Even If i Walk Alone

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

commitment

Out of Your Comfort Zone

by

Recently my pastor said something that I have found to be true. He said, “Passion for Christ will always take you out of your comfort zone.” If you’ve been a follower of Jesus for any amount of time, you probably recognize this and consider it a no-brainer. But recognizing something to be true and accepting it are two very different things.

your comfort zone,mission,passion,fear,commitment

image © Jusakas

Let’s face it: most of us will do about anything to maintain our comfort. In fact we aggressively pursue it through the purchase of entertainment, clothing, food, and other vices. None of these crutches have anything to do with being a follower of Jesus; but we ignore that point so we can get on with our lives.
[Read more…] about Out of Your Comfort Zone

The Rich Young Ruler Revisited

by

I have always been drawn to the story of the rich young ruler found in three of the four gospels (Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-23). I love the black and white of it (or so it would seem). I love the way it lays down the gauntlet and demands everything from us in exchange for Jesus.

rich young ruler,Matthew 5:40,Matthew 8:20,Luke 18:18-23,Matthew 19:16-22,Mark 10:17-22,Acts 2:44-47,Acts 16:14-15,Matthew 27:57,Philippians 3:7-9,commitment

image © vladimirfloyd

So much has been written about this story already. Yet still I keep coming back to it. What does it mean to you and me and the lives we lead on a daily basis? How does it apply to those who profess to follow Christ 2,000 years after He walked on this very earth?
[Read more…] about The Rich Young Ruler Revisited

Master of Distraction

by

For Christ followers, I am convinced that the source of all our discouragement, frustration, and depression is the result of taking our focus off of Jesus. As soon as we revert to our selfish nature, looking at ourselves instead of Him, everything starts to go a bit haywire. Each of us has been uniquely designed by God. We have all been given talents, skills, and passions to use to further His Kingdom. When we begin to live in ways that are not consistent with whom we were created to be, we slip and wander.

master of distraction,focus,Matthew 11:30,love the Lord your God,my yoke is easy

image © Marc Xavier

Satan does everything he can to cause this to happen. He tempts us with visions of a better, safer, or easier life. He entices us to fill our lives with things other than Christ. He is the master of distraction, and if we give in to his lies, we will find ourselves frustrated, discouraged, and perhaps even sinking into the depths of depression.
[Read more…] about Master of Distraction

Imitating Jesus

by

The goal of every Christ follower is to live as He did. When others look at us, there should be no doubt that we are imitating Jesus. While I don’t have the data to back it up, I’m confident most people who are truly passionate about Jesus would agree with that. I am just as confident that most of us have no idea what that really means.

imitating Jesus,mission,mission of Jesus,God's character,the truth about God,commitment,discipleship,Matthew 8:20

image © Christin Lola – Fotolia

I know that because if we did, we wouldn’t be confusing Christianity with the American dream.  Do you really want to know what it looks like to imitate Jesus? It’s all right there in the New Testament of the Bible.
[Read more…] about Imitating Jesus

God is All We Need

by

Francois Fenelon noted that, “God needs nothing that is in us. He can never find anything there except what He Himself has given us.” How often do we stop to ponder that? In the midst of chasing success, building relationships, and achieving new accomplishments, it becomes easy to become impressed with ourselves.

God is all we need,francois fenelon,self-sufficient,nothing without God,commitment,humility

image © Romolo Tavani – Fotolia

We are so impressed that we can’t wait to point out how amazing we are to others as well. But there is nothing that we ever achieve that God has not put in us. We are nothing on our own. It’s one thing to acknowledge this, but quite another to live as if it were really true.
[Read more…] about God is All We Need