Following Jesus Is My Goal
The study of
human beings, their mind and soul, begs many questions. One such question is, “Why do people act the
way they act?” I find that understanding
people, where they “come from”, can help in directing them to where they want
or should go (Exodus 4:10-11;
Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 20:5; Luke 18:18-30; Romans 3:23; 9:20). My goal is to direct all people toward a
sincere relationship with God through Jesus Christ because it is only through
Him that people will find true and fulfilling direction in all facets of their
lives (Isaiah 48:17; John 14:6; 17:20-21).
Remarkably, a person’s principal goal can also be their primary fear. For example, what happens to certain people who have their entire existence wrapped up around their wealth and then they lose it (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19)? Well, for those who lived during the Great Depression, they don’t have to wonder. Many people committed suicide. In that case their principal goal (wealth) was their primary fear (losing wealth). It really comes down to where a person places their chief priorities. For others, their core priority in life can center on family relationships, influence, power, education, independence, perfectionism, work, or even Heaven itself, etc. (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 10:27; 12:26).
Whether people recognize it or not, control of one’s destiny is a misconception. So, for those who “think” they are in control of their own destiny they truly struggle when that control dwindles (Luke 16:19-31). And, it is the concept of control that is the lie many people fall victim too. Say, for example, a person’s principal goal (family) becomes their primary fear (losing control of their family). How might they attempt to take control? They may use a variety of influences; like, money, guilt, or the withholding of love. Why? Because of fear. Their desired goal of family wasn’t working out to their specification. Truly, they didn’t take into account the dynamics of change within family groups (Matthew 10:37; 19:29; Mark 10:29).
Another example is wrapped around eternal destiny. Some Christian’s principal goal (Heaven) becomes their primary fear (losing Heaven). This can happen because a person believes they can “control” their eternal destiny by living a perfectionistic life. In essence, they tend to do everything to prove that they earned the right to go there (Romans 10:3; Galatians 1:6-9). Psychologically, these Christian’s lives revolve around their worse fear, “Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”,[i] because of their improper understanding of the unforgiveable sin. So, their mind is ravaged by fear forcing them toward legalism – what they can, or think they can, control.
There is nothing wrong with wealth. There is nothing wrong with positive family relationships. And there is definitely nothing wrong with having a goal of going to heaven. The problem comes when one leaves God out of the picture and focuses on “control”. All these things, and so many others, can be our focus over-and-above God Himself. If that happens, we are no longer putting our total faith and trust in God. For me, Heaven is a great goal and I’m going to put my obedient faith in God through Jesus Christ to make that a reality because there is no way I can guilt, control, or manipulate God to give it to me outside of how He planned me to have it (Acts 2). Yet, my principal goal (following Jesus Christ) releases me from fear because His plan is not based on fear but love through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 2:20-21; 5:24; Colossians 3:14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 4:9, 18).
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[i] See, my website www.thelordshumbled.com “Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”.
The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves
Remarkably, a person’s principal goal can also be their primary fear. For example, what happens to certain people who have their entire existence wrapped up around their wealth and then they lose it (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19)? Well, for those who lived during the Great Depression, they don’t have to wonder. Many people committed suicide. In that case their principal goal (wealth) was their primary fear (losing wealth). It really comes down to where a person places their chief priorities. For others, their core priority in life can center on family relationships, influence, power, education, independence, perfectionism, work, or even Heaven itself, etc. (Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23; John 10:27; 12:26).
Whether people recognize it or not, control of one’s destiny is a misconception. So, for those who “think” they are in control of their own destiny they truly struggle when that control dwindles (Luke 16:19-31). And, it is the concept of control that is the lie many people fall victim too. Say, for example, a person’s principal goal (family) becomes their primary fear (losing control of their family). How might they attempt to take control? They may use a variety of influences; like, money, guilt, or the withholding of love. Why? Because of fear. Their desired goal of family wasn’t working out to their specification. Truly, they didn’t take into account the dynamics of change within family groups (Matthew 10:37; 19:29; Mark 10:29).
Another example is wrapped around eternal destiny. Some Christian’s principal goal (Heaven) becomes their primary fear (losing Heaven). This can happen because a person believes they can “control” their eternal destiny by living a perfectionistic life. In essence, they tend to do everything to prove that they earned the right to go there (Romans 10:3; Galatians 1:6-9). Psychologically, these Christian’s lives revolve around their worse fear, “Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”,[i] because of their improper understanding of the unforgiveable sin. So, their mind is ravaged by fear forcing them toward legalism – what they can, or think they can, control.
There is nothing wrong with wealth. There is nothing wrong with positive family relationships. And there is definitely nothing wrong with having a goal of going to heaven. The problem comes when one leaves God out of the picture and focuses on “control”. All these things, and so many others, can be our focus over-and-above God Himself. If that happens, we are no longer putting our total faith and trust in God. For me, Heaven is a great goal and I’m going to put my obedient faith in God through Jesus Christ to make that a reality because there is no way I can guilt, control, or manipulate God to give it to me outside of how He planned me to have it (Acts 2). Yet, my principal goal (following Jesus Christ) releases me from fear because His plan is not based on fear but love through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 2:20-21; 5:24; Colossians 3:14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 4:9, 18).
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[i] See, my website www.thelordshumbled.com “Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”.
The Lord's humbled . . . John A. Reeves