Brandon Neil Richards

The man who helped Jesus carry His cross. I wonder the conversation that might have taken place that we are unaware of; or even if there was a conversation of words at all, but instead just a glimpse of His beaten eyes and countenance-- that we "just know" the direction to go and walk-- in the direction that the mocking pushes us, the direction the beatings make us stumble toward, the direction that shoves us along the path of our lives which lead ultimately to the cross and death.

I wonder how many times that man was hit with punches, spat upon, and hit with stones aimed for Jesus.

I wonder how that must’ve changed His life when finally he reached the mount and Christ was lifted up. In the same way this man must’ve realized that when it was finished, he helped crucify the Lord and was once part of the crowd but now chosen to stand and join Him in the path of His sufferings.

I wonder how his friends that saw him must’ve reacted and what his words were in reply. Did he seize the opportunity to reply with what he gained from Christ during that walk or did he respond in ridicule and just join in with their mocking. I feel like that is why we don’t see many disciples, because few have walked with Him truly, few have a limp themselves and instead of walking and enduring with Christ they stand along the side and become one with the crowd and they become silent and afraid to speak for they too might suffer along with Him.

I find myself now still stumbling along, not clearly seeing the way; not having direction but that walking forward to the place of death His lamp shines before me giving me enough direction to see another step. His light reveals that I’m not “all that” but one chosen to carry my cross in His path. The jeering, the mocking, the suffering I see and feel and even when I’ve often stumbled the wrong way from the blows and decisions I’ve made. Even then, I turn and re-see His suffering and know the worth I’ve gained from it because He gave it all for me. Its because of this I can stay on the path, return even, and go it alone even if no “person” is pouring into my life, what He’s poured into me I can pour out to others. I think that’s what happened with Peter and John in [ Acts 3 ] when they encountered the lame man. They weren’t rich in money, they most likely only knew they were going to do what they knew to do at that point in their lives, pray. And on the way, this man cried out for gold and silver, which would’ve only satisfied him temporarily- yet Peter, being a denier, observer throughout Christ’s sufferings, knew what he had been given, he knew that thing God deposited in Him, so he poured out and into the lame man. Likewise, I believe there are a lot of lame people in the church that need to be picked up and realize what they’ve been given- someone desperately needs it.

I know where I’ve been and where I’ve come from and I remember that my sin held Him to the cross, not at my hands, but from His love that flowed along that road for all to see. I think its time for people to quit begging for things they don’t need and use what they have already been given. It’s time for others who use the word christian as a buzzword to get up, quit being “the lame man” at the temple. Either be a disciple or get out of the way and back into the crowds, its time for Christ to come through and show us the way.

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Today I was heading to the store to pick up some coffee, my wife’s decaf wasn’t doing it for me. As I put my shoes on and announced where I was going, Jewel Grace my four year old, said, “Daddy will you need a helper? Jane is unavailable, so I’ll go with you and be your helper” She put down her toys and came to me for my answer. It took me a moment to respond because at the same time I was hearing the Lord speak to me about her.

I told her I wasn’t even going to ask Jane, I was so glad she asked because I needed her help. She didn’t care where we were going, just that she was helping her daddy.

Its fascinating when the Lord speaks to me through my children. Just previous to this little conversation I had been praying to ‘help’ my God. The reality is God doesn’t need my help, but He chooses to use us if we’re willing to follow.

Jesus chose His disciples by the words “Follow Me”, He said (Matthew 4:19, John 1:43) Some dropped everything they were doing, and followed. Some left their families, their businesses, their jobs and didn’t even ask where they were going. Others wanted to say fare wells to their families or bury their dead relatives and didn’t return to follow the Lord (Matthew 8:22). Jesus went on to say “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (Matthew 19:21)”.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

The definition of the word ‘follow’ so revealing, you should read it for yourself:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Follow

• Becoming fishers of men, or instead of satisfying our carnal self (catching fish), we satisfy the needs of others(fishers of men). (Matthew 4:19)
• Plowing the ground for harvest. Plowing is the preparation of the soil for planting, and we plant for a harvest. Praying is spiritual plowing. We pray over the grounds we have to seed. We pray for the lost, we pray for harvest.  (1 Kings 19:19)
• Severing the tie and forsaking dead works (1 Kings 19:19-21, Matthew 9:9, Matthew 16:24, Matthew 19:21)

The Price

I’ve often heard from some of the faith leaders of our times about the mysterious, ‘price.’ I never understood ‘what’ the price was, I always had hoped that one would just tell us what the price was so I could start paying it. When in fact, I was really stupid. The price is something that only the owner of the thing can give you. The price is different for each person. For some it may be family, for others it may be a business, for others it may be servitude. The easy way to find out what the price is, is to ask God what you must do to be His disciple. I’d almost bet that you already know. It’s that thing that preoccupies your time and gets in front of your relationship with God. It’s that thing inside that says, No I will do this myself. Sadly, many do not pay the price.

