Even If i Walk Alone

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

Matthew

Slow and Simple

by

We are a hurried and frantic people. The American culture thrives on busyness. If our lives aren’t hectic, we are viewed as either lazy or unsuccessful. The default answer I get when asking people how they are is one simple word: “busy”. I think Satan loves this. After all, Christians are now too busy to pray, too busy to read the Bible, too busy to sit quietly in God’s presence, and too busy to notice the hurting people all around us.

slow and simple,John 4:3-6,Matthew 19:13-15,John 4:3-6,Kingdom of God,slow,simple,simplicity

image © kora_ra_123 via Fotolia

In short, our busyness has rendered us useless to the Kingdom of God. Even when we recognize the problem of our busyness, it isn’t long before we have rationalized our way back into our hurried lives.
[Read more…] about Slow and Simple

Too Many Churches

by

I recently learned from an article that the city in which I live has more churches per capita than any other city in America. While some might see this as great news, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Why do we need so many churches? Doesn’t that mean the vast majority of them are horribly ineffective?

too many churches,discipleship,francis chan,the church,commitment,Matthew 25:31-46,sheep and the goats

image © Glenda Powers via Fotolia

Perhaps even more troubling is the amount of money these churches are spending on rent, real estate, and building projects. When did those things become more important than feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and providing shelter for the homeless (Matthew 25:31-46)? The Church has become quite efficient spending Kingdom money on things that bear little resemblance to Christ.
[Read more…] about Too Many Churches

Celebrity Culture

by

We live in an era where pastors have become celebrities. Several make more money on the speaking circuit and from writing books than any church could ever have afforded to pay them. I have nothing against these people earning more money, and certainly nothing against more people hearing the truth of Jesus. The problem I do have is our tendency to idolize these men and women.

celebrity culture,humility,pride,idols,idolize,marketplace pressure,Mark 8:29-30,Matthew 8:3-4,a.w. tozer

image © manaemedia via Fotolia

We’ve stolen the celebrity culture of Hollywood and applied it to ministry. I am guilty of feeding this machine. I love reading books and attending seminars, always looking for new insights by which I can draw nearer to God. Still, there’s a fine line between earnest student and borderline groupie.
[Read more…] about Celebrity Culture

The Privilege of Serving Christ

by

“If we belong to Jesus Christ, we should never compromise our spiritual decisions on the basis of ‘What is this going to cost me?’ We ought only to ask, ‘What is my spiritual duty and my spiritual privilege before God?’” This quote from A.W. Tozer cuts to the core of our resistance to follow Christ no matter the cost. Jesus didn’t ask if the price was worth it when He went to the cross.

privilege,serving Christ,Matthew 8:21-22,Luke 9:61-62,Luke 9:57-58,A.W. Tozer,commitment

image © brainsil via Fotolia

He simply did what was required to live a life that looked like that of His Father. He didn’t turn away from the most excruciating pain and humiliation a man could ever know. He knew what His duty was before God, and it was His privilege to serve God in a way that at once pleased His Father and saved all of those selfish, wretched souls He loved so much.
[Read more…] about The Privilege of Serving Christ

Obsessed With Jesus

by

Are you obsessed with Jesus? Francis Chan says that, “Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.” Are those statements a fair summary of your life?

Obsessed with Jesus,francis chan,commitment,living for Jesus,discipleship,John 16:33,Matthew 10:22,Luke 9:58

image © B-C-designs

 

If you’re like me, there are times when I can identify with that level of obsession, but far more times when I can’t. More than anything else, true followers of Christ are obsessed with Jesus. They can’t get close enough or learn too much about Him. While it can be uncomfortable to ask these questions of ourselves, we must evaluate whether or not we are obsessed with Jesus.
[Read more…] about Obsessed With Jesus