Even If i Walk Alone

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

Run to the Battle

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The Christian life is not meant to be lived at a standstill or in retreat. We are called to run to the battle and meet the enemy wherever he may be found. When Jesus told us to go into all the earth (Matthew 28:19-20), He gave us our marching orders. We are to go out, not stand still or back down. The surrounding culture is growing ever more hostile to the teachings of Jesus and our faith. The world does not believe Jesus is the Son of God because the implication of that belief means they would be accountable to someone other than themselves.

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They fear an omnipotent Creator God more than anything because such a God demands their lives be held to a standard other than one of their creation. As society grows increasingly selfish and prideful, it is the followers of Christ, His Church, who must uphold the light in the darkness.

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Trust and Obey

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It’s impossible to get away from John 14:15. Jesus says if we love Him, we will obey His commands. We’ll live as He told us to live. Otherwise, we risk hearing the Words He warns us about in Matthew 7:21-23, where He sends away those who professed Him but never actually knew Him. They didn’t know Him because they didn’t love him.

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We know they didn’t love Him because they lived their lives the way they wanted to, rather than obeying the commands of Christ. How close are we to suffering a similar fate? Readers of this blog are by and large professing followers of Christ. But do we really love Him? Are we proving it by obeying His commands?

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Glory in Shame

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Reading through the third chapter of Philippians, I came across a phrase that stopped me in my tracks. Paul writes, “their glory is in their shame” (Philippians 3:18-20). I thought about how much this is true of society today, and how much this has been true in my life. We tend to take pride in things God hates. What you achieve or gain on earth does not impress the Lord. You’ll earn no extra points in Heaven because of your mental, physical, or emotional conquests. The only thing impressive to our King is how much we love and obey Him.

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If we’re going to glory in anything, it should be in our devotion to Christ. Yet, when talking with friends and family, how much of our conversation centers on what we are learning from the Lord? How much time do you spend detailing your obedience and surrender to God and your willingness to die for Him? We glory in what is shameful and ignore what is glorious.

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Focus

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As we go through life accumulating stuff and accolades, we would do well to heed the words of the Apostle Paul. He said everything he had gained in this world was garbage. Whatever things he had acquired or prestige he received, none of it counted for anything (Philippians 3:7-8). I dare say we’ve not accomplished anything close to what Paul accomplished in his life.

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But while we cling to our possessions and honors, Paul dismissed his. He did so because he knew nothing compared to the eternal love and beauty of Jesus. Paul understood what it meant to devote one’s life to Christ. Jesus was not an interesting diversion for Paul. Jesus was his life. Can we claim such singleness of purpose and focus in our lives?

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Find Joy

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I’m convinced joy is the key to surviving this life. A world intent on breaking us down has no answer for joy. As the great leader Nehemiah wrote several thousand years ago, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Paul recognized the importance of being joyful when he admonished believers to always rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). It’s still true today.

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No matter what comes your way, when you focus on the love of Christ, you find the strength to carry on. In fact, when you are filled with joy, the trouble doesn’t seem so bad in the first place. Joy not only provides strength when you feel weak but also perspective when you’re feeling overwhelmed. The best part is joy is both free and a limitless supply is available to us.

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