Even If i Walk Alone

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

commitment

Pursuing Lies

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How long will we love what is worthless and spend our days pursuing lies? It’s a question King David asked concerning his enemies thousands of years ago and one that God is still asking of us today (Psalm 4:2). David asked it of his enemies, but I doubt anyone reading this considers themselves an enemy of God. How, then, can we explain why we are living our lives for such worthless pursuits?

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We declare ourselves to be enemies of God when we reject Him and pursue the things of this world  (James 4:4). Howl at that statement all you wish, but Jesus said those who aren’t with Him are against Him (Matthew 12:30). We can’t be for God and reject His commandments at the same time (John 14:15). We cannot serve two masters because we will love the one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24).

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Did God Really Say

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Since the beginning, Satan has been using the same tired line to make believers doubt the goodness and authority of God. When he was tempting Eve, the Devil said, “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1). Satan knew very well what God had said. He wasn’t mistaken when he misquoted God, but it was a deliberate aberration meant to make Eve think less of God and more of herself.

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We know this because Eve added to God’s word in her response to the serpent (compare Genesis 2:17 to Genesis 3:3). Pride has been with us for a very long time indeed. Eve resisted the temptation at first, but gave in at least in some part because of the doubt Satan planted in her mind with his insidious question. There is a reason God declared the serpent the most cunning of all creatures (Genesis 3:1).

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Persecuted for the Sake of Jesus

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Vineet is a follower of Christ in India. When he was younger, Hindu militants forced to him leave his parents and home because of his faith. Since then, he has twice more been kicked out of towns and had his property seized. All because of his faith in Christ (Matthew 5:10-12). This isn’t unusual in India, a nation that is growing ever more hostile to Christianity. What struck me about Vineet was his courage and faithfulness.

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Older now, he leads a Bible study deep in the jungle away from the eyes of forces who wish to silence him. After years of suffering and injustice, Vineet simply says, “I have dedicated my life to serve and be persecuted for the sake of Jesus. I will do this until my last breath. Nothing can separate me from the love of God” (2 Timothy 3:12; Romans 8:38-39). This man’s life is inspiring and should encourage each of us to examine our commitment to Christ.

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Are We Really Any Better?

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As you read the Bible, it’s easy to shake your head at some of the characters. We think we would never behave that way or make the choices they did. Knowing what we know of Jesus today, I think it’s easy to be confident we would react better if we were in their place. Let me assure you, none of us would. I know this because I know myself and I know what I observe in others every day.

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Perhaps our actions are even worse than those of our ancestors. We have the complete Word and revelation of God in our hands and our native language (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This phenomenon is only a few hundred years old. None of those we read about in the Bible had access to the Word like we do. Despite that, our commitment to Jesus is no better than theirs.

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Holy

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In the apostle John’s vision of Heaven, he records seeing living creatures around the throne of God who never stop praising the Lord (Revelation 4:8). Day and night they proclaim “Holy, holy, holy.” They praise God without ceasing. To be in God’s presence is beyond any of our imaginations. Yet for all who know Christ, we dwell in His presence every day of our lives. Why are we not compelled to praise Him every moment we have breath?

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When we grasp the reality of Immanuel, God with us, we cannot help but be in awe (Matthew 1:23). The problem is so few ever come to understand the gravity of Jesus dwelling within our hearts. The living God is on His throne at the very core of our being, but we go through our days as if we have no idea He’s there at all.

Some of this comes from the watered-down gospel and easy salvation that has been in vogue for the last century. The fall from a deep understanding of what the magnitude and sacrifice of Christ means for us to the modern “three-second prayer and you’re saved” methodology has been a long slow slide into where we find ourselves today. We no longer can conceive what effect the holiness of Christ has on sin. We no longer comprehend the weight of our sins (Romans 3:23) or understand the enormity of what Jesus did on the cross (Romans 5:8).

Every one of us deserves to spend eternity in Hell (Romans 6:23). Not a single sin can exist in God’s presence. His holiness is so pure that if we walked into His presence carrying even the smallest of sins with us, we would die in an instant. If it weren’t for the blood of Jesus covering our every sin (1 John 1:7), we could never approach God. Jesus paid it all, and indeed, we owe everything to Him. Jesus makes it possible to know God, to be washed, and to live for all eternity with Him.

Why do I rehearse all these things that you already know? Because while we have an intellectual knowledge of these facts, they have yet to penetrate our hearts. We don’t live like these things are true because we have a low view of Christ. If we didn’t, we would never allow a day to pass that we did not live full out for Him. We would never waste a minute of our lives chasing after the filthy imitation treasures of this world (1 John 2:15-17). Jesus is King of the Universe and He is King of our hearts (Revelation 19:16). Stop living as if He were just an accessory to your life.

If Jesus isn’t everything to us, then He is nothing to us. His holiness demands our obedience and devotion (1 Peter 1:15-16). In our flesh, we will never worship Him in perfection, but that should not hinder us from trying. Perhaps we would have more time to gaze on His face and declare, “Holy, holy, holy” if we weren’t so preoccupied with chasing selfish desires and seeking comfort, security, and entertainment (Colossians 3:2). What is it we’re living for, anyway? If it’s anything other than to glorify our Savior and Creator, then it’s worthless. All that matters is what we do for Christ. Only He is holy. And only He is worthy of our lives (Revelation 4:11).