Even If i Walk Alone

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

James

The Local Church

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tithe,tithing,the great commission,bill hybels,generosity,sheep and the goats,justice

Bill Hybels has said, and I agree, that “The local church is the hope of the world.” In times of tragedy, it is often the local churches that come to the aid of those in need. For many, attending a weekend service is the only exposure they ever get to the teachings of Jesus and the love of God. Stories abound of people who, having reached the end of their rope, stumbled into a church service just to check out the “God thing”. Beyond all of this, the local church should be the launching point – and the refueling station – for believers to go about the great commission of taking the good news of Jesus throughout the world.

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Fulfill Your Calling

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why am I here,why are we here,life purpose,life mission,disciple,following Jesus,being on mission,living on purpose,purpose driven life

I recently read a blog post by Chris Brown, a pastor at North Coast Church. In it he said something that rocked the way I have programmed myself to think. Pastor Brown said we should, “Seek to fulfill your calling, not your potential.” For years I have read and taught that each of us should be doing everything we could in order to maximize our potential. I always thought that was what Emerson meant when he said, “Don’t die with your music still inside you.” Now I see that piece of wisdom a little differently. Think about Emerson’s quote in regards to calling, not potential. How might that change the way you live?

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Obedience is Not Optional

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following Jesus,God's will,obey the commandments,the sheep and the goats,true religion,christian,christianity,hell

A reader recently wrote that they “didn’t know any Christians doing all the things you write about”. They were referring to things like feeding the hungry, caring for the poor, the sick, orphans, and widows; demonstrating God’s love, peace and patience.  All the things Jesus told us to do. That the whole of the comment was caustic and meant to discredit what I write about was not what troubled me. You get used to things like that pretty quickly as a writer. What deeply bothered me was the fact that this person didn’t know a single soul who was following the commands of Jesus. This stuff isn’t optional. Disciples of Jesus do what He told them to do.

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The Life of a Disciple

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persecution project,human trafficking,slavery,justice,Isaiah 58,living as a disciple,what does it mean to be a disciple,following Jesus,disciple of Jesus,christianity

Being a disciple of Jesus means you are constantly seeking to obey His commands and live in the manner He did. It means demonstrating love in all your interactions and exemplifying humility as you consistently seek to serve others. It’s a tall order and one that is not easily accomplished. Jesus warned that the way to Heaven was through a narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14). Without a doubt, it’s easier to travel the wide and well worn path in life, but we have chosen to follow Christ. As a result, our lives must look different from those around us. When people see us, they should catch a glimpse of Jesus.

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Deceived

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sinners prayer,faith vs workd,cheap grace,disciple,following Jesus,what does it mean to be a christian

As I sat in a Sunday morning service recently, the musicians quit playing so all that was heard were the voices of those gathered. I smiled, basking in the sound of God’s people offering praise to our King. But suddenly I became overwhelmed with sadness. Were these really God’s people? How many of those present thought they were Christians simply because they had prayed a prayer at some point in their lives? How many would leave that place to think little more of Christ until they returned the next week? I wondered how many of those gathered were true disciples of Jesus, seeking to serve others, express His love, and obey His commands every day of their lives. How many were deceived thinking their eternity was set, when in reality the truth was far short of this?

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