Even If i Walk Alone

Instructing and encouraging you to live your life as a disciple of Jesus

Daily Life

The Problem of Evil

by

My heart broke this past week when the lead singer of a popular Christian band renounced his faith in Jesus in a very public way. What broke my heart was not the damage this might do to the faith of those over whom he has influence, although that is troublesome. It didn’t break my heart the way the media latched onto the story and the damage something like this inflicts on the Church, although this too is cause for prayer.

problem of evil,sin,free will,love,faithchurch,1 John 1:5-7,God is light,Matthew 16:18,gates of hell will not prevail,Romans 8:22,earth is groaning

The Church will survive. The gates of Hell will not prevail against us, no matter how unexpected the attack (Matthew 16:18). What broke my heart were the reasons this individual gave for no longer believing.  There are straightforward answers to his questions, and yet somehow, no one in this man’s life could counsel him with the truth.

[Read more…] about The Problem of Evil

Fill My Hands

by

There is significant pain in the world today. So many are in need. As followers of Jesus, we cannot ignore the plight of the sick, hurting, hungry, disabled, elderly, or dispossessed. We have so much. My prayer is for God to fill my hands so I can share what He gives me with others in need. I’m not particular about what God might put in my hands. He knows best what those around me need, so I’ll leave the details to Him.

fill my hands,give me just enough,priorities,generosity,love,God's Kingdom,faith,freewill,mission,passion,purpose,Kingdom of God

I know He blesses us all with a unique blend of skills, talents, and passions. What He fills your hands with may differ from that with which He fills mine. That’s the beauty of the Kingdom of God. We are all different and able in concert to be used in ways we could never accomplish on our own.

[Read more…] about Fill My Hands

Time Keeps On Slipping

by

There’s an old song that says, “Time keeps on slipping into the future”. As most of the world has been sequestered in their homes for the past couple of months, I’ve noticed time seems to pass faster than ever before. Others have begun noticing it as well (see “Why time seems to be going faster while we are in lockdown”). Add this to the phenomenon of time passing by more quickly the older you get

TimeKeepsOnSlipping,urgency,mission,priorities,discipleship,commitment,love,purpose,lockdown,quarantine,COVID-19,coronavirus,God's Kingdom,Kingdom of God

(I don’t know if there’s evidence for this, but it’s something an older person told me when I was younger, and I have found it to be true in my life), and time keeps on slipping not just into the future, but out of my hands. The time we hold today will be gone tomorrow, never to return.

[Read more…] about Time Keeps On Slipping

One Day at a Time

by

Following Jesus must be done one day at a time. Jesus told us we shouldn’t worry about tomorrow because today has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:31-34). In Proverbs, Agur prayed for just enough provision for today, not for a month, a year, or a lifetime (Proverbs 30:8). Agur was a wise man, so if his advice was to focus only on the day ahead of us, that should probably good enough for us. But when Jesus says it, then as His disciples, we must live as He says.

one day at a time,faith,commitment,discipleship,mission,priorities,Matthew 6:31-34,don't worry,Proverbs 30:8,give me just enough,worry,

As you study the life of Christ, you see a man who took each day as it came. He was never in a rush and never harried. He spent each day dealing with whatever situation was presenting itself. The only long-term agenda He seemed to have was obeying His Father. Everything else was dealt with as it came.

[Read more…] about One Day at a Time

What is Discipleship?

by

I am becoming more and more bothered when I read prayer requests for discipleship movements. A popular refrain among churches today is they want to be creating disciples who create disciples who create disciples. This is a worthwhile goal. At the same time, if churches aren’t creating disciples, then what are they creating? What is it they were teaching before discipleship? I am convinced one who is not a disciple is not a follower of Jesus.

what is discipleship,discipleship,commitment,God's will,disciple of Jesus,disciple of Christ,what does discipleship mean,what does it mean to be a disciple

To follow Jesus is to be His disciple. You cannot separate the two. To be blunt, to be saved is to be a disciple. You cannot be one without the other. For too long we have pedaled a cheap grace, allowing people to profess a belief in Christ without explaining the level of commitment a true confession requires.

[Read more…] about What is Discipleship?