Even If i Walk Alone

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

Discipleship

God on a Leash

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I recently heard Daron Earliwine preach a sermon where he relayed a story about having to keep his new puppy on a leash when they walk. After giving it some thought, he surmised that the reason he keeps his new pal on a leash is because he doesn’t trust him.  They haven’t developed the level of trust where Daron can rely on his dog to stay with him in every circumstance. Since the dog can’t be fully trusted, Daron feels safer keeping him on a leash where he can exercise a modicum of control over his actions. His point was that we often treat God in the same way. We keep Him on a leash, so to speak, because we don’t fully trust Him. Let me explain a bit further.

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The Art of Self-Denial

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There are a few extremes that people hold to on the topic of self-denial. I think A.W. Tozer said it best: “The meaning of self-denial is not an infliction of personal torment nor penance, but it is simply the giving up of the very principle of living for ourselves. It is completely changing the direction of our being and will, so that no longer in any sense do we act with reference to how anything will affect us, but our one thought is how it will affect God or others.” Self-denial then is not principally about doing less for ourselves, but rather doing more for God.

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Personal Excellence Begins With Discipleship

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You will never fulfill your potential in any area of life unless you first get your relationship with Christ in order. Unless you are striving to be a true follower of Jesus, nothing else you achieve or acquire will ever satisfy that gnawing emptiness inside. You will always feel like there is something more, regardless of your level of success. It is possible to win in every other area of your life, but ultimately lose everything if you aren’t putting Jesus first and living as if He is truly Lord of your life (Mark 8:36). Too often we become preoccupied with daily activities, and God is pushed from our focus. This is not a state in which we can live if we truly love Christ above all else.

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Stop Trying to Convert People

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One of the biggest fallacies I was taught was that as Christians our job is to always be trying to convert others to become Christians as well. The problem is I don’t see anywhere where this was modeled by Jesus. Sure, when He called His disciples, He told them to “Follow Me”. I don’t really think that was an evangelistic outreach however. If you disagree, try employing that same strategy at a local mall some Saturday. No, the way Jesus drew others into a relationship with Him was by loving them. He didn’t ask for anything in return. He loved us because that’s who He is. Jesus is love through and through. He cannot act otherwise. As His followers, this is how we should strive to live.

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Are You Denying Jesus or Satan?

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Albert Schweitzer said, “Day by day we should weigh what we have granted to the spirit of the world against what we have denied to the spirit of Jesus, in thought and especially in deed.” Every day we should consider what parts of our life we are dedicating to the spirit of this world (Satan) and which parts we are surrendering to Christ. Too much of my time, and I suspect yours as well, is given to the things of this world and not to the mission of Jesus. This isn’t a situation that is easily remedied. We have spent years buying into the lies of the devil, subscribing to cultural myths and standards, while relegating God to an unassuming place in the background.

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