Rugged Pursuit
Withdraw to the Wilderness
They All Want to be Like Jesus, They Don’t Want to Have to Die
No one ever said it would be easy. No one ever said it would be comfortable. And no one ever said it would be safe.
Following Jesus means following Him into battle. And following Jesus means following Him to the grave.
“As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Romans 8:36*
*Quoting Psalm 44:22
No one ever said it would be easy. No one ever said it would be comfortable. And no one ever said it would be safe. Anyone who told you the Christian life was any of those things was either lying or, at the very least, misinformed. Christianity is not a place a person goes to retire from a wild, chaotic world. Following Jesus means following Him into battle. And following Jesus means following Him to the grave.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
Matthew 11:12 (NASB)
The Cost of Following Jesus
So, you have decided to follow Jesus. That is great! But I have read the book and the elephant in the room is this: Jesus dies. The harsh reality is that you will too. (Spoiler Alert: He was resurrected, but you will not be- at least not on this earth). Sure, we will all die one day, there is no avoiding that, but I am actually not talking about physical death though, at least not yet. What I am saying is, if we are going to follow Christ, we must die to ourselves every day. Every single day we will have to make the decision to die to our own ambitions, our own pride, and our own selfishness. Once we have been redeemed by Christ, we no longer live for ourselves.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Comfort, convenience, and even safety are no longer our highest priority when we become followers of Christ. These, and all other things, take a backseat to our new commitment to Jesus. Now that we have said “Yes” to Jesus, we have checked the box that we agree to the terms and conditions. Some of those conditions may not be sunny and smooth. It gets muddy in the trenches, but I would rather be in the trenches with Jesus than on the boardwalk without Him.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Matthew 16: 24-26
It is time to give up your addictions. It is time to give up your hardheartedness. It is time to leave your selfishness behind. Let go of your grudges. When you give all that stuff to God, it is dead to you. You can live a new life. One that is not concerned with the petty things of this world, but is focused solely on the eternal things of God. Cash in all that baggage for the eternal reward of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Suit up and stand firm, because things could get messy. Being a Christian isn’t about being a body in a pew. It is about being a soldier in the battle between good and evil. Are you ready to fight?
Who Are You Imitating?
“We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
As Christians, we are supposed to be modeling our lives after Jesus Christ (hence the term CHRISTian). But what about when things get hard? Everybody wants to experience the power and the glory, but what about His suffering? Can you stick with Him even through persecution, hardship, and danger?
“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,“
Philippians 1:29
If you want to see how Jesus reacts to potentially dangerous situations, read John 7. Jesus knows the Jewish leaders are looking for a way to kill Him (v1), yet He casually shows up at the Festival of Tabernacles anyway (v10). He starts preaching at the festival, knowing full well that it is dangerous and may cost Him His life (v14). Everyone in the crowd attending the festival knows that the officials want to kill Jesus. It is a well known fact. People recognize Him and are surprised He is there speaking (v25). So, it’s not like Jesus thought He could just blend in and not get caught. He knew the risk and did it anyway because the message was more important than His safety. He trusted in God’s timing for when He was to be given over.
Do you ever knowingly walk into danger? Would you purposely walk into a place where you knew people were going to try to kill you? My guess would be you would take every measure to avoid that kind of situation! Jesus knew this was an extremely dangerous event to attend, but He also knew the importance of the message He needed to share. The mission overshadowed His concern for personal safety. Plus, He trusted in the Father’s timing. When deciding if you should speak up, do you stop to consider how others will react first? Or do you just step up to the plate and deliver? Knowing how crucial it is that people hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t that be our number one priority, even at the risk of our safety or our pride?
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. “
Luke 12:4
What About You?
I will leave you with some questions to consider:
- Has your faith ever cost you anything? What have you had to sacrifice in order to follow Jesus?
- What things need to die in your life in order for you to live in Christ?
- Is your physical safety more important to you than your faith?
- What do you think “to live is Christ and to die is gain” means (Philippians 1:21)? Do you agree with that statement?”
“…There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.
Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—
the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,
since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
Hebrews 11:35-40
I think Jesus is asking us the same thing He asked the sons of Zebedee: “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?“. They too wanted to share in His glory without any of the sacrifice. (Matthew 20:20-23)
Are you really ready to be like Jesus? Would you lose your life in order to follow Him? Because there is a disturbing pattern I have noticed among church goers:
They all want to be like Jesus, but they don’t want to have to die.
10.19.18
*For further scripture reading on the topic of suffering for the sake of Christ, reference the suggestions below:
-
Hebrews 11:24-27 – Moses willingly abandoned a life of luxury in the house of Pharaoh. He chose to be mistreated with the people of God rather than enjoying the temporary satisfaction of sin. Moses was looking ahead to his eternal reward.
-
John 8:18-20 – Jesus spoke boldly, with no fear of consequences, because He trusted in His Father’s plan.
