More of a Man Then I Could Ever Hope To Be

It is not about me! It is about Him, living, breathing and longing to be near Him in my heart and in my soul in my body. All that I am needs to be focussed on Him. I get away from this and I statr to consider my needs, what I am feeling, my emotions, but that is not a good place to be. As a matter of fact it is the wrong place to be.

Christ simply says, to us, "Follow Me." Was he being selfish, only thinking of His feelings on the cross or was He solely concerned with others? With me? With you? If I am to follow Him then I must also not be selfish. I must look at the cross as an example, as Jesus died so should I. Easier said then done however, right? We simply are not strong enough to die of self and look outside of our own selfishness in the pursuit of feeling good.

I read once, somewhere, that we know we are moving closer to a life with Christ the more we can walk into a room and see the needs of others. When we see the pain, the pride, the lonliness of those around us and then we move to correct that need. As I see it, if I stop and ask what is in it for me then I am way outside of the life of Christ. If I go so far as to think of how it will affect me then I am outside also. If we simply move to the need and selflessly allow the Spiirt to work through us then we are "Following Him".

So yesterday, and so many other days, I get into a woe is me, and I am down mood. Really, so what, Mike. Shut up already! Are you trying to follow Him or look to Him only when it is convieniant and cozy. Be a man, the man of God, and move past it. Be as Jesus and hang for a bit from the wood and fell just a miniscual portion of the pain that He felt. As I recall, all the accounts state that He did not cry out like a little child, He indured for me, FOR ME. A man, would not have done the same.

I am glad that I go up and down like this because I can see where I need help and growth. Oh the Lord, the Spirit inside me is an amazing thing, if I listen. "Hey Mike, it is not about you if you want to Follow. It is about them. You will be ok just follow." Listening is the key however. Don't wallow and agonize, wrestle and churn it up in the pit of your stomach. Ask what it is, and where it is from. Like today this now comes from it, and this is good!

I will end with this and I don't even think that contextually it fits but who cares. If you are not in a relationship with Jesus Christ then you are dead. I don't care if you think that God exists or not, Jesus is the Messiah and our Savior and anything less then faith in that will not get you into fellowship with God. I testify to the Holy Spirit working in me and through me. If you don't believe me, then disprove it, but I will stand before God and He will see my heart. What will you have? Are you willing to stand on how many times you did a good deed, or maybe it is better that you stand on the fact that Jesus Christ will stnad before you on that day? Your choice of course. Want life, Follow Christ!

Lord Jesus, thank you. You are more of a man then I can ever hope to be. I am glad that I can stand with you. Amen.