Even If i Walk Alone

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

priorities

Without Exception

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In a recent sermon, my pastor stated, “If you have any exceptions in your obedience, you are not a Christian.” It’s a bold statement that might cause you to form an immediate objection. After all, who are we to say who is or isn’t a true Christian? Once you get past the initial shock of the bluntness of the statement, you will see that it is in line with God’s Word.

Man pondering what it means to obey Christ without exception, and to order his priorities to reflect his commitment and desire to live in discipleship to Christ.

The problem is we skim over the parts of the Bible that are too convicting or too hard to follow. My pastor’s words are not a new teaching or even controversial when held up to the light of scripture. What we are reacting to is the fact that obeying God’s Word without exception is not something most are willing to do.

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He Knows You Know

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If you are going to start your day without Jesus, then why bother starting it at all? If Jesus isn’t everything to you, then He is nothing to you, and there is no point in pretending otherwise. Your half-hearted devotion does not fool God, nor does your lip-service faith impress Him. He knows the truth about your commitment to Him, and deep down, so do you.

Man walking along considering his commitment to Christ and whether he will surrender his heart to th Lordship of Jesus resulting in his salvation, because he knows you.

Jesus says, “On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). He knows you know how deep your commitment to Him is. What’s the use of keeping up this charade?

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It All Starts with Prayer

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When you examine the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, you find a very important principle. Before He set out to preach, He went off by Himself and prayed (Mark 1:35). It all starts with prayer. Whatever it is you desire to do, don’t do it unless you have first spent time on your knees with your Creator. If it was necessary for Jesus, how much more necessary is it for us?

Woman in bed praying as she knows it all starts with prayer and by God's love,mercy, and grace she can rightly set her priorities for the day as she practices discipleship.

Jesus, being God Himself, knew He needed to spend time with the Father before embarking on His mission. Do you think you are better equipped to deal with what is before you than the Son of God was? Our feet should not hit the floor, a word should not leave our lips, and our hands should find nothing to do until we have first bathed our souls in prayer.

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Faithfulness

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One of my favorite parables is that of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16), as it provides a great lesson on faithfulness. In it, Jesus tells how a landowner goes to the marketplace early in the morning and hires several workers, agreeing to pay them a denarius for the day’s work. The landowner goes back to the marketplace three times throughout the day, and a last time at 5:00pm to hire additional workers.

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His only promise of wages to any of those was he would pay them “whatever is right.” At 6:00 he instructs his agent to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last hired and moving backwards to the first. Those hired last received a denarius, so when those hired first came to collect their wages, they were thinking they would get more. However, they also received a denarius.

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Don’t Forget to Pray

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Don’t forget to pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are suffering for the cause of Christ. Isn’t it a little crazy and even a little to our shame that we need to be reminded to do something so basic yet powerful? Why is prayer so neglected in the lives of most Christians? Having an open channel to the throne of God would seem to be enough to keep us forever on our proverbial knees (Hebrews 4:16).

prayer,persecution,commitment,focus,priorities,selfishness,persecuteddon't forget to pray

Where else will we learn so much about our Creator? What other activity is so nourishing to our minds and souls? And yet prayer is often only remembered when we find ourselves in need. James writes, “The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful” (James 5:16). Why are we so reluctant to tap into such power?

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