-
John 11:1-16 – When we are called to follow Jesus into unsafe territory, our response should be the same as Thomas’s when the disciples hear of the passing of their friend, Lazarus. “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (v16)
-
John 12:23-26– “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
-
Revelation 2:10 – “…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
*For similar articles on the topic of suffering for the sake of Christ, check out the following links:
-
“Comfortable Christianity” 7.13.18 from ‘Rugged Pursuit’
-
“Haters Gon’ Hate” 8.14.18 – by Greg Morse from ‘Desiring God’
“To Live is Christ” by Sidewalk Prophets
Feast or Fame
“Of the animals you have hunted, if you had to choose between keeping the mount or the meat, which would you pick? What about if you had to choose between God and money? When it comes to blessings from Heaven, I don’t want watered down trophy money. I want the meat!”
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.”
Psalm 107:8-9
The term “trophy hunting” gets thrown around a lot these days. I hear it used mostly among the non-hunting crowd. I don’t quite know what to think of that term, but it just feels negative. I guess the reason it feels that way is because it is so commonly used by animal rights groups and anti-hunters as a way to insinuate that hunters are only interested in an animal mount to hang on their wall. They would like to have the general public believe that hunters are only interested in killing and bloodshed for their own selfish gain.
That is not always the case, though. In fact, the term “trophy hunting” itself is confusing to me. Who decides what a trophy is? Does a trophy have the same value for everyone? Does a trophy always mean the same thing to everyone? Is a trophy always something physical, or can it be tied to a setting or an experience? When determining a trophy, does it reference only such things as size, measurements, weight, or age? Or can a trophy also be linked to a memorable moment or accomplishment? The desired outcome of a hunt is so vastly different for each individual that it is hard to label such a thing.
Pondering these things caused me to think about my own intentions in the field. Perhaps it would be good for us all to take an inventory of what it is we are seeking in the woods, and in life.
So, let us consider this question: Of the animals you’ve killed while hunting, if you had to choose between keeping, A) The head/antlers, or B) The body/meat, which would you choose? Would your answer be the same if it was a giant “trophy” buck with huge antlers? Why did you choose the way you did? What factors do you consider when making this choice?
The point in this self evaluation is not to argue over which choice is “right” or “wrong”. You have no one to answer to for the response you give. I just think, as hunters, we need to know why we do what we do. 1 Peter 3:15 says we should always be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have in Christ. In the same way, we should also be prepared to defend our hunting practices and ethics.
Before I get to my opinion on which I would choose, first let me share a couple of the reasons that I hunt:
I Hunt for Myself
I hunt for the overall experience. I enjoy being involved in every aspect of the hunt. From planning and mapping, to scouting for sign, to hanging tree stands, to pulling the trigger, and then all the way to butchering the meat. I get satisfaction from putting in the effort to do all of those things. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I look back on a successful hunt that has come to fruition. Even when no one else is around and there is no deer in the bed of my truck, I can still feel like my day in the outdoors has been a success. With each hunt I gain more memories and more experiences, even if I don’t add extra meat to the freezer.
I hunt for myself, not for others.
-WARNING: Personal Hunting Preference Ahead-
Not to be applied to all persons or situations.
Keep the angry letters to a minimum…
I Hunt for Food
Now back to the question of which part of the deer we would choose to keep, if we could only choose one or the other: If it were me, I would choose the meat every time. That’s because I know the reason I hunt. I hunt for sustenance. I hunt to provide. Food is my primary reason for hunting any type of animal. No, I do not depend solely on wild game to survive. The luxury of grocery stores has greatly diminished our need for killing, or growing, our own food. I won’t even pretend that I do it for survival, but I do hunt mainly for food. I prefer to harvest and handle my own meat as a way to stay active in, and attached to, the process, rather then someone else doing it for me.
I hunt for food, not fame.
God or Money?
Now let me ask another question. If you had to choose one or the other, would you choose God or money? I know the Sunday School answer. I’m asking you to take an honest inventory of what things are most important in your life. Would you be willing to give up your money in order to be closer to God? Where does your faith lie? In your ability to provide for yourself, or God’s ability to provide for you?
“I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my knees, laying aside all other books, and praying over, if possible, every line and word. This proved meat indeed and drink indeed to my soul. I daily received fresh life, light and power from above.”
–George Whitefield
Focus on What Fills You
A trophy deer head on the wall is something that brings surface level, temporary satisfaction. It might help you gain new friends, or impress old ones. It may even get you a lot of attention or even fame if your animal is a state or world record. But those antlers won’t feed you. In the same way, your money can’t give you all that you need. It can’t fill you up.
I will always choose the things that fill me up, whether that be physical meals, or spiritual sustenance. That is why I pray that God will fill me, that He will use me, that He will carry me. I trust that He will provide for me. I don’t pray that He will give me more money so that I can provide for myself.
When it comes to blessings from Heaven, I don’t want watered down trophy money. I want the meat!
10.1.18
Choosing Barabbas
“How could they choose Barabbas over Jesus!?”
That is what we wonder when we read about the trial that led to Jesus’s execution. But actually, we choose Barabbas every day, even now.
“…With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.”
John 18:38-40
In John 18:28-40, we read the story of Pontius Pilate appearing before the Jews at the trial of Jesus. They brought Jesus to Pilate to be judged because they did not have the authority to issue the death penalty on their own. They needed Pilate to carry out the execution. Jesus is questioned by Pilate and he found no fault in him, especially one worthy of death.
