Even If i Walk Alone

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

James

A Small Group Primer

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intentional community,shane claiborne,the simple way,discipleship,small groups,life groups

Perhaps no single idea has been so universally embraced by the church over the past 30 years as that of the small group. It is the strategic backbone of larger and smaller congregations alike. Too often these groups become nothing more than just another clique or a social club. Friendships develop, and there is a passing attempt at working through a Bible study booklet, but rarely do you find these groups engaged in the mission of Christ. There are exceptions; perhaps you belong to one of these. I do know of groups building intentional communities with tremendous outreach; they exemplify the early church. However,  if you belong to one of the more common implementations of a small group – one not engaging your culture – then it’s time to ask some hard questions.

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For the Sake of a Child

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Compassion,child sponsorship,poverty,hunger,children,sponsor,Compassion International

This is the last post for Compassion’s Blogger month. Over 2,000 new children have been sponsored so far this month, which is fantastic. To meet their goal, Compassion is still seeking to get another 1,000 children sponsored before the end of the month.  Surely we can get this done. It is our absolute duty to care for these children in need (James 1:27; Matthew 19:14). We have been entrusted with much so that we might serve much. It’s only $38 per month. What could you give up to save the $38 and sponsor a child today? As you consider that, remember that whatever you are giving up is being traded to provide a child with education, healthcare, clothing, food, self-confidence, and most importantly the opportunity to learn about Jesus. They will understand first-hand what it means to live like Jesus as they see you model Christ in your own life.

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Finding God’s Will

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God's will,finding god's will,God's purpose,why am I here

Are you still waiting for divine revelation to strike like lightening before you engage in building the Kingdom of God here on earth? If so, I have some great news for you. That revelation occurred 2,000 years ago when God walked among us in the person of Jesus Christ. You and I have been commissioned since the day we committed our lives to Jesus. One of the overriding themes in Steven Furtick’s book, “Greater” is to “stop waiting for what you want, and start working with what you’ve got. Your greatest limitation is God’s greatest opportunity.”  In other words, the time to get started is now. No more excuses, no more rationalizations. You are equipped to begin right now.

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Self-Discipline

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putting God first,habits

You can’t be a disciple of Christ while maintaining the status quo. When we make the decision to recognize Jesus as Lord of our lives, everything changes. Or at least it should. Simply pretending to be a follower of Jesus is the same as not following at all. If we confess Him with our lips but do not demonstrate Him with our lives, then we are fooling ourselves if we think our eternity is secured. Jesus said that many will come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord”, but He will send them away because He never knew them (Matthew 7:15-23). If we want to avoid such a fate, we must live disciplined lives seeking Christ, while reflecting His love to others.

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Unity in Christ

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Jesus is Lord,Lord of your life,Jesus first,God first

I’m surprised how many people are searching for the “12 steps to Discipleship” or the “5 keys to being a follower of Jesus”. We don’t need any gimmicks to learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He has already clearly spelled out the process in His Word. The problem is that following Jesus is hard and requires us to make wholesale changes in our lives. That is not the Jesus most people want; they want the Jesus that spares them from spending eternity in Hell, but not much else. For too long, Christianity has been synonymous with inactivity. We have been taught that once we pray the magic prayer, our eternity is covered regardless of whatever we might do from that point forward.

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