Rugged Pursuit
Withdraw to the Wilderness
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. 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, 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
God Speaks Through Nature
“In His hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to Him.
The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hands formed the dry land.”
Psalm 95: 4-5
I feel closest to God when I am in the great outdoors. There is just something about being in nature that helps to revitalize my spirit. For me, there is no better way to get in touch with my Creator than by spending time enjoying His creation. I love to hunt, fish, hike, bike, and anything else a person can do outside of the boundaries of four walls. If it involves a forest, and lake, or a dirt road, count me in! This is just the way I am wired, I suppose, and I wouldn’t change it if I could. Whether drawing back on a bow string or casting a line in a mountain stream, every day is a good day when you are surrounded by nature.
I often get my best inspiration when I am outside enjoying nature. It is here, in the quiet places, where I don’t have any worries or distractions. I can watch the trees swaying peacefully back and forth, hear the birds whistling in the distance, and feel the wind on my face. Times like these bring to mind the scripture from Isaiah 55:12
“You will go out in joy and be led by peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” (NIV)
All stress and responsibility fade away as I soak it all in. Fresh air fills my lungs as fresh insight fills my soul.
God Speaks Through Nature
Psalm 19: 1-2 says
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” (NIV)
I hear creation pouring forth speech quite clearly when I am outside in solitude, listening for the Creator. I hear His voice in the rustling of corn stalks, dried from the sun, ready for harvesting. I hear His voice in the rain, slowly pattering on the tree canopy above my head. I hear His voice in the animals, singing, bleating, and gobbling as they communicate back and forth. All of the unbelievable wonders of nature point straight to the mind-blowing, perfect design of God Almighty.
A big reason why I feel so much closer to God when I am in the outdoors has a lot to do with the fact that I consider myself an outdoorsman. I would rather be hunting and fishing than about anywhere else! I find great satisfaction in both preserving and enjoying the natural resources given to us by God. I feel a deep sense of obligation to be respectful of the land and responsible with the use of its wildlife. However, I don’t think that enjoying those particular hobbies is the only reason I feel closer to Him. A lot of it has to do with just being away from distractions, interruptions, and diversions. Physically removing myself from the hustle-and-bustle, fast-paced, dog-eat-dog world is the best way for me to clear my mind and focus on my relationship with God.
This thought process is the reason I started Rugged Pursuit; to get away from distractions and meet with God. The way I do that is through nature and outdoor activities. The whole idea behind Rugged Pursuit is based on the verse from Luke 5:16 that says
“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” (NLT)
*You can read about my inspiration for Rugged Pursuit devotionals in my introductory post called Withdraw to a Quiet Place
Getting out into the woods and talking to God is just one more way I can strive to be like Jesus. And, honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way!
I’ve started a new category of posts that celebrates the natural resources that we are so fortunate to have been given. You can find these soul-refreshing writings by clicking the RP Outdoors tab on the main page. God has given us dominion over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all of the animals on Earth (Genesis 1:26)! So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy it!
3.9.18
Daily Pursuit
“…for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.“
Acts 17:11
We have been told time and time again that reading the Bible every day is important. As Christians, we know we should be reading our Bible, but how do you find the time? Between work, school, your kid’s sporting events, and grocery shopping, you’re schedule is pretty well booked. With so many other responsibilities and activities in our lives, it’s hard to dedicate a slot just for reading your Bible. Isn’t it time you start being more productive with how you spend your time? Shouldn’t the things you give your time to have more of a lasting, even eternal, value?
Reading the Bible on a regular basis directly effects your relationship with God. How so? Well, the Bible is the Word of God. It’s one of the ways He communicates with us. When we read the Bible, we’re receiving guidance and instruction straight from the Creator of all things, the Author of our existence. Reading His Word gives us direct communication with Him. The Bible was written for us! It contains everything we need to live a Christian life and know God personally. It reveals to us His plans for the world, His intentions for us, and His very heart! If you want to know God, you need to read His book!
