Back to Basics
Living the Christian life is dependent on the basics. A disciple is a disciplined follower. The discipline is in the details. It is deliberate, intentional and purposeful. In the game of life, the team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. Each team member must master the fundamentals. The winning team depends on each individual to do his own job. According to 1 Corinthians 12:14-18, we are all on the same team as members of the body if Christ. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
The Lord’s army is a team. Each individual must be disciplined to become like Christ. The soldier’s commitment is to do exactly what his commander in chief says to do. Jesus said, “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that you love one another.” When we identify with Jesus Christ, Our purpose is to align our hearts with his heart… To delight ourselves in the Lord to will and to do of his good pleasure.
When we’re living by faith, the world will say that we’re impractical and illogical. The world’s way is diametrically opposed to the Word’s way. According to Psalm 1, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of waters, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
A winning team needs a plan. However the best plan is his plan and not our own plan. To conform to the will of the Lord, we must surrender our pride in order to follow our commander in chief. Psalm 31:15-17 says, My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. We do not know the end from the beginning but he does. Our job is not to question the destination but rather to walk with him one step at a time. But what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
The first and great commandment is to have no other gods between my face and God’s face. God is looking for faithfulness and commitment from those who profess to follow Christ. We’ve been called to sacrifice, surrender, bow down and submit our hearts under the mighty hand of our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ himself is our commander in Chief.
Men of God sometimes need to be “humiliated” in order to learn the meaning of “humility.” The antidote to pride is to give up the right to our own selves. We must discipline ourselves to find out whether or not we’re committed. Commitment means a promise to do, give, and to be loyal… Resolute, and not turning back. It means to want another’s will instead of my own despite danger and hardship.
In the book of Acts, Paul left Ephesus and headed toward Jerusalem where the Christians were being persecuted. Paul also had his heart set to go to Rome. On his journey, he stopped 40 miles north of Ephesus and wrote to the elders in Ephesus, “I preached the word boldly to you both in your houses and in large public gatherings. I preached that men should repent and to come to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.” Paul felt compelled to go to Jerusalem even though the elders tried to persuade him not to go. Paul said, “I’m aware that sufferings await me in Jerusalem, however I count my life not dear to me. Rather I count it joy to suffer for the Lord. For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” He said, “my only aim is to complete the task that God has given me… To testify with my life on behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ.” Like Saint Francis said, “preach the gospel… When necessary, use words.”
The life’s goal of a man of God is that others may love Jesus Christ more because they spent time in His presence. As John the Baptist said, “I’m not the bridegroom. I’m just here to introduce the bridegroom Jesus Christ to his bride, the church. I must decrease that he may increase.”
The Apostle Paul’s goal was to know Christ and to make him known. His commitment, duty and assignment was to live to the glory of his Lord and savior Jesus Christ. As soldiers of the cross, our commitment is to stay at our post until our commander releases us to a new assignment. Our calling is our commitment to Jesus Christ to lift up the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’ve been called to our place in the wall to stand in the gap to assure God’s protection and blessing.
According to John, These things I have written unto you so that ye may know that ye have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The joy of the Lord is our strength. What is our commitment? Let us then hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Love, honor, respect and reverence God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael