Even If i Walk Alone

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

Discipleship

All the Way

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Early in the book of Judges, we see Israel falling into a pattern of sin that continues to plague each of us today. In Judges 1:28, we read that, in opposition to God’s command (Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Deuteronomy 20:15–16), Israel neglected to drive out the peoples of the promised land completely. They stopped short of what God commanded them to do. The Lord told Israel to eradicate the idolatrous people from the land. If they didn’t, the people might tempt them to follow other gods.

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Israel drove out most of the people, but they stopped short of going all the way. They became complacent and figured what they had done was good enough. But stopping short of complete obedience to God is never good enough. It shows a lack of faith, a lack of commitment, laziness, or perhaps all the above. What it does not reflect is a sold-out devotion to Jesus.

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God’s Timeless Word

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You cannot help but notice the drifting away from Biblical principles being manifested in the Western Church today. Decades of compromise are resulting in a Church that has little if any resemblance to the early Church we see in the book of Acts. The Church has never been perfect. Only Jesus, the head of the Church, has that distinction. But His holiness beckons each of His followers to strive towards His example.

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He has given His Word to guide us in our pursuit of Him. The Word of God changes no more than the One who spoke those words and inspired men to write His message throughout the years. Culture changes. Circumstances ebb and flow. But God and His Word are timeless. We must never make the mistake of considering His Word to be out of touch with our modern lives.

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Do You Love Me More Than These?

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Many of us know the story of Jesus restoring Peter to fellowship with Him. We find the story in John 21:15-19, and much has been written and taught about this passage. The first question Jesus asked Peter was, “Do you love me more than these?” He may have been asking whether Peter loved Him more than the other disciples did, or perhaps if Peter loved Jesus more than he did his fellow disciples.

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Another option is Jesus may have been asking Peter if He loved the nourishment of God over bodily nourishment (they were eating breakfast after a night of hard fishing). While people teach the first two more often, I’d like to focus on the third option. I think “Do you love me more than these?” is a good question for us all to ask every day.

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Live for Christ

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Life is hard for Christians everywhere. This should come as no surprise, as Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). In many countries, following Jesus will lead to imprisonment, torture, and death. In other countries, Christians are denied jobs, housing, and access to village resources like water. The physical and emotional consequences of professing faith in Christ are extreme. Yet, believers in these countries hold fast to Jesus.

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They disregard the risks for the sake of the prize. Knowing and serving Jesus is worth more than anything to them. In America, our faith rarely causes us any threat to our physical well-being. The emotional consequences of professing your faith are minimal and even laughable compared to what so many are facing. And yet most Christians in America lack the devotion and fervor in their faith of those who suffer so much. Why is that?

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Are You Really Living for Jesus?

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Are you really living for Jesus? I’ve been grappling with that question lately. As the days, months, and years tick off, each going faster than the one before, I have to be honest with myself. Is my life reflecting that of Jesus? Do people look at me and want what I have? Does my life look different from all those who live around me?

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If we say Jesus is our Lord, then we will have almost nothing in common with our friends and neighbors who don’t know Christ. Jesus transforms lives. If ours is not being transformed, then we have to revisit the question of “Is He our Lord?” Or is that only something we wish was true but have no practical proof it is?

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