I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of putting Bible reading on the back burner. For most of my life, I did not read from my Bible daily. Maybe every week, sure, but not every day. I had a lot of other things to do. It isn’t that I didn’t think it was important, it’s just that I didn’t make it a priority!
Think about this scenario: You run into another shopper at the bookstore wearing black frame glasses and a lightning bolt ball cap. They recommend a series of books to you. The conversation goes something like this:
Shopper: “Let me tell you about this awesome series you should read! It’s about a boy who is attending wizard school! It’s so great! I’m a HUGE fan! I’m so on fire for these books! You probably won’t meet anyone who loves it more than me! I decorate my house with wizard pictures, I bought an authentic magic wand replica online, and every summer I go to the theme park based on the books!”
You: “That sounds interesting. How many books are in the series? Which is your favorite one?
Shopper: “Oh, I’m not really sure. I’m not much of a reader. I’ve only read a few chapters of the first book, and a couple from the third, and I read most of the last one. But I saw the movie! Well, part of it, I had to leave in the middle to pick up my son from practice. But what I saw was pretty cool.”
You: “So, you haven’t even read them? But you are telling me I should? I thought you were the biggest fan?
If this person was really a huge fan of these books, don’t you think they would have at least actually read the whole thing? I mean, how can they be the biggest fan but not really even know for sure what the books contain? I would have a very hard time believing they were really as big of a fan as they claimed to be.
Isn’t this exactly what we do with the Bible though? “I love Jesus! Jesus is my BFF! God is my co-pilot! I go to church every Sunday! That TV series about the Bible was so interesting! I have the coolest Jesus picture on my living room wall! It totally ties the room together.” Yet, we’ve never read the Bible all the way through. We have read enough of it to know the general theme. Our Sunday School teachers told us about it. We know all the key stories: Adam & Eve, Noah’s Ark, Jesus in the Manger. But do you really KNOW your Bible. Do you understand why all these stories are so important to the overall history of the world?
When you dedicate yourself to a regular routine of reading the Bible, you will begin to see that all of these books and stories fit flawlessly together into one big story revealing God’s perfect plan for the world and for YOU! You will quickly see that, amazingly, books written thousands of years ago apply directly to your life today. You might not believe that could be possible until you pick it up and read it yourself.
When I thought about that bookstore situation I mentioned earlier, I started to feel really convicted. “How can I claim to be a follower of God when I haven’t read the whole story? Can I really be as big of a follower as I thought when I’ve only heard the stories told by other people, read some portions here and there, and read some Christian themed books.” Over the years, I have read much of the Bible, probably even most of it, but I could not honestly say I had read the whole Bible. I decided right then that I would begin a plan to read every verse in the Bible in one year. I know what you are thinking. It sounded like a huge task to me too. I didn’t know how I was ever going to find the time to read such a large book in just one year. However, I knew it was important to do if I was going to really follow Christ in the best way I could. I used a plan offered through my church that already had all the verses mapped out. Each day there would be a portion of scripture from the Old Testament, and a portion from the New Testament. Once I began, I realized that most day’s readings only took me about 15-20 minutes. I was shocked to realize just how easy it was to get into a reading routine when you have a solid plan and break it down into manageable portions.
Choosing a Reading Method
I believe it is crucial to be reading the Bible regularly, if not daily. It is the best way to learn more about the God who created you and what His ultimate plan is for you. It is easier to commit to reading the Bible when you have a clear plan though. So, I have offered a few suggestions for some different ways you can get started. The plans below will help beginners starting out, as well as long-time Christians wanting a fresh look at scripture.
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Read Through the Bible in a Year
I prefer this method over all others because it allows me to get the complete story of God’s word in a relatively short amount of time. Because you are reading every single verse in the Bible, it requires the most commitment, but I personally prefer to not miss anything! Here are a few different options for reading the Bible in one calendar year:
-Cover to Cover: start at the beginning of your Bible in Genesis and read straight through, ending with Revelation. Pros– it’s easy to keep your place. Simply put a bookmark where you stopped and pick it up the next day. Cons– It’s easy to fall out of the routine if you don’t have a plan of how much you need to read per day. Also, some portions of the Bible may be a lot to take in during one sitting. For instance; family genealogies. You may feel like you haven’t learned much when the day’s readings only consisted of people’s names on a page.