In those days, there was a custom that the Romans would pardon and release one prisoner before the feast of the Passover. Seeing no evidence of crime in Jesus, he goes back out to approach the crowd of Jews that had brought Jesus to him. He tells them his verdict, that there was no fault in Jesus, and offers to release Him. He says to them “Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” The angry mob shouted back at Pilate “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” (v40)
Why Barabbas?
Barabbas was a convicted criminal who was deemed bad for society. Judging by his criminal charges, having him released could very well cause them, and their community, personal harm! Matthew 27:16 suggests that Barabbas may have very well been a perpetual offender, notorious for crime. Luke 23:19 says he was thrown in jail for participating in an insurrection, and for murder. We read this story and we think to ourselves, “How could they choose to have Barabbas released over Jesus? One would think that the well known criminal history of Barabbas would be enough for the citizens to want to make sure he was not released from prison. However, because of their selfishness, they still chose Barabbas, regardless of his track record.
We are shocked when we read this passage of scripture. But should we be? If we had been there, would we have spoken up? Would we have chosen differently? It is easy for us to see that choosing Barabbas over Jesus was a decision that impacted history in an unimaginable way. However, hindsight is 20/20, and it is easy to see flaws in others and not in ourselves.
Have You Ever Chosen Barabbas?
Have you ever chosen Barabbas? Actually, we choose Barabbas daily. Every day we make decisions that deny Jesus. You probably don’t always do it purposely, but you do it just the same. Every time you put something else above Jesus and put your focus elsewhere instead, you have chosen Barabbas. When you continue the affair, knowing that it is destructive to your marriage and detrimental to your spiritual life, you are choosing Barabbas. When you keep putting in more and more hours at work because you long for the joy the paycheck money might bring, you are choosing Barabbas. When you decide you don’t need to read your Bible because you “get the gist of it anyway” or “you don’t really have the time”, you are choosing Barabbas.
You know these choices will ultimately cause harm, turmoil, or even destruction, but you choose them anyway. Your selfish ambitions take precedence over a merciful Savior. These temporary satisfactions will quickly fade and leave a path of destruction in its wake that tears down your friends, family, people close to you, or even your community, but you choose them anyway. Self-serving decisions will also sever your relationship with your Creator, but you still make them. Perhaps you do not realize the effects certain choices will have on your life, or maybe you just don’t care. The choices we make now, in order to gain temporal gratification or power, will quite likely have unforeseen, long-lasting effects. Don’t let your prideful obsession with getting your own way become a barrier that keeps you from seeing God’s plan being carried out your life.
What is Your Barabbas?
Everyone has selfish ambitions or yearnings that, at times, take precedence over their pursuit of a relationship with Christ. For some, they are stumbling blocks that sneak up in moments of weakness. For others, they are all-consuming patterns that completely block God out and leave them in spiritual darkness.
So, what about you? What things are you choosing to give preference to in place of God? In what ways are you choosing Barabbas over Jesus Christ?
- In your habits?
- In your career?
- In your family life?
- In your relationships?
- In your financial decisions?
“How could they choose Barabbas over Jesus?” Well… how could we?
8.23.18
Squirrelly Spirituality
Photo courtesy of Bryan Eastham
“People aren’t hungry anymore.” This was the explanation my dad gave when I asked him why people don’t hunt squirrels like they used to. His words really struck me. Sadly, the same thing happens in our pursuit of Christ. People stop seeking when they lose their hunger.
“The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
Psalm 34:10
I was standing out in the yard talking with my dad one evening. I brought up how it seems like no one is hunting squirrels anymore. It seems to be a dying art where I live. I asked him why he thought that was. His response was “People aren’t hungry anymore.” That answer really struck me. I believe he’s right about that being the reason people are no longer hitting the squirrel woods like they did back when he was a kid. Back then, it was common practice for boys to take their single-shot, break action H&R shotguns out to the wood lot behind their houses in pursuit of an old bushy tail.
At the time, it was sort of a family tradition, you could say. Kids would be wielding squirrel guns across their bicycle handlebars long before they could drive a car. They would go out with their dads, their uncles, and their grandpas, shoot a limit of squirrels and take them home for Grandma to cook. What they couldn’t eat right away, they would freeze in empty milk containers, two per carton, filled the rest of the way with water, to save for a later day. Squirrel hunting was an activity rich in camaraderie, tradition, and sometimes necessity.
Nowadays, hunting is more commonly viewed as more of a hobby or pastime than as a necessity. It is seen mostly as something to do on the weekends, or a fun way to spend some vacation time. While the overall hunting tradition itself has continued to hang around, the dependency on the meat is much more rare. There are now very few people in America who hunt to survive. Food is readily available in grocery stores, where you don’t have to get your hands dirty. Even when you can’t afford to buy groceries, there are programs to assist in obtaining them. This was not always the case. There was a time, not all that long ago, when people hunted as a way to supplement their diet with wild game for cheaper than they could buy groceries in the store. People have stopped hunting squirrels because they just aren’t as hungry.
Hungry for Truth
I think this is the same reason people in our country are no longer seeking God the way they used to. They’re just not hungry for biblical truth anymore. Just like people no longer need squirrel meat to survive, people feel they no longer need God in order to get by. They depend on their jobs, their money, their connections, and their work ethic to get what they want and be successful. They think can take care of themselves.
