WHY I Follow Jesus Christ (and His Teachings)?

 “I am a follower of Jesus, I am a believer, and I know had I not been a person of faith, I couldn’t be here in this place, and I wouldn’t be walking the path that I’m on now. “

craig (as inspired by the words of Tyler Perry)

 

 

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I’m not shouting “I am saved” 
I’m whispering “I get lost!” 
“That is why I chose this way.”

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I don’t speak of this with pride. 
I’m confessing that I stumble 
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I’m not trying to be strong. 
I’m professing that I’m weak 
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I’m not bragging of success. 
I’m admitting I have failed 
and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I’m not claiming to be perfect, 
my flaws are too visible 
but God believes I’m worth it.

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I still feel the sting of pain 
I have my share of heartaches 
which is why I seek His name.

When I say…”I am a Christian” 
I do not wish to judge. 
I have no authority. 
I only know I’m loved.

–Author Carol Wimmer – Copyright 1988

This is remarkable like the poem ‘ I’m a Christian ‘ that’s apparently by Maya Angelou:

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.” 
I’m whispering “I was lost, 
Now I ‘m found and forgiven.” 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I don’t speak of this with pride. 
I’m confessing that I stumble 
and need Christ to be my guide. 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I’m not trying to be strong. 
I’m professing that I’m weak 
And need His strength to carry on. 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I’m not bragging of success. 
I’m admitting I have failed 
And need God to clean my mess. 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I’m not claiming to be perfect, 
My flaws are far too visible 
But, God believes I am worth it. 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I still feel the sting of pain. 
I have my share of heartaches 
So I call upon His name. 

When I say… “I am a Christian” 
I’m not holier than thou, 
I’m just a simple sinner 
Who received God’s good grace, somehow! 

 Craig will start writing a brand new book Why I Follow Jesus Christ (and His Teachings) in the next few weeks
The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z6BFX0

http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html

Craig’s various books on Jesus and the spiritual; journey are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock&sort=relevance&ie=UTF8&qid=1374375740

I don’t like religion. I love truth.

And this is why I follow Jesus Christ 

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

 As the Spirit of Life Moves Me!

As the Spirit of Life Moves Me!

 

In the last few years I have become particularly interested in spirituality
and theology, (rather than religion ‘per se’, an impressive expression,
rather fancy and foreign.)

But what does it mean? I began to realize that the spiritual aspect was
missing from my life for so long. Unbalanced, like a lop-sided wheel,
my engine of life spluttering and misfiring along.

I’m certainly not another “Bible basher”. I like to think of myself as a
free spirited follower of Christ (I don’t like labels, like trying to fit/sqeeze people into “little boxes”, nor seeing Christians as a member of an ‘exclusive’ club, as we all are different with different perspectives and life experiences!), who is tolerant and respectful of other views, denominations and especially other religions.

 There are many doorways to God, Infinite Spirit, our great Creator and life-force, I believe.
(Yes, I know, I know… but got an answer “out of the blue” on that one…from Spirit… or outer space!)
I think intolerance and adhering to “narrow religious dogmas” is one of the
reasons why rigid ‘religious (note alliteration) types’ are perceived as being
‘weirdoes’ by those on the outside, and why the world is in such a mess!

I am a new Christian, but with the sort of life I’ve led, Someone up there must
have been watching over me all the time. My relationship with a Higher Power,
The Spirit of the universe through Jesus Christ, gives me peace of mind and
joy, though I’ve still got my “L-plates” on in my walk with our heavenly Father,
Infinite Intelligence, Life, Nature or Destiny
(or whatever you wish to call Him /Her/ It).

My relationship with him is vitally important to me, (together with my dearly
beloved sons) and I seem to get closer to and get to know God better
day by day. He is the source of my comfort (and I need plenty) strength and
inspiration. I believe I’m doing what I’m destined to do by following
my ‘calling’ and the deepest desires of my heart.

I want to follow His plan for my life and serve humanity. ( Well, without Him
what a ‘stuff up’ I made, going down my blind alleys and coming to numerous
dead-ends – ‘cul de sacs’ ). Showing off my French again!

Enough disclosure of intimate stuff – as I’m a very private part – ‘er sorry, person!
This is a very quiet, stable period of my life, after much turbulence in the past
decade. Probably extremely boring for someone like me. However, I really
needed this time out after our unstable and stressful past decade – 
changing countries as often as my ‘underrods’.

Most importantly, I sincerely believe its time for growing (as I’m quite short!).
But perhaps most of all, its my apprenticeship serving God, as I have a
very strong feeling that I would like to spend the rest of my life getting to 
know Him better and honouring Him, as well as helping people in 
distress and “serving humanity in whatever way I can. In short,
 being the best person I can possibly be.