God wants our loyalty (Luke 9:62), this will often mean sacrifice, service, and contentment to follow despite what others may be doing(integrity). Enduring the weather(spiritual warfare) and not giving up on the fruitless stony ground, but continuing to plow until the stones are no longer an issue of sowing.

A couple of years ago I heard the Lord sing to me, “Come over the mountains, Come across the sea…” beckoning me to follow after Him. After these words there was only a solid tone of music as if someone where holding in a note on the keyboard. The progression waited… the note reverberated through me as if the next part of the song were waiting on me.

I believe just as He sang that to me and the progression is waiting, He is also beckoning all of His children to follow Him, to go where He goes, to pay the price.

Will you pay the price?
What is your price?
Will you be His helper, or are you unavailable?

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My earliest memory of my dad is in the 70's when he was in the Army. I remember him driving home in an Army van, I thought that was the greatest thing in the world. Those memories are only splotchy now, I can't remember his face from when I was child. When I look at old photos, I really can't remember them, but I assume since there are photos, it really happened. The harder I try to remember, want to remember, the more fleeting they are.

I don’t remember how old I was. I can only tell you that at the age of thirty-four it is as vivid now as it was then. My dad and I spent numerous nights together walking through pitch dark fields, guided by only the moonlight and occasional glow from my dad’s cigarette as he inhaled; we were fox hunting.

In the darkness I could only make out his form, his gestures, and the occasional words as I followed silently behind. My dad had explained to me how important silence is to being successful, how important following closely in his footsteps is to not falling. We often walked through fields spattered with manure, overtaken with sage grass and unfamiliar to both of us. It was easy to be separated in the dark or fall behind. My pace was quick and sure, stopping only when he stopped. Making no sound, not a breath. We listened for the call of our prey.

I’m not sure how my dad knew where to find them, but we increasingly managed to locate the fox’s hunting grounds. For our family, being successful meant supplemental income from the sale of the animal’s pelt. Our tools were a spotlight, a rifle, and an amplified call which played various tapes of animal calls. I still remember the pattern of the calls from one of those tapes. It was the best tape we had, and most often used.

The process was to play the tape in the darkness and occasionally scan with the spotlight at eye level to see the glowing eyes of a fox coming to the call. I often got to hold the light when a fox was spotted, while my dad aimed the rifle for the shot. I’m sure he missed occasionally, but I don’t remember it if he did. My dad was and is an extremely accurate marksman. A well aimed shot to kill a fox would be in a location as to not damage its pelt, typically the head.

Once the shot was fired and depending on where we were and who’s land we were ‘on’, we would either get the dead animal and move to a new property or stay for another.

Either way, arriving back to our home, my dad and I entered the basement of our small trailer. I didn’t enter the basement often and I’m not sure why now, but I do remember the occasional rat and spiders. On these nights with my dad, those things didn’t matter. I followed to help skin the foxes.

The process of skinning a fox isn’t really that difficult after you’ve seen someone do it. Basically, hang the animal from his back legs, loose the animals sleeves with a sharp knife, add a few other choice cuts and carefully pull the fur down and inside out (fur on the inside). Carefully cutting as to peel the skin away from the animal’s musculor-skeletal frame.

I remember my dad allowing me to help pull the skin and hold the animal in position while he made cuts to free the animal of its pelt. What was once a familiar furry animal became a gruesome monster-like beast.

I’ve often felt ill prepared for all the circumstances I’ve encountered during the thirty-four years of my life. I’ve often misplaced the frustration, the anger, the bitterness, the hurt and wanted to blame it upon my dad. Some of it is most likely justified, but 99% of it isn’t. My dad was big enough to take it. Now that I have my own children, I’ve learned a tremendous amount from them. It’s made me thankful that my dad is who he is [ Exodus 3:14 ] and I treasure the things he has placed in me [ 2 Corinthians 4:7 ].

I didn’t know it then but through fox hunting, my dad was teaching me valuable principles.

He taught me:

silence is important to hearing
how to follow when its dark
how to avoid falling
how to avoid wrong steps
how to avoid getting separated from him
remaining close insures I can see the path
patience leads to success
light reveals the truth
things which appear good on the outside, aren’t always pretty on the inside
hold still, while he carefully cuts
blessing comes, when something dies

Things I love about my dad.

he is a dad
a daddy
not a father who is distant
isn’t unapproachable
I can call him up anytime
he calls me son

Things I love about God.

He’s all those good things my dad is and more.

