our lives.  Should we face trial or failure, even if we lose everything, our foundation will remain.  Hard times never seem as bad when we realize we are defined by our foundation, not by anything else.  We are His and He is ours.  Before attempting any other drastic changes in your life, make certain your foundation is solidly set.  With Christ as our foundation, we cannot but help but pour out His love on those around us.  With His love as our foundation, it will simply permeate our entire being.  True love cannot be shaken and will never be defeated.  Set your foundation in His love, and then use that strength to encourage others to do the same.  Watch your life change as everything you do flows from a basis of love.  Reflect Him in everything you do.