Folks don’t always take their families to church on the weekends, as was the tradition for generations before them. Crowding in the car on Sunday mornings happens more often now for travel ball than for Sunday School. Younger generations just don’t see the need in seeking God anymore. He is viewed by culture as an unneeded, distant deity belonging to their grandparents, rather than the ever-present King of the universe and Lord of their lives.
It isn’t until a crisis hits that many start to find their faith. In times of trial, we turn to God, and we should! However, the key is to then stay focused on Him and not lean solely on our own abilities. We have to resist the temptation to drift away from God once life starts getting sunny and smooth again. As people who like to view ourselves as self-sufficient and self-made, we kind of ride this roller coaster of spirituality sometimes. We are high on the Gospel when it benefits our current set of circumstances, then we coast into apathy when the track flattens out, then step off towards the exit once the ride slows down and the hills of life are under control. When the need arises, we get back in the queue to do it all over again. Don’t just pick and choose when to follow God. That is squirrelly! Are you with Him or not? Can you do life alone, or do you need His guidance? How quickly we forget that our help comes from God above, not from within ourselves.
“You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.“
Psalm 63:1
Every summer, I anxiously wait for opening day of squirrel season when I can get back out to the woods and start scanning the treetops. I, for one, haven’t lost my hunger for squirrels. And I pray I never lose my dependence on God to sustain me both spiritually and physically. On top of the mountain, or down in the valley, I seek God with an insatiable hunger that can only be quenched with devotion to, and relationship with, Christ.
Knowing how easy it is to become complacent in our spiritual lives, I make a point to keep my focus on God. I do this by scheduling time with Him. I am a person of routine, and I know that, for me, if it isn’t scheduled, it isn’t happening! Before I get breakfast out of the cupboard, I grab my Bible from the table and start my day in the healthiest way. My hunger has shifted from my stomach to my spirit. In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus… first, before anything else.
Photo courtesy of Bryan Eastham
Stay Hungry
So, whats your story? Are you still hungry? Have you lost your sense of need for God? Are you growing weary of doing it all by your own resolve? Let’s wake up now and recognize our need for Christ before, like squirrel hunting, Christianity runs the risk of becoming a thing of the past. Let’s reignite our passion for pursuing Christ and pass that devotion along to the coming generations! Take a kid hunting, and tell them about Jesus. Otherwise, both traditions will soon be only read about in history books, rather than experienced through firsthand interaction.
I don’t want my great-grandchildren to ever have to ask the question of their fathers, “Dad, why aren’t there many Christians around anymore?”
So when it comes to your pursuit of Jesus Christ: Stay hungry, my friends! Too much is at stake.
8.8.18
*For more stunning wildlife and nature photography from Bryan Eastham, visit bryaneastham.com
Comfortable Christianity
Jesus didn’t command us to pursue comfort. Like the early disciples, you will risk your safety, finances, reputation, and more if you choose to give your life to Christ. I can’t tell you it will be comfortable, but I can promise you it’s worth it!
And a scribe came up and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:19-22
Do Good, Be Good, Look Good
Our culture has painted a picture of Christianity that seems to fit a certain narrative. We are made to think that Christianity is a set of guidelines that are to be followed in order to be in the club. Repeat the prayers, recite the scriptures, wave to our neighbors in the subdivision, avoid cussing, and go to church on Sunday. You probably thought becoming a Christian would allow you to keep your hands clean. To stay out of the dirt. Or at least appear to. No trouble would come your way. You might have thought becoming a Christian meant all of your problems would go away, since you are now on “God’s good side.” Do good, be good, look good. That’s all that matters… Or is it?
It’s (probably) not your fault. You may have grown up in church, where you learned to sing happy songs, read nursery rhyme style Bible stories, and played Bible Bingo. You learned that being a Christian meant following the rules and being nice (and not running in church!). You learned your theology from talking vegetables. Your Bible was just something you brought to kid’s club to earn extra points (Maybe you thought you could later cash those points in for a ticket to Heaven or something). Everyone learned how to make killer casseroles and could shoot a mean game of horseshoes at the annual church picnic. Each person tossed a wadded up $5 bill in the collection plate as it passed. These were the attributes of a good, normal church-goer.
Or, maybe you didn’t grow up in church. You might have formed your opinion of Christians from television and movies. You thought a Christian was a dorky, khaki wearing guy with a receding hairline who only opened his mouth to pray for the food or to make cheesy remarks that were on the same cringe-worthiness level as “Dad jokes.”
As you approached middle age, you may have thought it was time to settle down, join a church, and switch your gears into coast mode. The other church-goers you saw around you were upper middle-class folks with nice houses and a few cars. They seemed to have it all together and were living squeaky clean, comfortable lives. The problem is that Christianity was never intended to be comfortable and these characteristics don’t really match up to what the Bible says about being a follower of Christ.
Count the Cost
“Comfortable Christianity” is an oxymoron. Jesus never commanded us to get comfortable. In fact, He often warned His followers that they were going to be giving up a lot by following Him. Like the early disciples, you will risk your safety, your finances, your reputation, and more if you choose to give your life to Christ.