 In my future works I have a strong compulsion (or is it inspiration?) to write on
a more spiritual level; about what HE has done for me personally and what He
can do in all of our lives…if only we will open the door and let Him
(the spirit/energy of the Universe) in.

 Yes, I firmly believe we all need that firm relationship with The Creator.
I strongly believe that relationship is not only for the weak, the poor and the
“lame ducks” of society; but also for the successful achievers who can do
much more with FAITH.

 We don’t know when we will need His (Her/Infinite Source’s*) help…and when our whole world comes crashing down, like Humpty Dumpty,  the Ultimate Source is our ‘insurance policy’, our parachute.

 How much more we can do with God’s help? We only have to ask Him /Her/It (you choose the pronoun) to come into our lives. I truly believe God wants us to be good kind people (as most
people are), to love ourselves as well as our neighbor; yet also to be successful
(financially, but especially spiritually)…and to use our wealth to benefit others

 Though ‘yours truly’ can’t speak from a position of strength – at least not yet!

 “Without hope and a vision the people perish”

Enough “heavy” theology and “preaching like a religious nutter trying to
save and convert you”…

from http://www.craiglockbooks/spirit.html (1999)

“I am a follower of Jesus, I am a believer, and I know had I not been a person of faith, I couldn’t be here in this place, and I wouldn’t be walking the path that I’m on now. “

craig (as inspired by the words of Tyler Perry)

Tags: Christianity, faith, Jesus, my journey, my journey of faith,the spiritual journey

from http://www.craiglockbooks/spirit.html (1999) and

https://sharefaith.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/as-the-spirit-of-life-moves-me-2/

“I am a follower of Jesus, I am a believer, and I know had I not been a person of faith, I couldn’t be here in this place, and I wouldn’t be walking the path that I’m on now. “

craig (as inspired by the words of Tyler Perry)

Tags: Jesus, faith, Christianity, the spiritual journey, my journey of faith, my journey

 

“We don’t find Jesus. He finds us.”

**********

Additional writings…

8th September 2013

Here are some points that I’ve jotted down recently, based on my own journey of faith.
* Because that is my experience.
From the depths of the valley of despair, when my entire world had collapsed and I had no hope, all I could do was put my trust in Jesus Christ (in the winter of 1995). I was in an extremely difficult situation and felt that I had no other options and had nothing to give Him, but myself… to totally submit and hand over my shattered life to Him!
* Jesus is the way I connect (my conduit) to Something far greater than oneself, a Higher Power, the Divine Presence that we commonly call God. And for ME, Jesus is that path.
* I see Jesus Christ as the human face of God.
* Having studied psychology (including my passion for sport psychology) and the workings of that “last unexplored frontier, the human mind, for much of my life, I find the teachings of Jesus in the Bible are perfectly in line with psychological principles. Spiritual laws of the universe too.
(As Teilhard de Chardin, “We are all spiritual beings on an earthly journey”).
Well then, Jesus was the greatest psychologist of them all, perfectly understanding the human mind…. but then indeed (of course) God did create the human mind!!
“As a man thinketh, so is he.”
– Proverbs
I’ve never been “religious”, believing that whilst religious dogma may serve to comfort millions of people on the planet, it has also been the cause of many of the world’s greatest problems and conflicts. However I truly believe that following Jesus (Christianity) is not religion, but a personal relationship with God, our Creator, Ultimate Source.
I truly believe each one of us can achieve our wildest dreams through faith. Many years ago I wrote down my craziest and “seemingly impossible” dreams to achieve …and guess what? They happened …even if it took some time!
Then just follow, submit (and this not passive, but working really hard at whatever endeavour you may choose), and most importantly, TRUST.
I’ve had to depend (totally) on God through Jesus (as conduit) firstly to climb out of the deep deep valley of despair, then embark on this path…to do what I’m doing and “reaching out” to the world with a simple message of hope. And that is my dream!
Do all this and in time even your wildest dreams will come true too!

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.“
Phillippians 4:13

“We don’t find Jesus – he finds us in the darkness… then it’s up to choose to have and to hold a very special, a unique relationship with Him .”
-me
“What we learn in the darkness, we are to share in the eternal light.”

Shared by craig (“just an information and inspiration distributer”

The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z6BFX0
http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html
Craig’s various books on Jesus and the spiritual; journey are available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock&sort=relevance&ie=UTF8&qid=1374375740

PPS:

Dedicated to my good friend Donovan Pedersen who started out with me so long ago on this long journey. Don you must have sowed the seeds so long ago and faithfully prayed for me all the years in between.

Thanks “buddy/boetie”

Rest in peace