What are some things you learned from your dad, that have helped you understand more about your relationship with God?

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As Christians, we should all desire to be witnesses to the lost around us. The bible states that we are called to be light to a darkened world. A light that not only draws men to the saving power of Jesus Christ, but as Jesus said, "a candle on a candlestick" which "gives light to all that are in the house" (Matthew 5:15)--an example of Christ unifying the church. As servants and priests in our Master's house, we need to be faithful in our duties to maintain the house; to keep our lights shining.

WISE SERVANTS

Jesus said our “flesh is weak” and can cause us to turn away from God only to enter into temptations which could cause us to sin. We are to continually watch and pray so that we do not enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41). According to Jesus’ parable of the talents, a wise servant is one who receives a talent from his master and uses it to gain a return on the master’s investment (Matthew 25:14, Luke 6:38).

Likewise, Jesus also gave to us what the Father had given to Him. John states that the Word was Jesus, who became flesh and dwelt among us that we would be the ‘return on the Father’s investment’ (John 1:14, John 17:8). Jesus, nearing the end of His time on earth, said He would send the Holy Spirit, who would teach and remind us of the things He taught so that we would not be Comfortless (John 14:26). Jesus prayed, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou has sent me, and hast loved them, as thou has loved me.” It’s with these two wonderfully abundant gifts, Jesus and the Holy Spirit , that we are able to hear from God, edify the Church, and then reach out to those who still dwell in darkness (Acts 26:18).

THE CALLING
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:” (1 Peter 2:9).

Peter said, regarding those who are born again, you are a “royal priesthood” who has been called to leave the dark, sinful nature like we once lived before believing in Jesus. In the Old Testament, the only way people could know God was through a priest (Exodus 29:42). To be a priest during the time of the Mosaic Tabernacle meant performing rituals of animal sacrifice and burnt offerings upon an altar to be accepted by God. Only when a priest completed the ceremonial sanctification could the priest himself encounter God (Exodus 29).

As royal priests of the New Covenant we also need to be sanctified and to continuously consecrate ourselves to God. However, we no longer require an animal sacrifice or a burnt offering as in the Old Testament. Jesus became our sacrifice once and for all (Ephesians 5:2) and in doing so, we can become sanctified and cleansed from sin by faith (Acts 26:18). Thus, being cleansed from sin, we can now be in God’s presence through Jesus our Great High Priest (John 14:6, Hebrews 5:14, John 17:19).

As in the Mosaic Tabernacle, once we’ve presented ourselves as a living sacrifice, God meets with us, and speaks with us (Exodus 29:42). It’s during this time of presenting ourselves to the Lord that our minds are transformed by the word of God and our fleshly ways conformed to His will (Ephesians 5:26, Romans 12:2). Some ways we can commune with God and enter into His presence is through prayer, worship, or reading the Bible. In doing these the Holy Spirit, through the word, discerns the thoughts and intent of our hearts and reveals to us so that we can be cleansed, spotless and without blemish upon Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Hebrews 4:12, John 14:26, Ephesians 5:27).

BUILDING THE CHURCH

We’re not only called as servants “into His marvelous light” but Jesus said we are “the light of the world” and as “a city that is set on a hill” we “cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14). As we walk in His marvelous light, we become a light to the world, A pillar and refuge for those who are lost to see (Exodus 34:30).

Jesus compared all people as a “smoking flax” or a candle wick (Matthew 12:20) which has burnt its wax only to smolder. Once we become born again, part of our priestly duty is to trim the wick of our lamps and fill our lamps’ vessel with oil (Exodus 30:7-8). In Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins we are to then set ourselves on a lamp stand to give light to all that are in the house (Exodus 30:7-8, Matthew 25:7).

In the Tabernacle of Moses, God called and gifted workmen to build the required vessels through the instruction of Moses (Exodus 36:1-2). Each vessel had its individual purpose, and all were to be used by the guidance of Moses. In the church today, God has also called apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists…as gifted workmen to build the church, His vessels, by the word of God, which is Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:28). As vessels set apart for God’s purpose, we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, teach each other, encourage each other, sing spiritual songs—keeping ourselves in the love of God, looking, watching for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Colossians 3:16, Romans 8:23, Jude 1:20).

As light, we can’t help but shine. This Light within us is not of ourselves but of God. He has divided us from the darkness in this world and has given us His name (Genesis 1:4-5, Romans 8:15). It’s up to us to not hide anymore in fear, but by faith present ourselves as sacrifices, holy and acceptable, to be used by God daily. Once we do this, we can then “shew” Jesus to as many has He has called—by being a lampstand burning for light to the world and to the household of God (Genesis 3:8, John 3:16, John 1:12, Exodus 25:30-31).

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