Even If i Walk Alone

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

Psalms

Strangers and Aliens

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Those who exercise the boldness and courage to proclaim the truth of the Gospel will face many trials in this life (John 16:33). For those who follow Jesus, that is reason enough to reject anyone preaching a message promising health, wealth, and peace. Jesus dispels that belief when He declares He did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34).

We are strangers and aliens on earth, foreigners in every context and location in which we find ourselves (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13). This world is not where we belong, and those who do belong here will do everything they can to harm and get rid of us. Life on the narrow path is going to be difficult (Matthew 7:13–14) and we should believe no one who says otherwise (2 Timothy 3:12).

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Beware of False Teachers

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Matthew 7:15-20

Anyone can talk a good game, but what their life produces reveals what is in their hearts. False teachers almost always live lavish lifestyles, consumed with the things of this world, and attempting to keep one foot on earth and the other in Heaven. This, of course, is not possible (Matthew 6:24; 1 John 2:15-17). What a man says is not a good indicator of who he is. It’s what his life produces for the kingdom that is a good indicator.

Beware of false teachers who attempt to drag you into their deception (Colossians 2:8). They are those who think they know Jesus, but He doesn’t know them (Matthew 7:21–23). Their teaching will leave you even worse off than they are (Matthew 23:15), and no closer to eternity in Christ.

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Speak Truth

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Why is it we humans are so good at lying? Okay, maybe we’re not all good at it, but we all do it. Perhaps we don’t think of it as lying, but I don’t think any are innocent of “stretching the truth”, “exaggerating the details”, or “fudging the numbers” at some point in our lives. Lying seems to be a human obsession. My hope is those who choose to recognize Jesus as Lord and accept His gift of new life will not be in the habit of lying.

two men who speak truth to one another shaking hands while exuding honesty and humility

As Christians, we must speak truth whenever we open our mouths. We do it because God commands it (Exodus 20:16) and because being truthful brings Him glory (Proverbs 12:22). God is not a man, and therefore He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). If we are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16), then truth is always the only option for us.

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Prepare for His Return

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What if Christ were to return tomorrow? How would it change the way you live today? Would you change anything you do on a typical day? Would Jesus coming back excite or terrify you? These are important questions we must all answer for ourselves because Christ could indeed return tomorrow. He could come back today.

No one knows when He will return, but I know I want to be ready for that day. It occurs to me the only way to be certain I am ready is to live every day as if Jesus is returning tomorrow. We know Jesus is coming back, so what we must answer is whether we will be ready. What changes must we make to prepare for His return?

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Be Bold

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In the face of unrelenting pressure to compromise, we must be bold and stand firm on the authority of Scripture. Growing up, peer pressure was a given. The desire to fit in, to be liked or even popular, is an enormous weight all people face as they go through their school years. I think we all thought once we moved into the “real world” that peer pressure would go away to a certain extent.

young man determined to be bold in his commitment to surrender to Jesus and live out his salvation with boldness and courage in true discipleship

But it never goes away; it just manifests in different forms. The culture is always trying to conform us to its idyllic mold. The problem is their idea of “acceptable behavior and speech” is grounded in millennia of wrong thinking and sinful attitudes. To conform to the world is to live at odds with the one true God.

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