And a scribe came up and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8: 19-22
Choosing to follow Christ is a big commitment. One doesn’t become a Christian so they can fall into some sort of safety net that shields them from the world. You will still have problems, you will still have worries, and you will still have obstacles. You may even notice that some things get harder once you become a Christian. All of the sudden you find yourself faced with criticism from friends, coworkers, and family who don’t understand your new outlook on life. You will also come up against new spiritual opposition because choosing to devote your life to serving Jesus now makes you a worthwhile threat to the Enemy.
Here’s the Good News
You may be thinking “Why would I want to sign up for that? It sounds like a lot of hard work and problems”. It does take strength to overcome the world’s standards and live for God, but thankfully you won’t be doing it alone. John 16:33 says
“…In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
I realize accepting discomfort may go against everything you thought about living a Christian life. Maybe you became a Christian thinking life would get easier, and in many ways, it will! It may not always seem like it, but living for Christ actually will make life better! Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
After what we have just discussed, you might not think that living for Christ is an “easy yoke” or a “light burden” but bear with me. Consider the following excerpt from the “Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary on the Whole Bible.” It says this in reference to the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32:
“Thus God, when His service no longer appears a perfect freedom, and when man promises himself something far better elsewhere, allows man to make the trial. And he shall discover, if need be by saddest proof, that to depart from Him is not to put off the yoke, but only to exchange a light yoke for a heavy one, and one gracious Master for a thousand imperious tyrants and lords.”
-Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan, 1999
(no longer in print)
We can choose, as the prodigal son did, to turn from God and indulge in a worldly lifestyle instead. If we feel we can do better for ourselves than God can do for us, we have the freedom to walk away and try. Unfortunately, what we eventually learn the hard way is that God’s yoke really was the light one, and it kept us on track and guided us where we needed to go. The heavy yoke of our selfish decisions weighs on us and compounds with burden after burden until we buckle under the pressure of the world.
As a Christian, you have direct communication with the Lord of all things through prayer! You have the Holy Spirit to guide you! You have the Wonderful Counselor to aid in your decisions! Most of all, you have eternal security and peace of mind knowing you will spend eternity with your Creator! But while we live on this earth, we will come against resistance due to the fact that we live in a fallen world full of sin. This battle is temporary and, through the power of Christ, we will stand our ground.
“I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalms 16:8 NASB
Our main concern in life is no longer our comfort or convenience. Our careers and our finances no longer take precedence. We are not in it for the luxury. We are not in it for the glory. And we are definitely not in it for the money.* Now our highest goal is to give glory to God and to further His kingdom, no matter what it costs us.
Here are some self-evaluation questions to ponder:
- Am I clinging to comfort and ease as the main benefit of being a Christian?
- Am I willing to speak up for the teachings of Jesus, even when others disagree?
- What things am I placing at a higher priority than my relationship with God?
- What is one way I will step out of my comfort zone to impact the Kingdom of God?
Are you willing to trade in the recliner for some work boots? Are you ready to step out of the A/C and into the trenches? Suit up and stand firm, because things could get messy. Being a Christian isn’t about being a body in a pew. It is about being a soldier in the battle between good and evil. Are you ready to fight?
7.13.18
*Click the link below to learn about the dangers of the Prosperity Gospel:
Talking Turkey
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119: 9-11
It was a warm Sunday afternoon in spring. After church I loaded up all my gear, got dressed head-to-toe in camouflage, and aimed my truck towards the turkey woods a few miles from my house. I turned the volume down on the Turnpike Troubadours “The Bird Hunters” and crept slowly down the path between two fields, watching for turkeys and trying to keep off the gas peddle so the exhaust wouldn’t announce my presence.
The sun was beating down, as it was an unseasonably warm April. It was one of those years when the seasons seem to switch from winter straight into summer, skipping spring altogether. I had a few hundred yards to trek to get to my spot. Walking across the field, loaded down with decoys, calls, and equipment made for a hot hike. I tried to walk slow enough to avoid sweating through my hunting clothes, but fast enough to get set up before being busted. I made it to the back of an old bean field and pulled my decoys from my backpack. After a couple minutes of fluffing out the flimsy foam hens, I began to press the plastic stakes into the hard, dry ground. I found a large tree to lean against about 15 yards away from the spread.
I yelped, clucked, and purred all afternoon on every type of call in my vest. Not a single gobble rang through the trees. I kept trying anyway, thinking “Surely these turkeys have to be coming through here eventually!” A few hours later, out of the corner of my eye, I saw three jakes working their way along the field edge heading towards my decoys. They never made a sound but they couldn’t help but get a closer look at what they thought were some hot, vocal hens. As interested as they were, they would not come into the 10-20 yard range that I was hoping I could draw them in to. Instead, they turned and started to take the long way around. When I saw they were not going to fully commit, I took my shot at 40 yards. The 20 gauge Remington 870 sang and the bird hit the dirt.
Struttin’ & Strayin’
We can learn a lot about life from turkey hunting. More specifically, we can learn a lot about avoiding pitfalls in life from turkey hunting. Let me explain: When you are hunting spring turkeys, your goal is to imitate a female turkey as best as you possibly can. You want to sound like a hen, you want to have a decoy placed that looks like a hen. Sometimes you even want to scratch at the leaves on the ground to seem like a hen. Your main goal is to trick that gobbler into thinking he is coming in to meet a female mate.
