Although It's Easier To Stay In The Cardboard Box...

I find that the more I press in to the Gospels and learn about the why and how of my relationship with Jesus Christ (especially in Hebrews and Romans), I understand further and deeper each day the power of the Gospel when it is at the core of everything. It is like telling a child to come out of a cardboard box in which they think the world exists, and showing them the entire world with every sense available to them. The snares of mass marketed spirituality will never satisfy, but when we discover the vivid relationship with Jesus Christ that makes sense of the world, our place, purpose, worth, and destiny, we will discover a life more vibrant than we could have ever dreamed. As Matthew Henry wrote, “The more firmly we believe the Doctrine of Christ, and the more confidently we rely upon the grace of Christ, the better it will be with us in every way!” I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for all who believe (Romans 1:16). When the Gospel is really the core of everything in our lives, the infinite power and resources of God are used in and through us in ways far greater than ourselves.

The Object of Our Focus

     Not too long ago there was a period of couple years that I trained for and raced in a handful of triathlons. I really enjoyed the variety in training, but always found myself weaker in one of the three disciplines. I would adjust my training slightly to accommodate, then one of the other areas would feel weaker. There were very few times that I felt I was at the top of my game in all three areas.
      On a daily and weekly basis I am constantly thinking about the things that I want to improve upon or be better at. I have a list of five words that I remind myself of that I want my life to exemplify each day: devotion, character, love, empowering, and nobility. Sometimes pursuing all of the things I want to be can feel like my triathlon training, there is always something that loses my focus when I put it on one of the others. I start spending more time doing this, then I don’t spend time doing that, etc.             When we look at Hebrews 12 we find that our focus should always only be on one thing first and foremost, Jesus Christ. When our eyes are fixed upon him, meaning when we daily pursue our relationship with Him, talking with Him in prayer and time in the Word, all of the attributes that we desire our life to represent will be a natural bi-product of the relationship that we have with Him. When we turn our focus to all of the “things we want to be” we will find an exhaustive effort that will feel like a chasing after the wind.
       Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” and in 12:3 it goes on to say, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
      When our eyes are fixed upon Him, we will not grow weary and lose heart because all of the things we desire become a natural bi-product of the fruitful relationship that we have with Jesus Christ. So quit chasing after the wind, and chase after the one thing that will bring fulfillment, purpose, life, and true joy, Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children...”

A Challenge To Prayer

In regards to prayer:

  I believe Satan's greatest tool for victory is not plunging Christians deep into the heart of sin. Most know better. His greatest gains are made in disabling those who have power and authority over him, the Church, the Bride of Christ, by means of leisure, hobbies, entertainment, TV, etc. We sit idly by with the keys to overcome the evil and darkness, bothered by it, but neglecting to do the one thing in our life of entertainment that brings the power of God directly into the situation. Just imagine if the entire Church was mobilized in a dedicated effort to usher in God's blessing and power over the evil and darkness that surrounds us through dedicated and relentless prayer. So, will we sit idly by with our hearts aching from the evil that abounds, while our knees never touch the ground? Or will we no longer neglect the largest resource we have been given; a relationship with Jesus Christ that allows us to boldly approach the throne of God and ask for His Kingdom to come and will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, that as we have been raised with Christ and seated with Him at the right hand of God (Ephesians 2) we start using the riches of the Kingdom of God that have been entrusted to us.....I am sure we can find at least 5 minutes a day for that.