Even If i Walk Alone

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

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Rise Above the Hatred

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The media and our daily experience inform us hatred is on the rise and becoming the prevalent emotion in society today. Never in my lifetime has there been such division across every line: political, cultural, racial, sexual, you name it. The informed and uninformed alike dig into the trenches of their viewpoints and refuse to accept or even listen to alternative viewpoints and ideas.

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Instead of polite discourse, every conversation today seems to devolve into shouting and interruption. Whoever shouts the loudest and longest is the victor. As Christ-followers, we are called to rise above the hatred and not respond in kind (Romans 12:17-21). If we act like and look like the world, the world will never see Jesus in our lives (John 13:34-35).

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Long-Distance Eyes

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Are you feeling unsteady these days? It’s easy to feel disillusioned by everything you thought you knew when it smacks up against reality. There is so much discontent, fear, hatred, and uncertainty in our world that it takes everything we’ve got to not allow it to swallow us whole. It can be especially disconcerting for those of us who profess to trust Christ to provide everything we need, yet still have to live in a world that is coming apart at the seams.

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How can we hold fast to our faith when evil seems to win victory after victory? It’s easy to lose hope when our focus is on the here and now. Instead of eyes of immediacy, we need long-distance eyes to look beyond our current circumstances and into the eternal life that waits for us.

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Selfish Prayers

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Let me say at the outset that I believe God wants us to bring our burdens to Him. He was explicit in telling us to do so (Psalm 55:22; Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:6-7). While this is true, I believe it’s important we don’t tip the scales too far in that direction as we spend time with our Lord in prayer. In studying the Lord’s prayer, the model He gave to us for praying, it’s important to note the words “I” and “my” never appear (Matthew 6:9-13).

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There is nothing in His prayer about our individual gain or advancement. Too often, these things are the focus of our prayers, but it’s not the way Jesus instructed us to pray. So, what is the proper focus when talking to God, and how do we avoid praying selfish prayers?

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Good News

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Do you ever wonder if there’s any good news anymore? When was the last time you turned on the television or scrolled through your social media feed and found stories celebrating kindness, happiness, good character, or high morals? Instead, we see a steady diet of hate, division, perversion, and idolatry. It’s no wonder suicide rates and depression are at all-time highs.

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Media now rules every aspect of society. It’s inescapable, and there is no doubt it has become Satan’s greatest tool. The murder and mutilation of children is not only accepted, but celebrated on the front pages of newspapers and websites around the globe. The world has lost its mind and any sense of hope is being dragged down into the pits of Hell (Romans 1:28-32).

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Focus and Discipline

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The continuing decline of morality and abandonment of God in our culture and churches highlights the need for focus and discipline in our lives. We need to reorient our minds to embrace a complete focus on God while disciplining our actions and endeavors to reflect our devotion to Christ. Otherwise, we are no different from those who don’t know Jesus.

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We are called to be different, to live lives that are set apart from the world (Romans 12:2). As we observe the downward spiral of humanity, we gnash our teeth and shake our heads and fists, but we never see ourselves as part of the problem.

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