This type of scenario for hunting turkeys works very well! The reason it works so well is because the tom is completely fooled into walking right into an ambush. He has no idea he is encountering anything but another turkey, until it is too late. He hears something in the distance that sounds just like a turkey calling out to him. That gets his interest. He has heard it a thousand times, especially this time of year. Then, as he gets closer, he sees something that looks just like a female turkey (your decoy). Now he is even more interested! He sees other turkeys every day, so nothing seems strange about seeing a couple hens feeding in a field. Everything about this situation seems totally normal to the male turkey. Not only does it seem normal, it is also highly attractive! As far as he knows, he is about to get a new girlfriend! He is right where he wants to be. Right in his comfort zone. He is strutting around and showing off. He is gobbling and calling out “Look at me! Don’t I look good?” It is just another day in the life of a turkey, until it ends up being his last.
Don’t Be a Turkey
Sin usually comes in the form of something familiar to us. Since it looks familiar, we don’t really see it coming. Everything seems natural, normal, even appealing. Like a turkey walking right into a hunter’s sights, it deceives us.
Eve was tempted in the garden by a serpent, which is one of the animals she and Adam were responsible for taking care of (Genesis 2:15). She was no stranger to serpents. Often times sin creeps up on us and slithers in without us knowing, just as the crafty serpent did (Genesis 3:1-4). Eve liked what she saw when she looked at the tree with the forbidden fruit in the middle of the garden. The fruit was pleasing to the eye and it was desirable. Not only did she come running into the trap Satan set, but she also brought Adam in with her (Genesis 3:6). She knew she was not supposed to eat of that tree. God made it clear that they were not to touch it. In fact, that was His one rule for them in the Garden of Eden. They knew better. However, during a short moment of weakness and lack of self-control, the fruit was plucked and a bite was taken. Like Adam and Eve, we think we have everything under control or that we can handle it, when in reality, we are falling hard. One minute we are walking peacefully in the garden. The next minute we are lying face down in the dirt.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.”Psalm 119: 9-11
One thing about turkeys is that the male does not normally seek out the female. Typically, the male stays put, gobbles, and struts around and attracts the females to him. Sometimes, though, the temptation is just too great. It is against the turkey’s better judgement that he gives in and heads towards the sweet sound for a better look. His natural instincts tell him to stay where he is. But when the young jake ignored those instincts and wandered closer and closer to my shooting lane, that is when he put his life, and the lives of his two companions, in danger.
In the same way, we as Christians can make choices that cause us to inch closer to sin. We must always keep our minds on Christ and keep our thoughts pure. Our job is to hide God’s word in our hearts and follow His commands. The only way to do that is to be reading the Bible regularly and to be in constant communication with God. If we know God’s Word, and we live according to it, we will avoid Satan’s stumbling blocks that cause us to sin.
Stay Focused
Sin will creep up in things that look familiar to you as a way to make you stray from what you know is righteous and holy. It will be in the voice of a friend or peer that is encouraging you to go along with something that just doesn’t feel right. It may be in the friendly smile of a coworker that may not have been as innocent as you originally thought. Sin will start surfacing in many different ways, many of which may seem uneventful or unnoticeable. That is why you must always be on guard and always be on watch! Do not be deceived by the temptations of this world and focus instead on Jesus, so that you might not fall into sin.
Sin is not something to mess around with. Sin is deadly (Romans 6:23). Every step you take towards deceitful things and questionable circumstances could be your last. Before you realize it, you have gone too far.
Be alert. Be aware. Stay focused. It’s the only way to keep your head out of the dirt!
6.22.18
My Year in the Bible
“But Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.'”
Matthew 22:29
Have you ever read the Bible? I am willing to bet that most Christians would answer right away “Of course I have read my Bible! I’ve been going to church my whole life!” You would probably get a similar response if you asked someone if they know God. The sad truth is that many people know about God, less people really know God.
Maybe you have never really thought about it much. Like me, you probably just kind of assumed you knew the Bible and knew God. What if there were things you thought you knew about the Bible, but maybe you were wrong? What if there were things you thought were in the Bible, but maybe they really aren’t? Maybe God didn’t really say that thing that you always assumed He said. Would you want to know?
I grew up in church. I attended Sunday School as a child and was even part of a weekly scripture memorization club during my school age years. I went to youth group, then to a young adults class, and then on to small group Bible studies. I am no stranger to church. Being a regular church attender is great, but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you any kind of true spiritual closeness with God. In fact, routine, checklist religion may just be the thing keeping you from intimately knowing Him.
I know a lot of people who would say they are Christians that have never read the Bible. They have read portions of the Bible, but they have never read through the entire Bible. I was also in this camp for most of my life. It wasn’t until I was well into adulthood that I realized the importance of regular Bible reading. I guess I really always knew it was important, but that fact still didn’t seem to get me to pick up the book and read it on a daily basis. Even after I started reading my Bible “regularly”, I still felt like it wasn’t enough to just read a few scriptures a day and go on with my life.
Eventually I felt this conviction that I needed to read the entire Bible (yes, even the seemingly boring family history parts). I just came to this sudden realization that I was claiming to know the Bible, claiming to know God’s will, and even telling others about it, yet I had never actually read the whole thing for myself. Yeah, I had read most of it. I knew all the stories and the major themes, but I could not honestly say I had read the whole Bible word-for-word. That bothered me, and if you are a Christian that hasn’t read the entire Bible, it should bother you too. How can we fully share Christianity with others if we don’t know the whole story?
