The Reason

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! ⁹ As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! ¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1:6-10

A conviction has been on my heart for quite some time. I have prayed, diligently seeking God's guidance and will for the action I should take. Welcome to Journey to Victory, my first step in teaching, equipping, encouraging, and admonishing fellow Christians. (Yes, you read that last one right - admonishing.) Because the world isn't the problem; ineffective Christianity is the problem. We have neglected our first love.

The majority of American Christians are failing. Miserably.

We've conditioned ourselves to comfort and good feelings, not daring to remind ourselves that God cares more about our holiness than our happiness. We've filled our lives with tasks that have nothing to do with Him, yet we want His blessings. We cry out to God to save our country, yet we cower in the corner to the culture's pressures and whims. We need to better repent and equip ourselves so we can be the bold force for holiness this world so desperately needs.

I love you, friends, so I'm going to say it: It's time to stop acting like children and pick up the cross.

And I'm not talking about the unique "crosses" we each carry every day - I'm talking about THE cross where a perfect Savior died. If we won't at least carry His cross, then nothing else matters.

1 John 2:15-17
¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[d] is not in them. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Journey to Victory will speak truth when it is hard to hear. It will bring error in our Christian thinking to light and help us apply our faith in gospel-spreading ways. It is dedicated to equip and challenge believers. It will ruffle feathers. Any journey to victory takes perseverance, sweat, tears, and strength, and our Journey to Victory in Christ certainly isn't any different.

I welcome your prayers, requests, and comments. Also, I want guest posts from you! How has God gifted you? How can you equip other believers? Write about it, and send it my way. Just be sure you're living the life you're preaching, because the world has seen enough hypocrisy from Christians. The world needs to see Jesus.