"You need to become absolutely determined to follow Jesus. It is not true that you are too weak to overcome sin – that is a lie of the devil. In Jesus it is possible to overcome sin. That is why he died on the cross. Live totally for him."

~J.H Arnold

My general experience and a plausable solution

It should be unbearable to those of us who believe if we are worthless for the task for which we have been put on earth. We have been placed in the midst of creation, but sadly we have lost the feeling that we are here for a purpose, not for ourselves, but for something far greater – to be servants of the living one. This is what makes us feel so sad, so defeated. People mostly sit in church thinking only about themselves. Each one bemoans his own lot and looks for something in himself and for himself, without really knowing what God’s purpose for the earth is. One would like to cry out to them all, “Good people, forget yourselves! Think of God’s cause! Start working for that! Or at least be sorry, not that things are going badly for you, but that you have nothing better to do than concern yourselves with your own petty affairs.”

~Blumhardt

The blessing of God invoked

Then those who feared the LORD(A) spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and(B) a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. "They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up(D) my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall(E) see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Hope of the Lord

It is good to wait quietly (A)

for deliverance from the LORD. (B)

It is good for a man to bear the yoke (C)
while he is [still] young.

Let him sit alone and be silent, (D)
for God has disciplined him.

Let him put his mouth in the dust (E) —
perhaps there is [still] hope.

Let him offer [his] cheek
to the one who would strike him; (F)
let him be filled with shame.

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained."

This is the adventure of faith that Paul defines as his desired pursuit. Knowing Christ and desiring to to partake in His life giving power knowing that the suffering inflicted from this deadened world for the name of Jesus to those who have received life is just a passing affliction. When we seek to be apart of Jesus, everything is transformed and the world's passions grow dim in the light of the great Creator-God.

"Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.

This is the admonition of the Apostle to the Saints in Corinth--to seek out the life and to bear the suffering of Jesus in order to experience the power of God. He would have all of the Saints of God cultivate this lifestyle of the imitation of Christ. In doing this we fulfill the great commandment of love given by the Lord Christ. May we always, through difficulties, seek to have an uninhibited fellowship with Christ-God who has in every way become our Prophet, Priest, and King. For Jesus is the source of life, wisdom from God, righteousness, holiness and redemption--Christ is our boast of true, everlasting life.

The Testimony of Levi

And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, Follow me." So he rose and followed Him.

This Scripture passage is often seen as merely an introduction of Levi the son of Alphaeus in the life of Jesus. What generally happens to most people when they read this is that they overlook the elements of faith and practical discipleship contained in here that determine the intensity of the Son of God when He calls people to a life patterned by the cross. What needs to be understood is that Levi left his State appointed place of work and followed Jesus immediately. To put forth the consequences of this miraculous circumstance, Levi left his source of wealth, his allegiance to the State, the comforts of indulgent lifestyle, the company of like-minded individuals and (perhaps most significantly) his love for money. Instead, of these tangible benefits Levi gained the reward of an unstable lifestyle, persecution, rejection, and the love of the Son of God. Levi did not make excuses about how or why he must leave his means of monetary employment in order to follow Jesus, he simply did without questioning accepting all of the difficulties of discipleship and what it entails in order to have a lasting treasure. In a day where excuses abound, we are still required to live by a radical unsure faith. We must look to the testimony of Levi and of the disciples throughout History to determine the legitimacy of our faith in Jesus. May God grant us this great reward despite the troubles we have here. Remember these words:

"The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall."


"Come to me, all you toiling and burdened ones, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For it is good to bear my yoke, and my burden is light."

On Difficulty

"I am quite sure that at the cross we can be victorious over all things that come to us in life, whatever they may be."

J.H. Arnold