If you have read my previous post, “Daily Pursuit”, from 1/5/18, you have heard me talk about the importance of reading the Bible for yourself all the way through. I would compare a Christian who has never read the Bible to someone who says they are a dedicated fan of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Twilight but have never actually read the books. Maybe they’ve seen some of the movies, or read parts of the series, but that is about the extent of their knowledge. I think I would have a hard time believing that they were totally sold-out fans if that were the case. I think the same is true of Christians who don’t read their Bible. Hearing the stories secondhand from a Sunday School teacher or a pastor is a start, but you can’t count on others to build your relationship with Christ. Only you can do that. Think of it this way: would you go on a Lord of the Rings themed trivia game show with someone who hasn’t read the books? Of course not! You want someone you can count on to know their stuff if you are going to be on national TV with money and prizes on the line! Then why do you think your non-Christian friends want to trust your word about the Bible if you haven’t read it? For them, there is more on the line than money.
My “Bible in a Year” Experience
I have now read the entire Bible on my own! Every book, every chapter, every page, and every verse. I can now truthfully and with certainty say “I have read the Bible!” Accomplishing this goal was such a monumental moment for me, for a lot of reasons. I used a “through the Bible in a year” plan so I could read it, in its entirety, in one calendar year. You’re probably thinking “That’s a big book. There’s no way I could read the whole thing in a year!” To be honest, it was not as difficult as I thought it would be! Starting out, I was pretty intimidated too, but just a few days into the plan, I realized it wasn’t so hard. With the plan I used, there was only about 15-20 minutes of reading per day. That is a much smaller time commitment than I originally thought it would be.
I am not going to say reading the Bible every day for a whole year was a breeze. In fact, there were days when I missed my daily reading and would have to make up for it other days. You will likely have to do the same at some point, and that is okay! There were even some days when I would be traveling or driving and would listen to my set of scriptures on an audio version of the Bible to stay caught up.
I learned a lot of things during my “Bible in a year” journey. I learned that God has so much to say to me, and I am not hearing it if I am not reading His Word. Everyone wants to hear from God and know His will. Fortunately for us, He has written it all down for us! We have access to all of that information in this book! All we have to do is open it and read it. That is great news! I have learned more about the heart of God and what He wants for me, and for all people.
So many things make more sense to me now that I have read the whole book start to finish. When we just read a story here and there, or a few verses at a time, it makes it very difficult to understand the meaning behind them. It is important to know the context of the verses you are reading. For this reason, it is crucial that you read the verses before and after to make sure you know what the author is talking about. There are also a lot of passages that might not make as much sense if you didn’t realize those same subjects were referenced in other parts of the Bible. For instance, if you only read the New Testament, there would be a lot of quotes and topics that you would pass over without fully understanding them because they are references to the Old Testament. You are missing out on a lot by not getting the whole picture.
Look, just because you read the Bible all the way through does not mean you will know all the answers to every Biblical question that ever comes up. It does not mean you will know everything there is to know about God. The truth is, we will never know it all. We are constantly learning and growing in Christ (Read Endless Pursuit from 4/6/18). That’s what I love about the Bible: the more you read, the more you discover. You can read a passage and it may speak to you in a totally different way than when you read it before. That is because God is constantly revealing things to us through His living and active Word. (Hebrews 4:12). For this reason, I will continue to read through the Bible each year. Daily Bible reading has become such a part of my routine that I would feel like something was missing if I were to stop. I want to continue hearing from God every opportunity that I get! The best way for me to do that is by reading His book.
Next Steps
I encourage you to read the Bible in its entirety. I know it may seem like a daunting task. I know you are probably busy and don’t have a lot of extra time to sit and read. Trust me, I get it. I hope that you will at least give it a try. There is more than one way to read a Bible, and I would love to help you choose a manageable reading plan.
- Start by using the helpful guidelines from Daily Pursuit to choose a manageable reading plan that works for you.
- Next, set aside a time of day when you can dedicate 30 minutes or less of uninterrupted time to reading the Bible and communicating with God.
- Set a goal: Decide how often you want to read and determine when you want to complete your Bible reading. (Do you want to read through the Bible in a year? Two years? Three years?)
Personally, I decided I wanted to read through the Bible in one calendar year. I started on my birthday. For me, that was a great time to commit to starting something new and create a new healthy habit. It also gave me something to look forward to, as if it was a birthday present to myself. The feeling of accomplishment and the added closeness to God that I had was a pretty great birthday gift!
Whatever you do, don’t wait much longer. You don’t know what you are missing by putting this off. You have so much to gain and you won’t regret reading through the entire Bible, start to finish (Isaiah 55:11).
5.19.18
*For more information, or help picking out a plan that is right for you, please contact Rugged Pursuit through this website, or on Facebook by searching for @RuggedPursuit and send us a message. You can also contact us by email at ruggedpursuitdevo@gmail.com. We would love to help you find a resource that assists you in your journey with Christ.
