Even If i Walk Alone

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

humility

Vertical Prayers

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While we should be praying vertical prayers, too often we are stuck praying in a horizontal manner. I’m not speaking of the posture we assume when we pray, but the direction of the content of our prayers. There’s a stark difference between the prayers of Jesus and the way we pray. So many of our prayers focus on the people and the world around us but give little attention to the One we are speaking to.

Part of the problem is that we lack the proper realization of what prayer is. It’s not a vehicle to get all the things we desire or even need. After all, God already knows what we need before we ask. (Matthew 6:7-8) We’re not bringing Him new information, but it often seems as if we think we are.

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Unpopular

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From the earliest days of adolescence, almost everyone aspires to be popular. I never met anyone when I was younger who told me they wanted to be unpopular. As beings created in the image of God, we all desire relationship and communion with others. (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:18) Some personality types desire this more than others, but we all need it. In our formative years, popularity is something we crave. We all want to fit in, to be liked, and to have others respect our opinions.

Such desires don’t vanish when we finish school. It continues to resonate with us as we enter the workforce, move into neighborhoods, and develop social relationships. Even in our church communities, no one wants to be unpopular. When everyone desires something, it should set off warning bells in our minds. (Romans 12:2)

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Don’t Love This World

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One of my favorite passages in the Bible is 1 John 2:15–17. It’s not an easy or feel-good passage. I love it because of how convicting it is and how clear it is. People love to inject their own opinions and rationalizations into the Bible and, in doing so, neuter its message and strip it of its power. This passage leaves no room for any such nonsense.

It says if we love the things of this world, we don’t love God. There are no qualifiers, no exceptions, and no loopholes. The converse shows us how to navigate this life: if we love God, we will not love the things of this world. If you want to show your love for God, don’t love this world.

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Superficial Religion

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Charles Spurgeon said, “Superficial religion will always be fashionable because it does not require self-denial.” If you ever question whether your faith is genuine, ask yourself how much self-denial you are exercising in your life. Jesus made it very clear: if you are going to follow Him, you must deny yourself (Luke 9:23). You cannot be a Christ follower and live your life indulging in sinful lusts and behaviors (Romans 8:12–13).

There is a way that seems good, pleasing, and desirable to us, but that way of living only ends in death and eternal punishment (Proverbs 14:12). Genuine faith is manifested in self-denial, a putting away of the old ways of the flesh, and walking as a new creation in the power of God’s Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:19-20).

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Freedom

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Freedom is ever on the lips of people. Those in the West cling to it as a birthright and are quick to rail against any infringement on their freedom. For those in oppressive and authoritarian countries, freedom is a hopeful ideal but an unrealistic reality. No matter our circumstances, the human soul longs for freedom and many times will do whatever it takes to obtain it.

We fight wars in the name of freedom, and build ideologies around it. We shed blood and exchange ideas in both civil and not so civil manners, all in the name of freedom. On earth, we can win or lose freedom, and we can cherish or squander it. But most have no idea what it even means to be free.

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