Even If i Walk Alone

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

Matthew

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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The Boy Scouts and the Church

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pet sin,is homosexuality a sin,boy scouts of america,boyscout boycott,mercy,grace,god's mercy,love,pharisee

Recently several churches in my area have been dropping their sponsorship of Boy Scout troops. My own church home has made headlines because of their decision to follow suit. At issue is the recent decision by the Boy Scouts of America to allow homosexual boys to join their ranks, something that has previously been forbidden. The churches that are pulling their support from the scouts are doing so ostensibly so they are not financially supporting or associated with a group that allows homosexuals to benefit from their funding. Upon learning of my home church’s decision, I took an afternoon to think and pray about this stance. I’d like to share my thoughts with you.

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Stop Wasting Your Life

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commitment,Jesus First,why are we here,what is the meaning of life,mission,Jesus,Lord of your life,commitment,discipleship

What would it be like to live life fully expressing every passion and talent God has placed inside of you? Do you think you are living this way today? What’s keeping you from becoming the person He created you to be? We have a simple two-fold mission in life: to tell everyone about the amazing love of Jesus and to serve others in His name. It is for this we were created. Nothing else we endeavor to do will ever bring satisfaction. Do you want your life to matter? Serve God. Do you want to be happy? Serve God. Do you want to be loved? Serve God. Life is very simple but we’ve made it so complex.

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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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The Life You’ve Always Wanted

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peace,beauty,rest,stillness,being still,god in nature,quiet,reflection

Mornings have become my favorite times. For a lifelong night owl, this has been quite the transformation over the past several years. Ever since I moved to Indiana, I have fallen in love with the early part of the day. The temperature is mild and the humidity level is comfortable in the hours before the sun comes up fully. The sounds of birds and insects provide an amazing symphonic backdrop to the exquisite colors bursting forth on the new day. It is peaceful, quiet, and calm. The stillness of the morning engenders stillness in my heart. I am awed by the beauty that surrounds me and bask in the exquisiteness of God’s creation.

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