Even If i Walk Alone

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

purpose

Make No Plans

by

Studying the second half of the book of Romans this month, one verse keeps poking me when I read it. Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.” It’s convicting because how often do we make plans to satisfy those very desires of the flesh the Lord admonishes us not to?

make no plans,discipleship,fear,God's will,priorities,purpose

We are always making plans to do something, go somewhere, or become someone. How many of those plans center on bringing or giving glory to God? If you’re like me, not many. We design almost all our plans to fulfill the desires of our flesh rather than to further the Kingdom of God. There are exceptions, of course, but that they are the exceptions should tell us we have a problem.

[Read more…] about Make No Plans

Our Fruit

by

Throughout scripture, we see a great importance placed on our fruit. Our fruit is what we produce and cultivate by our actions, decisions, and attitudes. It is the ultimate result of how we live. Good fruit is that which pleases and brings glory to God, while bad fruit results from selfish and prideful living. We often say our excess is the fruit of our labors because hard work often results in providing for the needs of our families and ourselves.

our fruit,commitment,discipleship,God's glory,God's will,priorities,purpose

A farmer who does not sow his fields will not reap a harvest. An office worker who goofs off all day will not get the promotion they crave. We reap what we sow in the physical world, and this is even more true in the spiritual realm (Galatians 6:7-8).

[Read more…] about Our Fruit

Violating God’s Will

by

A couple of different thoughts have been fighting for attention in my mind for the past several days. One was sparked by reading Job 28:28, where God said, “The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” We’ve talked about what it means to fear the Lord before (see “The Fear of The Lord”), but this verse is so clear.

violating God's will,fear,wisdom,discipleship,purpose,God's will

We could take it to mean that it is wise to fear God, which is true, and we can also understand it to be a succinct definition of what fear of God looks like: to be wise. Wisdom will keep us from violating God’s will. Which brings me to the other topic that’s been on my mind: finding God’s will for your life. I’ve also written on that topic before, and if you want a deeper dive, see, “Explaining God’s Will for Your Life.” I submit you will never understand God’s will until you develop a proper fear of His holiness.

[Read more…] about Violating God’s Will

The Direction of Your Life

by

One of the wonderful things about human beings is we can change the direction of our lives any time we desire. Sometimes this involves major life changes, like switching jobs, going back to school, or retiring. At other times, the change in direction is based in its entirety on adjusting our attitude or the habits we nurture. While wrapping any of these changes in New Year’s resolutions is a popular practice, no one needs to wait until then to change the trajectory of their lives.

commitment,discipleship,gifts,Gof's Kingdom,discipline,mission,New Year,resolutions,priorities,purpose,Kingdom of God

No matter how near or far away the next New Year is, you can decide to change your life today. There is no greater change you can make than deciding to follow Jesus with everything you have in every area of your life (Luke 9:23-24). No decision will have a greater impact on the direction of your life (2 Corinthians 5:17).

[Read more…] about The Direction of Your Life

The Price of Salvation

by

Prices for everything keep going up at a pace that is more than nauseating. In my whole life, I don’t think I ever remember anyone saying, “I can’t believe the price of everything keeps dropping!” Inflation is high and the cost of living is even higher. But one price that has never changed is the price of salvation. It was always free, is free today, and will always be free (Ephesians 2:8-9).

salvation,discipleship,mission,purpose,love,the price of salvation

It’s the greatest bargain in the world and almost no one is talking about it. When you find a good deal on anything, the first thing you want to do is share it. Why isn’t it the same with the incredible gift of salvation through Christ?

[Read more…] about The Price of Salvation