Even If i Walk Alone

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

priorities

True Repentance

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True repentance will drive you to your knees and onto your face. It’s not just being sorry about what you’ve done, it’s about being mortified that you have grieved the Holy Spirit of God. Too much is being preached from pulpits today about repentance being about saying you’re sorry.

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I’d like to think many pastors mean well when they give their explanations of repentance, likening it to a turning away from something to walk in the opposite direction. And there is truth in what they say. The reality is, though, true repentance is realizing that you have grieved the heart of the holy God. And that thought should absolutely wreck you.

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Do You Love Me More Than These?

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Many of us know the story of Jesus restoring Peter to fellowship with Him. We find the story in John 21:15-19, and much has been written and taught about this passage. The first question Jesus asked Peter was, “Do you love me more than these?” He may have been asking whether Peter loved Him more than the other disciples did, or perhaps if Peter loved Jesus more than he did his fellow disciples.

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Another option is Jesus may have been asking Peter if He loved the nourishment of God over bodily nourishment (they were eating breakfast after a night of hard fishing). While people teach the first two more often, I’d like to focus on the third option. I think “Do you love me more than these?” is a good question for us all to ask every day.

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Live for Christ

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Life is hard for Christians everywhere. This should come as no surprise, as Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). In many countries, following Jesus will lead to imprisonment, torture, and death. In other countries, Christians are denied jobs, housing, and access to village resources like water. The physical and emotional consequences of professing faith in Christ are extreme. Yet, believers in these countries hold fast to Jesus.

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They disregard the risks for the sake of the prize. Knowing and serving Jesus is worth more than anything to them. In America, our faith rarely causes us any threat to our physical well-being. The emotional consequences of professing your faith are minimal and even laughable compared to what so many are facing. And yet most Christians in America lack the devotion and fervor in their faith of those who suffer so much. Why is that?

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Are You Really Living for Jesus?

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Are you really living for Jesus? I’ve been grappling with that question lately. As the days, months, and years tick off, each going faster than the one before, I have to be honest with myself. Is my life reflecting that of Jesus? Do people look at me and want what I have? Does my life look different from all those who live around me?

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If we say Jesus is our Lord, then we will have almost nothing in common with our friends and neighbors who don’t know Christ. Jesus transforms lives. If ours is not being transformed, then we have to revisit the question of “Is He our Lord?” Or is that only something we wish was true but have no practical proof it is?

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The Parable of the Wedding Feast

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I’ve read the parable of the wedding feast more times than I can remember. When we become so familiar with a passage, it’s easy to lose its significance. We must always guard against a casual reading of the Bible. Every word has the power to impact our lives. After all, it is the very Word of God. We should always read with reverence and awe. When we do, God reveals fresh insight and application of His story.

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This happened in my recent reading of the parable of the wedding feast. I’d always perceived those who refused to come to the feast as the Pharisees and the nation of Israel. All those who claimed to love God but refused to see Him in their midst. As is too often the case, I identify who Jesus was talking to while conveniently leaving myself out of that audience.

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