Even If i Walk Alone

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

James

Faith Demands Obedience

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Faith is only real when there is obedience”. James, the brother of Jesus tells us faith without works is useless (James 2:15-17). What good is it if we see someone in need and wish them well as we walk by (James 2:15-16)? Saving the best for last, Jesus teaches us that God loves those who obey Him; those who obey Christ will live with Him forever (John 14:23).

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Obedience is not optional for followers of Jesus. It is proof of our devotion to Him. Quoting James again. “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. (James 2:18).” Our faith isn’t faith at all unless we obey Christ. Obedience is not an add-on. It is the essence of what it means to follow Jesus.

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Closer to God

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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?

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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?

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Can You Be a Christian Without Being a Disciple?

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I heard a caller on a radio show ask, “Can you be a Christian without being a disciple?” I have been wrestling with this same thought of late. Before diving in, we should define the terms, so we are all on the same page. The term “Christian” now means many things in our world, but for this discussion, I mean someone who has trusted Jesus is who He says He was and has surrendered their lives to His Lordship.

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A disciple, again for our discussion, is someone who is constantly and consistently pursuing Jesus, desperate to live their lives as He lived His. My inclination is to say you cannot be a Christian if you are not a disciple. I could be wrong but let me give you some reasons for my belief, and then I’ll say a few words about why I might be wrong.

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Are Your Doing What’s Important Now?

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It’s a sad truth of life we spend our time doing things that seem important now, only to discover over time we have missed out on the things that actually are. Often parents discover in the process of working long hours to provide the best things for their families, they miss out on seeing their kids grow up. People pursue careers that bring them wealth and prestige only to recognize they have no friends at retirement.

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And Christ-followers? We spend our days pursuing the American dream, or perhaps incessantly volunteering with our church, only to discover we’ve left Jesus out of the equation. It is a tragedy being played out across our nation and throughout the world. We are spending our finite time in pursuit of things that will pass away instead of focusing on our eternal Savior.

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The Purpose of Life

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What did you do yesterday to build the Kingdom? What will you do today? Those two questions may be the most important you can ever ask yourself. Indeed, these questions frame the purpose of life. There is nothing else worth living for other than Jesus. We will spend our lives building His Kingdom or building our own.  The Kingdom of God is eternal.

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It will exist long after our own little kingdoms have faded in history, washed away by the tides of time. But Jesus remains. His Kingdom endures forever. Why would we spend our lives pursuing things which will not last when we can spend it for that which lasts forever?

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