Even If i Walk Alone

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

Heaven

Fear of Dying

by

The fear of dying is one of the top two fears afflicting people. Some research states it is the most common fear, while other studies place it second behind public speaking. I couldn’t find any concrete numbers detailing what percentage of Christians fear death, but over the years, I have heard more than a few believers express a fear of dying.

fear of dying,commitment,Heaven,Hell,surrender,salvation,belief

That’s a little hard for me to get my head around because true followers of Christ want nothing more than to spend eternity with Him. We can’t do that until we die. To my mind, it is irrational for someone who believes in the resurrection of Jesus to have any fear of dying. We might fear the circumstances that lead to our death, but dying itself should fill us with nothing but hope and joy (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Philippians 1:21-23).

[Read more…] about Fear of Dying

Long-Distance Eyes

by

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.

long-distance eyes,depression,fer,focus,God's Kingdom,Heaven,love,purpose,salvation,security,surrender,Billy Lord,Kingdom of God

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.

[Read more…] about Long-Distance Eyes

We Can Relate

by

The death of Christ on the cross is both horrifying and glorious. The crucifixion of Jesus is equal parts despair and hope. Without the cross, there would be no covering for our sins. Without the cross, there would be no resurrection and way to eternal life in Jesus. The cross is central to all we believe. For all its importance, it is impossible to relate to Jesus as He hung there.

we can relate,crucifixion,Easter,resurrection,death,eternal life,Heaven,Hell,salvation,hope,Good Friday

Few in all of history can relate to His immense suffering. None can relate to shouldering the weight of every sin, past, present, and future. We marvel at the sacrifice and love of Jesus, but we cannot feel what He felt that day. There were two others, though, to whom we can relate. We are not so different from the two criminals who hung beside Jesus on that most terrible and wonderful day.

[Read more…] about We Can Relate

Surrender to Jesus

by

We are sadly mistaken if we believe we can live however we want in this life and still spend eternity with Christ. Saying a scripted prayer or responding to an invitation given at the end of a church service may signify your first steps to living a life solely devoted to Christ, but they are not your ticket to eternity in Heaven.

surrender to Jesus,heaven,eternity,commitment,discipleship,surrender

Only those who truly repent of their sins–and that means you turn away from them in sorrowful contrition and acknowledge you have trespassed against the standards of the Holy King–and surrender to Jesus as the Lord of your life, only those will find their life in Him. No one who claims to love Jesus but lives in allegiance to this world will be saved (1 John 2:15).

[Read more…] about Surrender to Jesus

Serve God and God Alone

by

The first three commandments provide almost everything you need to know to live a life pleasing to God. Last week we did a high-level flyover of all ten commandments of God’s law (see “The Ten Commandments”). Some may wonder why I’d bother spending more time on such a well-known passage of Scripture from the Old Testament. The reason is God’s law forms the bedrock of our faith.

serve God and God alone,catechism,commitment,faith,salvation,God's Kingdom,Heaven,God's law,ten commandments,10 commandments,priorities,Kingdom of God

It is this law that shows, without the blood and resurrection power of Jesus, we are lost. So I want to dive a little deeper into the first three commandments today: do not have any gods other than God, do not make anything an idol, and do not disrespect the name of God. I think we can sum up these commandments by saying we must serve God and God alone.

[Read more…] about Serve God and God Alone