JC Bunkhouse
I remember talkin’ with a dear friend a few years back. It is especially appropriate to look this way again as my friend has gone Home to Jesus. Our discussion was basically this: How do folks that don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ deal with tough situations like grieving over the loss of a loved one, sickness, financial woes, and other times of great difficulty? Basically, from the viewpoint of one who follows Christ, how does anyone deal with life on this earth without Jesus? In other words, how does one live with one’s self without Jesus?
I must admit it would be might near impossible. Without Him leading us on the trail of life, how do we know to not stray off into oblivion? It’s all about being loved by the One who is Love. He demonstrates love by His very character. After all, He is God, follow Him!
Peter instructs us in 1 Peter 5 how we are to cast all our anxiety on Him because He loves and cares for us. I saw this somewhere on social media:
WITHOUT GOD... our week would go something like: Sinday, Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday, Shatterday. Seven days without God—Makes one Weak.
There’s a whole lot of truth in such a statement. As believers in Christ, we know that without Him, we are nothing. But with Jesus we have been made joint heirs with Him. As one who belongs to the family, I feel a very strong allegiance to follow Him. I havtalked about following Christ as ridin’ for the brand, and I really believe it. I choose to ride, walk, jump, run, and even walk on crutches for Jesus. I choose to stand for Jesus. I choose to live for Jesus! And I MUST choose to enter the contest to win! As Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:
1 Cor 9:23-27
23 Now I do all this because of the gospel, that I may become a partner in its benefits.
24 Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
26 Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air.
27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (hcsb)
When you go to compete at a rodeo, on the basketball court, at a track, or even when playing a video game, do you not enter the competition to win? As Christians, we have an adversary. But, we fail to comprehend just how devious and underhanded he is. We often don’t even realize we are on the battlefield until we’ve been hit. We know that God wins in the end; but, in the meantime, we have to quit letting the devil have the part of the battlefield. Stand up, Stand Up for Jesus, Ye Soldiers of the Cross. It’s time we put on that full armor of God. It’s time we take up the sword of the Spirit (Bible) and fight! Let’s go tell others about Jesus! And let’s allow them to see Jesus in the life we live!
Y’all remember when Jesus was tellin’ Thomas and the others over in John 14:6? He said, Boys, “… I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, nobody comes to the Father except through Me!” There is no other way. There is no other gospel. Jesus wants you to know it don’t matter what trail you rode in on; His trail is the only one that leads to heaven!
I think I can best sum it up with something I once heard, “Them fellers down at the church are takin’ on hell with only a water pistol and their Bibles and they’re actually winnin’ the fight.” It’s time that we, as believers, all get in the battle!
Choose Jesus, choose life! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! And y’all KEEP PRAYIN’ for RAIN! Amen