Even If i Walk Alone

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

Discipline

Closer to God

by

Based on your daily routines and actions, where can you expect your walk with Jesus to be in five years? Growth doesn’t just happen. It must be intentional. Without a plan to draw closer to God, you’ll be – at best – about as close in five years as you are today. Is that okay? Do you think the status quo is what God envisioned when He created you with a unique blend of skills, passions, and talents?

closer to God,priorities,purpose,discipline,passion,works,Psalm 139:14,wonderfully made,James 4:8,draw close to God

The Psalmist says we are all remarkably and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). If God took such care in crafting who He knew you could become, don’t we owe it to Him to fulfill our potential for His glory? God gave His very best for us. How can we give Him anything less?

[Read more…] about Closer to God

Your Best Life

by

What are the spiritual disciplines you want to have in your life but have not yet implemented? It seems we always think there will be a tomorrow to get started in building a life that looks more like Jesus. As I write this, a new year is approaching. There is something about the end of one year and the beginning of the next that always seems like a great time to make changes in our lives. The tradition of new year’s resolutions dates all the way back to the Babylonians and continues to this day.

your best life,best life now,Joel Osteen,discipline,focus,purpose,God's Kingdom,Matthew 16:19-20,store up treasure,Kingdom of God

Before we get caught up in this again, we need to remember Jesus taught we should not be building treasures in this life, but storing up riches in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-20). The point of following Jesus is not to build your best life now, but to build your best life after you’ve passed on from this earth.

[Read more…] about Your Best Life

Take Up Your Cross

by

Jesus said whoever would follow Him had to deny themselves and take up their cross daily (Matthew 16:24). How many of us are doing this on a day to day basis? How many are willing to deny ourselves the comfort, security, and entertainment the world is telling us we deserve? Isn’t it true we want a version of Christianity that doesn’t involve the cross? We like the idea of being a Christian but dislike the sacrifice it requires.

take up your cross,commitment,discipleship,discipline,priorities,purpose,Matthew 16:24,deny yourself,John 16:33,you will have trials,Matthew 6:24,serve two masters,Matthew 25:23,good and faithful servant

The notion of a loving God makes us feel comfortable, but His wrath makes us go another way. There is no victory without struggle, but we want our cake and to eat it too. We want all this world has to offer and a little Jesus on the side. This is not the life Jesus called us to live as His followers.

[Read more…] about Take Up Your Cross

Creating New Habits

by

Andy Stanley mentioned in a recent sermon, “Every habit begins with a first time.” It sounds obvious, doesn’t it?  While obvious, I think it houses some profound truth. If every habit does indeed begin with the first time, then we must be ever diligent about what “first times” we are allowing to occur in our lives. I believe this is one reason why Paul encouraged us to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

creating new habits,Andy Stanley,discipline,habits,God's Kingdom,Kingdom of God,2 Corinthians 10:3-5,take every thought captive

If we don’t, we begin to create thought patterns that become more and more difficult to change as time goes by.But it’s not just our thoughts. Every action we take and every word we speak for the first time begins creating new habits. If we aren’t intentional about our thoughts, words, and actions, we will be creating new habits we don’t want to have.

[Read more…] about Creating New Habits

Drifting

by

I recently heard David Platt say, “no one drifts towards holiness.” I have observed the truthfulness of this statement in my own life. When we aren’t intentional in the way we are living, the tendency is to drift into sin, not holiness. Unless we are vigilant, we will allow ourselves to be distracted and the drifting will begin. Life is rarely static.

drifting,purpose,intention,discipline,John 10:10,abundant life,Matthew 28:19,great commission,1 Peter 5:8,seeking someone to devour,satan is a hungry lion

We are always moving in some direction. Even when we think we’re standing still, the currents of life are still compelling us in the direction of their own choosing. Unless we are purposefully setting a course, we will soon find ourselves drifting to places we never intended to go.

[Read more…] about Drifting