Not My Messiah
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because He has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18-19
The Jews in the Bible had their own idea of what the Messiah would be like and what he would do. They expected a descendant of David to come and rule over Israel forever (Psalm 89:4). In the first century, the Jewish community was living under an extremely corrupt government system. They expected a Messiah to overthrow the oppressive Roman empire and take back the throne of David by force. They undoubtedly assumed this would be accomplished through brute strength, and a physical military victory. Their hope was that he would redeem them and reestablish peace to their nation.
This type of victory did not come from Jesus. He did not start wars, did not encourage His followers to commit violent acts against Roman officials, and He did not overthrow the throne. How then could this man be the Messiah? He came, He saw, but He did not conquer, at least not in their opinion. This rabbi fell very short of their expectations for a savior.
These first century Jews were not seeing the big picture. They were thinking very short term. The legacy of Jesus Christ extends way beyond His short life on Earth. He had plans too big to be confined in this world alone. He was achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs the things of this life (2 Corinthians 4:17). The problem is that they had a very temporal view of an eternal God.
In the book “The Forgotten Jesus” by Robby Gallaty, it says
“The people had built up in their minds a picture of what the Messiah would be like according to their own expectations, and they would not be able to accept what He had come to do.”
-Robby Gallaty, The Forgotten Jesus: How Western Christians Should Follow an Eastern Rabbi, HarperCollins Publishers
Isn’t this exactly what we are doing to Jesus now? When He doesn’t work in our lives the way WE think He should, we discredit Him.
“If Jesus cared about me, I wouldn’t be unemployed.”
“If Jesus really loved me, my spouse wouldn’t have left me.”
“If God was real, He wouldn’t have let this happen.”
We judge God, and the goodness of God, based off of standards we have made up ourselves. These standards in no way reflect the personality or the will of God. We expect the Messiah to save us from all discomforts and all earthly pain. In reality, He came to do so much more than that. We are limiting God’s abilities. We tend to only see things from our point of view. We can’t see the big things God is doing because we are so focused on Him fixing our little things. If we don’t stop blaming Him for all of our “light and momentary troubles” (2 Corinthians 4:17), we are going to miss the fact that He is continually redeeming the world and everything in it.
Just like the Jewish community in the Bible, we yearn for a Messiah that works for us and grants our wishes and earthy desires. We selfishly think we can use Jesus to our own advantage. We live in such a self-obsessed culture that it is hard for us to imagine that there could be a greater plan at work that does not cater to our personal satisfaction and comfort. It is far past time that we come to terms with the fact that we do not know what is best for our lives, or our world. We don’t get to assign the benchmarks for what a Messiah is, or is not. Following Christ means that you take a back seat and trust His leadership.
It is true that the Jews needed a savior to rescue them from their oppression. What they could not see is that their tribulation was so much worse than physical bondage. What they needed was someone who could redeem a spiritually broken world, full of sin, and put it back together. Still today, we need someone who can erase the sins of our past and make us blameless in the sight of a Holy God. Jesus did just that when He, as a completely guiltless man, died a brutal death in order to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Jesus is still the Messiah, even if He’s not the kind you expected.
4.20.18
Endless Pursuit
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.“
Hebrews 4:12
One thing I love about the outdoors is that you can never learn all there is to know about nature. It is wild, free, untamed, and unpredictable. Every time I go into the wilderness I learn something new. The animals change their routes and routines. The weather can switch from calm to angry in the blink of an eye. The wind even changes its direction and blows wherever it pleases. No matter how much I learn about the land, the animals, and the terrain, I will never have it all figured out. I love that. I love that I am constantly learning and growing as a woodsman.
As much time as I have spent watching wildlife, I still find it extremely challenging to pattern the whitetail deer. Just when I think I know what their next move will be, they give me the slip and take the long way around my stand, just out of reach. One day you will see them on one side of the field, the next day they will be on the other. While this can be frustrating from a hunter’s viewpoint, I can still appreciate the canny abilities of these clever creatures, and it keeps me wanting to pursue them even more!
The same is true of the Bible. No matter how much I read or study, I will never know it all. The Bible tells us that the Word is alive (Hebrews 4:12). No matter how many times I’ve read a particular passage or story, I still have times where it speaks to me in a completely new way. Sometimes I am learning something for the first time. Other times I recognize something that had previously gone unnoticed. And many times, I will read a verse that applies to me differently than it did in the past, depending on my current circumstances. God’s Word is alive and active and can meet you wherever you are.
I will never know all there is to know about God. His ways are often a mystery. His actions can be unexpected. There are some things that I will just never understand, until the day comes when I can ask Him face to face, and I am okay with that. In fact, I love that! It keeps me wanting to come back for more. It makes me want to learn as much as I can about God’s will, His wisdom, and His personality. If I already knew every step of God’s plan, there would be no need for faith. Plus, if I already knew every detail, where would the adventure be? As with deer hunting, a lot of the fun is in the pursuit. And if there is no challenge, there is also less reward.
It’s amazing the way God speaks to our very souls through nature and His written Word. Ultimately, they stay the same, while our understanding or perspective may change. As we learn and grow, we become more observant and aware of the amazing ways in which God is working and moving.
If you’re looking for a double dosage of excitement, take your Bible out into the deep woods, find a good log to sit on, and listen to the choir of chickadees sing as you dive into the Word. If you’re lucky, you just might learn more about both the Creator and His creation, all in one trip!
4.6.18
