Even If i Walk Alone

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

purpose

Together We Fight

by

What if we don’t change? What if despite all of our resources and knowledge we turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the world around us? What if our desire to live for Christ never moves beyond just that… a desire? Will it even matter? Won’t someone else simply pick up my slack? It seems as if we live our lives believing that our contribution will not be missed if we skip it. I’ve been listening to David Platt talk about unreached people groups recently, and statistics show that over two billion people still have never heard about Jesus. That’s an incredible number. Nearly one-third of the world’s population is yet to be exposed to the truth and love of Jesus. By many estimates, that’s about the same number of people who profess to be Christians in the world. So, using easy math, if each one of us would simply go tell one of these folks about Jesus, we could cover the world. That would work, except most of us will never follow Christ’s command to go into all nations teaching others about Him. Most of us won’t even talk about Jesus in our own neighborhood. Suddenly two billion people are a staggering challenge, because most of us will not do our part.

Why this apathy? As followers of Christ we know we will one day have to answer to God concerning our actions here on earth. We know we will have to give an account for the things we did and did not do. It is my horrifying suspicion that what we didn’t do will far outweigh the things we did do. How can we ignore the commands of Christ as if they were irrelevant to our salvation? We are saved by the grace of God to do good works for Him (Ephesians 2:8-10). We are not saved by grace to sit around and watch the world die around us. We are called and chosen to take the message of Christ to all people. We are called and chosen to fight injustice and care for everyone in need. In short, we are called and chosen to live our lives the same way that Jesus lived His. Jesus was not passive in His mission. He actively pursued the fulfillment of His purpose.

Where did we come to believe that following Jesus meant praying a simple prayer and going to church on Sunday’s? Where is the scriptural reference for this kind of life? Yet this is what we have been taught and indeed continue to be taught in a great many churches throughout our country. We speak more of building campaigns and budgets than we do of ministering to the poor. We are taught the importance of regular church attendance and small group involvement, but rarely do we hear teachings on the command of Jesus to go out into the entire world. We’ll determine to perhaps take our cities for God but taking God outside of our city is a job for someone else. When did the church stop preaching the Bible? It frustrates and infuriates me, especially as I realize I have spent far too much of my own life buying into this very teaching. Satan delights in blinding us from the truth, all the while convincing us of our righteousness and spirituality. We have a mission and we have been neglecting it for too long. We need to get busy.

Will you join me? Will you come out of the safe confines of the churches to reach out to those who have never heard the name of Christ? We must refocus our gaze on the mission that has been set before us. We were created for a purpose and that purpose is to flood the world with the love of Jesus. Time is running out for all of us and we have none left to spare. Its fight or flight, and I will not turn my back on the one who gave His life for me. I will not turn my back on those who are dying without the knowledge and love of Christ. I will press forward and I am desperate for your help and talents along the way. We desperately need each other, and together in His strength, we will change our world for His glory.

Are You Doing Enough?

by

Am I doing enough? It’s a question I ask myself over and over again – and often! I talk about being completely sold out to Jesus, but do I myself measure up? When I close my eyes each night, can I honestly say that I have lived my life that day in the best way I possibly could to reflect the glory of God to the world around me? If I cannot answer yes, then I am haunted by the realization that my actions – or lack thereof – may have prevented someone from seeing their need for Jesus Christ. Everywhere I go, I am an ambassador for Christ and I am responsible for each soul I encounter. I don’t have the option to look the other way or pretend not to notice. I am a follower of Jesus so I am obligated to serve those in need. The fact of the matter is that we all squander opportunities and waste precious time that we should be using to touch the life of someone else. We cannot live lives of perfection, but we should never stop striving to do so.

Every day of our lives must be spent in service to God. That is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We are to be devoted to His causes and His mission; nothing else matters. Our dreams and ambitions must be pursued only insofar as they can be used to bring others to Christ. He has given us skills and talents in a combination that is unique to each person. These gifts are to be used for the sole purpose of reflecting His love and directing people to Jesus. We are not to pursue piling up money unless it is for the sole purpose of giving it to others in need. We are not to engage in a life of travel unless it for the sole purpose of spreading the love of Jesus around the world. It is your life and your passion, but they are to be used for His purpose. When you give your life to Jesus, you give up your claim to everything. From that point forward, everything you do, every word you say, is pledged to be for His glory. It goes without saying that we will stumble and miss the mark at times; it also goes without saying that we must quickly get up and set about our pursuit anew. His mission must be our passion. If it is not, we need to do some very serious soul searching to determine if we are truly His follower or not.

Being a Christian, a true disciple, is not a matter of saying a certain prayer and then just coasting for the rest of our days on earth. Where you spend eternity depends on whether you truly love and reflect Jesus to the world. By truly loving and being devoted to Christ, we are covered by His grace. It is our faith in His grace that will cause us to follow wherever He leads and to do the things He told us to do. Scripture tells us that faith without works is dead, and works without faith is futile (James 2:14-26; Hebrews 11:6). Without both faith and works, we will not see the gates of Heaven. Again, this isn’t about a one-time prayer, it is about a life-long commitment. If we have been blessed with money and don’t care for the poor, I believe Scripture is clear that we will not see Heaven (Ezekiel 16:49; Matthew 25:31-46). We don’t have brilliant careers because we are blessed by God; we have brilliant careers so we can bless others. We must never forget our purpose in life. Our purpose is God’s mission.

