A Million Ways to Die: The Only Way to Live

Rick James’ latest book A Million Ways to Die: The Only Way to Live is one those books that grabbed my attention with its striking cover image. While the cover may be intriguing, the subject of death is often one we would rather avoid. Throughout this book James encourages the believer to look beyond the final death and resurrection and to embrace the daily opportunities to die. Each of us faces opportunities to die to selfish ambition, ego, pride, fear, reputation, and self-sufficiency.

 

By examining scripture, historical events, and personal life stories, he points out practical ways in which we can fulfill Jesus command to take up our cross.  He points out that only through embracing these little deaths can the believer move from a mere mediocre existence to the vibrant, victorious life Christ came to give us. 

 

The book contains 335 pages that are filled with statements that will cause one to pause and think. Here are a few of those that made me go hmmm.

It’s reflexive for us to declare our belief that God can, but such affirmations can blind us to the ways that we don’t believe. “I believe that God can” is sometimes just a contraction for “I  believe that He can, but I doubt that He will.”

 

We mistake divine ordained hardships for bad luck, bad friends, a bad year, bad breaks, bad government, a bad choice, bad advice, bad genes, bad hair day, and quite naturally we run. A scalpel is just a knife with a medical motive, and if you hold it to my throat in any scenario other than during a operation, I’d be insane not to run.

 

People don’t fall out of love; they fail to persevere in loving. They choose to stop loving their spouse, or they choose to  start loving something else.

 

 

According to the author the goal of the book is to “encourage us to pick up our cross and embrace the death implicit in following Jesus Christ”. After reading the book, I had a clearer understanding of the ways life is produce through dying to myself.

 

From the back cover

 

Death is the new life. As Christians we talk often about resurrection, but what about our death and the many daily “deaths” that must come first? Through stories and biblical insights, Rick James reminds us that when Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him, He is describing a path of death, not a path to death.

 

As we learn to embrace the little deaths of everyday existence, we lose our taste for lifeless religiosity. Our appetite for a thriving, vibrant life in Christ grows-and our own experience motivates others to live out their extraordinary missions on earth. As James so vividly illustrates, death is not an ending-invitation to more abundant life.

 

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy of the book by B& B Media Group for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

No Death Today: Resuscitate Instead

Have you ever felt like what you were doing wasn’t working? Ever contemplated throwing in the towel or withdrawing your name from the race? If not, I sure have. Life is full of ups and downs. For me, last week just happened to be one of those down times. Although there was nothing that occurred out of the ordinary, it was the ordinary itself that seemed to sap my strength.
During a time of fellowship with the Father this weekend, I was instructed to strengthen what remains. Blinded by the mundane, I couldn’t see any remaining parts. As I pondered, I was reminded that God always leaves His people with a remnant. Though it may be small, the leftover was enough to get things done with God. Consider Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall for an example. His enemies thought it foolish to use the rubble to erect the wall and even if he managed to get it standing again, it certainly couldn’t withstand any opposing force.
Like Nehemiah, I was challenged to strengthen the remaining rubble of my faith, hope, love, prayer, and worship. As small as it might be, it was time to fortify it. But, how you ask? Two simple ways:

1. Put God’s Word on it. An increase in my Bible consumption and application enlarges my spiritual fortitude. 
2. Exercise it more. Anything you don’t use atrophies.

We’ve been given some weapons by our Commander-in-Chief but even they, like a knife that becomes dull after extended use, require strengthening at times. Our use of the Word of God has to be sharpened to allow for more precision in our lives. Let’s not forget about our armor. Like clothing stretched out of shape over time, our armor can have too much slack in it making us more vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.  Tighten up your belt of truth!  Readjust your helmet of salvation! Pull up the laces on your shoes of the gospel of peace. Move your breastplate back into position! Lift up your shield of faith and sharpen sword! Don’t get slack in clothing yourself daily with EVERY piece of the armor of God.
Having donned the proper attire with weapons in hand, we can begin picking up the rubble-broken fragments. Breakdowns happen in life either through wearing out over a period of time or by sudden brute force. Has there been a chronic problem or situation that has caused a rift in your faith, hope, love, prayer, or worship? Or, maybe it was something unexpected-sickness, job loss, infidelity or betrayal-that is threatening to murder your trust.  Regardless of the reason for your brokenness or weariness, it’s vital that you strengthen what remains. God hasn’t asked us to do anything with what was lost but only the remaining part. Perhaps your faith love, prayer, and worship are all intact. But are there some spirit led activities or ministries that you started out strong, full of passion but the lack of participation or expected results has caused your commitment to wane? If God hasn’t called you to stop a thing, your assignment now is to fortify it.

Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Are there some areas in your life that you need to strengthen? If so, refuse to let it die!

Father God, I thank you for your loving kindness. Only because of your great mercy we’re not consumed. Thank you for giving me an ear to hear you and now that you’ve given instructions help me to obey. Forgive me for becoming so distracted by what was not that I neglected what remains. Today, I refocus my eyes upon you. For you are my help, my salvation, my redeemer, the lifter of my head, and my exceedingly great reward! In Jesus name, Amen.

Revisit the Tomb

Just had a Holy Ghost visitation and He ministered a great little sermonette to me. I finished reading the book of Mark today. In Mark Chapter 16. We see Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James going back to the tomb to put some spices on Jesus' body. In verse 3, it says that "on the way there they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. Yet we know when they arrived at the tomb, they found the stone had ALREADY been ROLLED away. Like you, I've heard or seen this passage of scripture many times and it's often quoted/illustrated around Easter time. However, today the Holy Ghost allowed me to see the text with fresh eyes and new application. I'm saved, so I've already believed and confessed that Jesus died and rose again.
Yet, is there not some other things that are DEAD in our lives? Are not there some things that have been BURIED and TUCKED AWAY in the recesses of our HEART and MIND? Some for many years. Some things have been so deeply buried that we don't even think about them often. Our emotions, heart, mind have become deaden and we've longed since forgotten about there existence, if it were possible. When we see these women in the beginning of chapter 16, they're preparing to go say their FINAL goodbyes to Jesus. They were going to put some sweet smelling stuff on a DEAD body -a DEAD Jesus. Jesus represents HOPE, LIFE, LIGHT, HELP, SUPPORT as these are all the things He promised He was. Yet, now they find all that DEAD but they were preparing to send it off smelling good. Not unlike what we do at times when something we've hoped for, supported, or that brought light into our life fades away. We'll dress it up we sweet smelling phrases like , "must not have been for me anyway", "I'm just fine". However, they weren't in denial that Jesus was dead. And we don't need to be either. Reality is that some things DIED in us, around us, and even through us.

Just as the women went back to the tomb, we need the courage to revisit some tombs in our lives. Their expectation when revisiting the tomb was to put some things to rest. Probably expected to leave in MOURNING and ANGUISH. Unexpectedly, the stone had already been move d away, while they were attempting to ponder how they were going to get the thing done. Some of us are pondering within our selves, "how am I going to get past this" but if we'll muster up the courage to not only revisit the tomb but ENTER in the places that's been BURIED/TUCKED AWAY. We will find that the experience WILL NOT be the same. RESURRECTION POWER had visited the tomb! Just like Mary and the other ladies, instead of leaving the tomb in SORROW, we'll leave in AMAZEMENT and JOY. The Holy Spirit is unctioning us to REVISIT the TOMBS of dead DREAMS, RELATIONSHIP, HOPE, JOY, LOVE, PASSION, PROMISES or whatever may be dead in your life, and TRY AGAIN. The RESURRECTOR has already gone before you to MOVE the STONE away and He promises that it absolutely will not be the same. EXPECT some thing different because DIVINE RESURRECTION has already ARRIVED but you must go to the place you left it.

Father, I pray that you'll give us the courage to go back to those places in our lives that we've locked away and given up hope of any change. Out of obedience to your word and by the power of the Holy Ghost, we move believing that the place may be the same but what we encounter will not be. Thank you for moving us past places and things in our lives that was too hard for us. Thank you for moving us past old hurts, old mind sets, old baggage, old hang ups. We thank you for resurrecting life, love, hope, joy, passion in us. In Jesus Name-Amen