-Chronological: There are Bibles that are set up to read chronologically. This means you will read the Bible in the order the events happened in history. Bibles are not normally set up this way.
-One Year Bible: These Bibles are dated so you know exactly which verses to read on each day. Pros– very easy format to follow. Simply read the verses under the current date. Cons– the books and chapters are not in the same order as your regular Bible. For this reason, you would want to keep your “One Year Bible” handy so you don’t lose your place in the plan.
-Various “Bible in a Year” Plans: There are hundreds of different reading plans available that allow you to read through the Bible in a year. Most are set up in a checklist style so you can be sure you’re reading the correct number of verses per day to allow you to finish in a year. These are available in printable versions, booklets, or even small folded pamphlets that are easy to carry. These small printed checklist plans are easy to tuck into any Bible so you’ll always have a reference to know that day’s verses.
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New Testament Only
-There are plans set up to allow you to read through only the New Testament in a year. Or, you could simply use any “Read Through the Bible in a Year” plan and only read the N. T. verses that it lists for that day, and skip the Old Testament ones. Pros– You won’t have as much to read each day, which is good for people with minimal time. A good way for beginners to start reading the Bible regularly if they never have before. Cons– You will miss out on most of the Bible. I do literally mean most. The Old Testament is the majority of the Bible. There are many things you will read in the N. T. that are references to the O. T. that you may not understand if you haven’t read both. Also, “Old” doesn’t mean irrelevant. You have to remember that the Old Testament is the Bible that Jesus read when He was studying the scriptures and “The Law” when He was on Earth.
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Bible Overview Plan
–“The Story” by Zondervan Publishing: This book allows you to read through the Bible as one seamless story, much like reading a novel.
–F-260 Plan by Replicate Ministries: a 260 day plan that gives you an overview of the Bible, without reading every single verse. There are five days of reading per week, allowing for “catch-up days” if you get behind.
Click here for more on the F-260 Plan
Pros– These type of plans are great for people who are not use to reading the Bible on a regular basis, or for those who have never read the Bible before. These will give them a great foundation for understanding the basic themes and story of the Bible, without being overwhelmed.
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Audio Bible
-Listen to the Bible on CD, through a cell phone app, or online. Audio versions of the Bible have two main styles. Single Voice versions will have one person reading the Bible. Dramatized versions will have multiple voices representing different characters, sound effects, and even background music, making it a more exciting experience. Pros– great for those who travel or commute to work. Also, good for catching up on days you didn’t have time to sit down and read. Cons– it’s easy to get distracted by other things going on around you. I also find it harder to remember what I’ve heard because I have no reference as to where one verse ended and another began.
As you can see, there are many tools and plans you can use to get into a regular Bible reading routing. However you decide to do it, just make sure you do something! Reading the Bible is crucial. Don’t just take someone’s word for it when it comes to learning about scripture. Just like the people in Acts 17, read it for yourself and see what you might be missing out on! I can guarantee you will feel closer to God! It’s hard to feel distant from God when you are reading His Word each day!
1.5.18
*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. We would love to help you find a resource that assists you in your journey with Christ.
Blood On Your Hands
“When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”
Ezekiel 3:18 (NIV)
Many Christians don’t feel equipped to “minister to the lost.” Most people find it difficult to talk about their faith at all, let alone to strangers. This is especially true if those strangers happen to be people they don’t particularly like. We hear all the time that we need to tell others about Christ. From the pulpit, they tell us to “evangelize” and to “make disciples,” but do we really even know what that means? What do we tell them? When do we tell them? How should we tell them? And is it really even that big of a deal? Out of all the people in the world, do we really have to be the ones to tell them about God? I mean, isn’t that what preachers get paid to do?