How about you? Do you, like me, get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when reflecting on the way you have lived out your devotion to Christ? Do you feel like I do, that you could be doing more, that you aren’t living a life that fully reflects His glory? We have work to do and time is running out; there is not a moment to lose. Reflect and reevaluate the way you are living your life. Are you doing all you can?

Being On Mission for Christ

by

It has often been stated both here and elsewhere that one of the primary challenges facing Christianity today is that we are known less for what we are for than for what we are against. Certainly there are things from which we who follow Christ must refrain. We should not engage in activities that do not mirror the love, beauty and glory of God. We were created and called to reflect Him, so any time we spend doing things that are antithetical to God, we are living outside of His will for our lives. Being a positive sort of guy, I’d like to concentrate more on the things for which we should be known. Frequent readers will recognize that we have covered much of this before, but each of us needs to constantly remind ourselves of why we are here. If we could keep our mission in the forefront of our mind, we would not waste so many hours asking questions like, “Why am I here?”, and “What should I do with my life?”

The reason we are on this earth is to glorify God by doing the things He told us to do (these are the things for which Christians should be known) in a way that reflects His love by serving others. We must all be seeking ways each day to help out someone in need, whether that means offering a helping hand, a kind word or some hard-earned cash. All of us have something to offer in service to another, and it is our duty to give what we have. There are no exemptions in life for those who are committed to following Jesus.

There are attributes we must model as individuals to reflect the glory of God. We are told to be humble, gentle and patient (Ephesians 4:2). Our lives should be marked by truthfulness and dignity (Ephesians 4:25, 28). Any words that come from our lips should be uplifting and positive, spoken to help strengthen and encourage others (Ephesians 4:29, 31-32). Christ modeled each of these traits even under intense persecution; we certainly should do no less within our comfortable lives.

Then there are the things we must do among our fellow believers. We should always be focused on keeping unity within the Church (Ephesians 4:3). Our lives should be marked by peace and not strife, because we all serve the same God (Ephesians 4:3-6). We have enough trials being thrust upon us by those who do not share our beliefs; we don’t need to add insult to injury by piling on from within our own body. Petty arguments have no place among followers of Jesus. We must remain focused on the mission and not allow ourselves to get caught up in things that have no eternal value.

Finally we are instructed to move outside of ourselves and our inner circles and serve the world around us. We are to give from our excess so that none goes without food, shelter or clothing. A special emphasis is required towards orphans and widows (James 1:27) which implies those who are most vulnerable and cannot help themselves. We have enough resources within the Western church to totally eliminate hunger from this world. We have the resources to make certain that everyone has access to clean drinking water. Yet the statistics do not lie; we simply are not choosing to get it done.

Let’s begin to change the perception of Christianity throughout our world. Let’s make the argument based on what we stand for rather than on what we stand against. Every one of us has a vital role to play in this endeavor. If each of us were to start doing the things for which Christ created and commanded us to do, we would quickly revolutionize our societies. If we would simply carry on the mission of Jesus, the one to whom we all claim to be committed, we would turn our cities upside down. We are the called and chosen. We are the ones who have sworn allegiance to the King. Will we now take up our crosses, follow Him, and change the world?

Fully Alive

by

Dead end jobs, contentious relationships and a lack of money; everyday there seems to be some new crisis cropping up that steals our joy and keeps us stressed out and looking to throw in the towel. Far from living the full, abundant life that Christ promised, we live our lives frustrated and depressed, angry and broken. We love Jesus and believe everything He told us, so where is the peace we thought He’d bring? It is at this point that many will actually turn away from their faith or become marginalized Christians who only give lip service to their Christianity. This isn’t what we bargained for, so we throw up our hands and walk away from the kingdom of God in search of the comforts of this life and the promise of the American dream. How tragic; this should not be the way for followers of Christ. We claim to believe in the power of His resurrection and the wisdom of His direction, but we live lives that are dispassionate, weak, and characterized by aimless wandering.

We will find the peace and direction we seek when we return to seeking the object of our innermost desire. We will find rest when we cease striving and purpose when we surrender. Christianity is a great paradox, a dichotomy of perplexing proportions. Put simply, it makes no sense to our common understanding. Therein lies the beauty; we only win when we lose, and we gain only when we release all that we have. As long as we are living for our own dreams and aspirations, we will continue to meet with failure and frustration. When we commit our lives to Christ, we surrender all that we are in order that He might glorify Himself through us, and recreate us in the image He originally designed us to have. Our old ways of thinking and our past activities are now over; we must agree to develop new habits, thought patterns and purpose for our lives. As we begin to seek a life lived fully for Jesus, our true passions will be stirred and fed by His Spirit. Life will begin to take on its full flavor and zest.

