In life we will often think that there are some goals that are so important that we must do all that we can to attain them. But Christ has set our priorities for us - seek first the Kingdom of God (His purposes and His methods) and His righteousness and what you need will be added to you.

Often, without realizing it, the decisions we make, and the actions we take or don't take are influenced by fear; fear of reprisal, fear of rejection, fear of danger or loss, or fear of the unknown; but God tells us that perfect love casts out all fear.

Recently, I was confronted with fear; not fear of doing the right thing but fear of being misunderstood. There was a matter that was put before me where I could either go with my brothers and sisters and show physical support for a cause, or I could stand for Christ and my brothers and sisters by not going, but rather praying for them while I obeyed God.

Unfortunately, my fear was accurate and I was, sadly, treated exactly as I expected, which was deeply hurtful, but I was bracing myself for it, because I had seen others treated this way when they stepped back from situations, after being convicted in prayer that something wasn't quite right.

Sometimes we can be filled with such "a zeal for God" that we can be, like Saul, "persecuting Christ" as we are "serving God".

The problem is that we may be fooling ourselves into believing that it is God we are serving, but in fact it is merely ourselves. I am not excluding myself when I say this. We can all fool ourselves by doing things that seem so right, but if we do it in the wrong spirit we are really not serving God at all. I am reminded of this:

1 Corinthians 13:1-8
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing. 4 Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous [of others]; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, 5 does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil, 6 does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth,

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails

As for my brothers and sisters, for the moment, it seems, they believe I betrayed them, that I abandoned them, but in fact I stood and I stand for them. They have misunderstood our relationship, as my responsibility is first to Christ and His name and then to them. After all what good am I to them if I please them but disobey God? I have become salt that has lost its flavor.

People who truly know me have come to realize that I stand by them through thick and thin, but that my goal is to always do so in a way that does not compromise my relationship with Christ or my testimony. After all, I do not merely represent myself, but more importantly the Lord Jesus Christ.

If I lose my ability to be led of the Lord then I may as well pack up and go back to the world of man pleasing. I am only of use to my Lord and to my heavenly family if I will stand for righteousness, in love, no matter if costs me everything including my earthly relationships with the ones I dearly love.

I freely admit that at points I have been a selfish coward, preferring to be spoken well of by those I love rather than being unwavering and steadfast for what is divinely good. I ask forgiveness from God and all those I have not confronted when they were being unrighteous, for I did not serve them well. I was not the measure or test that I should have been, but merely a flag flapping in the wind. For this I am deeply sorry. I will do my very best, going forward, to be immoveable for all that is good and just and righteous and try not to fear man in the process.

To those who believe that I betrayed them, they need to get to know me better and try to understand the love that God has imparted to me - His love. I am just a man, I am not perfect but I pledge to uphold the core slogan that God gave me for Concerned Christians Canada and for my life - Praying, Acting, Making a Difference!

I leave you with one last thought to pray over and ponder:

There may be a just cause and it may even be the right time but if it is done in wrong spirit it is for not. I submit that there are always many just causes and the time will always seem to be now but only prayer and the direction and power of the Holy Spirit will give us victories over powers, principalities and the very forces of hell.

God Bless

Jim Blake
National Chairman