Even If i Walk Alone

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

Luke

Sober-Minded and Alert

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As we discussed in Prepare for Persecution, the first step in preparing for persecution, according to 1 Peter 5:8-9, is to be sober-minded and alert. This probably conjures up some ideas in your mind, but what are some practical things we can do to cultivate this in our lives? Remaining vigilant is a discipline that needs to be honed and strengthened over time.

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We don’t wake up one day and suddenly live with greater focus and attention. The first thing we need to do is understand the signs of this age and recognize the urgency of these times in which we find ourselves. Most of us have never had to worry about persecution and cannot grasp the reality or inevitability of it. Let me state it plainly. Persecution is coming; Jesus promises it will (John 16:33).

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The Remnant of God

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The beauty of God’s plan is He promises there will always be a remnant who will remain faithful to Him (Ezekiel 6:8-10). No matter how dark the world becomes or how dire the circumstances that emerge, the Church of Christ will never be defeated (Matthew 16:18). The light that has come into the world through Jesus will never be extinguished (John 8:12). My question is, “How big will that remnant be in our generation?”

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The more I learn and the closer I draw to Christ, the more concerned I become about the multitudes who profess Jesus with their lips but deny him with their lives. I see no evidence that everyone who calls themselves a Christian is part of the remnant of God. There are simply far too many walking down the path of “doing church” and “being Christian” than could ever squeeze through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14).

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Hope in the Darkness

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I love Psalm 37. It’s like a mini guidebook for how to live. The psalm is full of wisdom and encouragement and worthy of being read daily. Recognizing how relevant God’s Word remains today always makes me smile. We need no other proof of the divine nature of the Bible than to see how prescient and applicable the words written thousands of years ago are today. Right out of the gate, it appears King David, the author of the Psalm, is speaking directly into our world.

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He writes, “Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants.” (Psalm 37:1-2). Our world is full of evil people, but it is an encouragement to know their plans will not last forever. God will hold them accountable for what they do. There is hope in the darkness.

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The Truth

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That Jesus bodily rose from the dead is not in doubt. Sure, some reject this truth, but there will always be those who deny the truth because the truth infringes on their ability to live in any way they please. In his first epistle, the apostle John writes about Jesus, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life. . .” (1 John1:1).

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John knew Jesus before and after His death. He referred to himself as “the one Jesus loved” (John 13:23), not a title one would reward oneself with for being a passing acquaintance. After Christ had risen from the tomb, John declares he and others saw Him, watched Him move around, and physically touched Him. There was no denying it, Jesus was alive again.

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Lord or Judge?

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Every man and woman must decide whether Jesus will be their Lord today or their judge in the future. There are no other options. No one gets to create a third alternative. Jesus is Lord or judge; those are your only choices. That probably seems a bit narrow to you, and indeed it is. Jesus said few will choose the narrow path (Matthew 7:14).

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Most will rebel against their perceived confinement to these two options and will walk away from the narrow path. The road they will choose is wide, free to be walked as they choose, but it leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13). The narrow path is a submission to the Lordship of Jesus, while the wide road is a destination ending with the terrifying judgment of God.

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