The key to a life well lived is to live solely for His purposes. We cannot expect to find joy and contentment by promising our life to Him and then spending the rest of our time on earth trying to wrestle it back. Jesus invites all to come to Him, but He forces no one. If you do not want to follow Jesus, walk away and try things on your own. Let me know how that works out for you. Apart from Jesus you cannot ever fulfill what you were designed to be. You may achieve a modicum of success in your career and live a life that is full of pleasure and possessions, but deep inside there will remain a hunger that cannot be fed. We are spiritual beings created to live in communion with our Spirit Creator. Without an open line of communication with God, we will never find true peace, true joy or lasting happiness.

Following Jesus is not a way to rid ourselves of every trial and problem we face. As long as we live on this fallen planet, the compounding effect of generations of sin will ensure that our life is far from peaceful or without complication. We must recognize that external forces can do nothing to damage our eternal soul. If we will live our lives wholly focused and committed to Jesus, we will find inner peace, a spirit of rest, and a joy that wells up from within and can’t be contained. When you begin to feel stressed out and overwhelmed, it is a fairly good indication that you have lost focus and taken your eyes off of Jesus. The surest way to overcome a bout of discouragement is to focus on Jesus by confessing your shortcomings and thanking Him for His love and the blessings in your life. Another foolproof way to pull oneself out of the doldrums is to get up and go serve someone else for no other reason than the fact that Jesus loves them. We cannot be focused on, or acting in service to, Jesus Christ and continue to be discouraged. He will always grant us rest and give us a sense of purpose. Do you want to live a life of passion and significance? Remember your commitment to God; throw off your selfish pursuits and desires, live your life with the singular purpose and focus of obeying and reflecting Jesus Christ. Without Christ there is no life, there is only death. Only by following Jesus and obeying everything He instructs us to do will we be able to live a life that is fully alive.

First Steps in Following Jesus

by

I continue to think about and be bothered by our modern evangelical methods. So many of us have grown up steeped in church culture and tradition, and we neglect our responsibility to test the things we are taught. I believe this has placed many Christians in great peril, in that many who believe they are “saved” are indeed not. We have glossed over one of the most frightening statements of Jesus when He said that He will turn away from many who call Him Lord because they truly didn’t know Him (Matthew 7:21-23). We teach that by simply believing in Jesus and saying a magic prayer that this guarantees our place in Heaven. There is no scriptural basis for this, yet the teaching has perpetuated through the Western church for the last couple of hundred years or so. We need to wake up to the realization that it takes more than a onetime prayer to truly know Jesus and to gain entrance into His kingdom.

To be a follower of Jesus first and foremost requires that we believe in Him, that He is who He claimed to be, the Son of the only God, the Creator of the Universe. We must accept the fact that we could never gain access to God save for the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross where His blood covered all of our sins. We can do nothing to earn our place in the Kingdom; it is only through the grace of God providing a way for us to enter in, that we gain the privilege of eternity with Him. His grace is available to everyone free of charge, but as with all gifts, this grace must be accepted. We accept this gift by allowing Him to glorify Himself through our lives. This is the purpose for which we were created. He glorifies Himself through us by the actions we take that reflect His character and fulfill His mission.

As we have discussed many times, we glorify God by doing the things Jesus commanded us to do: feed the hungry, provide water to the thirsty, give shelter to the homeless, clothe the poor, take care of the sick, visit those in prison and without hope (Matthew 25:31-46). We glorify God by providing for the needs of the orphans and the widows, and keeping ourselves from the temptations of the world around us (James 1:27). If we truly believe in the person and mission of Jesus Christ, we will glorify Him by working tirelessly for justice, opposing wickedness, and setting free all who are oppressed and enslaved (Isaiah 58:6). Finally, we glorify God by demonstrating our devotion to His son, regardless of the price. We must serve Jesus even if it costs us our home, our families, our possessions and even our own life. (Luke 9:57-62; Luke 18:18-23; Luke 9:23-27). This is a hard road to travel, but it is the only path that leads to the Kingdom of God.

The first step to true salvation is to believe in Jesus and that His death provides the forgiveness of our sins, without which we could never approach the Holy and perfect God. The next and equally important step is to accept His gift of grace by allowing God to glorify Himself through us. This is an ongoing active acceptance, not a onetime act. There are no free rides into Heaven. Jesus loves us beyond measure, but His perfect purity demands total devotion of our hearts toward Him. We demonstrate that devotion by our obedience to His commands and by continuing His mission on earth. If you have bought into the teaching that your place in Heaven is secured by simply reciting the “sinner’s prayer”, I urge you to prayerfully examine the Scriptures and seek out what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus. The time for this is now, we must not hesitate. Believe in Jesus and allow Him to show His glory through your life. Devote yourself to following His instructions and living out His mission. This is the only way to salvation. Don’t miss it and don’t be deceived. Determine today that you will grow to intimately know Jesus, so that you will never hear Jesus say the most chilling words ever spoken, “Depart from me, I never knew you”.