We only have one job in this whole Christian thing! Get it wrong and well ...
The last two years have been an incredible journey of heartbreak, sinful stupidity, stubbornness and being absolutely wrecked. I would not trade these last two years for anything (and for that person that said to my wife "welcome back from your vacation", I pray you don't have to go through what we did to learn what we did). It was a necessary two years of leaving a ministry that felt so successful and a church that we loved and adored so much. Both of those things, though good, had become idols in my life. I became so obsessed with results and Urbancrest that I was living a life that was not Gloriously exalting to my Savior, King, Lord, Daddy and Lover! I lived as though I was created to be a pastor and lead people. I acted as if I didn't get to do that, I was worthless and being what I am created for. How wrong I was and I apologize to all that I taught legalistically by adding to your life more weight instead of helping you rest in Christ.
It has become strange to me to listen to teaching that puts so much emphasis on what we must do in this Christian life. As I have had the pleasure to sit through some great bible studies and meet with some great people the last 6 months, one thing is very clear: WE DON"T KNOW WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DOING FOR CHRIST! I have heard so many people tell me that if they would just be better in an area of the Christian life, that they would be closer to God and be more obedient. I have now repeated to many of them the one thing that I wish to share with you -
"The only job we have in our Christianity is to become intimate with Christ!"
Everything we do is an overflow of our life with Christ! Everything! Let's look at this biblically.
Jesus says that eternal life is to KNOW the One True God and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3). In this passage God not only gives us what we are saved for but the purpose behind His Son's cruel death, incredible resurrection and quick ascension to the right hand of the Father in heaven. We are saved for God and to be with God. That word "know" means to gain knowledge by experience. Another way I put this passage is "Eternal life is getting to know and knowing God eternally" or "salvation is intimacy with God". God created us for Himself (Colossians 1), He made us the most relational beings He created (Genesis 2) and He redeemed us to be His (Colossians 1:14). We are saved to be with Him.
Paul says that the only thing He wants in this world is to KNOW God! He counted everything else as trash compared to knowing God. Don't take my word for it:
"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;" Philippians 3:7-10 (emphasis mine)
Don't you see it. We are saved to KNOW God and to with Him forever which means KNOWING God more! We only have one job and that is to be intimate with God. We only have one calling and that is to be intimate with God. We were created for one thing, TO BE INTIMATE WITH GOD!
If we could spend more time working on our relationship with God, we would know God's will for our life: which by the way is to be intimate with God. This one truth has permeated every part of my life and theology. When I came to realize that the only thing God wants from me is to be with Him and that He will live His life through me, I found myself resting, peaceful, confident, strengthened, empowered, loved, blessed, and free.
I know I have lived so many times in a way that I was suppose to produce. But John 15:5 doesn't say I am suppose to produce, it says I am suppose to bear or be the avenue by which fruit is produced. That life is to be given through me and show up our of my life. That life is Christ living through me. That's right, Christ does the work as am I intimate with Him. Let me also share that He is the one that woos His kids to intimacy when we haven't. He doesn't let us go long without His voice and action in our life to bring us back to Him. He knows that we are not capable of being obedient, but His Son is and the Spirit lives obedience through our lives as we are intimate with Him. Everything God wants to do in and through my life He will do through intimacy. He teaches us through that, He leads us through that, He accomplishes His will and direction through intimacy.
I know that many of us know this, but I am coming to realize that many of us really don't KNOW this. It shows in what comes out in our words and actions. Friend, there is only thing God wants in your life and that is to be intimate with Him. Everything with flow out of this: worship, obedience, being where God wants you, relationships, your role in the church, what you do for the rest of your life, worldwide evangelism, peace, rest, freedom - EVERYTHING! Why don't we start being God's kids and allowing Him to be Daddy!
Thank you Daddy for taking me away from everything that I loved and turning my eyes back to You in love! Thank you for loving me so much that You would not allow me to love anything but You most!
It has become strange to me to listen to teaching that puts so much emphasis on what we must do in this Christian life. As I have had the pleasure to sit through some great bible studies and meet with some great people the last 6 months, one thing is very clear: WE DON"T KNOW WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DOING FOR CHRIST! I have heard so many people tell me that if they would just be better in an area of the Christian life, that they would be closer to God and be more obedient. I have now repeated to many of them the one thing that I wish to share with you -
"The only job we have in our Christianity is to become intimate with Christ!"
Everything we do is an overflow of our life with Christ! Everything! Let's look at this biblically.
Jesus says that eternal life is to KNOW the One True God and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3). In this passage God not only gives us what we are saved for but the purpose behind His Son's cruel death, incredible resurrection and quick ascension to the right hand of the Father in heaven. We are saved for God and to be with God. That word "know" means to gain knowledge by experience. Another way I put this passage is "Eternal life is getting to know and knowing God eternally" or "salvation is intimacy with God". God created us for Himself (Colossians 1), He made us the most relational beings He created (Genesis 2) and He redeemed us to be His (Colossians 1:14). We are saved to be with Him.
Paul says that the only thing He wants in this world is to KNOW God! He counted everything else as trash compared to knowing God. Don't take my word for it:
"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;" Philippians 3:7-10 (emphasis mine)
Don't you see it. We are saved to KNOW God and to with Him forever which means KNOWING God more! We only have one job and that is to be intimate with God. We only have one calling and that is to be intimate with God. We were created for one thing, TO BE INTIMATE WITH GOD!
If we could spend more time working on our relationship with God, we would know God's will for our life: which by the way is to be intimate with God. This one truth has permeated every part of my life and theology. When I came to realize that the only thing God wants from me is to be with Him and that He will live His life through me, I found myself resting, peaceful, confident, strengthened, empowered, loved, blessed, and free.
I know I have lived so many times in a way that I was suppose to produce. But John 15:5 doesn't say I am suppose to produce, it says I am suppose to bear or be the avenue by which fruit is produced. That life is to be given through me and show up our of my life. That life is Christ living through me. That's right, Christ does the work as am I intimate with Him. Let me also share that He is the one that woos His kids to intimacy when we haven't. He doesn't let us go long without His voice and action in our life to bring us back to Him. He knows that we are not capable of being obedient, but His Son is and the Spirit lives obedience through our lives as we are intimate with Him. Everything God wants to do in and through my life He will do through intimacy. He teaches us through that, He leads us through that, He accomplishes His will and direction through intimacy.
I know that many of us know this, but I am coming to realize that many of us really don't KNOW this. It shows in what comes out in our words and actions. Friend, there is only thing God wants in your life and that is to be intimate with Him. Everything with flow out of this: worship, obedience, being where God wants you, relationships, your role in the church, what you do for the rest of your life, worldwide evangelism, peace, rest, freedom - EVERYTHING! Why don't we start being God's kids and allowing Him to be Daddy!
Thank you Daddy for taking me away from everything that I loved and turning my eyes back to You in love! Thank you for loving me so much that You would not allow me to love anything but You most!
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