Let’s take a look at a story from Ezekiel chapters 2-3. Ezekiel is told to be a prophet to Israel. At this point in time, Israel was a rebellious nation who had turned from the Lord. That meant that this task might be dangerous for Ezekiel. So, Ezekiel has to go risk his well-being, in order to preach to a stubborn nation, that may not even listen him! I have to wonder what Ezekiel is thinking about this assignment. It doesn’t exactly sound like an easy task.
What happens next is pretty bizarre. Ezekiel sees a hand holding a scroll stretched out to him. Verse 10 describes the scroll by saying, “On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.” The story carries over into Ezekiel chapter 3 and only gets stranger! Verse 3 says, “…eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.” Then Ezekiel is told to go address the Israelites. Ezekiel 3:14 says he “went in bitterness and in the anger of [his] spirit.” That basically tells me he wasn’t thrilled about going, but feared the Lord even more than he feared the Israelites. The Lord tells Ezekiel to relay the following message to the people: Ezekiel 3:18-19 says,
“When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”
Whoa! That is quite a bit of responsibility. Either he tells them the message that God has for them or they will die, and it will be his fault. Notice that God didn’t say to Ezekiel “Go tell the priest to speak to the people” or “Go invite the Israelites to go to the temple with you to hear the message I have for them.” Instead, He says, “Go now to your people in exile and speak to them.” (v11).
What it comes down to is: we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Everyone needs the message God is sending to the Israelites. As Christians, we have a responsibility to tell people that they’ll die for their sins. If we do not tell them, we will be held accountable for their fate. If we don’t tell our family about Christ’s love and they die without knowing Him, it is our fault. If we don’t tell our friends about Christ’s grace and they die without following Him, it is our fault. If we don’t tell our coworkers about Christ’s sacrifice and they die without accepting his forgiveness, it is our fault. I know that sounds harsh but it is true. You are obligated to share Christ’s love with others, and when you don’t, the results are horrific.
So, what evil things are these people doing that will cause them to die? Sinning. What sins, specifically, would cause them to die? All of them! Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death.” It doesn’t say “some sins equal death”, or “certain sins equal death”. All sin kills. Ultimately, what our sin is causing is an eternal death, forever separated from God. That is what a person faces if they do not commit their lives to Christ and follow Him. There is good news though! The end of verse 23 gives hope! It goes on to say, “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin kills, but Jesus saves. We don’t have to die for our sins because Jesus already did it for us! Jesus is offering us a way out of our sentence. That is the message that is so important for us to spread!
Even once we have realized the importance of telling others about Christ, we still have some reservations. What if the person has questions? What if they disagree or get defensive? There are a few things we learn from Ezekiel that can better prepare us for taking God’s message of hope to the people around us.
- Listen to God’s Direction– (2:1) Always be prepared to rise to the occasion. Be in constant prayer and keep your eyes open to the opportunities God may want to reveal to you.
- Trust in God’s Provision– (2:6) Believe that God’s hand of protection will be on you as you carry out His plan. Know that the evils of this Earth are no match for the power of God.
- Fill Yourself with God’s Word– (3:1-3) Feast on the scriptures. Read God’s word and store it in your heart. Read your Bible while you eat your breakfast so you’re prepared to share it throughout the day. Always be filling yourself with the Word so it will pour out of your life. Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), then go tell others about His goodness.
- Give Yourself to God’s Cause– (3:14) Do what God asks, even when it seems difficult, uncomfortable, or even dangerous. You may just find that it starts making more sense with each new step you take in His direction.
Don’t be afraid to fail. One thing to remember is that you are not responsible for saving the souls of the people you come into contact with. Only Jesus can save. However, you are responsible for telling them about Christ. Who else is going to tell them? If not you, then who? This isn’t a commandment for only a select group of people. It isn’t a message for pastors, or missionaries, or those “called to evangelize.” We are all called. If you are a Christian and you are breathing, you are called to tell others about Jesus. What if they turn you down? So what? You did what was asked of you. The rest is between them and God. Just do what God has commanded of you. If we are truly a people who love Jesus and follow Him with our lives, our hearts should be breaking for those who do not know Him. Our hearts should be breaking at the thought of a life without Christ. And our hearts should be breaking knowing that our loved ones are dying in their sin.
9.29.17
