Even If i Walk Alone

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

surrender

Absolute Surrender

by

Surrender is a word which causes mixed emotions for me. My independent and ferocious side wants to scream out, “Never! I won’t quit, won’t stop, won’t ever give in.” Surrender implies I’ve failed in some way. I didn’t complete the task or achieve the mission. I’m not one who likes to be beaten. On the flip side, surrender is the most beautiful word I know and is the aspiration of my life.

absolute surrender,William Booth,commitment,discipleship,mission,obedience,priorities,surrender,1 Peter 1:15-16,be holy as I am holy,Galatians 2:19-20,I no longer live

I know I cannot win until I surrender. The mission will fail unless and until I surrender. While my prideful self resists surrender, my love for Christ demands it of me. So, in a paradoxical sense, I must refuse to surrender to ever stop surrendering to Jesus!

[Read more…] about Absolute Surrender

Only Jesus

by

There is but one answer to every problem, hurt, disease, or circumstance: only Jesus. He is either everything to you or He is nothing. Only Jesus can heal a broken heart or mend a wounded soul. Only Jesus can soothe the ache constantly gnawing inside. Despite this, few live as if it was only Jesus that mattered. He’s convenient or handy at times, but as far as our day to day lives are concerned, He tends to rather be just one more thing we’ve bolted on to our incredibly harried existence.

only Jesus,commitment,devotion,discipleship,surrender,insurgence,frank viola

I like how Frank Viola put it in his latest book, “Insurgence”. Frank writes, “Looking back, I discovered that Jesus was really just a supplement to my already busy life. Christ wasn’t the reason why I breathed. I was living for other things, even good things… but they weren’t my Lord Jesus.”

[Read more…] about Only Jesus

Forsake Everything

by

To be a true disciple of Jesus requires us to forsake everything. Nothing can be left on the table. Nothing can remain in our hands. I don’t think most so-called Christians get this. They’ve no doubt heard it, but living it is another matter entirely. And let’s be honest here, we probably don’t do this so well ourselves. I am thankful God looks at the attitude of our hearts over the actions of our hands. He knows we will never attain perfection until we join Him in the next life.

forsake everything,sacrifice,surrender,let go,give up,discipleship,commitment,Luke 14:26,hate family,Luke 14:33,sell evrything

What He looks for, what He longs for in us, is a relentless pursuit of learning to look like Jesus. While never an excuse to fail, as long as we are following God with all our heart, mind, strength, and soul, He will be pleased. Now back to this idea of forsaking everything…

[Read more…] about Forsake Everything

What Is Your Foundation?

by

I confess much of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote is so deep it eludes me. I wrestle for hours with some of his instruction. Every now and then I come across something he wrote which is plain, simple, and at-once life-changing. One of those statements I read recently was, “My life is put to shame when what I rely on fails.”

what is your foundation,building on rock or sand,John 10:10,life to the full,abundant life,Dietrich Bonhoeffer,Bonhoeffer

image © Srdjan via Fotolia

It prompts one to reflect on their own life and ask, “On what am I relying? On what am I building my life? What is my foundation?” So, I will ask you, “What is your foundation?” One thing I know, Christ is reliable without fail. He is fail-proof. No one and nothing else can make this claim.

[Read more…] about What Is Your Foundation?

Doesn’t Matter Anyway

by

Reading the incredibly inspirational story of Kyle Maynard, I was blown away. Kyle was born without arms or legs, yet he has lived an incredible life. He has climbed mountains unassisted, won wrestling championships, and competed as a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter. How does one do such amazing things? Where do they find the discipline and resolve to hone the abilities to do so?

doesn't matter anyway,kyle maynard,savatage,priorities,purpose,salvation,surrender

image © vitaliy_melnik via Fotolia

Someone like Kyle silences all our complaining and whining. He makes our biggest frustration look minuscule by comparison. I don’t know if Kyle is a follower of Jesus or not. But if he isn’t, sadly, none of his accomplishments count for anything. Without Jesus, no matter what we do, it doesn’t matter anyway.

[Read more…] about Doesn’t Matter Anyway