It bugs me that new age religions own the minimalist message! Christians should own that! People get all enamored over the pleasant and peaceful thoughts of a more simple and less rushed lifestyle. Do they then seek Christianity? Do they seek to follow Christ? Not usually, and why is that? Our modern Church sold out on that front! We handed that truth over to new agers, gurus, and other religions, as if it were no longer true of Christ and His message, when just the opposite is true. Christ lived and recommended a minimalist, or at least a moderate lifestyle, full of peace, faith, compassion, wisdom, and Spirit. All non-material items!

Most of us are crippled in materialism. We’re so owned by all our stuff we’re not free to pursue the more spiritual priorities of life. By the time we think about God, and the things of our Kingdom, we’re so exhausted we can barely move! A feeble effort at best. God gets our leftovers, and our soul is living on leftovers. Not the breakfast of spiritual champions! Would David live that way?

I’m not preaching a vow of poverty here, or living in lack. Our God meets our needs as His word promises. I have never lacked. But it’s easier to not be in lack when you need less. It’s easier for me to meet my earthly needs. The more we desire, the more we lack! And the more we gather, the heavier we get. The heavier boats are first to sink. That’s why they sometimes find themselves frantically throwing things overboard, but usually too late. We don’t want to be them.

It is true, with God, less can be more. I have so enjoyed experimenting and learning minimalistic ways. Yes, I’ve had to “learn” it. The stories I could tell! I spent 40 days and nights living in a Dodge Neon. Do you know how small that is? Like 75 square feet! Years ago I lived in a Toyota Starlet in NYC for three days! Tiny! Cooked my food and everything! Did I have too? NO! But it was a challenge and once I learned the skills, it was even fun! I had my beagle with me (in the Neon), and her and I spent five days on the beaches of South Padre Island, among other places. 40 days and nights in a Dodge Neon with a beagle! The stories I could tell.

The picture above of my 2011 Kia minivan, has become my RV. I love to travel and explore. I did all the work on it myself. (Can’t afford professional work, lol). But how much time would I have to spend working to pay for hotel bills, gasoline, and meals, or buy a huge RV that’s like a house? I’m not a doctor or lawyer. I don’t make big money. I’m not complaining about that. What I’m saying is there can be more joy in the less, if we think outside the box and learn the skills. Jesus challenges all of us to think outside this worldly box. It can be very fulfilling.

God’s word is full of scriptures warning against the entanglements of this world, and where your treasures are, so is your heart! But I also want to throw this into the mix…

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2nd Timothy 2:3-4)

It goes on to speak of those who compete in athletics. How have we become fat and lazy Christians addicted to creature comforts beyond any reasonable amount, and allowed the new agers to steal what should be OUR territory? Our priorities have been warped by materialistic preachers who sold out to a love of money. They have twisted the actions and words of Jesus like an epileptic pretzel. We are the ones missing out on God’s best while pursuing worldly success. We have not developed the skills of enjoying less of the material, and more of the Spirit.

A word of warning: Don’t try this without a true desire for more of God and less of this world. Or you will fail and believe God’s word is not true. But if more of God’s passion, peace, and Spirit is what you truly desire, you will not fail, and once again God’s Word is proven true. This path is not for spiritual sissies. This is for the warriors. This is for the samurai in Christ. This is about realizing what we are really here for, and what a glorious opportunity we have.

There is a supernatural spiritual battlefield, but it is not fought with worldly ways. Peace is powerful on this battlefield. Love, patience, service, community, goodness, prayer, unselfishness, the light of Christ, the Sword of the Spirit, the way we choose to live and breathe in Christ, are all powerful in the one true battle. The stress and strain of worldly success is a distraction from our enemy. We fall prey to his strategies.

I’ve not pulled any punches in my words today. If you’re a spiritual sissy you won’t likely appreciate this message. But I remember my bootcamp Army drill Sergeants. Believe me, they did not pull their punches either. You were in their world now. Not just a citizen anymore, but a soldier headed to a battlefield to a fight they were trained to win. From the first moment they showed up, you woke up to your new reality, or paid the price!

We are not in the world we see with our eyes. Most people live as though they are. But God’s word tells us a different reality. Our eyes are open to the real world now. As modern day Christians, followers of Christ, have we truly embraced spiritual reality? Just look around at recent events. Surely you can see, Now is the time. Now, or never.