Even If i Walk Alone

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

Matthew

His Yoke is Easy

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There’s a disconnect between Jesus telling us His “yoke is easy, and His burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30) and the reality that many Christians live each day. For those who live in countries where they are not free to be Christ-followers, how is their burden light? For those who are denied provisions and healthcare because of their profession of Jesus, how is it that His yoke is easy?

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Many in the West may have a bit of trouble relating to this. For them, life is easy. They are pursuing some variant of the American dream while claiming to follow Jesus. It would seem they have it all. I submit that those who think this way are looking at life through an American-centric lens and may not be yoked to Christ at all.

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Ambassadors of Jesus

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You would never know it by looking at the world or most Christians, but we aren’t here to live a pleasant life, make a fair amount of money, and retire in comfort. We are here to be ambassadors of Jesus, His representative in this very foreign kingdom.  Our mission is to help bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:9-10). If you’ve looked around lately, I think you’ll agree we are a long way from realizing God’s Kingdom on earth.

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Things get a little crazier with each passing day, while we wring our hands and wonder what we can do. We pray for peace, unity, and our leaders, while we wait for someone to come along and make things better. All the while, the Church sits quietly by, trying to weather the storm and live to see another day.

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The Plan of Salvation

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If you grew up in the church or have ever taken a traditional discipleship course, you’re probably familiar with the so-called, “plan of salvation.” It’s interesting to note while the Bible shows us how to find salvation in Jesus, it has nothing to do with the 20th century man-made “plan of salvation”. There is a way to eternal life with Jesus, but it involves a lifelong commitment, not a two-minute prayer. The plan of salvation can be useful in helping someone understand their need for Jesus, but it does nothing to prepare them for the sacrifice and difficulties they will encounter because of their decision to follow Christ.

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We are doing a grave disservice to untold numbers of people who, upon being presented with the plan of salvation and praying the sinner’s prayer, think that’s all there is to it and it saves them for eternity. We’re creating people who think they know Jesus, but that same Jesus may cast them from His presence if that prayer is all they ever do for Him (Matthew 7:22-23).

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I Pledge Allegience

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“I pledge allegiance to…” How do you finish that sentence? We all pledge our allegiance to something or someone. Many are brought up being taught to pledge their allegiance to their nation. When I was younger, we said the pledge of allegiance to our country’s flag at the beginning of each school day. Now that we’re adults, we get to choose where and to whom we will pledge our allegiance. If you follow Jesus, the choice is simple.

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Jesus does not accept divided loyalty. He demands our whole heart, the entirety of our devotion because He knows it is impossible to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). I am grateful for living in America. Despite what seems to be a never-ending erosion of our values and principles, I still think it’s the best place to live. But I pledge allegiance to Jesus and no one or nothing else.

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Hard Truths

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Many people leave the Church and their faith behind because they no longer agree with the Church’s stance on hot button topics of the age or even long-held teachings that seem antiquated to their itching ears. People leave the truth because they expected it to be easy. They wanted to belong to something. This is not a new phenomenon. Jesus gave a teaching one day that caused his followers to abandon him in droves (John 6:53-68).

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When He taught about giving away all you had to follow Him, His disciples remarked how difficult the teaching was and wondered who could receive it (Matthew 19:23-26). The teachings of Jesus are difficult. They are hard truths because many are called but few are chosen. Few will endure the cost of discipleship.

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