Even If i Walk Alone

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

thankfulness

The Beauty of the Gospel

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Does the gospel still fascinate and overwhelm you? Do you still marvel at the outrageous generosity of God in selecting you to be one of the chosen few? (Ephesians 1:4-5; John 15:16) Or, as time has gone by, have you grown cold and indifferent to the beauty of the gospel? When we first awaken to the truth of God’s love and sacrifice, it’s almost impossible to keep it to ourselves.

We want to share the truth of Jesus with everyone we meet. But then comes the rejection and the ridicule. It seems not everyone is so excited to hear about Christ. Our love for Him does not fade, but many times our zeal does. (Revelation 2:4-5; Romans 12:11) Sharing Jesus becomes an afterthought and the gospel something we came to accept but no longer think about.

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Gratitude

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Gratitude is a most overused word while at the same time being a highly underutilized attitude. We live in an age where gratitude is hip and chic. We have gratitude apps and journals, gratitude groups and books filled with gratitude prayers. In a culture where stress is as omnipresent as the air we breathe, many have embraced the concept of gratitude without ever letting it penetrate their hearts. Of course, for Christ-followers, gratitude begins and ends with Jesus Himself.

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When someone gives their life in place of yours, saying you feel grateful may be the understatement of the century. Knowing Jesus, although perfect and without sin, took on all our sin so we might stand blameless before a holy God demands more than our gratitude. It demands our lives.

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Being Thankful

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It’s Thanksgiving day in America. While I recognize a good number of readers are not Americans, being thankful is something to which we can all relate. So whether you celebrate Thanksgiving in your culture or not, I suggest we all take some time today to reflect on all our blessings. Even if you are struggling in this season of life, I am confident you can find some things for which to be grateful.

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Something amazing happens when we pray prayers of gratitude. Our attitude changes. Our physical countenance improves. Most of us forget how truly blessed we are and take much of our lives for granted. But today, just for a little while, let’s reorient our focus on simply being thankful for everything God has done for us.

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Thankful

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It’s a holiday here in the United States, and I struggled considering whether or not to write about being thankful on Thanksgiving. It seemed just a little too easy and far too cliché. At the same time, I have been learning the importance of reflection, so I know it’s important to take the time to pause and consider how much God has done for us. Holidays are ideal for this sort of activity. They are markers along the road of our lives. Just as Joshua set up a pillar of stones to mark the passage into the Promised Land and as a reminder of where they had been (Joshua 4), days like Thanksgiving can serve to remind us of all that Christ has done for us.

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The Curse of Prosperity

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I watched a video of Haiti this morning and was struck by the looks of desperation in the eyes of the people. I saw very young children in alleyways looking lost and mothers sitting in makeshift clinics, their faces stoic and without hope. The earthquakes of 2010 exacerbated the problems in an already failing infrastructure.

Prosperity

These are our brothers and sisters in Christ; they should be full of joy, but the ravages of life in a sinful and broken world have relegated them to a life of despondency. [Read more…] about The Curse of Prosperity